bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Feminist institutionalism(s)
Authors: Bogaards Matthijs
Published: June 2022

Over the past 10 years, feminist scholarship has made important contributions to the new institutionalism in political science. This literature has developed into two directions. Some scholars have sought to gender existing approaches, resulting in feminist historical institutionalism, feminist sociological institutionalism, feminist discursive institutionalism, and even feminist rational choice institutionalism. Others have tried to sketch a feminist institutionalism on a par with, and as an alternative to, the classic approaches. Through an analysis of eight recent books, this review asks which direction shows the most promise.
Race, Racism, and Antiracism in Brazil and Mexico
Authors: Cohen Theodore W.
Published: June 2022

This essay reviews the following works:

The Pursuit of Ruins: Archaeology, History, and the Making of Modern Mexico. By Christina Bueno. Albuquerque: University of New Mexico Press, 2016. Pp. xi + 280. $29.95 paperback. ISBN: 9780826357328.

Mestizo Modernity: Race, Technology, and the Body in Postrevolutionary Mexico. By David S. Dalton. Gainesville: University of Florida Press, 2018. Pp. x + 248. $84.95 hardcover. ISBN: 9781683400394.

Becoming Brazilians: Race and National Identity in Twentieth-Century Brazil. By Marshall C. Eakin. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2017. Pp. xvii + 343. $31.99 paperback. ISBN: 9781316626009.

Redeeming La Raza: Transborder Modernity, Race, Respectability, and Rights. By Gabriela González. New York: Oxford University Press, 2018. Pp. xvi + 261. $36.95 paperback. ISBN: 9780190909628.

The Brazil Reader: History, Culture, Politics. Edited by James N. Green, Victoria Langland, and Lilia Moritz Schwarcz. Durham, NC: Duke University Press Books, 2019. Pp. 608. $32.95 paperback. ISBN: 9780822371076.

Frontiers of Citizenship: A Black and Indigenous History of Postcolonial Brazil. By Yuko Miki. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2018. Pp. xix + 306. $29.99 paperback. ISBN: 9781108405409.

Estudiar el racismo: Afrodescendientes en México. Edited by María Elisa Velázquez Gutiérrez. Mexico City: Secretaría de Cultura, Instituto Nacional de Antropología e Historia, 2019. Pp. 619. Mex$445.00 hardcover. ISBN: 9786075393209.
Elframingde la economía en la prensa local de Argentina: Explicando el sesgo pro gobierno
Authors: Tagina María Laura , Delle Donne Franco
Published: June 2022

Las valoraciones de los ciudadanos sobre un tema están influidas por elframeque construyen los medios de comunicación. En Argentina, los diarios locales ocupan un lugar destacado en el menú de consumo de información y están con frecuencia en manos de empresarios asociados al poder político de turno. Nos preguntamos si la cobertura que hacen de las noticias económicas responde a algún patrón generalizable y, de existir variaciones, qué las explica. A partir del análisis de las portadas de veintidós diarios, publicadas durante la campaña electoral de 2017, mostramos que existe un sesgo pro gobierno en la cobertura de noticias económicas locales, que beneficia al oficialismo local. Dicho alineamiento se profundiza cuanto más concentrado se encuentra el poder en los jefes de gobierno locales y cuanto mayor es el carácter rentista de esaspolities. A la vez, las noticias económicas nacionales tienen una probabilidad mayor de recibir un encuadre positivo cuando son publicadas por diarios que reciben pauta oficial nacional, cuando el mandatario local es copartidario del presidente y mientras más años lleva en el cargo. La pertenencia de los diarios a grupos mediáticos también afecta el encuadre de las noticias, aumentando el sesgo pro gobierno de las noticias locales pero disminuyéndolo en las noticias nacionales.
A Specter from the Past: the Balkanization of Europe?
Authors: Kolstø Pål
Published: June 2022

Drawing on a long career of research into the history of nationalism and ethnic politics in Europe, Stefano Bianchini has written an erudite book on how the nationality factor affects European politics – state formation and state partition in particular. He presents a wide-ranging survey over la longue durée, and also argues a case: that state partitioning should be avoided whenever possible, as it creates many more problems than it solves.
When models fail: An introduction to posterior predictive checks and model misspecification in gravitational-wave astronomy
Authors: Romero-Shaw Isobel M. , Thrane Eric , Lasky Paul D.
Published: June 2022

Bayesian inference is a powerful tool in gravitational-wave astronomy. It enables us to deduce the properties of merging compact-object binaries and to determine how these mergers are distributed as a population according to mass, spin, and redshift. As key results are increasingly derived using Bayesian inference, there is increasing scrutiny on Bayesian methods. In this review, we discuss the phenomenon of model misspecification, in which results obtained with Bayesian inference are misleading because of deficiencies in the assumed model(s). Such deficiencies can impede our inferences of the true parameters describing physical systems. They can also reduce our ability to distinguish the ‘best fitting’ model: it can be misleading to say that Model A is preferred over Model B if both models are manifestly poor descriptions of reality. Broadly speaking, there are two ways in which models fail. Firstly, models that fail to adequately describe the data (either the signal or the noise) have misspecified likelihoods. Secondly, population models—designed, for example, to describe the distribution of black hole masses—may fail to adequately describe the true population due to a misspecified prior. We recommend tests and checks that are useful for spotting misspecified models using examples inspired by gravitational-wave astronomy. We include companion python notebooks to illustrate essential concepts.
Assessing the Promise and Performance of Agencies in the Government of Canada
Authors: Doberstein Carey
Published: June 2022

Canada has not escaped trends in most liberal democracies with the rapid growth of agencies created by government to deliver public goods, often justified on elements of their mandate—service delivery, adjudication of disputes, regulatory oversight, among others—benefiting from an arm's-length relationship to the government of the day. Yet Canadian studies of this phenomenon remain mostly absent from the robust comparative literature theorizing and documenting the emergence of widespread “agencification” and its relationship to performance. This article draws on the Government of Canada's Public Service Employee Survey (PSES) microdata from 2017 to test key hypotheses advanced by proponents of agencification, specifically that agencies are more innovative, autonomous and efficient public organizations. We discover that those working in agencies generally report less climate of innovation and less work autonomy than those working in departments, though some types of agencies—namely regulatory and parliamentary ones—defy these trends.
Gaspar Sanz's ‘Ecos Sagrados de la Fama Gloriosa de Innocencio XI’ (1681) and Clerical Cultures of Diversion in Baroque Spain
Authors: PATTENDEN MILES
Published: June 2022

This article analyses the Ecos sagrados de la fama gloriosa de Innocencio xi, an elaborate panegyric by the Spanish priest and musician Gaspar Sanz written in 1681 in praise of the reigning pope. The Ecos sagrados is built around the concept of an echo poem, which in turn inspires seven prose discourses that reflect on aspects of the pope's name and character. However, the text is also a unique resource for tracing transmission of ideas through the Spanish Church and for encountering a forgotten world of intellectual diversion amongst the priests of Baroque Madrid.
Increased use of cadaver specimens as a method for improving medical student satisfaction with clinical ear anatomy teaching at St George's, University of London: a pilot study
Authors: O'Hagan M , Sunnucks D
Published: June 2022

Background

Delivering sufficient otology education for undergraduates is known to be difficult, with limited teaching time being a contributing factor. Increasing student access to dissections of the ear could serve to increase satisfaction with teaching at St George's, University of London, UK.

Objective

To evaluate student satisfaction with clinical ear anatomy teaching and investigate whether it can be improved using dissected specimens.

Method

Participants completed an online survey and knowledge examinations, both before and after attending a new tutorial, with answers from before and after the session being compared.

Results

Pre-teaching satisfaction scores concerning teaching were low, at an average of 2.45 (out of 7), with a mean examination result of 6.53 (out of 10). Post-teaching average satisfaction increased by 3.20 points to 5.65 (out of 7) (p < 0.01) and examination scores increased by 1.53 points to 8.07 (out of 10) (p < 0.01).

Conclusion

Students are supportive of increased access to cadaver dissections of the ear, and facilitating this can improve satisfaction with otology teaching.
Olfactory changes after endonasal endoscopic cerebrospinal fluid fistula repair: long-term outcomes
Authors: Basak H , Beton S , Akyıldız S , Yücel L , Guliyev H , Meco C
Published: June 2022

Objective

This study aimed to evaluate odour measurements after endoscopic repair of cerebrospinal fluid fistulas.

Method

Demographic characteristics, cerebrospinal fluid leak location, surgical procedure, aetiology and smell test results were retrospectively reviewed.

Results

A total of 27 patients were included. The mean age was 43.52 years. The aetiology was spontaneous in 13 patients (48.1 per cent) and traumatic in 14 patients (51.9 per cent). The skull base defect was at the cribriform plate in 15 patients (55.6 per cent), the frontal sinus posterior wall in 4 patients (14.8 per cent), the sphenoid sinus posterior wall in 4 patients (14.8 per cent), around the anterior ethmoid artery in 2 patients (7.4 per cent), at the ethmoid roof in 1 patient (3.7 per cent) and at the sphenoid sinus posterolateral wall in 1 patient (3.7 per cent). After the comparison of pre-operative and post-operative values in identification, discrimination and threshold categories, a statistically significant difference was seen only in the threshold category (p = 0.014).

Conclusion

The results demonstrated that endoscopic repair of cerebrospinal fluid leak is safe in terms of olfactory functions.
Unmanned aerial vehicle surveys reveal unexpectedly high density of a threatened deer in a plantation forestry landscape
Authors: Pereira Javier A. , Varela Diego , Scarpa Leonardo J. , Frutos Antonio E. , Fracassi Natalia G. , Lartigau Bernardo V. , Piña Carlos I.
Published: June 2022

The Vulnerable marsh deer Blastocerus dichotomus, the largest native cervid in South America, is declining throughout its range as a result of the conversion of wetlands and overhunting. Estimated densities in open wetlands of several types are 0.1–6.8 individuals per km2. We undertook the first unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) survey of the marsh deer to estimate the density of this species in a 113.6 km2 area under forestry management in the lower delta of the Paraná River, Argentina. During 6–8 August 2019, at a time of year when canopy cover is minimal, we surveyed marsh deer using Phantom 4 Pro UAVs along 94 transects totalling 127.8 km and 8.6 km2 (8.1% of the study area). The 5,506 photographs obtained were manually checked by us and by a group of 39 trained volunteers, following a standardized protocol. We detected a total of 58 marsh deer, giving an estimated density of 6.90 individuals per km2 (95% CI 5.26–8.54), which extrapolates to 559–908 individuals in our 113.6 km2 study area. As it has generally been assumed that marsh deer prefer open habitats, this relatively high estimate of density within a forestry plantation matrix is unexpected. We discuss the advantages of using UAVs to survey marsh deer and other related ungulates.
Transmission electron microscopy on a case of Cyclospora cayetanensis infection from an immune-competent case confirms and extends prior detailed descriptions of its notably small endogenous stage
Authors: Dubey Jitender P. , Charlesworth Jon E. , Pritt Bobbi S.
Published: June 2022

Although infections with Cyclospora cayetanensis are prevalent worldwide, many aspects of this parasite's life cycle remain unknown. Humans are the only known hosts, existing information on its endogenous development has been derived from histological examination of only a few biopsy specimens. In histological sections, its stages are less than 10 μm, making definitive identification difficult. Here, confirmation of cyclosporiasis in a duodenal biopsy specimen from an 80-year-old man without any recognized immunodeficiency patient is reported. Asexual forms (schizonts) and sexual forms (gamonts) were located within enterocytes, including immature and mature schizonts, an immature male gamont and a female gamont. Merozoites were small (<5 μm × 1 μm) and contained two rhoptries, subterminal nucleus and numerous micronemes and amylopectin granules. These parasite stages were like those recently reported in the gallbladder of an immunocompromised patient, suggesting that the general life-cycle stages are not altered by immunosuppression.
Colouring graphs with forbidden bipartite subgraphs
Authors: Anderson James , Bernshteyn Anton , Dhawan Abhishek
Published: June 2022

A conjecture of Alon, Krivelevich and Sudakov states that, for any graph
$F$
, there is a constant
$c_F \gt 0$
such that if
$G$
is an
$F$
-free graph of maximum degree
$\Delta$
, then
$\chi\!(G) \leqslant c_F \Delta/ \log\!\Delta$
. Alon, Krivelevich and Sudakov verified this conjecture for a class of graphs
$F$
that includes all bipartite graphs. Moreover, it follows from recent work by Davies, Kang, Pirot and Sereni that if
$G$
is
$K_{t,t}$
-free, then
$\chi\!(G) \leqslant (t + o(1)) \Delta/ \log\!\Delta$
as
$\Delta \to \infty$
. We improve this bound to
$(1+o(1)) \Delta/\log\!\Delta$
, making the constant factor independent of
$t$
. We further extend our result to the DP-colouring setting (also known as correspondence colouring), introduced by Dvořák and Postle.
Boar seminal plasma improves sperm quality by enhancing its antioxidant capacity during liquid storage at 17°C
Authors: Kou Zhongyun , Hu Bingyan , Li Yuqing , Cai Rui , Gao Lei , Chu Guiyan , Yang Gongshe , Pang Weijun
Published: June 2022

The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of different levels of seminal plasma (SP) on boar sperm quality, antioxidant capacity and bacterial concentrations during liquid storage at 17°C. Boar sperm was diluted with Beltsville Thawing Solution (BTS) consisting of 0, 25, 50 and 75% (v/v) of SP. Total motility, progressive motility and dynamic parameters were assessed by the computer assisted sperm analysis (CASA) system. Acrosome and plasma membrane integrity were measured by FITC-PNA/DAPI and SYBR-14/PI staining, respectively. In addition, total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC), malondialdehyde (MDA) content, and reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels were detected using commercial assay kits. Bacterial concentrations were assessed by turbidimetric assay. Our results showed that 25% SP markedly improved total motility, progressive motility, sperm dynamic parameters, acrosome integrity compared with 0, 50 and 75% SP (P < 0.05). In addition, 25% SP significantly increased T-AOC but decreased MDA content and ROS levels compared with 0, and 75% SP (P < 0.05). Moreover, 25% SP significantly decreased the bacterial concentrations in extended semen compared with 50% and 75% SP, however, which was higher than with 0% SP (P < 0.05). These results suggest that 25% SP can promote boar sperm quality through enhancing its antioxidant capacity during liquid storage.
How would 401(k) ‘Rothification’ alter saving, retirement security, and inequality?
Authors: Horneff Vanya , Maurer Raimond , Mitchell Olivia S.
Published: June 2022

Many nations incentivize retirement saving by letting workers defer taxes on pension contributions, imposing them when retirees withdraw their funds. Using a dynamic life-cycle model, we show how ‘Rothification’ – that is, taxing 401(k) contributions rather than payouts – alters saving, investment, consumption, and Social Security claiming patterns. We find that taxing pension contributions instead of withdrawals leads to delayed retirement, somewhat lower lifetime tax payments, and relatively small reductions in consumption. Indeed, the two tax regimes generate quite similar relative inequality metrics: the relative consumption inequality ratio under taxed-exempt-exempt (TEE) is only 4% higher than that in the exempt-exempt-taxed (EET) case. Moreover, results indicate that the Gini measures are also strikingly similar under the EET and the TEE regimes for lifetime consumption, cash on hand, and 401(k) assets, differing by only 1–4%. While tax payments are higher early in life under the TEE regime, they are slightly lower in the long run. Moreover, higher EET tax payments are also accompanied by higher volatility. We therefore find few reasons for policymakers to favor either tax approach on egalitarian or revenue-enhancing grounds.
Health and Sickness as Reality and Metaphor in the Oratory Parish of F. W. Faber, 1849–63
Authors: Wilkinson Melissa
Published: June 2022

This article examines the first London Oratory, located in King William St, London between May 1849 and March 1854, during the provostship of its founder F. W. Faber (1814–63). Beginning with a discussion of the physically unhealthy climate at the Oratory and the situation of its congregation, it then considers Faber's health while provost before examining his use of words such as sickness, illness, health and infection in written works and analysing his use of these as metaphors for the spiritual life. The metaphorical concepts of health and sickness are linked to his pessimism about humanity and his preoccupation with the four last things, obtaining eternal salvation, and the relationship between the individual Christian and God. The article thus highlights something of the spirituality, health and teaching of an individual priest, as well as the preoccupations of a parish in mid-nineteenth-century London.
Bede on Sickness, Episcopal Identity and Monastic Asceticism
Authors: Collett Jessica
Published: June 2022

The value of bodily affliction as a means for integrating an active life of good works on earth with the contemplative values of heaven, prior to the return of Christ and the world's end, remains relatively unexplored, despite suffering saints being a common medieval trope. Using the work of Gregory the Great and the Venerable Bede, this article seeks to explore the interrelation of an active contemplative life and bodily affliction to shed light upon Bede's use of Gregory and his presentation of Cuthbert's episcopate to forge a distinctive understanding of the links between bodily illness, episcopal identity and the biblical ordering of time, as that ordering finds expression in biblical eschatology and apocalyptic.
Mental illness in elite weightlifters
Authors: Pitt Alice , McCabe Thomas , Lambert Jeffrey , Arnold Rachel
Published: June 2022

Abstract. Introduction: The mental health of elite athletes is a growing area of research however there remains a paucity of data to support evidence-based screening and prevention programmes as well as holistic yet targeted care. Olympic Weightlifting has long been associated in the media with the use of banned substances at an elite level however little is known about the mental health impact that this might represent and what the wider mental health needs of this group might be. Methods: A systematic search of PsychINFO, MEDLINE, EMCARE, EMBASE and CINAHL databases was conducted from inception up until January 2022. Peer reviewed studies of any methodology looking at mental illness or symptoms amongst current elite level Olympic weightlifters were eligible for inclusion. Results: Four articles met all inclusion criteria. Two cross-sectional studies looked at depression and anxiety and two case studies reported psychosis following long-term use of Mephentermine. Results seemed to broadly align with research looking at elite athletes in other sports however it was not possible to compare results between the two cross-sectional studies due to methodological differences. Conclusion: There is very little published research in this area and it is of varying methodological quality. A narrow subset of mental health symptoms were investigated and most of the data were based on self-reported symptoms rather than diagnostic data. Further research is needed to explore the mental health burden in this group and to inform appropriate support programmes.
A Community-Led Landslide Prediction System in India
Authors: Pardikar Rishika
Published: June 2022

In a first-of-its-kind disaster prevention initiative, a meteorology-based landslide prediction system was developed as a crowdsourced science effort.
The Kinetics of the Seismic Cycle
Authors: Williams Randolph , Fagereng �ke
Published: June 2022

Large earthquakes are necessarily punctuated by some degree of strength recovery, such as “fault healing”, but does quartz cementation during fluid-fault interactions facilitate that process?
Activated chemical bonds in nanoporous and amorphous iridium oxides favor low overpotential for oxygen evolution reaction
Authors: Lee Sangseob , Lee Yun-Jae , Lee Giyeok , Soon Aloysius
Published: June 2022

To date, the search for active, selective, and stable electrocatalysts for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) has not ceased and a detailed atomic-level design of the OER catalyst remains an outstanding (if not, compelling) problem. Considerable studies on different surfaces and polymorphs of iridium oxides (with varying stoichiometries and dopants) have emerged over the years, showing much higher OER activity than the conventionally reported rutile-type IrO2. Here, we have considered different metastable nanoporous and amorphous iridium oxides of different chemical stoichiometries. Using first-principles electronic structure calculations, we investigate the (electro)chemical stability, intercalation properties, and electronic structure of these iridium oxides. Using an empirical regression model between the Ir-O bond characteristics and the measured OER overpotentials, we demonstrate how activated Ir-O bonds (and the presence of more electrophilic oxygens) in these less understood polymorphs of iridium oxides can explain their superior OER performance observed in experiments.
Development of efficient aqueous organic redox flow batteries using ion-sieving sulfonated polymer membranes
Authors: Ye Chunchun , Wang Anqi , Breakwell Charlotte , Tan Rui , Grazia Bezzu C. , Hunter-Sellars Elwin , Williams Daryl R. , Brandon Nigel P. , Klusener Peter A. A. , Kucernak Anthony R. , Jelfs Kim E. , McKeown Neil B. , Song Qilei
Published: June 2022

Redox flow batteries using aqueous organic-based electrolytes are promising candidates for developing cost-effective grid-scale energy storage devices. However, a significant drawback of these batteries is the cross-mixing of active species through the membrane, which causes battery performance degradation. To overcome this issue, here we report size-selective ion-exchange membranes prepared by sulfonation of a spirobifluorene-based microporous polymer and demonstrate their efficient ion sieving functions in flow batteries. The spirobifluorene unit allows control over the degree of sulfonation to optimize the transport of cations, whilst the microporous structure inhibits the crossover of organic molecules via molecular sieving. Furthermore, the enhanced membrane selectivity mitigates the crossover-induced capacity decay whilst maintaining good ionic conductivity for aqueous electrolyte solution at pH 9, where the redox-active organic molecules show long-term stability. We also prove the boosting effect of the membranes on the energy efficiency and peak power density of the aqueous redox flow battery, which shows stable operation for about 120 h (i.e., 2100 charge-discharge cycles at 100 mA cm−2) in a laboratory-scale cell.
The renal lineage factor PAX8 controls oncogenic signalling in kidney cancer
Authors: Patel Saroor A. , Hirosue Shoko , Rodrigues Paulo , Vojtasova Erika , Richardson Emma K. , Ge Jianfeng , Syafruddin Saiful E. , Speed Alyson , Papachristou Evangelia K. , Baker David , Clarke David , Purvis Stephenie , Wesolowski Ludovic , Dyas Anna , Castillon Leticia , Caraffini Veronica , Bihary Dóra , Yong Cissy , Harrison David J. , Stewart Grant D. , Machiela Mitchell J. , Purdue Mark P. , Chanock Stephen J. , Warren Anne Y. , Samarajiwa Shamith A. , Carroll Jason S. , Vanharanta Sakari
Published: June 2022

Large-scale human genetic data1–3 have shown that cancer mutations display strong tissue-selectivity, but how this selectivity arises remains unclear. Here, using experimental models, functional genomics and analyses of patient samples, we demonstrate that the lineage transcription factor paired box 8 (PAX8) is required for oncogenic signalling by two common genetic alterations that cause clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) in humans: the germline variant rs7948643 at 11q13.3 and somatic inactivation of the von Hippel-Lindau tumour suppressor (VHL)4–6. VHL loss, which is observed in about 90% of ccRCCs, can lead to hypoxia-inducible factor 2α (HIF2A) stabilization6,7. We show that HIF2A is preferentially recruited to PAX8-bound transcriptional enhancers, including a pro-tumorigenic cyclin D1 (CCND1) enhancer that is controlled by PAX8 and HIF2A. The ccRCC-protective allele C at rs7948643 inhibits PAX8 binding at this enhancer and downstream activation of CCND1 expression. Co-option of a PAX8-dependent physiological programme that supports the proliferation of normal renal epithelial cells is also required for MYC expression from the ccRCC metastasis-associated amplicons at 8q21.3-q24.3 (ref. 8). These results demonstrate that transcriptional lineage factors are essential for oncogenic signalling and that they mediate tissue-specific cancer risk associated with somatic and inherited genetic variants.
Genome evolution and diversity of wild and cultivated potatoes
Authors: Tang Dié , Jia Yuxin , Zhang Jinzhe , Li Hongbo , Cheng Lin , Wang Pei , Bao Zhigui , Liu Zhihong , Feng Shuangshuang , Zhu Xijian , Li Dawei , Zhu Guangtao , Wang Hongru , Zhou Yao , Zhou Yongfeng , Bryan Glenn J. , Buell C. Robin , Zhang Chunzhi , Huang Sanwen
Published: June 2022

Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) is the world’s most important non-cereal food crop, and the vast majority of commercially grown cultivars are highly heterozygous tetraploids. Advances in diploid hybrid breeding based on true seeds have the potential to revolutionize future potato breeding and production1–4. So far, relatively few studies have examined the genome evolution and diversity of wild and cultivated landrace potatoes, which limits the application of their diversity in potato breeding. Here we assemble 44 high-quality diploid potato genomes from 24 wild and 20 cultivated accessions that are representative of Solanum section Petota, the tuber-bearing clade, as well as 2 genomes from the neighbouring section, Etuberosum. Extensive discordance of phylogenomic relationships suggests the complexity of potato evolution. We find that the potato genome substantially expanded its repertoire of disease-resistance genes when compared with closely related seed-propagated solanaceous crops, indicative of the effect of tuber-based propagation strategies on the evolution of the potato genome. We discover a transcription factor that determines tuber identity and interacts with the mobile tuberization inductive signal SP6A. We also identify 561,433 high-confidence structural variants and construct a map of large inversions, which provides insights for improving inbred lines and precluding potential linkage drag, as exemplified by a 5.8-Mb inversion that is associated with carotenoid content in tubers. This study will accelerate hybrid potato breeding and enrich our understanding of the evolution and biology of potato as a global staple food crop.
At the beginnings of the funerary Megalithism in Iberia at Campo de Hockey necropolis
Authors: Vijande-Vila Eduardo , Díaz-Zorita Bonilla Marta , Morell-Rovira Berta , Olalde Íñigo , Sánchez-Barba Muñoz Lydia P. , Domínguez-Bella Salvador , Emslie Steven D. , Becerra-Martín Serafín , Rubio-Salvador Ángel , Fernández-Sánchez Diego Salvador , Cantillo-Duarte Juan Jesús , Alemán-Aguilera Inmaculada , Moreno-Márquez Adolfo , Molina-Piernas Eduardo , Ramírez-Amador José Luis , Gómez-Sánchez María Leticia , Botella-López Miguel C. , Rodríguez-Vidal Joaquín , Ramos-Muñoz José
Published: June 2022

The excavations undertaken at the Campo de Hockey site in 2008 led to the identification of a major Neolithic necropolis in the former Island of San Fernando (Bay of Cádiz). This work presents the results of the latest studies, which indicate that the site stands as one of the oldest megalithic necropolises in the Iberian Peninsula. The main aim of this work is to present with precision the chronology of this necropolis through a Bayesian statistical model that confirms that the necropolis was in use from c. 4300 to 3800 cal BC. The presence of prestige grave goods in the earliest and most monumental graves suggest that the Megalithism phenomenon emerged in relation to maritime routes linked to the distribution of exotic products. We also aim to examine funerary practices in these early megalithic communities, and especially their way of life and the social reproduction system. As such, in addition to the chronological information and the Bayesian statistics, we provide the results of a comprehensive interdisciplinary study, including anthropological, archaeometric and genetic data.
Comparative analysis of complete chloroplast genome of ethnodrug Aconitum episcopale and insight into its phylogenetic relationships
Authors: Xia Conglong , Wang Manjiong , Guan Yunhui , Li Yunfei , Li Jian
Published: June 2022

Aconitum episcopale Leveille is an important medicinal plant from the genus Aconitum L. of Ranunculaceae family and has been used as conventional medicine in Bai, Yi, and other ethnic groups of China. According to the available data and Ethno folk applications, A. episcopale is the only Aconitum species that has detoxifying and antialcoholic property. It can detoxify opium, especially the poisoning of Aconitum plants. Aconitum species have been widely used for their medicinal properties, and it is important to be noted that many of the species of this plant are reported to be toxic also. Distinguishing the species of this plant based on the morphology is a tough task and there are also no significant differences in the chemical composition. Therefore, before application of this plant for medicinal usage, it is very important to identify the species which could be life-threatening and exclude them. In this paper, the complete chloroplast (cp) genome sequence of A. episcopale was acquired by Illumina paired-end (PE) sequencing technology and compared with other species in the same family and genus. Herein, we report the complete cp genome of A. episcopale. The whole circular cp genome of A. episcopale has been found to be of 155,827 bp in size and contains a large single-copy region (LSC) of 86,452 bp, a small single-copy region (SSC) of 16,939 bp, and two inverted repeat regions (IRs) of 26,218 bp. The A. episcopale cp genome was found to be comprised of 132 genes, including 85 protein-coding genes (PCGs), 37 transfer RNA genes (tRNAs), eight ribosomal RNA genes (rRNAs), and two pseudogenes. A total of 20 genes contained introns, of which 14 genes contained a single intron and two genes had two introns. The chloroplast genome of A. episcopale contained 64 codons encoding 20 amino acids, with the number of codons encoding corresponding amino acids ranging from 22 to 1068. The Met and Trp amino acids have only one codon, and other amino acids had 2–6 codons. A total of 64 simple sequence repeats (SSRs) were identified, among which mononucleotide sequences accounted for the most. Phylogenetic analysis showed that A. episcopale is closely related with A. delavayi. Cumulatively the results of this study provided an essential theoretical basis for the molecular identification and phylogeny of A. episcopale.
Estrogen hormone is an essential sex factor inhibiting inflammation and immune response in COVID-19
Authors: Li Fuhai , Boon Adrianus C. M. , Michelson Andrew P. , Foraker Randi E. , Zhan Ming , Payne Philip R. O.
Published: June 2022

Although vaccines have been evaluated and approved for SARS-CoV-2 infection prevention, there remains a lack of effective treatments to reduce the mortality of COVID-19 patients already infected with SARS-CoV-2. The global data on COVID-19 showed that men have a higher mortality rate than women. We further observed that the proportion of mortality of females increases starting from around the age of 55 significantly. Thus, sex is an essential factor associated with COVID-19 mortality, and sex related genetic factors could be interesting mechanisms and targets for COVID-19 treatment. However, the associated sex factors and signaling pathways remain unclear. Here, we propose to uncover the potential sex associated factors using systematic and integrative network analysis. The unique results indicated that estrogens, e.g., estrone and estriol, (1) interacting with ESR1/2 receptors, (2) can inhibit SARS-CoV-2 caused inflammation and immune response signaling in host cells; and (3) estrogens are associated with the distinct fatality rates between male and female COVID-19 patients. Specifically, a high level of estradiol protects young female COVID-19 patients, and estrogens drop to an extremely low level in females after about 55 years of age causing the increased fatality rate of women. In conclusion, estrogen, interacting with ESR1/2 receptors, is an essential sex factor that protects COVID-19 patients from death by inhibiting inflammation and immune response caused by SARS-CoV-2 infection. Moreover, medications boosting the down-stream signaling of ESR1/ESR2, or inhibiting the inflammation and immune-associated targets on the signaling network can be potentially effective or synergistic combined with other existing drugs for COVID-19 treatment.
Phase I 270° single-incision percutaneous spinal endoscopy for decompression treatment of thoracic spinal stenosis
Authors: Li Yuefei , Bi Jingwei , Sun Zhaozhong , Ren Jiabin , Liu Xin , Sun Ning , Wang Jianye , Li Rui
Published: June 2022

This study aimed to explore the feasibility of Phase I percutaneous spinal endoscopy with a 270° single incision in the ventral and dorsal dura mater for decompression treatment of thoracic spinal stenosis (TSS). Phase I percutaneous spinal endoscopy with a two-path (posterior and posterolateral approaches) single incision with a 270° decompression was performed in four cases of TSS with compression in the ventral and dorsal dura mater. The affected intervertebral space was located during the surgery, and the ossified ligamentum flavum in the ventral and dorsal dura mater was removed via laminectomy, which formed a decompression space in the thoracic cord. Next, posterolateral transforaminal expansion and plasty were performed to remove the ventral intervertebral disk. The visual analogue scale (VAS) score, thoracic spinal cord function score of the Japanese Orthopaedic Association (JOA) (11-point method), and Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) scores were used to evaluate the clinical efficacy. No dura mater or thoracic nerve injury occurred during the surgery. The symptoms of weakness in the lower extremities improved after the surgery. The postoperative magnetic resonance imaging and computed tomography examinations showed compression removal and dura mater bulging. The postoperative VAS, JOA, and ODI scores improved compared with the preoperative scores. Two surgical trajectories, posterior and posterolateral approaches, were established by a single incision using thoracic spinal canal decompression with Phase I 270° single-incision percutaneous spinal endoscopy. The posterior approach was performed mainly by translaminar unilateral fenestration and bilateral decompression in the ventral and dorsal dura mater, whereas the posterolateral approach was performed by decompression in the ventral dura mater to the midline of the vertebrae. This surgical method could be applied as a safe and feasible minimally invasive treatment for TSS with compression on both the ventral and dorsal dura mater.
Drug repositioning in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) using gene co-expression and drug–gene interaction networks analysis
Authors: MotieGhader Habib , Tabrizi-Nezhadi Parinaz , Deldar Abad Paskeh Mahshid , Baradaran Behzad , Mokhtarzadeh Ahad , Hashemi Mehrdad , Lanjanian Hossein , Jazayeri Seyed Mehdi , Maleki Masoud , Khodadadi Ehsan , Nematzadeh Sajjad , Kiani Farzad , Maghsoudloo Mazaher , Masoudi-Nejad Ali
Published: June 2022

Lung cancer is the most common cancer in men and women. This cancer is divided into two main types, namely non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and small cell lung cancer (SCLC). Around 85 to 90 percent of lung cancers are NSCLC. Repositioning potent candidate drugs in NSCLC treatment is one of the important topics in cancer studies. Drug repositioning (DR) or drug repurposing is a method for identifying new therapeutic uses of existing drugs. The current study applies a computational drug repositioning method to identify candidate drugs to treat NSCLC patients. To this end, at first, the transcriptomics profile of NSCLC and healthy (control) samples was obtained from the GEO database with the accession number GSE21933. Then, the gene co-expression network was reconstructed for NSCLC samples using the WGCNA, and two significant purple and magenta gene modules were extracted. Next, a list of transcription factor genes that regulate purple and magenta modules' genes was extracted from the TRRUST V2.0 online database, and the TF–TG (transcription factors–target genes) network was drawn. Afterward, a list of drugs targeting TF–TG genes was obtained from the DGIdb V4.0 database, and two drug–gene interaction networks, including drug-TG and drug-TF, were drawn. After analyzing gene co-expression TF–TG, and drug–gene interaction networks, 16 drugs were selected as potent candidates for NSCLC treatment. Out of 16 selected drugs, nine drugs, namely Methotrexate, Olanzapine, Haloperidol, Fluorouracil, Nifedipine, Paclitaxel, Verapamil, Dexamethasone, and Docetaxel, were chosen from the drug-TG sub-network. In addition, nine drugs, including Cisplatin, Daunorubicin, Dexamethasone, Methotrexate, Hydrocortisone, Doxorubicin, Azacitidine, Vorinostat, and Doxorubicin Hydrochloride, were selected from the drug-TF sub-network. Methotrexate and Dexamethasone are common in drug-TG and drug-TF sub-networks. In conclusion, this study proposed 16 drugs as potent candidates for NSCLC treatment through analyzing gene co-expression, TF–TG, and drug–gene interaction networks.
In-situ γ-ray analysis of ground surface radioactivity using portable HPGe γ spectrometer
Authors: Wu Zeqian , Wang Bairong , Sun Jian , Wang Yuqi , Zhao Changwei
Published: June 2022

As essential high-end equipment for nuclear emergency monitoring, the portable HPGe γ spectrometer currently lacks supporting in-situ measurement methods, limiting its role and value in emergency missions. For this practical problem, this paper studies the measurement of ground surface radioactivity by portable HPGe γ spectrometer in nuclear emergency monitoring in view of the particularity of nuclear emergency source items. Firstly, the detection efficiency of point sources at different horizontal distances when the spectrometer is installed at the height of 1 m from the center of the detector to the ground is calculated. Secondly, the concept of effective contribution distance is defined and analyzed. Thirdly, the point source detection efficiency is obtained using the numerical integration method of calculation. Integrate to calculate the detection efficiency of the surface source, and then calculate the radioactive surface activity of the surface. Finally, the effectiveness of the method is verified through experiments.
Valence-controlled protein conjugation on nanoparticles via re-arrangeable multivalent interactions of tandem repeat protein chains
Authors: Choi Hyeongjoo , Jung Yongwon
Published: June 2022

Tandem repeat protein chains were wrapped around nanoparticles via re-arrangeable multivalent interactions for valence controlled protein conjugation.
Polydopamine-based molecularly imprinted electrochemical sensor for the highly selective determination of ecstasy components
Authors: Li Chen , Han Dongfang , Wu Zhifang , Liang Zhishan , Han Fangjie , Chen Ke , Fu Wencai , Han Dongxue , Wang Yukai , Niu Li
Published: June 2022

An electrochemical sensor based on molecularly imprinted polydopamine (MIP@PDA) for detecting the main components of ecstasy, MDA and MDMA.
Correction: Microfluidic ELISA employing an enzyme substrate and product species with similar detection properties
Authors: Giri Basant , Liu Yukari , Nchocho Fidelis N. , Corcoran Robert C. , Mahmud Sakur , Dutta Debashis
Published: June 2022

Correction for ‘Microfluidic ELISA employing an enzyme substrate and product species with similar detection properties’ by Basant Giri et al., Analyst, 2018, 143, 989–998, https://doi.org/10.1039/C7AN01671A.
VN and SeS2 embedded porous carbon-nanofiber film as a free-standing electrode for improved Li–SeS2 batteries
Authors: Shao Yu , Chen Fei , Ren Naiqing , Wang Shuo , Wang Junru , Wen Zhaoyin , Chen Chunhua
Published: June 2022

A VN nanoparticle modified porous carbon nanofiber film (VN/CNFs) is designed for loading SeS2 as the cathode for Li–SeS2 batteries with superior electrochemical performance.
Auger electron spectroscopy of fulminic acid, HCNO: an experimental and theoretical study
Authors: Gerlach Marius , Preitschopf Tobias , Karaev Emil , Quitián-Lara Heidy M. , Mayer Dennis , Bozek John , Fischer Ingo , Fink Reinhold F.
Published: June 2022

Experimental Auger electron spectra of C, N, and O 1s ionized and excited HCNO are compared with theoretical counterparts. A simple minimal-basis LCAO approach provides reliable estimates for the significantly different Auger transition rates.
Correction: Experimental investigation of Mg(B3H8)2 dimensionality, materials for energy storage applications
Authors: Moury Romain , Gigante Angelina , Remhof Arndt , Roedern Elsa , Hagemann Hans
Published: June 2022

Correction for ‘Experimental investigation of Mg(B3H8)2 dimensionality, materials for energy storage applications’ by Romain Moury et al., Dalton Trans., 2020, 49, 12168–12173, https://doi.org/10.1039/D0DT02170A.
Effect of O2in plasma gas on parameters of nitrogen MIP-OES
Authors: Komin Oleg V. , Pelipasov Oleg V.
Published: June 2022

The parameters of nitrogen MIP-OES with the addition of oxygen up to 1.2% to the plasma gas were studied.
Hybrid nanoparticles from chitosan and nickel for enhanced biocidal activities
Authors: Karthikeyan Chandrasekaran , Sisubalan Natarajan , Varaprasad Kokkarachedu , Aepuru Radhamanohar , Yallapu Murali M. , Viswanathan Mangalaraja Ramalinga , Umaralikhan  , Sadiku Rotimi
Published: June 2022

Cs/Ni/NiO hybrid nanomaterials were prepared by using the precipitation method, The HNPs displayed a nanoflake-like structure and showed high biocidal activity against S. aureus and E. coli strains and breast cancer cell lines.
Origin of low melting point of ionic liquids: dominant role of entropy
Authors: Endo Takatsugu , Sunada Kouki , Sumida Hiroki , Kimura Yoshifumi
Published: June 2022

Large structural entropy makes salts liquid at room temperature.
Cryptic in vitro ubiquitin ligase activity of HDMX towards p53 is probably regulated by an induced fit mechanism
Authors: Calderon-González Karla Gisel , Medina-Medina Ixaura , Haronikova Lucia , Hernychova Lenka , Bonczek Ondrej , Uhrik Lukas , Hrabal Vaclav , Vojtesek Borivoj , Fahraeus Robin , Hernández-Monge Jesús , Olivares-Illana Vanesa
Published: June 2022

HDMX and its homologue HDM2 are two essential proteins for the cell; after genotoxic stress, both are phosphorylated near to their RING domain, specifically at serine 403 and 395, respectively. Once phosphorylated, both can bind the p53 mRNA and enhance its translation; however, both recognize p53 protein and provoke its degradation under normal conditions. HDM2 has been well-recognized as an E3 ubiquitin ligase, whereas it has been reported that even with the high similarity between the RING domains of the two homologs, HDMX does not have the E3 ligase activity. Despite this, HDMX is needed for the proper p53 poly-ubiquitination. Phosphorylation at serine 395 changes the conformation of HDM2, helping to explain the switch in its activity, but no information on HDMX has been published. Here, we study the conformation of HDMX and its phospho-mimetic mutant S403D, investigate its E3 ligase activity and dissect its binding with p53. We show that phospho-mutation does not change the conformation of the protein, but HDMX is indeed an E3 ubiquitin ligase in vitro; however, in vivo, no activity was found. We speculated that HDMX is regulated by induced fit, being able to switch activity accordingly to the specific partner as p53 protein, p53 mRNA or HDM2. Our results aim to contribute to the elucidation of the contribution of the HDMX to p53 regulation.
Quantifying the Effects of Non-Pharmaceutical and Pharmaceutical Interventions Against Covid-19 Epidemic in the Republic of Korea: Mathematical Model-Based Approach Considering Age Groups and the Delta Variant
Authors: Ko Youngsuk , Mendoza Victoria May P. , Seo Yubin , Lee Jacob , Kim Yeonju , Kwon Donghyok , Jung Eunok
Published: June 2022

Early vaccination efforts and non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) were insufficient to prevent a surge of COVID-19 cases triggered by the Delta variant. A compartment model that includes age, vaccination, and variants was developed. We estimated the transmission rates using maximum likelihood estimation, and phase-dependent NPIs according to government policies from 26 February to 8 October 2021. Simulations were done to examine the effects of varying dates of initiation and intensity of eased NPIs, arrival timing of Delta, and speed of vaccine administration. The estimated transmission rate matrices show distinct patterns, with transmission rates of younger groups (0-39 years) much larger with Delta. Social distancing (SD) level 2 and SD4 in Korea were associated with transmission reduction factors of 0.63-0.70 and 0.70-0.78, respectively. The easing of NPIs to a level comparable to SD2 should be initiated not earlier than 16 October to keep the number of severe cases below Korea’s healthcare capacity. Simulations showed that a surge prompted by Delta can be prevented if the number of people vaccinated daily or SD level when Delta arrived was higher. The timing of easing, intensity of NPIs, vaccination speed, and screening measures are key factors in preventing another epidemic wave.
Medizinische Notwendigkeit: Ein entbehrlicher, da notorisch
unscharfer Begriff?
Authors: Schoene-Seifert Bettina , Huster Stefan , Harney Anke , Friedrich Daniel R.
Published: June 2022

Die ,medizinische Notwendigkeit‘ (medN) von Behandlungsmaßnahmen
wird diesen in verschiedenen Zusammenhängen als steuerndes oder
orientierendes dichotomes Attribut attestiert oder abgesprochen, ohne dass sie
präzise definiert wäre. Wir sehen in dieser Not eine
mögliche Tugend, solange medN als dynamisches Ergebnis transparenter und
vertrauenswürdiger Überlegungsprozesse verstanden wird, in das
Normen wie Fakten einen möglichst kohärenten Eingang finden. Wir
plädieren dafür, den medN-Begriff relativ zum Versorgungssystem,
aber unabhängig von ökonomischen Rahmenbedingungen zu
verwenden.