bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
THE FALL OF A CHINESE BUDDHIST MONK: LAW AND STATE GOVERNANCE OF BUDDHISM IN POST-IMPERIAL CHINA
Authors: Liu Cuilan
Published: December 2020

In August 2018, revelations of the sexual, financial, and administrative misconduct of a high-profile Chinese Buddhist monk named Xuecheng 學誠 were in the spotlight of domestic and international attention. The validity of the allegations and their social and religious impact have been widely debated, and this article focuses on the legal procedures used in handling the allegations and traces their source back to the Republican era (1911–1949). The state's governance of Buddhism and the efficacy of the Buddhist clergy's jurisdictional self-governance operating in Xuecheng's case in China today are significantly older than the People's Republic of China. As early as 1929, ordained Buddhists collectively denounced personal clerical privileges, in exchange for the state law's protection on monastic properties. Then, while protesting against unfavorable articles in the Charter of the Buddhist Association of China (Zhongguo fojiaohui zhang cheng中國佛教會章程) proposed by the Nationalist government in 1936, the Buddhist clergy lost their legal jurisdiction over adjudicating internal disputes among ordained Buddhists. These two events have come to define the relationship between the state and the Buddhist establishment in contemporary China, where state law is harsh on religion while enforcement through legal practice is lax.
14C-AMS IN MEXICO AND PRE-COLUMBIAN ARCHAEOLOGY
Authors: Solís C , Rodríguez-Ceja M , Chávez-Lomelí E , Alcántara A , Gazzola J , Balcells J , Jimenez J C , de la Rosa Y , Martínez-Carrillo M A
Published: December 2020

The complex geographical scenario of Mexico allowed the cultural diversification and development of multiple cultures such as Tolteca, Teotihuacan, Mexica, and Maya, among others. Despite this rich cultural heritage, radiometric dating of Mexican cultural samples with radiocarbon (14C) began only in the 1980s and with accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) in 2013. Analysis of 14C with AMS is the most widely used technique to date archaeological objects and cultural heritage. Since 2013, the Accelerator Mass Spectrometry Laboratory (LEMA) facility of the Institute of Physics at UNAM (IF-UNAM) has supported archaeological research in Mexico, but also investigation in other areas such as geology, physics, chemistry, and environmental sciences through the analysis of 14C, 10Be, 26Al, 129I, and Pu. The absolute dating with 14C continues to be the core of LEMA’s work, where different geographical scenarios of the country and climatic conditions present very diverse analytical challenges. This work presents a basic description of the AMS system of the LEMA laboratory and describes some applications that are currently being developed.
Acting Irrespective of Hope
Authors: Freyenhagen Fabian
Published: December 2020

Must we ascribe hope for better times to those who (take themselves to) act morally? Kant and later theorists in the Frankfurt School tradition thought we must. In this article, I disclose that it is possible – and ethical – to refrain from ascribing hope in all such cases. I draw on two key examples of acting irrespective of hope: one from a recent political context and one from the life of Jean Améry. I also suggest that, once we see that it is possible to make sense of (what I call) ‘merely expressive acts’, we can also see that the early Frankfurt School wasnotguilty of a performative contradiction in seeking to enlighten Enlightenment about its (self-)destructive tendencies, while rejecting the (providential) idea of progress.
Towards an Unfettered Critique: Adorno’s Appropriations and Transformations of Kant’s Enlightenment
Authors: Iago Garmon D.
Published: December 2020

Many recent commentators have noticed how Adorno, in his late works, borrows Kant’s definition of enlightenment to define key areas of his own critical practice. These discussions, however, have failed to notice how these late borrowings present an image of Kant’s enlightenment which is diametrically opposed to his previous discussions. By tracing the development of Adorno’s engagement with Kant’s essay, I discover Adorno deliberately sublating Kant’s definition as to enable its incorporation into his own works. Further, the article will examine some problems which appear to arise for Adorno when borrowing Kant’s definition of enlightenment in his late works, which coalesce around the topics of negativism and the prospects for societal change.
Private Autonomy and Public Autonomy: Tensions in Habermas’ Discourse Theory of Law and Politics
Authors: Cooke Maeve
Published: December 2020

Habermas dialogically recasts the Kantian conception of moral autonomy. In a legal-political context, his dialogical approach has the potential to redress certain troubling features of liberal and communitarian approaches to democratic politics. Liberal approaches attach greater normative weight to negatively construed individual freedoms, which they seek to protect against the interventions of political authority. Communitarian approaches prioritize the positively construed freedoms of communal political participation, viewing legal-political institutions as a means for collective ethical self-realization. Habermas’ discourse theory of law and democracy seeks to overcome this competition between the negative and positive liberties. Doing so entails reconciling private and public autonomy at a fundamental conceptual level. This is his co-originality thesis, which seeks to show that private and public autonomy are internally connected and evenly balanced. I support his aim but argue that he fails to achieve it due to an unsatisfactory account of private autonomy. I suggest an alternative dialogical conception of autonomy as ethically self-determining agency that would enable him to establish his thesis.
Are UK healthcare professionals equipped to provide information and support on Human Papillomavirus to patients diagnosed with cancer of the head and neck?
Authors: Jopson R. , Callender J.
Published: December 2020

Aim:

Incidence rates of Human Papillomavirus (HPV) positive head and neck cancer (HNC) are increasing. The aim of this study was to explore the availability of information and the knowledge and confidence of healthcare professionals (HCPs) involved in the cancer pathway to provide information on HPV to patients.

Materials and method:

An online questionnaire was designed using closed and open questions to investigate the availability of patient information for patients diagnosed with HPV-associated HNC; health professional’s knowledge of the information available; and their confidence in discussing the topic. The questionnaire was advertised to health professionals through the British Association of Head and Neck Oncologists website. Twenty-five health professionals from six professions across five UK Cancer Alliances completed the questionnaire between November and December 2018.

Results:

Nearly half of the participants did not know whether patients were routinely provided with information on HPV following an HPV-positive (HPV+) cancer diagnosis; 52% indicated that specific information was available within their hospital trust, however, there were inconsistencies with participants’ knowledge of the content of the information leaflets currently available. On a scale of 1–100, the mean confidence in providing HPV-related information was 58.

Findings:

Inconsistencies appear to exist with respect to information about HPV available to patients presenting with HNC. A need has been identified for the education of health professionals involved in the patient care to support information provision.
Dividing Responsibility for Care: Tracing the Ethics of Care in Local Care Strategies
Authors: Sihto Tiina
Published: December 2020

This article analyses local care policies through the lens of the feminist ethics of care. The focus is on the normative understandings regarding care that emerge in local care strategy documents and how these understandings relate with the concept of ‘responsibility’. In this article, strategies published by the municipality of Jyväskylä, Finland, between the years 2008 and 2016, are analysed using Trace analysis. The research questions are: How is the division of responsibility regarding care among different actors constructed in the strategies? How do the roles assigned to these different actors accord with the principles of ethics of care? The findings show that the documents emphasise individual responsibility in managing risks related to old age, as the norms of local societal institutions are largely detached from the principles of ethics of care. The analysis also reveals the absence of gender and human frailty from the care strategy documents. Rethinking the strategies through the lens of the ethic of care would mean reconceptualising responsibility as relational.
Endoprothetik an der Hand und am Handgelenk
Authors: Keller Marco , Gübeli Alissa , Honigmann Philipp
Published: December 2020

Zusammenfassung. Bereits Ende des 19. Jahrhunderts wurden erste endoprothetische Eingriffe durchgeführt, jedoch begannen sich Mediziner erst Mitte des 20. Jahrhunderts intensiver mit dem Gelenksersatz im Bereich der Hand zu befassen. Heute gibt es für fast jedes Gelenk der Hand und des Handgelenks eine Auswahl an Prothesen. Im Bereich der Fingergrund- und Mittelgelenke konkurrieren neuartige Prothesen mit dem seit Jahrzehnten etablierten Silikonspacer. Auch am Daumensattelgelenk konnten Prothesen aufgrund hoher Lockerungsraten in der Vergangenheit die bewährte Trapezektomie (mit Suspensions- / Interpositions-Arthroplastik) nicht ablösen. Am Handgelenk können bezüglich Schmerzlinderung, Funktion und Greifkraft gute Resultate erreicht werden, jedoch besteht eine höhere Komplikationsrate im Vergleich zur Gelenksversteifung. Die Werte verbessern sich zwar mit den neuen Prothesenmodellen, jedoch fehlen Langzeitstudien, vor allem für jüngere Patienten mit hohem funktionellem Anspruch.
Screening for Cognitive Impairment in Hospitalized Older Patients
Authors: Geschke Katharina , Weyer-Elberich Veronika , Binder Harald , Fellgiebel Andreas
Published: December 2020

Abstract. This study develops a screening method for older patients based on nursing procedure to predict complications associated with cognitive impairment during a hospital stay. This multicenter diagnostic cohort study among older hospitalized patients was carried out in eight primary-care hospitals. Following admission of the patients, trained nurses conducted a structured interview and the Mini-Cog as gold standard for cognitive status; complications during the hospital stay were also monitored. In a second step, the structured interview combined with the Mini-Cog revealed whether there was any abnormality in the interview, making it possible to validly and reliably as well as sensitively and specifically identify patients with a pronounced cognitive impairment who may likely suffer from complications during a hospital stay.
A Systematic Review of User Expectations and Outcomes of Crisis Support Services
Authors: Mazzer Kelly , O'Riordan Megan , Woodward Alan , Rickwood Debra
Published: December 2020

Abstract. Background: Crisis support services play an important role in providing free, immediate access to support people in the community experiencing a personal crisis. Recently, services have expanded from telephone to digital modalities including online chat and text message services. This raises the question of what outcomes are being achieved for increasingly diverse service users across different modalities. Aims: This systematic review aimed to determine the expectations and outcomes of users of crisis support services across three modalities (telephone, online chat, and text message/SMS). Method: Online databases (CINAHL, MEDLINE, PsycARTICLES, PsycINFO, Psychological and Behavioural Sciences Collection) and gray literature were searched for studies measuring expectations and outcomes of crisis support services. Results: A total of 31 studies were included in the review, the majority of which were telephone-based. Similar expectations were found for telephone and online chat modalities, as well as consistently positive outcomes, measured by changes in emotional state, satisfaction, and referral plans. Limitations/Conclusion: There is a paucity of consistent outcome measures across and within modalities and limited research about users of text message/SMS services.
Suicide Attempts Among 1,437 Adolescents Aged 12–17 Years Attending Junior High Schools in Ghana
Authors: Nii-Boye Quarshie Emmanuel , Andoh-Arthur Johnny
Published: December 2020

Abstract. Background: Emerging research on suicidal behaviors among adolescents in Ghana has been conducted mainly among senior high school students. Aims: We aimed to estimate the 12-month prevalence of suicide attempts and describe some of the general and gender-specific associated factors among adolescents attending junior high schools (JHSs) in Ghana. Method: We analyzed data from the 2012 Ghana Global School-Based Student Health Survey. The sample consisted of 1,437 adolescents aged 12–17 years. We performed bivariate and multivariable analyses to assess the associations between 12-month suicide attempts and some psychosocial factors. Results: The overall 12-month prevalence estimate of suicide attempts was 27.6%, with comparable estimates between males (26.4%) and females (28.8%). In the final adjusted multivariable models, bullying victimization (AOR = 2.57; 95% CI = 1.53, 4.31), alcohol use (AOR = 1.94; 95% CI = 1.10, 3.41), and having no close friends (AOR = 0.36; 95% CI = 0.17, 0.75) were associated with increased odds of suicide attempts among males, whereas anxiety (AOR = 2.57; 95% CI = 1.54, 4.29) and being sexually active (AOR = 2.42; 95% CI = 1.25, 4.68) were associated with increased odds of suicide attempts in females. Limitations: The correlational nature of this study did not allow for causal inferences. Conclusion: The study underscores adolescent suicide attempts as a public health concern in Ghana.
On the Impact of the Response Options’ Position on Item	Difficulty in Multiple-Choice-Items
Authors: Hagenmüller Bettina
Published: December 2020

Abstract. The multiple-choice item format is widely used in test construction and Large-Scale Assessment. So far, there has been little research on the impact of the position of the solution among the response options and the few existing results are even inconsistent. Since it would be an easy way to create parallel items for group setting by altering the response options, the influence of the response options’ position on item difficulty should be examined. The Linear Logistic Test Model ( Fischer, 1972 ) was used to analyze the data of 829 students aged 8–20 years, who worked on general knowledge items. It was found that the position of the solution among the response options has an influence on item difficulty. Items are easiest when the solution is in first place and more difficult when the solution is placed in a middle position or at the end of the set of response options.
A Unique Case of Complex Interaction Between MSTIDs and Mid‐Latitude Field‐Aligned Plasma Depletions Over Geomagnetic Low‐Mid Latitude Transition Region
Authors: Yadav V. , Rathi R. , Sarkhel S. , Chakrabarty D. , Sunil Krishna M. V. , Upadhayaya A. K.
Published: December 2020

On a geomagnetically quiet night of July 07, 2018, the allsky imager at Hanle, Leh Ladakh (32.7°N, 78.9°E; Mlat. ∼24.1°N), India captured a number of plasma structures in O (1D) 630.0 nm airglow emission. In a short observational period of around 3 h, two different medium scale traveling ionospheric disturbances and two different mid‐latitude plasma depletions were observed. The most interesting aspect of the night was the drastic difference in the behavior of the two plasma depletions, which simultaneously existed within the imager's field of view for a long time. One of the plasma depletions, which we have termed as mid‐latitude field‐aligned plasma depletion, was nearly field aligned, drifted westward very slowly and became more prominent later in the night. The other depletion showed a much more ambiguous behavior with large reduction in its drift as well as significant change in its orientation relative to the geomagnetic meridian. In the present study, we have tried to explain this contrasting behavior in two different scenarios and have discussed arguments supporting each scenario along with their limitations. These observations are particularly useful considering the location of Hanle, which lies at a transition of geomagnetically low‐mid latitudes, which are governed by different electrodynamics.
The Geometry of the Subducted Slab Beneath Sumatra Revealed by Regional and Teleseismic Traveltime Tomography
Authors: Liu Shaolin , Suardi Iman , Xu Xiwei , Yang Shuxin , Tong Ping
Published: December 2020

The geometry of the subducted Indo‐Australian plate beneath Sumatra is still controversial because of the historical lack of a dense seismic network. Since 2005, Indonesia has been establishing a relatively dense seismic network for real time earthquake monitoring and tsunami warning. The seismic data accumulated by this network make it possible to achieve high‐resolution tomographic images of the velocity structure beneath Sumatra by using eikonal equation‐based seismic tomography method. Our P‐wave tomographic images derived from regional seismic and teleseismic traveltime data demonstrate that the slab in the upper mantle generally follows the strike of the trench and the orientation of the volcanic arc. Additionally, the slab exhibits a sinusoidal shape with a low degree of curvature. Our tomographic results also reveal that the maximum penetration depth of the subducted slab increases from the north to south. The subducted slab beneath the northern tip of Sumatra barely arrives at the 410‐km discontinuity, while the slab in the south penetrates to a depth of at least 660 km. Our inversion further indicates that the subducted slab is characterized by a tear at a depth of 120 km between 0° N and 2° N, which may be closely related to the supervolcanic eruption of the Toba caldera in northern Sumatra during the Pleistocene. Moreover, we report that the dip of the subducted slab varies significantly (i.e., dramatically decreases) across the Sunda Strait; therefore, we infer that another subvertical slab tear exists beneath the Sunda Strait.
Pre‐Alpine Fault Fabrics in Mantle Xenoliths From East Otago, South Island, New Zealand
Authors: Shao Yilun , Prior David J. , Scott James M. , Negrini Marianne
Published: December 2020

We present a quantitative microstructural and seismic property analysis of harzburgitic and lherzolitic xenoliths from East Otago, New Zealand. Olivine crystallographic preferred orientations (CPOs) are dominated by orthorhombic CPOs with a tight maxima of [100] orthogonal to (010). Orthopyroxene showed the [001] axes aligned (sub)parallel to the [100] axes of olivine and the (100) plane subparallel to the (010) plane of olivine. Misorientations of olivine subgrain boundaries indicate that dislocations with [100] slip vectors are common and CPOs are interpreted as olivine [100] representing the flow direction and (010) the shear plane. Olivine grains are coarse with lobate grain boundaries, indicative of grain boundary migration at high temperatures. Olivine contains numerous subgrains whilst orthopyroxene is mostly strain‐free and it is possible that orthopyroxene crystallized from melt during deformation. Clinopyroxene lamellae in orthopyroxene, relate to decompressional cooling prior to Alpine Fault movement. Seismic properties derived from the measured CPOs, indicate P‐wave and S‐wave anisotropies at mantle conditions of 4%–10% and 3%–9%, respectively. Calculated shear wave splitting delay times of 0.1–0.9 s, for the current lithospheric mantle thickness, fit seismological observations, suggesting that the xenoliths may be representative of the lithospheric mantle that lies below East Otago today. To explain the seismic data, olivine [100] needs to be subhorizontal and parallel to NNW‐SSE fast polarization directions with [010] subhorizontal and perpendicular to these directions. This is consistent with the East Otago lithospheric mantle containing a fossil vertical shear zone with NNW‐SSE strike slip motion.
Distinguishing Glacial AMOC and Interglacial Non‐AMOC Nd Isotopic Signals in the Deep Western Atlantic Over the Last 1 Myr
Authors: Jaume‐Seguí Maria , Kim Joohee , Pena Leopoldo D. , Goldstein Steven L. , Knudson Karla P. , Yehudai Maayan , Hartman Alison E. , Bolge Louise , Ferretti Patrizia
Published: December 2020

The global thermohaline circulation plays a major role in regulating global climate, driven by the formation of North Atlantic Deep Water (NADW). ODP Site 1063 on the Bermuda Rise, at the interface of NADW and Southern Ocean‐sourced water, appears an ideal location to study the relationships between ocean circulation and climate. This study reports Nd isotope ratios at Site 1063 that extend to ~1 Ma. The data show Nd isotope values during portions of interglacials that are much lower than modern NADW. However, interglacial Nd isotope values at Site 607, located within the core of NADW, off the abyssal seafloor in the North Atlantic, are consistently similar to modern NADW. In contrast to glacial values, we infer that interglacial Nd isotopes at Site 1063 are not representative of NADW and do not solely record water mass mixing. We conclude that the low Ndisotope ratios reflect regional particle‐seawater exchange as a consequence of input of freshly ground bedrock from the Canadian shield, which is eroded into the North Atlantic during major ice sheet retreats. The result is a deep, thin, and regionally constrained layer of seawater tagged with this anomalous low Nd isotope signature that is unrepresentative of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC). We suggest that a benthic nepheloid layer, whose development is linked to the behavior of a deep‐recirculating gyre system, regulated by the interaction between the Gulf Stream and the deep western boundary current, facilitates the periodic masking of the Nd isotope signature of the North Atlantic AMOC end‐member in this region at these depths.
Dust‐Drought Nexus in the Southwestern United States: A Proxy‐Model Comparison Approach
Authors: Arcusa S. H. , McKay N. P. , Carrillo C. M. , Ault T. R.
Published: December 2020

The U.S. Southwest is naturally prone to dust and drought. With a high risk of unprecedented drought in the future due to climate change, changes in the dust cycle are expected. Whereas paleo records of dust deposition from the region suggest that past megadroughts did not coincide with elevated dust levels, modern studies indicate higher dust during drier conditions. To examine this disagreement, we compare regional paleo records to output from the Community Earth System Model Last Millennium Ensemble experiment. We investigate the role of hydroclimate on dust emissions in the model and analyze how modeled dust during megadroughts compares to all other years. We find that bare ground, as directly modulated by the density of vegetation cover and indirectly by hydroclimate, is the primary control on simulated dust emissions in the Southwest. Furthermore, we find slightly (but significantly) higher dust emission during megadroughts than during years without megadroughts in the model. Using a simple forward modeling approach to assess the impact of age uncertainty in the regional dust records, we find that age uncertainty can explain most of the paleo data/model disagreement. The remaining difference could be related to processes that are not included in the model that inhibit dust emissions during drought, including brown vegetation and soil crusts. Our results suggest the dust‐drought nexus is a continuum and that the impact of drought on dust cycling is subtle.
Deep Thermohaline Circulation Across the Closure of the Central American Seaway
Authors: Öğretmen N. , Schiebel R. , Jochum K. P. , Stoll B. , Weis U. , Repschläger J. , Jentzen A. , Galer S. , Haug G. H.
Published: December 2020

The closure of the Central American Seaway (CAS) resulted in changes of ocean‐climate dynamics since the late Miocene following the uplift of northern Andes. Reconstructing the bottom‐water temperatures (BWTs) of the Caribbean Sea illustrates feedbacks of the closure on the ocean‐climate system including deep‐water dynamics of the Caribbean Sea. Here, Mg/Ca‐derived BWTs of the Plio‐Pleistocene Caribbean Sea from the benthic foraminifer Cibicidoides wuellerstorfi are presented for the first time and interpreted along with Na/Ca and Sr/Ca as proxies of salinity and continental input, respectively. Our results highlight several warm (93, Gi15‐19, and N1) and cool (92, M2, Gi20, and CN4) marine isotope stages (MISs). Accordingly, changes in the circulation of deep‐water masses during the CAS closure developed in four main time intervals: (I) between 5.2 and 4.1 Ma (million years ago) BWT was ~1.1°C, (II) 4.1–3.2 Ma ~2.1°C, (III) 3.2–2.7 Ma ~2.7°C, and (IV) 2.7–2.2 Ma ~2.1°C. Relatively higher, gradually increased temperatures between 3.2 and 2.7 Ma correspond to late Pliocene warmth and restricted inflow of Pacific waters into the Caribbean due to shoaling of the CAS. In addition, Sr/Ca values reveal gradually escalating terrigenous input until 2.7 Ma most likely related to the increased river discharge in response to the Andean uplift. The gradual decrease of the BWTs from 2.7 Ma may have resulted from the onset of Northern Hemisphere Glaciation. Overall, BWTs match with previous sea surface temperatures from the planktic foraminifer Neogloboquadrina dutertrei. The BWTs presented here confirm intensified thermohaline circulation during the overall Pliocene warmth with increased bottom‐water Na/Ca values indicating enhanced salinity.
Fertility Discussions: Perspectives of Adolescents and Young Adults With Differences of Sex Development
Authors: Papadakis Jaclyn L. , Poquiz Jonathan L. , Buchanan Cindy L. , Chan Yee-Ming , Crerand Canice E. , Hansen-Moore Jennifer , Kapa Hillary M. , Nahata Leena , Pratt Keeley J. , Tishelman Amy C. , Chen Diane
Published: December 2020

Objective: Fertility-related health care and decision-making needs for youth with differences of sex development (DSD) are complex and vary by condition and the values and preferences of each individual and their partner and/or family. Discussing fertility implications can be a challenging aspect of clinician and family communication about a DSD diagnosis. This qualitative study assesses fertility-related communication experiences of adolescents and young adults (AYA) with DSD. Method: Participants included 97 AYA with DSD ages 12–26 years ( M = 18.5, SD = 3.9) who completed questionnaires on demographic and medical information and patient–clinician communication. A subsample of 33 AYA also completed semistructured interviews about experiences with fertility discussions. Results: Two major themes, each with subthemes, were identified: (1) understanding of fertility related to (1a) one’s own fertility status, (1b) reproductive and parenting options, and (1c) emotional reactions to one’s own fertility status and (2) conversations about fertility related to (2a) reflections on conversations, (2b) barriers, and (2c) advice. Conclusions: AYA perspectives in this study provide important information about how youth with DSD learn about their fertility status, the impact their fertility status has on them, and the fertility-related conversations they have with their providers and families. Specific recommendations for providers and parents or caregivers include the following: inform youth of their fertility status as early as possible; be direct but patient in delivering information; begin by giving basic information and provide more detail as the conversation unfolds; revisit the conversation over time to allow for further discussion or information-seeking; offer additional information or resources, including behavioral health resources.

Implications for Impact Statement

Fertility-related health care needs for youth with differences of sex development (DSD) are complex and vary by condition and individual preferences. This qualitative study assesses fertility-related communication experiences of adolescents and young adults with DSD. Findings have important clinical implications for how health care providers and families can effectively communicate about fertility.
CXCR4 in Waldenström’s Macroglobulinema: chances and challenges
Authors: Kaiser Lisa Marie , Hunter Zachary R. , Treon Steven P. , Buske Christian
Published: December 2020

It is one of the major aims in cancer research to improve our understanding of the underlying mechanisms which initiate and maintain tumor growth and to translate these findings into novel clinical diagnostic and therapeutic concepts with the ultimate goal to improve patient care. One of the greater success stories in this respect has been Waldenström’s Macroglobulinemia (WM), which is an incurable B-cell neoplasm characterized by serum monoclonal immunoglobulin M (IgM) and clonal lymphoplasmacytic cells infiltrating the bone marrow. Recent years have succeeded to describe the molecular landscape of WM in detail, highlighting two recurrently mutated genes, theMYD88and theCXCR4genes:MYD88with an almost constant and recurrent point mutation present in over 90% of patients andCXCR4with over 40 different mutations in the coding region affecting up to 40% of patients. Intriguingly, both mutations are activating mutations leading in the case of CXCR4 to an indelible activation and perpetual signaling of the chemokine receptor. These data have shed light on the essential role of CXCR4 in this disease and have paved the way to use these findings for predicting treatment response to the Bruton tyrosine kinase (BTK) inhibitor ibrutinib and novel therapeutic approaches in WM, which might be transferable to other related CXCR4 positive diseases. Well known for its central role in cancer progression and distribution, CXCR4 is highlighted in this review with regard to its biology, prognostic and predictive relevance and therapeutic implications in WM.
Genetically encoded sensors enable micro- and nano-scopic decoding of transmission in healthy and diseased brains
Authors: Lin Li , Gupta Smriti , Zheng W. Sharon , Si Ke , Zhu J. Julius
Published: December 2020

Neural communication orchestrates a variety of behaviors, yet despite impressive effort, delineating transmission properties of neuromodulatory communication remains a daunting task due to limitations of available monitoring tools. Recently developed genetically encoded neurotransmitter sensors, when combined with superresolution and deconvolution microscopic techniques, enable the first micro- and nano-scopic visualization of neuromodulatory transmission. Here we introduce this image analysis method by presenting its biophysical foundation, practical solutions, biological validation, and broad applicability. The presentation illustrates how the method resolves fundamental synaptic properties of neuromodulatory transmission, and the new data unveil unexpected fine control and precision of rodent and human neuromodulation. The findings raise the prospect of rapid advances in the understanding of neuromodulatory transmission essential for resolving the physiology or pathogenesis of various behaviors and diseases.
CD147-spike protein is a novel route for SARS-CoV-2 infection to host cells
Authors: Wang Ke , Chen Wei , Zhang Zheng , Deng Yongqiang , Lian Jian-Qi , Du Peng , Wei Ding , Zhang Yang , Sun Xiu-Xuan , Gong Li , Yang Xu , He Lei , Zhang Lei , Yang Zhiwei , Geng Jie-Jie , Chen Ruo , Zhang Hai , Wang Bin , Zhu Yu-Meng , Nan Gang , Jiang Jian-Li , Li Ling , Wu Jiao , Lin Peng , Huang Wan , Xie Liangzhi , Zheng Zhao-Hui , Zhang Kui , Miao Jin-Lin , Cui Hong-Yong , Huang Min , Zhang Jun , Fu Ling , Yang Xiang-Min , Zhao Zhongpeng , Sun Shihui , Gu Hongjing , Wang Zhe , Wang Chun-Fu , Lu Yacheng , Liu Ying-Ying , Wang Qing-Yi , Bian Huijie , Zhu Ping , Chen Zhi-Nan
Published: December 2020

In face of the everlasting battle toward COVID-19 and the rapid evolution of SARS-CoV-2, no specific and effective drugs for treating this disease have been reported until today. Angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2), a receptor of SARS-CoV-2, mediates the virus infection by binding to spike protein. Although ACE2 is expressed in the lung, kidney, and intestine, its expressing levels are rather low, especially in the lung. Considering the great infectivity of COVID-19, we speculate that SARS-CoV-2 may depend on other routes to facilitate its infection. Here, we first discover an interaction between host cell receptor CD147 and SARS-CoV-2 spike protein. The loss of CD147 or blocking CD147 in Vero E6 and BEAS-2B cell lines by anti-CD147 antibody, Meplazumab, inhibits SARS-CoV-2 amplification. Expression of human CD147 allows virus entry into non-susceptible BHK-21 cells, which can be neutralized by CD147 extracellular fragment. Viral loads are detectable in the lungs of human CD147 (hCD147) mice infected with SARS-CoV-2, but not in those of virus-infected wild type mice. Interestingly, virions are observed in lymphocytes of lung tissue from a COVID-19 patient. Human T cells with a property of ACE2 natural deficiency can be infected with SARS-CoV-2 pseudovirus in a dose-dependent manner, which is specifically inhibited by Meplazumab. Furthermore, CD147 mediates virus entering host cells by endocytosis. Together, our study reveals a novel virus entry route, CD147-spike protein, which provides an important target for developing specific and effective drug against COVID-19.
Deciphering functional redundancy in the human microbiome
Authors: Tian Liang , Wang Xu-Wen , Wu Ang-Kun , Fan Yuhang , Friedman Jonathan , Dahlin Amber , Waldor Matthew K. , Weinstock George M. , Weiss Scott T. , Liu Yang-Yu
Published: December 2020

Although the taxonomic composition of the human microbiome varies tremendously across individuals, its gene composition or functional capacity is highly conserved — implying an ecological property known as functional redundancy. Such functional redundancy has been hypothesized to underlie the stability and resilience of the human microbiome, but this hypothesis has never been quantitatively tested. The origin of functional redundancy is still elusive. Here, we investigate the basis for functional redundancy in the human microbiome by analyzing its genomic content network — a bipartite graph that links microbes to the genes in their genomes. We find that this network exhibits several topological features that favor high functional redundancy. Furthermore, we develop a simple genome evolution model to generate genomic content network, finding that moderate selection pressure and high horizontal gene transfer rate are necessary to generate genomic content networks with key topological features that favor high functional redundancy. Finally, we analyze data from two published studies of fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT), finding that high functional redundancy of the recipient’s pre-FMT microbiota raises barriers to donor microbiota engraftment. This work elucidates the potential ecological and evolutionary processes that create and maintain functional redundancy in the human microbiome and contribute to its resilience.
Pervasive subduction zone devolatilization recycles CO2 into the forearc
Authors: Stewart E. M. , Ague Jay J.
Published: December 2020

The fate of subducted CO2remains the subject of widespread disagreement, with different models predicting either wholesale (up to 99%) decarbonation of the subducting slab or extremely limited carbon loss and, consequently, massive deep subduction of CO2. The fluid history of subducted rocks lies at the heart of this debate: rocks that experience significant infiltration by a water-bearing fluid may release orders of magnitude more CO2than rocks that are metamorphosed in a closed chemical system. Numerical models make a wide range of predictions regarding water mobility, and further progress has been limited by a lack of direct observations. Here we present a comprehensive field-based study of decarbonation efficiency in a subducting slab (Cyclades, Greece), and show that ~40% to ~65% of the CO2in subducting crust is released via metamorphic decarbonation reactions at forearc depths. This result precludes extensive deep subduction of most CO2and suggests that the mantle has become more depleted in carbon over geologic time.
Evolution of the potassium channel gene Kcnj13 underlies colour pattern diversification in Danio fish
Authors: Podobnik Marco , Frohnhöfer Hans Georg , Dooley Christopher M. , Eskova Anastasia , Nüsslein-Volhard Christiane , Irion Uwe
Published: December 2020

The genetic basis of morphological variation provides a major topic in evolutionary developmental biology. Fish of the genusDaniodisplay colour patterns ranging from horizontal stripes, to vertical bars or spots. Stripe formation in zebrafish,Danio rerio, is a self-organizing process based on cell−contact mediated interactions between three types of chromatophores with a leading role of iridophores. Here we investigate genes known to regulate chromatophore interactions in zebrafish that might have evolved to produce a pattern of vertical bars in its sibling species,Danio aesculapii. MutantD. aesculapiiindicate a lower complexity in chromatophore interactions and a minor role of iridophores in patterning. Reciprocal hemizygosity tests identify the potassium channel geneobelix/Kcnj13as evolved between the two species. Complementation tests suggest evolutionary change through divergence inKcnj13function in two additionalDaniospecies. Thus, our results point towards repeated and independent evolution of this gene during colour pattern diversification.
Nonlinear mechanics of lamin filaments and the meshwork topology build an emergent nuclear lamina
Authors: Sapra K. Tanuj , Qin Zhao , Dubrovsky-Gaupp Anna , Aebi Ueli , Müller Daniel J. , Buehler Markus J. , Medalia Ohad
Published: December 2020

The nuclear lamina—a meshwork of intermediate filaments termed lamins—is primarily responsible for the mechanical stability of the nucleus in multicellular organisms. However, structural-mechanical characterization of lamin filaments assembled in situ remains elusive. Here, we apply an integrative approach combining atomic force microscopy, cryo-electron tomography, network analysis, and molecular dynamics simulations to directly measure the mechanical response of single lamin filaments in three-dimensional meshwork. Endogenous lamin filaments portray non-Hookean behavior – they deform reversibly at a few hundred picoNewtons and stiffen at nanoNewton forces. The filaments are extensible, strong and tough similar to natural silk and superior to the synthetic polymer Kevlar®. Graph theory analysis shows that the lamin meshwork is not a random arrangement of filaments but exhibits small-world properties. Our results suggest that lamin filaments arrange to form an emergent meshwork whose topology dictates the mechanical properties of individual filaments. The quantitative insights imply a role of meshwork topology in laminopathies.
Longitudinal symptom dynamics of COVID-19 infection
Authors: Mizrahi Barak , Shilo Smadar , Rossman Hagai , Kalkstein Nir , Marcus Karni , Barer Yael , Keshet Ayya , Shamir-Stein Na’ama , Shalev Varda , Zohar Anat Ekka , Chodick Gabriel , Segal Eran
Published: December 2020

As the COVID-19 pandemic progresses, obtaining information on symptoms dynamics is of essence. Here, we extracted data from primary-care electronic health records and nationwide distributed surveys to assess the longitudinal dynamics of symptoms prior to and throughout SARS-CoV-2 infection. Information was available for 206,377 individuals, including 2471 positive cases. The two datasources were discordant, with survey data capturing most of the symptoms more sensitively. The most prevalent symptoms included fever, cough and fatigue. Loss of taste and smell 3 weeks prior to testing, either self-reported or recorded by physicians, were the most discriminative symptoms for COVID-19. Additional discriminative symptoms included self-reported headache and fatigue and a documentation of syncope, rhinorrhea and fever. Children had a significantly shorter disease duration. Several symptoms were reported weeks after recovery. By a unique integration of two datasources, our study shed light on the longitudinal course of symptoms experienced by cases in primary care.
Novel kind of decagonal ordering in Al74Cr15Fe11
Authors: Ma Haikun , He Zhanbing , Li Hua , Zhang Tiantian , Zhang Shuang , Dong Chuang , Steurer Walter
Published: December 2020

A high-angle annular dark field scanning transmission electron microscopy study of the intermetallic compound Al74Cr15Fe11 reveals a quasiperiodic structure significantly differing from the ones known so far. In contrast to the common quasi-unit-cells based on Gummelt decagons, the present structure is related to a covering formed by Lück decagons, which can also be described by a Hexagon-Bow-Tie tiling.
Somatic and germline analysis of a familial Rothmund–Thomson syndrome in two siblings with osteosarcoma
Authors: Gutiérrez-Jimeno Miriam , Panizo-Morgado Elena , Tamayo Ibon , San Julián Mikel , Catalán-Lambán Ana , Alonso Marta M. , Patiño-García Ana
Published: December 2020

Rothmund–Thomson syndrome (RTS) is characterized by a rash that begins in the first few months of life and eventually develops into poikiloderma. Associated symptoms are alterations in the teeth, sparse hair, thin eyebrows, lack of eyelashes, low stature, bone abnormalities, hematological illnesses, gastrointestinal disease, malnutrition, cataracts, and predisposition to cancer, principally to bone tumors and skin cancer. Diagnostic certitude is provided by a genetic study involving detection of pathogenic variants of the RECQL4 gene. We hereby present a familiar case of RTS in two siblings from a Portuguese family, both diagnosed with osteosarcoma. Genomic analysis (203 genes) of both tumors as well as germline analysis of the RECQL4 gene, thus confirming the syndrome in the family, have been performed. The relevance of clinical recognition of the hallmarks of the disease and thus early diagnosis with early intervention is highlighted.
Characterization and control of open quantum systems beyond quantum noise spectroscopy
Authors: Youssry Akram , Paz-Silva Gerardo A. , Ferrie Christopher
Published: December 2020

The ability to use quantum technology to achieve useful tasks, be they scientific or industry related, boils down to precise quantum control. In general it is difficult to assess a proposed solution due to the difficulties in characterizing the quantum system or device. These arise because of the impossibility to characterize certain components in situ, and are exacerbated by noise induced by the environment and active controls. Here, we present a general purpose characterization and control solution making use of a deep learning framework composed of quantum features. We provide the framework, sample datasets, trained models, and their performance metrics. In addition, we demonstrate how the trained model can be used to extract conventional indicators, such as noise power spectra.
Tunable discrete scale invariance in transition-metal pentatelluride flakes
Authors: Liu Yanzhao , Wang Huichao , Zhu Haipeng , Li Yanan , Ge Jun , Wang Junfeng , Li Liang , Dai Ji-Yan , Yan Jiaqiang , Mandrus David , Joynt Robert , Wang Jian
Published: December 2020

Log-periodic quantum oscillations discovered in transition-metal pentatelluride give a clear demonstration of discrete scale invariance (DSI) in solid-state materials. The peculiar phenomenon is convincingly interpreted as the presence of two-body quasi-bound states in a Coulomb potential. However, the modifications of the Coulomb interactions in many-body systems having a Dirac-like spectrum are not fully understood. Here, we report the observation of tunable log-periodic oscillations and DSI in ZrTe5 and HfTe5 flakes. By reducing the flakes thickness, the characteristic scale factor is tuned to a much smaller value due to the reduction of the vacuum polarization effect. The decreasing of the scale factor demonstrates the many-body effect on the DSI, which has rarely been discussed hitherto. Furthermore, the cut-offs of oscillations are quantitatively explained by considering the Thomas-Fermi screening effect. Our work clarifies the many-body effect on DSI and paves a way to tune the DSI in quantum materials.
Age-stratified discrete compartment model of the COVID-19 epidemic with application to Switzerland
Authors: Balabdaoui Fadoua , Mohr Dirk
Published: December 2020

Compartmental models enable the analysis and prediction of an epidemic including the number of infected, hospitalized and deceased individuals in a population. They allow for computational case studies on non-pharmaceutical interventions thereby providing an important basis for policy makers. While research is ongoing on the transmission dynamics of the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus, it is important to come up with epidemic models that can describe the main stages of the progression of the associated COVID-19 respiratory disease. We propose an age-stratified discrete compartment model as an alternative to differential equation based S-I-R type of models. The model captures the highly age-dependent progression of COVID-19 and is able to describe the day-by-day advancement of an infected individual in a modern health care system. The fully-identified model for Switzerland not only predicts the overall histories of the number of infected, hospitalized and deceased, but also the corresponding age-distributions. The model-based analysis of the outbreak reveals an average infection fatality ratio of 0.4% with a pronounced maximum of 9.5% for those aged ≥ 80 years. The predictions for different scenarios of relaxing the soft lockdown indicate a low risk of overloading the hospitals through a second wave of infections. However, there is a hidden risk of a significant increase in the total fatalities (by up to 200%) in case schools reopen with insufficient containment measures in place.
Active proportional electromyogram controlled functional electrical stimulation system
Authors: Osuagwu Bethel A. C. , Whicher Emily , Shirley Rebecca
Published: December 2020

Neurophysiological theories and past studies suggest that intention driven functional electrical stimulation (FES) could be effective in motor neurorehabilitation. Proportional control of FES using voluntary EMG may be used for this purpose. Electrical artefact contamination of voluntary electromyogram (EMG) during FES application makes the technique difficult to implement. Previous attempts to date either poorly extract the voluntary EMG from the artefacts, require a special hardware or are unsuitable for online application. Here we show an implementation of an entirely software-based solution that resolves the current problems in real-time using an adaptive filtering technique with an optional comb filter to extract voluntary EMG from muscles under FES. We demonstrated that unlike the classic comb filter approach, the signal extracted with the present technique was coherent with its noise-free version. Active FES, the resulting EMG-FES system was validated in a typical use case among fifteen patients with tetraplegia. Results showed that FES intensity modulated by the Active FES system was proportional to intentional movement. The Active FES system may inspire further research in neurorehabilitation and assistive technology.