bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Authoritarian Urbanism in the Era of Mass Eradication in Rio de Janeiro, 1960s–1970s
Authors: Benmergui Leandro
Published: March 2021

As the number of favelas and poor residents of Rio de Janeiro grew quickly by the mid-20th century, they became the object of policymaking, social science research, real estate speculation, and grassroots mobilization. After a decade in which local authorities recognized the de facto presence of favelas but without legally ascertaining the right of permanence, the 1960s and early 1970s witnessed the era of mass eradication. Seemingly contradictory—but complementary—policies also included the development of massive low-income housing complexes and innovative community development and favela urbanization experiences empowered by community organizations with the assistance of experts committed to improving the lives of poor Cariocas (residents of Rio). Favelas in Rio were at the crossroads of a particular interplay of forces: the urgent need to modernize Rio’s obsolete and inadequate urban infrastructure; the new administrative status of the city after the inauguration of Brasilia; and the redefinition of the balance of power between local, municipal, and federal forces in a time of radical politics and authoritarian and technocratic military regimes, Cold War diplomacy, and the transnational flows of expertise and capital.
The Spanish Language in Latin America during the Colonial Period
Authors: Stavans Ilan
Published: March 2021

Language was an essential tool in the Spanish colonization of the Americas. Starting in 1492, a series of Iberian fleets arrived in the so-called New World with horses, gunpowder, and the printed word in their possession. These artifacts served a major role in the submission of the native population, not only physical but intellectual and spiritual. To appreciate the spread of el español in the newly found territories, it is important to look at how Spanish was perceived by medieval philologists such as Antonio de Nebrija, author of Gramática de la lengua española; to appreciate the registers in Christopher Columbus’s journals (as edited by Fray Bartolomé de Las Casas); to analyze the status of native tongues like Nahuatl, Quechua, and scores of others, as well as the selection Spanish missionaries made of a few of those languages—called lenguas generales—for pedagogical instruction; to look at translators like La Malinche, Melchorejo, and Julianillo; to consider the role the printing press and translations of the Bible played in indoctrinating the indigenous population; to listen to the parlance of African slaves brought from the early 16th century onward; and finally to appreciate the verbal and aesthetic evolution of Spanish in the pens of Sor Juana Inés de La Cruz and many other important Spanish-language colonial authors.
Radio Education in the Andes During the Second Half of the 20th Century
Authors: Cant Anna
Published: March 2021

In 1947, a Colombian priest, Padre José Joaquín Salcedo Guarín, established a small radio station in Sutatenza, Boyacá to provide basic literacy education for poor peasants. Over the course of the 1950s and 1960s, Salcedo’s pioneering example gave rise to hundreds of similar initiatives across the Andes. Amid widespread illiteracy, entrenched poverty, and a mountainous terrain that limited access to state institutions and the mainstream media, radio was seen as a technology of immense promise that could increase education levels and stimulate development. The escuelas radiofónicas (radio schools) were an innovative form of distance learning designed to be followed in groups within the home or in a community building. In other parts of the world, radio education was largely delivered by secular agencies, but in the profoundly Catholic Andean region they had a strongly religious character, being operated by priests and funded by international Catholic organizations. Although hailed by many for their transformative impact on rural communities, others criticized their “developmentalist” assumptions and tendency to spread anticommunism. Initially focused on basic numeracy and literacy, radio schools later included programs on agricultural techniques, health, family relationships, music, and spiritual guidance, which were accompanied by newspapers, pamphlets, and readers. Peasant leaders and so-called auxiliaries were recruited and trained to promote radio school attendance and reinforce new ideas and practices. As the tenets of liberation theology filtered out through the Latin American clergy in the 1970s and 1980s, radio education acquired a more activist tone and moved away from didacticism toward community participation, often having a cultural and political impact far beyond that intended in the 1960s. Cultural and economic changes of the late 20th century brought an end to many such radio schools, but a number persist and radio continues to be vitally important among rural Andean populations.
Ecosystem-Based Disaster Risk Reduction
Authors: Wickramasinghe Deepthi
Published: March 2021

Disasters and their devastating consequences are increasingly evident in the world. Although nobody can prevent a hazard from occurring, individuals, societies, and governments can take necessary steps to avoid a hazard being transformed to a disaster. It is becoming clear that if sufficient efforts are not made, higher costs and greater losses including lives are inevitable. Thus, understanding risk and vulnerability and developing methods to reduce the impact of disasters and increase community resilience are priorities in development agendas. Ecosystem-based disaster risk reduction (Eco-DRR) includes protection, restoration, and sustainable management of ecosystems to obtain nature’s “free services” to reduce disaster risk. The Eco-DRR concept is deeply rooted in nature, ecosystem services, and human practices in contrast to conventional structural disaster management methods. Eco-DRR approaches also contribute to successful implementation of postdisaster recovery. The implementation of Eco-DRR concepts can be challenging, and planning and making integrated decisions leading to sustainable development and nature conservation to harness safety and reduce community risks must be the way forward.
Rinaldo, Harriett
Authors: Logan Sadye L. M.
Published: March 2021

Harriett Rinaldo (1906–1981) helped shape and create job definitions and standards for caring for veterans that became a model for the federal government and other social work agencies. She was the first to identify “clinical social work” as a specialty standard within personnel specifications.
Social network position predicts male mating success in a small passerine
Authors: Beck Kristina B , Farine Damien R , Kempenaers Bart
Published: March 2021

Individuals differ in the quantity and quality of their associations with conspecifics. The resulting variation in the positions that individuals occupy within their social environment can affect several aspects of life history, including reproduction. While research increasingly shows how social factors can predict dyadic mating patterns (who will breed with whom), much less is known about how an individual’s social position affects its overall likelihood to acquire mating partner(s). We studied social networks of socially monogamous blue tits (Cyanistes caeruleus) to investigate whether the number and strength of connections to opposite-sex conspecifics, the ratio between same- and opposite-sex connections, and the tendency to move between social groups in the months prior to breeding affect individuals’ success in acquiring 1) a breeding partner and 2) an extrapair partner. After controlling for differences in spatial location, we show that males that moved more often between social groups were more likely to acquire a breeding partner. Moreover, adult males that associated with more females were more likely to sire extrapair young. The number of female associates also predicted the proportion of familiar female breeding neighbors, suggesting that familiarity among neighbors may facilitate opportunities for extrapair matings. In females, none of the network metrics significantly predicted the likelihood of acquiring a breeding or extrapair partner. Our study suggests that the positioning of males within their social environment prior to breeding can translate into future mating success, adding an important new dimension to studies of (extrapair) mating behavior.
Associations Between Measures of Social Distancing and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 Seropositivity: A Nationwide Population-based Study in the Netherlands
Authors: Vos Eric R A , van Boven Michiel , den Hartog Gerco , Backer Jantien A , Klinkenberg Don , van Hagen Cheyenne C E , Boshuizen Hendriek , van Binnendijk Robert S , Mollema Liesbeth , van der Klis Fiona R M , de Melker Hester E
Published: March 2021

This large, nationwide, population-based, seroepidemiological study provides evidence of the effectiveness of physical distancing (>1.5 m) and indoor group size reductions in reducing severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection. Additionally, young adults may play an important role in viral spread, contrary to children up until age 12 years with whom close contact is permitted.

Clinical Trials Registration

NTR8473.
Phylogenetic Analyses of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) B.1.1.7 Lineage Suggest a Single Origin Followed by Multiple Exportation Events Versus Convergent Evolution
Authors: Chaillon A , Smith D M
Published: March 2021

The emergence of new variants of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) herald a new phase of the pandemic. This study used state-of-the-art phylodynamic methods to ascertain that the rapid rise of B.1.1.7 “Variant of Concern” most likely occurred by global dispersal rather than convergent evolution from multiple sources.
Resistance toMycobacterium tuberculosisInfection Among Household Contacts: A Multinational Study
Authors: Baliashvili Davit , Gandhi Neel R , Kim Soyeon , Hughes Michael , Mave Vidya , Mendoza-Ticona Alberto , Gonzales Pedro , Narunsky Kim , Selvamuthu Poongulali , Badal-Faesen Sharlaa , Upton Caryn , Naini Linda , Smith Elizabeth , Gupta Amita , Churchyard Gavin , Swindells Susan , Hesseling Anneke , Shah N Sarita
Published: March 2021

Background

Some contacts of patients with tuberculosis remain negative on tests for tuberculosis infection, despite prolonged exposure, suggesting they might be resistant to Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection. The objective of this multinational study was to estimate the proportion of household contacts resistant to M. tuberculosis (resisters).

Methods

We conducted a longitudinal study enrolling index patients enrolled in treatment for pulmonary multidrug- or rifampin-resistant tuberculosis and their household contacts. Contacts were tested for tuberculosis infection with a tuberculin skin test (TST) and interferon-gamma release assay (IGRA) at baseline and after 1 year. Exposure was quantified based on index patients’ infectiousness, index patient and household contact interaction, and age. We explored multiple definitions of resistance to tuberculosis infection by varying TST negativity cutoffs (0 vs <5 mm), classification of missing test results, and exposure level.

Results

In total, 1016 contacts were evaluated from 284 households; 572 contacts aged ≥5 years had TST and longitudinal IGRA results available. And 77 (13%) or 71 (12%) contacts were classified as resisters with a <5 mm or 0 mm TST threshold, respectively. Among 263 highly exposed contacts, 29 (11%) or 26 (10%) were classified as resisters using TST cutoffs of <5 mm and 0 mm, respectively. The prevalence of resisters did not differ substantially by sex, age, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) coinfection, or comorbid conditions.

Conclusions

At least 10% of household contacts can be classified as resistant to tuberculosis infection, depending on the definition used, including those with high exposure. Further studies to understand genetic or immunologic mechanisms underlying the resister phenotype may inform novel strategies for therapeutics and vaccines.
Assessing Asymptomatic, Presymptomatic, and Symptomatic Transmission Risk of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2
Authors: Wu Peng , Liu Fengfeng , Chang Zhaorui , Lin Yun , Ren Minrui , Zheng Canjun , Li Yu , Peng Zhibin , Qin Yin , Yu Jianxing , Geng Mengjie , Yang Xiaokun , Zhao Hongting , Li Zhili , Zhou Sheng , Ran Lu , Cowling Benjamin J , Lai Shengjie , Chen Qiulan , Wang Liping , Tsang Tim K , Li Zhongjie
Published: March 2021

Background

The relative contributions of asymptomatic, presymptomatic, and symptomatic transmission of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 have not been clearly measured, although control measures may differ in response to the risk of spread posed by different types of cases.

Methods

We collected detailed information on transmission events and symptom status based on laboratory-confirmed patient data and contact tracing data from 4 provinces and 1 municipality in China. We estimated the variation in risk of transmission over time and the severity of secondary infections by symptomatic status of the infector.

Results

There were 393 symptomatic index cases with 3136 close contacts and 185 asymptomatic index cases with 1078 close contacts included in the study. The secondary attack rates among close contacts of symptomatic and asymptomatic index cases were 4.1% (128 of 3136) and 1.1% (12 of 1078), respectively, corresponding to a higher transmission risk from symptomatic cases than from asymptomatic cases (odds ratio, 3.79; 95% confidence interval, 2.06–6.95). Approximately 25% (32 of 128) and 50% (6 of 12) of the infected close contacts were asymptomatic from symptomatic and asymptomatic index cases, respectively, while more than one third (38%) of the infections in the close contacts of symptomatic cases were attributable to exposure to the index cases before symptom onset.

Conclusions

Asymptomatic and presymptomatic transmissions play an important role in spreading infection, although asymptomatic cases pose a lower risk of transmission than symptomatic cases. Early case detection and effective test-and-trace measures are important to reduce transmission.
Treatment and prevention of lipoprotein(a)-mediated cardiovascular disease: the emerging potential of RNA interference therapeutics
Authors: Swerdlow Daniel I , Rider David A , Yavari Arash , Wikström Lindholm Marie , Campion Giles V , Nissen Steven E
Published: March 2021

Lipid- and lipoprotein-modifying therapies have expanded substantially in the last 25 years, resulting in reduction in the incidence of major adverse cardiovascular events. However, no specific lipoprotein(a) [Lp(a)]-targeting therapy has yet been shown to reduce cardiovascular disease risk. Many epidemiological and genetic studies have demonstrated that Lp(a) is an important genetically determined causal risk factor for coronary heart disease, aortic valve disease, stroke, heart failure, and peripheral vascular disease. Accordingly, the need for specific Lp(a)-lowering therapy has become a major public health priority. Approximately 20% of the global population (1.4 billion people) have elevated levels of Lp(a) associated with higher cardiovascular risk, though the threshold for determining ‘high risk’ is debated. Traditional lifestyle approaches to cardiovascular risk reduction are ineffective at lowering Lp(a). To address a lifelong risk factor unmodifiable by non-pharmacological means, Lp(a)-lowering therapy needs to be safe, highly effective, and tolerable for a patient population who will likely require several decades of treatment. N-acetylgalactosamine-conjugated gene silencing therapeutics, such as small interfering RNA (siRNA) and antisense oligonucleotide targeting LPA, are ideally suited for this application, offering a highly tissue- and target transcript-specific approach with the potential for safe and durable Lp(a) lowering with as few as three or four doses per year. In this review, we evaluate the causal role of Lp(a) across the cardiovascular disease spectrum, examine the role of established lipid-modifying therapies in lowering Lp(a), and focus on the anticipated role for siRNA therapeutics in treating and preventing Lp(a)-related disease.
Mitral and tricuspid annuloplasty ring dehiscence: a systematic review with pooled analysis
Authors: Arjomandi Rad Arian , Naruka Vinci , Vardanyan Robert , Viviano Alessandro , Salmasi Mohammad Yousuf , Magouliotis Dimitris , Kendall Simon , Casula Roberto , Athanasiou Thanos
Published: March 2021

OBJECTIVES

Mitral and tricuspid ring annuloplasty dehiscence with consequent recurrent valve regurgitation is a rare but challenging procedural failure. The incidence and predisposing risk factors for annuloplasty ring dehiscence include technical and pathological ones.

METHODS

A systematic database search with pooled analysis was conducted of original articles that only included dehiscence rate of mitral and tricuspid ring in EMBASE, MEDLINE, Cochrane database and Google Scholar, from inception to November 2020. The outcomes included were dehiscence rate in mitral and tricuspid, type of ring implanted, dehiscence rate by pathology and by ring size and shape.

RESULTS

Our search yielded 821 relevant studies. Thirty-three studies met the inclusion criteria with a total of 10 340 patients (6543 mitral, 1414 tricuspid) of which 87 (mitral) and 30 (tricuspid) had dehiscence. Overall, dehiscence rate was 1.43%, diagnosed at a median of 4.5 ± 1.0 months postoperatively. A significant difference in mitral dehiscence rate was found by ring type (semi-rigid 1.86%, rigid 2.32%; flexible 0.43%; P < 0.001). There was no significant difference in rate of dehiscence by ring size (P = 0.067) and shape in mitral (P = 0.281) but there was higher dehiscence rate in ischaemic compared to non-ischaemic mitral regurgitation (3.91% vs 1.63%; P = 0.022). Among tricuspid studies, 9 of 10 studies did not report any dehiscence.

CONCLUSIONS

Although rigid, semi-rigid and flexible annuloplasty rings provide acceptable valve repair outcomes, mitral annuloplasty ring dehiscence is clinically more common among rigid rings. Understanding the multifactorial nature of ring dehiscence will help in identifying the patients at high risk and improve their clinical outcomes.
The Ship of Democracy
Authors: Whitehall Deborah
Published: March 2021

War, exile and democratic crisis organized the world-mind in the early 1940s around the transitive exigences of states. Political in origin, those trials also magnified the pressure points of international legal personality due to the disaggregation of territory, people and legitimate, being democratic, government. France presents the paradigm case worthy of attention for the unexpected recoding of the normative lines of state identity by the cultural internationalism of French scholars in exile. L’École Libre Hautes Etudes (l’ÉLHE) in New York stands out as the representative of a civic and cultural code of state identity framed by the cultural activism of esteemed intellectuals and contingent on ideas or rather, on the ideal of the free state. Their symbolic ship of democracy alerts internationalists to the aleatory meetings between different codes of statehood which disrupt, and might easily progress, the normative rules of state identity during crisis. Three such encounters matter now, anchoring this study about what happens to international law when democracy fails, for the recoding of legal standards by cultural agents of state: of rules of state recognition, of territorial sovereignty and of the meaning of legal internationalism after war.
Provenance and Family Variation in Biomass Potential of Loblolly Pine in the Piedmont of North Carolina
Authors: Maynor Jessica A , Isik Fikret , Walker Trevor D , Whetten Ross W , Heine Austin J , Payn Kitt G , McKeand Steven E
Published: March 2021

Considerable genetic differences in loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) exist for growth, stem form, and wood quality traits that influence biomass/biofuel production. By planting genetically superior trees with desirable biomass/biofuel traits, it is possible to substantially increase the amount of biomass and potential sawtimber trees produced from plantations. Ten of the fastest growing loblolly pine families from two provenances, Atlantic Coastal Plain and Piedmont, were tested for their biomass potential in North Carolina on a Piedmont site. At this northern Piedmont site at age six years, there were no provenance differences for biomass production or for trees with sawtimber potential. Variation in volume and sawtimber potential was significant at the family level. For biomass plantations, risks can be mitigated because of shorter rotation length, allowing for a higher-risk seed lot to capture greater gains in terms of volume. For a longer-rotation sawtimber stand, a more conservative family deployment strategy should be considered to maintain stem quality at the end of the rotation. Understanding the different seed source families and harvest regimes is essential to ensure profitable returns from pine plantations.
Reaction Time Intraindividual Variability Reveals Inhibitory Deficits in Single- and Multiple-Domain Amnestic Mild Cognitive Impairment
Authors: Chow Ricky , Rabi Rahel , Paracha Shahier , Vasquez Brandon P , Hasher Lynn , Alain Claude , Anderson Nicole D
Published: March 2021

Objectives

Amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI), a prodromal stage of Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias, is characterized by episodic memory impairment. Recent evidence has shown inhibitory control deficits in aMCI, but the extent of these deficits across inhibitory domains (i.e., response inhibition and interference control) and aMCI subtypes (i.e., single vs multiple domain) remains unclear. Few studies have included reaction time intraindividual variability (RT IIV) in these efforts. The aim of this study was to compare response inhibition and interference control between aMCI subtypes using measures of accuracy, mean RT, and RT IIV.

Methods

We report data from 34 individuals with single-domain aMCI (sdaMCI, 66–86 years), 20 individuals with multiple-domain aMCI (mdaMCI, 68–88 years), and 52 healthy controls (HC, 64–88 years) who completed tasks of response inhibition (Go–NoGo) and interference control (Flanker). Group differences in accuracy, mean RT, and RT IIV were examined for both tasks.

Results

Individuals with mdaMCI had higher RT IIV than the other groups on both tasks. In RT IIV, we observed an interference control deficit in mdaMCI and sdaMCI relative to healthy controls, a finding not observed through accuracy or mean RT.

Discussion

RT IIV may detect subtle differences in inhibition deficits between aMCI subtypes that may not be evident with conventional behavioral measures. Findings support the supplementary use of RT IIV when assessing early executive function deficits.
Partner Contributions to Goal Pursuit: Findings From Repeated Daily Life Assessments With Older Couples
Authors: Zambrano Elizabeth , Pauly Theresa , Gerstorf Denis , Ashe Maureen C , Madden Kenneth M , Hoppmann Christiane A
Published: March 2021

Objectives

This study focuses on the role of spouses for facilitating goal progress during a phase in life when individual resources for goal pursuit are particularly limited. Specifically, we examined the moderating role of relationship characteristics in old age for time-varying partner involvement–goal progress associations as couples engaged in their everyday lives. We also assessed time-varying associations between everyday goal progress, effectiveness of partner contributions, and spousal satisfaction with this contribution.

Methods

We used multilevel modeling to analyze data from 118 couples (Mage = 70 years, SD = 5.9; 60–87 years, 50% women; 57% White). Both partners reported their personal goals and provided information on relationship satisfaction, conflict, and support. They also provided simultaneous ratings of everyday goal progress, effort, partner involvement as well as effectiveness of and satisfaction with partner contribution up to three times daily over 7 days.

Results

In line with expectations, higher relationship satisfaction and support and lower conflict were associated with higher goal progress when the partner was involved in goal pursuit. Both effectiveness of and satisfaction with partner contributions were positively associated with everyday goal progress.

Discussion

Whether partner involvement is beneficial for goal progress depends on characteristics of the relationship as well as what partners actually do in everyday life. This highlights the importance of considering both stable person characteristics as well as time-varying processes to capture the complexity of goal pursuit in older couples.
Bayesian inversion using nested trans-dimensional Gaussian processes
Authors: Ray Anandaroop
Published: March 2021

To understand earth processes, geoscientists infer subsurface earth properties such as electromagnetic resistivity or seismic velocity from surface observations of electromagnetic or seismic data. These properties are used to populate an earth model vector, and the spatial variation of properties across this vector sheds light on the underlying earth structure or physical phenomenon of interest, from groundwater aquifers to plate tectonics. However, to infer these properties the spatial characteristics of these properties need to be known in advance. Typically, assumptions are made about the length scales of earth properties, which are encoded a priori in a Bayesian probabilistic setting. In an optimization setting, appeals are made to promote model simplicity together with constraints which keep models close to a preferred model. All of these approaches are valid, though they can lead to unintended features in the resulting inferred geophysical models owing to inappropriate prior assumptions, constraints or even the nature of the solution basis functions. In this work it will be shown that in order to make accurate inferences about earth properties, inferences can first be made about the underlying length scales of these properties in a very general solution basis. From a mathematical point of view, these spatial characteristics of earth properties can be conveniently thought of as ‘properties’ of the earth properties. Thus, the same machinery used to infer earth properties can be used to infer their length scales. This can be thought of as an ‘infer to infer’ paradigm analogous to the ‘learning to learn’ paradigm which is now commonplace in the machine learning literature. However, it must be noted that (geophysical) inference is not the same as (machine) learning, though there are many common elements which allow for cross-pollination of useful ideas from one field to the other, as is shown here. A non-stationary trans-dimensional Gaussian Process (TDGP) is used to parametrize earth properties, and a multichannel stationary TDGP is used to parametrize the length scales associated with the earth property in question. Using non-stationary kernels, that is kernels with spatially variable length scales, models with sharp discontinuities can be represented within this framework. As GPs are multidimensional interpolators, the same theory and computer code can be used to solve geophysical problems in 1-D, 2-D and 3-D. This is demonstrated through a combination of 1-D and 2-D non-linear regression examples and a controlled source electromagnetic field example. The key difference between this and previous work using TDGP is generalized nested inference and the marginalization of prior length scales for better posterior subsurface property characterization.
Crustal seismic structure and anisotropy of Madagascar and southeastern Africa using receiver function harmonics: interplay of inherited local heterogeneities and current regional stress
Authors: Tsang-Hin-Sun E , Evain M , Julia J , Lamarque G , Schnurle P
Published: March 2021

This study investigates the seismic structure and anisotropy in the crust beneath Madagascar and southeastern Africa, using receiver functions. The understanding of seismic anisotropy is essential for imaging past and present deformation in the lithosphere–asthenosphere system. In the upper mantle, seismic anisotropy mainly results from the orientation of olivine, which deforms under tectonic (fossil anisotropy) or flow processes (in the asthenosphere). In the crust, the crystallographic alignment of amphiboles, feldspars (plagioclase) or micas or the alignment of heterogeneities such as fractures, add to a complex geometry, which results in challenges to understanding the Earth's shallow structure. The decomposition of receiver functions into backazimuth harmonics allows to characterize orientations of lithospheric structure responsible for azimuthally varying seismic signals, such as a dipping isotropic velocity contrasts or layers of azimuthal seismic anisotropy. By analysing receiver function harmonics from records of 48 permanent or temporary stations this study reveals significant azimuthally varying signals within the upper crust of Madagascar and southeastern Africa. At 30 stations crustal anisotropy dominates the harmonics while the signature of a dipping isotropic contrast is dominant at the remaining 18 stations. However, all stations’ backazimuth harmonics show complex signals involving both dipping isotropic and shallow anisotropic contrasts or more than one source of anisotropy at shallow depth. Our calculated orientations for the crust are therefore interpreted as reflecting either the average or the interplay of several sources of azimuthally varying signals depending of their strength. However, comparing information between stations allows us to draw the same conclusions regionally: in both southern Africa and Madagascar our measurements reflect the interplay between local, inherited structural heterogeneities and crustal seismic anisotropy generated by the current extensional stress field imposed by the southward propagation of the East-African Rift System. A final comparison of our crustal orientations with SKS orientations attributed to mantle deformation further probes the interplay of crustal and mantle anisotropy on SKS measurements.
The Holocaust and the Shadow Text of Anna and the Swallow Man
Authors: Smith Philip
Published: March 2021

This contribution addresses the challenges that face any attempt to render the Holocaust knowable through fiction, for children in particular: namely the need to balance truth with propriety, while giving form to an event that eludes depiction. Analyzing Gavriel Savit’s novel Anna and the Swallow Man, it argues that the text contains deliberate gaps and ambiguities. All of these gaps, to borrow Perry Nodelman’s term, suggest a “shadow text”—a version of the story unavailable to a younger reader, but hinted at throughout. This shadow text should prompt the child reader to approach an adult to learn more about the Second World War. Yet as Anna approaches her own more adult understanding, Savit reveals that the reality beyond the text remains essentially beyond articulation.
Modern Relics: The Sanctification of A-Bomb Objects in the Hiroshima Museum
Authors: Zwigenberg Ran
Published: March 2021

In April 2017, a group of mannequins was removed during renovation of the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum. The new exhibit instead focuses on objects left by the dead (ihin) as well as survivor testimonies, representing the latest change in a seventy-year controversy regarding museal representations of the devastation wrought by the atomic bomb. Controversies paralleled debates over Holocaust memorialization and the treatment of objects left by victims. The following examines the history of A-bomb objects in the Hiroshima museum, most importantly, the way relics have been discussed, exhibited, and debated. This evolution has elevated relics to the status of sacred objects, central to commemoration and memorialization.
Fredy Hirsch: Changing Perspectives on his Memory
Authors: Aharony Michal
Published: March 2021

At the Theresienstadt family camp in Auschwitz thousands of Jews were kept alive in “favorable” living conditions, only to be gassed after six months. Few scholars have examined one of the most influential figures there, Fredy Hirsch, a gay German-Jewish refugee to Czechoslovakia who initiated and managed the “children’s block.” Hundreds under his care received better food and were spared the brutality prevailing elsewhere in Auschwitz, brightening their final months. How he sacrificed his life for the children offers a particular window into the annihilation of Czech Jewry. The following analyzes changing images of Hirsch in literature and commemoration, the uncertainty surrounding his death, and the meaning survivors ascribed to Hirsch’s homosexuality.
Evaluation of Antimicrobial Susceptibility Profile inSalmonellaTyphi andSalmonellaParatyphi A: Presenting the Current Scenario in India and Strategy for Future Management
Authors: Veeraraghavan Balaji , Pragasam Agila K , Ray Pallab , Kapil Arti , Nagaraj Savitha , Perumal Sulochana Putli Bai , Saigal Karnika , Thomas Maria , Gupta Madhu , Rongsen-Chandola Temsunaro , Jinka Dasaratha Ramaiah , Shastri Jayanthi , Alexander Anna P , Koshy Roshine Mary , De Anuradha , Singh Ashita , Evelyn Ebenezer Sheena , Dutta Shanta , Bavdekar Ashish , More Deepak , Sanghavi Sonali , Nayakanti Raghuprakash Reddy , Jacob Jobin J , Amladi Anushree , Anandan Shalini , Abirami Baby S , Bakthavatchalam Yamuna D , Sethuvel Dhiviya P M , John Jacob , Kang Gagandeep
Published: March 2021

Background

Systematic studies to estimate the disease burden of typhoid and paratyphoid in India are limited. Therefore, a multicenter study on the Surveillance of Enteric Fever in India was carried out to estimate the incidence, clinical presentation, and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) trend. The data presented here represent the national burden of AMR in Salmonella Typhi and Salmonella Paratyphi A.

Methods

Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was performed for S. Typhi and S. Paratyphi A (n = 2373) isolates collected prospectively during a 2-year period from November 2017 to January 2020.

Results

Of 2373 Salmonella isolates, 2032 (85.6%) were identified as S. Typhi and 341 (14.4%) were S. Paratyphi A. Approximately 2% of S. Typhi were multidrug-resistant (MDR), whereas all 341 (100%) of S. Paratyphi A isolates were sensitive to the first-line antimicrobials. Among 98% of ciprofloxacin nonsusceptible isolates, resistance (minimum inhibitory concentration [MIC] >0.5 µg/mL) was higher in S. Typhi (37%) compared with S. Paratyphi A (20%). Azithromycin susceptibility was 99.9% and 100% with a mean MIC of 4.98 μg/mL for S. Typhi and 7.39 μg/mL for S. Paratyphi A respectively. Ceftriaxone was the only agent that retained 100% susceptibility. Moreover, beta-lactam/beta-lactamase inhibitors showed potent in vitro activity against the study isolates.

Conclusions

Data obtained from this systematic surveillance study confirms the declining trend of MDR Salmonella isolates from India. The higher prevalence of ciprofloxacin nonsusceptibility enforces to limit its use and adhere to the judicious usage of azithromycin and ceftriaxone for enteric fever management.
Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 ACE2 and TMPRSS2 Receptor Protein Expression Patterns Throughout Gestation
Authors: Roberts Drucilla J , Bebell Lisa M , Edlow Andrea G
Published: March 2021

We previously demonstrated that the late gestation placental expression pattern of ACE2 (the primary severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 [SARS-CoV-2] receptor) is localized to the villous syncytiotrophoblast (ST), usually in a polarized membranous pattern at the ST base sparing the apical surface (that directly exposed to maternal blood). We found that the late gestation placental expression pattern of TMPRSS2 (the spike proteinase required for SARS-CoV-2 cellular infection), is usually absent in the trophoblast but is rarely, weakly expressed in the placental endothelium. We now show the developmental protein expression patterns of ACE2 and TMPRSS2 by immunohistochemistry throughout gestation, from the first through third trimester. We found that TMPRSS2 expression was rarely detectable in villous endothelium and very rarely detectable in the ST across gestation. We found that ACE2 expression varied during gestation with circumferential ST expression more common in early gestations and polarized expression more common in later gestation. Although this study is small, these preliminary results suggest that earlier gestation pregnancies may be more vulnerable to infection than later gestation pregnancies.
Excessive Matrix Metalloproteinase-1 and Hyperactivation of Endothelial Cells Occurred in COVID-19 Patients and Were Associated With the Severity of COVID-19
Authors: Syed Fahim , Li Wei , Relich Ryan F , Russell Patrick M , Zhang Shanxiang , Zimmerman Michelle K , Yu Qigui
Published: March 2021

Background

Systemic vascular injury occurs in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients; however, the underlying mechanisms remain unknown.

Methods

To clarify the role of inflammatory factors in COVID-19 vascular injury, we used a multiplex immunoassay to profile 65 inflammatory cytokines/chemokines/growth factors in plasma samples from 24 hospitalized (severe/critical) COVID-19 patients, 14 mild/moderate cases, and 13 healthy controls (HCs).

Results

COVID-19 patients had significantly higher plasma levels of 20 analytes than HCs. Surprisingly, only 1 cytokine, macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF), was among these altered analytes, while the rest were chemokines/growth factors. Additionally, only matrix metalloproteinase-1 (MMP-1) and vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGF-A) were significantly elevated in hospitalized COVID-19 patients when compared to mild/moderate cases. We further studied MMP-1 enzymatic activity and multiple endothelial cell (EC) activation markers (soluble forms of CD146, intercellular adhesion molecule 1 [ICAM-1], and vascular cell adhesion molecule 1 [VCAM-1]) and found that they were highly dysregulated in COVID-19 patients.

Conclusions

COVID-19 patients have a unique inflammatory profile, and excessive MMP-1 and hyperactivation of ECs are associated with the severity of COVID-19.
A ‘COVID Compass’ for navigating the pandemic
Authors: Oliver Brant J , Schmidt Peter , Tomlin Stephanie , Kraft Sally A , Fisher Elliott , Nelson Eugene C
Published: March 2021

Introduction

The greatest challenge confronting political, public health, business, education and social welfare leaders in the COVID pandemic era is to restore the economy, businesses and schools without further risking public health. The ‘COVID Compass’ project aims to provide helpful information to guide local decisions by tracking state and local policies over time and their impact on a balanced set of outcomes—health metrics, economic trends and social hardship indicators.

Methods

We selected a parsimonious set of ‘local level’ health, economic and hardship outcomes and linked them to ‘local level’ actions aimed to decrease COVID-19 health effects and to mitigate hardship for people, businesses and the economy. Data trends will be released frequently (e.g. weekly and monthly) to show changes in health economic and social hardship ‘outcomes’ (based on quantitative data), alongside policy, health care, public health and individual/social ‘actions’ (based on both qualitative and quantitative data).

Results

Work on initial analytic and visualization prototypes of the COVID Compass is currently in progress at national, state and local levels.

Conclusion

Building a national, regional and local integrated database platform that captures upstream policies, actions and behaviors and links them to downstream health, economic and social hardship outcomes will offer a more comprehensive view of the data necessary for decision-makers and citizens to more effectively and intelligently monitor and mitigate harms caused by the pandemic.
The WTO Agreement on Subsidies and Countervailing Measures and Unilateralism of Special Economic Zones
Authors: Shadikhodjaev Sherzod
Published: March 2021

Many governmental incentives unilaterally offered in special economic zones affect competition in international markets and thus fall within the scope of the World Trade Organization’s Agreement on Subsidies and Countervailing Measures. Until very recently, products made in such zones could face countervailing duty investigations abroad on a charge of improper subsidization. In 2019, the World Trade Organization issued its first ruling focusing on the legality of certain special economic zone subsidies. In particular, the panel in India—Export Related Measures found fiscal preferences under an Indian scheme to be prohibited export subsidies. This article examines the status of special economic zone incentives under the multilateral subsidy regime, discusses the relevant anti-subsidy practice, and identifies ‘risky’ and ‘safe’ types of support measures that constitute unilateralism of zones in promoting economic activities.
Addressing Complementary and Alternative Medicine Use Among Individuals With Cancer: An Integrative Review and Clinical Practice Guideline
Authors: Balneaves Lynda G , Watling Cody Z , Hayward Emilie N , Ross Brenda , Taylor-Brown Jill , Porcino Antony , Truant Tracy L O
Published: March 2021

Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) use is common among individuals with cancer, but many choose not to discuss CAM with health-care providers (HCPs). Moreover, there is variability in the provision of evidence-informed decision making about CAM use. A clinical practice guideline was developed to standardize how oncology HCPs address CAM use as well as to inform how individuals with cancer can be supported in making evidence-informed decisions about CAM. An integrative review of the literature, from inception to December 31, 2018, was conducted in MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsychINFO, CINAHL, and AMED databases. Eligible articles included oncology HCPs’ practice related to discussing, assessing, documenting, providing decision support, or offering information about CAM. Two authors independently searched the literature, and selected articles were summarized. Recommendations for clinical practice were formulated from the appraised evidence and clinical experiences of the research team. An expert panel reviewed the guideline for usability and appropriateness and recommendations were finalized. The majority of the 30 studies eligible for inclusion were either observational or qualitative, with only 3 being reviews and 3 being experimental. From the literature, 7 practice recommendations were formulated for oncology HCPs regarding how to address CAM use by individuals with cancer, including communicating, assessing, educating, decision coaching, documenting, active monitoring, and adverse event reporting. It is imperative for safe and comprehensive care that oncology HCPs address CAM use as part of standard practice. This clinical practice guideline offers directions on how to support evidence-informed decision making about CAM among individuals with cancer.
An unusual presentation of acute abdomen: infarcted peritoneal cyst-a probable asbestos-related benign cystic mesothelioma
Authors: Muralidhar Venkiteswaran
Published: March 2021

This is a report of a rare case of an infarcted pelvic intra-abdominal cyst, having no mesenteric connection presenting as an acute abdomen. The patient had significant asbestos exposure. The cyst was treated successfully by surgical excision. Histopathology showed an infarcted cyst; the lining was destroyed, precluding marker studies. A diagnosis of benign cystic peritoneal mesothelioma (BCPM) was made by excluding other causes of solitary pelvic intra-abdominal cysts. BCPM has been classified as an asbestos-related neoplasm and is usually seen in the pelvis adjunct to the urinary bladder. One-year post-surgery, there was no recurrence. The case report shows that infarcted pelvic mesothelial cysts can present as an acute abdomen and can be treated successfully by total excision with no recurrence.
Laparoscopic trans-cystic common bile duct exploration and treatment of choledocholithiasis in a patient with Roux-en-Y reconstruction after gastrectomy: report of an emergency case
Authors: Giacometti Marco , Battafarano Francesco , Geraci Orazio , Zonta Sandro
Published: March 2021

We present the case of choledocholithiasis with purulent cholangitis treated with laparoscopic approach in a patient with Roux-en-Y reconstruction after total gastrectomy. After cholangiography, the common bile duct was explored with trans-cystic choledochoscopy and the retained stone extracted under direct vision.
Mutation in Arabidopsis β-cyanoalanine synthase overcomes NADPH oxidase action in response to pathogens
Authors: Arenas-Alfonseca Lucía , Gotor Cecilia , Romero Luis C , García Irene
Published: March 2021

Plant responses to pathogens comprise a complex process, implying a plethora of signals and reactions. Among them, endogenous production of hydrogen cyanide (HCN) has been shown to induce resistance in Arabidopsis to the hemibiotrophic bacterium Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato (Pst) DC3000. β-cyanoalanine synthase (CAS-C1) is responsible for the detoxification of HCN in Arabidopsis mitochondria. Here, we show that green fluorescent protein-tagged CAS-C1 is transiently reduced in leaves infected with an avirulent strain of Pst during early interactions and increased in leaves infected with a virulent strain of Pst, supporting previous transcriptional data. Genetic crosses show that mutation in CAS-C1 in Arabidopsis resembles the action of the NADPH oxidase RbohD independently of reactive oxygen species production and that the accumulation of salicylic acid is required for HCN-stimulated resistance to Pst. Finally, we show that the cas-c1 mutation acts on the salicylic acid-dependent response to pathogens by mechanisms other than protein ubiquitination or the increase of monomerization and entry to the nucleus of NPR1, the central regulator of the salicylic acid-mediated response. Considering these results, we propose new mechanisms for modulation of the immune response by HCN.
Interleukin-6 and Serum/Fecal Calprotectin as Useful Specific Markers for Monitoring Rheumatic Diseases: A Pilot Study
Authors: Scapaticci Margherita , Bartolini Andrea , Biscaro Marta , Biscaro Renzo , Da Rin Giorgio
Published: March 2021

Objective

Some conventional laboratory tests are routinely used for the prediction of systemic autoimmune disease activity, such as the erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) and C-reactive protein (CRP); however, they can give false-negative results, pointing out the need to identify more specific markers.

Methods

We evaluated biomarkers in 21 Italian patients naïve to treatment with a diagnosis of autoimmune rheumatic disease according to the 2010 American College of Rheumatology/European League Against Rheumatism Classification Criteria for Rheumatoid Arthritis during 6 months of therapeutic treatments.

Results

We found a significant difference in interleukin-6 (IL-6), CRP, ESR, platelet count, and fecal calprotectin in diagnosed patients compared with healthy participants and a significant decrease in these values during follow-up, except for IL-6 and platelet count.

Conclusion

We found that CRP, ESR, and fecal calprotectin seemed to be related to autoimmune rheumatic disorders and to be associated with therapy, whereas serum calprotectin and IL-6 did not seem to be associated with disease improvement after the start of treatment, along with leukocyte count and platelet count.