bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Stretchable electronic skin patch with strain isolation for the simultaneous measurements of surface electromyography and temperature
Authors: Cai Min , Hong Weijie , Nie Shuang , Wang Chengjun , Song Jizhou
Published: June 2022

Stretchable electronic skin patches have continuously attracted the attention of researchers and clinicians due to their potentials in medical applications. Despite the remarkable progress of electronic skin patches with diverse sensor modalities for regions undergoing small deformations, the electronic skin patch in a stretchable format for regions requiring large strain accommodations has far less been explored. Here, we report a stretchable electronic skin patch with strain isolation for the simultaneous measurement of surface electromyography (sEMG) and temperature. The electronic skin patch consists of two mesh-like sEMG electrodes and one resistance temperature sensor on a compliant substrate with programmable stiffness induced by the spatioselective ultraviolet exposure. This construct allows for mechanical softness of electrodes for an intimate attachment to skin and isolation of deformation-induced disturbances and damages to the temperature sensor. Experimental and numerical studies reveal the design, fabrication and operation of the skin patch. Demonstration of the skin patch with strain isolation on the lumbar muscle groups during the trunk flexion, which may introduce a 20% strain level, illustrates its robust capabilities for the comprehensive assessment of muscle activities with possibilities to study the temperature effect on sEMG signals. The results reported here provide important inspiration for constructing multifunctional electronic skin patches with a wide range of applications such as health-monitoring devices, wearable human-machine interface and clinical muscle function evaluation.
Research and development of hydrogen carrier based solutions for hydrogen compression and storage
Authors: Dornheim Martin , Baetcke Lars , Akiba Etsuo , Ares Jose-Ramón , Autrey Tom , Barale Jussara , Baricco Marcello , Brooks Kriston , Chalkiadakis Nikolaos , Charbonnier Véronique , Christensen Steven , Bellosta von Colbe José , Costamagna Mattia , Dematteis Erika , Fernández Jose-Francisco , Gennett Thomas , Grant David , Heo Tae Wook , Hirscher Michael , Hurst Katherine , Lototskyy Mykhaylo , Metz Oliver , Rizzi Paola , Sakaki Kouji , Sartori Sabrina , Stamatakis Emmanuel , Stuart Alastair , Stubos Athanasios , Walker Gavin , Webb Colin J , Wood Brandon , Yartys Volodymyr , Zoulias Emmanuel
Published: June 2022

Industrial and public interest in hydrogen technologies has risen strongly recently, as hydrogen is the ideal means for medium to long term energy storage, transport and usage in combination with renewable and green energy supply. In a future energy system, the production, storage and usage of green hydrogen is a key technology. Hydrogen is and will in future be even more used for industrial production processes as a reduction agent or for the production of synthetic hydrocarbons, especially in the chemical industry and in refineries. Under certain conditions material based systems for hydrogen storage and compression offer advantages over the classical systems based on gaseous or liquid hydrogen. This includes in particular lower maintenance costs, higher reliability and safety. Hydrogen storage is possible at pressures and temperatures much closer to ambient conditions. Hydrogen compression is possible without any moving parts and only by using waste heat. In this paper, we summarize the newest developments of hydrogen carriers for storage and compression and in addition, give an overview of the different research activities in this field.
On the coordination dynamics of (animate) moving bodies
Authors: Kelso J A Scott
Published: June 2022

Coordination comes in many guises and represents one of the most striking, but least understood features of living things. The different forms that coordination takes and how it emerges and changes are of great interest to many disciplines, particularly the social and behavioral sciences, neuroscience, psychology, biology and physics itself. Inspired originally by theories of self-organization in open, nonequilibrium systems, the science of coordination (coordination dynamics) seeks to understand coordinated patterns at many scales and for multiple functions in living things. Here we review some of the key concepts of coordination dynamics along with some recent developments and posit ten tenets of the theory that may guide further understanding.
Extreme weather impacts of climate change: an attribution perspective
Authors: Clarke Ben , Otto Friederike , Stuart-Smith Rupert , Harrington Luke
Published: June 2022

Extreme event attribution aims to elucidate the link between global climate change, extreme weather events, and the harms experienced on the ground by people, property, and nature. It therefore allows the disentangling of different drivers of extreme weather from human-induced climate change and hence provides valuable information to adapt to climate change and to assess loss and damage. However, providing such assessments systematically is currently out of reach. This is due to limitations in attribution science, including the capacity for studying different types of events, as well as the geographical heterogeneity of both climate and impact data availability. Here, we review current knowledge of the influences of climate change on five different extreme weather hazards (extreme temperatures, heavy rainfall, drought, wildfire, tropical cyclones), the impacts of recent extreme weather events of each type, and thus the degree to which various impacts are attributable to climate change. For instance, heat extremes have increased in likelihood and intensity worldwide due to climate change, with tens of thousands of deaths directly attributable. This is likely a significant underestimate due to the limited availability of impact information in lower- and middle-income countries. Meanwhile, tropical cyclone rainfall and storm surge height have increased for individual events and across all basins. In the North Atlantic basin, climate change amplified the rainfall of events that, combined, caused half a trillion USD in damages. At the same time, severe droughts in many parts of the world are not attributable to climate change. To advance our understanding of present-day extreme weather impacts due to climate change developments on several levels are required. These include improving the recording of extreme weather impacts around the world, improving the coverage of attribution studies across different events and regions, and using attribution studies to explore the contributions of both climate and non-climate drivers of impacts.
Separable integer partition classes
Authors: Andrews George
Published: June 2022

A classical method for partition generating function is developed into a tool with wide applications. New expansions of well-known theorems are derived, and new results for partitions with

n
n

copies of

n
n

are presented.
Scalar flat compactifications of Poincaré-Einstein manifolds and applications
Authors: Raulot Simon
Published: June 2022

We derive an integral inequality between the mean curvature and the scalar curvature of the boundary of any scalar flat conformal compactifications of Poincaré-Einstein manifolds. As a first consequence, we obtain a sharp lower bound for the first eigenvalue of the conformal half-Laplacian of the boundary of such manifolds. Secondly, a new upper bound for the renormalized volume is given in the four dimensional setting. Finally, some estimates on the first eigenvalues of Dirac operators are also deduced.
The contraction category of graphs
Authors: Proudfoot Nicholas , Ramos Eric
Published: June 2022

We study the category whose objects are graphs of fixed genus and whose morphisms are contractions. We show that the corresponding contravariant module categories are Noetherian and we study two families of modules over these categories. The first takes a graph to a graded piece of the homology of its unordered configuration space and the second takes a graph to an intersection homology group whose dimension is given by a Kazhdan–Lusztig coefficient; in both cases we prove that the module is finitely generated. This allows us to draw conclusions about torsion in the homology groups of graph configuration spaces, and about the growth of Betti numbers of graph configuration spaces and Kazhdan–Lusztig coefficients of graphical matroids. We also explore the relationship between our category and outer space, which is used in the study of outer automorphisms of free groups.
The Langlands-Shahidi method for pairs via types and covers
Authors: Jo Yeongseong , Krishnamurthy M.
Published: June 2022

We compute the local coefficient attached to a pair

(

π
1

,

π
2

)

(\pi _1,\pi _2)

of supercuspidal (complex) representations of the general linear group using the theory of types and covers à la Bushnell-Kutzko. In the process, we obtain another proof of a well-known formula of Shahidi for the corresponding Plancherel constant. The approach taken here can be adapted to other situations of arithmetic interest within the context of the Langlands-Shahidi method, particularly to that of a Siegel Levi subgroup inside a classical group.
A role of prefrontal cortico-hypothalamic projections in wake promotion
Authors: Zhong Haixing , Xu Huamin , Li Xin , Xie Rou-gang , Shi Yunxin , Wang Ying , Tong Li , Zhu Qianqian , Han Jing , Tao Huiren , Zhang Li , Hu Zhian , Zhang Xia , Gu Ning , Dong Hailong , Xu Xufeng
Published: June 2022

Ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) processes many critical brain functions, such as decision-making, value-coding, thinking, and emotional arousal/recognition, but whether vmPFC plays a role in sleep–wake promotion circuitry is still unclear. Here, we find that photoactivation of dorsomedial hypothalamus (DMH)-projecting vmPFC neurons, their terminals, or their postsynaptic DMH neurons rapidly switches non-rapid eye movement (NREM) but not rapid eye movement sleep to wakefulness, which is blocked by photoinhibition of DMH outputs in lateral hypothalamus (LHs). Chemoactivation of DMH glutamatergic but not GABAergic neurons innervated by vmPFC promotes wakefulness and suppresses NREM sleep, whereas chemoinhibition of vmPFC projections in DMH produces opposite effects. DMH-projecting vmPFC neurons are inhibited during NREM sleep and activated during wakefulness. Thus, vmPFC neurons innervating DMH likely represent the first identified set of cerebral cortical neurons for promotion of physiological wakefulness and suppression of NREM sleep.
Building back before: fiscal and monetary support for the economy in Britain amid the COVID-19 crisis
Authors: Berry Craig , Bailey Daniel , Beel David , O’Donovan Nick
Published: June 2022

This paper explores the local impact of various forms of fiscal and monetary support for UK-based companies in the context of disruption caused by COVID-19 and associated public health restrictions, including support for household incomes (and therefore private consumption) via the ‘furlough’ scheme, the Covid Corporate Financing Facility and various national and local business support schemes. It shows that the economic crisis associated with the pandemic has been construed to justify interventions that preserve the spatially uneven status quo of the UK’s model of economic development, protecting business from harms arising, apparently, from the public’s reaction to the pandemic. To some extent, COVID-19 has been treated as a localised phenomenon that the national economy requires protection from.
Growth Differentiation Factor 15 and the Subsequent Risk of Atrial Fibrillation: The Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study
Authors: Chen Mengkun , Ding Ning , Mok Yejin , Mathews Lena , Hoogeveen Ron C , Ballantyne Christie M , Chen Lin Yee , Coresh Josef , Matsushita Kunihiro
Published: June 2022

Background

Growth differentiation factor 15 (GDF-15) is a stress-responsive biomarker associated with several types of cardiovascular diseases. However, conflicting results have been reported regarding its association with incident atrial fibrillation (AF) in the general population.

Methods

In 10 234 White and Black Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) Study participants (mean age 60 years, 20.5% Blacks) free of AF at baseline (1993 to 1995), we quantified the association of GDF-15 with incident AF using Cox regression models. GDF-15 concentration was measured by an aptamer-based proteomic method. AF was defined as AF diagnosis by electrocardiogram at subsequent ARIC visits or AF diagnosis in hospitalization records or death certificates. Harrell’s c-statistic and categorical net reclassification improvement were computed for risk discrimination and reclassification.

Results

There were 2217 cases of incident AF over a median follow-up of 20.6 years (incidence rate 12.3 cases/1000 person-years). After adjusting for potential confounders, GDF-15 was independently associated with incident AF, with a hazard ratio (HR) of 1.42 (95% CI, 1.24–1.62) for the top vs bottom quartile. The result remained consistent (HR 1.23 [95% CI, 1.07–1.41]) even after further adjusting for 2 cardiac biomarkers, cardiac troponin T and natriuretic peptide. The results were largely consistent across demographic subgroups. The addition of GDF-15 modestly improved the c-statistic by 0.003 (95% CI, 0.001–0.006) beyond known risk factors of AF.

Conclusions

In this community-based biracial cohort, higher concentrations of GDF-15 were independently associated with incident AF, supporting its potential value as a clinical marker of AF risk.
Multi-vessel spontaneous coronary artery dissection in a patient with aortic dissection: a case report
Authors: Alyamani Motasem , Aziz Amir , Nagendran Jeevan , Welsh Robert C
Published: June 2022

Background

Spontaneous coronary artery dissection (SCAD) is a rare cause of acute coronary syndrome that is often misdiagnosed.

Case summary

We describe a case of multi-vessel SCAD in a 73-year-old patient with no evidence of fibromuscular dysplasia that is presented with Type A aortic dissection after undergoing an ascending aorta and aortic arch replacement with stent placement in the abdominal aorta. The use of percutaneous coronary intervention with cutting balloons and drug-eluting stent implantation helped wean the patient off extracorporeal membrane oxygenation successfully.

Discussion

To our knowledge, this is the first reported case of multi-vessel SCAD presenting concomitantly with aortic dissection. More research is needed to help understand the pathophysiology of the two conditions as well as possible links between them.
Pathogenicity of an Entomopathogenic Nematode, Steinernema carpocapsae on Alphitobius diaperinus (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae) Strains From Turkey
Authors: Koc Samed , Polat Burak , Cengiz Aysegul , Kahraman Sevval , Tufan-Cetin Ozge , Cetin Huseyin
Published: June 2022

Alphitobius diaperinus Panzer (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae) is an insect pest in poultry production systems. This insect has developed resistance to many chemical insecticides. As an alternative to chemicals, entomopathogenic nematodes (EPNs) are one of the most commonly used agents against several pest arthropods. The pathogenicity of the EPN Steinernema carpocapsae Weiser on four field strains of lesser mealworm, A. diaperinus, from Turkey was studied. In the experiments, larvae of A. diaperinus were found to be more sensitive than adults to S. carpocapsae infection. In terms of LC50 values in both larval and adult insects, Balikesir strain was found to be the most susceptible, Manisa strain the most resistant. The calculated LC50 values for adults were 85.9, 205.6, 135.4, and 418.8 IJs/ml, and for larvae 31.2, 39.8, 34.8, and 70.9 IJs/ml for the Balikesir, Canakkale, İzmir, and Manisa strains, respectively. This is the first report about the pathogenicity of EPNs against larvae and adults of lesser mealworm A. diaperinus strains from Turkey. We conclude that S. carpocapsae can be used as a control agent for lesser mealworms.
The Impact of the European Landscape Convention on Landscape Planning in Spain, Italy and England
Authors: Civitarese Matteucci Stefano , Cartei Gian Franco
Published: June 2022

The influence of the European Landscape Convention (ELC) on the landscape planning legal framework of Italy, Spain and England is discussed. The ELC defines landscape, holistically, as something perceived by people in their everyday life. Integrating landscape protection and management into every policy influencing the quality of a territory is a major ELC’s goal. This view challenges the interpretation that stresses the continuing importance of objective landscape values, such as natural beauty, recognisable by expert assessment. This dialectic also reveals a fault line between local democracy/participation and a centralist approach towards landscape protection. We found signs of such competing narratives in the landscape planning regulations of the said jurisdictions implementing the ELC, although the rationales that inspire them were little affected. We argue that the said dialectic may be seen more as an opportunity to build a more comprehensive system of landscape protection than a downside.
Environmental Policy and Compensation in China: An Empirical Analysis of Article Eight of the Chinese Administrative License Law
Authors: Zeng James Si
Published: June 2022

In the past few years, China has implemented environmental policies that negatively affected the property interests of numerous private enterprises. This article offers the first systematic analysis of how China compensates enterprises for losses caused by the implementation of environmental laws and policies. It generates descriptive statistics on the characteristics of the compensation cases and finds that in a majority of the cases, the court allowed the government to set compensation below the value of the enterprise’s investment. Statistics also show that China offers weaker protection for private enterprises against newly adopted environmental policies compared to other types of rules or policies, allowing the government to close highly polluting enterprises with relatively low compensation. This article then offers an explanation of the courts’ approach and considers whether Chinese courts achieve an appropriate balance between property protection and policy flexibility.
New Evidence of Canthariphily:Tilloidea transversalis(Coleoptera: Cleridae) Sequestering Cantharidin FromLydus trimaculatus(Coleoptera: Meloidae)
Authors: Molfini Marco , Stefanuto Luca , Gisondi Silvia , Gasperi Tecla , Di Giulio Andrea , Mancini Emiliano , Bologna Marco A
Published: June 2022

Cantharidin (CTD) is a defensive compound autogenously and exclusively produced by two phylogenetically related beetle families: Meloidae and Oedemeridae. Although this molecule usually acts as a strong deterrent against potential predators and parasites, some arthropod species, collectively named ‘canthariphilous species’, are attracted to CTD. Some species can sequester CTD from the CTD-producing species, using it as a chemical defense against enemies. The present paper focuses on the first-ever description of canthariphilous interactions between a checkered beetle species (Coleoptera: Cleridae) and a CTD -producing species. Field observations revealed individuals of the phytophagous beetle Tilloidea transversalis (Charpentier, 1825) (Coleoptera: Cleridae) biting individuals of the blister beetle Lydus trimaculatus (Fabricius, 1775) (Coleoptera: Meloidae). Laboratory behavioral experiments followed to verify if this peculiar behavior of T. transversalis also occurs on other co-occurring species. Moreover, chemical analyses were performed to assess whether T. transversalis can sequester CTD. Our results show that T. transversalis only attacks CTD-producing species. However, while chemical analyses prove that T. transversalis can sequester CTD from the hemolymph of L. trimaculatus, some clues (based on a CTD-baited traps sampling) suggest that this beetle, contrarily to other canthariphilous species, does not appear to show a high attraction to pure synthetic CTD. Thus, other unknown signals, alone or in combination with CTD, could be implicated in triggering the canthariphilous behaviors of T. transversalis.
Occurrence, Density, and Transcriptomic Response of the LeafhopperErythroneura sudra(Hemiptera: Cicadellidae) When Confronted With Different Fruit Tree Species
Authors: Wang Yueyue , Huang Xunbing , Li Hui , Chen Guangyan
Published: June 2022

The leafhopper, Erythroneura sudra (Distant) is becoming a dominant insect pest, and usually can cause significant damage to fruit production in northern China. We studied the occurrence and density of E. sudra on three fruit tree species and its transcriptomic responses when it was fed on leaves of these tree species. A higher density and survival rate of E. sudra were recorded when it fed on leaves of peach (Amygdalus persica L.) (Rosales: Rosaceae) and cherry (Cerasus pseudocerasus Lindl) (Rosales: Rosaceae) than on apple (Malus domestica Mill) (Rosales: Rosaceae). Also, feeding on M. domestica induced the largest variation in transcriptomic profiles in E. sudra. In total, 166 genes were differentially expressed (89 upregulated and 77 downregulated) in E. sudra when it fed on M. domestica, compared to when it fed on the other two tree species. The upregulated genes were mainly related to ‘response to oxidative stress’, ‘stress-resistance’, and ‘xenobiotic metabolic process’. The downregulated genes were mainly related to ‘structural constituent of cuticle’, ‘biosynthetic process’, and ‘development regulation’. These results suggested that M. domestica significantly changed the expression of many genes and consequently caused lower occurrence and density of E. sudra. Such information could enhance our understanding of the leafhopper–host plant relationship. Additionally, it can contribute to the improvement of current control strategies for this pest.
Concomitant brain and liver abscesses: a rare complication of acute diverticulitis
Authors: Vial Izziddine , Varghese Timothy , Sheikh Adnan
Published: June 2022

Diverticular disease is one of the most common colonic pathologies in the Western world. In the UK, ~80% of the population aged over 85 years are diagnosed with it. Most of these cases are asymptomatic. Yet, they can become problematic when the diverticula bleed, become infected (diverticulitis) or perforate. Other well-known complications of diverticular disease are acute inflammation, stenosis, fistulation and abscess formation. In this case report, we describe a delayed presentation of metastatic abscesses (liver and brain) from a prior acute diverticulitis with contained perforation and abscess formation.
Inconclusives and error rates in forensic science: a signal detection theory approach
Authors: Arkes Hal R , Koehler Jonathan J
Published: June 2022

There are times when a forensic scientist may not be comfortable drawing a firm conclusion about whether a questioned sample that appears to contain useful identifying information did or did not come from a particular known source. In such cases, the forensic scientist may call the sample pair ‘inconclusive’. We suggest that signal detection theory (SDT), which is concerned with the detection of weak signals in noisy environments, provides a useful framework for understanding the role that inconclusives play in the various feature-matching forensic sciences. SDT shows that ‘inconclusive’ is often an appropriate response depending on both the strength of the signal in the samples and the thresholds adopted by the examiner. We also argue that inconclusives should not be coded as either correct or incorrect when tabulating forensic error rates.
Capital Citizens: Disinvesting the Individual in Helena María Viramontes’sUnder the Feet of Jesus
Authors: Collins Katie
Published: June 2022

In her novel Under the Feet of Jesus (1995), Helena María Viramontes uses the bildungsroman genre to confront anxieties of bourgeois individualization in Chicana/o cultural productions. Her novel takes shape during the transitional period between the Chicano movement of the 1960s and 1970s to the emergence of a Mexican American middle class in the 1990s. Increasing demand for political and social recognition incited more diverse visions of American incorporation. However, the Chicana/o community’s past consolidation in working-class solidarity resulted in an aesthetic and political resistance to national inclusion. This inclusion was predicated on the development of bourgeois individualism and upward mobility through middle-class assimilation. Under the Feet of Jesus stages the conflict between Anglo-American, capitalist values of individual growth and national expansion and Chicana/o values of ethnic commitment and community through her two adolescent protagonists, Estrella and Alejo. The novel’s approach to temporality and history disinvests from the capitalist logic guiding both the bildungsroman genre and American ideals of individualism and progress.
Exposure to radon and heavy particulate pollution and incidence of brain tumors
Authors: Palmer Joshua D , Prasad Rahul N , Cioffi Gino , Kruchtko Carol , Zaorsky Nicholas G , Trifiletti Daniel M , Gondi Vinai , Brown Paul D , Perlow Haley K , Mishra Mark V , Chakravarti Arnab , Barnholtz-Sloan Jill S , Ostrom Quinn T
Published: June 2022

Background

Global incidence for brain tumors varies substantially without explanation. Studies correlating radon exposure and incidence are inconclusive. Particulate pollution has been linked to increased tumor incidence. Particulates may disrupt the blood-brain barrier allowing intracranial exposure to oncogenic radon. We investigated the relationship between exposure to residential radon, particulate pollution, and brain tumor incidence in the United States (US).

Methods

County-level median radon testing results and annual air quality index values were obtained and divided into tertiles. Counties without both values were excluded. Four groups of counties were generated: high particulate/high radon (high/high), high/low, low/high, and low/low. Using incidence data from the Central Brain Tumor Registry of the US (provided by CDC’s National Program of Cancer Registries and NCI’s SEER), annual age-adjusted incidence rates (AAAIRs) by group were generated by behavior. Incidence rate ratios were calculated to examine for significant differences (α = .05). Poisson regression accounting for possible confounders was conducted.

Results

Counties with available data included 83% of the US population. High/high exposure was significantly associated with increased AAAIR of all non-malignant tumors (up to 26% higher, including most meningiomas) even after accounting for potential confounders. An increased AAAIR was noted for all malignant tumors (up to 10% higher), including glioblastoma, but was negated after accounting for demographic/socioeconomic differences.

Conclusions

We present the first report suggesting increased non-malignant brain tumor incidence in regions with high particulate and radon exposure. These findings provide insight into unexplained variation in tumor incidence. Future studies are needed to validate these findings in other populations.
Multiple Simultaneous Infections With Nontuberculous Mycobacteria in the Setting of GATA2 Mutation and Myelodysplastic Syndrome
Authors: Tabaja Hussam , Jensen Kelsey L , Rivera Christina G , Misra Anisha , Pruthi Rajiv K , Vergidis Paschalis
Published: June 2022

GATA2 mutation can result in profoundly reduced monocytes, dendritic cells, natural killer cells, and B cells, and is associated with a predisposition for recurrent and disseminated nontuberculous mycobacterial (NTM) infections and myelodysplasias. Herein, we describe a unique case of 3 simultaneous disseminated NTM infections in a patient with GATA2 mutations.
The tetratricopeptide repeat protein OsTPR075 promotes heading by regulating florigen transport in rice
Authors: Zhang Liang , Zhang Fan , Zhou Xuan , Poh Toon Xuan , Xie Lijun , Shen Jun , Yang Lijia , Song Shiyong , Yu Hao , Chen Ying
Published: June 2022

Rice (Oryza sativa) is one of the most important crops worldwide. Heading date is a vital agronomic trait that influences rice yield and adaption to local conditions. Hd3a, a proposed florigen that primarily functions under short-day (SD) conditions, is a mobile flowering signal that promotes the floral transition in rice. Nonetheless, how Hd3a is transported from leaves to the shoot apical meristem (SAM) under SDs remains elusive. Here, we report that FT-INTERACTING PROTEIN9 (OsFTIP9) specifically regulates rice flowering time under SDs by facilitating Hd3a transport from companion cells (CCs) to sieve elements (SEs). Furthermore, we show that the tetratricopeptide repeat (TPR) protein OsTPR075 interacts with both OsFTIP9 and OsFTIP1 and strengthens their respective interactions with Hd3a and the florigen RICE FLOWERING LOCUS T1 (RFT1). This in turn affects the trafficking of Hd3a and RFT1 to the SAM, thus regulating flowering time under SDs and long-day conditions, respectively. Our findings suggest that florigen transport in rice is mediated by different OsFTIPs under different photoperiods and those interactions between OsTPR075 and OsFTIPs are essential for mediating florigen movement from leaves to the SAM.
Ontogeny of the skull of the blind snakeAmerotyphlops brongersmianus(Serpentes: Typhlopidae) brings new insights on snake cranial evolution
Authors: Chuliver Mariana , Scanferla Agustín , Koch Claudia
Published: June 2022

Blind snakes represent the most basal group of extant snakes and include fossorial species with unusual skeletal traits. Despite their known phylogenetic position, little is known about their ontogeny and what it might reveal about the origin of their skull anatomy. Here we describe for the first time the ontogenetic transformations of the skull of a blind snake, the typhlopid Amerotyphlops brongersmianus, including embryos and postnatal individuals. Furthermore, we provide data on the size changes relative to skull growth of the main elements of the gnathic complex. We observed that the skull of this blind snake undergoes considerable morphological change during late ontogeny. Additionally, we detected delayed development of some traits (closure of the skull roof, opisthotic-exoccipital suture, ossification of the posterior trabeculae) simultaneously with clearly peramorphic traits (development of the crista circumfenestralis, growth of the pterygoid bar). Our analysis suggests that the unique skull anatomy of blind snakes displays plesiomorphic and highly autapomorphic features, as an outcome of heterochronic processes and miniaturization, and is shaped by functional constraints related to a highly specialized feeding mechanism under the selective pressures of a fossorial lifestyle.
Technologies for HIV-1 drug resistance testing: inventory and needs
Authors: Metzner Karin J.
Published: June 2022

Purpose of review

HIV-1 drug resistance (HIV DR) testing is routinely performed by genotyping plasma viruses using Sanger population sequencing. Next-generation sequencing (NGS) is increasingly replacing standardized Sanger sequencing. This opens up new opportunities, but also brings challenges.

Recent findings

The number of NGS applications and protocols for HIV DR testing is increasing. All of them are noninferior to Sanger sequencing when comparing NGS-derived consensus sequences to Sanger sequencing-derived sequences. In addition, NGS enables high-throughput sequencing of near full-length HIV-1 genomes and detection of low-abundance drug-resistant HIV-1 variants, although their clinical implications need further investigation. Several groups have defined remaining challenges in implementing NGS protocols for HIV-1 resistance testing. Some of them are already being addressed. One of the most important needs is quality management and consequently, if possible, standardization.

The use of NGS technologies on HIV DR testing will allow unprecedented insights into genomic structures of virus populations that may be of immediate relevance to both clinical and research areas such as personalized antiretroviral treatment. Efforts continue to tackle the remaining challenges in NGS-based HIV DR testing.
Epidemiology of HIV drug resistance in low- and middle-income countries and WHO global strategy to monitor its emergence
Authors: Bertagnolio Silvia , Jordan Michael R. , Giron Amalia , Inzaule Seth
Published: June 2022

Purpose of review

This review summarises the latest information of the epidemiology of HIV drug resistance (HIVDR) in low- and middle-income countries and the updated WHO global strategy for HIVDR surveillance and monitoring.

Recent findings

Finding from recent national-representative surveys show a rise in pretreatment drug resistance (PDR) to reverse transcriptase inhibitors and especially to the class of nonnucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors. Levels of PDR are especially high in infants <18 months and adults reporting prior exposure to antiretrovirals. Although viral suppression rates are generally high and increasing among adults on antiretroviral therapy, those with unsuppressed viremia have high levels of acquired drug resistance (ADR). Programmatic data on HIVDR to integrase-transfer-inhibitor resistance is scarce, highlighting the need to increase integrase-inhibitors resistance surveillance. As the landscape of HIV prevention, treatment and monitoring evolves, WHO has also adapted its strategy to effectively support countries in preventing and monitoring the emergence of HIVDR. This includes new survey methods for monitoring resistance emerging from patients diagnosed with HIV while on preexposure prophylaxis, and a laboratory-based ADR survey leveraging on remnant viral load specimens which are expected to strengthen dolutegravir-resistance surveillance.

Monitoring HIVDR remains pivotal to ensure countries attain and sustain the global goals for ending HIV as a public health threat by 2030.
Safety of oral tenofovir disoproxil - emtricitabine for HIV preexposure prophylaxis in adults
Authors: Liegeon Geoffroy
Published: June 2022

Purpose of review

This review focuses on the safety of oral tenofovir disoproxil and emtricitabine (FTC) combination for HIV preexposure prophylaxis (PrEP) in adults.

Recent findings

Gastrointestinal adverse events are common after treatment initiation but usually resolve within weeks. Although clinical trials did not report an increased risk of serious renal adverse events or tubulopathy, meta-analyses suggest that tenofovir disoproxil -FTC is associated with a slight but non-clinically relevant decline in estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR). A decline to less than 60 mL/min remains a rare event, which mainly occurs in users with an age >50 years or a baseline creatinine clearance < 90 mL/min. Similarly, a slight reduction in bone mineral density (BMD) was observed in clinical trials, but it did not result in an increased risk of bone fracture. BMD reduction and eGFR decline tend to resolve after treatment discontinuation. No drug interaction with contraception has been reported in women and no safety signal emerged in pregnant and breastfeeding women.

Oral tenofovir disoproxil-FTC for HIV PrEP appears safe and well tolerated for most individuals. This supports demedicalization strategies aiming at increasing the number of PrEP users.
Habilitative Teletherapy for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Survey of Parents
Authors: Choi Kristen R. , Becerra-Culqui Tracy A. , Tejada Geneveve , Coleman Karen J. , Bhakta Bhumi , Knight Elizabeth A. , Gahre Teri L. , Zima Bonnie
Published: June 2022

Objective:

The purpose of this study was to investigate whether service losses during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic were associated with worsened parent mental health or child behavioral health among families of children with autism spectrum disorder and to identify factors associated with favorable parent appraisals of habilitative teletherapy (applied behavior analysis; speech, occupational, physical therapy) for their child.

Method:

This web-based survey study was conducted from May to July 2021 with parents whose children were receiving habilitative therapy for autism from an integrated health system. A total of 322 parents responded to the survey (20% response rate). The outcome variables were pandemic-related parent mental health, pandemic-related child behavioral health, and appraisal of habilitative teletherapy. Predictors were COVID-19–related services changes in health care or child care, COVID-19 history (COVID-19 stress, testing positive for COVID-19), and child autism factors (autistic behaviors, caregiving strain).

Results:

Loss of regular child care was associated with higher odds of worsened parent mental health (odds ratio [OR] = 2.7, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.5–4.8); higher levels of caregiving strain were associated with worsened child behavioral health (OR = 2.3, 95% CI = 1.4–3.8). Higher levels of COVID-19 stress were associated with more favorable appraisals of telehealth (β = 0.4, p < 0.01), whereas higher caregiving strain scores were associated with less favorable appraisals of telehealth (β = −0.2, p < 0.01).

Conclusion:

During COVID-19, caregiving factors were associated with worsened parent mental health and worsened child behavioral health, and telehealth is not preferred by all families. Policy interventions to support caregivers, such as affordable, high-quality child care and paid family leave, are a high priority.
The Association Between Home or Community Garden Access and Adolescent Health
Authors: Knoff Kathryn A. G. , Kulik Noel , Mallare James , Dombrowski Rachael D.
Published: June 2022

Little is known about the influence of home or community garden (HCG) access on adolescent health. The objective of this study was to determine the association between adolescent self-rated health, nutrition knowledge, attitudes, and intake with HCG access. Urban high school students (n = 401) completed a questionnaire prior to a nutrition education intervention. Point biserial correlations and one-way analyses of variance evaluated garden access and health variables. Garden access differed by race (P < .001), and students with HCG access consumed more vegetables than students who did not (P = .003) and rated themselves as healthier (P = .034). Findings suggest that garden access is associated with higher adolescent vegetable consumption and higher self-rated health. Future research should investigate adolescent levels of engagement in HCGs.
In vivo
detection of metabolic
2
H-incorporation upon ingestion of
2
H
2
O
Authors: Arnold Kim , Chen Xing , Zhang Hui , Singh Kapil Dev , Yin Zhihong , Yao Yao , Luan Tiangang , Sinues Pablo , Li Xue
Published: June 2022

Objective:

The aim of this work was to explore the feasibility of
in vivo
and non-invasive monitoring of deuterium/hydrogen (
2
H/
1
H) exchange at the metabolic level upon exposure to heavy water (
2
H
2
O).

Methods:

The healthy female mice were randomly assigned to two groups after day 0 when both mice received standard drinking water. The treated mouse was fed with
2
H
2
O (80%, v/v) and the control mouse fed with standard drinking water (H
2
O) over next 13 days. Real-time mass spectrometric analysis of volatile metabolism emitted through breathing and the skin was performed on days 1, 2, 3, 10, 12, and 13. Animal experiment was approved by the Laboratory Animal Ethics Committee of Jinan University (approval No. 20161117163322) on October 29, 2021.

Results:

We observed a replacement of
1
H by
2
H in 52 mass spectral features (60
2
H/
1
H isotopologue pairs) for the mouse fed with
2
H
2
O, but not for the control mouse. These included pyruvic acid and lactic acid, lysine and methyl-lysine as well as short-chain fatty acids comprising acetic acid, propionic acid, butyric acid and valeric acid.

Conclusion:

Secondary electrospray ionization-high resolution mass spectrometry allows monitoring
in vivo
2
H-incorporation of metabolites in a non-invasive and real-time setup and opens new opportunities to use
2
H tracing to extend current metabolic studies, especially those with a focus on anaerobic glycolysis, lysine methylation and gut microbiome via monitoring of short-chain fatty acids.
The link between genetic variation and variability in vaccine responses: a narrative review
Authors: Zhang Yingtian , Zhao Mingzhe , Zhou Wei , Chen Luan , Li Mo , Jiang Bixuan , Zhao Xianglong , Wu Hao , Shen Lu , Zhang Na , Qin Hengwei , Tang Yuhao , Jia Chenhan , He Lin , Qin Shengying
Published: June 2022

Vaccines are one of the biggest successes in modern history and are particularly important in light of the multiple ongoing epidemics. Recently, vaccines have protected peoples’ health and lives around the world during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic. Different types of vaccines have their own characteristics and advantages and are used in the context of different epidemics. Responses to vaccination are also different, and can include adverse reactions and absent responses. These individual differences are thought to be influenced by host genes. In this review, we first discuss vaccine types and characteristics. Second, we discuss different responses to vaccination, primarily focusing on the association between genetic variation and inter-individual differences.
Hereditary spastic paraplegia type 56: what a mouse can tell - a narrative review
Authors: Parodi Livia , Pujol Claire
Published: June 2022

Hereditary spastic paraplegia type 56 (SPG56-HSP) is a rare autosomal recessive disorder caused by loss of function mutations in
CYP2U1
, leading to an early-onset limbs spasticity, often complicated by additional neurological or extra-neurological manifestations. Given its low prevalence, the molecular bases underlying SPG56-HSP are still poorly understood, and effective treatment options are still lacking. Recently, through the generation and characterization of the SPG56-HSP mouse model, we were able to take few important steps forward in expanding our knowledge of the molecular background underlying this complex disease. Leveraging the

Cyp2u1
-/-

mouse model we were able to identify several new diagnostics biomarkers (vitamin B2, coenzyme Q, neopterin, and interferon-alpha), as well as to highlight the key role played by the folate pathway in SPG56-HSP pathogenesis, providing a potential treatment option. In this review, we discuss the major role played by the

Cyp2u1
-/-

model in dissecting clinical and biological aspects of the disease, opening the way to a series of new research paths ranging from clinical trials, biomarker testing, and to the expansion of the underlying genetic and molecular, emphasizing how basic mouse model characterization could contribute to advance research in the context of rare disorders.
Computed Tomography Density as a Bio-marker for Histologic Grade of Otosclerosis: A Human Temporal Bone Pathology Study
Authors: Quesnel Alicia M. , Ishai Reuven , Meehan Timothy , O’Malley Jennifer T. , Mitchell Renee , Shin Jennifer J. , Curtin Hugh D. , Nadol Joseph B. , McKenna Michael J. , Juliano Amy F.
Published: June 2022

Hypothesis

Computed tomography (CT) density measurement can be used to objectively distinguish otosclerosis from normal bone and to determine histologic grades of otosclerosis.

Background

Otosclerosis can be seen on CT as subtle radiolucent areas. An objective radiologic measurement that corresponds to known otosclerosis pathology may improve diagnostic accuracy, and could be used as a radiologic biomarker for otosclerosis grade.

Methods

A blinded, randomized evaluation of both histologic grade on histopathology slides and CT density measurement was performed on 78 human temporal bone specimens (31 with otosclerosis and 47 controls) that had undergone high-resolution multi-detector CT before histologic processing. Assessments were performed at 11 regions of interest (ROIs) in the otic capsule for each specimen.

Results

The CT density measurement mean (Hounsfield Units) ± standard deviation for all ROIs (Nos. 1–9) was 2245 ± 854 for grade 0 (no otosclerosis, n = 711), 1896 ± 317 for grade 1 (inactive otosclerosis, n = 109), and 1632 ± 255 for grades 2 and 3 combined (mixed/active otosclerosis, n 35). There was a strong inverse correlation of CT density to histologic grade at ROIs Nos. 1–5 (ANOVA, p < 0.0001). The inter-rater reliability for CT density was very good (correlation coefficient 0.87, p < 0.05). ROC curves suggested a cut-off of 2,150HU to distinguish otosclerosis from normal bone, and 1,811HU to distinguish low grade from mixed/high grade otosclerosis.

Conclusions

In human temporal bone specimens, CT density may be used to distinguish normal bone from bone involved by otosclerosis. A higher histologic grade (i.e., indicating a more active otosclerotic focus) correlated with lower density.
Remote Intraoperative Neural Response Telemetry: Technique and Results in Cochlear Implant Surgery
Authors: Kouhi Ali , Swanson Austin , Fitzgerald Matthew B. , Blevins Nikolas H.
Published: June 2022

Objective

Present results with remote intraoperative neural response telemetry (NRT) during cochlear implantation (CI) and its usefulness in overcoming the inefficiency of in person NRT.

Study Design

Case series.

Setting

Tertiary academic otology practice.

Patients

All patients undergoing primary or revision CI, both adult and pediatric, were enrolled.

Interventions

Remote intraoperative NRT performed by audiologists using a desktop computer to control a laptop in the operating room. Testing was performed over the hospital network using commercially available software. A single system was used to test all three FDA-approved manufacturers’ devices.

Main Outcome Measures

Success rate and time savings of remote NRT.

Results

Out of 254 procedures, 252 (99.2%) underwent successful remote NRT. In two procedures (0.7%), remote testing was unsuccessful, and required in-person testing to address technical issues.

Both failed attempts were due to hardware failure (OR laptop or headpiece problems). There was no relation between success of the procedure and patient/surgical factors such as difficult anatomy, or the approach used for inner ear access. The audiologist time saved using this approach was considerable when compared with in-person testing.

Conclusions

Remote intraoperative NRT testing during cochlear implantation can be performed effectively using standard hardware and remote-control software. Especially important during the Covid-19 pandemic, such a procedure can reduce in-person contacts, and limit the number of individuals in the operating room. Remote testing can provide additional flexibility and efficiency in audiologist schedules.