bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A numerical study of stellar discs in galactic nuclei
Authors: Panamarev Taras , Kocsis Bence
Published: October 2022

We explore the dynamics of stellar discs in the close vicinity of a supermassive black hole (SMBH) by means of direct N-body simulations. We show that an isolated nuclear stellar disc exhibits anisotropic mass segregation meaning that massive stars settle to lower orbital inclinations and more circular orbits than the light stars. However, in systems in which the stellar disc is embedded in a much more massive isotropic stellar cluster, anisotropic mass segregation tends to be suppressed. In both cases, an initially thin stellar disc becomes thicker, especially in the inner parts due to the fluctuating anisotropy in the spherical component. We find that vector resonant relaxation is quenched in the disc by nodal precession, but it is still the most efficient relaxation process around SMBHs of mass $10^6\, {\rm M}_{\odot }$ and above. Two-body relaxation may dominate for less massive SMBHs found in dwarf galaxies. Stellar discs embedded in massive isotropic stellar clusters ultimately tend to become isotropic on the local two-body relaxation time-scale. Our simulations show that the dynamics of young stars at the centre of the Milky Way is mostly driven by vector resonant relaxation leading to an anticorrelation between the scatter of orbital inclinations and distance from the SMBH. If the S-stars formed in a disc less than 10 Myr ago, they may coexist with a cusp of stellar mass black holes or an intermediate mass black hole with mass up to $1000\, {\rm M}_{\odot }$ to reproduce the observed scatter of angular momenta.
A new family of potential-density pairs for flattened systems with flat rotation curves
Authors: McNamarah Claude
Published: October 2022

We present a new family of field-density pairs that may be used to model highly flattened systems like spiral galaxies. The rotation curves are asymptotically flat and the density is positive within the domain of a disc that is highly constricted near the centre. We used a member of the family to show that it may reproduce the observed rotation curves of a sample of Sc galaxies. We also computed its surface density and found that it initially reproduced the observed exponential variation, but fell-off more slowly at large R. A subsequent member of the family yielded an exponential surface density. The effective potentials within both models were shown to have minima throughout the systems, thus admitting stable bounded orbits. To justify the existence of a disc with exponentially decreasing surface density and flat rotation curve, we proved that a deviation from Keplerian fall-off is intrinsic to cylindrically symmetric potentials.
Evidence for extended gaseous reservoirs around AGN at cosmic noon from ALMA CO(3−2) observations
Authors: Jones G C , Maiolino R , Circosta C , Scholtz J , Carniani S , Fudamoto Y
Published: October 2022

Gaseous outflows are key phenomena in the evolution of galaxies, as they affect star formation (either positively or negatively), eject gas from the core or disc, and directly cause mixing of pristine and processed material. Active outflows may be detected through searches for broad spectral line emission or high-velocity gas, but it is also possible to determine the presence of past outflows by searching for extended reservoirs of chemically enriched molecular gas in the circumgalactic medium (CGM) around galaxies. In this work, we examine the CO(3−2) emission of a set of seven z ∼ 2.0–2.5 active galactic nuclei (AGN) host galaxies, as observed with ALMA. Through a 3D stacking analysis, we find evidence for extended CO emission of radius r ∼ 13 kpc. We extend this analysis to the HST/ACS i-band images of the sample galaxies, finding a complex small-scale (r < 10 kpc) morphology but no robust evidence for extended emission. In addition, the dust emission (traced by rest-frame FIR emission) shows no evidence for significant spatial extension. This indicates that the diffuse CO emission revealed by ALMA is morphologically distinct from the stellar component, and thus traces an extended reservoir of enriched gas. The presence of a diffuse, enriched molecular reservoir around this sample of AGN host galaxies at cosmic noon hints at a history of AGN-driven outflows that likely had strong effects on the star formation history of these objects.
NACDDB: Nucleic Acid Circular Dichroism Database
Authors: Cappannini Andrea , Mosca Kevin , Mukherjee Sunandan , Moafinejad S Naeim , Sinden Richard R , Arluison Veronique , Bujnicki Janusz , Wien Frank
Published: October 2022

The Nucleic Acid Circular Dichroism Database (NACDDB) is a public repository that archives and freely distributes circular dichroism (CD) and synchrotron radiation CD (SRCD) spectral data about nucleic acids, and the associated experimental metadata, structural models, and links to literature. NACDDB covers CD data for various nucleic acid molecules, including DNA, RNA, DNA/RNA hybrids, and various nucleic acid derivatives. The entries are linked to primary sequence and experimental structural data, as well as to the literature. Additionally, for all entries, 3D structure models are provided. All entries undergo expert validation and curation procedures to ensure completeness, consistency, and quality of the data included. The NACDDB is open for submission of the CD data for nucleic acids. NACDDB is available at: https://genesilico.pl/nacddb/.
Neurocognitive function and health-related quality of life in a nationwide cohort of long-term childhood brain tumor survivors
Authors: Helligsoe Anne Sophie L , Henriksen Louise T , Kenborg Line , Lassen-Ramshad Yasmin , Wu Lisa M , Winther Jeanette F , Hasle Henrik , Amidi Ali
Published: October 2022

Background

Childhood brain tumor survivors are at high risk of late effects, especially neurocognitive impairment. Limited data are available examining neurocognitive function and associations with quality of life (QoL) in childhood brain tumor survivors. Our aim was to examine neurocognitive function in childhood brain tumor survivors, and associations with QoL and symptom burden.

Methods

Five–year survivors of brain tumors over the age of 15 were identified in the Danish Childhood Cancer Registry (n = 423). Eligible and consenting participants completed neuropsychological tests and questionnaires assessing QoL, insomnia, fatigue, anxiety, and depression. Survivors treated with radiation (n = 59) were statistically compared with survivors not treated with radiation (n = 102).

Results

In total, 170 survivors participated (40.2% participation rate). Sixty-six percent of the survivors who completed neurocognitive tests (n = 161) exhibited overall neurocognitive impairment. Survivors treated with radiation, especially whole-brain irradiation, exhibited poorer neurocognitive outcomes than survivors not treated with radiation. Neurocognitive outcomes for survivors treated with surgery were below normative expectations. Furthermore, a number of survivors experienced significant fatigue (40%), anxiety (23%), insomnia (13%), and/or depression (6%). Survivors treated with radiation reported lower quality of life (QoL) and higher symptom burden scores than survivors not treated with radiation; particularly in physical functioning, and social functioning with symptoms of fatigue. Neurocognitive impairment was not associated with QoL or symptom burden.

Conclusions

In this study, a majority of the childhood brain tumor survivors experienced neurocognitive impairment, reduced QoL, and high symptom burden. Although not associated with each other, it is apparent that childhood brain tumor survivors experience not only neurocognitive dysfunction but may also experience QoL impairments and significant symptom burden.
Critical Theory
Authors: Harris Neal
Published: October 2022

Formed as the Institute for Social Research (Institut für Sozialforschung) in 1923, Frankfurt School scholarship is distinctive in its fusion of Freudian psychoanalysis, Marxism, Weberian sociology, and left-Hegelian philosophy. The fundamental insight of Critical Theory is that a complex relationship exists between constitutive power, rationality, consciousness, and desire. As such, from a Critical Theory perspective, any meaningful analysis of society must surrender all pretensions to “objectivity.” All thought, including reflexive scholarly inquiry, retains the inherited form of the sociopolitical system. Critical Theorists appreciate that all research is therefore political, either reinforcing or challenging the social order. Subsequent “critical theories” have emerged in addition to the Frankfurt School’s approach, drawing on these principles; however, many are methodologically and politically divergent from their German forefather. For example, in the early twenty-first century, some consider deconstructionism, post-structuralism, and decolonial thought to be forms of critical theory. This article follows convention, and, in keeping with the capitalized “C” and “T” of the title, refers strictly to “Frankfurt School” Critical Theory. This is not stated as part of a broader territorial dispute, nor as part of a pointed “ground clearing” exercise. Rather, the acknowledged convention of capitalization for Frankfurt School Critical Theory serves to maintain disciplinary coherence. The methodological innovations and political sentiments captured by Michel Foucault’s critical theory, for example, are highly different to those of Theodor Adorno. That stated, one must be careful not to implicitly consider “Frankfurt School Critical Theory” to be a homogenous, harmonious whole. While a reweaving of the tapestry of ideas offered by Marx-Freud-Hegel-Weber provides a loose coherence across the different eras of Critical Theory, Frankfurt School scholarship is formally demarcated into three “generations.” The “first generation” refers to the work of Max Horkheimer, Theodor Adorno, Herbert Marcuse, Erich Fromm, and their Frankfurt School contemporaries. First-generation scholarship was united by a Marxian philosophical foundation and an explicitly anti-capitalist politics. “Second-generation” Critical Theory refers to the work of Jürgen Habermas and his embrace of insights from analytic philosophy, linguistics, and formal pragmatics. “Third-generation” Critical Theory focuses on the work of Axel Honneth and the Hegel-inspired Critical Theory of Recognition. There is even sporadic discussion of an emergent “fourth generation” of Critical Theory that orbits Rainer Forst’s theory of judgement. Contemporary Critical Theory is an exceedingly fraught and politically divisive enterprise, with various scholars contending that the research agenda has lost its political potency and become blunted by a philosophically untenable “neo-Idealism.” The defining characteristics of Critical Theory are themselves the subject of a heated contemporary debate.
Contemporary Sagas (Bishops’ sagas and Sturlunga saga)
Authors: Egilsdóttir Ásdís
Published: October 2022

Contemporary sagas tell of people and events in Iceland in the twelfth and thirteenth centuries. They were written soon after the events they describe. The secular contemporary sagas are preserved in the compilation Sturlunga saga, from around 1270–1280, but covering the period 1117–1264. The designation Sturlunga saga first appears in the seventeenth century. Sturlunga saga is a compilation of several sagas. The original sagas were written in the twelfth and thirteenth centuries. The compilation begins with Geirmundar þáttr heljarskinns, telling of a settler from Norway who fled to Iceland to escape the growing power of King Harald Fairhair. The other texts included are Þorgils saga ok Hafliða, Sturlu saga, Prestssaga Guðmundar Arasonar, Hrafns saga Sveinbjarnarsonar, Íslendinga saga by Sturla Þórðarson, Þórðar saga kakala, and Svínfellinga saga. Hrafns saga Sveinbjarnarsonar is preserved both as a separate saga and as a version included in the Sturlunga saga compilation. Arons saga Hjörleifssonar should also be mentioned in this context, although it was not included in the compilation. Aron was a contemporary of Sturla Sighvatsson and Bishop Guðmundr Arason. The saga has been dated to around 1340. Biskupa sögur (Bishops’ sagas) are biographies of medieval Icelandic bishops. They cover the period from 1056 until 1331, and they were written from the early twelfth century until the mid-fourteenth century. The first Icelandic bishopric was established in Skálholt (South Iceland) in 1056, followed by the establishment of a second bishopric in Hólar (North Iceland) in 1106. The sagas of the bishops of Skálholt cover the period 1056–1206 (Hungrvaka, Þorláks saga Helga, and Páls saga) and 1269–1298 (Árna saga Þorlákssonar). The Biskupa sögur from Hólar cover the periods 1106–1121 (Jóns saga helga), 1203–1237 (the sagas of Guðmundr Arason), and 1324–1331 (Lárentíus saga Kálfssonar). In addition, there are two þættir, or short stories. Ísleifs þáttr tells a story of Ísleifr Gizurarson as a young priest. He became the first bishop of Skálholt (1056–1080). Jóns þáttr Halldórssonar is a short, anecdotal narrative of the life of Jón Halldórsson, bishop of Skálholt (r. 1322–1339). The sagas are all in the vernacular, but remnants of a Latin Þorláks saga and liturgical readings have been preserved. There is evidence for a Latin Jóns saga and Guðmundar saga. The Biskupa sögur are written by contemporary or almost contemporary authors, some of them known by name.
J. Hector St. John de Crèvecœur
Authors: Gray Kathryn N.
Published: October 2022

Crèvecœur (b. 1735–d. 1813) is best known in Anglo-American scholarship for his first publication, Letters from an American Farmer (London, 1782), an epistolary fiction closely reflecting his experiences and perceptions of life as a colonial immigrant farmer in Orange County, New York. Much of the critical heritage to date builds on assumptions about Crèvecœur’s biography: his political and national allegiances, as well as his self-consciously shaped identity as a farmer, trader, writer and diplomat. Born in Caen, France, in 1735, as Michel-Guillaume Saint-Jean de Crèvecœur, he was educated in France, and in 1755 he sailed for New France bound for a spell in the French colonial army. In 1769 he married Mehetable Tippet, settling a 250-acre farm in Pine Hill, New York, and, following the arrival of his three children, he enjoyed a happy family life. This agrarian lifestyle was upended by the Revolution: Crèvecœur left for France with his eldest son and, following imprisonment on suspicion of espionage, he finally arrived in England with his manuscript of the Letters and Sketches. He spent the next few years in France with his son. On his return to his home in New York, he found his wife had died and his other two children were being taken care of by another family. Since the late eighteenth century, Crèvecœur’s literary reputation has ebbed and flowed with the tastes of the time. While the initial publication of the English Letters and French Lettres propelled him into the refined literary circles of the Paris salons, his literary reputation ebbed in the nineteenth century, and did not pick up again until the early twentieth century, when D. H. Lawrence recognized him as part of an emerging American literary canon. His final publication, Voyage dans la haute Pensylvanie et dans l’état de New-York (1801), did not enjoy the same success as Letters or Lettres and remains relatively understudied in Anglo-American scholarship. Yet his ambiguous political allegiances during the Revolutionary War have proven fertile ground for scholars attempting to align his personal, transatlantic, colonial, and Revolutionary experiences with his writings. Traditionally, scholarship tracks his contribution to a distinctly American literary heritage. The third letter in Letters, “What Is an American?,” is a core text on American literature programs and fundamental to Crèvecœur’s reputation as an author of the American scene in the late eighteenth century. But, more recently, scholars recognize the Atlantic and cosmopolitan nature of his work and his contribution to colonial science networks, natural history, and environmental literature.
Real Options Theory
Authors: Trigeorgis Lenos
Published: October 2022

Real options theory analyzes the value of managerial flexibility to adapt and revise future decisions to capitalize on favorable future investment opportunities or to limit downside losses from adverse market developments, which is vital to long-term corporate success in an uncertain and changing marketplace. Managerial flexibility manifests in terms of a set of corporate real options on whether to defer or stage investment, expand or grow, contract, abandon and switch use, or otherwise alter a capital commitment. Real options theory brings the theory of financial options from the capital markets to the realm of corporate investment decisions and strategic decision making under conditions of uncertainty. Real options are seen as opportunities (without an obligation) to acquire (dispose or reposition) real assets on possibly favorable terms. These terms depend on adjustment (or switching) costs, imperfect competition or other imperfections in product or factor markets. But whereas in the case of financial options the investor has the right to acquire (or sell) a financial asset (e.g., shares of stock) as the underlying security, in real options the underlying is a “real” asset whose expected future cash flows are linked to new product development via investing in an R&D program or the exploitation of a patent, the construction and subsequent scale up of a manufacturing plant in the home country, new foreign market entry and the growth or shifting of foreign subsidiary operations within the network of a multinational company (MNC), and so forth. Real options theory has thus extended options thinking (and methods) from the financial markets, where options are based on tradable contracts with specified terms, to real assets, tangible or intangible. Tangible or physical real assets underlying real options might include R&D and patents; land or real estate; natural resources, such as oil, gas, or mineral reserves; manufacturing plants; and strategic acquisitions; intangibles include brand and reputation, unique business processes, flexible human capital, and knowledge developed in joint ventures or other cooperative agreements.
The auxin response factor TaARF15-A1 negatively regulates senescence in common wheat (Triticum aestivumL.)
Authors: Li Huifang , Liu Hong , Hao Chenyang , Li Tian , Liu Yunchuan , Wang Xiaolu , Yang Yuxin , Zheng Jun , Zhang Xueyong
Published: October 2022

Auxin plays an important role in regulating leaf senescence. Auxin response factors (ARFs) are crucial components of the auxin signaling pathway; however, their roles in leaf senescence in cereal crops are unknown. In this study, we identified TaARF15-A1 as a negative regulator of senescence in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) by analyzing TaARF15-A1 overexpression (OE) and RNA interference lines and CRISPR/Cas9-based arf15 mutants. OE of TaARF15-A1 delayed senescence, whereas knockdown lines and knockout mutants showed accelerated leaf senescence and grain ripening. RNA-seq analysis revealed that TaARF15-A1 delays leaf senescence by negatively regulating senescence-promoting processes and positively modulating senescence-delaying genes including senescence-associated phytohormone biosynthesis and metabolism genes as well as transcription factors (TFs). We also demonstrated that TaARF15-A1 physically interacts with TaMYC2, a core jasmonic acid (JA) signaling TF that positively modulates wheat senescence. Furthermore, TaARF15-A1 suppressed the expression of TaNAM-1 (TaNAM-A1 and TaNAM-D1) via protein–protein interaction and competition with TaMYC2 for binding to its promoter to regulate senescence. Finally, we identified two haplotypes of TaARF15-A1 in global wheat collections. Association analysis revealed that TaARF15-A1-HapI has undergone strong selection during wheat breeding in China, likely owing to its earlier maturity. Thus, we identify TaARF15-A1 as a negative regulator of senescence in common wheat and present another perspective on the crosstalk between auxin and JA signaling pathways in regulating plant senescence.
Persistent Crises and Levered Asset Prices
Authors: Kuehn Lars-Alexander , Schreindorfer David , Schulz Florian
Published: October 2022

This paper shows that standard disaster risk models are inconsistent with movements in stock market volatility and credit spreads during disasters. We resolve this shortcoming by incorporating persistent macroeconomic crises into a structural credit risk model. The model successfully captures the joint dynamics of aggregate consumption, financial leverage, and asset market risks, both unconditionally and during crises. Leverage strongly amplifies fundamental shocks by continuing to rise while crises endure. We structurally estimate the model and show that it replicates the firm-level implied volatility curve and its cross-sectional relation with observable proxies of default risk.
External validation of the alternative Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Score in three randomized clinical trials of ixekizumab
Authors: Ortolan Augusta , Ramiro Sofia , Ramonda Roberta , van der Heijde Désirée
Published: October 2022

Objectives

The alternative ASDAS (altASDAS) is an index that can be used when patient global assessment is unavailable. Our aim was to test the truth and discrimination aspects according to OMERACT filter 2.0 of the altASDAS in an external cohort.

Methods

Cohorts from the COAST trials of ixekizumab (COAST-V, -W, -X; 16-week primary endpoint) enrolling radiographic/non-radiographic axial SpA patients were pooled. The ASDAS [original formula with patient global assessment (PGA)] and altASDAS were calculated. Truth was assessed by agreement with the continuous ASDAS [intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs)] and ASDAS disease activity (DA) states (weighted κ), Bland–Altman plots [mean difference (MD) and 95% limits of agreement (LoA)] and Pearson’s correlations between altASDAS/ASDAS and other constructs. Discrimination was tested by the ability of altASDAS to distinguish high/low DA according to nocturnal pain >6/10 as an external anchor and agreement (κ) with ASDAS in major improvement (MI) and clinically important improvement (CII).

Results

A total of 958 patients were included. For truth, agreement with ASDAS was very good (ICC = 0.99, κ = 0.91), MD with ASDAS was 0.03 (95% LoA −0.31–0.24) and correlation coefficients of altASDAS with related constructs were within a prespecified 0.3-wide band around those between ASDAS and the same construct. For discrimination, the altASDAS discriminated between DA states and agreed with ASDAS response (κ MI = 0.91, CII = 0.93).

Conclusions

The altASDAS was truthful and discriminative in an external cohort and as such has been fully validated to be used in cases when PGA is unavailable.
NLRP3 activation in microglia contributes to learning and memory impairment induced by chronic lead exposure in mice
Authors: Zhu Jiawei , Zhou Fan , Zhou Qin , Xu Yongjie , Li Yunting , Huang Dingbang , Chen Lixuan , Liu Anfei , Zou Fei , Meng Xiaojing
Published: October 2022

Lead (Pb)-induced microglial activation and neuroinflammation has been considered as one of the main pathological events of Pb neurotoxicity. The NLRP3 inflammasome signaling pathway is a major contributor to the neuroinflammatory process in the central nervous system. However, the relationship between chronic Pb exposure and neurogenic NLRP3 inflammasome is unclear. Therefore, the aim of this study was to characterize the role of NLRP3 inflammasome activation during the chronic Pb exposure using in vitro and in vivo models. Our results showed that chronic Pb exposure induce learning and memory impairment in mice, mainly related to the activation of microglia and NLRP3 inflammasome. This phenomenon was reversed in mice by treating with the NLRP3 inhibitor MCC950 and using NLRP3−/− mice. In addition, Pb caused the activation of NLRP3 inflammasome, the production of mitochondrial ROS (mtROS), and mitochondrial Ca2+ overload in BV2 cells. Amelioration of mtROS abolished Pb-induced NLRP3 inflammasome activation. Moreover, after regulation of Ca2+ redistribution, mtROS and NLRP3 inflammasome activation was restored. In conclusion, NLRP3 inflammasome activation in microglia plays a vital role in Pb neurotoxicity, by a novel mechanism of enhancing mtROS production and Ca2+ redistribution.
Effects of Nighttime Applications of Germicidal Ultraviolet Light Upon Powdery Mildew (Erysiphe necator), Downy Mildew (Plasmopara viticola), and Sour Rot of Grapevine
Authors: Gadoury David M. , Sapkota Surya , Cadle-Davidson Lance , Underhill Anna , McCann Tyler , Gold Kaitlin M. , Gambhir Nikita , Combs David B.
Published: October 2022

Nighttime applications of germicidal ultraviolet were evaluated as a means to suppress three diseases of grapevine. In laboratory studies, UV-C light (peak 254 nm, FWHM 5 nm) applied during darkness strongly inhibited the germination of conidia of Erysiphe necator, and at a dose of 200 J/m2, germination was zero. Reciprocity of irradiance and duration of exposure with respect to conidial germination was confirmed for UV-C doses between 0 and 200 J/m2 applied at 4 or 400 s. When detached grapevine leaves were exposed during darkness to UV-C at 100 J/m2 up to 7 days before they were inoculated with zoospores of Plasmopara viticola, infection and subsequent sporulation was reduced by over 70% compared to untreated control leaves, indicating an indirect suppression of the pathogen exerted through the host. A hemicylindrical array of low-pressure discharge UV-C lamps configured for trellised grapevines was designed and fitted to both a tractor-drawn carriage and a fully autonomous robotic carriage for vineyard applications. In 2019, in a Chardonnay research vineyard with a history of high inoculum and severe disease, weekly nighttime applications of UV-C suppressed E. necator on leaves and fruit at doses of 100 and 200 J/m2. In the same vineyard in 2020, UV-C was applied once or twice weekly at doses of 70, 100, or 200 J/m2, and severity of E. necator on both leaves and fruit was significantly reduced compared to untreated controls; twice-weekly applications at 200 J/m2 provided suppression equivalent to a standard fungicide program. None of the foregoing UV-C treatments significantly reduced the severity of P. viticola on Chardonnay vines compared to the untreated control in 2020. However, twice-weekly applications of UV-C at 200 J/m2 to the more downy mildew-resistant Vitis interspecific hybrid cultivar Vignoles in 2021 significantly suppressed foliar disease severity. In commercial Chardonnay vineyards with histories of excellent disease control in Dresden, NY, E. necator remained at trace levels on foliage and was zero on fruit following weekly nighttime applications of UV-C at 200 J/m2 in 2020 and after weekly or twice-weekly application of UV-C at 100 or 200 J/m2 in 2021. In 2019, weekly nighttime applications of UV-C at 200 J/m2 also significantly reduced the severity of sour rot, a decay syndrome of complex etiology, on fruit of ‘Vignoles’ but not the severity of bunch rot caused by Botrytis cinerea. A similar level of suppression of sour rot was observed on ‘Vignoles’ vines treated twice-weekly with UV-C at 200 J/m2 in 2021. Nighttime UV-C applications did not produce detectable indications of metabolic abnormalities, phytotoxicity, growth reduction, or reductions of fruit yield or quality parameters, even at the highest doses and most frequent intervals employed.
Identification of Fungal Species Associated with Apple Canker in Tarim Basin, China
Authors: Sha Shuai S. , Wang Zhe , Yan Cheng C. , Hao Hai T. , Wang Lan , Feng Hong Z.
Published: October 2022

Apple canker has decreased yields of the economically important apple (Malus domestica) crop in China in recent years. Pathogen identity is highly challenging and the disease is poorly understood. Specimens of 339 fungi were isolated from apple trees in the primary apple-producing region in the Tarim Basin during the current study. In total, nine species of Cytospora and five species of the family Botryosphaeriaceae were identified by morphological observation and multilocus phylogenetic analyses: internal transcribed spacer (ITS), actin, translation elongation factor (TEF), and β-tubulin (TUB) gene regions for Cytospora and ITS, TEF, and TUB for Botryosphaeriaceae. Cytospora pyri from the Cytospora genus was the dominant species causing apple canker in the Tarim Basin. C. melnikii, C. tritici, C. euonymina, Diplodia seriata, and Botryosphaeria dothidea have been described as the cause of apple canker in China. Apple (Red Fuji) branches were utilized to assess the pathogenicity of 24 representative fungal isolates from the 14 species, and branches from seven distinct woody plants (Korla pear, walnut, Chinese date, Xinjiang poplar, sand jujube, Populus euphratica, and willow) were utilized to analyze the host range. The main pathogenic fungal species of apple canker around the Tarim Basin were identified and biological characteristics explored. Pathogen diversity and regional source diversity were assessed with host range and pathogenicity. The aim was to provide a theoretical foundation for the prevention and treatment of apple canker.
Orthopedic management of a patient with pigmented villonodular synovitis
Authors: Smith Shawn C. , Snyder Garrett M.
Published: October 2022

Pigmented villonodular synovitis (PVNS), sometimes also called tenosynovial giant cell tumor, is a rare, slow-growing, benign soft-tissue disorder. PVNS most commonly affects the knee and is associated with painful hemarthrosis and joint swelling. The condition also can affect the hip, ankle, shoulder, or elbow. This article reviews practice guidelines for PVNS, diagnosis, and surgical and nonsurgical treatments.
Changes in the Utilization of Lumbosacral Epidural Injections Between 2010 and 2019
Authors: Ratnasamy Philip P. , Gouzoulis Michael J. , Kammien Alexander J. , Holder Eric K. , Grauer Jonathan N.
Published: October 2022

Study Design.

Descriptive epidemiologic study.

Objective.

To analyze trends and patient characteristics for lumbosacral transforaminal and interlaminar/caudal epidural injection utilization over time.

Background.

Lumbosacral transforaminal and interlaminar/caudal epidural injections are considered for varying lumbar pathologies. Reported studies, physician practices, insurance authorization, and other factors may influence utilization patterns over time.

Methods.

Patients undergoing lumbosacral transforaminal and interlaminar/caudal epidural injections between 2010-2019 were identified in the M91Ortho PearlDiver database based on CPT coding. Patient age, sex, Elixhauser Comorbidity Index (ECI), insurance plan (commercial, Medicaid, Medicare), and region of the country where the procedure was performed (Midwest, Northeast, South, West) were assessed and tracked over the years studied based on prevalence per 100,000 covered lives.

Results.

Lumbosacral transforaminal and interlaminar/caudal epidural injections were identified for 426,039 and 501,228 patients, respectively. The number of injections performed per year decreased over the years studied: for transforaminal injections from 160.81 to 76.36 per 100,000 patients and for interlaminar/caudal injections from 200.53 to 77.56 per 100,000 patients. The decrease in overall injections was greatest for those with Commercial and Medicare coverage (53.40% and 66.50%, respectively), with a smaller drop amongst those with Medicaid coverage (32.39%).

Over the years, the average patient undergoing injection was older and there was a relative shift toward transforaminal injections (P<0.05 for both). In terms of specialty of those performing the injections, they were most performed by Anesthesiology specialists (who performed less transforaminal than interlaminar/caudal injections).

Conclusion.

Lumbosacral transforaminal and interlaminar/caudal spinal epidural injections were shown to decrease by 52.37% per 100,000 patients from 2010-2019. Changing demographics of those undergoing such injections and practice patterns are important to consider in the picture of overall spine service utilization. Variations in injection utilization trends by patient insurance raise questions regarding disparities in care.
Resistance training for postmenopausal women: systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Sá Kamilla Mayr Martins , da Silva Gabriela Resende , Martins Ulisses Kiskissian , Colovati Mileny Esbravatti Stephano , Crizol Giuliana Raduan , Riera Rachel , Pacheco Rafael Leite , Martimbianco Ana Luiza Cabrera
Published: October 2022

Importance

Numerous studies have been published assessing the effects of resistance muscle training to mitigate menopausal symptoms, given the endocrine muscle function and its metabolic regulation. Therefore, mapping and synthesizing high-quality studies are necessary to help clinical decisions.

Objective

The aim of this study was to assess the effects (benefits and harms) of resistance muscle training for postmenopausal women.

Evidence Review

Electronic searches were conducted in MEDLINE (via PubMed), EMBASE, CENTRAL, PEDro, LILACS, and SPORTDiscus up to December 2021. Two independent reviewers selected the retrieved references and extracted relevant data from included studies. The methodological quality (risk of bias) using the Cochrane Risk of Bias table and the certainty of the evidence (GRADE approach) were assessed.

Findings

Twelve randomized clinical trials (n = 452) with unclear to high risk of bias were identified. Compared with no exercise, resistance training (up to 16 weeks) seems to promote an improvement in functional capacity (mean difference [MD], 2.90 points; 95% CI, 0.60-5.20) and bone mineral density (MD, 0.10; 95% CI, 0.10-0.10) and a reduction in the hot flash frequency (13/29 vs 1/29; risk ratio, 13.0; 95% CI, 1.82-93.01) and fat mass (MD, −3.15; 95% CI, −6.68 to 0.38), and no differences were observed between groups regarding abdominal circumference and body mass index. When compared with aerobic exercises, resistance training may result in a reduction of hot flash frequency (7/18 vs 14/18; risk ratio, 0.50; 95% CI, 0.27-0.94) and fat mass (MD, −7.80; 95% CI, −14.02 to −1.58) and no difference in the quality of life and body mass index. Regarding safety, no serious adverse events were reported. Based on the GRADE approach, the certainty of this evidence was graded as very low to low, leading to imprecisely estimated effects.

Conclusions and Relevance

Resistance muscle training seems to improve postmenopausal symptoms and functional capacity. Given the low to very low certainty of the evidence, further randomized clinical trials with higher methodological quality and better reports are still needed. As an implication for clinical practice, health professionals should consider individualized aspects such as the previous history of exercise practice, physical capacity, and adaptation period.
Who Cares about Diversity? Trends in Gender and Racial Authorship and Publications in Plastic Surgery over Time
Authors: Douglas Nerone K. O. , Bustos Valeria P. , Moroni Elizabeth A. , Bustos Samyd S. , Lee Bernard T. , De La Cruz Carolyn
Published: October 2022

Background:

The literature in scientific journals represents current standards for plastic surgery (PS) and new observations contributed by leaders in the field. Observations of these trends over time define our progress and document our ever-changing specialty. This study aims to assess the racial/ethnic and gender makeup of authors who have published on the topic of diversity in PS, and to define trends over time, as well as geographic and journal representation of these publications.

Methods:

Existing published literature was queried through PubMed with the search terms “plastic surgery” AND “diversity” from 2008 to 2021. The race/ethnicity and gender of collated authors were adjudicated using NamSor software. Trends over time regarding quantity and topics covered, as well as gender and race of authors of these publications, were identified.

Results:

A total of 208 papers were identified with our search strategy; 74 met inclusion criteria, representing 398 authors. White‚ non-Hispanic authors represented the majority of first authors (45%) and the majority of senior authors (54%). Black/African American authors comprised 18% first authors and 19% senior authors. Male authorship predominated, with 58% of first authorship and 64% of senior authorship.

Conclusions:

Publications on the topic of diversity have increased in recent years. Trends show a significant shift in authorship, with prevalence of white male contributions rising. Women constitute most authors on the topic of gender diversity. These findings provide important insight into who cares about diversity within our specialty and who shapes its future.
Contact Lens Safety for the Correction of Refractive Error in Healthy Eyes
Authors: Rhee Michelle K. , Jacobs Deborah S. , Dhaliwal Deepinder K. , Szczotka-Flynn Loretta , Prescott Christina R. , Jhanji Vishal , Steinemann Thomas L. , Koffler Bruce H. , Jeng Bennie H.
Published: October 2022

Contact lenses are a safe and effective method for correction of refractive error and worn by an estimated 45 million Americans. Because of the widespread availability and commercial popularity of contact lenses, it is not well appreciated by the public that contact lenses are U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)–regulated medical devices. Contact lenses are marketed in numerous hard and soft materials that have been improved over decades, worn in daily or extended wear, and replaced in range of schedules from daily to yearly or longer. Lens materials and wear and care regimens have impact on the risks of contact lens–related corneal inflammatory events and microbial keratitis. This article reviews contact lens safety, with specific focus on the correction of refractive error in healthy eyes.
Small Cell Carcinoma of the Vagina: First Systematic Review of Case Reports and Proposal of a Management Algorithm
Authors: Capote Sira , Domènech Marta , Valdivieso Lorena , Tuset Victoria , Sanchez Myriam , Carballas Elvira , Teruel Iris , Durany David , Moragas Gloria , Molina Carlos , Lleberia Judith , Martínez-Roman Sergio , Romeo Margarita
Published: October 2022

Objectives

Small cell carcinoma of the vagina (SmCCV) is an extremely rare disease. Evidence-based data and specific guidelines are lacking. We conducted the first systematic review of case reports to provide the most overall picture of SmCCV.

Materials and Methods

Literature search in PubMed and Scopus was performed using the terms “small cell carcinoma” and “vagina.” English-language case reports of primary SmCCV up to January 2022 were included.

Results

Twenty-nine articles describing 44 cases met our inclusion criteria. We report a new case of our hospital. The global median overall survival (mOS) was 12.00 months (95% CI = 9.31–14.69). The mOS was not reached for stage I, and it was 12.00, 12.00, 9.00, and 8.00 months for stages II, III, IVA, and IVB, respectively (statistically significant differences between stage I and stages II, III, or IVA [log rank p = .003–.017]). Thirty-five cases received local treatments (77.8%). The mOS of patients treated with surgery ± complementary chemotherapy, radiotherapy ± complementary chemotherapy, chemoradiation ± complementary chemotherapy, and surgery + radiotherapy ± complementary chemotherapy were 11.00, 12.00, 17.00, and 29.00 months, respectively. The use of adjuvant or neoadjuvant chemotherapy (64.5%, mostly platinum + etoposide) showed longer mOS (77.00 vs 15.00 months). Four of 5 tested cases presented human papillomavirus infection, 3 of them presenting type 18.

Conclusions

Small cell carcinoma of the vagina shows dismal prognosis. Multimodal local management plus complementary chemotherapy seems to achieve better outcomes. Human papillomavirus could be related to the development of SmCCV. A diagnostic-therapeutic algorithm is proposed.
Coming in hot: Police transport and prehospital time after firearm injury
Authors: Winter Eric , Byrne James P. , Hynes Allyson M. , Geng Zhi , Seamon Mark J. , Holena Daniel N. , Malhotra Neil R. , Cannon Jeremy W.
Published: October 2022

BACKGROUND

In Philadelphia, PA, police and emergency medical services (EMS) transport patients with firearm injuries. Prior studies evaluating this system have lacked reliable prehospital times. By linking police and hospital data sets, we established a complete timeline from firearm injury to outcome. We hypothesized that police-transported patients have shorter prehospital times that, in turn, are associated with improved survival and increased unexpected survivorship at 6 and 24 hours.

METHODS

This retrospective study linked patient-level data from OpenDataPhilly Shooting Victims and the Pennsylvania Trauma Systems Foundation. All adults transported to a Level I or II trauma center after firearm injury in Philadelphia from 2015 to 2018 were included. Patient-level characteristics were compared between cohorts; unexpected survivors were identified using Trauma Score–Injury Severity Score. Multiple regression estimated risk-adjusted associations between transport method, prehospital time, and outcomes.

RESULTS

Police-transported patients (n = 977) had significantly shorter prehospital times than EMS-transported patients (n = 320) (median, 9 minutes [interquartile range, 7–12 minutes] vs. 21 minutes [interquartile range, 16–29 minutes], respectively; p < 0.001). Police-transported patients were more often severely injured than those transported by EMS (60% vs. 50%, p = 0.002). After adjusting for confounders, police-transported patients had improved survival relative to EMS on hospital arrival (87% vs. 84%, respectively, p = 0.035), but not at 6 hours (79% vs. 78%, respectively, p = 0.126) or 24 hours after arrival (76% vs. 76%, respectively, p = 0.224). Compared with EMS, police-transported patients were significantly more likely to be unexpected survivors at 6 hours (6% vs. 2%, respectively, p < 0.001) and 24 hours (3% vs. 1%, respectively, p = 0.021).

CONCLUSION

Police-transported patients had more severe injuries, shorter prehospital times, and increased likelihood of unexpected survival compared with EMS-transported patients. After controlling for confounders, patient physiology and injury severity represent meaningful determinants of mortality in our mature trauma system, indicating an ongoing opportunity to optimize in-hospital care. Future studies should investigate causes of death among unexpected early survivors to mitigate preventable mortality.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Prognostic/Epidemiological, Level III.
Improving data quality for three-dimensional electron diffraction by a post-column energy filter and a new crystal tracking method
Authors: Yang Taimin , Xu Hongyi , Zou Xiaodong
Published: October 2022

Three-dimensional electron diffraction (3D ED) has become an effective technique to determine the structures of submicrometre- (nanometre-)sized crystals. In this work, energy-filtered 3D ED was implemented using a post-column energy filter in both STEM mode and TEM mode [(S)TEM denoting (scanning) transmission electron microscope]. The setups for performing energy-filtered 3D ED on a Gatan imaging filter are described. The technique and protocol improve the accessibility of energy-filtered 3D ED post-column energy filters, which are available in many TEM laboratories. In addition, a crystal tracking method in STEM mode using high-angle annular dark-field imaging is proposed. This method enables the user to monitor the crystal position while collecting 3D ED data at the same time, allowing a larger tilt range without foregoing any diffraction frames or imposing extra electron dose. In order to compare the differences between energy-filtered and unfiltered 3D ED data sets, three well known crystallized inorganic samples have been studied in detail. For these samples, the final R
1 values improved by 10–30% for the energy-filtered data sets compared with the unfiltered data sets, and the structures became more chemically reasonable. Possible reasons for improvement are also discussed.
Synthesis, and spectroscopic and structural characterization of three new styrylquinoline–benzimidazole hybrids
Authors: Ardila Diana M. , Rodríguez Diego F. , Palma Alirio , Díaz Costa Iván , Cobo Justo , Glidewell Christopher
Published: October 2022

Three new 4-styrylquinoline–benzimidazole hybrids have been synthesized using a reaction sequence in which 2-methylquinoline precursors first undergo selective oxidation by selenium dioxide to form the corresponding 2-formylquinoline intermediates, followed by oxidative cyclocondensation reactions with benzene-1,2-diamine to yield the hybrid products. The formyl intermediates and the hybrid products have all been fully characterized using a combination of IR, 1H and 13C NMR spectroscopy, and high-resolution mass spectrometry, and the structures of the three hybrid products have been determined using single-crystal X-ray diffraction. Ethyl (E)-2-(1H-benzo[d]imidazol-2-yl)-4-(4-chlorostyryl)quinoline-3-carboxylate, C27H20ClN3O2, (IIIa), and ethyl (E)-2-(1H-benzo[d]imidazol-2-yl)-4-(2-methoxystyryl)quinoline-3-carboxylate, C28H23N3O3, (IIIb), both crystallize in the solvent-free form with Z′ = 1, but ethyl (E)-2-(1H-benzo[d]imidazol-2-yl)-4-(4-methylstyryl)quinoline-3-carboxylate, C28H23N3O2, (IIIc), crystallizes as a partial hexane solvate with Z′ = 3, and the ester group in one of the independent molecules is disordered over two sets of atomic sites having occupancies of 0.765 (7) and 0.235 (7). The molecules of (IIIc) enclose continuous channels which are occupied by disordered solvent molecules having partial occupancy. In all of the molecules of (IIIa)–(IIIc), the styrylquinoline fragment is markedly nonplanar. Different combinations of N—H...O and C—H...π hydrogen bonds generate supramolecular assemblies which are two-dimensional in (IIIb) and (IIIc), but three-dimensional in (IIIa). Comparisons are made with the structures of some related compounds.
4,5-Diferrocenyl-1,2-dithiole-3-thione
Authors: Sánchez-García Jessica J. , Flores-Alamo Marcos , Nuñez-Gordillo Amairany , Klimova Elena I.
Published: October 2022

The structure of 4,5-diferrocenyl-1,2-dithiole-3-thione, [Fe2(C5H5)2(C13H8S3)] or C23H18Fe2S3, at 130 K has monoclinic (P21/c) symmetry. The molecule has two ferrocenyl units attached to a 1,2-dithiole-3-thione moiety. It is of interest with respect to the question if the introduction of ferrocenyl substituents into biologically active molecules offers the potential to obtain more efficacious therapeutic drugs. The crystal structure displays intermolecular contacts of the C—H...S and S—π(C—C) types.
The effect of electronic human resource management on electronic human resource management macro-level consequences: the role of perception of organizational politics
Authors: Nyathi Musa
Published: October 2022

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the mediating role of perceived organizational politics on the relationship between electronic human resource management (e-HRM) use and e-HRM macro-level consequences.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper uses a cross-sectional survey of HR professionals, line managers and information technology specialists. A purposive stratified sampling technique is employed. The analyses of data make use of regression and process macro in SPSS analysis.

Findings

The effect of e-HRM use on e-HRM macro-level consequences is partially mediated by perceived organizational politics.

Practical implications

Organizations can invest in e-HRM use alongside other HR practices such as, emotional intelligence training, to reduce the negative effects of perceived organizational politics and in the process enhance employee attitudes and performance.

Originality/value

The study enriches the scope through which the interaction between e-HRM use and perceived organizational politics is viewed. The study was conducted in Zimbabwe, demonstrating that the indirect effect of e-HRM use on e-HRM macro-level consequences is not limited to developed economies.