bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Dynamic Gene-Based Ecophysiological Models to Predict Phenotype from Genotype and Environment Data
Authors: Vallejos C. Eduardo , Jones James W. , Bhakta Mehul S. , Gezan Salvador A. , Correll Melanie J.
Published: February 2021

Predicting the phenotype from the genotype is one of the major contemporary challenges in biology. This challenge is greater in plants because their development occurs mostly post-embryonically under diurnal and seasonal environmental fluctuations. Current phenotype prediction models do not adequately capture all of these fluctuations or effectively use genotype information. Instead, we have developed a dynamic modular approach that captures the genotype, environment, and Genotype-by-Environment effects to express the time-to-flowering phenotype in real time inPhaseolus vulgaris. The module we describe can be applied to different plant processes and can gradually replace processes in existing crop models. Our model can enable accelerated progress in diverse breeding programs, particularly with the prospects of climate change. Finally, a gene-based simulation model can assist policy decision makers in matters pertaining to prediction of food supplies.
What is the state space of the world for real animals?
Authors: Namboodiri Vijay Mohan K
Published: February 2021

A key concept in reinforcement learning (RL) is that of a state space. A state space is an abstract representation of the world using which statistical relations in the world can be described. The simplest form of RL, model free RL, is widely applied to explain animal behavior in numerous neuroscientific studies. More complex RL versions assume that animals build and store an explicit model of the world in memory. To apply these approaches to explain animal behavior, typical neuroscientific RL models make assumptions about the underlying state space formed by animals, especially regarding the representation of time. Here, we explicitly list these assumptions and show that they have several problematic implications. We propose a solution for these problems by using a continuous time Markov renewal process model of the state space. We hope that our explicit treatment results in a serious consideration of these issues when applying RL models to real animals.
Long non-coding RNAs bind to proteins relevant to the ethanol tolerance in yeast: a systems biology view
Authors: Marques Lucas Farinazzo , Wolf Ivan Rodrigo , Lazari Lucas Cardoso , de Almeida Lauana Fogaça , Schnepper Amanda Piveta , Cardoso Luiz Henrique , de Moraes Leonardo Nazário , Grotto Rejane Maria Tommasini , Simões Rafael Plana , Ramos Érica , Valente Guilherme Targino
Published: February 2021

The ethanol disturbs the cell cycle, transcription, translation, protein folding, cell wall, membranes, and manySaccharomyces cerevisiaemetabolic processes. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are regulatory molecules binding onto the genome or proteins. The number of lncRNAs described for yeast is still scarce, and little is known concerning their roles in the system. There is a lack of knowledge concerning how lncRNAs are responsive to the ethanol tolerance in yeast and whether they act in this tolerance. Hence, by using RNA-Seq data fromS. cerevisiaestrains with different ethanol tolerance phenotypes, we found the severe ethanol responsive lncRNAs. We modeled how they participate in the ethanol tolerance by analyzing lncRNA-protein interactions. The results showed that the EtOH tolerance responsive lncRNAs, in both higher tolerant and lower tolerant phenotypes, work on different pathways: cell wall, cell cycle, growth, longevity, cell surveillance, ribosome biogenesis, intracellular transport, trehalose metabolism, transcription, and nutrient shifts. In summary, lncRNAs seems to interconnect essential systems’ modules to overcome the ethanol stress. Finally, here we also found the most extensive catalog of lncRNAs in yeast.
Investigation of layer specific BOLD in the human visual cortex during visual attention
Authors: van Mourik Tim , Koopmans Peter J. , Bains Lauren J. , Norris David G. , Jehee Janneke F.M.
Published: February 2021

Directing spatial attention towards a particular stimulus location enhances cortical responses at corresponding regions in cortex. How attention modulates the laminar response profile within the attended region, however, remains unclear. In this paper, we use high field (7T) fMRI to investigate the effects of attention on laminar activity profiles in areas V1-V3; both when a stimulus was presented to the observer, and in the absence of visual stimulation. Replicating previous findings, we find robust increases in the overall BOLD response for attended regions in cortex, both with and without visual stimulation. When analyzing the BOLD response across the individual layers in visual cortex, we observed no evidence for laminar-specific differentiation with attention. We offer several potential explanations for these results, including theoretical, methodological and technical reasons. Additionally, we provide all data and pipelines openly, in order to promote analytic consistency across layer-specific studies, improve reproducibility, and decrease the false positive rate as a result of analytical flexibility.
Validation of biosignatures confirms the informative nature of fossil organic Raman spectra
Authors: Wiemann Jasmina , Briggs Derek E. G.
Published: February 2021

Raman spectroscopy has facilitated rapid progress in the understanding of patterns and processes associated with biomolecule fossilization and revealed the preservation of biological and geological signatures in fossil organic matter. Nonetheless six large-scale statistical studies of Raman spectra of carbonaceous fossils, selected from a number of independent assessments producing similar trends, have been disputed. Alleon et al. (21) applied a wavelet transform analysis in an unconventional way to identify frequency components contributing to two baselined spectra selected from these studies and claimed similarities with a downloaded edge filter transmission spectrum. On the basis of indirect comparisons and qualitative observations they argued that all spectral features detected, including significant mineral peaks, can be equated to edge filter ripples and are therefore artefactual. Alleon et al. (21) extrapolated this conclusion to dispute not only the validity of n>200 spectra in the studies in question, but also the utility of Raman spectroscopy, a well established method, for analysing organic materials in general. Here we test the claims by Alleon et al. (21) using direct spectral comparisons and statistical analyses. We present multiple independent lines of evidence that demonstrate the original, biologically and geologically informative nature of the Raman spectra in question. We demonstrate that the methodological approach introduced by Alleon et al. (21) is unsuitable for assessing the quality of spectra and identifying noise within them. Statistical analyses of large Raman spectral data sets provide a powerful tool in the search for compositional patterns in biomaterials and yield invaluable insights into the history of life.
Kaposi’s sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) utilizes the NDP52/CALCOCO2 selective autophagy receptor to disassemble processing bodies
Authors: Robinson Carolyn-Ann , Singh Gillian K. , Kleer Mariel , Castle Elizabeth L. , Boudreau Bre Q. , Corcoran Jennifer A.
Published: February 2021

Kaposi’s sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) causes the inflammatory and angiogenic endothelial cell neoplasm, Kaposi’s sarcoma (KS). We previously demonstrated that expression of the KSHV protein, Kaposin B (KapB), promoted inflammation via the disassembly of cytoplasmic ribonucleoprotein granules called processing bodies (PBs). Processing bodies (PBs) modify gene expression by silencing or degrading labile messenger RNAs (mRNAs) including many transcripts that encode inflammatory or angiogenic proteins that are associated with KS disease. Although our work implicated PB disassembly as one of the causes of inflammation during KSHV infection, the precise mechanism used by KapB to elicit PB disassembly was unclear. Here we reveal a new connection between the degradative process of autophagy and PB disassembly. We show that both latent KSHV infection and KapB expression enhanced autophagic flux via the phosphorylation of the autophagy regulatory protein, Beclin 1. KapB was necessary for this effect, as infection with a recombinant virus that does not express the KapB protein did not induce Beclin 1 phosphorylation or autophagic flux. Moreover, we reveal that PB disassembly mediated by KSHV or KapB depended on canonical autophagy genes and the selective autophagy receptorNDP52/CALCOCO2and that the PB scaffolding protein, Pat1b, co-immunoprecipitated with NDP52. These studies reveal a new role for autophagy and the selective autophagy receptor NDP52 in promoting PB turnover and the concomitant synthesis of inflammatory molecules during KSHV infection.

Author Summary

Kaposi’s sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) is the causative agent of the inflammatory, endothelial cell cancer, Kaposi’s Sarcoma (KS). KSHV induces a pro-tumourigenic inflammatory environment which aids in the establishment and maintenance of the KS lesion. Processing bodies (PBs) are cellular structures that dampen inflammatory gene expression by suppression or decay of their cognate RNA molecules. We previously showed that the viral protein KapB caused PB disappearance during KSHV infection, identifying a new pathway used by KSHV to elicit inflammation. Now, we show that KSHV and KapB hijack the cellular degradative process of autophagy to promote PB disassembly and increase inflammatory gene expression. This places autophagy as central to the regulation of inflammation by KSHV and illustrates another remarkable strategy used by these viruses to create a tumourigenic microenvironment.
Autism-associated protein POGZ maintains embryonic stem cells by association with esBAF and HP1γ
Authors: Sun Xiaoyun , Cheng Linxi , Sun Yuhua
Published: February 2021

POGZ, which encodes a multi-domain transcription factor, has been found frequently mutated in neurodevelopmental disorders, particularly autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and intellectual disability (ID). However, little is known about its functions in embryonic stem cells (ESCs) and in transcriptional regulation. Here, we show that POGZ plays key roles in the maintenance of ESCs by association with the SWI-SNF (BAF) chromatin remodeler complex and heterochromatin protein 1 (HP1) proteins. Loss of POGZ induces differentiation of ESCs, likely by up-regulation of primitive endoderm and mesoderm lineage genes and by down-regulation of pluripotency-related and cell cycle genes. Genome-wide binding analysis shows that POGZ is primarily localized to gene promoter and enhancer regions where POGZ is required to maintain an open chromatin. Regulation of chromatin under control of POGZ depends on esBAF complex. Furthermore, there is an extensive overlap of POGZ and OCT4 peaks genome-wide, and both factors interact with each other. We propose that POGZ is an important pluripotency-associated factor, and its absence causes failure to maintain a proper ESC-specific chromatin state and transcriptional circuitry, which eventually leads to loss of ESC phenotype. Our work provides important insights into the roles of POGZ in the maintenance of ESC identity as well as regulation of transcription, which will be useful for understanding the etiology of neurodevelopmental disorders byPOGZmutation.
Global impact and cost-effectiveness of one-dose versus two-dose human papillomavirus vaccination schedules: a comparative modelling analysis
Authors: Prem Kiesha , Choi Yoon Hong , Bénard Élodie , Burger Emily A , Hadley Liza , Laprise Jean-François , Regan Mary Caroline , Drolet Mélanie , Sy Stephen , Abbas Kaja , Portnoy Allison , Kim Jane J , Brisson Marc , Jit Mark
Published: February 2021

Background

To eliminate cervical cancer as a public health problem, the World Health Organization currently recommends routine vaccination of adolescent girls with two doses of the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine before sexual initiation. However, many countries have yet to implement HPV vaccination because of financial or logistical barriers to delivering two doses outside the infant immunisation programme.

Methods

Using three independent HPV transmission models, we estimated the long-term health benefits and cost-effectiveness of one-dose versus two-dose HPV vaccination, in 188 countries, assuming that one dose of the vaccine gives either a shorter duration of full protection (20 or 30 years) or lifelong protection but lower vaccine efficacy (e.g., 80%) compared to two doses. We simulated routine vaccination with the 9-valent HPV vaccine in 10-year-old girls at 80% coverage for the years 2021–2120, with a one-year catch-up campaign of 11–14-year-old girls at 80% coverage in the first year of the programme.

Results

Over the years 2021–2120, one-dose vaccination at 80% coverage was projected to avert 112.9 million (range of medians: 75.8–176.2) and 148.0 million (111.6–187.6) cervical cancer cases assuming one dose of the vaccine confers 20 and 30 years of protection, respectively. Should one dose of the vaccine provide lifelong protection at 80% vaccine efficacy, 155.2 million (143.7–170.3) cervical cancer cases could be prevented. Around 65 to 889 additional girls would need to be vaccinated with the second dose to prevent one cervical cancer case, depending on the epidemiological profiles of the country. Across all income groups, the threshold cost for the second dose was low: from 0.85 (0.07–3.82) USD in low-income countries to 18.08 (−3.62–85.64) USD in high-income countries, assuming one-dose confers 30-year protection.

Conclusions

Results were consistent across the three independent models and suggest that one-dose vaccination has similar health benefits to a two-dose programme while simplifying vaccine delivery, reducing costs, and alleviating vaccine supply constraints. The second dose may be cost-effective if there is a shorter duration of protection from one dose, cheaper vaccine and vaccination delivery strategies, and high burden of cervical cancer.
Nucleosomal Asymmetry Shapes Histone Mark Binding and Promotes Poising at Bivalent Domains
Authors: Bryan Elana , Warburton Marie , Webb Kimberly M. , McLaughlin Katy A. , Spanos Christos , Ambrosi Christina , Major Viktoria , Baubec Tuncay , Rappsilber Juri , Voigt Philipp
Published: February 2021

Promoters of developmental genes in embryonic stem cells (ESCs) are marked by histone H3 lysine 4 trimethylation (H3K4me3) and H3K27me3 in an asymmetric nucleosomal conformation, with each sister histone H3 carrying only one mark. These bivalent domains are thought to poise genes for timely activation upon differentiation. Here we show that asymmetric bivalent nucleosomes recruit repressive H3K27me3 binders but fail to enrich activating H3K4me3 binders, despite presence of H3K4me3, thereby promoting a poised state. Strikingly, the bivalent mark combination further attracts chromatin proteins that are not recruited by each mark individually, including the histone acetyltransferase complex KAT6B (MORF). Knockout of KAT6B blocks neuronal differentiation, demonstrating that bivalency-specific readers are critical for proper ESC differentiation. These findings reveal how histone mark bivalency directly promotes establishment of a poised state at developmental genes, while highlighting how nucleosomal asymmetry is critical for histone mark readout and function.
A systematic approach for finding herbicide synergies
Authors: Sukhoverkov Kirill V. , Mylne Joshua S.
Published: February 2021

Combining herbicides into a double dose is a common approach to overcome the potential for herbicide resistance by weeds. Many herbicide mixtures can be antagonistic and they are rarely synergistic. Here, 24 commercial herbicides, each representing a mode of action were used to create a matrix of all 276 unique combinations to search for new synergies in agar withArabidopsis thaliana. Herbicides were used at an appropriate sub-lethal dose such that any synergies gave visible growth inhibition. We found five synergies including three new ones, namely mesotrione-norflurazon, mesotrione-clethodim and paraquat-clomazone. All three new synergies were reproducible in soil-grown conditions. Interestingly, all three new combinations included a bleaching herbicide, suggesting synergy might be a class specific phenomenon. We also found that mesotrione-norflurazon and mesotrione-clethodim combinations remained synergistic against lettuce(Lactuca sativa), but not tef(Eragrostis tef). Our study shows that screening herbicide mixtures againstA. thalianais an efficient approach for finding rare herbicide synergies.
Bidirectional neuronal migration coordinates retinal morphogenesis by preventing spatial competition
Authors: Rocha-Martins Mauricio , Kretzschmar Jenny , Nerli Elisa , Weigert Martin , Icha Jaroslav , Myers Eugene W. , Norden Caren
Published: February 2021

While the design of industrial products is often optimized for the sequential assembly of single components, organismal development is hallmarked by the concomitant occurrence of tissue growth and organization. Often this means that proliferating and differentiating cells occur at the same time in a shared tissue environment that continuously changes. How cells adapt to architectural changes in order to prevent spatial interference remains unclear. To understand how cell movements important for growth and organization are orchestrated, we here study the emergence of photoreceptor neurons that occur during the peak of retinal growth using zebrafish, human tissue and human organoids. Quantitative imaging reveals that successful retinal morphogenesis depends on active bidirectional photoreceptor translocation. This leads to a transient transfer of the entire cell population away from the apical proliferative zone. This migration pattern is driven by distinct cytoskeletal machineries, depending on direction: microtubules are required for basal translocation, while actomyosin drives apical movement. Blocking photoreceptor translocation leads to apical overcrowding that hampers progenitor movements. Thus, photoreceptor migration is crucial to prevent competition for space and thereby allows concurrent tissue growth and lamination. This shows that neuronal migration, in addition to its canonical role in cell positioning, is involved in coordinating morphogenesis.
Productivity estimation of cutter suction dredger operation through data mining and learning from real-time big data
Authors: Fu Jiake , Tian Huijing , Song Lingguang , Li Mingchao , Bai Shuo , Ren Qiubing
Published: February 2021

Purpose

This paper presents a new approach of productivity estimation of cutter suction dredger operation through data mining and learning from real-time big data.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper used big data, data mining and machine learning techniques to extract features of cutter suction dredgers (CSD) for predicting its productivity. ElasticNet-SVR (Elastic Net-Support Vector Machine) method is used to filter the original monitoring data. Along with the actual working conditions of CSD, 15 features were selected. Then, a box plot was used to clean the corresponding data by filtering out outliers. Finally, four algorithms, namely SVR (Support Vector Regression), XGBoost (Extreme Gradient Boosting), LSTM (Long-Short Term Memory Network) and BP (Back Propagation) Neural Network, were used for modeling and testing.

Findings

The paper provided a comprehensive forecasting framework for productivity estimation including feature selection, data processing and model evaluation. The optimal coefficient of determination (R2) of four algorithms were all above 80.0%, indicating that the features selected were representative. Finally, the BP neural network model coupled with the SVR model was selected as the final model.

Originality/value

Machine-learning algorithm incorporating domain expert judgments was used to select predictive features. The final optimal coefficient of determination (R2) of the coupled model of BP neural network and SVR is 87.6%, indicating that the method proposed in this paper is effective for CSD productivity estimation.
Monitoring remote employees: implications for HR
Authors: Jeske Debora
Published: February 2021

Purpose

More and more organizations have resorted to the employment of monitoring software to keep track of employees’ everyday performance and task completion. The current paper aims to outline the capabilities, pros and cons of monitoring for employees. Several recommendations for Human Resources (HR) professionals are outlined to inform best practice.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper summarizes recent literature and trends on electronic monitoring aimed at remote workers, focusing specifically on trends observed in the UK and the USA.

Findings

The number of pros and cons, as well as the resulting recommendations for HR professionals, outline how technology may aid – but also undermine – performance.

Originality/value

The summary of capabilities, pros and cons represents a snapshot of current monitoring practices. The recommendations will give readers an overview of all the aspects and factors that ought to be considered when monitoring software and related tools are selected.
Intraspecific allometries reveal hyper‐slender stems in forest gaps and the impact on tree growth from insect herbivores
Authors: Norghauer Julian M.
Published: February 2021

Conspicuously absent from plant allometric models are insect herbivores, despite their ubiquity in pantropical forests as well as the importance of gauging their impact on plant growth for understanding tree regeneration dynamics. Conceivably, the scaling relationships of plant populations with and without exposure to insects could be compared to gain insight, but this has yet to be tried. Here, I examined the size allometry of three canopy‐statured species (Fabaceae) by fitting standard major axis regressions of stem height, number of leaves, and maximum area per leaf against stem diameter (root collar) of their juveniles (seedlings/saplings) in 41 canopy gaps after ca. 2 years of herbivore exclusion (using mesh cages with mesh‐rooftop controls), in a central African forest. Herbivores did not change the slope or intercept, nor shift the location of Tetraberlinia bifoliolata and T. korupensis populations, whose seedlings tolerate shade well. In stark contrast, all three size allometries were altered in the faster‐growing Microberlinia bisulcata, whose seedlings cannot tolerate shade indefinitely. More pronounced than either an altered slope (scaling exponent) or intercept was the strong rightward shift in location (to larger sizes) of protected M. bisulcata, whereas its normal (control) population was left stunted, with fewer and smaller leaves. Nevertheless, all species had higher than theoretically predicted scaling exponents, even in the absence of herbivores, suggesting a convergent response early in tree ontogeny across the shade‐tolerance spectrum prioritizing height gain over mechanical stability in forest gaps. But insect herbivores were able to significantly strengthen this deviation in M. bisulcata, and perhaps in T. korupensis. These results demonstrate an allometric approach may prove useful for revealing how insects differentially impact trees' growth and form (slenderness) when they are most vulnerable to herbivory.
Strategic Network Orchestration in Emerging Markets: China's Catch‐up in the High‐Speed Train Industry
Authors: Rui Huaichuan , Bruyaka Olga
Published: February 2021

Transitioning from catch‐up in production to catch‐up in innovation capabilities is essential to emerging market firms (EMFs) achieving internationalization and a competitive advantage. While some EMFs are now positioned among the world's most advanced firms, many struggle to become independent innovators. Thus, understanding how EMFs can develop internal absorptive capacity and progress towards catching up in innovation capabilities remains important. Our study seizes this research opportunity and develops a network‐based explanation of catch‐up, which complements existing technological and organizational explanations. Specifically, we address the question of ‘How does the orchestration of collaborative networks enable EMFs to catch up in production and innovation capabilities?’ by describing an important yet under‐researched process of strategic network orchestration and showcasing the dynamic interdependencies between network orchestration and organizational learning. Our study provides a detailed account of Chinese high‐speed train (HST) development from 1990 to 2020 and opens the possibility for future research on network orchestration in emerging market contexts. This provides EMF managers with a set of actionable network orchestration mechanisms that can be used when designing and purposefully managing their strategic nets of domestic and foreign partners.
Exploring an intervention’s impact on everyday school activities
Authors: Björn Marianne , Svensson Idor
Published: February 2021

The focus of this paper is on a group of pupils with reading and writing difficulties who have been participating in an intervention study using assistive technology. That intervention study contained supervised training sessions with reading and writing tasks using an iPad with special supportive applications. The current study is a qualitative investigation of whether there has been any transfer from the intervention, to the pupils’ everyday school activities. Interviews with pupils and their teachers and observations during classroom lectures have been used to collect data. The results show that the pupils were positive to the assistive technology (the applications on the iPads), they found the apps easy to learn how to use and they appreciated the benefits they could give. Even so, only a few of the pupils had found use for and continued to use the tools after the intervention period finished. Possible reasons are that when the novelty wore off, students reverted to their usual study habits and that older students with many teachers and different classrooms were less able to adapt to using the apps. To improve transfer, it is suggested to introduce assistive technology earlier to students, in the younger grades, before study habits have been formed and to inform teachers about the use of AT in the classroom, including what is available and how it can benefit students.
The role of communication transparency and organizational trust in publics' perceptions, attitudes and social distancing behaviour: A case study of the COVID‐19 outbreak
Authors: Lee Yeunjae , Li Jo‐Yun Queenie
Published: February 2021

Integrating social cognitive theory and public relations literature, this study examines the effectiveness of organizations' transparent communication in building public trust and encouraging health‐protection behaviours (i.e. social distancing) during a pandemic, that is, the COVID‐19 outbreak. Three aspects of transparent communication are investigated, namely information substantiality, accountability and participation. Results of an online survey of American citizens show that during the early stage of COVID‐19, information substantiality by state governments and health institutes (e.g., the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) increases publics' trust, which positively influences their perceived risks, behavioural control and subjective norms. The participation of health institutes, rather than state governments, significantly increases public trust, whereas accountability has no effects. Individuals' perceptions and attitudes towards social distancing predict their social distancing behaviour during the outbreak. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.
The FAST‐M complex intervention for the detection and management of maternal sepsis in low‐resource settings: a multi‐site evaluation
Authors: Cheshire J , Jones L , Munthali L , Kamphinga C , Liyaya H , Phiri T , Parry‐Smith W , Dunlop C , Makwenda C , Devall AJ , Tobias A , Nambiar B , Merriel A , Williams HM , Gallos I , Wilson A , Coomarasamy A , Lissauer D
Published: February 2021

Objective

To evaluate whether the implementation of the FAST‐M complex intervention was feasible and improved the recognition and management of maternal sepsis in a low‐resource setting.

Design

A before‐and‐after design.

Setting

Fifteen government healthcare facilities in Malawi.

Population

Women suspected of having maternal sepsis.

Methods

The FAST‐M complex intervention consisted of the following components: the FAST‐M maternal sepsis treatment bundle and the FAST‐M implementation programme. Performance of selected process outcomes was compared between a 2‐month baseline phase and 6‐month intervention phase with compliance used as a proxy measure of feasibility.

Main outcome result

Compliance with vital sign recording and use of the FAST‐M maternal sepsis bundle.

Results

Following implementation of the FAST‐M intervention, women were more likely to have a complete set of vital signs taken on admission to the wards (0/163 [0%] versus 169/252 [67.1%], P < 0.001). Recognition of suspected maternal sepsis improved with more cases identified following the intervention (12/106 [11.3%] versus 107/166 [64.5%], P < 0.001). Sepsis management improved, with women more likely to receive all components of the FAST‐M treatment bundle within 1 hour of recognition (0/12 [0%] versus 21/107 [19.6%], P = 0.091). In particular, women were more likely to receive antibiotics (3/12 [25.0%] versus 72/107 [67.3%], P = 0.004) within 1 hour of recognition of suspected sepsis.

Conclusion

Implementation of the FAST‐M complex intervention was feasible and led to the improved recognition and management of suspected maternal sepsis in a low‐resource setting such as Malawi.

Tweetable Abstract

Implementation of a sepsis care bundle for low‐resources improved recognition & management of maternal sepsis.
Physician network connections to specialists and HIV quality of care
Authors: Stecher Chad
Published: February 2021

Objective

To estimate novel measures of generalist physicians’ network connectedness to HIV specialists and their associations with two dimensions of HIV quality of care.

Data Sources

Medicare and Medicaid claims and the American Medical Association Masterfile data on people living with HIV (PLWH) and the physicians providing their HIV care in California between 2007 and 2010.

Study Design

I construct regional patient‐sharing physician networks from the shared treatment of PLWH and calculate (a) measures of network connectedness to all physician types and (b) specialty‐weighted measures to describe connectedness to HIV specialists. Two HIV quality of care outcomes are then evaluated: medication quality (prescribing antiretroviral drugs from at least two drug classes) and monitoring quality (at least two annual HIV virus monitoring scans). Linear probability models estimate the associations between network statistics and the two dimensions of HIV quality of care, and a policy simulation demonstrates the importance of these statistical relationships. These analyses include 16 124 PLWH, 3240 generalists, and 1031 HIV specialists.

Data Collection/Extraction Methods

PLWH are identified from claims for patients with any indication of HIV using an existing algorithm from the literature.

Principal Findings

Generalists’ network connectedness to HIV specialists is positively related with their own HIV medication quality; one additional HIV specialist connection is associated with a 1.46 percentage point (SE 0.42, P < .01) increase in generalist's medication quality. Based on the estimated associations, a simulated policy that increases connectedness between generalists and HIV specialists reduces the annual rate of HIV infections by up to 6%, roughly 290 fewer infections per year. Only network connectedness to all physician types is associated with improved monitoring quality.

Conclusions

Network connectedness to HIV specialists is positively associated with generalists’ HIV medication quality, which suggests that specialists provide clinical support through patient‐sharing for complex treatment protocol.
Two putative fatty acid synthetic genes of BgFas3 and BgElo1 are responsible for respiratory waterproofing in Blattella germanica
Authors: Pei Xiao‐Jin , Bai Tian‐Tian , Zhang Zhan‐Feng , Chen Nan , Li Sheng , Fan Yong‐Liang , Liu Tong‐Xian
Published: February 2021

Water retention is critical for physiological homeostasis and survival in terrestrial insects. While deposition of hydrocarbons on insect cuticles as a key measure for water conservation has been extensively investigated, we know little about other mechanisms for preventing water loss in insects. Here, we report two fatty acid synthetic genes that are independent of hydrocarbon production but crucial for water retention in the German cockroach Blattella germanica (L.). First, an integument enriched fatty acid elongase gene (BgElo1) was identified as a critical gene for desiccation resistance in B. germanica; however, knockdown of BgElo1 surprisingly failed to cause a decline in cuticular lipids. In addition, RNA interference (RNAi)‐knockdown of an upstream fatty acid synthase gene (BgFas3) showed a similar phenotype, and transmission electron microscopy analysis revealed that BgFas3‐ or BgElo1‐RNAi did not affect cuticle architecture. Bodyweight loss test showed that repression of BgFas3 and BgElo1 significantly increased the weight loss rate, but the difference disappeared when the respiration was closed by freeze killing the cockroaches. A water immersion test was performed, and we found that BgFas3‐ and BgElo1‐RNAi made it difficult for cockroaches to recover from drowning, which was supported by the upregulation of hypoxia‐related genes after a 10‐h recovery from drowning. Moreover, a dyeing assay with water‐soluble Eosin Y showed that this was caused by the entry of water into the respiratory system. Our research suggests that BgFas3 and BgElo1 are required for both inward and outward waterproofing of the respiratory system. This study benefits the understanding of water retention mechanisms in insects.
Is the Covid‐19 Pandemic a Game Changer in GMO Regulation?
Authors: Wesseler Justus , Purnhagen Kai
Published: February 2021

La pandémie de Covid‐19 pourrait agir comme un déclencheur fort nécessaire pour changer la réglementation de l'Union européenne concernant les organismes génétiquement modifiés (OGM). Il y a deux raisons principales à cela. Premièrement, la majorité des vaccins en cours de développement relèveraient de la directive 2001/18 relative à la dissémination d'OGM dans l'environnement. Le Parlement européen et le Conseil sont convenus qu'au considérant 17 du règlement 2020/1043, la procédure d'approbation actuelle des OGM n'est pas bien adaptée pour améliorer la santé publique. Cela ressort en particulier de la nécessité d'approuver les vaccins dans le contexte de la pandémie de Covid‐19; et une procédure d'approbation plus appropriée serait appliquée. Deuxièmement, plusieurs études ont montré que la crise du Covid‐19 réduit le pouvoir d'achat des ménages et accroît leur vulnérabilité en cas de pénurie alimentaire; et les augmentations des prix alimentaires qui en résultent aggravent encore les problèmes nutritionnels des groupes vulnérables. La sélection végétale moderne est capable de fournir des solutions moins coûteuses pour soutenir les groupes vulnérables. Alors que la crise de la Covid‐19 épuise les budgets publics, les avis sur les OGM dans l'Union européenne peuvent changer à la lumière des expériences positives découlant de l'approbation des vaccins anti‐Covid‐19.
Nutritional interventions for oral mucositis: a systematic literature review
Authors: Edwards Anna , Santos Claire , Chen An‐Yang , Bauer Judith
Published: February 2021

Aim

Oral mucositis is a debilitating side‐effect of conventional cancer treatment, particularly of the head and neck region. This review aimed to evaluate existing evidence to identify optimal nutritional interventions for oral mucositis management in adult populations receiving treatment for cancer.

Methods

CINAHL, PubMed, Embase and Scopus were searched from database inception to July 2019, with each eligible article critically appraised for risk of bias and assigned a quality rating. Certainty of evidence was appraised using the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluation system.

Results

Twenty‐three articles were identified (total unique study participants n = 7605). Nine intervention areas were identified. Certainty of evidence was moderate for oral cryotherapy in patients with solid or haematological cancers receiving 5‐Fluorouracil or high‐dose Melphalan chemotherapy prior to haematopoietic stem cell transplantation; and low for zinc supplementation for patients with oral cancer undergoing radiotherapy or chemoradiotherapy. Moderate certainty of evidence exists to recommend against glutamine supplementation in all cancer patients.

Conclusion

Research must determine the safety and efficacy of identified interventions to guide clinical practice. Addressing limitations requires larger, higher‐quality trials to increase evidence certainty.
Goal energy intake for medically compromised patients with eating disorders: A systematic review
Authors: Chan Hei Man , Jaffe Jane Liliana , D'Souza Natasha Jane , Lowe Joshua Rhys , Matthews‐Rensch Kylie
Published: February 2021

Aim

Current Australian eating disorder guidelines recommend a “high” energy goal intake of 12 MJ/day, however, it is unclear whether a “high” energy goal is beneficial. This study aimed to investigate the impact of goal energy intakes <12 MJ/day (low energy) compared with ≥12 MJ/day (high energy) on body composition, midarm muscle circumference, frequency of medical complications, refeeding syndrome, length of stay, body mass index (BMI) and weight gain for patients with medically compromised eating disorders.

Methods

Five electronic databases (PubMed, CINAHL, Scopus, EMBASE and Web of Science) were searched in April, 2020. The certainty of evidence was assessed using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation system.

Results

Four cohort studies were included (n = 656); three were rated positive and one neutral in terms of individual study bias. Evidence for the impact of higher and lower energy protocols on body fat percentage, midarm muscle circumference, frequency of medical complications, incidence of refeeding syndrome, length of stay, BMI and weight gain was of very low certainty. The certainty of evidence was downgraded to very low due to very serious risk of bias, inconsistency and imprecision.

Conclusions

This review found very low certainty of evidence to support the use of high energy goal intakes for patients with medically compromised eating disorders. More robust research is warranted to establish if there are clear clinical and psychological benefits of higher energy goal intakes.
The combined impact of calcium lactate with cysteine pretreatment and perforation‐mediated modified atmosphere packaging on quality preservation of fresh‐cut ‘Romaine’ lettuce
Authors: Salemi Bahareh , Sedaghat Naser , Varidi Mohammad Javad , Mousavi Seyed Mahmoud , Tabatabaei Yazdi Farideh
Published: February 2021

The effect of perforation‐mediated modified atmosphere packaging (PM‐MAP) in combination with calcium lactate (1.5% CaL) and cysteine (0.1, 0.5% Cys) immersion pretreatments on the quality preservation of fresh‐cut ‘Romaine’ lettuce was assessed for 12 days, at 5 and 10 °C. The shredded lettuce was packed in low‐density polyethylene films (LDPE, 62 µm thickness), including different perforation numbers of 0 (N‐MAP), 20 (20‐PM‐MAP, Diameter = 64 µm), and 40 (40‐PM‐MAP, Diameter = 64µm) per in square meter. Indices of quality maintenance were investigated. The total microbial counts were below the specified limits for ready‐to‐eat vegetables (< 6 log CFU/g) considering both pretreated 20‐PM‐MAP and N‐MAP samples on day 12. After 8 days, a significant difference (P < 0.05) was observed in the browning index (BI), the total color difference (ΔE), and the chlorophyll content between N‐MAP and 20‐PM‐MAP samples with better results in 20‐PM‐MA packages. At 10 °C, the BI in pretreated 20‐PM‐MAP samples was 32.44% to 58.35% less than N‐MAP samples, on the last day of storage. The 20‐PM‐MAP samples pretreated with 1.5% CaL/0.5% Cys had the highest (P < 0.05) crispness coefficient and water content values. It seems that packaging the pretreated lettuce in 20‐PM‐MA packages is more effective for maintaining the visual properties (green fresh appearance) of this product, from the 8th to the 12th day of storage.

Practical Application

The medium to high respiration rate of fresh‐cut lettuce causes O2 level drops below its tolerance limit (<1% to 3%) inside the modified atmosphere packaging (MAP). It results in severe browning, off‐odors, off‐flavor, and growth of anaerobiosis. Perforated‐mediated modified atmosphere packaging (PM‐MAP) technology can be introduced as an alternative to a nonperforated MAP system (conventional MAP) for fresh‐cut lettuce. The application of the PM‐MAP system in combination with calcium lactate and cysteine immersion pretreatment (CaL/Cys) may lead to better maintenance of the physicochemical properties of this product.
Role of the IAEA in education and training of radiotherapy professionals in Asia Pacific
Authors: Prajogi Gregorius Ben , Loreti Giorgia , Zubizarreta Eduardo , van der Merwe Debbie
Published: February 2021

In partnership with the Regional Co‐operative Agreement for Research, Development and Training Related to Nuclear Science and Technology (RCA), the IAEA has been supporting Member States in the Asia and Pacific region to prepare, initiate and expand radiotherapy services safely and effectively. Education and training are essential components in IAEA‐RCA projects and have been delivered through various initiatives both online and offline. In addition to building capacity and enabling technology transfer, these initiatives provided opportunities to foster collaboration at the regional level, leading to the initiation of professional societies and education/training schemes.
Spatial‐Temporal Ground Deformation Study of Baotou Based on the PS‐InSAR Method
Authors: GE Weili , LI Yuanjie , WANG Zhichao , ZHANG Chunming , YANG Honglei
Published: February 2021

Ground subsidence is an emerging geological hazard in Baotou, Inner Mongolia. Four areas of Baotou with relatively large subsidence range and rate were selected for analysis. Focusing on investigation of ground subsidence using PS‐InSAR technology, a total of 43 frames of ALOS PALSAR images yielded a SAR data span from December 2006 to January 2011, allowing ground subsidence scope, subsidence velocity, time‐series deformation to be obtained. Major causes and influencing factors of the ground subsidence are closely related to soft soil consolidation and compaction and the decrease in the level of groundwater caused by increased development and utilization of groundwater.
Zircon U‐Pb Age, Geochemical, and Sr‐Nd‐Pb‐Hf Isotopic Constraints on the Time Frame and Origin of Early Cretaceous Mafic Dykes in the Wuling Mountain Gravity Lineament, South China
Authors: CHEN Xiaoqing , LIU Shen , FENG Caixia , XU Jingyan , ZHAO Huibo , FENG Guangying , COULSON Ian M. , SUN Jinggui , FAN Yan
Published: February 2021

In view of the importance of mafic dyke swarms and their contribution to current scientific problems relating to South China, herein, we present the findings of studies on twenty–five representative mafic dykes cropping out in Hunan Province and Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, within the southern Wuling Mountain gravity lineament, China. These results include new zircon LA‐ICP‐MS U‐Pb age, whole rock geochemical, Sr‐Nd‐Pb isotopic, and zircon Hf isotopic data for these dykes. The dykes formed between 131.5 ± 1.2 and 121.6 ± 1.1 Ma, and have typical doleritic textures. They fall into the alkaline and shoshonitic series, are enriched in light rare earth elements (LREE), some large ion lithophile elements (LILE; e.g., Rb, Ba, and Sr), Th, U, and Pb, and are depleted in Nb, Ta, Hf, and Ti. Moreover, the dolerites have high initial87Sr/86Sr ratios (0.7055–0.7057), negative∊Nd(t) and zircon∊Hf(t) values (–14.8 to –11.9, –30.4 to –14.9), and relatively constant initial Pb isotopic ratios (that are EM1‐like, 16.77–16.94, 15.43–15.47, and 36.84–36.92 for206Pb/204Pb,207Pb/204Pb, and208Pb/204Pb, respectively). These results indicate that the dykes were likely derived from magma generated through low‐degree partial melting (1.0%–10%) of an EM1‐like garnet–lherzolite mantle source. The parental magmas fractionated olivine, clinopyroxene, plagioclase, and Ti‐bearing phases with negligible crustal contamination, during ascent and dyke emplacement. Several possible models have been proposed to explain the origin of Mesozoic magmatism along the Wuling Mountain gravity lineament. Herein we propose a reasonable model for the origin of these mafic dykes, involving the collision between the paleo‐Pacific Plate and South China, which led to subsequent lithospheric extension and asthenosphere upwelling, resulting in partial melting the underlying mantle lithosphere in the Early Cretaceous, to form the parental magmas to the WMGL mafic dykes, as studied.
Numerical Study of Gas Production from a Methane Hydrate Reservoir Using Depressurization with Multi‐wells
Authors: SHANG Shilong , GU Lijuan , LU Hailong
Published: February 2021

With the implementation of the production tests in permafrost and offshore regions in Canada, US, Japan, and China, the study of natural gas hydrate has progressed into the stage of technology development for industrial exploitation. The depressurization method is considered as a better strategy to produce gas from hydrate reservoirs based on production tests and laboratory experiments. Multi‐well production is proposed to improve gas production efficiency, to meet the requirement for industrial production. For evaluating the applicability of multi‐well production to hydrate exploitation, a 2D model is established, with numerical simulations of the performance of the multi‐well pattern carried out. To understand the dissociation behavior of gas hydrate, the pressure and temperature distributions in the hydrate reservoir are specified, and the change in permeability of reservoir sediments is investigated. The results obtained indicate that multi‐well production can improve the well connectivity, accelerate hydrate dissociation, enhance gas production rate and reduce water production as compared with single‐well production.