bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Money Laundering, Political Corruption and Asset Recovery in the Spanish Criminal Code
Authors: González Uriel Daniel
Published: March 2021

This article analyzes the relationship between corruption offenses and money laundering with reference to the Spanish Penal Code. These two criminal categories lack a certain definition, as there is no such univocal concept of “political corruption” and “money laundering.” The reasons for the denaturation of these criminal figures will be addressed. Then, the paper will expose how these criminal figures relate to each other. We argue that a real concurrence between both figures is possible, although it may lead, in certain cases, to double incrimination and its consequent punitive excess. Therefore, we will propose some criteria for a restrictive interpretation of “money laundering” to avoid confusion with other legal figures such as “confiscation.” The paper will end with reference to the Spanish Criminal Code’s regulation on “confiscation” and a brief review of the main critics.
Prevalence of Influenza Among Hajj Pilgrims: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Safarpour Hamid , Safi-Keykaleh Meysam , Farahi-Ashtiani Iman , Bazyar Jafar , Daliri Salman , Sahebi Ali
Published: March 2021

Objectives:

Respiratory transmission, especially in mass gatherings, is considered one of the main ways of influenza transmission. The Hajj ceremony, as one of the largest gatherings worldwide, can increase the distribution of influenza infection. Thus, the present study aimed to evaluate the incidence of influenza among Hajj pilgrims.

Methods:

In this present systematic review and meta-analysis, all English studies published by 2019 were extracted from several databases such as the Web of Science, PubMed, Scopus, Cochrane Library, Science Direct, and Google Scholar. Finally, the data were extracted using a pre-prepared checklist and then analyzed by fixed and random effects model tests in the meta-analysis, Cochran, meta-regression, and Begg’s test.

Results:

Eighteen studies with a sample size of 62 431 were entered into the meta-analysis process. The overall prevalence of influenza, in addition to the prevalence of types A, B, and C influenza, was estimated at 5.9 (95% CI: 4.3-8.0), 3.6 (95% CI: 2.6-4.9), 2.9 (95% CI: 2.8-3.1), and 0.9% (95% CI: 0.5-1.5), respectively.

Conclusions:

In general, influenza remains widespread regardless of vaccinating pilgrims and following health protocols. Therefore, it is recommended that comprehensive management and educational approaches be used to reduce the prevalence of influenza and its adverse consequences among the pilgrims.
Systematic review of effectiveness and satisfaction evaluation in child and adolescent mental health services in Ireland
Authors: Leahy D. , McNicholas F.
Published: March 2021

Objectives:

Increasing numbers of youth experience mental illness, and also require and benefit from specialist child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS). Worldwide, such services are underfunded and under-resourced, and services in Ireland are no different. It is vital that existing services are regularly reviewed for both efficacy and acceptability. Our objective was to review published studies evaluating service user satisfaction with CAMHS in Ireland and CAMHS therapeutic efficacy.

Methods:

MEDLINE, PsycINFO and CINAHL databases were systematically searched. Studies were included if they reported on service user satisfaction or an evaluation of CAMHS in Ireland.

Results:

From an initial 125 articles identified, 15 studies meet the inclusion criteria: four reporting on overall CAMHS satisfaction, three on satisfaction where a specific diagnosis was present, while eight evaluated various interventions offered. Whilst most service users perceived services to be satisfactory, important issues relating to accessibility were present. Evidence of efficacy was present for a small number of interventions, but studies were limited by methodological issues.

Conclusions:

There is a dearth of studies evaluating CAMHS in Ireland. The extant literature suggests a positive experience once accessed, but long waiting times and poor collaboration are seen to limit services users’ experience. More robust methodologically sound studies are urgently required. Given the expected increased demand linked to the current COVID-19 pandemic, coupled with the resultant compromised financial position, it is essential that scant resources are appropriately directed.
A tale of two plains: migrating landscapes between Italy and Argentina 1870–1955
Authors: Valisena Daniele , Canovi Antonio
Published: March 2021

This article offers an analysis of the encounter between the two natural environments of the Italian Po Plain and the Argentinian Pampa Gringa through the migration of Italian rural workers. Notably, we focus on the migration micro-histories of Emiliano-Romagnoli, who moved from Italy to Argentina during Italian Great Migration Era (1870–1955). Building on oral histories gathered in Italy and Argentina between 2005 and 2007, these micro-histories show how place-based landscapes of Italianness hybridised with the local landscape of the South American plains through Italian migrants’ embodied memories, labour, and socio-environmental transformation practices. By focusing on Po Plain migrants’ memories and experiences of the lowlands of northern Italy and the Argentinian pampas, we aim to offer a micro-historical perspective on the environmental history of migration.
Is reintroduction a tool for the conservation of the jaguarPanthera onca? A case study in the Brazilian Pantanal
Authors: Gasparini-Morato Rose Lilian , Sartorello Leonardo , Rampim Lilian , Fragoso Carlos Eduardo , May Joares Adenilson , Teles Pedro , Haberfeld Mario , Paula Rogério Cunha de , Morato Ronaldo Gonçalves
Published: March 2021

To evaluate the feasibility of reintroduction as a tool for conservation of the jaguarPanthera onca, we adapted the IUCN soft release protocol to reintroduce two jaguars in the southern Pantanal, Brazil. After being kept at rescue centres for 13 months, the jaguars were moved to a 1-ha enclosure with native vegetation on a 53,000 ha ranch in the Pantanal, where hunting is not allowed and prey is abundant. In the enclosure, the animals were fed with meat, dead animals (roadkill) and then, progressively, live wild prey. After 11 months, the jaguars were fitted with collars equipped with GPS/VHF (recording one location per hour) and accelerometers, and released in the same area. The animals established residence near the enclosure, with home ranges, movement parameters, daily activity patterns and prey consumption similar to that recorded in previous studies. Social interaction and reproduction indicated the reintroduction was successful, and that it can be a tool for the species' survival in areas where the jaguar population is in decline.
Advances in vaccine development for human trichuriasis
Authors: Hayon Jesica , Weatherhead Jill , Hotez Peter J. , Bottazzi Maria Elena , Zhan Bin
Published: March 2021

Trichuriasis known as whipworm infection caused byTrichuris trichiura, is a highly prevalent soil-transmitted helminthiasis in low- and middle-income countries located in tropical and subtropical areas and affecting approximately 360 million people. Children typically harbour the largest burden ofT. trichiuraand they are usually co-infected with other soil-transmitted helminth (STH), includingAscaris lumbricoidesand hookworm. The consequences of trichuriasis, such as malnutrition and physical and cognitive growth restriction, lead to a massive health burden in endemic regions. Despite the implementation of mass drug administration of anthelminthic treatment to school-age children,T. trichiurainfection remains challenging to control due to the low efficacy of current drugs as well as high rates of post-treatment re-infection. Thus, the development of a vaccine that would induce protective immunity and reduce infection rate or community faecal egg output is essential. Hurdles for human whipworm vaccine development include the lack of suitable vaccine antigen targets and animal models for humanT. trichiurainfection. Instead, rodent whipwormT. murisinfected mouse models serve as a major surrogate for testing immunogenicity and efficacy of vaccine candidates. In this review, we summarize recent advances in animal models forT. trichiuraantigen discovery and testing of vaccine candidates, while providing an overall view of the current status ofT. trichiuravaccine development.
Effects of tDCS during inhibitory control training on performance and PTSD, aggression and anxiety symptoms: a randomized-controlled trial in a military sample
Authors: Smits Fenne M. , Geuze Elbert , Schutter Dennis J. L. G. , van Honk Jack , Gladwin Thomas E.
Published: March 2021

Background

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety, and impulsive aggression are linked to transdiagnostic neurocognitive deficits. This includes impaired inhibitory control over inappropriate responses. Prior studies showed that inhibitory control can be improved by modulating the right inferior frontal gyrus (IFG) with transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) in combination with inhibitory control training. However, its clinical potential remains unclear. We therefore aimed to replicate a tDCS-enhanced inhibitory control training in a clinical sample and test whether this reduces stress-related mental health symptoms.

Methods

In a preregistered double-blind randomized-controlled trial, 100 active-duty military personnel and post-active veterans with PTSD, anxiety, or impulsive aggression symptoms underwent a 5-session intervention where a stop-signal response inhibition training was combined with anodal tDCS over the right IFG for 20 min at 1.25 mA. Inhibitory control was evaluated with the emotional go/no-go task and implicit association test. Stress-related symptoms were assessed by self-report at baseline, post-intervention, and after 3-months and 1-year follow-ups.

Results

Active relative to sham tDCS neither influenced performance during inhibitory control training nor on assessment tasks, and did also not significantly influence self-reported symptoms of PTSD, anxiety, impulsive aggression, or depression at post-assessment or follow-up.

Conclusions

Our results do not support the idea that anodal tDCS over the right IFG at 1.25 mA enhances response inhibition training in a clinical sample, or that this tDCS-training combination can reduce stress-related symptoms. Applying different tDCS parameters or combining tDCS with more challenging tasks might provide better conditions to modulate cognitive functioning and stress-related symptoms.
Access to health care among racialised immigrants to Canada in later life: a theoretical and empirical synthesis
Authors: Lin Shen (Lamson)
Published: March 2021

Evidence that immigrants tend to be underserved by the health-care system in the hosting country is well documented. While the impacts of im/migration on health-care utilisation patterns have been addressed to some extent in the existing literature, the conventional approach tends to homogenise the experience of racialised and White immigrants, and the intersecting power axes of racialisation, immigration and old age have been largely overlooked. This paper aims to consolidate three macro theories of health/behaviours, including Bronfenbrenner's ecological theory, the World Health Organization's paradigm of social determinants of health and Andersen's Behavioral Model of Health Service Use, to develop and validate an integrated multilevel framework of health-care access tailored for racialised older immigrants. Guided by this framework, a narrative review of 35 Canadian studies was conducted. Findings reveal that racial minority immigrants’ vulnerability in accessing health services are intrinsically linked to a complex interplay between racial-nativity status with numerous markers of power differences. These multilevel parameters range from socio-economic challenges, cross-cultural differences, labour and capital adequacy in the health sector, organisational accessibility and sensitivity, inter-sectoral policies, to societal values and ideology as forms of oppression. This review suggests that, counteracting a prevailing discourse of personal and cultural barriers to care, the multilevel framework is useful to inform upstream structural solutions to address power imbalances and to empower racialised immigrants in later life.
Older workers imagining retirement: the collapse of agency, or freedom at last?
Authors: Grødem Anne Skevik , Kitterød Ragni Hege
Published: March 2021

Images of what retirement is and ought to be are changing. Older workers are being encouraged to work for longer, at the same time, older adults increasingly voice expectations of a ‘third age’ of active engagement and new life prospects. In this article, we draw on the literature on older workers’ work patterns and retirement transitions (noting push/pull/stay/stuck/jump factors), and on scholarship on the changing social meaning of old age, most importantly the notions of a ‘third’ and ‘fourth’ age. The analysis is based on qualitative interviews with 28 employees in the private sector in Norway, aged between 55 and 66 years. Based on the interviews, we propose three ideal-typical approaches to the work–retirement transition: ‘the logic of deadline’, ‘the logic of negotiation’ and ‘the logic of averting retirement’. The ideal-types are defined by the degree to which informants assume agency in the workplace, their orientation towards work versus retirement and the degree to which they expect to exercise agency in retirement. We emphasise how retirement decisions are informed by notions of the meaning of ageing, while also embedded in relationships with employers and partners.
In the moment with music: an exploration of the embodied and sensory experiences of people living with dementia during improvised music-making
Authors: Dowlen Robyn , Keady John , Milligan Christine , Swarbrick Caroline , Ponsillo Nick , Geddes Lucy , Riley Bob
Published: March 2021

The term ‘in the moment’ has received growing interest in the context of music programmes for people living with dementia, with music therapists, family carers, health-care professionals and people living with dementia themselves reporting the value of framing musical experiences in the ‘here and now’. Although this term is being used more frequently within the literature, there has yet to be a formal examination of such ‘in the moment’ musical experiences and how they might benefit a person living with dementia. We used a multiple-case study approach to develop a thematic framework of ‘in the moment’ musical experiences within the context of a music-making programme for people living with dementia. The research followed six people living with dementia and four family carers, and used video-observation and video-elicitation interviews to capture and analyse ‘in the moment’ experiences. Four thematic observations were developed which captured ‘in the moment’ musical experiences: Sharing a life story through music, Musical agency ‘in the moment’, Feeling connected ‘in the moment’ and Musical ripples into everyday life. These findings showcase the creativity and musical abilities of people living with dementia whilst affirming music as a medium to connect people living with dementia with their own life story, other people and the environments in which music-making takes place.
Phonological neighborhood measures and multisyllabic word acquisition in children
Authors: RAJARAM Melissa
Published: March 2021

Multisyllabic words constitute a large portion of children's vocabulary. However, the relationship between phonological neighborhood density and English multisyllabic word learning is poorly understood. We examine this link in three, four and six year old children using a corpus-based approach. While we were able to replicate the well-accepted positive association between CVC word acquisition and neighborhood density, no similar relationship was found for multisyllabic words, despite testing multiple novel neighborhood measures. This finding raises the intriguing possibility that phonological organization of the mental lexicon may play a fundamentally different role in the acquisition of more complex words.
Sphere tangencies, line incidences and Lie’s line-sphere correspondence
Authors: ZAHL JOSHUA
Published: March 2021

Two spheres with centers p and q and signed radii r and s are said to be in contact if |p–q|2=(r–s)2. Using Lie’s line-sphere correspondence, we show that if F is a field in which –1 is not a square, then there is an isomorphism between the set of spheres in F3 and the set of lines in a suitably constructed Heisenberg group that is embedded in (F[i])3; under this isomorphism, contact between spheres translates to incidences between lines.

In the past decade there has been significant progress in understanding the incidence geometry of lines in three space. The contact-incidence isomorphism allows us to translate statements about the incidence geometry of lines into statements about the contact geometry of spheres. This leads to new bounds for Erdős’ repeated distances problem in F3, and improved bounds for the number of point-sphere incidences in three dimensions. These new bounds are sharp for certain ranges of parameters.
High-concentration sediment plumes, Horseshoe Island, western Antarctic Peninsula
Authors: Rodrigo Cristian , Varas-Gómez Andrés , Bustamante-Maino Adrián , Mena-Hodges Emilio
Published: March 2021

The variability in sediment concentration and spatial distribution of meltwater discharges from tidewater glaciers can be used to elucidate climatic evolution and glacier behaviour due to the association between sediment yield and glacier retreat (e.g. Domack & McClennen 1996). In an accelerated deglaciation environment, higher sediment concentrations in the water column can change the glacimarine costal dynamics and affect productivity and sea floor ecosystems (e.g. Marín et al. 2013). In the Antarctic Peninsula Region, meltwater or turbid plumes were previously believed to be rare or without an important role in the sedimentary glacimarine environment (e.g. Griffith & Anderson 1989), but recent studies have shown that this is a common phenomenon in subpolar and transition polar climates (Yoo et al. 2015, Rodrigo et al. 2016). In the current climate change scenario, accelerated glacier retreats and mass losses can produce an increasing input of glacial meltwater into the fjord regions, a situation that is not yet well evaluated in the Antarctic Peninsula. In this short note, after in situ observation of an unusual waterfall from the southern side of the main western tidewater glacier (Shoesmith Glacier) of Horseshoe Island (Lystad Bay), Marguerite Bay (Fig. 1), we report high turbidity values associated with plumes from the glacier, whose values were higher than reported data from subpolar/transition polar Antarctic climates.
Nit-Occlud atrial septal defect occluder device: Histological characterisation of the healing process
Authors: Perdreau Elodie , Jalal Zakaria , Sigler Matthias
Published: March 2021

We describe the healing process following transcatheter implantation of the Nit-Occlud ASD-R occluder (PFM medical, Cologne, Germany) for atrial septal defect closure in a sheep model with histological confirmation of neotissue formation covering the device.
Modular waveguide filter platform for educational and prototyping purposes
Authors: Miek Daniel , Bruhn Daniel , Braasch Kennet , Kamrath Fynn , Boe Patrick , Höft Michael
Published: March 2021

In this paper, a modular waveguide filter platform suitable for educational and prototyping purposes is presented. The waveguide filter platform is dimensioned to work in the F-band (4.9–7.05 GHz). The design of the platform is discussed and versatile application possibilities are shown in many examples. The platform can be used to realize generalized Chebyshev filters with or without cross-couplings by exploiting TE101 and TE102 mode cavities. Transmission zeros can be introduced by the utilization of wires or aperture couplings. Filter topologies based on the extracted pole technique can be examined as well. Small changes in the set-up also allow the realization of a gap waveguide filter, a diplexer set-up as well as filters with frequency-dependent coupling apertures. Most required components can either be purchased cheaply or be manufactured with a three-dimensional printer.
Determining Threshold Instrumental Resolutions for Resolving the Velocity‐Space Signature of Ion Landau Damping
Authors: Verniero J. L. , Howes G. G. , Stewart D. E. , Klein K. G.
Published: March 2021

Unraveling the physics of the entire turbulent cascade of energy in space and astrophysical plasmas from the injection of energy at large scales to the dissipation of that energy into plasma heat at small scales, represents an overarching, open question in heliophysics and astrophysics. The fast cadence and high phase‐space resolution of particle velocity distribution measurements on modern spacecraft missions, such as the recently launched Parker Solar Probe, presents exciting new opportunities for identifying turbulent dissipation mechanisms using in situ measurements of the particle velocity distributions and electromagnetic fields. Here we demonstrate how to use data from kinetic numerical simulations of plasma turbulence to create synthetic spacecraft data; this data set can then be used to determine instrumental requirements to identify specific particle energization mechanisms. Using such synthetic data, downsampled to the velocity phase‐space resolution available from the plasma instruments on several past and present missions, we compute the resulting velocity‐space signature of ion Landau damping using the recently developed Field‐Particle Correlation (FPC) technique. We find that only recent missions have sufficiently fine phase‐space resolution to resolve the characteristic resonant features of the ion Landau damping signature. Coupled with numerical determinations of the velocity‐space signatures of different proposed particle energization mechanisms, this strategy enables the specification of instrumental capabilities required to achieve science goals on the topic of plasma heating and particle acceleration in turbulent heliospheric plasmas.
Nodal Structure of Toroidal Standing Alfvén Waves and Its Implication for Field Line Mass Density Distribution
Authors: Takahashi Kazue , Denton Richard E.
Published: March 2021

We have conducted a statistical study of toroidal mode standing Alfvén waves detected by the Van Allen Probes spacecraft in the dayside inner magnetosphere, with an emphasis on the nodal structure of the fundamental through fifth harmonics. We developed a technique to accurately assign harmonic mode numbers to peaks in the power spectra of the electric (Eν) and magnetic (Bϕ) field components of toroidal waves and then determine the spectral intensities of Eν and Bϕ and the coherence and cross‐phase between these field components for each harmonic. The magnetic latitude (MLAT) dependence of these quantities was statistically examined to determine the location of the nodes. In addition to the equatorial nodes located close to the equator (MLAT = 0), we identified several nodes away from the equator within the MLAT range from −20° to +20°. We found that the Eν‐Bϕ cross‐phase is very close to ±90° except near the nodes, indicating that the fixed‐end approximation is appropriate in modeling dayside toroidal waves. Noting that the node latitudes depend on the distribution of the mass density (ρ) along the background magnetic field, we inferred the distribution from the nodes observed at L = 4–6. If we adopt a model field line mass density (ρ) distribution of the form ρ ∝ (1/r)α, where r is geocentric distance to the field line and α is a free parameter, the statistically determined node latitudes indicate that α∼1.5 is appropriate for both the plasmasphere and the plasmatrough.
Electrical Conductivity in Texturally Equilibrated Fluid‐Bearing Forsterite Aggregates at 800°C and 1 GPa: Implications for the High Electrical Conductivity Anomalies in Mantle Wedges
Authors: Huang Yongsheng , Guo Haihao , Nakatani Takayuki , Uesugi Kentaro , Nakamura Michihiko , Keppler Hans
Published: March 2021

Aqueous fluids are one of the principal agents of chemical transport in Earth´s interior. The precise determination of fluid fractions is essential to understand bulk physical properties, such as rheology and permeability, and the geophysical state of the mantle. Laboratory‐based electrical conductivity measurements are an effective method for estimating the fluid distribution and fraction in a fluid‐bearing rock. In this study, the electrical conductivity of texturally equilibrated fluid‐bearing forsterite aggregates was measured for the first time with various fluid fractions at a constant salinity of 5.0 wt.% NaCl at 1 GPa and 800°C. We found that the electrical conductivity nonlinearly increases with increasing fluid fraction, and the data can be well reproduced by the modified Archie's law. The three‐dimensional (3‐D) microstructure of the interstitial pores visualized by the high‐resolution synchrotron X‐ray computed micro‐tomography (CT) shows a change in fluid distribution from isolated pockets at a fluid fraction of 0.51 vol.% to interconnected networks at fluid fractions of 2.14 vol.% and above due to grain anisotropy and grain size differences, accounting for the nonlinear increase in electrical conductivity. The rapid increase in conductivity indicates that there is a threshold fluid fraction between 0.51 and 2.14 vol.% for forming interconnected fluid networks, which is consistent with the 3‐D images. Our results provide direct evidence that the presence of >1.0 vol.% aqueous fluid with 5.0 wt.% NaCl is required to explain the high conductivity anomalies above 0.01 S/m detected in deep fore‐arc mantle wedges.
Model and Satellite Analysis of Transport of Asian Anthropogenic Pollution to the Arctic: Siberian and Pacific Pathways and Their Meteorological Controls
Authors: Ikeda Kohei , Tanimoto Hiroshi , Sugita Takafumi , Akiyoshi Hideharu , Clerbaux Cathy , Coheur Pierre‐François
Published: March 2021

We made comprehensive analyses of long‐range transport episodes of air pollutants from East Asia to the Arctic and associated meteorological conditions. While our main focus was black carbon (BC) as its transport to the Arctic has attracted great attention, carbon monoxide (CO) was also diagnosed as a species co‐emitted with BC and as a tracer of long‐range transport. We used satellite observations by the Infrared Atmospheric Sounding Interferometer (IASI) and a newly implemented BC tagged‐tracer simulation using a global chemical transport model, GEOS‐Chem. Temporal variations of IASI‐CO column over the Pacific Arctic (160–200°E, 60–80°N) showed that episodic increases occurred several times in each season. For the period of 2007–2011, 11 strong events (6 in spring, 3 in autumn, and 2 in winter) caused by the long‐range transport from East Asia were identified. Two transport pathways from East Asia to the Arctic were found: over Siberia and the Sea of Okhotsk, and over the North Pacific. In the pathway over Siberia and the Sea of Okhotsk, the pollutants were transported northeastward from China mainly through the Sea of Okhotsk and East Siberia. The low pressures passing from East Siberia to the Sea of Okhotsk played important roles in the transport in the lower troposphere and uplifting to the middle troposphere. In the pathway over the North Pacific, the pollutants were transported eastward from the Asian continent and subsequent northward transport took place over the North Pacific. The poleward transport occurred west of the high pressure that stayed around the Bering Sea.
Burial, Accretion, and Exhumation of the Metamorphic Sole of the Oman‐UAE Ophiolite
Authors: Ambrose T. K. , Waters D. J. , Searle M. P. , Gopon P. , Forshaw J. B.
Published: March 2021

We conducted petrological analyses of samples collected across a 250‐m thick section of the metamorphic sole of Oman‐United Arab Emirates ophiolite. Thermobarometric calculations on garnet‐clinopyroxene amphibolites (retrogressed granulites) from the top 85 m of sole indicate peak pressure‐temperature conditions of 700°–900°C and 10–12 kbar, corresponding to depths of 30–40 km. Structurally lower (85–250 m below peridotite) epidote amphibolites record similar pressures, but temperatures that are ∼100°C lower. We document progressive retrogression of the peak granulite facies assemblage down through amphibolite and greenschist facies pressure‐temperature conditions. We propose that pervasive granulite formation in metabasic rocks along the top of the downgoing slab resulted in rheological strengthening that caused the subduction interface to migrate downwards and accrete a slice (the high‐temperature sole) to the hanging‐wall mantle. Structurally lower thrust slices of epidote and bimineralic amphibolites, as well as interlayered metasedimentary rocks, were subsequently underplated at similar pressures of 10–12 kbar, but lower temperatures, as the subduction zone cooled. Prograde metamorphism of these lower‐grade thrust slices released fluids that (re)hydrated the overlying granulites and hanging‐wall peridotites. Along with several other recent studies, our results indicate that the base of the ophiolite and the granulite‐amphibolite facies part of the metamorphic sole were juxtaposed at depths of 30–40 km. Our results are consistent with other observations from the metamorphic sole and base of the ophiolite that indicate the sole was exhumed along a flattening slab.
3‐D Deep Electrical Resistivity Tomography of the Major Basin Related to the 2016 Mw6.5 Central Italy Earthquake Fault
Authors: Sapia V. , Villani F. , Fischanger F. , Lupi M. , Baccheschi P. , Pantosti D. , Pucci S. , Civico R. , Sciarra A. , Smedile A. , Romano V. , De Martini P. M. , Murgia F. , Materni V. , Giannattasio F. , Pizzimenti L. , Ricci T. , Brunori C. A. , Coco I. , Improta L.
Published: March 2021

We provide the first 3‐D resistivity image of the Pian Grande di Castelluccio basin, the main Quaternary depocenter in the hangingwall of the Mt.Vettore–Mt. Bove normal fault system (VBFS), responsible for the October 30, 2016 Mw6.5 Norcia earthquake (central Italy). The subsurface structure of the basin is poorly known, and its relation with the VBFS remains debated. Using the recent Fullwaver technology, we carried out a high‐resolution 2‐D transect crossing the 2016 coseismic ruptures coupled with an extensive 3‐D survey with the aim of: (a) mapping the subsurface of the basin‐bounding splays of the VBFS and the downdip extent of intrabasin faults; (b) imaging the infill and pre‐Quaternary substratum down to ∼1 km depth. The 2‐D resistivity section highlights under the coseismic ruptures a main dip‐slip fault zone with conjugated splays. The 3‐D resistivity model suggests that the basin consists of two depocenters (∼300 and ∼600 m deep, respectively) filled with silty sands and gravels (resistivity <300 Ωm), bounded and cross‐cut by NNE‐, WNW‐, and NNW‐trending faults with throws of ∼200–400 m. We hypothesize that the NNE‐trending system acted during the early basin development, followed by NNW‐trending and currently active splays of the VBFS that overprint pre‐existing structures and locally control the infill architecture. Moreover, beneath the basin we detect a shallow NW‐dipping blind fault. The latter is likely a hangingwall splay of the adjacent regional Mts. Sibillini Thrust, which may have been partly involved in the rupture process of the Norcia mainshock.
Rocket Mission Conjures a Ghostly Noctilucent Cloud
Authors: Cartier Kimberly
Published: March 2021

Night-shining clouds can be diagnostic tools to better understand how human activity is changing the meteorology of the mesosphere.
Deep Submarine Fresh Water: A New Resource for Volcanic Islands?
Authors: Attias Eric , Constable Steven , Taylor Brian , Thomas Donald
Published: March 2021

The discovery of large freshwater reservoirs off Hawaii suggests that other volcanic islands may have similar resources, which could help meet water demands amid population growth and climate change.
The incorporation loci of H3.3K36M determine its preferential prevalence in chondroblastomas
Authors: Zhang Yanjun , Fang Dong
Published: March 2021

The histone H3.3K36M mutation, identified in over 90% of chondroblastoma cases, reprograms the H3K36 methylation landscape and gene expression to promote tumorigenesis. However, it’s still unclear how the H3K36M mutation preferentially occurs in the histone H3 variant H3.3 in chondroblastomas. Here, we report that H3.3K36M-, but not H3.1K36M-, mutant cells showed increased colony formation ability and differentiation defects. H3K36 methylations and enhancers were reprogrammed to different status in H3.3K36M- and H3.1K36M-mutant cells. The reprogramming of H3K36 methylation and enhancers was depended on the specific loci at which H3.3K36M and H3.1K36M were incorporated. Moreover, targeting H3K36M-mutant proteins to the chromatin inhibited the H3K36 methylation locally. Taken together, these results highlight the roles of the chromatic localization of H3.3K36M-mutant protein in the reprogramming of the epigenome and the subsequent induction of tumorigenesis, and shed light on the molecular mechanisms by which the H3K36M mutation mainly occurs in histone H3.3 in chondroblastomas.
Circ-HMGA2 (hsa_circ_0027446) promotes the metastasis and epithelial-mesenchymal transition of lung adenocarcinoma cells through the miR-1236-3p/ZEB1 axis
Authors: Yu Zhongjian , Zhu Xiongjie , Li Ying , Liang Min , Liu Meijun , Liu Zhile , Qin Lingyu , Wu Xiaoran , Du Kunpeng , Liu Lu , Wang Yong , Zheng Yanfang
Published: March 2021

Lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) has high incidence and mortality rates worldwide; however, its detailed molecular pathology remains unclear. Although circRNAs have gradually been identified as molecules that are differentially expressed in tumors and play key roles in tumor progression, their role in LUAD is poorly understood. Through microarray analysis, we obtained the circRNA expression profile of LUAD and found that circ-HMGA2 (hsa_circ_0027446), a novel RNA, is highly expressed in LUAD. The high expression of circ-HMGA2 was further verified in 36 paired LUAD and adjacent normal tissues. Functionally, circ-HMGA2 promoted LUAD cell metastasis in vitro and in vivo. The luciferase reporter assay and FISH results showed that circ-HMGA2 interacts with miR-1236-3p and that miR-1236-3p interacts with ZEB1. In addition, miR-1236-3p was expressed at low levels in LUAD, inhibited LUAD cell metastasis, and suppressed the function of circ-HMGA2. ZEB1 is an EMT-promoting transcription factor. The PCR and WB analysis results showed that circ-HMGA2 promotes both ZEB1 expression and EMT. MiR-1236-3p had the opposite effect, reversing the promotive effect of circ-HMGA2 on EMT. In summary, circ-HMGA2 promotes LUAD cell metastasis through the miR-1236-3p/EMT axis, indicating that it could be a therapeutic target in LUAD.
Environment impact and probabilistic health risks of PAHs in dusts surrounding an iron and steel enterprise
Authors: Wei Xiaofeng , Ding Chun , Chen Chunzhu , Zhu Li , Zhang Guiqin , Sun Youmin
Published: March 2021

Dust can be regarded as environmental medium that indicates the level and spatial distribution of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) coming from different pollution sources. In this study, samples including road dust, roof dust, and bare soil near an iron and steel enterprise (ISE) in Laiwu city of North China were collected. To assess the environment impact, atmosphere particulates and one flue dust from a coking plant were simultaneously sampled. Sixteen USEPA PAHs were detected quantitatively by Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometry (GC–MS). A laser particle size analyzer was used to obtain the grain size of the dust particle samples. The results showed that PAH concentrations displayed great variability in the dust samples. The ∑16PAHs concentration was found to be between 0.460 and 46.970 μg/g (avg ± sd 10.892 ± 1.185 μg/g) in road dust, between 0.670 and 17.140 μg/g (avg ± sd 6.751 ± 0.692 μg/g) in roof dust, and 13.990 ± 1.203 μg/g in bare soil. In the environment atmosphere sites, the ∑16 PAHs value in PM2.5 constituted a very large proportion of PM10, indicating that PAHs in finer particle sizes should be given greater emphasis. The ∑16PAHs concentration was relatively high in the area close to the ISE because of the great impact of the ISE industrial activities. PAH concentration curves were similar, and the most abundant individual PAHs in the atmosphere sites were BbF, BkF, and Flu, and BbF, BkF, and Chry in dusts. Toxicity analysis revealed that PAHs with four rings, including carcinogenic PAHs, were the dominant pollutants in the studied area. The toxic equivalency value (TEQBaP), the carcinogenic health risk assessment value recommended by the US EPA, was calculated for seven carcinogenic PAHs, revealing that they account for more than 93.0% of the total TEQBap of the 16 PAHs and indicating the major toxic equivalent concentration contributor. Incremental lifetime cancer risk (ILCR) estimation results showed that PAHs tended to bring about great health risks through skin contact, followed by ingestion and inhalation. By comparison, road dust exhibited greater carcinogenic risks than roof dust, and bare soil may undergo heavier pollution. Therefore, the results of this study would be helpful in the effort to understand the PAHs pollution from the steel industry, which will provide some guidance for the probabilistic assessment of local health risks.
Age-related deterioration of performance and increase of cortex activity comparing time- versus item-controlled fNIRS measurement
Authors: Blum Leonore , Rosenbaum David , Röben Benjamin , Dehnen Katja , Maetzler Walter , Suenkel Ulrike , Fallgatter Andreas J. , Ehlis Ann-Christine , Metzger Florian G.
Published: March 2021

In our aging society, research into neurodegenerative processes is of great interest. Thereby, cortical activation under different neurocognitive conditions is considered to be a promising predictor. Against this background, the executive functions of a total of 250 healthy older adults (53–84 years) have been investigated using the Trail Making Test (TMT) and functional near-infrared spectroscopy in a block design. We investigated effects of age on the performance and cortical blood oxygenation during the TMT. Since it is assumed that older people may compensate for cognitive deficits by slowing their processing speed, we additionally analyzed the cortical blood oxygenation per solved item. Our results showed a significant decrease in processing speed in older participants compared to middle-aged individuals, however, also lower error rates during TMT part A. On a neurophysiological level, we observed increased cortical blood oxygenation in the older participants when completing the TMT. Finally, with respect to the combined measurement (O2Hb/item), no significantly higher hemodynamic cortical response per item was found within the older participants. The results confirm a deterioration of cognitive performance and an increase of cortical activity with increasing age. The findings are discussed in the light of current research.
Clinical study of diabetic peripheral neuropathy screening by retinal vascular geometric parameters
Authors: Hu Guotao , Wu Hongmei , Kuang Lei , Zee Benny Chung-Ying , Huang Ying , Huang Zhen , He Li , Zeng Yuanhong , Gao Yongbo , Wang Hailan
Published: March 2021

To investigate the relationship between geometrical changes of retinal vessels and diabetic peripheral neuropathy(DPN), and to determine the effectiveness of retinal vascular geometry analysis and vibration perception threshold (VPT) for DPN assessment. Type 2 diabetes patients (n = 242) were categorized by stage of DPN. VPT and fundus photography was performed to obtain retinal vascular geometry parameters. The risk factors for DPN and the correlation between DPN stages were analyzed. The efficiency of the retinal vascular geometric parameters obtained with VPT as a diagnostic tool for DPN was examined. Stages of DPN showed a linear correlation with VPT (r = 0.818), central retinal vein equivalent (CRVE) (r = 0.716), and fractal dimension arterioles (DFa) (r = − 0.769). VPT, CRVE, DFa, and fractal dimension veins (DFv) showed high sensitivity (80%, 55%, 82%, and 67%, respectively) and specificity (92%, 93%, 82%, and 80%, respectively) for DPN diagnosis. Good agreement was observed between combined use of geometric parameters (CRVE, DFa and DFv) and VPT (Kappa value 0.430). The detection rate of DPN with combined use of geometric parameters of retinal vessels (64.88%) was significantly higher than that with use of VPT (47.52%). Retinal vascular geometry changes demonstrated significant correlation with DPN severity. VPT, CRVE, DFa, and DFv may provide insights for understanding DPN.
Identification and in vitro antifungal susceptibility of causative agents of onychomycosis due to Aspergillus species in Mashhad, Iran
Authors: Xu Xue , Naseri Ali , Houbraken Jos , Akbari Farzaneh , Wang Xiaodong , Zhao Rongfen , Zhang Hong , Najafzadeh Mohammad Javad , Deng Shuwen
Published: March 2021

Aspergillus species are emerging causative agents of non-dermatophyte mold onychomycosis. In this study, 48 Aspergillus isolates were obtained from patients with onychomycosis in Mashhad, Iran, during 2015–2018. The aim is to identify the Aspergillus isolates to the species level by using partial calmodulin and beta-tubulin gene sequencing and MALDI-TOF MS, and to evaluate their in vitro susceptibility to ten antifungal drugs: terbinafine, itraconazole, voriconazole, posaconazole, ravuconazole, isavuconazole, caspofungin, micafungin, anidulafungin and amphotericin B according to CLSI M38-A3. Our results indicate that A.flavus (n = 38, 79%) is the most common Aspergillus species causing onychomycosis in Mashhad, Iran. Other detected species were A. terreus (n = 3), A. tubingensis (n = 2), A. niger (n = 1), A. welwitschiae (n = 1), A. minisclerotigenes (n = 1), A. citrinoterreus (n = 1) and A. ochraceus (n = 1). Aspergillus flavus, A. terreus and A. niger isolates were correctly identified at the species level by MALDI-TOF MS, while all cryptic species were misidentified. In conclusion, A. flavus is the predominant Aspergillus species causing onychomycosis due to Aspergillus spp. in Mashhad, Iran. MALDI-TOF MS holds promise as a fast and accurate identification tool, particularly for common Aspergillus species. It is important that the current database of reference spectra, representing different Aspergillus species is expanded to increase the precision of the species-level identification. Terbinafine, posaconazole and echinocandins were in vitro most active against the studies Aspergillus isolates and terbinafine could be the first choice for treatment of onychomycosis due to Aspergillus.
Effects of three pulmonary ventilation regimes in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass graft surgery: a randomized clinical trial
Authors: Amin Revati , Alaparthi Gopala Krishna , Samuel Stephen R. , Bairapareddy Kalyana Chakravarthy , Raghavan Harish , Vaishali K.
Published: March 2021

The aim was to compare the effect of diaphragmatic breathing exercise (DBE), flow- (FIS) and volume-oriented incentive spirometry (VIS) on pulmonary function- (PFT), functional capacity-6-Minute Walk Test (6 MWT) and Functional Difficulties Questionnaire (FDQ) in subjects undergoing Coronary Artery Bypass Graft surgery (CABG). The purpose of incorporating pulmonary ventilator regimes is to improve ventilation and avoid post-operative pulmonary complications. CABG patients (n = 72) were allocated to FIS, VIS and DBE groups (n = 24 each) by block randomization. Preoperative and postoperative values for PFT were taken until day 7 for all three groups. On 7th postoperative day, 6 MWT and FDQ was analyzed using ANOVA and post-hoc analysis. PFT values were found to be decreased on postoperative day 1(Forced Vital Capacity (FVC) = FIS group—65%, VIS group—47%, DBE group—68%) compared to preoperative day (p < 0.001). PFT values for all 3 groups recovered until postoperative day 7 (FVC = FIS group—67%, VIS group—95%, DBE group—59%) but was found to reach the baseline in VIS group (p < 0.001). When compared between 3 groups, statistically significant improvement was observed in VIS group (p < 0.001) in 6 MWT and FDQ assessment. In conclusion, VIS was proven to be more beneficial in improving the pulmonary function (FVC), functional capacity and FDQ when compared to FIS and DBE.
Effects of practitioner’s experience on the clinical performance of ultrasound-guided central venous catheterization: a randomized trial
Authors: Yoon Hyun-Kyu , Hur Min , Cho Hyeyeon , Jeong Young Hyun , Lee Ho-Jin , Yang Seong-Mi , Kim Won Ho
Published: March 2021

We investigated whether two needle insertion techniques for ultrasound-guided internal jugular vein (IJV) catheterization differ in the number of needling attempts and complication rate between inexperienced and experienced practitioners. A total of 308 patients requiring IJV catheterization were randomly assigned into one of four groups: IJV catheterization performed by inexperienced practitioners using either Seldinger (IE-S; n = 78) or modified Seldinger technique (IE-MS; n = 76) or IJV catheterization performed by experienced practitioners using either Seldinger (E-S; n = 78) or modified Seldinger technique (E-MS; n = 76). All catheterizations were performed under the real-time ultrasound guidance. The number of needling attempts was not significantly different between the two techniques within each experience group (between IE-S vs. IE-MS P = 0.550, between E-S and E-MS P = 0.834). Time to successful catheterization was significantly shorter in the E-S group compared to E-MS group (P < 0.001) while no significant difference between IE-S and IE-MS groups (P = 0.226). Complication rate was not significantly different between the two techniques within each experience group. Practitioner’s experience did not significantly affect the clinical performance of needle insertion techniques during ultrasound-guided IJV catheterization except the time to successful catheterization. Regarding the number of needling attempts and complication rate, both techniques could be equally recommended regardless of practitioner’s experience.

Trial registration: clinicaltrials.gov (https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03077802).
Lower local recurrence rate after robot-assisted thoracoscopic esophagectomy than conventional thoracoscopic surgery for esophageal cancer
Authors: Motoyama Satoru , Sato Yusuke , Wakita Akiyuki , Nagaki Yushi , Fujita Hiromu , Sasamori Ryohei , Kemuriyama Kohei , Takashima Shinogu , Imai Kazuhiro , Minamiya Yoshihiro
Published: March 2021

The oncological advantages of robot-assisted thoracoscopic esophagectomy (RATE) over conventional thoracoscopic esophagectomy (TE) for thoracic esophageal cancer have yet to be verified. In this study, we retrospectively analyzed clinical data to compare the incidences of recurrence within the surgical field after RATE and TE as an indicator of local oncological control. Among 121 consecutive patients with thoracic esophageal or esophagogastric junction cancers for which thoracoscopic surgery was indicated, 51 were treated with RATE while 70 received TE. The number of lymph nodes dissected from the mediastinum, duration of the thoracic portion of the surgery, and morbidity due to postoperative complications did not differ between the two groups. However, the rate of overall local recurrence within the surgical field was significantly (P = 0.039) higher in the TE (9%) than the RATE (0%) group. Lymph node recurrence within the surgical field occurred in left recurrent nerve, left tracheobronchial, left main bronchus and thoracic paraaortic lymph nodes, which were all difficult to approach to dissect. The other two local failures occurred around the anastomotic site. This study indicates that using RATE enabled the incidence of recurrence within the surgical field to be reduced, though there were some limitations.