bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Impact of Christianity and Ancestral Beliefs on Black South Africans’ Decision-Making Regarding the Adoption of Abandoned Children
Authors: Gerrand P , Nkomo T
Published: September 2020

Annually, hundreds of African infants are abandoned in South Africa and become adoptable because rigorous efforts to trace their parents and family members are unsuccessful. Although domestic adoption is prioritised in terms of legislation, policy and practice, most abandoned children’s right to be permanently raised in a loving family is not being realised. The most promising source of potential adopters is black South Africans, but the number of black adopters is ever declining. To investigate factors affecting black South African’s decision-making regarding the legal adoption of abandoned children, a post-graduate study was undertaken. Thirty-nine black adults participated in the study consisting of adopters, adoption applicants in the screening process, potential adopters that did not enter the screening process, adoption of social workers and citizens. The theory emerging derived from concurrent data gathering and analysis as set out by Corbin and Strauss is: ‘Tensions surrounding adoption policy and practice, and perceptions and experiences of adoption’. This article focuses on a main category of this grounded theory; that African ancestral beliefs and modern Christian beliefs can both reinforce and discourage adoption abandoned children.
Thrombotic microangiopathies assessment: mind the complement
Authors: Blasco Miquel , Guillén Elena , Quintana Luis F , Garcia-Herrera Adriana , Piñeiro Gastón , Poch Esteban , Carreras Enric , Campistol Josep M , Diaz-Ricart Maribel , Palomo Marta
Published: September 2020

When faced with microangiopathic haemolytic anaemia, thrombocytopenia and organ dysfunction, clinicians should suspect thrombotic microangiopathy (TMA). The endothelial damage that leads to this histological lesion can be triggered by several conditions or diseases, hindering an early diagnosis and aetiological treatment. However, due to systemic involvement in TMA and its low incidence, an accurate early diagnosis is often troublesome. In the last few decades, major improvements have been made in the pathophysiological knowledge of TMAs such as thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura [TTP, caused by ADAMTS-13 (a disintegrin and metalloproteinase with a thrombospondin Type 1 motif, member 13) deficiency] and atypical haemolytic uraemic syndrome (aHUS, associated with dysregulation of the alternative complement pathway), together with enhancements in patient management due to new diagnostic tools and treatments. However, diagnosis of aHUS requires the exclusion of all the other entities that can cause TMA, delaying the introduction of terminal complement blockers, which have shown high efficacy in haemolysis control and especially in avoiding organ damage if used early. Importantly, there is increasing evidence that other forms of TMA could present overactivation of the complement system, worsening their clinical progression. This review addresses the diagnostic and therapeutic approach when there is clinical suspicion of TMA, emphasizing complement evaluation as a potential tool for the inclusive diagnosis of aHUS, as well as for the improvement of current knowledge of its pathophysiological involvement in other TMAs. The development of both new complement activation biomarkers and inhibitory treatments will probably improve the management of TMA patients in the near future, reducing response times and improving patient outcomes.
Complement and protection from tissue injury in COVID-19
Authors: Ortiz Alberto
Published: September 2020

As the second wave of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is well under way around the world, the optimal therapeutic approach that addresses virus replication and hyperinflammation leading to tissue injury remains elusive. This issue of Clinical Kidney Journal provides further evidence of complement activation involvement in COVID-19. Taking advantage of the unique repeat access to chronic haemodialysis patients, the differential time course of C3 and C5 activation in relation to inflammation and severity of disease have been characterized. This further points to complement as a therapeutic target. Indeed, clinical trials targeting diverse components of complement are ongoing. However, a unique case of COVID-19 in a patient with pre-existent atypical haemolytic syndrome on chronic eculizumab therapy suggests that even early eculizumab may fail to prevent disease progression to a severe stage. Finally, preclinical studies in endotoxaemia, another hyperinflammation syndrome characterized by lung and kidney injury, suggest that cilastatin, an inexpensive drug already in clinical use, may provide tissue protection against hyperinflammation in COVID-19.
A manipulative thermal challenge protocol for adult salmonids in remote field settings
Authors: Donnelly Daniel S , von Biela Vanessa R , McCormick Stephen D , Laske Sarah M , Carey Michael P , Waters Shannon , Bowen Lizabeth , Brown Randy J , Larson Sean , Zimmerman Christian E
Published: September 2020

Manipulative experiments provide stronger evidence for identifying cause-and-effect relationships than correlative studies, but protocols for implementing temperature manipulations are lacking for large species in remote settings. We developed an experimental protocol for holding adult Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) and exposing them to elevated temperature treatments. The goal of the experimental protocol was to validate heat stress biomarkers by increasing river water temperature from ambient (~14°C) to a treatment temperature of 18°C or 21°C and then maintain the treatment temperature over 4 hours within a range of ±1.0°C. Our protocol resulted in a mean rate of temperature rise of 3.71°C h-1 (SD = 1.31) to treatment temperatures and mean holding temperatures of 18.0°C (SD = 0.2) and 21.0°C (SD = 0.2) in the low- and high-heat treatments, respectively. Our work demonstrated that manipulative experiments with large, mobile study species can be successfully developed in remote locations to examine thermal stress.
Continuous growth through winter correlates with increased resting metabolic rate but does not affect daily energy budgets due to torpor use
Authors: Boratyński Jan S , Iwińska Karolina , Szafrańska Paulina A , Chibowski Piotr , Bogdanowicz Wiesław
Published: September 2020

Small mammals that are specialists in homeothermic thermoregulation reduce their self-maintenance costs of normothermy to survive the winter. By contrast, heterothermic ones that are considered generalists in thermoregulation can lower energy expenditure by entering torpor. It is well known that different species vary the use of their strategies to cope with harsh winters in temperate zones; however, little is still known about the intraspecific variation within populations and the associated external and internal factors. We hypothesized that yellow-necked mice Apodemus flavicollis decrease their resting metabolic rate (RMR) from autumn to winter, and then increase it during spring. However, since the alternative for seasonal reduction of RMR could be the development of heterothermy, we also considered the use of this strategy. We measured body mass (mb), RMR, and body temperature (Tb) of mice during 2 consecutive years. In the 1st year, mice decreased whole animal RMR in winter, but did not do so in the 2nd year. All mice entered torpor during the 2nd winter, whereas only a few did so during the first one. Mice showed a continuous increase of mb, which was steepest during the 2nd year. The relationship between RMR and mb varied among seasons and years most likely due to different mouse development stages. The mb gain at the individual level was correlated positively with RMR and heterothermy. This indicates that high metabolism in winter supports the growth of smaller animals, which use torpor as a compensatory mechanism. Isotope composition of mice hair suggests that in the 1st year they fed mainly on seeds, while in the 2nd, they likely consumed significant amounts of less digestible herbs. The study suggests that the use of specialist or generalist thermoregulatory strategies can differ with environmental variation and associated differences in developmental processes.
Do key innovations unlock diversification? A case-study on the morphological and ecological impact of pharyngognathy in acanthomorph fishes
Authors: Larouche Olivier , Hodge Jennifer R , Alencar Laura R V , Camper Benjamin , Adams Danielle S , Zapfe Katerina , Friedman Sarah T , Wainwright Peter C , Price Samantha A
Published: September 2020

Key innovations may allow lineages access to new resources and facilitate the invasion of new adaptive zones, potentially influencing diversification patterns. Many studies have focused on the impact of key innovations on speciation rates, but far less is known about how they influence phenotypic rates and patterns of ecomorphological diversification. We use the repeated evolution of pharyngognathy within acanthomorph fishes, a commonly cited key innovation, as a case study to explore the predictions of key innovation theory. Specifically, we investigate whether transitions to pharyngognathy led to shifts in the rate of phenotypic evolution, as well as shifts and/or expansion in the occupation of morphological and dietary space, using a dataset of 8 morphological traits measured across 3,853 species of Acanthomorpha. Analyzing the 6 evolutionarily independent pharyngognathous clades together, we found no evidence to support pharyngognathy as a key innovation; however, comparisons between individual pharyngognathous lineages and their sister clades did reveal some consistent patterns. In morphospace, most pharyngognathous clades cluster in areas that correspond to deeper-bodied morphologies relative to their sister clades, while occupying greater areas in dietary space that reflects a more diversified diet. Additionally, both Cichlidae and Labridae exhibited higher univariate rates of phenotypic evolution compared with their closest relatives. However, few of these results were exceptional relative to our null models. Our results suggest that transitions to pharyngognathy may only be advantageous when combined with additional ecological or intrinsic factors, illustrating the importance of accounting for lineage-specific effects when testing key innovation hypotheses. Moreover, the challenges we experienced formulating informative comparisons, despite the ideal evolutionary scenario of multiple independent evolutionary origins of pharyngognathous clades, illustrates the complexities involved in quantifying the impact of key innovations. Given the issues of lineage specific effects and rate heterogeneity at macroevolutionary scales we observed, we suggest a reassessment of the expected impacts of key innovations may be warranted.
Whole genome sequencing identifies allelic ratio distortion in sperm involving genes related to spermatogenesis in a swine model
Authors: Gòdia Marta , Casellas Joaquim , Ruiz-Herrera Aurora , Rodríguez-Gil Joan E , Castelló Anna , Sánchez Armand , Clop Alex
Published: September 2020

Transmission Ratio Distortion (TRD), the uneven transmission of an allele from a parent to its offspring, can be caused by allelic differences affecting gametogenesis, fertilization or embryogenesis. However, TRD remains vaguely studied at a genomic scale. We sequenced the diploid and haploid genomes of three boars from leukocytes and spermatozoa at 50x to shed light into the genetic basis of spermatogenesis-caused Allelic Ratio Distortion (ARD). We first developed a Binomial model to identify ARD by simultaneously analysing all three males. This led to the identification of 55 ARD SNPs, most of which were animal-specific. We then evaluated ARD individually within each pig by a Fisher’s exact test and identified two shared genes (TOP3A and UNC5B) and four shared genomic regions harbouring distinct ARD SNPs in the three boars. The shared genomic regions contained candidate genes with functions related to spermatogenesis including AK7, ARID4B, BDKRB2, GSK3B, NID1, NSMCE1, PALB2, VRK1 and ZC3H13. Using the Fisher’s test, we also identified 378 genes containing variants with protein damaging potential in at least one boar, a high proportion of which, including FAM120B, TDRD15, JAM2 or AOX4 among others, are associated to spermatogenesis. Overall, our results show that sperm is subjected to ARD with variants associated to a wide variety of genes involved in different stages of spermatogenesis.
Accuracy of Achalasia Quality of Life and Eckardt scores for assessment of clinical improvement post treatment for achalasia
Authors: Slone Samuel , Kumar Ambuj , Jacobs John , Velanovich Vic , Richter Joel E
Published: September 2020

Achalasia Quality of Life (ASQ) and Eckardt scores are two patient-reported instruments widely used to assess symptom severity in achalasia patients. ASQ is validated and reliable. Although Eckardt is commonly used, it has not been rigorously assessed for validity or reliability. This study aims to evaluate (i) the accuracy of Eckardt and ASQ for assessing improvement post-treatment (predictive validity), (ii) accuracy of Eckardt and ASQ for assessing improvement post-treatment with pneumatic dilatation (PD) versus surgical myotomy (predictive validity), and (iii) convergent validity of Eckardt and ASQ tools. Patients with achalasia treated between 2011 and 2018 were eligible. Both instruments were administered by telephone. Treatment failure was determined by the review of medical records by two clinicians. The predictive ability of ASQ and Eckardt instruments in identifying treatment successes and failures was determined using receiver operating characteristics analysis and summarized as area under the curve (AUC). A total of 106 patients met inclusion criteria with 39 PD, 51 Heller myotomy, and 16 per-oral endoscopic myotomy. A review of medical records and esophageal testing revealed 13 failures (12%). AUC for Eckardt was 0.96 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.87–0.99] and ASQ 0.97 (95% CI 0.92–0.99). The Eckardt cutoff 4, and ASQ, cutoff 15, were 94% and 87% accurate in identifying treatment successes versus failures, respectively. The correlation coefficient between the two tools was 0.85. In conclusions, (i) ASQ and Eckardt scores are valid and reliable tools to assess symptom severity in achalasia patients, (ii) both instruments accurately classify treatment successes versus failures, and (iii) the choice of tool should be informed by the physicians and patients’ values and preferences and repeat physiologic testing may be reserved for treatment failures with either instrument and patients classified, as treatment successes may be spared routine physiologic testing in the long term.
The Colour of a Free Ride
Authors: Mujcic Redzo , Frijters Paul
Published: September 2020

We use a natural field experiment to estimate the causal effect of race on discretionary favours in the marketplace. Test customers are randomly assigned to board public buses with no money to purchase a fare, leaving the bus driver to voluntarily decide whether to offer them a free ride. Based on 1,552 transactions, we uncover strong evidence of racial bias: bus drivers were twice as willing to let white testers ride free as black testers (72% vs. 36% of the time). Signals of wealth and patriotism improve minority testers’ outcomes. Our results show that white privilege extends to unregulated daily interactions.
Global Earnings Inequality, 1970–2018
Authors: Hammar Olle , Waldenström Daniel
Published: September 2020

We estimate trends in global earnings dispersion across occupational groups by constructing a new database that covers 68 developed and developing countries between 1970 and 2018. Our main finding is that global earnings inequality has fallen, primarily during the 2000s and 2010s, when the global Gini coefficient dropped by 15 points and the earnings share of the world's poorest half doubled. Decomposition analyses show earnings convergence between countries and within occupations, while within-country earnings inequality has increased. Moreover, the falling global inequality trend was driven mainly by real wage growth, rather than changes in hours worked, taxes or occupational employment.
A systematic strategy using a reconstructed genome-scale metabolic network for pathogenStreptococcuspneumoniaeD39 to find novel potential drug targets
Authors: Pedram Narges , Rashedi Hamid , Motamedian Ehsan
Published: September 2020

Streptococcus pneumoniae is a Gram-positive bacterium that is one of the major causes of various infections such as pneumonia, meningitis, otitis media and endocarditis. Since antibiotic resistance of S. pneumoniae is pointed out as a challenge in the treatment of these infections, more studies are required to focus on disease prevention. In this research, a first manually curated genome-scale metabolic network of the pathogen S. pneumoniae D39 was reconstructed based on its genome annotation data, and biochemical knowledge from literature and databases. The model was validated by amino acid auxotrophies, gene essentiality analysis, and different carbohydrate sources. Then, a two-stage strategy was developed to find target genes for growth reduction of the pathogen and their importance in the various infection sites. In the first stage, growth-associated genes were identified by integration of transcriptomic data with the model and in the second stage, the importance of each gene in the metabolism for growth was evaluated using principal component analysis. The reports presented in the literature confirm the effect of some found genes on the growth of S. pneumoniae.
Transcriptomic biomarkers for predicting response to neoadjuvant treatment in oesophageal cancer
Authors: Lavery Anita , Turkington Richard C
Published: September 2020

Oesophageal cancer is a devastating disease with poor outcomes and is the sixth leading cause of cancer death worldwide. In the setting of resectable disease, there is clear evidence that neoadjuvant chemotherapy and chemoradiotherapy result in improved survival. Disappointingly, only 15%–30% of patients obtain a histopathological response to neoadjuvant therapy, often at the expense of significant toxicity. There are no predictive biomarkers in routine clinical use in this setting and the ability to stratify patients for treatment could dramatically improve outcomes. In this review, we aim to outline current progress in evaluating predictive transcriptomic biomarkers for neoadjuvant therapy in oesophageal cancer and discuss the challenges facing biomarker development in this setting. We place these issues in the wider context of recommendations for biomarker development and reporting. The majority of studies focus on messenger RNA (mRNA) and microRNA (miRNA) biomarkers. These studies report a range of different genes involved in a wide variety of pathways and biological processes, and this is explained to a large extent by the different platforms and analysis methods used. Many studies are also vastly underpowered so are not suitable for identifying a candidate biomarker. Multiple molecular subtypes of oesophageal cancer have been proposed, although little is known about how these relate to clinical outcomes. We anticipate that the accumulating wealth of genomic and transcriptomic data and clinical trial collaborations in the coming years will provide unique opportunities to stratify patients in this poor-prognosis disease and recommend that future biomarker development incorporates well-designed retrospective and prospective analyses.
Frailty Is Associated With Neutrophil Dysfunction Which Is Correctable With Phosphoinositol-3-Kinase Inhibitors
Authors: Wilson Daisy , Drew William , Jasper Alice , Crisford Helena , Nightingale Peter , Newby Paul , Jackson Thomas , Lord Janet M , Sapey Elizabeth
Published: September 2020

Neutrophil dysfunction has been described with age, appears exaggerated in infection, with altered phosphoinositol signaling a potential mechanism. However, functional aging is heterogeneous. Frailty is a negative health status and is more common in older adults. We hypothesized that neutrophil migration may be compromised in frailty, associated with the degree of frailty experienced by the older person. We compared measures of frailty, neutrophil function, and systemic inflammation in 40 young and 77 older community-dwelling adults in the United Kingdom. Systemic neutrophils exhibited an age-associated reduction in the accuracy of migration (chemotaxis) which was further blunted with frailty. The degree of migratory inaccuracy correlated with physical (adjusted hand grip strength) and cognitive (Stroop test) markers of frailty. Regression analysis demonstrated that age, Charlson comorbidity index, and frailty index were able to predict neutrophil chemotaxis. Reduced chemotaxis of neutrophils from frail adults could be reversed using selective PI3K inhibitors. Exposure of neutrophils from young adults to plasma from chronically inflamed frail older adults could not recapitulate the migratory deficit in vitro, and there were no relationships with systemic inflammation and neutrophil dysfunction. Frailty exaggerated the neutrophil deficits seen with advanced age but aspects of the frailty-associated deficit in neutrophil function are rescuable and thus potentially form a therapeutic target to improve outcomes from infection in older adults.
Normative Labels in Slovene Dictionaries: Users’ and Lexicographers’ Perspectives
Authors: Šipka Danko , Vrbinc Alenka , Vrbinc Marjeta
Published: September 2020

This paper discusses normative labels in the Dictionary of Standard Slovene from the point of view of users and lexicographers. Using a questionnaire distributed to the students of the University of Ljubljana, we wanted to learn how native speakers of Slovene interpret select normative labels. Additionally, five Slovene lexicographers were interviewed to get an insight into their views on labeling lemmata or their senses. The problems they encounter when assigning the labels were assessed in the interviews. The results of the student survey show that the presence of normative labels and their type has an effect on the users’ perceived degree of acceptability of the word in the standard language variety. Though still marking inadequate forms, the lexicographers interviewed strive to stay away from prescriptivism by trying to give reasons for a less adequate form. This is a new development that diverges from traditional, strongly prescriptive, attitude of Slovene linguists.
A convergent finite element scheme for a fourth-order liquid crystal model
Authors: Metzger Stefan
Published: September 2020

In this manuscript we propose and analyse a fully discrete, unconditionally stable finite element scheme for a recently developed director model for liquid crystalline flows (Metzger, S. (2020) On a novel approach for modeling liquid crystalline flows. Commun. Math. Sci., 18, 359–378). The model consists of nonlinear fourth-order partial differential equations describing the evolution of the director field and Navier–Stokes equations governing the velocity field. We employ a stable splitting approach to reduce the computational complexity by decoupling the update of the director field from the update of the velocity field. We also perform a rigorous passage to the limit as the spatial and temporal discretization parameters simultaneously tend to zero, and show that a subsequence of finite element approximations converges towards a weak solution of the original model. Passing to the limit in the nonlinear terms requires us to derive the strong convergence of the gradient of the director field from uniform bounds for its discrete Laplacian. Furthermore, we present simulations underlining the practicability of the proposed scheme, investigate its convergence properties and discuss the differences between the underlying model and already established Ericksen–Leslie-type models.
An energy-stable parametric finite element method for simulating solid-state dewetting
Authors: Zhao Quan , Jiang Wei , Bao Weizhu
Published: September 2020

We propose an energy-stable parametric finite element method for simulating solid-state dewetting of thin films in two dimensions via a sharp-interface model, which is governed by surface diffusion and contact line (point) migration together with proper boundary conditions. By reformulating the relaxed contact angle condition into a Robin-type boundary condition and then treating it as a natural boundary condition, we obtain a new variational formulation for the problem, in which the interface curve and its contact points are evolved simultaneously. Then the variational problem is discretized in space by using piecewise linear elements. A full discretization is presented by adopting the backward Euler method in time, and the well-posedness and energy dissipation of the full discretization are established. The numerical method is semi-implicit (i.e., a linear system to be solved at each time step and thus efficient), unconditionally energy-stable with respect to the time step and second-order in space measured by a manifold distance between two curves. In addition, it demonstrates equal mesh distribution when the solution reaches its equilibrium, i.e., long-time dynamics. Numerical results are reported to show accuracy and efficiency as well as some good properties of the proposed numerical method.
Adverse drug event presentation and tracking (ADEPT): semiautomated, high throughput pharmacovigilance using real-world data
Authors: Geva Alon , Stedman Jason P , Manzi Shannon F , Lin Chen , Savova Guergana K , Avillach Paul , Mandl Kenneth D
Published: September 2020

Objective

To advance use of real-world data (RWD) for pharmacovigilance, we sought to integrate a high-sensitivity natural language processing (NLP) pipeline for detecting potential adverse drug events (ADEs) with easily interpretable output for high-efficiency human review and adjudication of true ADEs.

Materials and methods

The adverse drug event presentation and tracking (ADEPT) system employs an open source NLP pipeline to identify in clinical notes mentions of medications and signs and symptoms potentially indicative of ADEs. ADEPT presents the output to human reviewers by highlighting these drug-event pairs within the context of the clinical note. To measure incidence of seizures associated with sildenafil, we applied ADEPT to 149 029 notes for 982 patients with pediatric pulmonary hypertension.

Results

Of 416 patients identified as taking sildenafil, NLP found 72 [17%, 95% confidence interval (CI) 14–21] with seizures as a potential ADE. Upon human review and adjudication, only 4 (0.96%, 95% CI 0.37–2.4) patients with seizures were determined to have true ADEs. Reviewers using ADEPT required a median of 89 s (interquartile range 57–142 s) per patient to review potential ADEs.

Discussion

ADEPT combines high throughput NLP to increase sensitivity of ADE detection and human review, to increase specificity by differentiating true ADEs from signs and symptoms related to comorbidities, effects of other medications, or other confounders.

Conclusion

ADEPT is a promising tool for creating gold standard, patient-level labels for advancing NLP-based pharmacovigilance. ADEPT is a potentially time savings platform for computer-assisted pharmacovigilance based on RWD.
Next Generation of LFD Testing – Smartphone-Based Mycotoxin Analysis with RIDA®SMART APP
Authors: Pumpa Kai , Lacorn Markus , Mättner Michael , Steinmann David , Wolf Jasmin
Published: September 2020

Background

Grain mills, feed mills, ethanol plants, flour producers, but also mobile laboratory services need simple and reliable possibilities to analyze grain for mycotoxins during harvest in the field.

Objective

The RIDA®SMART APP is a smartphone application, which was developed together with a Lateral Flow Device as a quantitative and fast on-site/on-field tool for mycotoxin analyses.

Method

It is a small and light device with its own power supply, very versatile, flexible and easy to use. For quantification, a lot specific calibation curve is uploaded to the RIDA®SMART APP via a QR code from the certificate of analysis. The software application in combination with a compatible smartphone, analyzes the LFD strip via a picture taken with a smartphone and quantifies the mycotoxin contamination within 4 second. Due to the possibility to use mobile networks or WIFI, there are no difficulties in the organization of the collected results. Currently, nine different android-based smartphones from various manufacturers are compatible with the RIDA®SMART APP.

Results

In combination with one of the compatible smartphones, the RIDA®SMART APP is able to generate results with a coefficient of variation CV ≤ 13%, even at highly varying lighting conditions. The recovery of certified reference corn samples, previously analyzed with HPLC or LC-MS/MS, shows a mean value between 91% - 119%.

Conclusion

The RIDA®SMART APP is highly suitable for an inexpensive, quick and accurate quantitative measurement of mycotoxins in agricultural products (e.g. aflatoxins in corn).

Highlights

To our best knowledge, the RIDA®SMART APP is the only smartphone-based method for quantitative mycotoxin analysis worldwide combined with a broader measuring range as most usual lateral flow analyzers.
Multiorgan Metabolomics and Lipidomics Provide New Insights Into Fat Infiltration in the Liver, Muscle Wasting, and Liver–Muscle Crosstalk Following Burn Injury
Authors: Mert Safak , Bulutoglu Beyza , Chu Christopher , Dylewski Maggie , Lin Florence M , Yu Yong-Ming , Yarmush Martin L , Sheridan Robert L , Uygun Korkut
Published: September 2020

Burn injury mediated hypermetabolic syndrome leads to increased mortality among severe burn victims, due to liver failure and muscle wasting. Metabolic changes may persist up to 2 years following the injury. Thus, understanding the underlying mechanisms of the pathology is crucially important to develop appropriate therapeutic approaches. We present detailed metabolomic and lipidomic analyses of the liver and muscle tissues in a rat model with a 30% body surface area burn injury located at the dorsal skin. Three hundred and thirty-eight of 1587 detected metabolites and lipids in the liver and 119 of 1504 in the muscle tissue exhibited statistically significant alterations. We observed excessive accumulation of triacylglycerols, decreased levels of S-adenosylmethionine, increased levels of glutamine and xenobiotics in the liver tissue. Additionally, the levels of gluconeogenesis, glycolysis, and tricarboxylic acid cycle metabolites are generally decreased in the liver. On the other hand, burn injury muscle tissue exhibits increased levels of acyl-carnitines, alpha-hydroxyisovalerate, ophthalmate, alpha-hydroxybutyrate, and decreased levels of reduced glutathione. The results of this preliminary study provide compelling observations that liver and muscle tissues undergo distinctly different changes during hypermetabolism, possibly reflecting liver–muscle crosstalk. The liver and muscle tissues might be exacerbating each other’s metabolic pathologies, via excessive utilization of certain metabolites produced by each other.
Spatial Distribution of Whitefly Species (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) and Identification of Secondary Bacterial Endosymbionts in Tomato Fields in Costa Rica
Authors: Can-Vargas Xareni , Barboza Natalia , Fuchs Eric J , Hernández Eduardo J
Published: September 2020

In Costa Rica, tomato (Solanum lycopersicum Linnaeus) Linnaeus (Solanales: Solanaceae) is one of the crops most severely affected by the whiteflies (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) Trialeurodes vaporariorum (Westwood) and the Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius) species complex. The objective of this study was to monitor the spatial distribution and diversity of these species and to detect the presence of secondary bacterial endosymbionts in individuals collected in areas of intensive tomato production. In total, 628 whitefly individuals were identified to the species level using restriction analysis (PCR-RFLP) of a fragment of the mitochondrial cytochrome C oxidase I gene (mtCOI). Trialeurodes vaporariorum was the predominant species, followed by B. tabaci Mediterranean (MED). Bemisia tabaci New World (NW) and B. tabaci Middle East-Asia Minor 1 (MEAM1) were present in lower numbers. The mtCOI fragment was sequenced for 89 individuals and a single haplotype was found for each whitefly species. Using molecular markers, the 628 individuals were analyzed for the presence of four endosymbionts. Arsenophonus Gherna et al. (Enterobacterales: Morganellaceae) was most frequently associated with T. vaporariorum, whereas Wolbachia Hertig (Rickettsiales: Anaplasmataceae) and Rickettsia da Rocha-Lima (Rickettsiales: Rickettsiaceae) were associated with B. tabaci MED. This study confirmed that B. tabaci NW has not been completely displaced by the invasive species B. tabaci MED and B. tabaci MEAM1 present in the country. An association was found between whitefly species present in tomato and certain secondary endosymbionts, elevation was the most likely environmental factor to affect their frequency.
Rabbit Bot Fly Furuncular, Tracheopulmonary, and Human Bot Fly Infestations in Connecticut (Oestridae: Cuterebrinae)
Authors: Stafford Kirby C , Ridge Gale E , Molaei Goudarz , Zarb Christine , Bevilacqua Paula
Published: September 2020

Endemic and tropical human bot infestations are relatively uncommon or unreported in the United States. We report two cases in Connecticut: an unusual furuncular and respiratory myiasis by the rabbit bot Cuterebra buccata (Fab.) (Diptera: Oestridae) in a 74-yr-old male and a case of human bot fly, Dermatobia hominis (L.) (Diptera: Oestridae), myiasis in a 4-yr-old female with a tropical travel history with her family. Identification of C. buccata was based morphologically, in part, on spinal armature and further corroborated by DNA sequencing of the mitochondrial COI gene and comparison to the National Center for Biotechnology Information GenBank DNA sequence database. The resulting annotated sequence data were deposited into the National Center for Biotechnology Information GenBank. The unique medical aspects, and limitations and specifics on bot fly larval habits and identification are discussed.
Prostate Cancer Radiotherapy: Increased Biochemical Control and Late Toxicity in Men With Medication Allergies
Authors: Turchan William Tyler , Gutiontov Stanley I , Spiotto Michael T , Liauw Stanley L
Published: September 2020

Background

Given similarities in the mediators of medication allergy (MA) and tissue response to radiotherapy, we assessed whether outcomes following prostate radiotherapy differ in patients with MAs.

Methods

A total 587 men with known MA history and nonmetastatic prostate cancer underwent radiotherapy from 1989 to 2006. Clinicopathologic and treatment variables were analyzed for association with freedom from biochemical failure (FFBF) and late treatment–related, physician-defined Radiation Therapy Oncology Group gastrointestinal (GI) and genitourinary (GU) toxicity. Covariates identified on univariate analysis for toxicity and disease control were examined on multivariable analysis. All statistical tests were 2-sided, and a P less than .05 was considered statistically significant.

Results

A total of 155 of 587 men (26.4%) had 1 or more MAs, most commonly to penicillin (n = 71), sulfa (n = 35), and aspirin or nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs (n = 28). On univariate analysis, men with MAs had superior 10-y FFBF (71.5% vs 63.5%, P = .02) and higher incidence of late GI grade 2 or higher (G2+; 20.6% vs 13.2%, P = .04) and grade 3 or higher (G3+; 7.5% vs 3.9%, P = .08) as well as late GU G2+ (42.5% vs 33.2%, P = .04) and G3+ (7.5% vs 3.0%, P = .02) toxicity than men without MAs. On multivariable analysis, MA history remained a statistically significant predictor of FFBF (hazard ratio [HR] = 0.64, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.43 to 0.93, P = .02), late G2+ GI (HR = 1.76, 95% CI = 1.06 to 2.90, P=.03), and G3+ GU (HR = 2.69, 95% CI = 1.16 to 6.27, P = .02) toxicity after controlling for corresponding covariates in each model.

Conclusions

Men with MAs had improved FFBF and increased treatment-related toxicity following radiotherapy for prostate cancer. MA history could be a relevant consideration in the management of men with localized prostate cancer.
Comparison of Parental Report of Influenza Vaccination to Documented Records in Children Hospitalized With Acute Respiratory Illness, 2015–2016
Authors: Ogokeh Constance E , Campbell Angela P , Feldstein Leora R , Weinberg Geoffrey A , Staat Mary A , McNeal Monica M , Selvarangan Rangaraj , Halasa Natasha B , Englund Janet A , Boom Julie A , Azimi Parvin H , Szilagyi Peter G , Harrison Christopher J , Williams John V , Klein Eileen J , Stewart Laura S , Sahni Leila C , Singer Monica N , Lively Joana Y , Payne Daniel C , Patel Manish ,   New Vaccine Surveillance Network
Published: September 2020

Background

Parent-reported influenza vaccination history may be valuable clinically and in influenza vaccine effectiveness (VE) studies. Few studies have assessed the validity of parental report among hospitalized children.

Methods

Parents of 2597 hospitalized children 6 months–17 years old were interviewed from November 1, 2015 to June 30, 2016, regarding their child’s sociodemographic and influenza vaccination history. Parent-reported 2015–2016 influenza vaccination history was compared with documented vaccination records (considered the gold standard for analysis) obtained from medical records, immunization information systems, and providers. Multivariable logistic regression analyses were conducted to determine potential factors associated with discordance between the 2 sources of vaccination history. Using a test-negative design, we estimated VE using vaccination history obtained through parental report and documented records.

Results

According to parental report, 1718 (66%) children received the 2015–2016 influenza vaccine, and of those, 1432 (83%) had documentation of vaccine receipt. Percent agreement was 87%, with a sensitivity of 96% (95% confidence interval [CI], 95%–97%) and a specificity of 74% (95% CI, 72%–77%). In the multivariable logistic regression, study site and child’s age 5–8 years were significant predictors of discordance. Adjusted VE among children who received ≥1 dose of the 2015–2016 influenza vaccine per parental report was 61% (95% CI, 43%–74%), whereas VE using documented records was 55% (95% CI, 33%–69%).

Conclusions

Parental report of influenza vaccination was sensitive but not as specific compared with documented records. However, VE against influenza-associated hospitalizations using either source of vaccination history did not differ substantially. Parental report is valuable for timely influenza VE studies.
There’s an App for That: Context, Assumptions, Possibilities and Potential Pitfalls In the Use of Digital Technologies To Address Refugee Mental Health
Authors: Goodman Ruth , Tip Linda , Cavanagh Kate
Published: September 2020

The number of refugees is increasing (UNHCR, 2019). The experiences of refugees are linked to impaired mental health yet, this population faces barriers to accessing mental health support (Shannon et al., 2016). Digital mental health interventions are increasingly recognised as an avenue for overcoming these barriers (WHO, 2017). The present paper begins by introducing the area of digital approaches to mental health and developments in this area targeted at refugee populations specifically. We then take a step back to look at the wider picture of refugee mental health and technology. Drawing on Toyama’s Law of Amplification (2011; 2015) - that successful technical interventions amplify the intent and the capacity of the people involved - we discuss the importance of context, exploring the assumptions, possibilities and potential pitfalls in the use of digital technologies for addressing refugee mental health. We conclude that by collaborating with refugee populations, placing them at the centre of the design process for digital mental health interventions, we stand the greatest chance of creating the most useful tools.
The COVID-19 pandemic offers a key moment to reflect on travel medicine practice
Authors: Hatz Christoph , Bühler Silja , Farnham Andrea
Published: September 2020

COVID-19 provides an opportunity to review travel health advice priorities. Infectious and non-infectious diseases are key for travel medicine, Research is warranted to stimulate an evidence-based balance in what travel medicine experts communicate to their clients
An abstract form of the first epsilon theorem
Authors: Baaz Matthias , Leitsch Alexander , Lolic Anela
Published: September 2020

We present a new method of computing Herbrand disjunctions. The up-to-date most direct approach to calculate Herbrand disjunctions is based on Hilbert’s epsilon formalism (which is in fact also the oldest framework for proof theory). The algorithm to calculate Herbrand disjunctions is an integral part of the proof of the extended first epsilon theorem. This paper introduces a more abstract form of epsilon proofs, the function variable proofs. This leads to a computational improved version of the extended first epsilon theorem, which allows a nonelementary speed up of the computation of Herbrand disjunctions. As an application, sequent calculus proofs are translated into function variable proofs and a variant of the axiom of global choice is shown to be removable from proofs in Neumann–Bernays–Gödel set theory.
Perceiving the Mosaic: Form in the Mashups of DJ Earworm
Authors: Yunek Jeffrey Scott , Wadsworth Benjamin K , Needle Simon
Published: September 2020

The formal analysis of mashups is generally overlooked because their structures are assumed to be derived from one or more of their component tracks. This article explores the generation of original formal structures in one of the most well-known and complex mashup artists, DJ Earworm. We show that the form of his mashups can neither be derived from a singular work nor be analyzed by their thematic or harmonic construction. Instead, verse–chorus forms are revealed by correlating mashup sections to the formal origins of their borrowed material, which is based on the composer’s writings and interviews, a history of formal correlation in the mashup genre, and multiple analyses.
Supply Chain Financing
Authors: Rogers Dale S. , Leuschner Rudolf , Choi Thomas Y.
Published: September 2020

Supply chain management has been focused on how to source, make, and deliver products throughout the world. This chapter proposes the addition of one more function to that list—to fund. As a result of technology supporting financial firms, such as banks and financial technology firms, the supply chain has become the least expensive source of capital available to a firm. Corporate executives increasingly rely on the supply chain as a source of capital. A typical supply chain has three major flows: product, information, and finances. These three flows can vary in importance depending on the environment and supply chain structure. Most of the supply chain management literature focuses on products and information flows and pays minimal attention to the financial side of supply chain management. This chapter views supply chain financing as a bigger concept than the concept commonly known as supply chain finance. Supply chain financing focuses on how to use the supply chain to fund the organization and how to use the organization to fund the supply chain. The goal of supply chain financing is to ensure liquidity within supply chains by helping the buyer and supplier organizations conserve their own capital by injecting liquidity from sources that previously were not known or available.
Supply Chain Management and Gender
Authors: Paiva Ely , Tonelli Maria Jose , Miguel Priscila , Biazzin Cristiane
Published: September 2020

This chapter describes how the gender relations that are present in the globalization process do not reflect the neutral practice presented in the literature, but instead represent a gendered phenomenon that promotes new arrangements of inequalities that impact supply chain management. For decades, gender inequity in supply chains was a “hidden” problem in several sectors, but in the early twenty-first century it is an overt challenge for supply chain management. Gender inequity exists in supply chains when there is low participation of women-owned businesses in supply, a clear wage inequity along the supply chain, and the identification of modern slavery or forced labor related to gender in any tier of a supply chain. A future agenda for gender issues in supply chains should address a range of issues, from the increase in the number of women-owned suppliers and its impacts, to equalization of income among genders throughout supply chains, to complete eradication of modern slavery in local and global supply chains.
Neuronal Excitability in Memory Allocation: Mechanisms and Consequences
Authors: Jacob Alexander D. , Mocle Andrew J. , Frankland Paul W. , Josselyn Sheena A.
Published: September 2020

Throughout the brain, sparse ensembles of neurons, termed “engrams,” are responsible for representing events. Engrams are composed of neurons active at the time of an event, and recent research has revealed how these active neurons compete to gain inclusion into a subsequently formed engram. This competitive selection mechanism, called “memory allocation,” is the process by which individual neurons become components of the engram. Memory allocation is crucially influenced by neuronal excitability, with more highly excitable neurons outcompeting their neighbors for inclusion into the engram. The dynamics of this excitability-dependent memory allocation process have important consequences for the function of the memory circuit, including effects on memory generalization and linking of events experienced closely in time. Memory allocation arises from cellular mechanisms of excitability, governs circuit-level dynamics of the engram, and has higher-order consequences for memory system function.
The Career Development Profession: Professionalisation, Professionalism, and Professional Identity
Authors: Gough John , Neary Siobhan
Published: September 2020

This chapter examines the professionalisation of career development provision in countries across the world. ‘Professionalisation’ and ‘professionalism’ are explored through several concepts, including social closure, the professional project, and the regulatory bargain. The chapter argues that professionalism is a useful and important concept for the career development field but recognises the challenges that the field has had in achieving professional status. It recognises some of the critiques that exist of professionalism and explores how these relate to careers professionals. It then argues that increasing professionalism within the field needs to be understood as an ongoing process that has to be conducted on the personal, organizational, and professional level. The chapter concludes by outlining some key strategies that the field can use to advance the cause of professionalism in the future.
Transgender Language, Transgender Moment: Toward a Trans Linguistics
Authors: Zimman Lal
Published: September 2020

This chapter sketches out trans linguistics as an emerging framework for research on language in populations defined by their deviation from gender norms. Although queer linguistics has always been concerned with both sexual and gender (non)normativity, some early queer linguistic analyses of transgender or otherwise gender-variant populations were limited by the absence of openly trans scholars and distinctively trans analytic perspectives. Trans linguistics, by contrast, centers trans practices and subjectivities not as rare exceptions, but as central to any understanding of gender. Three domains of language are discussed here, including grammatical gender, gender difference in the voice, and gender in discourse. In each case, trans linguistic research offers new perspectives on gendered power, the nature of categories, the significance of embodiment, and the linguistic navigation of persistent dehumanization. Crucially, trans linguistics is committed not only to trans analytic lenses, but also to social and linguistic justice for gender non-normative communities.