bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Home-Care Service for Frail Older Adults: Findings from a Quasi-Experiment in Milan
Authors: Sarti Simone , Molteni Francesco , Cretazzo Federica , Giardini Gianluca , Pozzati Stefania , Bruno Oriana
Published: September 2021

Population aging is particularly pronounced in Italy. Recently, home-care services emerged as one of the desirable strategy when dealing with such situations of fragility. In this framework, we present the evaluation of a home-care service which was experimentally implemented by Fondazione Sacra Famiglia and Casa di Cura Ambrosiana in the 2017–2018 biennium. The service consisted of a twice-weekly nursing visit intended to monitor patient health conditions and to gather data constantly supervised by a geriatrician. The eligible population consisted of the users of San Carlo Hospital Emergency Department (91 individuals). Twenty of these individuals had access to the experimental home-care service. The results show the smaller probability of mortality for the treatment group compared to the control group, but similar probabilities in admissions to ER and in hospitalizations. These findings suggest that health home-care policies could reduce mortality by lessening the negative effects of relational isolation.
Evaluation of regional industrial cluster innovation capability based on particle swarm clustering algorithm and multi-objective optimization
Authors: Yan Yongcai , He Mengxue , Song Lifang
Published: September 2021

With the progress of the times and the development of science, industrial clusters have been regarded by all countries in the world as one of the important ways to enhance regional competitiveness, and become an inevitable trend of industrial development. The research on the innovation ability of industrial clusters can not only maintain sustainable development of industrial clusters and obtain sustained competitive advantages, but also provide reference for the government's policy formulation of industrial clusters. This paper aims to study the evaluation of regional industrial clusters' innovation capability based on particle swarm clustering and multi-objective optimization. This paper uses the theory of industrial cluster innovation and takes regional industrial system as the empirical research object to establish a regional industrial system capability evaluation system, which is based on the selection of indicators, combined with analytic hierarchy process and factor analysis to evaluate industrial innovation capability. On this basis, the particle swarm clustering theory is used to verify the innovation ability and evaluation index system of industrial clusters, and provide a reference for the evaluation of the innovation ability of industrial clusters. This paper divides the regional cluster innovation capability into four aspects: innovation input capability, environment support capability, self-development capability and innovation output capability, and systematically analyzes the key elements and in the composition of innovation elements and their relationships. It then constructs the evaluation index system of regional cluster innovation capability. At the same time, this paper introduces clustering analysis algorithm and swarm intelligence algorithm into regional innovation evaluation, combines particle swarm optimization algorithm and K-means clustering algorithm, and optimizes particle swarm clustering algorithm by adjusting adaptive parameters and adding fitness variance. The experimental results of this paper show that from the results of the tested innovation potential of the three industrial clusters, industrial cluster F has the strongest innovation ability, with an evaluation coefficient of 0.851, followed by industrial cluster F, which has a value of 0.623. This result is consistent with the actual innovation status of the selected industry. From this point of view, the established particle swarm clustering model for evaluating the innovation capability of regional industrial clusters is reliable and can be used to evaluate the innovation capability of different industrial clusters.
Rational design of artificial redox-mediating systems toward upgrading photobioelectrocatalysis
Authors: Weliwatte N. Samali , Grattieri Matteo , Minteer Shelley D.
Published: September 2021

Photobioelectrocatalysis has recently attracted particular research interest owing to the possibility to achieve sunlight-driven biosynthesis, biosensing, power generation, and other niche applications. However, physiological incompatibilities between biohybrid components lead to poor electrical contact at the biotic-biotic and biotic-abiotic interfaces. Establishing an electrochemical communication between these different interfaces, particularly the biocatalyst-electrode interface, is critical for the performance of the photobioelectrocatalytic system. While different artificial redox mediating approaches spanning across interdisciplinary research fields have been developed in order to electrically wire biohybrid components during bioelectrocatalysis, a systematic understanding on physicochemical modulation of artificial redox mediators is further required. Herein, we review and discuss the use of diffusible redox mediators and redox polymer-based approaches in artificial redox-mediating systems, with a focus on photobioelectrocatalysis. The future possibilities of artificial redox mediator system designs are also discussed within the purview of present needs and existing research breadth.
Application of multivariate statistical analysis and water quality index for quality characterization of Parbati River, Northwestern Himalaya, India
Authors: Sharma Gaurav , Lata Renu , Thakur Nandini , Bajala Vishal , Kuniyal Jagdish Chandra , Kumar Kireet
Published: September 2021

The present study is an attempt to accomplish the understanding of the factors impacting Parbati river water quality in Kullu district of Himachal Pradesh. The main objective is to assess the overall water quality, to explore its hydrogeochemical characteristics including major ion contents and other chemical parameters using Water Quality Index (WQI), statistical techniques (principal component analysis) and conventional graphical representation such as Piper trilinear diagram, Durov. Eighteen surface water samples were collected from different altitudinal sites to analyze physico-chemical parameters for June 2019 and September 2019. Analytical outcomes of thirty-six surface water samples collected in Pre-monsoon and Post-monsoon seasons are well within the permissible limits as per BIS, 2012 and WHO 2011 for drinking and domestic purposes. Water quality characterization for the assigned use shows that maximum surface water samples fall under excellent to good water quality index and are suitable for drinking without conventional treatment. The Piper trilinear diagram classified 100% of surface water samples for both seasons’ falls in the fields of Ca2+-Mg2+-HCO3− water type indicating temporary hardness. Abundance of ions in the water samples is in the order: anions HCO3−>Cl−>SO42−>NO3− and cations Mg2+>Ca2+>Na+>K+. PCA identifies that the surface water chemistry is influenced by natural factors as well as minor anthropogenic activities in both the seasons. The correlation matrix has been prepared to analyse and observe the significance of the factors on the assessment of river water quality. Periodic assessment of surface water samples of the Parbati river and adjoining areas should be carried out. This approach will help in finding out any contamination of water occurring due to rapid socio-economic development as well as explosion of tourism industry in the region. Present study will work as baseline database for any future work in the region.
When medical images meet generative adversarial network: recent development and research opportunities
Authors: Li Xiang , Jiang Yuchen , Rodriguez-Andina Juan J. , Luo Hao , Yin Shen , Kaynak Okyay
Published: September 2021

Deep learning techniques have promoted the rise of artificial intelligence (AI) and performed well in computer vision. Medical image analysis is an important application of deep learning, which is expected to greatly reduce the workload of doctors, contributing to more sustainable health systems. However, most current AI methods for medical image analysis are based on supervised learning, which requires a lot of annotated data. The number of medical images available is usually small and the acquisition of medical image annotations is an expensive process. Generative adversarial network (GAN), an unsupervised method that has become very popular in recent years, can simulate the distribution of real data and reconstruct approximate real data. GAN opens some exciting new ways for medical image generation, expanding the number of medical images available for deep learning methods. Generated data can solve the problem of insufficient data or imbalanced data categories. Adversarial training is another contribution of GAN to medical imaging that has been applied to many tasks, such as classification, segmentation, or detection. This paper investigates the research status of GAN in medical images and analyzes several GAN methods commonly applied in this area. The study addresses GAN application for both medical image synthesis and adversarial learning for other medical image tasks. The open challenges and future research directions are also discussed.
Continuous detection of concept drift in industrial cyber-physical systems using closed loop incremental machine learning
Authors: Jayaratne Dinithi , De Silva Daswin , Alahakoon Damminda , Yu Xinghuo
Published: September 2021

The embedded, computational and cloud elements of industrial cyber physical systems (CPS) generate large volumes of data at high velocity to support the operations and functions of corresponding time-critical and mission-critical physical entities. Given the non-deterministic nature of these entities, the generated data streams are susceptible to dynamic and abrupt changes. Such changes, which are formally defined as concept drifts, leads to a decline in the accuracy and robustness of predicted CPS behaviors. Most existing work in concept drift detection are classifier dependent and require labeled data. However, CPS data streams are unlabeled, unstructured and change over time. In this paper, we propose an unsupervised machine learning algorithm for continuous concept drift detection in industrial CPS. This algorithm demonstrates three types of unsupervised learning, online, incremental and decremental. Furthermore, it distinguishes between abrupt and reoccurring drifts. We conducted experiments on SEA, a widely cited synthetic dataset of concept drift detection, and two industrial applications of CPS, task tracking in factory settings and smart energy consumption. The results of these experiments successfully validate the key features of the proposed algorithm and its utility of detecting change in non-deterministic CPS environments.
Differential Diagnosis Between Venomous (Bothrops jararaca, Serpentes, Viperidae) and “Nonvenomous” (Philodryas olfersii, Serpentes, Dipsadidae) Snakebites: Is It Always Possible?
Authors: de Medeiros Carlos R. , Duarte Marcelo R. , de Souza Solange N.
Published: September 2021

Bites of “nonvenomous” snakes can sometimes be mistaken for the bites of venomous snakes. As an example of this confusion, this report describes confirmed bites by Philodryas olfersii and Bothrops jararaca. In the first case, a 55-y-old man with a history of controlled hypertension was bitten on his right forearm by P olfersii. Physical examination revealed extensive edema, erythema, and widespread ecchymoses throughout his right upper limb. Laboratory tests indicated leukocytosis and high D-dimer levels, but normal coagulation, suggestive of a resolved recent coagulopathy. He received only supportive treatment. In the second case, a healthy 35-y-old man was bitten by B jararaca. Although the anatomic region of the bite and the results of physical examination were similar to those in the first case, laboratory tests showed mild coagulopathy, leukocytosis, and high D-dimer levels. The patient was treated with antivenom. In both cases, the 20-min whole blood clotting test results were normal. Patients bitten by P olfersii may present with local symptoms resembling B jararaca envenomation. Without snake identification and the detection of venom-induced consumption coagulopathy, especially in places where the 20-min whole blood clotting test is the only clotting test available, it is almost impossible to establish an accurate and safe differential diagnosis. In this context, the best alternative is to take the risk of prescribing antivenom for a possible P olfersii bite rather than failing to do so for a real Bothrops bite. Late treatment for Bothrops bite can result in severe complications and sequelae.
Italy's Decline: A Political Economy Perspective
Authors: Guardiancich Igor
Published: September 2021

International observers have not been kind to Italy during the past two decades. The International Monetary Fund (IMF, 2016) wrote about the country's two lost decades, the Economist (19 May 2005) described it as the real sick man of Europe and eminent economists, such as Bruno Pellegrino and Luigi Zingales (Pellegrino and Zingales, 2017), tried to diagnose the Italian disease. Italy's GDP has barely grown since the mid-1990s and the past decade was the worst in the history of its economy, world wars included.
The first record of Hirnantian Ostracoda in South America: implications for the biostratigraphy and paleozoogeography of the Paraná basin
Authors: Gonçalves Lívio Reily de Oliveira , Do Carmo Dermeval Aparecido , Salas Maria José , Adôrno Rodrigo Rodrigues , Meidla Tõnu , Denezine Matheus , Rodrigues Lívia Cardoso da Silva , Assine Mario Luis , Antonietto Lucas Silveira
Published: September 2021

Herein is reported the first occurrence of ostracodes from the Iapó Formation, an uppermost Ordovician unit of the Rio Ivaí Group in the Paraná basin, Brazil. Two ostracode species were identified in the Três Barras Farm section:Harpabollia harparum(Troedsson, 1918) andSatiellina paranaensisAdôrno and Salas in Adôrno et al., 2016 were recovered from dropstone-bearing shale overlying glaciogenic diamictites, a feature typical of Hirnantian (uppermost Ordovician) strata throughout Gondwana. The taxonomy of the GenusHarpabollia, as well as its type speciesHarpabollia harparum, was reviewed, and emended and new diagnoses were respectively proposed for each taxon. Occurrences ofHarpabollia harparumandSatiellinaspecies were common in areas influenced by cold waters. Additionally, the occurrence ofHarpabollia harparum, an index species to the uppermost Ordovician of several stratigraphic units in Baltica and southern Gondwana, allowed us to infer a Hirnantian age for the deposits of the Iapó Formation. Other than being associated withHarpabollia harparumin Iapó Formation of the Paraná basin,Satiellina paranaensisis also found in lower levels of the Vila Maria Formation; therefore, these are also considered Hirnantian in age. Above these lower levels of the Vila Maria Formation, a well-dated Rhuddanian (lowermost Llandovery, Silurian) palynomorph assemblage is observed within the formation. These occurrences are evidence of a continuous process of sedimentary deposition during the Ordovician–Silurian transition in the Paraná basin.
A Group of Geoglyphs in the Lower Carabamba Valley, Northern Peru
Authors: Sghinolfi Amedeo , Millaire Jean-François , Navarro Vega Jeisen , La Torre Calvera Estuardo
Published: September 2021

In 2019, while conducting a survey of the Carabamba River valley (ca. 150–3,325 m asl) in northern Peru, we identified and surveyed a group of five unreported geoglyphs. Their location and iconography suggest that they date from the Formative period (1800–200 BC) and that they were possibly associated with a form of fertility ritual.
ΕΠΙΒΟΛΗ ΤΗΣ ΔΙΑΝΟΙΑΣ: REFLECTIONS ON THE FOURTH EPICUREAN CRITERION OF TRUTH
Authors: Robitzsch Jan Maximilian
Published: September 2021

This paper discusses ἐπιβολαὶ τῆς διανοίας, which later Epicureans are supposed to have elevated to a fourth criterion of truth to complement perceptions, preconceptions and feelings. By examining Epicurus’ extant writings, the paper distinguishes three different senses of the term: ‘thought in general’, ‘act of attention’ and ‘mental perception’. It is argued that only the sense ‘mental perception’ yields a plausible reading of ἐπιβολαί as a criterion of truth. The paper then turns to the textual evidence on ἐπιβολαί in later authors. While the term ἐπιβολή (or its Latin equivalent) is not used by Cicero, Lucretius and Philodemus in the sense of mental perception, it is argued that this still is the most plausible way of understanding ἐπιβολή as a criterion of truth.
Settler colonialism and usurping Malay sovereignty in Singapore
Authors: Knapman Gareth
Published: September 2021

This article proposes that Singapore should be considered as a settler colony during its first years of settlement. The first Residents, William Farquhar, Thomas Stamford Raffles and John Crawfurd all attempted to build Singapore as a settler colony, similar to those in Australia and North America. The difference was, however, that they looked to attract Chinese, Malay and Indian settlers as well as Europeans. By viewing Singapore as a settler colony, this article reinterprets our understanding of who constitutes a settler within settler colonial frameworks. It concludes that settler colonialism was not directly about moving indigenous people off the land, but rather establishing a new system of sovereignty in which individuals (regardless of race) were allowed to own land and become settlers. Nevertheless, the actions of the settlers and the British authorities created violent tensions with the original Malay inhabitants that were only resolved by the transfer of sovereignty from Sultan Hussein to the East India Company.
Shell morphometric ratios as a tool for taxonomic determination in gastropods: a case study inNerita(Gastropoda, Neritidae)
Authors: Altomari Leslie Nascimento , Alves Brunno Henryco Borges , Santos Weverton John Pinheiro dos , Barros Mara Rúbia Ferreira , Herrmann Marko , Bezerra Andréa Magalhães , Chagas Rafael Anaisce das
Published: September 2021

In the study, we compare the shell shape morphometrics in four species of neritid gastropods (Nerita fulgurans,Nerita tessellata,Nerita pelorontaandNerita versicolor), collected in Accra Beach (Barbados Island). We tested the hypothesis that the morphometric ratios can be used as a tool in the taxonomic determination among these four species of neritids. For this we determine the morphometric ratios from the external (length, height, width) and internal (shell aperture length, shell aperture width) measures. A principal component analysis (PCA) was used to determine which ratios were significant, and subsequently the proposed hypothesis was tested using the Kruskal–Wallis test. The morphometric ratios AW/H and AL/L were decisive in distinguishing the four species of neritids studied. In this study, the hypothesis of the efficacy of the use of shell morphometric ratios as an instrument in taxonomic studies was corroborated for the four species. Due to its low cost, this methodology can be applied in the recognition of species that have lost their external characteristics such as operculum, spire or colour and also in the identification of fossil specimens.
Regular recreational Cannabis users exhibit altered neural oscillatory dynamics during attention reorientation
Authors: Springer Seth D. , Spooner Rachel K. , Schantell Mikki , Arif Yasra , Frenzel Michaela R. , Eastman Jacob A. , Wilson Tony W.
Published: September 2021

Background

Cannabis is the most widely used illicit drug in the United States and is often associated with changes in attention function, which may ultimately impact numerous other cognitive faculties (e.g. memory, executive function). Importantly, despite the increasing rates of cannabis use and widespread legalization in the United States, the neural mechanisms underlying attentional dysfunction in chronic users are poorly understood.

Methods

We used magnetoencephalography (MEG) and a modified Posner cueing task in 21 regular cannabis users and 32 demographically matched non-user controls. MEG data were imaged in the time−frequency domain using a beamformer and peak voxel time series were extracted to quantify the oscillatory dynamics underlying use-related aberrations in attentional reorienting, as well as the impact on spontaneous neural activity immediately preceding stimulus onset.

Results

Behavioral performance on the task (e.g. reaction time) was similar between regular cannabis users and non-user controls. However, the neural data indicated robust theta-band synchronizations across a distributed network during attentional reorienting, with activity in the bilateral inferior frontal gyri being markedly stronger in users relative to controls (p's < 0.036). Additionally, we observed significantly reduced spontaneous theta activity across this distributed network during the pre-stimulus baseline in cannabis users relative to controls (p's < 0.020).

Conclusions

Despite similar performance on the task, we observed specific alterations in the neural dynamics serving attentional reorienting in regular cannabis users compared to controls. These data suggest that regular cannabis users may employ compensatory processing in the prefrontal cortices to efficiently reorient their attention relative to non-user controls.
COVIDIAGNOSTIX: health technology assessment of serological tests for SARS-CoV-2 infection
Authors: Tomaiuolo Rossella , Derrico Pietro , Ritrovato Matteo , Locatelli Massimo , Milella Frida , Restelli Umberto , Lago Paolo , Giuliani Francesco , Banfi Giuseppe
Published: September 2021

Objective

In vitro diagnostic tests for SARS-COV-2, also known as serological tests, have rapidly spread. However, to date, mostly single-center technical and diagnostic performance's assessments have been carried out without an intralaboratory validation process and a health technology assessment (HTA) systematic approach. Therefore, the rapid HTA for evaluating antibody tests for SARS-COV-2 was applied.

Methods

The use of rapid HTA is an opportunity to test innovative technology. Unlike traditional HTA (which evaluates the benefits of new technologies after being tested in clinical trials or have been applied in practice for some time), the rapid HTA is performed during the early stages of developing new technology. A multidisciplinary team conducted the rapid HTA following the HTA Core Model® (version 3.0) developed by the European Network for Health Technology Assessment.

Results

The three methodological and analytical steps used in the HTA applied to the evaluation of antibody tests for SARS-COV-2 are reported: the selection of the tests to be evaluated; the research and collection of information to support the adoption and appropriateness of the technology; and the preparation of the final reports and their dissemination. Finally, the rapid HTA of serological tests for SARS-CoV-2 is summarized in a report that allows its dissemination and communication.

Conclusions

The rapid-HTA evaluation method, in addition to highlighting the characteristics that differentiate the tests from each other, guarantees a timely and appropriate evaluation, becoming a tool to create a direct link between science and health management.
Voting Trusts and Antitrust: Rethinking the Role of Shareholder Litigation in Public Regulation, from the 1880s to the 1930s
Authors: Lamoreaux Naomi R. , Phillips Sawyer Laura
Published: September 2021

Scholars have long recognized that the states’ authority to charter corporations bolstered their antitrust powers in ways that were not available to the federal government. Our paper contributes to this literature by focusing attention on the relevance for competition policy of lawsuits brought by minority shareholders against their own companies, especially lawsuits challenging voting trusts. Historically judges had been reluctant to intervene in corporations’ internal affairs and had been wary of the potential for opportunism in shareholders’ derivative suits. By the end of the nineteenth century, however, they had begun to revise their views and see shareholders as useful allies in the struggle against monopoly. Although the balance between judges’ suspicion of and support for shareholders’ activism shifted back and forth over time, in the end the lawsuits provoked state legislatures to strengthen antitrust policy by making devices like voting trusts unsuitable for purposes of economic concentration.
Environmental factors associated with freshwater recreational water quality in Niagara Region, Ontario, Canada: A path analysis
Authors: Sanchez J. Johanna , Young Ian , Heasley Cole , Kelly Jeremy , Habjan Anthony , Waterhouse Ryan , Tustin Jordan
Published: September 2021

Escherichia coli concentration levels in recreational water are used by beach managers to evaluate the risk of gastrointestinal illness among beachgoers. We examined the relationship between specific environmental factors and E. coli concentration in recreational beaches in the Niagara Region. We analysed E. coli geometric means collected from eight beaches from two of the Great Lakes in the Niagara Region in Ontario, between 2011 and 2019. We applied path analysis to evaluate the relationship between the environmental factors and E. coli concentrations, including whether effects were direct or indirect via a mediator. Turbidity was found to be an important mediator for the indirect effect of environmental variables overall and in beach-specific models. Rainfall and streamflow had a positive indirect effect on E. coli via turbidity and a direct effect in five out of seven beach models. Streamflow was also a mediator for the indirect effect of previous day air temperature in five out of seven models. In three subset models, outfall E. coli concentration was a mediator for the effect of the environmental factors. Using a novel methodological approach, this study identifies important relationships and pathways that predict beach E. coli concentration in freshwater beaches located on two of the Great Lakes.
New evidence for the design and urban integration of the Forum of Caesar, Forum of Augustus, Curia Julia, and Chalcidicum
Authors: Fuchs Wladek
Published: September 2021

This article presents a new hypothesis about the urban arrangement and function of the southeast end of the Forum of Caesar, together with the Forum of Augustus, the Curia Julia and the present-day church of SS. Luca e Martina, when the area was finalized in 2 BCE. The analysis focuses on the geometric framework of the extant structures and the topography of the site and, in relation to them, a new interpretation of the historical records and the archaeological data. It demonstrates that Augustus and his architects authored the urban composition and architectural forms of the entire area, including making significant changes to the original design of the Forum of Caesar. The article also shows that the site of the church of SS. Luca e Martina was the location of the Augustan Chalcidicum, which served as the monumental entrance to the first two Imperial fora.
The Effect of Aerobic Exercise on Concussion Recovery: A Pilot Clinical Trial
Authors: Snyder Aliyah R. , Greif Sarah M. , Clugston James R. , FitzGerald David B. , Yarrow Joshua F. , Babikian Talin , Giza Christopher C. , Thompson Floyd J. , Bauer Russell M.
Published: September 2021

Objective:

The purpose of this study was to pilot safety and tolerability of a 1-week aerobic exercise program during the post-acute phase of concussion (14–25 days post-injury) by examining adherence, symptom response, and key functional outcomes (e.g., cognition, mood, sleep, postural stability, and neurocognitive performance) in young adults.

Method:

A randomized, non-blinded pilot clinical trial was performed to compare the effects of aerobic versus non-aerobic exercise (placebo) in concussion patients. The study enrolled three groups: 1) patients with concussion/mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) randomized to an aerobic exercise intervention performed daily for 1-week, 2) patients with concussion/mTBI randomized to a non-aerobic (stretching and calisthenics) exercise program performed daily for 1-week, and 3) non-injured, no intervention reference group.

Results:

Mixed-model analysis of variance results indicated a significant decrease in symptom severity scores from pre- to post-intervention (mean difference = −7.44, 95%CI[−12.37, −2.20]) for both concussion groups. However, the pre- to post-change was not different between groups. Secondary outcomes all showed improvements by post-intervention, but no differences in trajectory between the groups. By three months post-injury, all outcomes in the concussion groups were within ranges of the non-injured reference group.

Conclusions:

Results from this study indicate that the feasibility and tolerability of administering aerobic exercise via stationary cycling in the post-acute time frame following post-concussion (14–25 days) period are tentatively favorable. Aerobic exercise does not appear to negatively impact recovery trajectories of neurobehavioral outcomes; however, tolerability may be poorer for patients with high symptom burden.
The Importance of Considering Debt and Young Children in Activation: A Survival Analysis of Return to Welfare
Authors: Ng Irene Y. H. , Tan Jian Qi , Mathew Mathews , Ho Kong Weng , Ting Yi Ting
Published: September 2021

While there has been much research on welfare exit and entry into employment, less research has looked at return to government assistance. Applying survival analysis on data from a national government assistance programme in Singapore, we found two important factors of welfare return to which activation programmes need to pay greater attention. First, return was more likely if former beneficiaries accumulated a higher number of types of arrears rather than higher dollar values of arrears. This new finding contributes to the emerging literature on bandwidth tax, and suggests the importance of designing programmes that relieve mental accounting due to debt and poverty. Second, return was more likely if respondents had an infant or toddler child. This points to the importance of a range of support policies including affordable and accessible childcare, exemption from work requirement in receipt of welfare, and family leave for low-wage workers.
Out of the Shadows: The Women Countering Insurgency in Nigeria
Authors: Agbiboa Daniel E.
Published: September 2021

Moving beyond the focus on violenceagainstwomen and violence committedbywomen, this article interrogates violencecounteredby women. The article sheds new light on the gendered practices of counterinsurgency in northeast Nigeria, with critical attention to why women joined the civilian resistance to the Boko Haram insurgency and their complex role and agency as local security providers. Using the voices and lifeworlds of women who joined the Civilian Joint Task Force (yan gora) in Borno State as well as the Vigilante Group Nigeria and Hunters Association (kungiya marhaba) in Adamawa State, the article underscores the layered and gender-bending role of women as frontline fighters, knowledge brokers, state informants, and producers of vigilante technologies. The article finds that women counterinsurgents mobilized after Boko Haram shifted its strategy toward using female insurgents, especially as suicide bombers. Women joined the war against Boko Haram for complex reasons, including personal loss, revenge, family ties, community attachment, patriotism, and a collective yearning for normalcy.
Collaboration in the Rockies Aims to Model Mountain Watersheds Worldwide
Authors: Sidik Saima
Published: September 2021

As Earth’s climate changes at an unprecedented rate, the Surface Atmosphere Integrated Field Laboratory is studying precipitation on an unprecedented scale.
Contribution of Marine Phytoplankton and Bacteria to Alkalinity: An Uncharacterized Component
Authors: Lee Chang‐Ho , Lee Kitack , Ko Young Ho , Lee Joon‐Soo
Published: September 2021

The contributions of phytoplankton and bacteria cells to alkalinity (AT) were measured in seawater samples obtained from 205 locations including the East Sea, the North Pacific Ocean, the Bering Sea, the Chukchi Sea, and the Arctic Ocean. We attributed the differences in AT values measured for unfiltered versus filtered samples to AT components contributed by phytoplankton (retained on a 0.7 μm filter) and by phytoplankton and bacteria combined (AT−BIO; retained on a 0.45 μm filter). The AT−BIO values reached 10–19 μmol kg−1 in the East Sea and the North Pacific Ocean, and progressively decreased to a level of 1 μmol kg−1 with distance toward the Arctic Ocean. The study shows that the AT−BIO values are non‐negligible in coastal and open ocean environments and need to be considered when assessing the accuracy of carbon parameters calculated using the thermodynamic models that use measured AT as an input parameter.
Observing Posteruptive Deflation of Hydrothermal System Using InSAR Time Series Analysis: An Application of ALOS‐2/PALSAR‐2 Data on the 2015 Phreatic Eruption of Hakone Volcano, Japan
Authors: Doke Ryosuke , Mannen Kazutaka , Itadera Kazuhiro
Published: September 2021

From June 29 to July 1, 2015, a phreatic eruption occurred in Owakudani, the largest fumarole area in Hakone volcano, Japan. In this study, an interferometric synthetic aperture radar (InSAR) time series analysis of the Advanced Land Observing Satellite‐2 (ALOS‐2)/Phased Array type L‐band Synthetic Aperture Radar‐2 (PALSAR‐2) data was performed to measure deformation after the eruption. The results show that the central cones of the volcano have subsided since the eruption and its deflation source is located beneath the previously estimated bell‐shaped conductor, which is considered as a sealing layer confining a pressurized hydrothermal reservoir. Therefore, the InSAR results demonstrate the deflation of the hydrothermal system beneath the volcano. One possible cause of this deflation is compaction due to a decrease in pore pressure caused by rupture and fluid migration during and after the eruption.
Highly Siderophile Element and Os Isotope Results From the Structurally Atypical Batin Dunite in the Wadi Tayin Massif of the Oman Ophiolite
Authors: Klaessens Delphine , Reisberg Laurie , Jousselin David ,   the Oman Drilling Project Science Team
Published: September 2021

Dunites in ophiolites form by pyroxene dissolution and olivine precipitation during melt‐peridotite interaction. We present structural and geochemical data on peridotites from the Batin region (Wadi Tayin massif) of the Oman ophiolite, where an exceptionally large (∼9.5 km long) dunite body was sampled by the ICDP Oman Drilling Project (BA4A borehole). 900–1,200 m beneath the petrological Moho, this dunite is overlain by harzburgite hosting pyroxene‐depleted and pyroxene‐rich bands. Highly siderophile elements (HSEs) and Os isotopes, excellent tracers of melt flow through peridotites, were measured in dunites and interspersed harzburgites from BA4A borehole. The Batin dunite is structurally and chemically distinct from dunites from the Moho Transition Zone and basal section of the ophiolite, resembling instead sparse dunite veins in the main mantle section. Batin dunites have fairly uniform Os, Ir, and Ru abundances, but Pd and Pt contents increasing with depth. One deep dunite sample has initial 187Os/188Os more radiogenic than MORB. Though the limited number of data demands prudence, we suggest that the Batin dunite formed from a large pulse of radiogenic melts, whose flow was impeded ∼1,200 m below the Moho. As these melts ascended, they may have lost their radiogenic character and relative Pt and Pd enrichment through interaction with peridotites, which have much higher HSE contents than melts. Such interaction would also diminish the under‐saturation in pyroxene of the melts, eliminating their capacity to sufficiently dissolve the pyroxene of the host harzburgite to form dunite, thus explaining the upper limit of the dunite at ∼900 m.
Drag‐Based CME Modeling With Heliospheric Images Incorporating Frontal Deformation: ELEvoHI 2.0
Authors: Hinterreiter Jürgen , Amerstorfer Tanja , Temmer Manuela , Reiss Martin A. , Weiss Andreas J. , Möstl Christian , Barnard Luke A. , Pomoell Jens , Bauer Maike , Amerstorfer Ute V.
Published: September 2021

The evolution and propagation of coronal mass ejections (CMEs) in interplanetary space is still not well understood. As a consequence, accurate arrival time and arrival speed forecasts are an unsolved problem in space weather research. In this study, we present the ELlipse Evolution model based on HI observations (ELEvoHI) and introduce a deformable front to this model. ELEvoHI relies on heliospheric imagers (HI) observations to obtain the kinematics of a CME. With the newly developed deformable front, the model is able to react to the ambient solar wind conditions during the entire propagation and along the whole front of the CME. To get an estimate of the ambient solar wind conditions, we make use of three different models: Heliospheric Upwind eXtrapolation model (HUX), Heliospheric Upwind eXtrapolation with time dependence model (HUXt), and EUropean Heliospheric FORecasting Information Asset (EUHFORIA). We test the deformable front on a CME first observed in STEREO‐A/HI on February 3, 2010 14:49 UT. For this case study, the deformable front provides better estimates of the arrival time and arrival speed than the original version of ELEvoHI using an elliptical front. The new implementation enables us to study the parameters influencing the propagation of the CME not only for the apex, but for the entire front. The evolution of the CME front, especially at the flanks, is highly dependent on the ambient solar wind model used. An additional advantage of the new implementation is given by the possibility to provide estimates of the CME mass.
Pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase 1 and 2 deficiency reduces high-fat diet-induced hypertrophic obesity and inhibits the differentiation of preadipocytes into mature adipocytes
Authors: Kang Hyeon-Ji , Min Byong-Keol , Choi Won-Il , Jeon Jae-Han , Kim Dong Wook , Park Sungmi , Lee Yun-Kyung , Kim Hwa-jin , Byeon Ju-Eun , Go Younghoon , Ham Hye Jin , Jeon Yong Hyun , Kim Mi-Jin , Lee Jung Yi , Wende Adam R. , Choi Sung Hee , Harris Robert A. , Lee In-Kyu
Published: September 2021

Obesity is now recognized as a disease. This study revealed a novel role for pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase (PDK) in diet-induced hypertrophic obesity. Mice with global or adipose tissue-specific PDK2 deficiency were protected against diet-induced obesity. The weight of adipose tissues and the size of adipocytes were reduced. Adipocyte-specific PDK2 deficiency slightly increased insulin sensitivity in HFD-fed mice. In studies with 3T3-L1 preadipocytes, PDK2 and PDK1 expression was strongly increased during adipogenesis. Evidence was found for epigenetic induction of both PDK1 and PDK2. Gain- and loss-of-function studies with 3T3-L1 cells revealed a critical role for PDK1/2 in adipocyte differentiation and lipid accumulation. PDK1/2 induction during differentiation was also accompanied by increased expression of hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF1α) and enhanced lactate production, both of which were absent in the context of PDK1/2 deficiency. Exogenous lactate supplementation increased the stability of HIF1α and promoted adipogenesis. PDK1/2 overexpression-mediated adipogenesis was abolished by HIF1α inhibition, suggesting a role for the PDK-lactate-HIF1α axis during adipogenesis. In human adipose tissue, the expression of PDK1/2 was positively correlated with that of the adipogenic marker PPARγ and inversely correlated with obesity. Similarly, PDK1/2 expression in mouse adipose tissue was decreased by chronic high-fat diet feeding. We conclude that PDK1 and 2 are novel regulators of adipogenesis that play critical roles in obesity.
Autophagic secretion of HMGB1 from cancer-associated fibroblasts promotes metastatic potential of non-small cell lung cancer cells via NFκB signaling
Authors: Ren Yinghui , Cao Limin , Wang Limin , Zheng Sijia , Zhang Qicheng , Guo Xueru , Li Xueqin , Chen Mengmeng , Wu Xiang , Furlong Fiona , Meng Zhaowei , Xu Ke
Published: September 2021

Tumor progression requires the communication between tumor cells and tumor microenvironment (TME). Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are major components of stromal cells. CAFs contribute to metastasis process through direct or indirect interaction with tumor cells; however, the underlying mechanism is largely unknown. Here, we reported that autophagy was upregulated in lung cancer-associated CAFs compared to normal fibroblasts (NFs), and autophagy was responsible for the promoting effect of CAFs on non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cell migration and invasion. Inhibition of CAFs autophagy attenuated their regulation on epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) and metastasis-related genes of NSCLC cells. High mobility group box 1 (HMGB1) secreted by CAFs mediated CAFs’ effect on lung cancer cell invasion, demonstrated by using recombinant HMGB1, HMGB1 neutralizing antibody, and HMGB1 inhibitor glycyrrhizin (GA). Importantly, the autophagy blockade of CAFs revealed that HMGB1 release was dependent on autophagy. We also found HMGB1 was responsible, at least in part, for autophagy activation of CAFs, suggesting CAFs remain active through an autocrine HMGB1 loop. Further study demonstrated that HMGB1 facilitated lung cancer cell invasion by activating the NFκB pathway. In a mouse xenograft model, the autophagy specific inhibitor chloroquine abolished the stimulating effect of CAFs on tumor growth. These results elucidated an oncogenic function for secretory autophagy in lung cancer-associated CAFs that promotes metastasis potential, and suggested HMGB1 as a novel therapeutic target.
ZGRF1 promotes end resection of DNA homologous recombination via forming complex with BRCA1/EXO1
Authors: Yan Shuang , Song Man , Ping Jie , Lai Shu-ting , Cao Xiao-yu , Bai Chen-Jun , Xie Da-Fei , Guan Hua , Gao Shan-shan , Zhou Ping-Kun
Published: September 2021

To maintain genomic stability, the mammalian cells has evolved a coordinated response to DNA damage, including activation of DNA repair and cell cycle checkpoint processes. Exonuclease 1 (EXO1)-dependent excision of DNA ends is important for the initiation of homologous recombination (HR) repair of DNA breaks, which is thought to play a key role in activating the ATR-CHK1 pathway to induce G2/M cell cycle arrest. But the mechanism is still not fully understood. Here, we report that ZGRF1 forms complexes with EXO1 as well as other repair proteins and promotes DNA repair through HR. ZGRF1 is recruited to DNA damage sites in a MDC1-RNF8-BRCA1 dependent manner. Furthermore, ZGRF1 is important for the recruitment of RPA2 to DNA damage sites and the following ATR-CHK1 mediated G2/M checkpoint in response to irradiation. ZGRF1 null cells show increased sensitivity to many DNA-damaging agents, especially PARPi and irradiation. Collectively,our findings identify ZGRF1 as a novel regulator of DNA end resection and G2/M checkpoint. ZGRF1 is a potential target of radiation and PARPi cancer therapy.
The functions and potential roles of extracellular vesicle noncoding RNAs in gynecological malignancies
Authors: Si Lulu , Bai Jing , Fu Hanlin , Qiu Haifeng , Guo Ruixia
Published: September 2021

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are small membranous vesicles secreted by multiple kinds of cells and are widely present in human body fluids. EVs containing various constituents can transfer functional molecules from donor cells to recipient cells, thereby mediating intercellular communication. Noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs) are a type of RNA transcript with limited protein-coding capacity, that have been confirmed to be enriched in EVs in recent years. EV ncRNAs have become a hot topic because of their crucial regulating effect in disease progression, especially in cancer development. In this review, we summarized the biological functions of EV ncRNAs in the occurrence and progression of gynecological malignancies. In addition, we reviewed their potential applications in the diagnosis and treatment of gynecological malignancies.
sGC stimulation lowers elevated blood pressure in a new canine model of resistant hypertension
Authors: Vogel Julia , Boehme Philip , Homann Susanne , Boehm Mario , Schütt Katharina Andrea , Boden Katharina , Balitzki Jakob , Hüser Jörg , Dinh Wilfried , Truebel Hubert , Sandner Peter , Mondritzki Thomas
Published: September 2021

Therapy-resistant hypertension is a serious medical problem, causing end-organ damage, stroke, and heart failure if untreated. Since the standard of care fails in resistant hypertension patients, there is still a substantial unmet medical need for effective therapies. Active stimulation of soluble guanylyl cyclase via novel soluble guanylyl cyclase stimulators might provide an effective treatment option. To test this hypothesis, we established a new experimental dog model and investigated the effects of the soluble guanylyl cyclase-stimulator BAY 41-2272. In beagle dogs, a resistant hypertension phenotype was established by combining unilateral renal wrapping with the occlusion of the renal artery in the contralateral kidney. The most frequently used antihypertensive drugs were administered orally, either alone or in combination, and their acute effect on telemetric measured blood pressure was assessed and compared with that of BAY 41-2272. The chosen disease stimulus led to a moderate and stable increase in blood pressure. Even high doses of standard-of-care antihypertensives only slightly decreased blood pressure. In contrast, the administration of the soluble guanylyl cyclase stimulator BAY 41-2272 as standalone therapy led to a dose-dependent reduction in blood pressure (−14.1 ± 1.8 mmHg). Moreover, BAY 41-2272 could also further decrease blood pressure in addition to a triple combination of standard-of-care antihypertensives (−28.6 ± 13.2 mmHg). BAY 41-2272 was highly efficient as a standalone treatment in resistant hypertension but was also effective in addition to standard-of-care treatment. These data strongly suggest that soluble guanylyl cyclase stimulators might provide an effective pharmacologic therapy for patients with resistant hypertension.
Liquid condensation of reprogramming factor KLF4 with DNA provides a mechanism for chromatin organization
Authors: Sharma Rajesh , Choi Kyoung-Jae , Quan My Diem , Sharma Sonum , Sankaran Banumathi , Park Hyekyung , LaGrone Anel , Kim Jean J. , MacKenzie Kevin R. , Ferreon Allan Chris M. , Kim Choel , Ferreon Josephine C.
Published: September 2021

Expression of a few master transcription factors can reprogram the epigenetic landscape and three-dimensional chromatin topology of differentiated cells and achieve pluripotency. During reprogramming, thousands of long-range chromatin contacts are altered, and changes in promoter association with enhancers dramatically influence transcription. Molecular participants at these sites have been identified, but how this re-organization might be orchestrated is not known. Biomolecular condensation is implicated in subcellular organization, including the recruitment of RNA polymerase in transcriptional activation. Here, we show that reprogramming factor KLF4 undergoes biomolecular condensation even in the absence of its intrinsically disordered region. Liquid–liquid condensation of the isolated KLF4 DNA binding domain with a DNA fragment from the NANOG proximal promoter is enhanced by CpG methylation of a KLF4 cognate binding site. We propose KLF4-mediated condensation as one mechanism for selectively organizing and re-organizing the genome based on the local sequence and epigenetic state.