bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Conic decomposition of a toric variety and its application to cohomology
Authors: Park Seonjeong , Song Jongbaek
Published: October 2021

We introduce the notion of a conic sequence of a convex polytope. It is a way of building up a polytope starting from a vertex and attaching faces one by one according to certain rules. We apply this to a toric variety to obtain an iterated cofibration structure on it. This allows us to prove several vanishing results in the rational cohomology of a toric variety and to calculate the Poincaré polynomials for a large class of singular toric varieties.
Dense metrizable subspaces in powers of Corson compacta
Authors: Leiderman Arkady , Spadaro Santi , Todorcevic Stevo
Published: October 2021

We characterize when the countable power of a Corson compactum has a dense metrizable subspace and construct consistent examples of Corson compacta whose countable power does not have a dense metrizable subspace. We also give several remarks about ccc Corson compacta and, as a byproduct, we obtain a new proof of Kunen and van Mill’s characterization of when a Corson compactum supporting a strictly positive measure is metrizable.
A note on the asymptotics of the Hankel determinant associated with time-dependent Jacobi polynomials
Authors: Min Chao , Chen Yang
Published: October 2021

In 2010, Basor, Chen and Ehrhardt [J. Phys. A 43 (2010), 015204 (25 pp)] studied the (monic) time-dependent Jacobi polynomials. They proved that the diagonal recurrence coefficientαn(t)\alpha _n(t)satisfies a particular Painlevé V equation and the sub-leading coefficientp(n,t)\mathrm {p}(n,t)satisfies the Jimbo-Miwa-Okamotoσ\sigma-form of Painlevé V under suitable transformations. In the end they made some conjectures about the largennasymptotics of the associated Hankel determinant. In this note we will derive the largennasymptotics of the Hankel determinant, together with the recurrence coefficients, the sub-leading coefficient and the square ofL2L^2-norm of the time-dependent Jacobi polynomials. We will also show the relation between our problem and Heun’s differential equations.
Introduction
Authors: Ratner-Rosenhagen Jennifer
Published: October 2021

‘Introduction’ examines the scope and aims of American intellectual history. It shows how it is an approach to understanding the American past by way of ideas and the people who made or were moved by them. Intellectual history seeks to understand where certain persistent concerns in American thought have come from and why some ideas, which were important in the past, have faded from view. Intellectual history also concerns itself with the myriad institutions that are sites of intellectual production and dissemination. Ultimately, intellectual history invites thinking about thinking, both in the past and today. It seeks to demonstrate that thinking is where so much of the historical action is.
Modernist revolts
Authors: Ratner-Rosenhagen Jennifer
Published: October 2021

‘Modernist revolts’ traces the turn-of-the-twentieth-century rise of what philosopher John Dewey called a “new intellectual temper”: modernism. It was at this time that the idea of the intellectual enters American English as a term to identify a new type of modern professional thinker. To be an intellectual meant accepting responsibility to help other Americans accept a modernizing world of social change and dissonance while finding new grounds to negotiate their differences. The modernist thought they advocated came in a variety of forms: from new religious thought and philosophical pragmatism to progressivism and cultural pluralism.
5. Finnegans Wake
Authors: MacCabe Colin
Published: October 2021

‘Finnegans Wake’ assesses James Joyce’s Finnegans Wake (1939). In Finnegans Wake, Joyce attempted to write a book which would take all history and knowledge for its subject matter and the workings of the dreaming mind for its form. Four themes surround the book: language, the family, sexuality, and death. In Joyce’s attempt to break away from the ‘evidences’ of conventional narrative with its fixed causality and temporality, two Italian thinkers, Giordano Bruno and Giambattista Vico, were of profound importance in the writing of Finnegans Wake. Bruno and Vico are used in Finnegans Wake to aid the deconstruction of identity into difference and to replace progress with repetition.
Time: A Very Short Introduction
Authors: Ismael Jenann
Published: October 2021

Time: A Very Short Introduction explores questions about the nature of time that have been at the heart of philosophical thinking since its beginnings: questions like whether time has a beginning or end, whether and in what sense time passes, how time is different from space, whether time has a direction, and whether it is possible to travel in time. These questions passed into the hands of scientists with the work of Isaac Newton when the structure of space and time became connected to motion and included the subject matter of physics. This VSI charts the way that the history of physics, from Isaac Newton through Albert Einstein’s two revolutions, wrought changes to the conception of time. There are parts of physics that are in a state of confusion, but this strand of development is a story of philosophical illumination and conceptual beauty. The discussion here provides an opportunity to see what distinguishes the methods of physics from those of philosophy. It brings together physics, cognitive science, and phenomenology in the service of reconciling what modern theories tell us about the nature of time with the everyday living experience of time.
Philosophical implications of relativity
Authors: Ismael Jenann
Published: October 2021

‘Philosophical implications of relativity’ looks at the counterintuitive implications of the special theory of relativity. It begins with time dilation and length contraction, wherein the measurements of spatial distances and temporal intervals appear to vary with the motion of the observer. The question of whether relativity allows for the possibility of time travel is raised and the so-called paradoxes of time travel are explored.
The big picture and new horizons
Authors: Ismael Jenann
Published: October 2021

‘The big picture and new horizons’ summarizes the results already discussed and provides a broad overview of our current understanding of the nature of time. Physics continues to develop and there are reasons to think that further changes—perhaps quite radical—are on the horizon. The last thing to look at are the parts of physics from which those changes may come.
The Bible in the modern world: classic or sacred text?
Authors: Riches John
Published: October 2021

‘The Bible in the modern world: classic or sacred text?’ provides an overview of how the Bible continues to inform people’s lives in our modern world. Indeed, the Bible is still one of the most influential and widely read books in the world. The chapter introduces some of today’s Bible readers to demonstrate its extraordinary appeal, its ability to speak, negatively or positively, to people of different education, culture, and beliefs. The sheer diversity of the ways in which the Bible has been embodied in Jewish and Christian communities is both fascinating and disturbing. It has been used for purposes which for many are profoundly abhorrent, as well as in the cause of justice and liberation.
Conclusion
Authors: Riches John
Published: October 2021

The Bible has been the source of great truth, goodness, and beauty at the same time as it has inspired lies, wickedness, and ugliness. What it has not produced is a uniform manner of its reading and interpretation. The very process of canonization is nevertheless part of an attempt to limit diversity and deviance of belief within religious communities. Ultimately, however, there is no controlling the way it is read. It is important therefore to be critically aware of the different kinds of uses to which the Bible may be put and to learn to discriminate among them. Readers need to exercise their own moral and aesthetic judgement over the different readings which have been offered of these texts, not least in their own traditions. At the same time, their own judgement will be influenced by the texts as they engage more closely with them and their reception.
Expected Years Of Life Lost Due To Alcohol Consumption In Thai Adults: A 16-Year Follow-Up Cohort Of National Health Examination Survey 2004–2019
Authors: Nontarak Jiraluck , Geater Alan Frederick , Assanangkornchai Sawitri , Aekplakorn Wichai
Published: October 2021

Aims

Evidence of premature death attributable to alcohol, a modifiable risk factor, is crucial for guiding public health policy for alcohol control. The aim of this study was to estimate alcohol-related mortality and potential years of life lost (PYLL) in Thailand in 2004–2019.

Methods

We analysed data of the third National Health Examination Survey in 2004 linked to National Death Registry data of 2004–2019. Causes of death were based on International Classification of Diseases version 10. PYLL was calculated by cause of death, age group and sex. All analyses were weighted to take into account the probabilities for the multi-stage sampling of the 2004 Thai population aged ≥15 years.

Results

There were 10,704 deaths with a follow-up time of 507,771.7 person-years. The crude mortality rate of the initial sample was 868.6 per 100,000 population. The mortality rate attributable to alcohol was 18.6 per 100,000 population (30.7 per 100,000 population in males and 6.8 per 100,000 population in females). The top leading cause of alcohol-attributable deaths was unspecified liver diseases in both males and females (6.1 and 3.1 per 100,000 population, respectively). The total years of life lost (YLL) at baseline were 9.4 million years or 49.5 years per person on average, with significantly more years in males. Mortality rate and expected YLL were highest in ages of 30–44 years, followed by 15–29 years.

Conclusion

Males were 4-fold more likely to die from all alcohol-attributable causes compared with females. Young adults had a greater loss of life years than older adults.
A Tool for Designing and Studying Student-Centered Undergraduate Field Experiences: The UFERN Model
Authors: O'Connell Kari , Hoke Kelly L , Giamellaro Michael , Berkowitz Alan R , Branchaw Janet
Published: October 2021

Undergraduate field experiences (UFEs), where students learn and sometimes live together in nature, are critical for the field-based science disciplines. The Undergraduate Field Experiences Research Network (UFERN) brings together UFE educators and researchers to improve and broaden participation in field education. Integrating research on UFEs and general STEM education and the expertise of the UFERN community, we present a model and evidence that describes the impact of intended student outcomes, student context factors, and program design factors on UFE student outcomes. The UFERN model is relevant for a diversity of UFE formats and the diverse students potentially engaged in them, and it supports the field science community to consider a range of ways students can engage with the field. The UFERN model can be applied to guide the design, implementation, and evaluation of student-centered UFEs and to guide research on the mechanisms underlying outcomes across UFE formats and disciplines.
The Crisis in the Courts: Before and Beyond Covid
Authors: Godfrey Barry , Richardson Jane C , Walklate Sandra
Published: October 2021

One year after the first COVID lockdown the backlog at the Magistrates’ and Crown Courts together totalled approximately half a million cases. This article reports on the impact of court delays on domestic abuse victims using data from the ESRC-funded ‘Shadow Pandemic’ project. Using this data as illustrative, the paper goes on to discuss the causes of delays in all criminal cases, challenging the assertion that COVID caused the backlog. Instead, the paper contends that austerity measures have been the underlying cause with COVID merely extending the scale of the crisis. The paper then questions whether post-COVID recovery plans are realistic, particularly in relation to any increase in remote hearings and out of court disposals. It concludes that a more fundamental shift needs to take place in dealing with criminal cases to enable speedier and more effective access to justice for victims of all crimes including domestic abuse.
Functional connectivity for the language network in the developing brain: 30 weeks of gestation to 30 months of age
Authors: Scheinost Dustin , Chang Joseph , Lacadie Cheryl , Brennan-Wydra Emma , Constable R Todd , Chawarska Katarzyna , Ment Laura R
Published: October 2021

Although the neural scaffolding for language is putatively present before birth, the maturation of functional connections among the key nodes of the language network, Broca’s and Wernicke’s areas, is less known. We leveraged longitudinal and cross-sectional data from three sites collected through six studies to track the development of functional circuits between Broca’s and Wernicke’s areas from 30 weeks of gestation through 30 months of age in 127 unique participants. Using resting-state fMRI data, functional connectivity was calculated as the correlation between fMRI time courses from pairs of regions, defined as Broca’s and Wernicke’s in both hemispheres. The primary analysis evaluated 23 individuals longitudinally imaged from 30 weeks postmenstrual age (fetal) through the first postnatal month (neonatal). A secondary analysis in 127 individuals extended these curves into older infants and toddlers. These data demonstrated significant growth of interhemispheric connections including left Broca’s and its homolog and left Wernicke’s and its homolog from 30 weeks of gestation through the first postnatal month. In contrast, intrahemispheric connections did not show significant increases across this period. These data represent an important baseline for language systems in the developing brain against which to compare those neurobehavioral disorders with the potential fetal onset of disease.
A Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Clinical Trial of Bamlanivimab and Etesevimab Together in High-Risk Ambulatory Patients With COVID-19 and Validation of the Prognostic Value of Persistently High Viral Load
Authors: Dougan Michael , Azizad Masoud , Mocherla Bharat , Gottlieb Robert L , Chen Peter , Hebert Corey , Perry Russell , Boscia Joseph , Heller Barry , Morris Jason , Crystal Chad , Igbinadolor Awawu , Huhn Gregory , Cardona Jose , Shawa Imad , Kumar Princy , Blomkalns Andra , Adams Andrew C , Van Naarden Jacob , Custer Kenneth L , Knorr Jack , Oakley Gerard , Schade Andrew E , Holzer Timothy R , Ebert Philip J , Higgs Richard E , Sabo Janelle , Patel Dipak R , Dabora Matan C , Williams Mark , Klekotka Paul , Shen Lei , Skovronsky Daniel M , Nirula Ajay
Published: October 2021

Background

Based on interim analyses and modeling data, lower doses of bamlanivimab and etesevimab together (700/1400 mg) were investigated to determine optimal dose and expand availability of treatment.

Methods

This Phase 3 portion of the BLAZE-1 trial characterized the effect of bamlanivimab with etesevimab on overall patient clinical status and virologic outcomes in ambulatory patients ≥12 years old, with mild-to-moderate coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), and ≥1 risk factor for progressing to severe COVID-19 and/or hospitalization. Bamlanivimab and etesevimab together (700/1400 mg) or placebo were infused intravenously within 3 days of patients’ first positive COVID-19 test.

Results

In total, 769 patients were infused (median age [range]; 56.0 years [12, 93], 30.3% of patients ≥65 years of age and median duration of symptoms; 4 days). By day 29, 4/511 patients (0.8%) in the antibody treatment group had a COVID-19-related hospitalization or any-cause death, as compared with 15/258 patients (5.8%) in the placebo group (Δ[95% confidence interval {CI}] = −5.0 [−8.0, −2.1], P < .001). No deaths occurred in the bamlanivimab and etesevimab group compared with 4 deaths (all COVID-19-related) in the placebo group. Patients receiving antibody treatment had a greater mean reduction in viral load from baseline to Day 7 (Δ[95% CI] = −0.99 [−1.33, −.66], P < .0001) compared with those receiving placebo. Persistently high viral load at Day 7 correlated with COVID-19-related hospitalization or any-cause death by Day 29 in all BLAZE-1 cohorts investigated.

Conclusions

These data support the use of bamlanivimab and etesevimab (700/1400 mg) for ambulatory patients at high risk for severe COVID-19. Evolution of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) variants will require continued monitoring to determine the applicability of this treatment.

Clinical Trials Registration

NCT04427501.
Prognostic implications of mitral valve geometry in patients with secondary mitral regurgitation: the COAPT trial
Authors: Namazi Farnaz , Delgado Victoria , Pio Stephan Milhorini , Ajmone Marsan Nina , Asch Federico M , Medvedofsky Diego , Weissman Neil J , Zhou Zhipeng , Redfors Bjorn , Lindenfeld JoAnn , Abraham William T , Mack Michael J , Stone Gregg W , Bax Jeroen J
Published: October 2021

Aims

The impact of mitral valve geometry on outcomes after MitraClip treatment in secondary mitral regurgitation (MR) has not been examined. We therefore sought to evaluate the association between mitral valve geometry and outcomes of patients with heart failure (HF) and secondary MR treated with guideline-directed medical therapy (GDMT) and MitraClip.

Methods and results

Mitral valve geometry was assessed from the baseline echocardiograms in 614 patients from the COAPT trial. The primary endpoint for the present study was the composite of all-cause mortality or HF hospitalization (HFH) within 2 years. Effect of treatment arm (MitraClip plus maximally tolerated GDMT vs. GDMT alone) on outcomes according to baseline variables was assessed. Among 29 baseline mitral valve echocardiographic parameters, increasing anteroposterior mitral annular diameter was the only independent predictor of the composite endpoint of all-cause mortality or HFH [adjusted hazard ratio (aHR) per cm 1.49; P = 0.04]. The effective regurgitant orifice area (EROA) was independently associated with all-cause mortality alone (aHR per cm2 2.97; P = 0.04) but not with HFH, whereas increasing anteroposterior mitral annular diameter was independently associated with HFH alone (aHR per cm 1.85; P = 0.005) but not all-cause mortality. Other mitral valve morphologic parameters were unrelated to outcomes. MitraClip reduced HFH and mortality independent of anteroposterior mitral annular diameter and EROA (Pinteraction = 0.77 and 0.27, respectively).

Conclusion

In patients with HF and severe secondary MR, a large anteroposterior mitral annular diameter and greater EROA were the strongest echocardiographic predictors of HFH and death in patients treated with GDMT alone and with the MitraClip.
Rainfalls sprinkle cloud bacterial diversity while scavenging biomass
Authors: Péguilhan Raphaëlle , Besaury Ludovic , Rossi Florent , Enault François , Baray Jean-Luc , Deguillaume Laurent , Amato Pierre
Published: October 2021

Bacteria circulate in the atmosphere, through clouds and precipitation to surface ecosystems. Here, we conducted a coordinated study of bacteria assemblages in clouds and precipitation at two sites distant of ∼800 m in elevation in a rural vegetated area around puy de Dôme Mountain, France, and analysed them in regard to meteorological, chemical and air masses’ history data. In both clouds and precipitation, bacteria generally associated with vegetation or soil dominated. Elevated ATP-to-cell ratio in clouds compared with precipitation suggested a higher proportion of viable cells and/or specific biological processes. The increase of bacterial cell concentration from clouds to precipitation indicated strong below-cloud scavenging. Using ions as tracers, we derive that 0.2 to 25.5% of the 1.1 × 107 to 6.6 × 108 bacteria cell/m2/h1 deposited with precipitation originated from the source clouds. Yet, the relative species richness decreased with the proportion of inputs from clouds, pointing them as sources of distant microbial diversity. Biodiversity profiles, thus, differed between clouds and precipitation in relation with distant/local influencing sources, and potentially with bacterial phenotypic traits. Notably Undibacterium, Bacillus and Staphylococcus were more represented in clouds, while epiphytic bacteria such as Massilia, Sphingomonas, Rhodococcus and Pseudomonas were enriched in precipitation.
Distinct roles for the Charcot–Marie–Tooth disease-causing endosomal regulators Mtmr5 and Mtmr13 in axon radial sorting and Schwann cell myelination
Authors: Mammel Anna E , Delgado Katherine C , Chin Andrea L , Condon Alec F , Hill Jo Q , Aicher Sue A , Wang Yingming , Fedorov Lev M , Robinson Fred L
Published: October 2021

The form of Charcot–Marie–Tooth type 4B (CMT4B) disease caused by mutations in myotubularin-related 5 (MTMR5; also called SET binding factor 1, SBF1) shows a spectrum of axonal and demyelinating nerve phenotypes. This contrasts with the CMT4B subtypes caused by MTMR2 or MTMR13 (SBF2) mutations, which are characterized by myelin outfoldings and classic demyelination. Thus, it is unclear whether MTMR5 plays an analogous or distinct role from that of its homolog, MTMR13, in the peripheral nervous system (PNS). MTMR5 and MTMR13 are pseudophosphatases predicted to regulate endosomal trafficking by activating Rab GTPases and binding to the phosphoinositide 3-phosphatase MTMR2. In the mouse PNS, Mtmr2 was required to maintain wild-type levels of Mtmr5 and Mtmr13, suggesting that these factors function in discrete protein complexes. Genetic elimination of both Mtmr5 and Mtmr13 in mice led to perinatal lethality, indicating that the two proteins have partially redundant functions during embryogenesis. Loss of Mtmr5 in mice did not cause CMT4B-like myelin outfoldings. However, adult Mtmr5−/− mouse nerves contained fewer myelinated axons than control nerves, likely as a result of axon radial sorting defects. Consistently, Mtmr5 levels were highest during axon radial sorting and fell sharply after postnatal day seven. Our findings suggest that Mtmr5 and Mtmr13 ensure proper axon radial sorting and Schwann cell myelination, respectively, perhaps through their direct interactions with Mtmr2. This study enhances our understanding of the non-redundant roles of the endosomal regulators MTMR5 and MTMR13 during normal peripheral nerve development and disease.
The Ighmbp2D564N mouse model is the first SMARD1 model to demonstrate respiratory defects
Authors: Smith Caley E , Lorson Monique A , Ricardez Hernandez Sara M , Al Rawi Zayd , Mao Jiude , Marquez Jose , Villalón Eric , Keilholz Amy N , Smith Catherine L , Garro-Kacher Mona O , Morcos Toni , Davis Daniel J , Bryda Elizabeth C , Nichols Nicole L , Lorson Christian L
Published: October 2021

Spinal muscular atrophy with respiratory distress type I (SMARD1) is a neurodegenerative disease defined by respiratory distress, muscle atrophy and sensory and autonomic nervous system defects. SMARD1 is a result of mutations within the IGHMBP2 gene. We have generated six Ighmbp2 mouse models based on patient-derived mutations that result in SMARD1 and/or Charcot-Marie Tooth Type 2 (CMT2S). Here we describe the characterization of one of these models, Ighmbp2D564N (human D565N). The Ighmbp2D564N/D564N mouse model mimics important aspects of the SMARD1 disease phenotype, including motor neuron degeneration and muscle atrophy. Ighmbp2D564N/D564N is the first SMARD1 mouse model to demonstrate respiratory defects based on quantified plethysmography analyses. SMARD1 disease phenotypes, including the respiratory defects, are significantly diminished by intracerebroventricular (ICV) injection of ssAAV9-IGHMBP2 and the extent of phenotypic restoration is dose-dependent. Collectively, this model provides important biological insight into SMARD1 disease development.
A priori and a posteriori error estimates for a virtual element method for the non-self-adjoint Steklov eigenvalue problem
Authors: Wang Gang , Meng Jian , Wang Ying , Mei Liquan
Published: October 2021

In this paper we analyze a virtual element method (VEM) for the non-self-adjoint Steklov eigenvalue problem. The conforming VEM on polytopal meshes is used for discretization. We analyze the correct spectral approximation of the discrete scheme and prove an a priori error estimate for the discrete eigenvalues and eigenfunctions. The convergence order of a discrete eigenvalue may decrease if the corresponding eigenfunction has a singularity and it can be improved on a locally refined mesh. The VEM has great flexibility in handling computational meshes. These facts motivate us to construct a computable a posteriori error estimator for the VEM and prove its reliability and efficiency. This estimator can be applied to very general polytopal meshes with hanging nodes. Finally, we show numerical examples to verify the theoretical results, including optimal convergence of discrete eigenvalues on uniformly refined meshes of a square domain and a cube domain, and we demonstrate the efficiency of the estimator on adaptively refined meshes on an L-shaped domain and also discuss the influence of stabilization parameters on the virtual element approximation.
The Role of Teleological Thinking in Judgments of Persistence of Musical Works
Authors: Mikalonytė Elzė Sigutė , Dranseika Vilius
Published: October 2021

In his article “The Ontology of Musical Versions: Introducing the Hypothesis of Nested Types,” Nemesio Puy raises a hypothesis that continuity of the purpose is both a necessary and a sufficient condition for musical work’s identity. Puy’s hypothesis is relevant to two topics in cognitive psychology and experimental philosophy. The first topic is the prevalence of teleological reasoning about various objects and its influence on persistence and categorization judgments. The second one is the importance of an artist’s intention in the categorization of artworks. We tested the teleological hypothesis across three studies. Vignettes in these three studies describe a musical work being changed in some of these aspects: (1) purpose either changed or retained; (2) score either changed or retained; (3) change is made either by the same or a different composer. The results suggest that teleological considerations impact judgments on the persistence of musical works, but this impact appears to be relatively weak. The results also suggest that persistence judgments strongly depend on whether acoustical properties were changed, while whether the change was made by the original composer seems to be relatively unimportant.
Making the case for workforce diversity in biomedical informatics to help achieve equity-centered care: a look at the AMIA First Look Program
Authors: Bright Tiffani J , Williams Karmen S , Rajamani Sripriya , Tiase Victoria L , Senathirajah Yalini , Hebert Courtney , McCoy Allison B
Published: October 2021

Developing a diverse informatics workforce broadens the research agenda and ensures the growth of innovative solutions that enable equity-centered care. The American Medical Informatics Association (AMIA) established the AMIA First Look Program in 2017 to address workforce disparities among women, including those from marginalized communities. The program exposes women to informatics, furnishes mentors, and provides career resources. In 4 years, the program has introduced 87 undergraduate women, 41% members of marginalized communities, to informatics. Participants from the 2019 and 2020 cohorts reported interest in pursuing a career in informatics increased from 57% to 86% after participation, and 86% of both years’ attendees responded that they would recommend the program to others. A June 2021 LinkedIn profile review found 50% of participants working in computer science or informatics, 4% pursuing informatics graduate degrees, and 32% having completed informatics internships, suggesting AMIA First Look has the potential to increase informatics diversity.
The Survival of Mediocre Superstars in the Labor Market
Authors: Peeters Thomas , Szymanski Stefan , Terviö Marko
Published: October 2021

We argue that liquidity constrained firms face strong incentives to hire experienced, but low ability workers instead of novice workers with higher upside potential. Using four decades of high-frequency information on worker performance in a “superstar” labor market allows us to estimate the revealed ability of experienced workers at the time they are hired by a new firm. More than one-fifth of these hires are “substandard” in that the revealed ability of the hired experienced worker lies below the mean ability of recent novices. Even more hires (around 40%) are “mediocre,” as their ability falls short of the hiring threshold that maximizes the long-run average ability of the active workforce. Replacing mediocre hires by novice workers would increase the average ability of the workforce by 0.1 standard deviations. (JEL J31, J44, L83, M51).
Colostomy orifice complications: a case report of a prolapsed colostomy with necrosis of the eviscerated greater omentum
Authors: Rockson Obed , Mhand Mohammed , Aabdi Houssam , Bouhout Tariq , El Harroudi Tijani , Serji Badr
Published: October 2021

Evisceration and necrosis of the greater omentum at the site of a prolapsed colostomy is a rare situation. Considered an early stoma complication, it often occurs during the first month after surgery. We report the observation and our attitude to such a situation in a 56-year-old patient who underwent initial surgery for a locally advanced rectal adenocarcinoma after receiving neoadjuvant radio-chemotherapy. A loop colostomy for decompression was performed due to large bowel obstruction. On the 10th day after surgery, he was readmitted for an oedematous prolapsed colostomy and a necrotic end of the greater omentum, which eviscerated through the colostomic hole, secondary to severe ascites. Emergency re-intervention involving resection of the prolapsed stoma with the necrotic segment of the omentum was performed. The three factors associated with the development of this rare peri-colostomy complication were: emergency surgery, locally advanced rectal tumor, and increased intra-abdominal pressure.
Zinc transport in rice: how to balance optimal plant requirements and human nutrition
Authors: Huang Sheng , Yamaji Naoki , Feng Ma Jian
Published: October 2021

Zinc (Zn) is an essential micronutrient for both plants and animals, while its deficiency in crops and humans is a global problem that affects both crop productivity and human health. Since plants and humans differ in their Zn requirements, it is crucial to balance plant nutrition and human nutrition for Zn. In this review, we focus on the transport system of Zn from soil to grain in rice (Oryza sativa), which is a major dietary source of Zn for people subsiding on rice-based diets. We describe transporters belonging to the different families that are involved in the uptake, vacuolar sequestration, root-to-shoot translocation, and distribution of Zn, and discuss their mechanisms of regulation. We give examples for enhancing Zn accumulation and bioavailability in rice grains through the manipulation of genes that are highly expressed in the nodes, where Zn is deposited at high concentrations. Finally, we provide our perspectives on breeding rice cultivars with both increased tolerance to Zn-deficiency stress and high Zn density in the grains.
Cation transporters in cell fate determination and plant adaptive responses to a low-oxygen environment
Authors: Huang Xin , Shabala Lana , Zhang Xuechen , Zhou Meixue , Voesenek Laurentius A C J , Hartman Sjon , Yu Min , Shabala Sergey
Published: October 2021

Soil flooding creates low-oxygen environments in root zones and thus severely affects plant growth and productivity. Plants adapt to low-oxygen environments by a suite of orchestrated metabolic and anatomical alterations. Of these, formation of aerenchyma and development of adventitious roots are considered very critical to enable plant performance in waterlogged soils. Both traits have been firmly associated with stress-induced increases in ethylene levels in root tissues that operate upstream of signalling pathways. Recently, we used a bioinformatic approach to demonstrate that several Ca2+ and K+ -permeable channels from KCO, AKT, and TPC families could also operate in low oxygen sensing in Arabidopsis. Here we argue that low-oxygen-induced changes to cellular ion homeostasis and operation of membrane transporters may be critical for cell fate determination and formation of the lysigenous aerenchyma in plant roots and shaping the root architecture and adventitious root development in grasses. We summarize the existing evidence for a causal link between tissue-specific changes in oxygen concentration, intracellular Ca2+ and K+ homeostasis, and reactive oxygen species levels, and their role in conferring those two major traits enabling plant adaptation to a low-oxygen environment. We conclude that, for efficient operation, plants may rely on several complementary signalling pathway mechanisms that operate in concert and ‘fine-tune’ each other. A better understanding of this interaction may create additional and previously unexplored opportunities to crop breeders to improve cereal crop yield losses to soil flooding.
Interpreting internal consistency of DES measurements
Authors: Miranda V , Rogozenski P , Krause E
Published: October 2021

Bayesian evidence ratios are widely used to quantify the statistical consistency between different experiments. However, since the evidence ratio is prior dependent, the precise translation between its value and the degree of concordance/discordance requires additional information. The most commonly adopted metric, the Jeffreys scale, can falsely suggest agreement between data sets when priors are chosen to be sufficiently wide. This work examines evidence ratios in a DES-Y1 simulated analysis, focusing on the internal consistency between weak lensing and galaxy clustering. We study two scenarios using simulated data in controlled experiments. First, we calibrate the expected evidence ratio distribution given noise realizations around the best-fitting DES-Y1 ΛCDM cosmology. Secondly, we show the behaviour of evidence ratios for noiseless fiducial data vectors simulated using a modified gravity model, which generates internal tension in the LCDM analysis. We find that the evidence ratio of noise realizations generated at all confidence levels was biased towards agreement and show, with a modified gravity model, that the choice of prior could conceal the discrepancies between weak lensing and galaxy clustering induced by prior effects in unlike cosmological models, concluding that the evidence ratio in a DES-Y1 study is, indeed, biased towards agreement. Boundary effects can also influence conclusions about the inconsistency induced by modified gravity, even in a noiseless data vector simulation.
Kinematics and structure of Ionized gas in the UCHII regions of W33 main
Authors: Beilis Dan , Beck Sara , Lacy John
Published: October 2021

High mass proto-stars create Ultra-Compact H ii regions (UCHII) at the stage of evolution when most of the accretion is finished but the star is still heavily embedded in molecular material. The morphologies of UCHII regions reflect the interactions of stellar winds, stellar motions, and density structure in the molecular cloud; they are complex and it has been very difficult to interpret them. We here present data obtained with TEXES on the NASA IRTF of the [Nei,ii] emission line in the proto-cluster of young OB stars in W33 Main. The data cube has a spatial resolution of ∼1.4 arcsec and true velocity resolution ∼5 km s-1; with Aλ ∼ 0.02AV it is relatively unaffected by extinction. We have run 3D hydrodynamic and line profile simulations, using PLUTO and RADMC-3D, of the gas structures created by multiple windy stars moving relative to each other through the ambient cloud. By iterative comparison of the data cube and the simulations, we arrive at models that reproduce the different morphology and kinematic structure of each UCHII region in W33 Main. The results indicate that each sub-source probably holds multiple exciting stars, permitting an improved view of the stellar population, and finds the stellar trajectories, which may determine the dynamical development of the proto-cluster.
Probing gravity with the DES-CMASS sample and BOSS spectroscopy
Authors: Lee S , Huff E M , Choi A , Elvin-Poole J , Hirata C , Honscheid K , MacCrann N , Ross A J , Troxel M A , Eifler T F , Kong H , Ferté A , Blazek J , Huterer D , Amara A , Campos A , Chen A , Dodelson S , Lemos P , Leonard C D , Miranda V , Muir J , Raveri M , Secco L F , Weaverdyck N , Zuntz J , Bridle S L , Davis C , DeRose J , Gatti M , Prat J , Rau M M , Samuroff S , Sánchez C , Vielzeuf P , Aguena M , Allam S , Amon A , Andrade-Oliveira F , Bernstein G M , Bertin E , Brooks D , Burke D L , Rosell A Carnero , Carrasco Kind M , Carretero J , Castander F J , Cawthon R , Conselice C , Costanzi M , da Costa L N , Pereira M E S , De Vicente J , Desai S , Diehl H T , Dietrich J P , Doel P , Everett S , Evrard A E , Ferrero I , Fosalba P , Frieman J , García-Bellido J , Gaztanaga E , Gerdes D W , Giannantonio T , Gruen D , Gruendl R A , Gschwend J , Gutierrez G , Hartley W G , Hinton S R , Hollowood D L , Hoyle B , James D J , Kuehn K , Kuropatkin N , Lahav O , Lima M , Maia M A G , March M , Marshall J L , Menanteau F , Miquel R , Mohr J J , Morgan R , Palmese A , Paz-Chinchón F , Pieres A , Malagón A A Plazas , Roodman A , Sanchez E , Scarpine V , Schubnell M , Serrano S , Sevilla-Noarbe I , Sheldon E , Smith M , Suchyta E , Swanson M E C , Tarle G , Thomas D , To C , Varga T N , Weller J ,   (DES Collaboration)
Published: October 2021

The DES-CMASS sample (DMASS) is designed to optimally combine the weak lensing measurements from the Dark Energy Survey (DES) and redshift-space distortions (RSD) probed by the CMASS galaxy sample from the Baryonic Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey. In this paper, we demonstrate the feasibility of adopting DMASS as the equivalent of CMASS for a joint analysis of DES and BOSS in the framework of modified gravity. We utilize the angular clustering of the DMASS galaxies, cosmic shear of the DES metacalibration sources, and cross-correlation of the two as data vectors. By jointly fitting the combination of the data with the RSD measurements from the CMASS sample and Planck data, we obtain the constraints on modified gravity parameters $\mu _0=-0.37^{+0.47}_{-0.45}$ and $\Sigma _0=0.078^{+0.078}_{-0.082}$. Our constraints of modified gravity with DMASS are tighter than those with the DES Year 1 redMaGiC sample with the same external data sets by 29 per cent for μ0 and 21 per cent for Σ0, and comparable to the published results of the DES Year 1 modified gravity analysis despite this work using fewer external data sets. This improvement is mainly because the galaxy bias parameter is shared and more tightly constrained by both CMASS and DMASS, effectively breaking the degeneracy between the galaxy bias and other cosmological parameters. Such an approach to optimally combine photometric and spectroscopic surveys using a photometric sample equivalent to a spectroscopic sample can be applied to combining future surveys having a limited overlap such as DESI and LSST.
Continuum reverberation mapping and a new lag-luminosity relationship for AGN
Authors: Netzer Hagai
Published: October 2021

High cadence, high quality observations of active galactic nuclei (AGN) clearly show continuum variations with lags, relative to the shortest observed variable UV continuum, that increase with wavelength (‘lag spectra’). These have been attributed to the irradiation and heating of the central accretion disk by the central X-ray emitting corona. An alternative explanation, connecting the observed lag-spectra to line and continuum emission from gas in the broad line region (BLR), has also been proposed. In this paper I show the clear spectral signature of the time-dependent diffuse gas emission in the lag-spectrum of 6 AGN. I also show a new lag-luminosity relationship for 9 objects which is a scaled down version of the well known τ(Hβ)-L5100 relationship in AGN. The shape of the lag-spectrum, and its normalization, are entirely consistent with diffuse emission from radiation pressure supported clouds in a BLR with a covering factor of about 0.2. While some contributions to the continuum lag from the irradiated disk cannot be excluded, there is no need for this explanation.
Similarity-Based Analysis of Allele Frequency Distribution among Multiple Populations Identifies Adaptive Genomic Structural Variants
Authors: Saitou Marie , Masuda Naoki , Gokcumen Omer
Published: October 2021

Structural variants have a considerable impact on human genomic diversity. However, their evolutionary history remains mostly unexplored. Here, we developed a new method to identify potentially adaptive structural variants based on a similarity-based analysis that incorporates genotype frequency data from 26 populations simultaneously. Using this method, we analyzed 57,629 structural variants and identified 576 structural variants that show unusual population differentiation. Of these putatively adaptive structural variants, we further showed that 24 variants are multiallelic and overlap with coding sequences, and 20 variants are significantly associated with GWAS traits. Closer inspection of the haplotypic variation associated with these putatively adaptive and functional structural variants reveals deviations from neutral expectations due to: 1) population differentiation of rapidly evolving multiallelic variants, 2) incomplete sweeps, and 3) recent population-specific negative selection. Overall, our study provides new methodological insights, documents hundreds of putatively adaptive variants, and introduces evolutionary models that may better explain the complex evolution of structural variants.
CRISPRroots: on- and off-target assessment of RNA-seq data in CRISPR–Cas9 edited cells
Authors: Corsi Giulia I , Gadekar Veerendra P , Gorodkin Jan , Seemann Stefan E
Published: October 2021

The CRISPR-Cas9 genome editing tool is used to study genomic variants and gene knockouts, and can be combined with transcriptomic analyses to measure the effects of such alterations on gene expression. But how can one be sure that differential gene expression is due to a successful intended edit and not to an off-target event, without performing an often resource-demanding genome-wide sequencing of the edited cell or strain? To address this question we developed CRISPRroots: CRISPR–Cas9-mediated edits with accompanying RNA-seq data assessed for on-target and off-target sites. Our method combines Cas9 and guide RNA binding properties, gene expression changes, and sequence variants between edited and non-edited cells to discover potential off-targets. Applied on seven public datasets, CRISPRroots identified critical off-target candidates that were overlooked in all of the corresponding previous studies. CRISPRroots is available via https://rth.dk/resources/crispr.
Characterizing patterns of dietary exposure using metabolomic profiles of human biospecimens: a systematic review
Authors: Andraos Stephanie , Beck Kathryn Louise , Jones Mary Beatrix , Han Ting-Li , Conlon Cathryn Anne , de Seymour Jamie Violet
Published: October 2021

Context

Establishing diet–disease associations requires reliable assessment of dietary intake. With the rapid advancement of metabolomics, its use in identifying objective biomarkers of dietary exposure has substantially increased.

Objective

The aim of our review was to systematically combine all observational studies linking dietary intake patterns with metabolomic profiles of human biospecimens.

Data Sources

Five databases were searched – MEDLINE, Embase, Scopus, Web of Science, and Cochrane CENTRAL – to March 2020.

Data Extraction

Of the 14 328 studies initially screened, 35 observational studies that met the specified inclusion criteria were included.

Data analysis

All reviewed studies indicated that metabolomic measures were significantly correlated with dietary patterns, demonstrating the potential for using objective metabolomic measures to characterize individuals’ dietary intake. However, similar dietary patterns did not always result in similar metabolomic profiles across different study populations.

Conclusion

Metabolomic profiles reflect a multitude of factors, including diet, genetic, phenotypic, and environmental influences, thereby providing a more comprehensive picture of the impact of diet on metabolism and health outcomes. Further exploration of dietary patterns and metabolomic profiles across different population groups is warranted.
A systematic review and meta-analysis of the effects of Hibiscus sabdariffa on blood pressure and cardiometabolic markers
Authors: Ellis Lucy R , Zulfiqar Sadia , Holmes Mel , Marshall Lisa , Dye Louise , Boesch Christine
Published: October 2021

Context

Hibiscus sabdariffa (hibiscus) has been proposed to affect cardiovascular risk factors.

Objective

To review the evidence for the effectiveness of hibiscus in modulating cardiovascular disease risk markers, compared with pharmacologic, nutritional, or placebo treatments.

Data Sources

A systematic search of the Web of Science, Cochrane, Ovid (MEDLINE, Embase, AMED), and Scopus databases identified reports published up to June 2021 on randomized controlled trials using hibiscus as an intervention for lipid profiles, blood pressure (BP), and fasting plasma glucose levels in adult populations.

Data Extraction

Seventeen chronic trials were included. Quantitative data were examined using a random effects meta-analysis and meta-regression with trial sequential analysis to account for type I and type II errors.

Data Analysis

Hibiscus exerted stronger effects on systolic BP (−7.10 mmHg [95%CI, −13.00, −1.20]; I2 = 95%; P = 0.02) than placebo, with the magnitude of reduction greatest in those with elevated BP at baseline. Hibiscus induced reductions to BP similar to that resulting from medication (systolic BP reduction, 2.13 mmHg [95%CI, −2.81, 7.06], I2 = 91%, P = 0.40; diastolic BP reduction, 1.10 mmHg [95%CI, −1.55, 3.74], I2 = 91%, P = 0.42). Hibiscus also significantly lowered levels of low-density lipoprotein compared with other teas and placebo (−6.76 mg/dL [95%CI, −13.45, −0.07]; I2 = 64%; P = 0.05).

Conclusions

Regular consumption of hibiscus could confer reduced cardiovascular disease risk. More studies are warranted to establish an effective dose response and treatment duration.

Systematic Review Registration

PROSPERO registration no. CRD42020167295