bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
« Que faisais-tu sous l’oligarchie ? ». La guerre civile de 404-403 et ses lendemains à Athènes
Authors: Jacquemin Anne
Published: October 2022

Que faisais-tu sous l’oligarchie ? La guerre civile de 404-403 et ses lendemains à Athènes – Quoique la guerre civile qu’avait connue Athènes après la prise de pouvoir par les oligarques à la fin de la guerre du Péloponnèse se fût achevée par une décision d’amnistie quasi générale, le désir de stricte justice, voire de vengeance privée, l’emporta parfois sur le souci de réconciliation, sur l’oubli qui avait paru nécessaire à la reconstruction de la communauté civique. Les textes d’éloquence judiciaire du corpus athénien témoignent de la façon dont les accusateurs rusaient avec les dispositions légales pour tenter d’obtenir la condamnation de leurs adversaires dans les années qui suivirent le retour de la démocratie. L’examen préliminaire à l’exercice de toute charge fut utilisé ensuite pour rappeler le passé sans enfreindre la loi. Il semble cependant que les juges tirés au sort parmi l’ensemble des citoyens aient été plus sensibles à l’intérêt commun qu’aux outrances rhétoriques.
« Un métier de chien que de suivre l’armée ». Prosper Baccuët (1797-1864), peintre militaire au service de l’exploration scientifique de l’Algérie
Authors: Schaub Nicolas
Published: October 2022

« Un métier de chien que de suivre l’armée ». Prosper Baccuët (1797‑1864), peintre militaire au service de l’exploration scientifique de l’Algérie – Pendant la période la plus incertaine de la conquête de l’Algérie, entre 1830 et 1850, plusieurs artistes militaires sont chargés de la mise en œuvre d’une représentation visuelle des différents territoires que l’autorité doit soumettre et contrôler ; en complément de la topographie, ces peintres militaires procèdent donc, de manière intentionnelle et consciente, à l’enregistrement visuel et stratégique des territoires algériens. Quelle est la nature de cet embrigadement des artistes militaires qui expérimentent tous le terrain de manière très subjective ? Quelles sont les conditions d’élaboration des différentes images créées à partir de l’expérience de cette guerre de conquête ? Pour tenter de répondre à ces questions, l’article s’appuie sur quelques éléments de la correspondance de Prosper Baccuët, officier de cavalerie au service de l’exploration scientifique de l’Algérie, et montre ses tentatives pour atteindre une forme d’autonomie artistique, sa volonté de construire une image de l’Algérie, qui soit dégagée des stratégies politiques, mais conforme à des objectifs scientifiques et artistiques.
Quand un neutre prend les armes : Wilhelm Dinesen (1845-1895), un Danois dans la guerre franco-allemande de 1870-1871
Authors: Vogt Gilles
Published: October 2022

Quand un neutre prend les armes : Wilhelm Dinesen (1845-1895), un Danois dans la guerre franco-allemande de 1870-1871 – Souvent connu comme étant le père de la romancière Karen Blixen, le personnage de Wilhelm Dinesen mérite pourtant que l’on s’y intéresse, et son parcours, notamment dans les années 1860-1870, a toute sa place dans les papiers de l’historien. Aristocrate, fils d’un grand propriétaire du Jutland, officier de formation et fervent opposant à la politique extérieure de la Confédération d’Allemagne du Nord, Wilhelm Dinesen est alors un homme de son temps, fidèle à sa condition, héritier des épreuves endurées par son petit pays. Parmi ces épreuves figure bien sûr le « désastre » de la guerre des Duchés qui, en 1864, vit le Danemark perdre 800 000 habitants et un tiers de son territoire. On comprend bien pourquoi le royaume s’intéresse de près à la montée des tensions entre la France et à la Prusse à l’été 1870 ; la première est une puissance traditionnellement « amie » de la cause nationale danoise, la seconde est celle qui a confisqué la province du Schleswig et qui, depuis six ans, reste sourde aux protestations de Copenhague. Vétéran de 1864, l’officier Dinesen voit en tout cas son engagement comme un acte presque naturel. Le 27 novembre 1870, il embarque depuis Copenhague pour la France en guerre, bien décidé à offrir ses services aux armées de la Défense nationale. Dans un Danemark déchiré entre la neutralité et une indéniable rancune à l’encontre du voisin prussien, sa marche vers l’enrôlement donne un aperçu des problématiques politiques et territoriales soulevées par la guerre franco-allemande dans les sociétés européennes.
Language and Maratabat: A Potential Source of Ethnic Conflict
Authors: Cimene Francis Thaise A. , Cabrillos Fiona Mary M , Santdander Maria Eliza D
Published: October 2022

In almost all societies, people find the speech of others an irresistible target of criticism. This study aimed to analyse how language can be a source of conflict between Maranaos and Bisaya-speaking residents in Iligan City and Cagayan de Oro City. Data were gathered using the qualitative method of research involving twenty respondents. The findings revealed that when Bisaya-speaking locales hear individuals speak Maranao language they become cautious and distrustful. The Maranaos shared the same reaction. Both groups tend to withdraw and avoid possible interaction for fear of being misunderstood and offensive. There were instances when the Maranaos, to avoid criticism and conflict, would try to speak fluently in Bisaya hiding the Maranao accent. Since interaction is inevitable between the two groups, this study documented words used that violated the maratabat of Maranaos. Maratabat is the Maranaos’ deep sense of personal honor, dignity, self-esteem, and reputation. This is one aspect that makes them different from the other ethnic groups in Southern Philippines. This study concludes that language can be a source of conflict for the Maranaos especially when their maratabat which gives them a sense of pride and honor that is violated.
Negative Antecedents of Affective Commitment of Filipino Call Center Workers
Authors: Jabutay Felicito Angeles , Verbal Xyle Fe Adiong , Swangchaeng Nantawan , Jabutay Jerwin Angeles , Panyanidhikul Panidhan
Published: October 2022

The study's primary purpose is to provide empirical information about the effects of perceived customer unfriendliness, emotional dissonance, and perceived stress on Filipino call center workers' affective organizational commitment. Also, the study aims to show how leader-member exchange (LMX) mediates the relationships between the three posited antecedents and affective commitment. The study proposed a hypothesized model based on insights from the literature. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was used in testing the hypotheses using a dataset from a sample of 689 Filipino call center workers. The results revealed that emotional dissonance and perceived stress are consequences of perceived customer unfriendliness. They, in turn, have adverse effects on affective commitment. The results also indicated that LMX fully mediates the impact of perceived customer unfriendliness on affective commitment and partially mediates the stress-commitment relationship. The findings' discussion highlights the importance of stakeholders' intervention programs in reducing workers' emotional dissonance and perceived stress and implies that quality LMX initiated by the leaders may help reduce the adverse effects of customer-related stressors and psychological strains on the affective commitment of the call center workers.
Computer Assisted Language Learning and Speaking Proficiency of Second Language Learners
Authors: Tulud Donnie , Suñas Wrechelle
Published: October 2022

This study determined the speaking proficiency of L2 learners undergoing acomputer assisted language learning program in Southern Christian College inschool year 2015-2016. It specifically aimed to find the weighted study score andspeech recognition score of the students in the Job Enabling English Proficiency(JEEP) or DynEd class to identify their speaking proficiency and to determinewhether their scores in JEEP Start are significantly related to their speakingproficiency. Fifty students were identified to participate through the lottery method.Their scores in the JEEP Start were summarized through descriptive statisticaltools like percentage, frequency count, and mean; and their speaking proficiencywas classified and encoded in a spreadsheet. The relationship between their scoresand speaking proficiency was determined through regression analysis. Resultsrevealed that the majority of the students had excellent WSS, and more than halfof them had high speech recognition performance and were competent speakersof English. Further, the study found that speech recognition was a significantpredictor of the students’ speaking proficiency. Based on the results, the researcherconcluded that CALL is an excellent approach for L2 learners to enhance theirspeaking proficiency.
Drinking Water Quality among Marginalized Barangays of Malaybalay City
Authors: Egar Marites M , Cauilan Judith J
Published: October 2022

The study investigated the quality of drinking water in the marginalized communities of Malaybalay City. It determined the microbiological quality of drinking water; compared microbiological quality of water within and between water sources; and correlated the microbiological counts with the occurrence of waterborne diseases. Results showed that majority of these barangays show a high count for all microbiological properties in all water sources. A General Linear Model was used to find out if difference existed on the number of microbes during the trial periods. It showed no significant evidence for source effect. Also, the number of microbes in each source did not change over time for fecal coliform, E.coli and total coliforms. Tukey Simultaneous Test revealed a difference on the number of microbes between sources. Fitted Line Plot Cubic Model showed a greater coefficient of correlation R2 suggesting a slight positive association between the occurrence of microbes from water in the main source and diarrhea, and a moderately positive association between the microbiological counts from the water in the faucet and occurrence of diarrhea.Keywords: microbial counts, water quality, marginalized barangays, water resources
Multidimensional Poverty Indices of the Seven Tribes in the Province of Bukidnon
Authors: Mirasol Joy M
Published: October 2022

Poverty indices in the selected communities of the seven tribes of Bukidnon, Philippines were computed based on the international measure of poverty, the Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) of Oxford and UNDP (2010). The MPI measures dimensions to reflect the multiple deprivations of the tribes with respect to education, health and standard of living.  Results show that the Higaonon and Bukidnon tribes are MPI poor, but the other five tribes are MPI severely poor.  Thus, this paper shows key findings and how MPIs can be used as basis for recommendations to concerned institutions.Keywords:  multidimensional poverty index, tribes of Bukidnon, communities, health, standard of living
ALTERNATIF STRATEGI PENGEMBANGAN USAHA KOPI ROBUSTA SEBLANG COFFEE HOME INDUSTRY
Authors: Fahmi Bahrul , Utami Sari Wiji , Kurniasanti Sandryas Alief
Published: October 2022

Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk menganalisis faktor internal dan faktor eksternal, serta merekomendasikan alternatif strategi pengembangan usaha kopi Robusta Seblang Coffee Home Industry di Kabupaten Banyuwangi. Penelitian ini menggunakan analisis matriks IFAS, matriks EFAS, matriks IE, dan matriks SWOT. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa Seblang Coffee Home Industry memiliki lima kekuatan, lima kelemahan, empat peluang, dan tiga ancaman dalam menjalankan usaha ini. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa nilai Internal Strategic Factor Analysis Summary (IFAS) adalah 2,590 dan Analisis External Strategic Factor Analysis Summary (EFAS) adalah 2,414. Hasil matriks Internal External (IE) menunjukkan Seblang Coffee Home Industry berada pada sel 5 yaitu perusahaan dapat memperluas pasar, fasilitas produksi, dan teknologi melalui pengembangan internal maupun eksternal. Analisis SWOT terdapat delapan alternatif strategi yang dapat direkomendasikan untuk mengembangkan usaha kopi Robusta Seblang Coffee Home Industry di Kabupaten Banyuwangi.
COVİD-19 Pandemisinin Ani İşitme Kaybı ve Tedavi Seçimlerine Etkisi
Authors: SAĞSÖZLÜ Serdar , YAVUZ Ertuğrul
Published: October 2022

Amaç: Çalışmamızda COVID-19 pandemisinin ani işitme kaybı (AİK) nedeniyle hastaneye başvuru oranlarına ve tedavi seçimlerine etkisi araştırıldı. Gereç ve Yöntemler: Mart 2020 ile Mayıs 2022 arasında hastanemize ani işitme kaybı şikayeti ile başvuran hastalar retrospektif olarak incelendi ve pandemi öncesi Ocak 2018 ile Mart 2020 zaman aralığıyla karşılaştırıldı. AİK’lı hastaların demografik yapıları, uygulanan tedaviler ve sonuçları değerlendirildi. Birinci ay pure tone odyometri tetkiklerinde 15 dB’den az işitme kazançları, düzelme yok olarak kabul edildi. Bulgular: Pandemi öncesi dönemde 13 kadın, 26 erkek (21-72 yaş aralığında, ortalama: 49,64 yaş) toplam 39 hasta, pandemi döneminde 15 kadın, 21 erkek (24-73 yaş aralığında, ortalama: 50,69 yaş) toplam 36 hasta AİK nedeniyle tedavi edildi. Pandemi öncesindeki gruptaki 13 hasta intratimpanik steroid (İTS), 26 hasta sistemik steroid ile tedavi edildi. Pandemi dönemindeki 27 hastaya İTS uygulanırken 9 hastaya sistemik steroid verildi. Tedavi tercihleri arasında anlamlı fark saptandı (p<0,05). Her iki grupta da tedavi ile işitme eşiklerinde düzelme saptanmayan 17’şer hasta saptandı (p>0,05). Pandemi döneminde AİK saptanan 36 hastanın hiçbirinde COVID-19 enfeksiyonu ya da aşı sonrası gelişen işitme kaybı saptanmadı. Sonuç: COVID-19 pandemisi süresince AİK tedavisi için İTS’in daha fazla tercih edildiği saptandı. İTS tedavisinin hastaneye yatış gerektirmemesi ve steroide bağlı olası immun sistem baskılayıcı etkisinin daha az olması bu tercihin nedeni olabilir.
Masonry Metaphores and Brickyard Blues
Authors: Williams Steve
Published: October 2022

One of the most compelling memories from my early days in graduate school is of reading Begle and Gibb's (1980) chapter, “Why Do Research?” What captured my attention the most was their discussion of a letter from Bernard K. Forscher (1963) to the editor of Science.
Molecular mechanism of Afadin substrate recruitment to the receptor phosphatase PTPRK via its pseudophosphatase domain
Authors: Hay Iain M , Mulholland Katie E , Lai Tiffany , Graham Stephen C , Sharpe Hayley J , Deane Janet E
Published: October 2022

Protein tyrosine phosphatase receptor-type kappa (PTPRK) is a transmembrane receptor that links extracellular homophilic interactions to intracellular catalytic activity. Previously we showed that PTPRK promotes cell–cell adhesion by selectively dephosphorylating several cell junction regulators including the protein Afadin (Fearnley et al, 2019). Here, we demonstrate that Afadin is recruited for dephosphorylation by directly binding to the PTPRK D2 pseudophosphatase domain. We mapped this interaction to a putative coiled coil (CC) domain in Afadin that is separated by more than 100 amino acids from the substrate pTyr residue. We identify the residues that define PTP specificity, explaining how Afadin is selectively dephosphorylated by PTPRK yet not by the closely related receptor tyrosine phosphatase PTPRM. Our work demonstrates that PTP substrate specificity can be determined by protein–protein interactions distal to the active site. This explains how PTPRK and other PTPs achieve substrate specificity despite a lack of specific sequence context at the substrate pTyr. Furthermore, by demonstrating that these interactions are phosphorylation-independent and mediated via binding to a non-catalytic domain, we highlight how receptor PTPs could function as intracellular scaffolds in addition to catalyzing protein dephosphorylation.
Structure and flexibility of the yeast NuA4 histone acetyltransferase complex
Authors: Zukin Stefan A , Marunde Matthew R , Popova Irina K , Soczek Katarzyna M , Nogales Eva , Patel Avinash B
Published: October 2022

The NuA4 protein complex acetylates histones H4 and H2A to activate both transcription and DNA repair. We report the 3.1-Å resolution cryo-electron microscopy structure of the central hub of NuA4, which flexibly tethers the histone acetyltransferase (HAT) and Trimer Independent of NuA4 involved in Transcription Interactions with Nucleosomes (TINTIN) modules. The hub contains the large Tra1 subunit and a core that includes Swc4, Arp4, Act1, Eaf1, and the C-terminal region of Epl1. Eaf1 stands out as the primary scaffolding factor that interacts with the Tra1, Swc4, and Epl1 subunits and contributes the conserved HSA helix to the Arp module. Using nucleosome-binding assays, we find that the HAT module, which is anchored to the core through Epl1, recognizes H3K4me3 nucleosomes with hyperacetylated H3 tails, while the TINTIN module, anchored to the core via Eaf1, recognizes nucleosomes that have hyperacetylated H2A and H4 tails. Together with the known interaction of Tra1 with site-specific transcription factors, our data suggest a model in which Tra1 recruits NuA4 to specific genomic sites then allowing the flexible HAT and TINTIN modules to select nearby nucleosomes for acetylation.
Caveolae couple mechanical stress to integrin recycling and activation
Authors: Lolo Fidel-Nicolás , Pavón Dácil María , Grande-García Araceli , Elosegui-Artola Alberto , Segatori Valeria Inés , Sánchez Sara , Trepat Xavier , Roca-Cusachs Pere , del Pozo Miguel A
Published: October 2022

Cells are subjected to multiple mechanical inputs throughout their lives. Their ability to detect these environmental cues is called mechanosensing, a process in which integrins play an important role. During cellular mechanosensing, plasma membrane (PM) tension is adjusted to mechanical stress through the buffering action of caveolae; however, little is known about the role of caveolae in early integrin mechanosensing regulation. Here, we show that Cav1KO fibroblasts increase adhesion to FN-coated beads when pulled with magnetic tweezers, as compared to wild type fibroblasts. This phenotype is Rho-independent and mainly derived from increased active β1-integrin content on the surface of Cav1KO fibroblasts. Fluorescence recovery after photobleaching analysis and endocytosis/recycling assays revealed that active β1-integrin is mostly endocytosed through the clathrin independent carrier/glycosylphosphatidyl inositol (GPI)-enriched endocytic compartment pathway and is more rapidly recycled to the PM in Cav1KO fibroblasts, in a Rab4 and PM tension-dependent manner. Moreover, the threshold for PM tension-driven β1-integrin activation is lower in Cav1KO mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs) than in wild type MEFs, through a mechanism dependent on talin activity. Our findings suggest that caveolae couple mechanical stress to integrin cycling and activation, thereby regulating the early steps of the cellular mechanosensing response.
Production and Optimization Studies of Protease by Soil Isolate Actinomycetes Using Mixed Substrate of Pomegranate Peel Powder and Banana Peel Powder under Solid State Fermentation
Authors: Tejaswini Rittapalli , Raju K. Jaya
Published: October 2022

The Actinomycetes are gram-positive, unicellular bacteria that grow in a typical filamentous manner on solid substrates and may synthesis a wide range of secondary metabolites, including enzymes. Proteases are universally present enzymes that catalyze hydrolytic processes that break down protein molecules into peptides and amino acids. The protease enzyme is used in food and detergent industries. The goal of the current investigation is to identify and isolate a prospective isolate of Actinomycetes capable of solid state fermentation for the protease enzyme production. The soil samples yielded a total of 30 isolates. On starch casein nutrition agar medium, B5 isolate was observed to be a potential strain for production of protease enzyme. The optimum conditions for the maximum protease enzyme production were observed to be at  30°C with a pH of 7 when incubated for 5 days with a 6th day old culture and 2mL of the inoculum volume for protease with substrate concentration (pomegranate and banana peel powder of each 2.5 g) of 5 g. The addition of Carbon source starch and Nitrogen source casein to the production medium has enhanced the enzyme activity to 442.8 U/gds.
Comparative Lipidomic Analyses Reveal Differences in Lipid Meta-bolism Profiles between CL3 and CL53 C. oleifera Cultivars
Authors: Ye Shunxing
Published: October 2022

Camellia oleifera Abel. is an evergreen oil-bearing tree and widely cultivated in China. Camellia oleifera oil is considered to be a healthiest edible oil. However, the lipid profile are not well studied and ultilized. In the current study, we firstly used non-targeted LC-MS/MS method to describe the lipid profiles of two C. oleifera cultivars. Stringent criteria was used to screen significantly different lipids metabolites (SDLs). By comparing CL3 with CL5, 79 SDLs in CL3 were found to be significantly up-regulated, and 61 SDLs were found to be significantly down-regulated. Correlation analysis indicated that intra-category and inter-category correlation of glycerolipids and glycerophospholipids were strong in CL3 and CL53 cultivars. Through pathway enrichment analysis, we found that the most influential pathway in two cultivars was the glycerophospholipid metabolism pathway. The present results provide essential insights into lipid composition and a basis to make better ultilization of the lipids.
Trends in US Emergency Department Use After Sexual Assault, 2006-2019
Authors: Vogt Emily L. , Jiang Charley , Jenkins Quinton , Millette Maya J. , Caldwell Martina T. , Mehari Kathleen S. , Marsh Erica E.
Published: October 2022

Importance

Adult sexual assault (SA) survivors experience numerous emergent health problems, yet few seek emergency medical care. Quantifying the number and types of survivors presenting to US emergency departments (EDs) after SA can inform health care delivery strategies to reduce survivor morbidity and mortality.

Objective

To quantify ED use and factors that influenced seeking ED care for adult SA from 2006 through 2019.

Design, Setting, and Participants

This cross-sectional study used SA data from the Nationwide Emergency Department Sample from 2006 through 2019, which includes more than 35.8 million observations of US ED visits from 989 hospitals, a 20% stratified sample of hospital-based EDs. The study also used the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Uniform Crime Reporting Program, which includes annual crime data from more than 18 000 law enforcement agencies representing more than 300 million US inhabitants. The study sample included any adult aged 18 to 65 years with an ED visit in the Nationwide Emergency Department Sample coded as SA. The data were analyzed between January 2020 and June 2022.

Main Outcomes and Measures

Annual SA-related ED visits, subsequent hospital admissions, and associated patient-related factors (age, sex, race and ethnicity, income quartile, and insurance) were analyzed using descriptive statistics.

Results

Data were from 120 to 143 million weighted ED visits reported annually from 2006 through 2019. Sexual assault–related ED visits increased more than 1533.0% from 3607 in 2006 to 55 296 in 2019. Concurrently, admission rates for these visits declined from 12.6% to 4.3%. Female, younger, and lower-income individuals were more likely to present to the ED after SA. Older and Medicaid-insured patients were more likely to be admitted. Overall, the rate of ED visits for SA outpaced law enforcement reporting.

Conclusions and Relevance

This cross-sectional study found that US adult SA ED visits increased from 2006 through 2019 and highlighted the populations who access emergency care most frequently and who more likely need inpatient care. These data can inform policies and the programming needed to support this vulnerable population.
Racial and Ethnic Differences in the Association of Low-Carbohydrate Diet With Mortality in the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis
Authors: Oh Seung-Won , Wood Alexis C. , Hwang Seung-sik , Allison Matthew
Published: October 2022

Importance

Evidence linking low-carbohydrate diets (LCDs) to mortality is limited among multiethnic populations.

Objective

To evaluate the association between LCDs and mortality by race and ethnicity.

Design, Setting, and Participants

The Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis is a large, population-based prospective cohort study of adults aged 45 to 84 years recruited from 6 US communities. A total of 6109 participants without baseline cardiovascular disease were included in this analysis. Baseline data were collected from July 2000 to August 2002, with follow-up completed by December 2017. The data were analyzed between May 2021 and April 2022.

Exposures

Food frequency questionnaires were used to assess dietary intake. From these data, overall LCD scores were calculated from the percentages of energy intake from carbohydrates, fats, and proteins. Animal-based (emphasizing saturated fat and animal protein) and vegetable-based (emphasizing monounsaturated fat and vegetable protein) LCD scores were also calculated.

Main Outcomes and Measures

All-cause and cause-specific mortality over a median follow-up of 15.9 years (IQR, 14.3-16.6 years).

Results

Among the 6109 participants (mean [SD] age, 62.3 [10.3] years; 3190 women [52.2%]; 1623 African American [26.6%], 701 Chinese American [11.5%], 1350 Hispanic [22.1%], and 2435 non-Hispanic White [39.8%]), there were 1391 deaths. Overall, LCD scores were not associated with mortality, but when analyses were stratified by race and ethnicity, a lower risk of all-cause and non-CV mortality was observed among Hispanic participants with moderate carbohydrate intake. Specifically, the hazard ratios for total mortality for overall LCD scores were 0.58 (95% CI, 0.40-0.84) for quintile 2, 0.67 (95% CI, 0.45-0.98) for quintile 3, 0.60 (95% CI, 0.41-0.87) for quintile 4, and 0.83 (95% CI, 0.57-1.21) for quintile 5, with quintile 1 as the reference group. A similar association was observed for animal-based (but not vegetable-based) LCD scores. In contrast, no significant associations were found between LCD scores and mortality risk in the other racial and ethnic groups.

Conclusions and Relevance

In this cohort study of multiethnic US adults, LCD score was not associated with mortality in the whole population. However, moderate carbohydrate intake was associated with a lower risk of mortality among Hispanic participants. These findings suggest that the association between carbohydrate intake and mortality may differ according to race and ethnicity. Dietary guidelines considering these differences may be necessary.
Factors Associated With Severe COVID-19 Among Vaccinated Adults Treated in US Veterans Affairs Hospitals
Authors: Vo Austin D. , La Jennifer , Wu Julie T.-Y. , Strymish Judith M. , Ronan Matthew , Brophy Mary , Do Nhan V. , Branch-Elliman Westyn , Fillmore Nathanael R. , Monach Paul A.
Published: October 2022

Importance

With a large proportion of the US adult population vaccinated against SARS-CoV-2, it is important to identify who remains at risk of severe infection despite vaccination.

Objective

To characterize risk factors for severe COVID-19 disease in a vaccinated population.

Design, Setting, and Participants

This nationwide, retrospective cohort study included US veterans who received a SARS-CoV-2 vaccination series and later developed laboratory-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection and were treated at US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) hospitals. Data were collected from December 15, 2020, through February 28, 2022.

Exposures

Demographic characteristics, comorbidities, immunocompromised status, and vaccination-related variables.

Main Outcomes and Measures

Development of severe vs nonsevere SARS-CoV-2 infection. Severe disease was defined as hospitalization within 14 days of a positive SARS-CoV-2 diagnostic test and either blood oxygen level of less than 94%, receipt of supplemental oxygen or dexamethasone, mechanical ventilation, or death within 28 days. Association between severe disease and exposures was estimated using logistic regression models.

Results

Among 110 760 patients with infections following vaccination (97 614 [88.1%] men, mean [SD] age at vaccination, 60.8 [15.3] years; 26 953 [24.3%] Black, 11 259 [10.2%] Hispanic, and 71 665 [64.7%] White), 10 612 (9.6%) had severe COVID-19. The strongest association with risk of severe disease after vaccination was age, which increased among patients aged 50 years or older with an adjusted odds ratio (aOR) of 1.42 (CI, 1.40-1.44) per 5-year increase in age, such that patients aged 80 years or older had an aOR of 16.58 (CI, 13.49-20.37) relative to patients aged 45 to 50 years. Immunocompromising conditions, including receipt of different classes of immunosuppressive medications (eg, leukocyte inhibitor: aOR, 2.80; 95% CI, 2.39-3.28) or cytotoxic chemotherapy (aOR, 2.71; CI, 2.27-3.24) prior to breakthrough infection, or leukemias or lymphomas (aOR, 1.87; CI, 1.61-2.17) and chronic conditions associated with end-organ disease, such as heart failure (aOR, 1.74; CI, 1.61-1.88), dementia (aOR, 2.01; CI, 1.83-2.20), and chronic kidney disease (aOR, 1.59; CI, 1.49-1.69), were also associated with increased risk. Receipt of an additional (ie, booster) dose of vaccine was associated with reduced odds of severe disease (aOR, 0.50; CI, 0.44-0.57).

Conclusions and Relevance

In this nationwide, retrospective cohort of predominantly male US Veterans, we identified risk factors associated with severe disease despite vaccination. Findings could be used to inform outreach efforts for booster vaccinations and to inform clinical decision-making about patients most likely to benefit from preexposure prophylaxis and antiviral therapy.
Haemophilus influenzae Protein D antibody suppression in a multi‐component vaccine formulation
Authors: Michel Lea V. , Kaur Ravinder , Gleghorn Michael L. , Holmquist Melody , Pryharski Karin , Perdue Janai , Jones Seth P. , Jackson Niaya , Pilo Isabelle , Kasper Anna , Labbe Natalie , Pichichero Michael
Published: October 2022

Nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae (NTHi) has emerged as a dominant mucosal pathogen causing acute otitis media (AOM) in children, acute sinusitis in children and adults, and acute exacerbations of chronic bronchitis in adults. Consequently, there is an urgent need to develop a vaccine to protect against NTHi infection. A multi‐component vaccine will be desirable to avoid emergence of strains expressing modified proteins allowing vaccine escape. Protein D (PD), outer membrane protein (OMP) 26, and Protein 6 (P6) are leading protein vaccine candidates against NTHi. In pre‐clinical research using mouse models, we found that recombinantly expressed PD, OMP26, and P6 induce robust antibody responses after vaccination as individual vaccines, but when PD and OMP26 were combined into a single vaccine formulation, PD antibody levels were significantly lower. We postulated that PD and OMP26 physiochemically interacted to mask PD antigenic epitopes resulting in the observed effect on antibody response. However, column chromatography and mass spectrometry analysis did not support our hypothesis. We postulated that the effect might be in vivo through the mechanism of protein vaccine immunologic antigenic competition. We found when PD and OMP26 were injected into the same leg or separate legs of mice, so that antigens were immunologically processed at the same or different regional lymph nodes, respectively, antibody levels to PD were significantly lower with same leg vaccination. Different leg vaccination produced PD antibody levels quantitatively similar to vaccination with PD alone. We conclude that mixing PD and OMP26 into a single vaccine formulation requires further formulation studies.
Spatial distribution of biodiversity citizen science in a natural area depends on area accessibility and differs from other recreational area use
Authors: Mandeville Caitlin P. , Nilsen Erlend B. , Finstad Anders G.
Published: October 2022

Opportunistic citizen science produces large amounts of primary biodiversity data but is underutilized in the conservation and management of protected areas despite these areas’ status as citizen science hotspots. Application of these data may be limited by the challenge of understanding sampling patterns associated with opportunistic data at a scale relevant to local area management. An improved understanding of citizen science activity patterns within protected areas could strengthen both data analysis and the local promotion and guidance of citizen science activity.

We investigated local‐scale patterns of citizen science activity, using a case study approach to examine citizen science activity in a recreationally popular natural area that serves as a regional citizen science hotspot. We modelled the relationship between local citizen science activity and 10 spatial covariates broadly related to ease of access and natural interest, factors which have been shown to drive citizen science activity at regional scales. We further compared the distribution of citizen science activity with that of professional data collection and recreational visitor activity in the study area.

We found that citizen science data largely complement rather than replicate openly available professional data. Citizen science participation was primarily driven by ease of access, especially the presence of trails. However, citizen science use of the trail network differed from other types of recreational trail use, including a weaker preference for well‐established trails and a stronger association with developed areas.

This improved understanding of patterns in citizen science participation may be used to better account for spatial biases in citizen science data and to manage natural areas in a way that supports and guides future citizen science activity.
The application of multiple metrics in deformable image registration for target volume delineation of breast tumor bed
Authors: Xie Xin , Song Yuchun , Ye Feng , Yan Hui , Wang Shulian , Zhao Xinming , Dai Jianrong
Published: October 2022

Background and purpose

For postoperative breast cancer patients, deformable image registration (DIR) is challenged due to the large deformations and non‐correspondence caused by tumor resection and clip insertion. To deal with it, three metrics (fiducial‐, region‐, and intensity‐based) were jointly used in DIR algorithm for improved accuracy.

Materials and methods

Three types of metrics were combined to form a single‐objective function in DIR algorithm. Fiducial‐based metric was used to minimize the distance between the corresponding point sets of two images. Region‐based metric was used to improve the overlap between the corresponding areas of two images. Intensity‐based metric was used to maximize the correlation between the corresponding voxel intensities of two images. The two CT images, one before surgery and the other after surgery, were acquired from the same patient in the same radiotherapy treatment position. Twenty patients who underwent breast‐conserving surgery and postoperative radiotherapy were enrolled in this study.

Results

For target registration error, the difference between the proposed and the conventional registration methods was statistically significant for soft tissue (2.06 vs. 7.82, p = 0.00024 < 0.05) and body boundary (3.70 vs. 6.93, p = 0.021 < 0.05). For visual assessment, the proposed method achieved better matching result for soft tissue and body boundary.

Conclusions

Comparing to the conventional method, the registration accuracy of the proposed method was significantly improved. This method provided a feasible way for target volume delineation of tumor bed in postoperative radiotherapy of breast cancer patients.
MicroRNAsignatures in genetic frontotemporal dementia and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
Authors: Kmetzsch Virgilio , Latouche Morwena , Saracino Dario , Rinaldi Daisy , Camuzat Agnès , Gareau Thomas ,   the French Research Network on FTD/ALS, Le Ber Isabelle , Colliot Olivier , Becker Emmanuelle
Published: October 2022

Objective

MicroRNAs are promising biomarkers of frontotemporal dementia (FTD) and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), but discrepant results between studies have so far hampered their use in clinical trials. We aim to assess all previously identified circulating microRNA signatures as potential biomarkers of genetic FTD and/or ALS, using homogeneous, independent validation cohorts ofC9orf72andGRNmutation carriers.

Methods

104 individuals carrying aC9orf72or aGRNmutation, along with 31 controls, were recruited through the French research network on FTD/ALS. All subjects underwent blood sampling, from which circulating microRNAs were extracted. We measured differences in the expression levels of 65 microRNAs, selected from 15 published studies about FTD or ALS, between 31 controls, 17C9orf72presymptomatic subjects, and 29C9orf72patients. We also assessed differences in the expression levels of 30 microRNAs, selected from five studies about FTD, between 31 controls, 30GRNpresymptomatic subjects, and 28GRNpatients.

Results

More than half (35/65) of the selected microRNAs were differentially expressed in theC9orf72cohort, while only a small proportion (5/30) of microRNAs were differentially expressed in theGRNcohort. In multivariate analyses, only individuals in theC9orf72cohort could be adequately classified (ROC AUC up to 0.98 for controls versus presymptomatic subjects, 0.94 for controls versus patients, and 0.77 for presymptomatic subjects versus patients) with some of the signatures.

Interpretation

Our results suggest that previously identified microRNAs using sporadic or mixed cohorts of FTD and ALS patients could potentially serve as biomarkers ofC9orf72‐associated disease, but notGRN‐associated disease.
Versatile Red Blood Cells for Triple‐Negative Breast Cancer Treatment via Stepwise Photoactivations
Authors: Cheng Yuanyuan , Chen Qian , Qian Zhanyin , Shan Tianhe , Bai Liya , Jiang Xiaoyu , Li Chunyu , Wang Yinsong
Published: October 2022

Phototherapies have many advantages for triple‐negative breast cancer (TNBC) treatment. However, their effects are often limited by short blood circulation time, poor tumor selectivity and weak penetration of phototherapeutic agents, and tumor hypoxia. For overcoming these limitations, a versatile biomimetic system is developed based on red blood cells (RBCs). Photothermal agent new indocyanine green (IR820) is conjugated with the cell/tissue‐penetrating TAT peptide and further efficiently encapsulated into the intact RBCs by crossing cell membranes to realize the long blood circulation. Meanwhile, cyclic RGD peptide (cRGD) is linked to the surfaces of RBCs through phospholipid insertion to obtain tumor vessel‐targeting ability. Photosensitizer temoporfin (mTHPC) is next loaded into the membranes of RBCs by spontaneous transferring. The acquired biomimetic system (cRGD‐RBC@mTHPC/TAT‐IR820) exhibits potent photodynamic performance upon 652 nm laser irradiation with the facilitation of oxyhemoglobin, which could not only trigger TAT‐IR820 release but also destroy tumor vessels. TAT‐IR820 penetrates deeply into tumor tissue via the mediation of TAT peptide, exerting greatly promoted photothermal ablation against TNBC upon 808 nm laser irradiation. In situ generated tumor antigens further induce robust immune responses to suppress TNBC recurrence and metastasis. In summary, this study provides a versatile biomimetic system for comprehensive TNBC treatment via stepwise photodynamic and photothermal activations.
Winter wheat grain yield stability under different tillage practices
Authors: Aula Lawrence , Mikha Maysoon M. , Easterly Amanda C. , Creech Cody F.
Published: October 2022

Grain yield stability is vital for achieving yield consistency across a broad range of environments. The significance of this is well documented in crop genetic studies and may equally be relevant for tillage practices used in croplands. The objective of this study was to evaluate long‐term winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) grain yield stability under different tillage practices. The study was designed as a randomized complete block with three replications. The independent variable was tillage with three levels: no tillage (NT), stubble mulch (SM), and moldboard plow (MP). The experiment was established as a winter wheat–fallow under a dryland cropping system. Each phase of the wheat–fallow was present each year. The historical grain yield data from 1972 to 2010 were presented in this study. Yield stability was assessed using regression coefficients (βi) and squared deviation from regression (S2d). Grain yield had average stability because each tillage practice had a βi of 1.0. The SM tillage had an S2d of 0.03 (P = .90), which was not significant than zero (0), while NT and MP had an S2d of 0.06 (P = .04) and 0.07 (P = .01), respectively, that were significant than zero (0). This suggests that SM had a more stable yield under different environments when compared with NT and MP. In general, using minimum tillage, such as SM, that maintains residues on the soil surface could contribute to yield resiliency across different environments and enhance land sustainability in dryland cropping systems.
Synergistic electronic and geometric effects of Au/CeO2 catalyst for oxidative esterification of methacrolein
Authors: Farooq Muhammad U. , Zhang Xiangxue , Guan Yanan , Chen Wenyao , Zhou Jinghong , Zhang Jing , Qian Gang , Duan Xuezhi , Zhou Xinggui , Yuan Weikang
Published: October 2022

Methyl methacrylate (MMA) is an important monomer for the production of acrylic plastics and polymer dispersions. In this study, we demonstrate a strategy to synergize the electronic and geometric effects of the Au/CeO2 catalyst, achieving three orders of magnitude improvement in reaction rate for the oxidative esterification of methacrolein to MMA. The electronic properties of Au in terms of the valence electron population of 5d states are decoupled from the redox ability and acid–base properties of catalyst support as the main cause for the significant increase in the specific activity of the active site. Moreover, the Au edge site is identified as the main active site for this reaction, whose number reaches the maximum for the 1.6 nm‐sized Au particles. Hence, the synergism between the electronic (lower valence electron population of 5d states) and geometric (more edge active sites) promotions of the Au‐10/CeO2 catalyst contributes to the highest catalytic activity.
The selective advantage of mast flowering in Veratrum album subsp. oxysepalum: Implications of the predator satiation hypothesis
Authors: Ito Yohei , Kudo Gaku
Published: October 2022

Premise

Synchronous, highly variable flower or seed production among years within a population (i.e., masting) has been reported in numerous perennial plants. Although masting provides ecological advantages such as enhancing pollination efficiency and/or escape from predator attack, little is known about the degree of these advantages and variations in masting behavior among populations of conspecific plants.

Methods

We determined flowering ramet density and reproductive success (fruit‐set success and herbivorous damage) of a perennial herb, Veratrum album subsp. oxysepalum, across six lowland and six alpine populations in northern Japan during 2–3 years. We then analyzed the relationship between floral density and reproductive success to assess the ecological significance of mast flowering. Flowering intervals of individual plants were estimated by counting annual scars on rhizomes.

Results

Most populations had mast flowering, but the intervals between flowering for individual plants were shorter in the alpine populations than in the lowland populations. Floral damage by stem borers (dipteran larvae) and seed predation by lepidopteran larvae were intense in the lowland populations. Seed production of individual ramets increased with higher floral density owing to the effective avoidance of floral‐stem damage and seed predation. Although stem borers were absent in the alpine habitat, seed predation decreased with higher floral density also in the alpine populations. Pollination success was independent of floral density in both of the alpine and lowland populations.

Conclusions

These results strongly support the predator satiation hypothesis for mast flowering by this species.
ALDH1A2‐related disorder: A new genetic syndrome due to alteration of the retinoic acid pathway
Authors: Leon Eyby , Nde Claris , Ray Randall S. , Preciado Diego , Zohn Irene E.
Published: October 2022

Aldehyde Dehydrogenase 1, Family Member A2 (ALDH1A2) is essential for the synthesis of retinoic acid from vitamin A. Studies in model organisms demonstrate a critical role for ALDH1A2 in embryonic development, yet few pathogenic variants are linked to congenital anomalies in humans. We present three siblings with multiple congenital anomaly syndrome linked to biallelic sequence variants in ALDH1A2. The major congenital malformations affecting these children include tetralogy of Fallot, absent thymus, diaphragmatic eventration, and talipes equinovarus. Upper airway anomalies, hypocalcemia, and dysmorphic features are newly reported in this manuscript. In vitro functional validation of variants indicated that substitutions reduced the expression of the enzyme. Our clinical and functional data adds to a recent report of biallelic ALDH1A2 pathogenic variants in two families with a similar constellation of congenital malformations. These findings provide further evidence for an autosomal recessive ALDH1A2‐deficient recognizable malformation syndrome involving the diaphragm, cardiac and musculoskeletal systems.
Understanding Aerobic Nitrogen Photooxidation on Titania through In Situ Time‐Resolved Spectroscopy
Authors: Zhang Shuai , Zhao Yunxuan , Miao Yingxuan , Xu Yanjun , Ran Jingrun , Wang Zhuan , Weng Yuxiang , Zhang Tierui
Published: October 2022

Nitrate is an important raw material for chemical fertilizers, but it is industrially manufactured in multiple steps at high temperature and pressure, urgently motivating the design of a green and sustainable strategy for nitrate production. We report the photosynthesis of nitrate from N2and O2on commercial TiO2in a flow reactor under ambient conditions. The TiO2photocatalyst offered a high nitrate yield of 1.85 μmol h−1as well as a solar‐to‐nitrate energy conversion efficiency up to 0.13 %. We combined reactivity and in situ Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy to elucidate the mechanism of nitrate formation and unveil the special role of O2in N≡N bond dissociation. The mechanistic insight into charge‐involved N2oxidation was further demonstrated by in situ transient absorption spectroscopy and electron paramagnetic resonance. This work exhibits the mechanistic origin of N2photooxidation and initiates a potential method for triggering inert catalytic reactions.
The Function of Two Radical‐SAM Enzymes, HcgA and HcgG, in the Biosynthesis of the [Fe]‐Hydrogenase Cofactor
Authors: Arriaza‐Gallardo Francisco J. , Schaupp Sebastian , Zheng Yu‐Cong , Abdul‐Halim Mohd Farid , Pan Hui‐Jie , Kahnt Jörg , Angelidou Georgia , Paczia Nicole , Hu Xile , Costa Kyle , Shima Seigo
Published: October 2022

In the biosynthesis of the iron‐guanylylpyridinol (FeGP) cofactor, 6‐carboxymethyl‐5‐methyl‐4‐hydroxy‐2‐pyridinol (1) is 3‐methylated to form 2, then 4‐guanylylated to form 3, and converted into the full cofactor. HcgA‐G proteins catalyze the biosynthetic reactions. Herein, we report the function of two radical S‐adenosyl methionine enzymes, HcgA and HcgG, as uncovered by in vitro complementation experiments and the use of purified enzymes. In vitro biosynthesis using the cell extract from the Methanococcus maripaludis ΔhcgA strain was complemented with HcgA or precursors 1, 2 or 3. The results suggested that HcgA catalyzes the biosynthetic reaction that forms 1. We demonstrated the formation of 1 by HcgA using the 3 kDa cell extract filtrate as the substrate. Biosynthesis in the ΔhcgG system was recovered by HcgG but not by 3, which indicated that HcgG catalyzes the reactions after the biosynthesis of 3. The data indicated that HcgG contributes to the formation of CO and completes biosynthesis of the FeGP cofactor.