bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The year in cardiovascular medicine 2021: interventional cardiology
Authors: Escaned Javier , Jaffer Farouc A. , Mehilli Julinda , Mehran Roxana
Published: December 2021

Since last year’s report in the European Heart Journal, we have witnessed substantial progress in all aspects of interventional cardiology. Of note, the practice of interventional cardiology took place amidst successive waves of the COVID-19 pandemic, which continues to be a major burden for all healthcare professionals around the globe. In our yearly review, we shall revisit the developments in percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), structural heart interventions, and adjunctive pharmacotherapy.
The year in cardiovascular medicine 2021: heart failure and cardiomyopathies
Authors: Bauersachs Johann , de Boer Rudolf A. , Lindenfeld JoAnn , Bozkurt Biykem
Published: December 2021

In the year 2021, the universal definition and classification of heart failure (HF) was published that defines HF as a clinical syndrome with symptoms and/or signs caused by a cardiac abnormality and corroborated by elevated natriuretic peptide levels or objective evidence of cardiogenic congestion. This definition and the classification of HF with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF), mildly reduced, and HF with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) is consistent with the 2021 ESC Guidelines on HF. Among several other new recommendations, these guidelines give a Class I indication for the use of the sodium–glucose co-transporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors dapagliflozin and empagliflozin in HFrEF patients. As the first evidence-based treatment for HFpEF, in the EMPEROR-Preserved trial, empagliflozin reduced the composite endpoint of cardiovascular death and HF hospitalizations. Several reports in 2021 have provided novel and detailed analyses of device and medical therapy in HF, especially regarding sacubitril/valsartan, SGLT2 inhibitors, mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists, ferric carboxymaltose, soluble guanylate cyclase activators, and cardiac myosin activators. In patients hospitalized with COVID-19, acute HF and myocardial injury is quite frequent, whereas myocarditis and long-term damage to the heart are rather uncommon.
Impact of sodium-glucose co-transporter inhibitors on cardiac autonomic function and mortality: no time to die
Authors: Lim Ven Gee , He Hejie , Lachlan Thomas , Ng Ghulam Andre , Kyrou Ioannis , Randeva Harpal S , Osman Faizel
Published: December 2021

Sodium-glucose co-transporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors have been shown to improve cardiovascular outcomes not only in patients with diabetes but also in those with heart failure, irrespective of diabetic status. However, the mechanisms underlying the cardioprotective effects of these newer anti-diabetic drugs remain to be fully elucidated. One exciting avenue that has been recently explored in both preclinical and clinical studies is the modulation of the cardiovascular autonomic nervous system. A reduction in sympathetic nervous system activity by SGLT2 inhibitors may potentially translate into a reduction in arrhythmic risk and sudden arrhythmic death, which may explain, at least partly, the cardioprotection shown in the cardiovascular outcome trials with different SGLT2 inhibitors. Although some of the data from the preclinical and clinical studies are promising, overall the findings can be contradictory. This highlights the need for more studies to address gaps in our knowledge of these novel drugs. The present review offers an in depth overview of the existing literature regarding the role of SGLT2 inhibitors in modulating cardiovascular autonomic function as one of the possible pathways of their cardioprotective effects.
Mycoplasmadecontamination inChlamydia trachomatisculture: a curative approach
Authors: Greer Madison , Elnaggar Jacob H , Taylor Christopher M , Shen Li
Published: December 2021

Mycoplasma contamination of cell culture represents a serious problem in research and decontamination from cell-propagated obligate intracellular bacteria has proven challenging. Here, we presented an optimized protocol to remove Mycoplasma from contaminated Chlamydia trachomatis culture. A stepwise procedure of Mycoplasma removal entails (i) incubation in nonionic detergent-containing solution and (ii) separation of viable chlamydial organisms by fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS), followed by subcloning using a focus-forming assay. We also adapted a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay using paired universal and Mycoplasma-specific primers, which are distinguishable from the C. trachomatis counterparts, in combination with Sanger sequencing to determine the presence of mycoplasmas’ 16S rRNA genes. These integrated approaches allow for full removal of Mycoplasma, as verified by the improved PCR assay, without compromising the capacity of viable C. trachomatis to adapt to new infection in epithelial cells. Some pitfalls during the Mycoplasma decontamination process are discussed.
A regularization by denoising (RED) scheme for 3-D FWI model updates in large-contrast media
Authors: Anagaw Amsalu , Sacchi Mauricio D
Published: December 2021

Full waveform inversion (FWI) endeavours to estimate high-resolution physical properties of subsurface structures. The technique minimizes the data misfit between observed and modelled seismograms. Despite its success, the application of FWI in areas with high-velocity contrasts remains a challenging problem. Often, quadratic regularization methods are chosen to stabilize inverse problems. Unfortunately, quadratic regularization does not preserve edges and sharp discontinuities adequately. Conversely, a regularization term that uses the l1 norm of the gradient of model parameters can preserve discontinuities. The latter leads to edge-preserving methods based on total variation regularization. This work adopts the framework named regularization by denoising (RED) to solve the FWI problem in high-contrast media. The RED technique only requires an image denoising engine, which, in our case, is a modified weighted total variation filter. One advantage of adopting the RED algorithm for solving FWI problems is its simplicity in the numerical implementation and selection of trade-off parameters. We have benchmarked our algorithm via the 2-D BP/EAGE model, a model with significant velocity contrasts and complex salt bodies. We have also tested the proposed regularization method with the 3-D SEG/EAGE overthrust P-wave velocity model. We also compare the proposed RED method and FWI with total variation regularization.
Models of convection and segregation in heterogeneous partially molten crustal roots with a VOF method – I: flow regimes
Authors: Louis–Napoléon Aurélie , Bonometti Thomas , Gerbault Muriel , Martin Roland , Vanderhaeghe Olivier
Published: December 2021

We investigate numerically some thermomechanical conditions for the development of crustal scale diapirism and convection in a heterogeneous continental crust independently from the action of regional tectonics. Here, we consider a hot crust, with unmolten and partially molten domains of specific temperature and strain-rate dependent power-law rheologies. We take advantage of the volume of fluid (VOF) method to capture the coalescence and separation of deformable inclusions in the partially molten domain. The inclusions, of several hundred metres in size, are more or less dense and viscous with respect to the ambient medium (they also behave with a power-law rheology). We restrict our study to a 20 Myr time scale, during which gravitational dynamics may dominate over lateral tectonics and lithospheric thermal re-equilibration. The motion of these inclusions during the development of gravitational instabilities displays distinct flow regimes that depend on two Rayleigh numbers denoted RaUM and RaPM, for the unmolten and partially molten rock properties, respectively. A ‘suspension’ regime occurs at high RaUM and high RaPM, in which most of the light compositional heterogeneities remain entrained in the convective cells. In contrast at low RaUM and high RaPM, a ‘layering’ regime is characterized by merging of the light inclusions as floating clusters below the rigid upper crustal lid. This regime occurs in association with a sharp viscosity gradient at upper-to-middle crust transitional depths. In these two regimes, the dense inclusions accumulate at the bottom of the partially molten zone. Finally at moderate RaPM, a ‘diapiric’ regime reflects the segregation of the heavy and the light inclusions, respectively downward and upward, without global convection. These numerical experiments lead to a first order evaluation of the physical parameters required for the segregation of deformable inclusions of variable densities and convection, in a partially molten crust, and provide insights on the conditions for the development of migmatite domes. Geological data indicate that these processes likely occur in a large number of settings from Archean to Phanerozoic times, and contribute to the differentiation of the continental crust.
A partial reduction of Drp1 improves cognitive behavior and enhances mitophagy, autophagy and dendritic spines in a transgenic Tau mouse model of Alzheimer disease
Authors: Kandimalla Ramesh , Manczak Maria , Pradeepkiran Jangampalli Adi , Morton Hallie , Reddy P Hemachandra
Published: December 2021

The purpose of our study is to understand the impact of a partial dynamin-related protein 1 (Drp1) on cognitive behavior, mitophagy, autophagy and mitochondrial and synaptic activities in transgenic Tau mice in Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Our laboratory reported increased levels of amyloid-beta (Aβ) and phosphorylated Tau (P-Tau) and reported that abnormal interactions between Aβ and Drp1, P-Tau and Drp1 induced increased mitochondrial fragmentation and reduced fusion and synaptic activities in AD. These abnormal interactions result in the proliferation of dysfunctional mitochondria in AD neurons. Recent research on mitochondria revealed that fission protein Drp1 is largely implicated in mitochondrial dynamics in AD. To determine the impact of reduced Drp1 in AD, we recently crossed transgenic Tau mice with Drp1 heterozygote knockout (Drp1+/−) mice and generated double mutant (P301LDrp1+/−) mice. In the current study, we assessed the cognitive behavior, mRNA and protein levels of mitophagy, autophagy, mitochondrial biogenesis, dynamics and synaptic genes, mitochondrial morphology and mitochondrial function and dendritic spines in Tau mice relative to double mutant mice. When compared with Tau mice, double mutant mice did better on the Morris Maze (reduced latency to find hidden platform, increased swimming speed and time spent on quadrant) and rotarod (stayed a longer period of time) tests. Both mRNA- and protein-level autophagy, mitophagy, mitochondrial biogenesis and synaptic proteins were increased in double mutant mice compared with Tau (P301L) mice. Dendritic spines were significantly increased; mitochondrial number was reduced and length was increased in double mutant mice. Based on these observations, we conclude that reduced Drp1 is beneficial in a symptomatic-transgenic Tau (P301L) mice.
Heavy fishery exploitation does not affect sizes at recruitment and maturity of squid Illex argentinus and Doryteuthis gahi, in the Southwest Atlantic
Authors: Arkhipkin A I , Winter A G , Nigmatullin C M
Published: December 2021

Commercial exploitation often impacts the life-history parameters of iteroparous and semelparous fishes, and prolonged fishing pressure may lead to fisheries-induced evolution. However, information is lacking on how fishing exploitation affects short-lived semelparous cephalopods. This study examines the impact of heavy commercial fishing on Illex argentinus and Doryteuthis gahi, two annual squid species around the Falkland Islands in the Southwest Atlantic. Changes in two life-history parameters; size at recruitment and size at maturity, were standardized for sea temperature and analysed in relation to relative biomass indices over 34 years for I. argentinus and 31 years for D. gahi. For both squid species, correlations of these life-history parameters were observed with biomass and temperature, but size at recruitment and size at maturity did not change significantly over the extended periods of their commercial exploitation. Sizes at recruitment and maturity of these short-lived squid appear to remain stable in absence of size selection in their respective fisheries. Both jigs and trawls capture the entire size ranges of squid recruited to the fishing grounds, thus avoiding direct fisheries-induced selection on their size-dependent life-history parameters. With only one cohort/generation at a time present during growth-phase fishery, both squid species studied seem to be more resilient to fisheries-induced changes in sizes at recruitment and maturity than short-lived semelparous fish and squid subjected to terminal fisheries. Instead, these size-dependent life-history traits of squid fished during their growth phase are mainly driven by short-term changes in population density and environment, including ambient temperature.
Extensively resistant Acinetobacter baumannii isolate RCH52 carries several resistance genes derived from an IncC plasmid
Authors: Ambrose Stephanie J. , Hamidian Mohammad , Hall Ruth M.
Published: December 2021

Objectives

To identify the origins of resistance in a sporadic extensively resistant Acinetobacter baumannii isolate.

Methods

The complete genome of RCH52 was determined by combining available Illumina short reads with MinION (Oxford Nanopore) long reads using Unicycler. Bioinformatic searches were used to identify features of interest.

Results

The complete genome of RCH52 revealed an unusual chromosomal region containing all of the antibiotic resistance genes, except tet39, which is in a plasmid. A 129 585 bp segment was bounded by inversely oriented copies of ISAba1 and included two groups of resistance genes separated by the large segment of the backbone of type 1 IncC plasmids that lies between the ARI-A and ARI-B resistance islands but does not include the replication region. The ISAba1-bounded segment was located in a novel integrative element that had integrated into the chromosomal thyA gene but provided a replacement thyA gene. Several resistance genes are derived from either the ARI-A or the ARI-B resistance islands found in IncC plasmids that have been brought together by an IS26-mediated deletion of the original plasmid. This non-replicating circular molecule (or translocatable unit) has been incorporated into a smaller ISAba1-bounded unit that includes oxa23 in Tn2008B via homologous recombination between sul2-CR2-floR segments found in both.

Conclusions

The plasmids shared by most Gram-negative pathogens, including the broad host range IncC plasmids, have not been detected in Acinetobacter species. However, it seems likely that they can conjugate into members of this genus and contribute pre-existing clusters of antibiotic resistance genes.
RP-HPLC–DAD Method Development and Validation for Simultaneous Determination of Lansoprazole, Tinidazole, Amoxicillin, and Naproxen in Their Raw Materials and Combined Dosage Form: DOE Approach for Optimization of the Proposed Method
Authors: Hassib Sonia T , Taha Elham A , Sharf Marwa G , Mostafa Eman A
Published: December 2021

Background

Helicobacter pylori infection is a common cause of peptic ulcer disease and dyspepsia. In addition, it may result in gastric cancer and gastric mucosa associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma. First-line therapy usually consists of triple therapy containing clarithromycin or amoxicillin, one of the proton pump inhibitors, and metronidazole or tinidazole. In addition to the triple therapy, an analgesic is required to relieve pain such as naproxen.

Objective

A sensitive and selective method needs to be developed and validated for simultaneous determination of four drugs (amoxacillin, tinidazole, naproxen and lansoprazole), used for treating Helicobacter pylori infection, in their combined dosage forms.

Methods

With the aid of experimental design, the cited drugs were separated and quantified. HPLC with a diode array detector was used and metronidazole, one of the drugs also used for treatment, was the internal standard (IS). A Thermo Scientific BDS Hypersil C18 column (5 µm, 250 mm x 4.6 mm) with mobile phase composed of acetonitrile–water (40 + 60, by volume), pH 5 adjusted with phosphoric acid, at 30°C was used for the separation of the cited drugs.

Results

The method was linear over the concentration ranges 10–500 µg/mL for amoxacillin, 10–350 µg/mL for tinidazole, 10–250 µg/mL for naproxen, and 2–20 μg/mL for lansoprazole. The proposed method was fully validated according to International Conference of Harmonization (ICH) guidelines. Statistical analysis revealed no significant difference between the results obtained and the four reference methods for the investigated drugs.

Conclusion

The method can be easily implemented in QC studies of the cited drugs in their dosage forms.

Highlights

Experimental design was applied using Plackett–Burman design for preliminary screening of factors followed by Box–Behnken design for chromatographic method optimization.
Metabolic profiles in C3, C3–C4 intermediate, C4-like, and C4 species in the genus Flaveria
Authors: Borghi Gian Luca , Arrivault Stéphanie , Günther Manuela , Barbosa Medeiros David , Dell’Aversana Emilia , Fusco Giovanna Marta , Carillo Petronia , Ludwig Martha , Fernie Alisdair R , Lunn John E , Stitt Mark
Published: December 2021

C4 photosynthesis concentrates CO2 around Rubisco in the bundle sheath, favouring carboxylation over oxygenation and decreasing photorespiration. This complex trait evolved independently in >60 angiosperm lineages. Its evolution can be investigated in genera such as Flaveria (Asteraceae) that contain species representing intermediate stages between C3 and C4 photosynthesis. Previous studies have indicated that the first major change in metabolism probably involved relocation of glycine decarboxylase and photorespiratory CO2 release to the bundle sheath and establishment of intercellular shuttles to maintain nitrogen stoichiometry. This was followed by selection for a CO2-concentrating cycle between phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase in the mesophyll and decarboxylases in the bundle sheath, and relocation of Rubisco to the latter. We have profiled 52 metabolites in nine Flaveria species and analysed 13CO2 labelling patterns for four species. Our results point to operation of multiple shuttles, including movement of aspartate in C3–C4 intermediates and a switch towards a malate/pyruvate shuttle in C4-like species. The malate/pyruvate shuttle increases from C4-like to complete C4 species, accompanied by a rise in ancillary organic acid pools. Our findings support current models and uncover further modifications of metabolism along the evolutionary path to C4 photosynthesis in the genus Flaveria.
The root system architecture of wheat establishing in soil is associated with varying elongation rates of seminal roots: quantification using 4D magnetic resonance imaging
Authors: Pflugfelder Daniel , Kochs Johannes , Koller Robert , Jahnke Siegfried , Mohl Carola , Pariyar Shree , Fassbender Heike , Nagel Kerstin A , Watt Michelle , van Dusschoten Dagmar
Published: December 2021

Seedling establishment is the first stage of crop productivity, and root phenotypes at seed emergence are critical to a successful start of shoot growth as well as for water and nutrient uptake. In this study, we investigate seedling establishment in winter wheat utilizing a newly developed workflow based on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Using the eight parents of the MAGIC (multi-parent advanced generation inter-cross) population we analysed the 4D root architecture of 288 individual seedlings grown in natural soils with plant neighbors over 3 d of development. Time of root and shoot emergence, total length, angle, and depth of the axile roots varied significantly among these genotypes. The temporal data resolved rates of elongation of primary roots and first and second seminal root pairs. Genotypes with slowly elongating primary roots had rapidly elongating first and second seminal root pairs and vice versa, resulting in variation in root system architecture mediated not only by root angle but also by initiation and relative elongation of axile roots. We demonstrated that our novel MRI workflow with a unique planting design and automated measurements allowed medium throughput phenotyping of wheat roots in 4D and could give new insights into regulation of root system architecture.
Socioeconomic inequalities in health in high-income countries
Authors: Lenthe Frank J. van , Mackenbach Johan P.
Published: December 2021

Socioeconomic inequalities in health have been studied extensively in the past decades. In all high-income countries with available data, mortality and morbidity rates are higher among those in less advantaged socioeconomic positions, and as a result differences in health expectancy between socioeconomic groups typically amount to 10 years or more. Good progress has been made in unravelling the determinants of health inequalities, and a number of specific determinants (particularly material, psychosocial, and lifestyle factors) have been identified which contribute to explaining health inequalities in many high-income countries. Although further research is necessary, our understanding of what causes health inequalities has progressed to a stage where rational approaches to reduce health inequalities are becoming feasible. Evidence of a reduction of health inequalities via interventions and policies based on the underlying causes remains scarce, and point to a need to increase efforts.
Behavioural economics and health
Authors: Buttenheim Alison , Thirumurthy Harsha
Published: December 2021

Human behaviour is an important determinant of health outcomes around the world. Understanding how people make health-related decisions is therefore essential for explaining health outcomes globally and for developing solutions to leading challenges in global health. Behavioural economics blends theories from economics and psychology to uncover key insights about human decision-making. This chapter describes several prominent theories from behavioural economics and reviews examples of how these theories can be useful in efforts to improve global health outcomes. We begin by reviewing the theory of rational decision-making that features prominently in economics and discuss important policy implications that follow from this theory. We then turn to theories and principles from behavioural economics and draw upon empirical evidence from around the world to highlight actionable behaviour change interventions that can be useful for students of global health and practitioners alike.
Governance and management of public health programmes
Authors: Hou Zhiyuan , He Na
Published: December 2021

Governance is central to improve health systems performance and achieve Universal Health Coverage. Good governance can enable the effective use of health finances, workforce, medicines, and information to deliver better health services and outcomes. Theories of principal-agent and network governance are introduced to better understand health governance at system level. In health governance system, the government, private sector, and civil society are the governing triangle, and form a whole-of-society governance approach for health. We introduce the governing triangle and its role in health governance, governance mechanisms and tools, and the levels of governance, respectively. The triangle plays health governance functions at four levels to collectively pursue health goals: the supranational or national or organizational or programme levels. At each level, tools of governance are central to health governance functions and enabling relationships among triangles. Tools of governance can be classified into nine governance dimensions: accountability, regulation, participation, and consensus in decision-making, formulating policy/strategic direction, organizational adequacy/system design, generating information/intelligence, partnerships for coordination and collaboration, engagement of community, communication, and transparency. Assessment frameworks are further introduced for evaluating whether health governance is effective. And several cases of health governance are introduced for better understanding.
Emerging and re-emerging infections
Authors: Heymann David L. , Lee Vernon J.M.
Published: December 2021

Emerging infections are newly identified infections in humans—and are most often zoonotic—caused by infectious organisms that breach the species barrier between animals and humans. Re-emerging infections are known organisms that infect humans, but are identified after a period of absence from human populations. Re-emerging infections also often result from breaches in the species barrier. In addition to direct health outcomes of sickness and death, they also affect the economy, and may spread globally. This chapter discusses factors that influence the emergence of infectious diseases including weak public health infrastructure; failure of safety procedures and regulations; population shifts including rapid population increases and uncontrolled urbanization; anthropogenic activities and climate change; civil disturbance, human displacement, and natural disasters; human behaviours; and deliberate use to cause fear and harm. To address these threats, national public health systems must be strengthened to detect and respond to infectious diseases when and where they emerge, or re-emerge; and a safety net of global networks is required if and when the countries in which they emerge or re-emerge are unable to stop their international spread.
Bioterrorism
Authors: Katona Peter
Published: December 2021

History shows us that individuals have used and likely will continue to use biological agents for terrorism purposes. Bioterrorism agents can be easily disseminated, cause severe disease and high mortality rates if cases are not treated properly, and pose significant challenges for management and response. A robust public health surveillance system that includes laboratory (including routine reportable disease surveillance), syndromic, and environmental surveillance is crucial for detection of the release of a bioterrorism agent and the resulting cases. This detection can then set into motion a robust and comprehensive public health response to minimize morbidity and mortality. A large-scale bioterrorism event would be unprecedented, straining and challenging every facet of medical and public health response and would quickly become a global emergency because of both the potential risk of infection and the shock to the global economy. A robust public health and medical workforce is necessary to respond effectively and efficiently to these types of events.
Tobacco
Authors: Lam Tai Hing , Ho Sai Yin
Published: December 2021

Tobacco is the most important and avoidable public health problem, killing 5.4 million users per year. At least one in two and up to two in three smokers die prematurely from smoking. Such great and easily understood risks should be more effectively communicated to promote smoking cessation. This chapter describes how raising tobacco tax, banning smoking in public places, and forbidding tobacco advertising, promotion, and sponsorship have effectively reduced smoking rates in many countries. However, many low- and middle-income countries still lack the necessary resources or political will to implement tobacco control. Further progress may come from large and effective pictorial warnings; banning the display of tobacco products at retail outlets; extending smoking bans in public places; innovative use of the mass media; very brief warnings by doctors to promote cessation; telephone quitlines; and capitalizing on the risk perception towards third-hand smoke.
Collective violence
Authors: Levy Barry S.
Published: December 2021

War and other forms of armed conflict cause many adverse effects on health and the environment, including morbidity and mortality due to weapons; damage to the health-supporting infrastructure of society; contamination of air, water, and soil; forced displacement; violation of international agreements and human rights; diversion of resources; and promotion of additional violence. While conventional weapons account for the vast majority of fatal and non-fatal injuries during war, weapons of mass destruction (including nuclear and radiological weapons, chemical weapons, and biological agents) as well as antipersonnel landmines and unexploded ordnance pose additional threats. Public health workers and other health professionals can help to minimize the health and environmental consequences of war and other forms of armed conflict and to help end war itself. Categories of preventive measures include documentation; education and awareness-raising; advocacy and support for policies and programmes to minimize the consequences of, and help to reduce the risks of, war and other forms of armed conflict; and provision of preventive services. Public health frameworks of prevention can be useful in identifying opportunities for prevention and designing, implementing, and improving policies and programmes. These frameworks include levels of prevention (primary, secondary, and tertiary) and the host-agent-environment model.
The changing family
Authors: Evans Ann , Jones Gavin W.
Published: December 2021

Rapid family change is occurring throughout the world, though trends differ greatly between subregions and countries. Families are generally becoming smaller, as fertility declines and nuclearization of family structure are more common. The transition to adulthood is being delayed. Delayed marriage, increasing cohabitation, and higher levels of partnership dissolution characterize many parts of the world. Fewer children are growing to adulthood living with the same two parents. Ageing of populations is a worldwide trend, and although the proportions of elderly living with a child or grandchild are much higher in Asia than in the West, in Asia as well they are tending to decline. One of the key issues for the future is the relative roles of family, community, and state in supporting the dependant elderly.
Women, men, and health
Authors: Cooper Diane , Tabana Hanani
Published: December 2021

This chapter explores the ways in which sex and gender influence health. There are important differences between men and women in their risk of premature death and in the main causes of death. In virtually every country around the world men have a lower life expectancy than women, although the gap in life expectancy is narrower in low-income countries. Similarly, women and men have different patterns of ill health across the life course, and again the gap varies between countries. Both sex and gender play a part in these variations. Sex, or biological factors, influence risks of different diseases and health conditions, and also affects survival following diagnosis. However, socially constructed gender-linked factors are also important and also affect exposure to social and environmental risk factors. In addition, gendered differences in men and women’s use of healthcare, and inequalities in access to services and how appropriate these are, impact on health outcomes.
The health of Indigenous peoples
Authors: Reid Papaarangi , Cormack Donna , Paine Sarah-Jane , Jones Rhys , Curtis Elana , Harwood Matire
Published: December 2021

In this chapter, the health needs and rights of Indigenous peoples are discussed. This discussion covers current challenges beginning with how indigeneity is defined. Within this context, current data on Indigenous health are described with a critique of how Indigenous health is framed. In an attempt to make sense of global patterns of the health of Indigenous peoples, these data are contextualized within our colonial histories, the legacies of historical and intergenerational trauma, differential access to and through health and social services, differential quality of services received by Indigenous peoples, and the under-representation of Indigenous peoples in the health workforce. The latter part of the chapter outlines important considerations for progress towards health equity for Indigenous peoples, especially the foundational right to self-determination and what this means for Indigenous health, from health services, to interventions, research, and Indigenous knowledge. As the world faces significant new health challenges, Indigenous knowledges and ways of being may offer important insights into managing these challenges.
Medical screening
Authors: Jin-ling Tang , Li-ming Li
Published: December 2021

Screening is early detection and early treatment of increased risk of chronic disease with the ultimate goal of improving the health of the screened. Today, early detection and early treatment occur often ‘haphazardly’ in routine clinical practice and general health checks rather than in systematic screening programmes. The success of a screening programme depends on the characteristics of the disease, testing, and treatments of early diagnosed patients. Screening can be made more cost-effective by screening in high-risk people, choosing a relatively high specificity, screening less frequently, and high management standards. The ultimate evaluation of the benefits and harms of screening must be drawn from randomized controlled trials. Randomized trials of various screening programmes and health checks in the past 50 years showed disappointingly screening was often ineffective or barely effective. This re-emphasizes the urgency of strengthening the criteria for introduction of new technologies for early diagnosis of disease.
Transformative learning for health professional in the twenty-first century for the future health workforce
Authors: Chuenkongkaew Wanicha , Wibulpolprasert Suwit
Published: December 2021

Health systems globally are facing many challenges, including major constraints in their workforces: from staff shortages, inappropriate distribution, as well as poor workforce performance and management. One strategy that has been used is ‘task shifting’ to lower cadre professionals or local health workers. Involving local and community health workers (L/CHWs) has been shown to be effective in many countries. This chapter covers the issue of L/CHW training to meet public health needs. As L/CHWs are usually recruited locally with varying background, effective training is therefore very important to ensure that L/CHWs have adequate competency to carry out basic tasks and specific functions to support health professionals in health service delivery. The training programme may cover core public health knowledge and disciplines plus general work competency such as communication and leadership skills. In addition to pre-service training, there should be regular in-service activities to update knowledge and skills and post-training support must be available.
Interstellar interferometry: precise curvature measurement from pulsar secondary spectra
Authors: Baker Daniel , Brisken Walter , van Kerkwijk Marten H , Main Robert , Pen Ue-Li , Sprenger Tim , Wucknitz Olaf
Published: December 2021

The parabolic structure of the secondary or conjugate spectra of pulsars is often the result of isolated one-dimensional (or at least highly anisotropic) lenses in the interstellar medium (ISM). The curvature of these features contains information about the velocities of the Earth, ISM, and pulsar along the primary axis of the lens. As a result, measuring variations in the curvature over the course of a year, or the orbital period for pulsars in binaries, can constrain properties of the screen and pulsar. In particular, the pulsar distance and orbital inclination for binary systems can be found for multiple screens or systems with prior information on sin(i). By mapping the conjugate spectra into a space where the main arc and inverted arclets are straight lines, we are able to make use of the full information content from the inverted arclet curvatures, amplitudes, and phases using eigenvectors to uniquely and optimally retrieve phase information. This allows for a higher precision measurement than the standard Hough transform for systems where these features are available. Our technique also directly yields the best-fitting one-dimensional impulse response function for the interstellar lens given in terms of the Doppler shift, time delay, and magnification of images on the sky as seen from a single observatory. This can be extended for use in holographic imaging of the lens by combining multiple telescopes. We present examples of this new method for both simulated data and actual observations of PSR B0834+06.
On the orbital velocity of isolated galaxy pairs: a test of gravity in the low acceleration regime
Authors: Scarpa Riccardo , Falomo Renato , Treves Aldo
Published: December 2021

The dynamics of isolated galaxy pairs represents an important tool to investigate the behaviour of gravity in the low acceleration regime. Statistical analysis of a large sample of galaxy pairs led to the noticeable discovery of a region of preferred 3-dimensional velocities centered at ∼150 and ∼100 km s−1 wide, a feature hard to justify in the context of numerical simulations of cosmological structure formation. It is shown here that such a feature is expected within the framework of the modified Newtonian dynamics, which, however, predicts it to be centered at ∼ 170 Km s−1.
A new method to measure the spectra of transiting exoplanet atmospheres using multi-object spectroscopy
Authors: Panwar Vatsal , Désert Jean-Michel , Todorov Kamen O , Bean Jacob L , Stevenson Kevin B , Huitson C M , Fortney Jonathan J , Bergmann Marcel
Published: December 2021

Traditionally, ground-based spectrophotometric observations probing transiting exoplanet atmospheres have employed a linear map between comparison and target star light curves (e.g. via differential spectrophotometry) to correct for systematics contaminating the transit signal. As an alternative to this conventional method, we introduce a new Gaussian Processes (GP) regression-based method to analyse ground-based spectrophotometric data. Our new method allows for a generalized non-linear mapping between the target transit light curves and the time-series used to detrend them. This represents an improvement compared to previous studies because the target and comparison star fluxes are affected by different telluric and instrumental systematics, which are complex and non-linear. We apply our method to six Gemini/GMOS transits of the warm (Teq  = 990 K) Neptune HAT-P-26b. We obtain on average ∼20  per cent better transit depth precision and residual scatter on the white light curve compared to the conventional method when using the comparison star light curve as a GP regressor and ∼20  per cent worse when explicitly not using the comparison star. Ultimately, with only a cost of 30 per cent precision on the transmission spectra, our method overcomes the necessity of using comparison stars in the instrument field of view, which has been one of the limiting factors for ground-based observations of the atmospheres of exoplanets transiting bright stars. We obtain a flat transmission spectrum for HAT-P-26b in the range of 490–900 nm that can be explained by the presence of a grey opacity cloud deck, and indications of transit timing variations, both of which are consistent with previous measurements.
Inferring the rotation period distribution of stars from their projected rotation velocities and radii: Application to late-F/early-G Kepler stars
Authors: Masuda Kento , Petigura Erik A , Hall Oliver J
Published: December 2021

While stellar rotation periods Prot may be measured from broad-band photometry, the photometric modulation becomes harder to detect for slower rotators, which could bias measurements of the long-period tail of the Prot distribution. Alternatively, the Prot distribution of stars can be inferred from their projected rotation velocities vsin i and radii R, without being biased against photometrically quiet stars. We solve this inference problem using a hierarchical Bayesian framework, which (i) is applicable to heteroscedastic measurements of vsin i and R with non-Gaussian uncertainties and (ii) does not require a simple parametric form for the true Prot distribution. We test the method on simulated data sets and show that the true Prot distribution can be recovered from ≳ 100 sets of vsin i and R measured with precisions of $1\, \mathrm{km\, s}^{-1}$ and 4 per cent, respectively, unless the true distribution includes sharp discontinuities. We apply the method to a sample of 144 late-F/early-G dwarfs in the Kepler field with vsin i measured from Keck/HIRES spectra, and find that the typical rotation periods of these stars are similar to the photometric periods measured from Kepler light curves: we do not find a large population of slow rotators that are missed in the photometric sample, although we find evidence that the photometric sample is biased for young, rapidly rotating stars. Our results also agree with asteroseismic measurements of Prot for Kepler stars with similar ages and effective temperatures, and show that $\approx 1.1\, \mathrm{M}_\odot$ stars beyond the middle of their main-sequence lifetimes rotate faster than predicted by standard magnetic braking laws.
Cooling flows around cold clouds in the circumgalactic medium: steady-state models and comparison with TNG50
Authors: Dutta Alankar , Sharma Prateek , Nelson Dylan
Published: December 2021

Cold, non-self-gravitating clumps occur in various astrophysical systems, ranging from the interstellar and circumgalactic medium (CGM), to active galactic nucleus outflows and solar coronal loops. Cold gas has diverse origins such as turbulent mixing or precipitation from hotter phases. We obtain the analytical solution for a steady pressure-driven 1D cooling flow around cold, local overdensities, irrespective of their origin. Our solutions describe the slow and steady radiative cooling-driven gas inflow in the saturated regime of non-linear thermal instability in clouds, sheets, and filaments. Such a cooling flow develops when the gas around small clumps undergoes radiative cooling. These small-scale, cold ‘seeds’ are embedded in a large volume-filling hot CGM maintained by feedback. We use a simple two-fluid treatment to include magnetic fields as an additional polytropic fluid. To test the limits of applicability of these analytical solutions, we compare with the gas structure found in and around small-scale cold clouds in the CGM of massive haloes in the TNG50 cosmological magnetohydrodynamic simulation from the IllustrisTNG suite. Despite qualitative resemblance of the gas structure, we find deviations from steady-state profiles generated by our model. Complex geometries and turbulence all add complexity beyond our analytical solutions. We derive an exact relation between the mass cooling rate ($\dot{\rm M}_{\rm cool}$) and the radiative cooling rate ($\dot{\rm E}_{\rm cool}$) for a steady cooling flow. A comparison with the TNG50 clouds shows that this cooling flow relation only applies in a narrow temperature range around $\rm \sim 10^{4.5}$ K where the isobaric cooling time is the shortest. In general, turbulence and mixing, instead of radiative cooling, may dominate the transition of gas between different temperature phases.
Molecular mechanisms in IL-1β-mediated decorin production by decidual cells
Authors: Halari C D , Renaud S J , Lala P K
Published: December 2021

Decorin, a small leucine-rich proteoglycan produced by decidual cells restrains trophoblast differentiation, migration and invasiveness of extra-villous trophoblast cells. Decidual overproduction of decorin is associated with preeclampsia, and elevated decorin levels in maternal plasma are a predictive biomarker of preeclampsia. Furthermore, decorin plays an autocrine role in maturation of human endometrial stromal cells into decidual cells. Thus, a balanced decorin production by the decidua is critical for healthy pregnancy. However, the molecular mechanisms regulating decorin production by the decidua are unclear. Interleukin-1 beta is an inflammation-associated multi-functional cytokine, and is reported to induce decidualization in primates. Hence, the present study was designed: (i) to test if exogenous Interleukin-1 beta stimulated decorin production by human endometrial stromal cells; and if so, (ii) to identify the cellular source of Interleukin-1 beta in first trimester decidual tissue; (iii) to identify the downstream molecular partners in Interleukin-1 beta mediated decorin production by human endometrial stromal cells. Results revealed that (i) amongst multiple pro-inflammatory cytokines tested, Interleukin-1 beta alone stimulated decorin production by these cells; (ii) both macrophages and decidual cells in first trimester decidua produced Interleukin-1 beta; (iii) Interleukin-1 beta mediated decorin production was dependent on Interleukin-1 receptor activation, followed by activation and nuclear translocation of nuclear factor kappa B and its binding to the decorin promoter. These results reveal that Interleukin-1 beta plays a novel role in inducing decorin production by human endometrial stromal cells by activating nuclear factor kappa B.
Expression profiling and function analysis identified new microRNAs regulating cumulus expansion and apoptosis in cumulus cells
Authors: Han Xiao , Zhang Min , Yuan Hong-Jie , Wang Guo-Liang , Zhao Xin-Yue , Li Zhi-Bin , Gong Shuai , Tan Jing-He
Published: December 2021

Although miRNAs expressed in cumulus cells (CCs) may be used to select competent oocytes/embryos, only a limited number of such miRNAs has been reported. To identify more miRNAs that regulate cumulus expansion (CE) and CC apoptosis, we first established that mouse cumulus-oocyte complexes (COCs) cultured in expansion-supporting medium supported full CE while undergoing mild apoptosis, whereas mouse oocytectomized COCs (OOXs) cultured in apoptosis-triggering medium underwent severe apoptosis while supporting no CE. RNA- and miRNA-sequencing and bioinformatics using CCs from these cultured COCs/OOXs identified candidate apoptosis- and/or CE-regulating miRNAs. Transfection of COCs/OOXs with miRNA mimic or inhibitor validated that miR-212-5p and 149-5p promoted CE by facilitating Has2 expression; miR-31-5p and 27a-3p promoted CE by increasing both Has2 and Ptx3 expression; and miR-351-5p and 503-5p inhibited CE by suppressing Ptx3 expression. Furthermore, miR-212-5p, 149-5p and Nov798 inhibited CC apoptosis, involving both Bcl2/Bax and Fas signaling. Analysis using in vivo matured COCs further verified the above apoptosis- and/or CE-regulating miRNAs, except for miR-149-5p. In conclusion, this study identified and validated new CE- and apoptosis-regulating miRNAs in CCs, which could be used as biomarkers to select competent oocytes/embryos and for elucidating how the oocyte-derived factors regulate CE and CC apoptosis.
Genomic landscape of single-stranded DNA gapped intermediates inEscherichia coli
Authors: Pham Phuong , Shao Yijun , Cox Michael M , Goodman Myron F
Published: December 2021

Single-stranded (ss) gapped regions in bacterial genomes (gDNA) are formed on W- and C-strands during replication, repair, and recombination. Using non-denaturing bisulfite treatment to convert C to U on ssDNA, combined with deep sequencing, we have mapped gDNA gap locations, sizes, and distributions in Escherichia coli for cells grown in mid-log phase in the presence and absence of UV irradiation, and in stationary phase cells. The fraction of ssDNA on gDNA is similar for W- and C-strands, ∼1.3% for log phase cells, ∼4.8% for irradiated log phase cells, and ∼8.5% for stationary phase cells. After UV irradiation, gaps increased in numbers and average lengths. A monotonic reduction in ssDNA occurred symmetrically between the DNA replication origin of (OriC) and terminus (Ter) for log phase cells with and without UV, a hallmark feature of DNA replication. Stationary phase cells showed no OriC → Ter ssDNA gradient. We have identified a spatially diverse gapped DNA landscape containing thousands of highly enriched ‘hot’ ssDNA regions along with smaller numbers of ‘cold’ regions. This analysis can be used for a wide variety of conditions to map ssDNA gaps generated when DNA metabolic pathways have been altered, and to identify proteins bound in the gaps.