bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Ancestral sequence reconstruction of the CYP711 family reveals functional divergence in strigolactone biosynthetic enzymes associated with gene duplication events in monocot grasses
Authors: Vinde Marcos H. , Cao Da , Chesterfield Rebecca J. , Yoneyama Kaori , Gumulya Yosephine , Thomson Raine E. S. , Matila Tebogo , Ebert Birgitta E. , Beveridge Christine A. , Vickers Claudia E. , Gillam Elizabeth M. J.
Published: May 2022

The strigolactone (SL) class of phytohormones shows broad chemical diversity, the functional importance of which remains to be fully elucidated, along with the enzymes responsible for the diversification of the SL structure. Here we explore the functional evolution of the highly conserved CYP711A P450 family, members of which catalyze several key monooxygenation reactions in the strigolactone pathway.

Ancestral sequence reconstruction was utilized to infer ancestral CYP711A sequences based on a comprehensive set of extant CYP711 sequences. Eleven ancestral enzymes, corresponding to key points in the CYP711A phylogenetic tree, were resurrected and their activity was characterized towards the native substrate carlactone and the pure enantiomers of the synthetic strigolactone analogue, GR24.

The ancestral and extant CYP711As tested accepted GR24 as a substrate and catalyzed several diversifying oxidation reactions on the structure. Evidence was obtained for functional divergence in the CYP711A family. The monocot group 3 ancestor, arising from gene duplication events within monocot grasses, showed both increased catalytic activity towards GR24 and high stereoselectivity towards the GR24 isomer resembling strigol‐type SLs.

These results are consistent with a role for CYP711As in strigolactone diversification in early land plants, which may have extended to the diversification of strigol‐type SLs.
Outcomes of the first global multidisciplinary consensus meeting including persons living with obesity to standardize patient‐reported outcome measurement in obesity treatment research
Authors: de Vries Claire E. E. , Terwee Caroline B. , Al Nawas May , van Wagensveld Bart A. , Janssen Ignace M. C. , Liem Ronald S. L. , Nienhuijs Simon W. , Cohen Ricardo V. , van Rossum Elisabeth F. C. , Brown Wendy A. , Ghaferi Amir A. , Ottosson Johan , Coulman Karen D. , Petry Tarissa B. Z. , Sogg Stephanie , West‐Smith Lisa , Halford Jason C. G. , Salas Ximena Ramos , Dixon John B. , Al‐Sabah Salman , Lee Wei‐Jei , Andersen John Roger , Flint Stuart W. , Hoogbergen Maarten M. , Backman Brooke , Govers Ellen , Isack Nadya , Clay Caroline , Birney Susie , Gunn Maureen , Masterson Paul , Roberts Audrey , Nesbitt Jacky , Meloni Riccardo , le Brocq Sarah , de Blaeij Sandra , Kraaijveld Christina , van der Steen Floor , Visser Bibian , Hamers Petra , Monpellier Valerie M.
Published: May 2022

Quality of life is a key outcome that is not rigorously measured in obesity treatment research due to the lack of standardization of patient‐reported outcomes (PROs) and PRO measures (PROMs). The S.Q.O.T. initiative was founded to Standardize Quality of life measurement in Obesity Treatment. A first face‐to‐face, international, multidisciplinary consensus meeting was conducted to identify the key PROs and preferred PROMs for obesity treatment research. It comprised of 35 people living with obesity (PLWO) and healthcare providers (HCPs). Formal presentations, nominal group techniques, and modified Delphi exercises were used to develop consensus‐based recommendations. The following eight PROs were considered important: self‐esteem, physical health/functioning, mental/psychological health, social health, eating, stigma, body image, and excess skin. Self‐esteem was considered the most important PRO, particularly for PLWO, while physical health was perceived to be the most important among HCPs. For each PRO, one or more PROMs were selected, except for stigma. This consensus meeting was a first step toward standardizing PROs (what to measure) and PROMs (how to measure) in obesity treatment research. It provides an overview of the key PROs and a first selection of the PROMs that can be used to evaluate these PROs.
The upregulated LsKN1 gene transforms pinnately to palmately lobed leaves through auxin, gibberellin, and leaf dorsiventrality pathways in lettuce
Authors: Wang Menglu , Lavelle Dean , Yu Changchun , Zhang Weiyi , Chen Jiongjiong , Wang Xin , Michelmore Richard W , Kuang Hanhui
Published: May 2022

Leaf shape represents a vital agronomic trait for leafy vegetables such as lettuce. Some lettuce cultivars produce lobed leaves, varying from pinnately to palmately lobed, but the genetic mechanisms remain unclear. In this study, we cloned one major quantitative trait locus (QTL) controlling palmately lobed leaves. The candidate gene, LsKN1, encodes a homeobox transcription factor, and has been shown previously to be critical for the development of leafy heads in lettuce. The LsKN1 allele that is upregulated by the insertion of a transposon promotes the development of palmately lobed leaves. We demonstrated that LsKN1 upregulated LsCUC2 and LsCUC3 through different mechanisms, and their upregulation was critical for the development of palmately lobed leaves. LsKN1 binds the promoter of LsPID to promote auxin biosynthesis, which positively contributes to the development of palmately lobed leaves. In contrast, LsKN1 suppresses GA biosynthesis to promote palmately lobed leaves. LsKN1 also binds to the promoter of LsAS1, a dorsiventrality gene, to downregulate its expression. Overexpression of the LsAS1 gene compromised the effects of the LsKN1 gene changing palmately to pinnately lobed leaves. Our study illustrated that the upregulated LsKN1 gene led to palmately lobed leaves in lettuce by integrating several downstream pathways, including auxin, gibberellin, and leaf dorsiventrality pathways.
A case of wild‐type rubella‐associated cutaneous granuloma in ataxia telangiectasia
Authors: Browne Rachel , Cliffe Lucy , Ip Winne , Brown Kevin , McDermott Elizabeth
Published: May 2022

Granulomatous skin disease is known to be associated with various primary immunodeficiencies, including ataxia telangiectasia (AT). Recent reports of persistence of live vaccine strain rubella within such cutaneous granulomas have raised concern regarding the safety of vaccination. Here we report a case of cutaneous granuloma in association with AT, demonstrating wild type, rather than vaccine strain rubella. This supports the persistence of rubella as a causative mechanism, but suggests it is not vaccine strain‐specific, and thus may impact the decision of those considering not vaccinating this subset of children.
The Truth Machines: Policing, Violence, and Scientific Interrogations in India
Authors: Massoud Mark Fathi
Published: May 2022

How do police get witnesses and criminal defendants to tell the truth? And in what ways do the truth‐seeking activities of law enforcement create and remake the identity of the state? These questions lie at the heart of Jinee Lokaneeta's fine book, The Truth Machines. For anthropologists of law and politics, the book offers a lens into the ways that nations try to prevent the torture of citizens, paradoxically by promoting a different kind of torture. It is a story of how state officials move torture from dusty police interrogation rooms into futuristic forensic laboratories and hospitals.
The Government of Beans: Regulating Life in the Age of Monocrops
Authors: Jonkman Jesse
Published: May 2022

On April 20, 2008, Paraguay elected rural bishop Fernando Lugo as its president, ending the reign of the Colorado party that had ruled the country since 1947. The election spurred a political shift to the left and considerably transformed the relationship that the national soy industry had forged with the state bureaucracy in previous decades. Progressives, intellectuals, and activists became employed by the same legal apparatus they had protested against for years. Correspondingly, public institutions that had been partly built by the soy industry were suddenly staffed by some of the sector's most ardent critics. In The Government of Beans, Kregg Hetherington explores this peculiar political juncture so as to offer wider reflections on governance in the Anthropocene. To this end, he relies on 17 short chapters that are grouped into three parts. Part I (Cast of Characters) presents us with the people and plants that the book is about. Over the course of six chapters, Hetherington historicizes the conjectures that laid the groundwork for the emergence of soy and its politicization, guiding us past, among others, the Stroessner dictatorship, cotton‐growing colonists, soy‐growing colonists displacing the earlier cotton growers, herbicides, Roundup Ready beans, the present–absent state, and 1990s neoliberalization.
Are adults with autism receiving regular preventive dental services?
Authors: McNeil Robin , Bray Kimberly Krust , Mitchell Tanya Villalpando , Pendleton Chandler , Marchini Leonardo
Published: May 2022

Purpose/Aim

To investigate the frequency of preventive dental care among adults with autism and explore factors associated with receiving regular preventive care.

Materials and Methods

De‐identified data was collected from electronic health records of 18‐year‐old or older patients with autism that had at least one preventive dental procedure recorded. The data was then analyzed to describe the frequency of preventive dental procedures provided for this population and investigate what variables are associated with regular care.

Results

Sample size was 119, 67% were males, average age was 30.8 years, and 58% had Medicaid. Average BMI was 42.8, the prevalence of diabetes and heart disease were 16% and 34%, respectively, and 86% reported mental health problems. Recreational drug use was 6.8%, alcohol use was 19%, and tobacco use 16%. Xerostomia was reported by 32%, and the average number of medications was 7.2 ± 5.5. The average number of preventive dental visits was 7.9 ± 10.6, and 35% of the patients had at least one preventive dental visit per year. Only number of medications had a statistically significant association with number of preventive dental visits.

Conclusions

Only one in every three adults with autism had at least one preventive dental visit per year.
Similarities and differences in the induction and regulation of the negative emotions fear and disgust: A functional near infrared spectroscopy study
Authors: Sklivanioti Greenfield Myrto , Wang Yanlu , Msghina Mussie
Published: May 2022

Affective processing, including induction and regulation of emotion, activates neural networks, induces physiological responses, and generates subjective experience. Dysregulation of these processes can lead to maladaptive behavior and even psychiatric morbidity. Multimodal studies of emotion thus not only help elucidate the nature of emotion, but also contribute to important clinical insights. In the present study, we compared the induction (EI) and effortful regulation (ER) with reappraisal of fear and disgust in healthy subjects using functional near infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) in conjunction with electrodermal activity (EDA). During EI, there was significant activation in medial prefrontal cortex (PFC) for fear and more widespread activation for disgust, with right lateral PFC significantly more active during disgust compared to fear. ER was equally effective for fear and disgust reducing subjective emotion rating by roughly 45%. Compared to baseline, there was no increased PFC activity for fear during ER, while for disgust lateral PFC was significantly more active. Significant differences between the two negative emotions were also observed in sympathetic nerve activity as reflected in EDA during EI, but not during ER. Lastly, compared to men, women had higher emotion rating for both fear and disgust without corresponding differences in EDA. In conclusion, in the present study we show that emotion induction was associated with differential activation in both PFC and sympathetic nerve activity for fear and disgust. These differences were however less prominent during emotion regulation. We discuss the potential interpretation of our results and their implications regarding our understanding of negative emotion processing.
A comparative study of intimate partner violence among U.S.‐born and foreign‐born Hispanic women
Authors: Espinoza Luis Enrique , Espinoza Lucas Enrique , Talleff Jennifer L. , Resendiz Rosalva , Zavala Leticia Nevarez , Anangwe Kathleen Ayako
Published: May 2022

Objective

The purpose of this study was to examine the factors and prevalence rates associated with intimate partner violence (IPV) victimizations by nativity status among Hispanic women.

Methods

Data were pooled and analyzed from the 2010 to 2020 National Crime Victimization Survey. A total of 4309 Hispanic women who responded to the citizenship question were included in the final sample.

Results

IPV victimization was associated with nativity status for Hispanic women, and IPV prevalence was higher among U.S.‐born Hispanic women than foreign‐born Hispanic women. The factors of geographic region, relationship status, education level, occupation status, and substance abuse were associated with IPV victimization.

Conclusion

These findings have implications for positively impacting culturally competent preventative programs and interventions to reduce IPV victimizations for Hispanic women.
A generic topography reconstruction method based on multi‐detector backscattered electron images
Authors: Neggers Jan , Héripré Eva , Bonnet Marc , Hallais Simon , Roux Stéphane
Published: May 2022

Surface topographies can be reconstructed from backscattered electron (BSE) images captured from different detector orientations. This article presents a very general approach to this problem, in the spirit of photometric stereo methods, allowing for arbitrary BSE detector number (at least 3) and shapes. The general idea is to both determine the (non‐linear) model parameters and compute the surface topography so that the modelled images match at best the acquired ones. Three samples are used for validation of the measured topography with respect to atomic force microscopy (AFM) measurements. Root mean square (RMS) errors in the range of 10–35 nm, or 1–1.5% of total sampleheight, are obtained.
The concept of tectonic provenance: Case study of the gigantic Markagunt gravity slide basal layer
Authors: Mayback Danika F. , Braunagel Michael J. , Malone David H. , Griffith W. Ashley , Holliday McKenna E. , Rivera Tiffany A. , Biek Robert F. , Hacker David B. , Rowley Peter D.
Published: May 2022

Formation and evolution of the basal layer in large landslides has important implications for processes that reduce frictional resistance to sliding. In this report, we show that zircon geochronology and tectonic provenance can be used to investigate the basal layer of the gigantic‐scale Markagunt gravity slide of Utah, USA. Basal layer and clastic injectite samples have unique tectonic chronofacies that identify the rock units that were broken down during emplacement. Our results show that basal material from sites on the former land surface is statistically indistinguishable and formed primarily by the breakdown of upper plate lithologies during sliding. Decapitated injectites have a different tectonic chronofacies than the local basal layer, with more abundant lower plate‐derived zircons. This suggests clastic dikes formed earlier in the translation history from a structurally deeper portion of the slide surface and a compositionally different basal layer before being translated to their current position.
LA‐ICP‐MS U–Pb dating of calcite cement in Upper Triassic tight‐gas sandstone reservoirs, western Sichuan Basin, SW China
Authors: Yu Yu , Lin Liangbiao , Li Zhen , Rankenburg Kai , Evans Noreen J. , McInnes Brent I. A.
Published: May 2022

The absolute timing of carbonate cement formations can provide insights into porosity evolution and hydrocarbon accumulation in reservoirs. In this study, scanning electron microscopy‐based cathodoluminescence (SEM‐CL), quantitative mineralogical analysis and laser ablation inductively coupled plasma‐mass spectrometry U–Pb dating were performed on calcite cements from sandstones in the fourth member of the Upper Triassic Xujiahe Formation in the western Sichuan Basin. Two samples yielded U–Pb ages of 149.5 ± 31.1 Ma and 190.0 ± 180.5 Ma (2σ), suggesting late diagenetic precipitation of calcite cements. The backscattered electron and SEM‐CL images indicated that the cements precipitated after feldspar dissolution. Combined with palaeo‐temperature evolution, these results suggest that the timing of calcite cement precipitation occurred between the Late Jurassic to Early Cretaceous. Rapid accumulation of sediment in the western basin in response to the Yanshanian Orogeny may have caused stratum overpressure, resulting in geofluid activity and calcite precipitation in the Xu4 sandstone.
Physiocognitive Modeling: Explaining the Effects of Caffeine on Fatigue
Authors: Halverson Tim , Myers Christopher W. , Gearhart Jeffery M. , Linakis Matthew W. , Gunzelmann Glenn
Published: May 2022

Most computational theories of cognition lack a representation of physiology. Understanding the cognitive effects of compounds present in the environment is important for explaining and predicting changes in cognition and behavior given exposure to toxins, pharmaceuticals, or the deprivation of critical compounds like oxygen. This research integrates physiologically based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) model predictions of caffeine concentrations in blood and tissues with ACT‐R's fatigue module to predict the effects of caffeine on fatigue. Mapping between the PBPK model parameters and ACT‐R model parameters is informed by the neurophysiological literature and established associations between ACT‐R modules and brain regions. The results from three such parameter mappings are explored to explain observed data from sleep‐deprived participants performing the psychomotor vigilance test with and without caffeine. Predicted caffeine concentrations in the brain are used to modulate procedural parameters in the fatigue module to explain caffeine's effects on multiple performance metrics.
The terminal enzymatic step in piperine biosynthesis is co‐localized with the product piperine in specialized cells of black pepper (Piper nigrum L.)
Authors: Jäckel Luise , Schnabel Arianne , Stellmach Hagen , Klauß Ulrike , Matschi Susanne , Hause Gerd , Vogt Thomas
Published: May 2022

Piperine (1‐piperoyl piperidine) is responsible for the pungent perception of dried black pepper (Piper nigrum) fruits and essentially contributes to the aromatic properties of this spice in combination with a blend of terpenoids. The final step in piperine biosynthesis involves piperine synthase (PS), which catalyzes the reaction of piperoyl CoA and piperidine to the biologically active and pungent amide. Nevertheless, experimental data on the cellular localization of piperine and the complete biosynthetic pathway are missing. Not only co‐localization of enzymes and products, but also potential transport of piperamides to the sink organs is a possible alternative. This work, which includes purification of the native enzyme, immunolocalization, laser microdissection, fluorescence microscopy, and electron microscopy combined with liquid chromatography electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry (LC‐ESI‐MS/MS), provides experimental evidence that piperine and PS are co‐localized in specialized cells of the black pepper fruit perisperm. PS accumulates during early stages of fruit development and its level declines before the fruits are fully mature. The product piperine is co‐localized to PS and can be monitored at the cellular level by its strong bluish fluorescence. Rising piperine levels during fruit maturation are consistent with the increasing numbers of fluorescent cells within the perisperm. Signal intensities of individual laser‐dissected cells when monitored by LC‐ESI‐MS/MS indicate molar concentrations of this alkaloid. Significant levels of piperine and additional piperamides were also detected in cells distributed in the cortex of black pepper roots. In summary, the data provide comprehensive experimental evidence of and insights into cell‐specific biosynthesis and storage of piperidine alkaloids, specific and characteristic for the Piperaceae. By a combination of fluorescence microscopy and LC‐MS/MS analysis we localized the major piperidine alkaloids to specific cells of the fruit perisperm and the root cortex. Immunolocalization of native piperine and piperamide synthases shows that enzymes are co‐localized with high concentrations of products in these idioblasts.
A case of cutaneous bullous mastocytosis in a Yorkshire terrier puppy
Authors: Petak Ana , Šoštarić‐Zuckermann Ivan‐Conrado , Gudan Kurilj Andrea , Lemo Nikša
Published: May 2022

Background

Cutaneous bullous mastocytosis (CBM) is a rare disease characterised by erythroderma, bullae formation on trunk, scalp and extremities which evolve to erosions.

Objective

To describe a rare variant of cutaneous mastocytosis and treatment options.

Animal

A 7‐month‐old Yorkshire terrier puppy with erythroderma and bullae formation.

Methods

Clinical examination (including haematological, biochemical and radiographic), skin biopsy, histopathological and immunohistochemical evaluation.

Conclusion and clinical relevance

The case fulfills the criteria of CBM, representing a rare entity that is reported to be associated with spontaneous regression. However, in severe cases treatment with systemic corticosteroids, H1 and H2 antihistamines, and masitinib can be performed.
Efficacy of subcutaneous allergen immunotherapy in atopic dogs: A retrospective study of 664 cases
Authors: Fennis Evelien E. M. , van Damme Catharina M. M. , Schlotter Yvette M. , Sinke Jacqueline D. , Leistra Mieke H. G. , Bartels Richard T. , Broere Femke
Published: May 2022

Background

Canine atopic dermatitis (cAD) is an allergic skin disease affecting approximately 10% of dogs. allergen‐specific immunotherapy (ASIT) is currently the only treatment option able to induce tolerance to the causative allergens.

Objective

To retrospectively establish the efficacy of ASIT in atopic dogs.

Animals

Client‐owned (n  = 664) dogs with cAD presented between 2008 and 2018 to two dermatology referral clinics.

Materials and Methods

Clinical records of atopic dogs were reviewed to obtain information including the results of the intradermal skin test and/or allergen‐specific immunoglobulin (Ig)E serological results, the allergens included in the ASIT, concurrent symptomatic medications, and ASIT efficacy after at least 9 months.

Results

Excellent (ASIT alone controlled clinical signs), good (≥50% reduction of clinical signs) and poor (<50% improvement) responses were seen in 31.5%, 28.5% and 40.1% of the dogs, respectively. No significant differences in efficacy were associated with breed, sex, age at initiation of ASIT, type of allergens in ASIT, and between clinics. Dogs re‐examined regularly responded significantly better to ASIT than dogs that did not (>50% improvement in 69.3% and 55.4% of the dogs, respectively). Dogs treated with ASIT and concomitant systemic glucocorticoids showed a significantly poorer response (success rate of >50% improvement of 38.5%).

Conclusions and clinical importance

In 59.9% of atopic dogs, subcutaneous ASIT can improve clinical signs by ≥50%. The beneficial effect of ASIT is higher if dogs are re‐examined regularly and if systemic long‐term corticosteroids are avoided, at least during the first 9 months of ASIT.
Clinical and CT sialography findings in 22 dogs with surgically confirmed sialoceles
Authors: Tan Yi Lin , Marques Ana , Schwarz Tobias , Mitchell Jordan , Liuti Tiziana
Published: May 2022

Sialoceles are an uncommon canine salivary gland disease, and complete surgical resection is important for a positive outcome. Radiographic sialography has been described as a diagnostic test for presurgical planning; however, superimposition artifacts may limit the diagnosis and detection of all affected glands. Computed tomographic (CT) sialography is a promising technique for delineating the salivary gland apparatus. The aims of this retrospective, observational study were to describe clinical and CT sialographic findings in a group of dogs with confirmed sialoceles, to determine the sensitivity of CT sialography for detecting affected salivary glands using surgery as the reference standard and to determine interobserver agreement for CT sialographic assessments. Dogs were included if they underwent a CT sialography study followed by surgical resection of the diseased gland(s) and histopathological analysis. Computed tomography sialography studies of dogs with surgically confirmed sialoceles (n = 22) were reviewed by a European College of Veterinary Diagnostic Imaging (ECVDI)‐certified radiologist and an ECVDI resident. Interobserver agreement was calculated using Cohen's kappa statistics. CT sialography results were compared to surgical findings to determine sensitivity. Contrast leakage was detected in 12 of 22 dogs (54.5%), with intrasialocele leakage being most frequently observed (7/12, 58.3%). There was substantial agreement (κ = 0.70) between reviewers identifying diseased glands, substantial agreement (κ = 0.62) on the diagnostic quality, and no to slight agreement (к = 0.13) in the detection of contrast leakage. The overall sensitivity of CT sialography to detect surgically confirmed diseased glands was 66.7% (95% confidence interval: 48.8‐80.8). In conclusion, these findings support the use of CT sialography as an adjunct diagnostic test for treatment planning in dogs with sialoceles.
A Generalized Variational Method and Its Applications in Design of the Single-Jack Flexible Nozzle
Authors: Li Zhi , Yu Chengguo , Meng LiCheng , Qi Luqiao , Qiu Jian , Shi Yan , Gao Cunfa
Published: May 2022

Nozzle facilities, which can generate high Mach number flows, are the core portions of the supersonic wind tunnel. Different from traditional fixed nozzles, a flexible nozzle can deform to designed contours and supply steady core flows in several Mach numbers. Due to the high-quality demands from the thermo-aerodynamic testing, the deformation of the flexible nozzle plate should be carefully designed. This problem is usually converted into the large deformation problem of a cantilever with movable hinge boundary conditions. In this paper, a generalized variational method is established to analyze the deformation behavior of the flexible nozzle. By introducing axial deformation constraint and Lagrange multiplier, an analytical model is derived to predict the deformed morphology of the flexible plate. Finite element analyses (FEA) of a single-jack flexible nozzle model is performed to examine the predicted deformations and reaction forces. Furthermore, the large deformation experiments of an elastic cantilever with a movable hinge connection are carried out to simulate the scenarios in supersonic flexible nozzle facility. Both the FEA and experimental results show high accuracy of current theoretical model in deformation predictions. This method can also serve as a general approach in the design of flexible mechanisms with movable boundaries.
A Comprehensive Review on Experimental Conditions, Strategies, Performance, and Applications of Incremental Forming for Deformation Machining
Authors: Mandaloi Gangaram , Nagargoje Aniket , Gupta Ankit Kumar , Banerjee Gaurabh , Shahare Harshal Y. , Tandon Puneet
Published: May 2022

The demand for product customization and flexible manufacturing techniques is growing day by day to meet the rapid changes in customer requirements. The current review presents the developments in the domains of incremental sheet forming (ISF) and deformation machining (DM) strategies to obtain thin monolithic geometries. The study focuses on the literature on room temperature single point incremental forming that can be applied to the DM. Thin structural parts are challenging to produce by machining because they have inadequate static and dynamic stiffness and low thermal stability. Significant research work on the evolution of diverse theories that emerged to address the fundamental mechanisms of ISF and DM processes has been reported in the literature. This paper presents an outline of the significant process and response parameters, experimental strategies, deformation mechanics and fracture behavior, toolpath generation techniques, and processes’ applications. The paper reports the motivation, research directions, existing gaps, and expansion in the domains of DM processes. The paper also outlines the evolution of incremental forming for deformation machining in the context of future critical applications in the domains of biomedical, aerospace, and automotive engineering.
Discovering a Failure Taxonomy for Early Design of Complex Engineered Systems Using Natural Language Processing
Authors: Andrade Sequoia R. , Walsh Hannah S.
Published: May 2022

Methodologies for failure assessment frequently rely on historical failure modes, causes, and recommendations for prevention. Meanwhile, there are growing databases of narrative-based lessons that are under-utilized due to their size. Advances in natural language processing (NLP) enable unsupervised extraction of this knowledge. We present a methodology for (1) identifying relevant information using a term frequency inverse document frequency (TF-IDF) classifier and (2) extracting knowledge for failure assessment using a hierarchical topic modeling approach, hierarchical latent Dirichlet allocation (LDA). To interpret the extracted topics, we apply an automatic topic labeling technique using pointwise mutual information (PMI) extraction. The methodology is applied to NASA’s Lessons Learned Information System (LLIS), which is publicly available. Partitioned topics enable the extraction of three aspects: cause, failure, and recommendation, while a hierarchy enables organization into a taxonomy. The methodology is generalizable to databases containing narrative-style documents, while the results from the LLIS represent a summary of themes in the dataset, expressed in a format that can be linked to early design failure analyses.
Cross-sectional association between gamma-glutamyl transferase and hyperuricaemia: the China Multi-Ethinic Cohort (CMEC) study
Authors: Wang Yanjiao , Xu Fang , Zhang Xuehui , Mi Fei , Qian Ying , Hong Rudan , Zou Wei , Bai Hua , He Likun , Wang Songmei , Yin Jianzhong
Published: May 2022

Objectives

Several studies have demonstrated the association between gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT) and hyperuricaemia, but little is known about such relation in less-developed ethnic minority regions.

Design

We cross-sectionally analysed data from the China Multi-Ethnic Cohort (Yunnan region).

Setting

Cross-sectional study.

Participants

22 020 participants aged 30–79 years from Han ethnicity, Yi ethnicity and Bai ethnicity.

Outcomes

The serum level of uric acid, GGT and other metabolic parameters were tested. Weight, height and blood pressure were measured. Smoking, drinking, ethnicity, education and medical history were obtained from questionnaires.

Results

In the crude model, compared with the lowest quintile, the second, third, fourth and fifth quintiles of serum GGT exhibited a positive association with hyperuricaemia risk (OR=1.69, 2.90, 4.34 and 7.70, 95% CI=1.42 to 2.01, 2.47 to 3.42, 3.71 to 5.09 and 6.60 to 8.98, respectively, p-trend<0.0001). In fully adjusted model, compared with the lowest quintile, the second, third, fourth and fifth quintiles of serum GGT also exhibited a positive association with hyperuricaemia risk (OR=1.26, 1.68, 2.02 and 3.02, 95% CI=1.04 to 1.51, 1.40 to 2.00, 1.69 to 2.42 and 2.51 to 3.64, respectively, p-trend<0.0001). Logistic regression model was conducted separately in ethnic groups. Compared with first quintile, the highest GGT level were related to higher risk of hyperuricaemia in three ethnic groups (OR (95% CI): 2.89 (2.26 to 3.68), 2.81 (1.93 to 4.11) and 3.04 (1.91 to 4.84) for Han, Yi and Bai ethnicity, respectively, p-trend <0.0001). The relationship between GGT and hyperuricaemia was also observed in different age groups or gender groups.

Conclusions

High serum GGT level was related to a higher risk of hyperuricaemia in less-developed ethnic minority regions in China.
Benefits and limitations of business process model notation in modelling patient healthcare trajectory: a scoping review protocol
Authors: Kassim Said Abasse , Gartner Jean-Baptiste , Labbé Laurence , Landa Paolo , Paquet Catherine , Bergeron Frédéric , Lemaire Célia , Côté André
Published: May 2022

Introduction

The adoption of business process model notation (BPMN) in modelling healthcare trajectory can enhance the efficiency and efficacy of healthcare organisations, improve patient outcomes while restraining costs. Existing systematic reviews have been inconclusive regarding the effectiveness of BPMN in modelling healthcare trajectory. The aims of this scoping review are to map and aggregate existing evidence on the benefits and limitations associated with BPMN in healthcare trajectory, highlighting areas of improvement on BPMN and its extensions in healthcare. We will assess BPMN’s ability to model key dimensions or concepts of the healthcare process and to meet the needs of stakeholders. The review will highlight the advantages of this approach to support clinical activities and decision-making processes associated with the healthcare trajectory, proposing a conceptual framework for improving the use of BPMN in healthcare.

Methods and analysis

This study will be performed in accordance with the methodological framework suggested by Arksey and O’Malley. A wide range of electronic databases and grey literature sources will be systematically searched using predefined keywords. The review will include any study design focusing on the application of the BPMN approach for optimising healthcare trajectories, published in either English or French from 1 January 2004 to 9 December 2021. Two reviewers will independently screen titles, abstracts and full-text articles and select articles meeting the inclusion criteria. A customised data extraction form will be used to extract data. The results will be presented using descriptive statistics and thematic analysis on qualitative data.

Ethics and dissemination

Research ethics approval is not required. Review findings will be used to advance understanding about BPMN, its extensions and application in healthcare trajectory optimisation. The review will develop recommendations on tailoring BPMN strategies for optimising care pathways and decision-making processes. Findings will be disseminated in peer-reviewed journals, conferences and discussions with relevant organisations and stakeholders.
Accuracy of blood-based biomarkers for screening precancerous colorectal lesions: a protocol for systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Lathlean Timothy J H , Wassie Molla M , Winter Jean M , Goyal Rishabh , Young Graeme P , Symonds Erin L
Published: May 2022

Introduction

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most diagnosed cancer and the second most common cause of cancer mortality worldwide. Most CRCs develop through either the adenoma-to-carcinoma or the serrated pathways, and, therefore, detection and removal of these precursor lesions can prevent the development of cancer. Current screening programmes can aid in the detection of CRC and adenomas; however, participation rates are suboptimal. Blood-based biomarkers may help to address these low participation rates in screening programmes. Although blood-based biomarker tests show promise for cancer detection, limited attention has been placed on the sensitivity and specificity for detection of the precursor lesions. The aim of this research is to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis to evaluate the accuracy of blood-based biomarker tests in detecting advanced precancerous lesions.

Methods and analysis

This protocol was informed by the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses-Protocols (PRISMA-P) and results will be reported in line with the PRISMA guidelines. Literature searches will be conducted on PubMed, Embase and Web of Science. Two reviewers will conduct the searches, and independently screen them, according to title and abstract and then the full-text versions of those selected articles as well as the risk of bias via the Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies version 2 (QUADAS-2) tool. The Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation guidelines will be used to validate the certainty of evidence for recommendations based on the risk of bias findings. Meta-analysis will be conducted where appropriate on groups of studies with low heterogeneity.

Ethics and dissemination

No patient data will be included in our review and, therefore, ethics approval is not required. It is anticipated that the review will identify the most promising candidate biomarkers for clinical translation in the screening of advanced precancerous lesions. The results will be published in a peer-reviewed journal.

PROSPERO registration number

CRD42021285173.
Multicentre observational study on practice of prehospital management of hypotensive trauma patients: the SPITFIRE study protocol
Authors: Tartaglione Marco , Carenzo Luca , Gamberini Lorenzo , Lupi Cristian , Giugni Aimone , Mazzoli Carlo Alberto , Chiarini Valentina , Cavagna Silvia , Allegri Davide , Holcomb John B , Lockey David , Sbrana Giovanni , Gordini Giovanni , Coniglio Carlo
Published: May 2022

Introduction

Major haemorrhage after injury is the leading cause of preventable death for trauma patients. Recent advancements in trauma care suggest damage control resuscitation (DCR) should start in the prehospital phase following major trauma. In Italy, Helicopter Emergency Medical Services (HEMS) assist the most complex injuries and deliver the most advanced interventions including DCR. The effect size of DCR delivered prehospitally on survival remains however unclear.

Methods and analysis

This is an investigator-initiated, large, national, prospective, observational cohort study aiming to recruit >500 patients in haemorrhagic shock after major trauma. We aim at describing the current practice of hypotensive trauma management as well as propose the creation of a national registry of patients with haemorrhagic shock. Primary objective: the exploration of the effect size of the variation in clinical practice on the mortality of hypotensive trauma patients. The primary outcome measure will be 24 hours, 7-day and 30-day mortality. Secondary outcomes include: association of prehospital factors and survival from injury to hospital admission, hospital length of stay, prehospital and in-hospital complications, hospital outcomes; use of prehospital ultrasound; association of prehospital factors and volume of first 24-hours blood product administration and evaluation of the prevalence of use, appropriateness, haemodynamic, metabolic and effects on mortality of prehospital blood transfusions. Inclusion criteria: age >18 years, traumatic injury attended by a HEMS team including a physician, a systolic blood pressure <90 mm Hg or weak/absent radial pulse and a confirmed or clinically likely diagnosis of major haemorrhage. Prehospital and in-hospital variables will be collected to include key times, clinical findings, examinations and interventions. Patients will be followed-up until day 30 from admission. The Glasgow Outcome Scale Extended will be collected at 30 days from admission.

Ethics and dissemination

The study has been approved by the Ethics committee ‘Comitato Etico di Area Vasta Emilia Centro’. Data will be disseminated to the scientific community by abstracts submitted to international conferences and by original articles submitted to peer-reviewed journals.

Trial registration number

NCT04760977.
Organoids in gastrointestinal diseases: from experimental models to clinical translation
Authors: Günther Claudia , Winner Beate , Neurath Markus F , Stappenbeck Thaddeus S
Published: May 2022

We are entering an era of medicine where increasingly sophisticated data will be obtained from patients to determine proper diagnosis, predict outcomes and direct therapies. We predict that the most valuable data will be produced by systems that are highly dynamic in both time and space. Three-dimensional (3D) organoids are poised to be such a highly valuable system for a variety of gastrointestinal (GI) diseases. In the lab, organoids have emerged as powerful systems to model molecular and cellular processes orchestrating natural and pathophysiological human tissue formation in remarkable detail. Preclinical studies have impressively demonstrated that these organs-in-a-dish can be used to model immunological, neoplastic, metabolic or infectious GI disorders by taking advantage of patient-derived material. Technological breakthroughs now allow to study cellular communication and molecular mechanisms of interorgan cross-talk in health and disease including communication along for example, the gut–brain axis or gut–liver axis. Despite considerable success in culturing classical 3D organoids from various parts of the GI tract, some challenges remain to develop these systems to best help patients. Novel platforms such as organ-on-a-chip, engineered biomimetic systems including engineered organoids, micromanufacturing, bioprinting and enhanced rigour and reproducibility will open improved avenues for tissue engineering, as well as regenerative and personalised medicine. This review will highlight some of the established methods and also some exciting novel perspectives on organoids in the fields of gastroenterology. At present, this field is poised to move forward and impact many currently intractable GI diseases in the form of novel diagnostics and therapeutics.
Orphans cannot be after-birth aborted: a response to Bobier
Authors: Singh Prabhpal
Published: May 2022

I offer a response to an objection to my account of the moral difference between fetuses and newborns, an account that seeks to address an analogy between abortion and infanticide, which is based on the apparent equality of moral value of fetuses and newborns.
Stream size, temperature, and density explain body sizes of freshwater salmonids across a range of climate conditions
Authors: Al-Chokhachy Robert , Letcher Benjamin H. , Muhlfeld Clint C. , Dunham Jason B. , Cline Timothy , Hitt Nathaniel P. , Roberts James J. , Schmetterling David
Published: May 2022

Climate change and anthropogenic activities are altering the body sizes of fishes, yet our understanding of factors influencing body size for many taxa remains incomplete. We evaluated the relationships between climate, environmental, and landscape attributes and the body size of different taxa of freshwater trout (Salmonidae) in the USA. Hierarchical spatial modeling across a gradient of habitats (5221 sites) illustrated the importance of watershed effects, which explained 17%–45% of the of the variation in body size across taxa. Stream size had a strong, positive relationship with body size, yet there was approximately tenfold difference in the strength of the relationship across taxa. Trout body size consistently declined with increasing density across taxa. Despite reliance on cold water, we found positive relationships between summer stream temperature and trout body size across most taxa. Our results highlight how providing trout access to larger, productive rivers for the expression of growth and life-history variation would promote body size diversity within and across populations.
An empirical comparison of alternative likelihood formulations for composition data, with application to cobia and Pacific hake
Authors: Fisch Nicholas , Ahrens Robert , Shertzer Kyle , Camp Ed
Published: May 2022

Fitting composition data within stock assessment models has historically utilized the multinomial likelihood, often with iterative reweighting algorithms to account for overdispersion due to sampling and process error. Recently, the Dirichlet-multinomial has been increasingly incorporated into assessments as a composition likelihood that can be internally weighted using an estimated overdispersion parameter. There exist two popular formulations of the Dirichlet-multinomial. Recent research has also suggested improved performance in assessments using the logistic-normal for composition data, specifically when the composition sample size is large. We evaluated the performance of two Dirichlet-multinomial formulations and the logistic-normal by incorporating them into assessments that differed greatly in sample sizes for composition data: cobia ( Rachycentron canadum) and Pacific hake ( Merluccius productus). We compared the likelihoods against one another using various model diagnostic criteria common in stock assessments. Overall, the linear formulation of the Dirichlet-multinomial outperformed the saturating formulation. At small sample sizes of the cobia assessment, the logistic-normal performed poorly. The comparison was more robust at large sample sizes of the Pacific hake assessment; however on balance, it seems prudent to proceed with the Dirichlet-multinomial.
Adaptive divergence of lateral plate ultrastructure in threespine stickleback (Gasterosteus aculeatus)
Authors: Wertman Debra L. , Reimchen Thomas E.
Published: May 2022

The lateral plates of threespine stickleback ( Gasterosteus aculeatus Linnaeus, 1758) are well studied for their adaptive morphological responses to predators, yet it is unknown whether habitat influences plate ultrastructure. We investigated using scanning electron microscopy the lateral plate ultrastructure (tubercles and ridges) of stickleback ( N = 61 adult fish) from nine Haida Gwaii (coastal British Columbia, Canada) wild-type populations, two experimental transplants, and two lab-reared cohorts reared from source populations. Tubercle density, but not ridge density, differed significantly across habitat types and populations. Among wild-type fish, tubercle densities were greatest in dystrophic habitats containing predatory fish, and lowest in weakly dystrophic systems featuring bird–invertebrate predation and marine populations with diverse predatory fish. No differences in tubercle density were detected between source and transplant populations, despite major habitat shifts. Lab-reared fish exhibited significantly lower tubercle densities than their source populations (less than one generation). Tubercle density differences across habitat types may reflect adaptation to divergent predation regimes, with tooth-bearing predators selecting for denser tubercles that disperse point forces. Conservation of ridge density across populations suggests an essential function in dispersing forces applied to dorsal spines during predator manipulation. Lateral plate ultrastructure in threespine stickleback thus results from both heritable effects and developmental plasticity.
Resonances in heavy meson–heavy baryon coupled-channel interactions
Authors: Wang Zheng-Li , Shen Chao-Wei , Rönchen Deborah , Meißner Ulf-G. , Zou Bing-Song
Published: May 2022

The interactions of $${\bar{D}}^{(*)} \Lambda _c - {\bar{D}}^{(*)}\Sigma _c^{(*)}$$

D

¯

(

∗
)

Λ
c

-

D

¯

(

∗
)

Σ
c

(

∗
)

are studied within the framework of a dynamical coupled-channel approach. A series of bound states and resonances with different spin and parity are dynamically generated in the hidden charm sector. Four S-wave bound states are found in the mass range of 4.3–4.5 GeV, close to the pentaquark states observed by LHCb. Two of the states have a spin parity of $$J^P= 1/2^-$$

J
P

=
1
/

2
-

and the other two have $$J^P=3/2^-$$

J
P

=
3
/

2
-

. In addition, several resonances with different spin and parity in higher partial waves are predicted.
Overview of intermittency analysis in heavy-ion collisions
Authors: Li Zhiming
Published: May 2022

In this paper, a search for power-law fluctuations with fractality and intermittency analysis to explore the QCD phase diagram and the critical point is summarized. Experimental data on self-similar correlations and fluctuations with respect to the size of phase–space volume in various high energy heavy-ion collisions are presented, with special emphasis on background subtraction and efficiency correction of the measurement. Phenomenological modeling and theoretical work on the subject are discussed. Finally, we highlight possible directions for future research.