bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Common Dyadic Coping Mediates the Associations Between We-Disease Appraisal and Relationship Satisfaction and Quality of Life in HIV Serodiscordant Couples: The Common Fate Mediation Model
Authors: Hou Jianhua , Fu Rong , Jiang Taiyi , Yu Nancy Xiaonan
Published: July 2023

Background

Since HIV has evolved into a lifelong but manageable condition, improving the quality of life (QoL) of persons living with HIV (PLWHs) has become increasingly important. Living with HIV is life-altering and poses substantial challenges for both PLWHs and their partners, so identifying how HIV serodiscordant couples cope with HIV together is crucial. Here, Bodenmann’s Systemic Transaction Model highlights common dyadic coping (CDC), which refers to both partners working together to alleviate the negative effects of stress.

Purpose

We examined the mediating role of CDC in linking we-disease appraisal with relationship satisfaction and QoL.

Methods

We recruited a convenience sample of 231 HIV serodiscordant couples via local grassroots organizations between June and October 2022. Participants completed measures of we-disease appraisal, CDC, relationship satisfaction, and QoL. We examined the mediation effect of CDC on the association between we-disease appraisal and outcomes using the common fate mediation model.

Results

The mean age of PLWHs was 32.18 years (standard deviation = 8.61 years), and that of their partners was 32.55 years (standard deviation = 9.24 years). The average time since HIV diagnosis was 4.18 years. Most couples were same-sex male couples. We found that CDC mediated the effect of we-disease appraisal on relationship satisfaction. Moreover, CDC significantly mediated the effect of we-disease appraisal on the QoL of PLWHs and their partners.

Conclusions

Our findings highlight the importance of CDC in dyadic illness management among Chinese HIV serodiscordant couples.
Acquisitive Prescription of Artwork and Other High-Value Movables: A Comparative Case Study of Litigation and Legislation in Louisiana, Germany, and Russia
Authors: Puder Markus G , Rudokvas Anton D
Published: July 2023

Using artwork and other valuables as a high-stakes case study, the Article discusses the law governing acquisitive prescription of movable property in Louisiana, Germany, and Russia. Rather than merely depicting what the law is from the perspective of a legal system’s respective silo, the Article develops a unique screen of test questions that have been intensely discussed by the courts and literature of the three sample jurisdictions when confronting prescription cases. What barriers, if any, does a jurisdiction erect with regard to the operations of prescription law? How are evidentiary burdens allocated with regard to good faith? Does the jurisdiction recognize tolling doctrines that do not reside in legislated law? What is the relationship between prescription and unjust enrichment? Controversies over art work and other high-value movables have inserted a powerful dose of drama into the discussion of these topics, which would have otherwise not received much attention in the public space. The Article concludes with the diagnosis that prescription law, one of property law’s core staples, is a fertile area of scholarly research with a particularly rich comparative yield. Louisiana, Germany and Russia differ widely as to the designs and operations of their prescription laws, which ultimately reflects distinct policies with regard to balancing the protection of ownership with the transformative effects of possession over time.
Immigrant Outreach and Language Access During First Year of the COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Dávila Liv T
Published: July 2023

This article applies cultural translation (Kramsch and Hua 2020) and geohistorical frameworks (Braudel 1949; Scott 2018) to analyze the interplay between linguistic, cultural, physical, and ideological proximities and distances in immigrant advocacy and outreach efforts. Data are taken from ‘small stories’ (Georgakopoulou 2010, 2015) shared by directors of immigrant-serving organizations in a small metropolitan area in the USA during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic. These stories demonstrate directors’ situated perspectives on new and changing demands for communicating information in the face of persistent challenges associated with the digital divide, reaching clients with limited literacy and who speak indigenous languages of Central America and Africa, and cultivating trust among staff and between staff and clients around COVID-19 mitigation and relief. Findings trace how local, state, and national policies were taken up by individual participants and the communities they serve and bring to light the value of applied linguistics research in amplifying the complexities of language access in times of crisis as well as community resilience that are often hiding in plain sight.
Mastectomy Skin Flap Stability Prediction Using Indocyanine Green Angiography: A Randomized Prospective Trial
Authors: Kim Min Ji , Mok Jung Ho , Lee Il Jae , Lim Hyoseob
Published: July 2023

Background

The first step in successful breast reconstruction is obtaining a stable skin flap. Indocyanine green (ICG) angiography has recently been studied for its value and usefulness in predicting the stability of skin flaps; however, relevant prospective studies of its clinical efficacy are limited.

Objectives

The aim of this study was to prospectively investigate the clinical impact on breast reconstruction outcomes of the intraoperative use of ICG angiography.

Methods

Between March and December 2021, 64 patients who underwent immediate breast reconstruction at the authors’ institution were prospectively enrolled. They were classified into an experimental group (n = 39; undergoing ICG angiography) and a control group (n = 25; undergoing gross inspection alone). In the absence of viable skin, debridement was performed at the surgeon's discretion. Skin complications were categorized as skin necrosis (the transition of the skin flap to full-thickness necrosis) or skin erosion (a skin flap that did not deteriorate or become necrotic but lacked intactness).

Results

The 2 groups were matched in terms of basic demographic characteristics and incision line necrosis ratio (P = .354). However, intraoperative debridement was significantly more frequent in the experimental group (51.3% vs 48.0%, P = .006). The authors additionally classified skin flap necrosis into partial- and full-thickness necrosis, with a higher predominance of partial-thickness necrosis in the experimental vs control group (82.8% vs 55.6%; P = .043).

Conclusions

Intraoperative ICG angiography does not directly minimize skin erosion or necrosis. However, compared to gross examination alone, it enables surgeons to perform a more active debridement during surgery, thereby contributing to a lower incidence of advanced skin necrosis. In breast reconstruction, ICG angiography may be useful for assessing the viability of the postmastectomy skin flap and could contribute to successful reconstruction.

Level of Evidence

4
A Systematic Review of Outcomes and Complications of Tuberous Breast Surgery
Authors: Alvaro Anton I , Willet Jake W , Dounas George D , Jeeves Amy , Lodge Michelle , Javed Muhammad U
Published: July 2023

Background

Tuberous breast is a complex congenital breast anomaly that can be challenging to correct surgically.

Objectives

The authors conducted a systematic review with pooled analysis of data, with the aim of determining the effectiveness and complications related to operative management of the deformity.

Methods

Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) guidelines were adopted in performing this systematic review. A simplified classification system for tuberous breast deformity was developed to accurately compare data and guide analysis.

Results

The review identified 38 studies, reporting a total of 897 patients undergoing tuberous breast surgery. The mean age of patients was 24 years (range 13-53 years). Mean follow-up was 39 months. A combination of tissue rearrangement and implant augmentation was the most common technique (73% of patients) followed by fat transfer alone (9%). Breast implants were employed in 83% of patients. The mean implanted volume per breast was 263 cc. Fat grafting was performed in 13% of patients and mean volume of fat grafted per breast was 185 cc. An overall complication rate of 20% was reported. Subjective assessment of patient satisfaction was 99%, and the mean score on BREAST-Q for satisfaction with clinical outcome was 86.7. Future studies should focus on robust study designs including randomized and cohort studies, use of patient-reported outcome measures, and long-term follow-up.

Conclusions

The surgical techniques to correct tuberous breast deformity are safe, effective, and have a high satisfaction rate. Fat transfer has the capacity to provide promising results in treating tuberous breast deformity.

Level of Evidence: 4
Assessing the Efficacy of Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy on Facelift Outcomes: A Case–Control Study Comparing Outcomes in Patients With and Without Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy
Authors: Neel Omar Fouda , Mousa Ahmed Hafez , Al-Terkawi Reem Abdulmonem , Bakr Moamen M , Mortada Hatan
Published: July 2023

Background

Wound healing remains among the most concerning complications in aesthetic surgery. The use of hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) is an accepted method of supporting wound healing.

Objectives

The aim of this study is to assess the role of HBOT in postoperative healing and complication rates following facelift surgery.

Methods

This case–control study comprised facelift patients who received HBOT and those who did not between 2019 and 2022. Data were extracted from the patients’ medical records, with the primary outcomes being the presence of complications, wound-healing duration, and patient satisfaction.

Results

The authors recruited 20 female patients who underwent facelift for this study, with 9 patients in the HBOT group and 11 patients in the control group. The average number of HBOT sessions received was 7.22, and each session lasted an average of 78 ± 5 min. The duration of wound healing in the HBOT group ranged from 7 to 30 days (mean of 13.3 days), whereas the control group ranged from 6 to 90 days (mean of 36.9 days). This indicates a statistically significant shorter time to wound healing in the HBOT group compared to the control group (P < .001).

Conclusions

Future prospective randomized controlled trials with larger sample sizes and blinding are needed to further evaluate the potential benefits of HBOT in the postoperative period. Nonetheless, our findings suggest that HBOT may be a promising adjunctive therapy for patients undergoing facelift surgery.

Level of Evidence: 3
Building protein structure-specific rotamer libraries
Authors: Grybauskas Algirdas , Gražulis Saulius
Published: July 2023

Motivation

Identifying the probable positions of the protein side-chains is one of the protein modelling steps that can improve the prediction of protein–ligand and protein–protein interactions. Most of the strategies predicting the side-chain conformations use predetermined dihedral angle lists, also called rotamer libraries, that are usually generated from a subset of high-quality protein structures. Although these methods are fast to apply, they tend to average out geometries instead of taking into account the surrounding atoms and molecules and ignore structures not included in the selected subset. Such simplifications can result in inaccuracies when predicting possible side-chain atom positions.

Results

We propose an approach that takes into account both of these circumstances by scanning through sterically accessible side-chain conformations and generating dihedral angle libraries specific to the target proteins. The method avoids the drawbacks of lacking conformations due to unusual or rare protein structures and successfully suggests potential rotamers with average RMSD closer to the experimentally determined side-chain atom positions than other widely used rotamer libraries.

Availability and implementation

The technique is implemented in open-source software package rotag and available at GitHub: https://www.github.com/agrybauskas/rotag, under GNU Lesser General Public License.
Neuroticism personality traits are linked to adverse cardiovascular phenotypes in the UK Biobank
Authors: Mahmood Adil , Simon Judit , Cooper Jackie , Murphy Theodore , McCracken Celeste , Quiroz Juan , Laranjo Liliana , Aung Nay , Lee Aaron Mark , Khanji Mohammed Y , Neubauer Stefan , Raisi-Estabragh Zahra , Maurovich-Horvat Pal , Petersen Steffen E
Published: July 2023

Aims

To evaluate the relationship between neuroticism personality traits and cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) measures of cardiac morphology and function, considering potential differential associations in men and women.

Methods and results

The analysis includes 36 309 UK Biobank participants (average age = 63.9 ± 7.7 years; 47.8% men) with CMR available and neuroticism score assessed by the 12-item Eysenck Personality Questionnaire-Revised Short Form. CMR scans were performed on 1.5 Tesla scanners (MAGNETOM Aera, Siemens Healthcare, Erlangen, Germany) according to pre-defined protocols and analysed using automated pipelines. We considered measures of left ventricular (LV) and right ventricular (RV) structure and function, and indicators of arterial compliance. Multivariable linear regression was used to estimate association of neuroticism score with individual CMR metrics, with adjustment for age, sex, obesity, deprivation, smoking, diabetes, hypertension, hypercholesterolaemia, alcohol use, exercise, and education. Higher neuroticism scores were associated with smaller LV and RV end-diastolic volumes, lower LV mass, greater concentricity (higher LV mass to volume ratio), and higher native T1. Greater neuroticism was also linked to poorer LV and RV function (lower stroke volumes) and greater arterial stiffness. In sex-stratified analyses, the relationships between neuroticism and LV stroke volume, concentricity, and arterial stiffness were attenuated in women. In men, association (with exception of native T1) remained robust.

Conclusion

Greater tendency towards neuroticism personality traits is linked to smaller, poorer functioning ventricles with lower LV mass, higher myocardial fibrosis, and higher arterial stiffness. These relationships are independent of traditional vascular risk factors and are more robust in men than women.
Do pooled estimates from orthodontic meta-analyses change depending on the meta-analysis approach? A meta-epidemiological study
Authors: Tatas Zacharias , Koutsiouroumpa Ourania , Seehra Jadbinder , Mavridis Dimitrios , Pandis Nikolaos
Published: July 2023

Background

In meta-analyses involving a few trials, appropriate measures should be employed to assess between-study heterogeneity. When the number of studies is less than five and heterogeneity is evident, the Hartung and Knapp (HK) correction should be used. The aim of this study was to compare the reported estimates of published orthodontic meta-analyses with the pooled effect size estimates and prediction intervals (PI) calculated using eight heterogeneity estimators and corrected using the HK correction.

Material and methods

Systematic reviews (SRs) published between 2017 and 2022 in four orthodontic journals and the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews with a meta-analysis of at least three studies were sourced. Study characteristics were extracted at the SR and the outcome/meta-analysis levels. All selected meta-analyses were re-analysed by fitting a random-effects model using eight different heterogeneity estimators, both with and without the HK correction. For each meta-analysis, the overall estimate, along with its standard error, the P-value, and the corresponding 95% confidence interval (CI), the between-study variance (tau2), the I2 statistic, and the PI were calculated.

Results

One-hundred-six SRs were analysed. The most prevalent type of SR was non-Cochrane (95.3%), and the most used meta-analyses synthesis model was the random effect (83.0%). The median number of primary studies was 6 (interquartile range: 5, range: 3–45). The between-study variance was reported in most of the eligible meta-analyses (91.5%), but the type of heterogeneity estimator was reported in only one of them (0.9%). In 5 of 106 meta-analyses (4.7%), the HK correction was applied to adjust the CI of the pooled estimate. The percentage of statistically significant results, which became statistically non-significant, ranged from 16.7% to 25%, depending on the heterogeneity estimator. As the number of studies in a meta-analysis increased, the difference between corrected and uncorrected CIs reduced. Based on the PIs, more than half of the meta-analyses having statistically significant results are likely to change in the future, suggesting the result of the meta-analysis is not conclusive.

Conclusions

The statistical significance of pooled estimates from meta-analyses with at least three studies is sensitive to the HK correction, the heterogeneity variance estimator, and PIs. Clinicians should be aware of the clinical implications of not appropriately assessing the effect of the small number of studies and the between-study heterogeneity when interpreting results from meta-analyses.
Considering admixture when producing draft genomes: an example in North American ratsnakes (Pantherophis alleghaniensis/Pantherophis obsoletus)
Authors: Burbrink Frank T , Harrington Sean M , Bobo Dean , Myers Edward A
Published: July 2023

The number of reference genomes of snakes lags behind several other vertebrate groups (e.g. birds and mammals). However, in the last two years, a concerted effort by researchers from around the world has produced new genomes of snakes representing members from several new families. Here, we present a high-quality, annotated genome of the central ratsnake (Pantherophis alleghaniensis), a member of the most diverse snake lineage, Colubroidea. Pantherophis alleghaniensis is found in the central part of the Nearctic, east of the Mississippi River. This genome was sequenced using 10X Chromium synthetic long reads and polished using Illumina short reads. The final genome assembly had an N50 of 21.82 Mb and an L50 of 22 scaffolds with a maximum scaffold length of 82.078 Mb. The genome is composed of 49.24% repeat elements dominated by long interspersed elements. We annotated this genome using transcriptome assemblies from 14 tissue types and recovered 28,368 predicted proteins. Finally, we estimated admixture proportions between two species of ratsnakes and discovered that this specimen is an admixed individual containing genomes from the western (Pantherophis obsoletus) and central ratsnakes (P. alleghaniensis). We discuss the importance of considering interspecific admixture in downstream approaches for inferring demography and phylogeny.
Whole Animal Genome Sequencing: user-friendly, rapid, containerized pipelines for processing, variant discovery, and annotation of short-read whole genome sequencing data
Authors: Cullen Jonah N , Friedenberg Steven G
Published: July 2023

Advancements in massively parallel short-read sequencing technologies and the associated decreasing costs have led to large and diverse variant discovery efforts across species. However, processing high-throughput short-read sequencing data can be challenging with potential pitfalls and bioinformatics bottlenecks in generating reproducible results. Although a number of pipelines exist that address these challenges, these are often geared toward human or traditional model organism species and can be difficult to configure across institutions. Whole Animal Genome Sequencing (WAGS) is an open-source set of user-friendly, containerized pipelines designed to simplify the process of identifying germline short (SNP and indel) and structural variants (SVs) geared toward the veterinary community but adaptable to any species with a suitable reference genome. We present a description of the pipelines [adapted from the best practices of the Genome Analysis Toolkit (GATK)], along with benchmarking data from both the preprocessing and joint genotyping steps, consistent with a typical user workflow.
Sex-specific estimation of cis and trans regulation of gene expression in heads and gonads of Drosophila melanogaster
Authors: Puixeu Gemma , Macon Ariana , Vicoso Beatriz
Published: July 2023

The regulatory architecture of gene expression is known to differ substantially between sexes in Drosophila, but most studies performed so far used whole-body data and only single crosses, which may have limited their scope to detect patterns that are robust across tissues and biological replicates. Here, we use allele-specific gene expression of parental and reciprocal hybrid crosses between 6 Drosophila melanogaster inbred lines to quantify cis- and trans-regulatory variation in heads and gonads of both sexes separately across 3 replicate crosses. Our results suggest that female and male heads, as well as ovaries, have a similar regulatory architecture. On the other hand, testes display more and substantially different cis-regulatory effects, suggesting that sex differences in the regulatory architecture that have been previously observed may largely derive from testis-specific effects. We also examine the difference in cis-regulatory variation of genes across different levels of sex bias in gonads and heads. Consistent with the idea that intersex correlations constrain expression and can lead to sexual antagonism, we find more cis variation in unbiased and moderately biased genes in heads. In ovaries, reduced cis variation is observed for male-biased genes, suggesting that cis variants acting on these genes in males do not lead to changes in ovary expression. Finally, we examine the dominance patterns of gene expression and find that sex- and tissue-specific patterns of inheritance as well as trans-regulatory variation are highly variable across biological crosses, although these were performed in highly controlled experimental conditions. This highlights the importance of using various genetic backgrounds to infer generalizable patterns.
Identifying candidate de novo genes expressed in the somatic female reproductive tract of Drosophila melanogaster
Authors: Lombardo Kaelina D , Sheehy Hayley K , Cridland Julie M , Begun David J
Published: July 2023

Most eukaryotic genes have been vertically transmitted to the present from distant ancestors. However, variable gene number across species indicates that gene gain and loss also occurs. While new genes typically originate as products of duplications and rearrangements of preexisting genes, putative de novo genes—genes born out of ancestrally nongenic sequence—have been identified. Previous studies of de novo genes in Drosophila have provided evidence that expression in male reproductive tissues is common. However, no studies have focused on female reproductive tissues. Here we begin addressing this gap in the literature by analyzing the transcriptomes of 3 female reproductive tract organs (spermatheca, seminal receptacle, and parovaria) in 3 species—our focal species, Drosophila melanogaster—and 2 closely related species, Drosophila simulans and Drosophila yakuba, with the goal of identifying putative D. melanogaster-specific de novo genes expressed in these tissues. We discovered several candidate genes, located in sequence annotated as intergenic. Consistent with the literature, these genes tend to be short, single exon, and lowly expressed. We also find evidence that some of these genes are expressed in other D. melanogaster tissues and both sexes. The relatively small number of intergenic candidate genes discovered here is similar to that observed in the accessory gland, but substantially fewer than that observed in the testis.
Using Drosophila to identify naturally occurring genetic modifiers of amyloid beta 42- and tau-induced toxicity
Authors: Yang Ming , Zinkgraf Matthew , Fitzgerald-Cook Cecilia , Harrison Benjamin R , Putzier Alexandra , Promislow Daniel E L , Wang Adrienne M
Published: July 2023

Alzheimer's disease is characterized by 2 pathological proteins, amyloid beta 42 and tau. The majority of Alzheimer's disease cases in the population are sporadic and late-onset Alzheimer's disease, which exhibits high levels of heritability. While several genetic risk factors for late-onset Alzheimer's disease have been identified and replicated in independent studies, including the ApoE ε4 allele, the great majority of the heritability of late-onset Alzheimer's disease remains unexplained, likely due to the aggregate effects of a very large number of genes with small effect size, as well as to biases in sample collection and statistical approaches. Here, we present an unbiased forward genetic screen in Drosophila looking for naturally occurring modifiers of amyloid beta 42- and tau-induced ommatidial degeneration. Our results identify 14 significant SNPs, which map to 12 potential genes in 8 unique genomic regions. Our hits that are significant after genome-wide correction identify genes involved in neuronal development, signal transduction, and organismal development. Looking more broadly at suggestive hits (P < 10−5), we see significant enrichment in genes associated with neurogenesis, development, and growth as well as significant enrichment in genes whose orthologs have been identified as significantly or suggestively associated with Alzheimer's disease in human GWAS studies. These latter genes include ones whose orthologs are in close proximity to regions in the human genome that are associated with Alzheimer's disease, but where a causal gene has not been identified. Together, our results illustrate the potential for complementary and convergent evidence provided through multitrait GWAS in Drosophila to supplement and inform human studies, helping to identify the remaining heritability and novel modifiers of complex diseases.
Oral Omilancor Treatment Ameliorates Clostridioides difficile Infection During IBD Through Novel Immunoregulatory Mechanisms Mediated by LANCL2 Activation
Authors: Tubau-Juni Nuria , Bassaganya-Riera Josep , Leber Andrew J , Alva Sameeksha S , Hontecillas Raquel
Published: July 2023

Background

Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) is an opportunistic infection of the gastrointestinal tract, commonly associated with antibiotic administration, that afflicts almost 500 000 people yearly only in the United States. CDI incidence and recurrence is increased in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) patients. Omilancor is an oral, once daily, first-in-class, gut-restricted, immunoregulatory therapeutic in clinical development for the treatment of IBD.

Methods

Acute and recurrent murine models of CDI and the dextran sulfate sodium–induced concomitant model of IBD and CDI were utilized to determine the therapeutic efficacy of oral omilancor. To evaluate the protective effects against C. difficile toxins, in vitro studies with T84 cells were also conducted. 16S sequencing was employed to characterize microbiome composition.

Results

Activation of the LANCL2 pathway by oral omilancor and its downstream host immunoregulatory changes decreased disease severity and inflammation in the acute and recurrence models of CDI and the concomitant model of IBD/CDI. Immunologically, omilancor treatment increased mucosal regulatory T cell and decreased pathogenic T helper 17 cell responses. These immunological changes resulted in increased abundance and diversity of tolerogenic gut commensal bacterial strains in omilancor-treated mice. Oral omilancor also resulted in accelerated C. difficile clearance in an antimicrobial-free manner. Furthermore, omilancor provided protection from toxin damage, while preventing the metabolic burst observed in intoxicated epithelial cells.

Conclusions

These data support the development of omilancor as a novel host-targeted, antimicrobial-free immunoregulatory therapeutic for the treatment of IBD patients with C. difficile–associated disease and pathology with the potential to address the unmet clinical needs of ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease patients with concomitant CDI.
Bird scaring lines reduce seabird mortality in mid-water and bottom trawlers in Argentina
Authors: Tamini L L , Dellacasa R F , Chavez L N , Marinao C J , Góngora M E , Crawford R , Frere E
Published: July 2023

Seabird bycatch in fisheries, and the development of effective mitigation to minimize this, have been subject to increasing research attention over the past three to four decades. Trawl fisheries represent a particular challenge, as bird mortalities (especially highly threatened albatrosses and large petrels, Procellariforms) occur primarily through difficult-to-detect collisions with warp and net monitoring cables. Effectiveness of bird-scaring lines (BSLs) as a mitigation measure can be fleet-specific, and studies relating specifically to reducing collisions with the net monitoring cable are rare. To support improved assessment and mitigation of seabird bycatch in trawl fisheries, we studied the mortality associated with mid-water and bottom factory trawl vessels along the southern tip of the Argentine Patagonian shelf, across 2144 trawls from 2012 to 2019, with three specific objectives: (i) inform improved bycatch management in this (and other) trawl fisheries by analysing differences in seabird collision rates and outcomes between net monitoring and warp cables, as well as the effect of mitigation measures in reducing collisions; (ii) explore the effects of key fishing operation variables on seabird impact outcomes; and (iii) estimate the annual seabird mortality in the study fleet. We tested the efficacy of BSLs as a mitigation measure to reduce seabird mortality, on warps and net monitoring cables. Our results show that seabird mortality increases in the presence of a net monitoring cable. Our estimation of fishery-wide mortality without the use of BSLs includes 108 [31–186] Southern royal albatross (Diomedea epomophora) and 279 [108–465] Black-browed albatross (Thalassarche melanophris) killed annually by the collisions with the net monitoring cable. We demonstrate the efficacy of BSLs in reducing the number of collisions and in combination with no discarding of fishes, seabird interactions fell to c. zero. Our study builds the case for better bycatch data collection in trawl fisheries, the strong influence of discarding, and the feasibility of simple mitigation measures to reduce seabird bycatch, including on the net monitoring cable.
Location of Small Points on an Elliptic Curve by an Equidistribution Argument
Authors: Plessis Arnaud
Published: July 2023

Let $E$ be an elliptic curve defined over a number field $K$ without complex multiplication. If $\Gamma \subset E(\overline{K})$ is a subgroup of finite rank, a very special case of a conjecture of Rémond predicts that points of small height in $E(K(\Gamma ))$ lie in the division group of $\Gamma $. Using an equidistribution argument, we will show that this conjecture is true for groups of rank arbitrarily large.
From Knowledge to Wisdom: Uncertainty and Ontological (In)Security in Iran’s Foreign Policy
Authors: Shadunts Alen
Published: July 2023

It has become the convention to associate the exposure of foundational indeterminacies in a state’s identity with change. Many of the ontological security and poststructuralist works in international relations argue that revealing such uncertainties is a threat to the status quo—maintaining the existing narratives and practices used for constituting subjectivity. The article claims that such a revelation does not necessarily lead to a rupture; moreover, it can be used to keep the status quo. It investigates the case of the Islamic Republic of Iran to show how a polity can try to conceal uncertainties related to self-identification and simultaneously embrace them. In the case of the former, Iran pursues certainty in regard to its self through a process of othering: Its identity is constituted in opposition to certain antagonistic others. In the case of the latter, the Iranian subjectivity is articulated in a non-Western context, where the modern gaze of knowledge-seeking and categorizations is rejected. Instead, an “authentic” mode of wisdom is introduced that makes it possible to incorporate indeterminacies and incompatibilities in self-identification. As a result, both concealing and embracing identity-related uncertainties serve the reproduction of the status quo.
Reducing Central Line-Associated Bloodstream Infections in a Burn Intensive Care Unit: Using a Business Framework for Quality Improvement
Authors: Effendi Maleeh , Roberto Amy , Dale Slater Elizabeth
Published: July 2023

Central line-associated bloodstream infections (CLABSIs) pose a unique risk in burn patients, with rates of infection 2–3 times that of other Intensive Care Unit (ICU) populations. Here we present a detailed account of our experience in reducing CLABSI rates utilizing a business framework called the Four Disciplines of Execution (4DX). The Burn ICU CLABSI rate had risen to the 90th percentile nationally when compared to other burn units on the National Healthcare Safety Network. We applied the 4DX framework. This is a four-step method which includes creating a Wildly Important Goal, establishing measurable and accomplishable process measures, creating a scoreboard, and using a weekly meeting to provide accountability. Process changes included both physician and nursing practices. The physicians changed the criteria for when to order blood cultures, as well as requiring attending approval for cultures. The nurses engaged in a peer-observation practice improvement for “scrub the hub” and line dressing conditions and improved their own expertise for peripheral IV placement. The multidisciplinary team initiated a daily review of line indications to ensure removal as soon as possible. Overall, the CLABSI rate decreased from 7.39 infections per 1000 line days to 2.29 infections per 1000 line days over 1 year. We subsequently achieved over 635 days without a CLABSI. In conclusion, the 4DX was a successful quality improvement technique in our healthcare context. Because of the simplicity of implementation, we think it is broadly applicable in the healthcare setting.
Racial, Ethnic, and Socioeconomic Disparities in Burn Care Access: A Single-Center Retrospective Study
Authors: Tomtschik Julia , Sweitzer Keith , Cook Caitlin , O’Shea Aidan , Bell Derek
Published: July 2023

While racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic disparities in burn care have been identified in the literature, there is a paucity of research into specific underlying causes of these disparities. Here, we sought to characterize whether time to initial burn consult might contribute to racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic differences in burn care outcomes. We performed a retrospective review of all patients evaluated by the burn surgery service at a single regional ABA-verified burn center between June 2020 and April 2022. Patients without data for the time of onset of burn injury were excluded. Time to burn consult was defined as the time from onset of burn injury to the time of first burn consult. Three hundred and sixty-five patients met the inclusion criteria. Average age was 33.3 years, and 65.8% of patients were male. Average time to burn consult for all patients was 17 hours and 07 minutes. There were no significant differences in this variable among our cohort when stratified by race, ethnicity, or insurance status. Rates of surgical management (Chi-squared P = 0.05) and length of stay (ANOVA P < 0.0001) significantly differed by insurance status, but not among racial or ethnic groups. Medicare patients had the highest rates of surgical intervention and longer hospital stays; patients without insurance had the lowest rates of surgical intervention and shorter hospital stays. These results indicate that time from burn onset to burn consult is unlikely to contribute meaningfully to racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic disparities in burn care. Further studies are needed to better understand other aspects of burn care that may contribute to the noted disparities.
Advance algorithm for two-dimensional fibrous-network generation
Authors: Kayali Yagiz , Gleadall Andrew , Silberschmidt Vadim V , Demirci Emrah
Published: July 2023

Fibrous networks are abundant in nature and commonly used in industry. However, their geometrical modelling is challenging due to their complex microstructure. In this study, a novel method, called fibre placement method (FPM), is developed. In contrast to the existing methods, the FPM has various advantages, such as a fully parametric definition of structure. Also, this method is superior in mimicking the stochastic microstructure of fibrous networks compared with other schemes. Various fibrous networks can be generated easily by employing a user-friendly graphical user interface. Also, the generated fibrous networks are compatible with analysis software such as computer-aided engineering tools. Finally, this algorithm characterizes various features of networks including uniformity, void area fraction, and average curliness.
Investigation of urban active faults using the short-offset transient electromagnetic method: an example from Shunping, Hebei Province, China
Authors: Song Wanting , Chen Weiying , He Yiming , Lei Kangxin , Lv Pengfei , Zhao Yang
Published: July 2023

The presence of an urban active fault carries a geological hazard risk that threatens urban construction. Therefore, detecting such faults is crucial for mitigating potential risks and ensuring safe urban development. The grounded-wire source short-offset transient electromagnetic method (SOTEM) offers an opportunity to identify faults with high-conductivity. The results of a SOTEM survey conducted in Shunping, Hebei Province, were presented to detect buried faults and locate the industrial park. Data were analysed using the one-dimensional inversion method with SOTEMsoft software, which was denoised using the short-time sliding window adaptive singular value decomposition algorithm based on the wavelet threshold. Despite the challenges posed by urban features, particularly traffic, the survey results located the fault and hold significant potential to reveal its extent and depth. The study highlights the importance of avoiding fault sites during urban construction, even though the area is currently tectonically stable. This paper reveals an unusual opportunity to study the effectiveness of electromagnetic methods for detecting buried faults in cities and reveal geological structures covered by Quaternary formations.
Climate Change Litigation before the African Human Rights System: Prospects and Pitfalls
Authors: Suedi Yusra , Fall Marie
Published: July 2023

Africa is a promising regional venue for climate change-related complaints—not least because it is distinctively vulnerable to climate harms. Yet, neither the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights nor the African Court of Human and Peoples’ Rights have been theatres to such disputes at the time of writing. In anticipation that climate litigation will emerge before the African human rights system, this practice note provides information to the non-State actors and their lawyers on the procedural challenges that may arise, demonstrating how such challenges may be circumventable in the African context.
Human γδ T cell identification from single-cell RNA sequencing datasets by modular TCR expression
Authors: Song Zheng , Henze Lara , Casar Christian , Schwinge Dorothee , Schramm Christoph , Fuss Johannes , Tan Likai , Prinz Immo
Published: July 2023

Accurately identifying γδ T cells in large single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) datasets without additional single-cell γδ T cell receptor sequencing (sc-γδTCR-seq) or CITE-seq (cellular indexing of transcriptomes and epitopes sequencing) data remains challenging. In this study, we developed a TCR module scoring strategy for human γδ T cell identification (i.e. based on modular gene expression of constant and variable TRA/TRB and TRD genes). We evaluated our method using 5′ scRNA-seq datasets comprising both sc-αβTCR-seq and sc-γδTCR-seq as references and demonstrated that it can identify γδ T cells in scRNA-seq datasets with high sensitivity and accuracy. We observed a stable performance of this strategy across datasets from different tissues and different subtypes of γδ T cells. Thus, we propose this analysis method, based on TCR gene module scores, as a standardized tool for identifying and reanalyzing γδ T cells from 5′-end scRNA-seq datasets.
Diet selection, commonness, and rarity in a pair of smooth-toothed pocket gophers
Authors: Brito Brittany T , Bjornlie Nichole L , Carling Matthew D , Goheen Jacob R
Published: July 2023

Understanding the determinants of species rarity is a perennial challenge for ecologists and conservation biologists. In addition to resource specialization, competitive interactions may limit the abundance and distribution of species, thereby accentuating rarity. However, resource partitioning can reduce or altogether offset such competitive effects, and thus permit species to thrive alongside more common, widespread competitors within a narrow range of environmental conditions. In south-central Wyoming, the Wyoming Pocket Gopher (Thomomys clusius) is restricted to areas dominated by Gardner’s Saltbush (Atriplex gardneri); it inhabits a geographic range that is entirely encompassed by a relatively abundant and widespread congener (T. talpoides, the Northern Pocket Gopher). However, the consumer–resource dynamics underlying the relationships among Wyoming pocket gophers, northern pocket gophers, and Gardner’s Saltbush are poorly understood. We assessed one dimension of consumer–resource interactions—diet selection—between Wyoming pocket gophers, northern pocket gophers, and Gardner’s Saltbush, using a combination of path analysis, DNA metabarcoding, and cafeteria-style feeding experiments. We rejected the null hypothesis that Wyoming pocket gophers and Gardner’s Saltbush co-occur solely because they require similar soil conditions. Although we could not distinguish between obligate and facultative specialization by Wyoming pocket gophers, the checkerboard-like distributions of these two Thomomys likely reflect the outcome of selection and avoidance of Gardner’s Saltbush. We suggest that Wyoming pocket gophers can persist within their small geographic range by capitalizing on Gardner’s Saltbush, a halophyte that probably requires some combination of physiological, morphological, and behavioral adaptations to exploit. Low abundances, restricted geographic ranges, or both are hallmarks of rarity, each of which are shaped by diet selection and other consumer–resource interactions. Quantifying consumer–resource interactions can therefore provide a mechanistic basis for the further refinement and testing of hypotheses on the abundance and distribution of closely related species.
Garbage in may not equal garbage out: sex mediates effects of ‘junk food’ in a synanthropic species
Authors: Ng Elizabeth M , Pidgeon Anna , West Elena H , Peery M Zachariah , Brunk Kristin M
Published: July 2023

Human influence on ecosystems is rapidly expanding, and one consequence is the increased availability of human food subsidies to wildlife. Human food subsidies like refuse and food scraps are widely hypothesized to be ‘junk food’ that is nutritionally incomplete; however, the impacts of ‘junk foods’ on the health and fitness of individual organisms remain unclear. In this study, we aimed to understand how human food consumption affects the body condition and fecundity of a generalist predator, the Steller’s jay (Cyanocitta stelleri). We used stable isotope analysis to quantify individual human food consumption (using δ13C as a proxy), estimated individual body condition based on body mass and feather growth bar width and assessed jay fecundity. Adults consumed more human food than juveniles on average, and we observed sex-specific responses to human food use where male body condition tended to increase, whereas female body condition tended to decline with human food consumption. However, fecundity was not strongly related. Thus, we found some evidence for the ‘junk food’ hypothesis in this system, which suggests that human foods may not be an equal replacement for natural foods from a nutritional perspective, especially for females. Human foods tend to be carbohydrate rich, but protein poor, which may benefit males because they are larger and limited overall by calorie intake. Females, particularly reproducing females, are more nutritionally limited and thus may experience fewer benefits from ‘junk food’. Our study advances knowledge of human–wildlife interactions by increasing the resolution of our understanding of the fitness benefits, or detriments, experienced by individuals that consume human foods.
Mapping Polar Distortions using Nanobeam Electron Diffraction and a Cepstral Approach
Authors: Holtz Megan E , Padgett Elliot , Johnston-Peck Aaron C , Levin Igor , Muller David A , Herzing Andrew A
Published: July 2023

Measuring local polar ordering is key to understanding ferroelectricity in thin films, especially for systems with small domains or significant disorder. Scanning nanobeam electron diffraction (NBED) provides an effective local probe of lattice parameters, local fields, polarization directions, and charge densities, which can be analyzed using a relatively low beam dose over large fields of view. However, quantitatively extracting the magnitudes and directions of polarization vectors from NBED remains challenging. Here, we use a cepstral approach, similar to a pair distribution function, to determine local polar displacements that drive ferroelectricity from NBED patterns. Because polar distortions generate asymmetry in the diffraction pattern intensity, we can efficiently recover the underlying displacements from the imaginary part of the cepstrum transform. We investigate the limits of this technique using analytical and simulated data and give experimental examples, achieving the order of 1.1 pm precision and mapping of polar displacements with nanometer resolution.
High-Resolution Cathodoluminescence Images of Igneous and Metamorphic Monazite
Authors: Yang Saihong , Chen Yi , Li Xianhua , Tang Xu , Liu Jingbo , Mao Qian , Aung Me Me
Published: July 2023

Monazite is one of the most important dating accessory minerals for deciphering geological processes. The growth history of monazite can be identified by its internal structure; thus, high-resolution imaging is necessary for in situ U–Th–Pb dating. In this study, cathodoluminescence (CL) techniques were optimized via the key parameters of working distance, accelerating voltage, and beam current and were then applied to monazites from igneous and metamorphic rocks. The CL images of igneous monazites show concentric oscillatory zoning, whereas those of metamorphic monazites clearly show homogeneous, patchy, or core–rim structures. CL imaging is a more effective approach than back-scattered electron (BSE) imaging for the observation of the internal structure of monazite and may yield additional information. CL can add to the interpretation of X-ray maps and the two techniques that may complement each other. The CL spectra of monazite consist of broad peaks and sets of narrow emission rare earth element 3+ (REE3+) peaks (Gd3+, Tb3+, Dy3+, and Sm3+). The microstructures observed via CL imaging techniques can show a certain relationship between light REE (LREE) and U, Th, and Si in some igneous monazites and heavy REE (HREE) variation in some metamorphic monazites.