bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Cardiovascular consequences of viral infections: from COVID to other viral diseases
Authors: Schultheiss Heinz-Peter , Baumeier Christian , Pietsch Heiko , Bock C -Thomas , Poller Wolfgang , Escher Felicitas
Published: September 2021

Infection of the heart muscle with cardiotropic viruses is one of the major aetiologies of myocarditis and acute and chronic inflammatory cardiomyopathy (DCMi). However, viral myocarditis and subsequent dilated cardiomyopathy is still a challenging disease to diagnose and to treat and is therefore a significant public health issue globally. Advances in clinical examination and thorough molecular genetic analysis of intramyocardial viruses and their activation status have incrementally improved our understanding of molecular pathogenesis and pathophysiology of viral infections of the heart muscle. To date, several cardiotropic viruses have been implicated as causes of myocarditis and DCMi. These include, among others, classical cardiotropic enteroviruses (Coxsackieviruses B), the most commonly detected parvovirus B19, and human herpes virus 6. A newcomer is the respiratory virus that has triggered the worst pandemic in a century, SARS-CoV-2, whose involvement and impact in viral cardiovascular disease is under scrutiny. Despite extensive research into the pathomechanisms of viral infections of the cardiovascular system, our knowledge regarding their treatment and management is still incomplete. Accordingly, in this review, we aim to explore and summarize the current knowledge and available evidence on viral infections of the heart. We focus on diagnostics, clinical relevance and cardiovascular consequences, pathophysiology, and current and novel treatment strategies.
HBFP: a new repository for human body fluid proteome
Authors: Shao Dan , Huang Lan , Wang Yan , Cui Xueteng , Li Yufei , Wang Yao , Ma Qin , Du Wei , Cui Juan
Published: September 2021

Body fluid proteome has been intensively studied as a primary source for disease biomarker discovery. Using advanced proteomics technologies, early research success has resulted in increasingly accumulated proteins detected in different body fluids, among which many are promising biomarkers. However, despite a handful of small-scale and specific data resources, current research is clearly lacking effort compiling published body fluid proteins into a centralized and sustainable repository that can provide users with systematic analytic tools. In this study, we developed a new database of human body fluid proteome (HBFP) that focuses on experimentally validated proteome in 17 types of human body fluids. The current database archives 11 827 unique proteins reported by 164 scientific publications, with a maximal false discovery rate of 0.01 on both the peptide and protein levels since 2001, and enables users to query, analyze and download protein entries with respect to each body fluid. Three unique features of this new system include the following: (i) the protein annotation page includes detailed abundance information based on relative qualitative measures of peptides reported in the original references, (ii) a new score is calculated on each reported protein to indicate the discovery confidence and (iii) HBFP catalogs 7354 proteins with at least two non-nested uniquely mapping peptides of nine amino acids according to the Human Proteome Project Data Interpretation Guidelines, while the remaining 4473 proteins have more than two unique peptides without given sequence information. As an important resource for human protein secretome, we anticipate that this new HBFP database can be a powerful tool that facilitates research in clinical proteomics and biomarker discovery.

Database URL: https://bmbl.bmi.osumc.edu/HBFP/
Deaf Students’ Translanguaging Practices in a Further Education College: Situating the Semiotic Repertoire in Social Interactions
Authors: Iturriaga Cristián , Young Alys
Published: September 2021

Further education (FE) colleges are the most usual postsecondary education destination for deaf young people in England. The role of college contexts in promoting deaf students’ learning warrants further exploration given the gaps in educational attainment common to deaf students and the potential for FE context to provide new and/or enhanced linguistic resources in comparison with school. The main research question is: How do deaf students’ translanguaging practices change according to the different contexts of interlocution in college? Translanguaging entails the flexible use of semiotic resources not bounded by named languages. This ethnographic study reports on five deaf college students’ translanguaging practices. Findings are presented under three moments of translanguaging: (1) translanguaging expanded, or deaf students widening their repertoires to engage in communication; (2) translanguaging restricted, or deaf students accommodating to their communicative partners’ needs; (3) translanguaging channeled, or the dominance of English countering the flexibility of translanguaging. It is argued that translanguaging should be promoted in whole classrooms. Otherwise, it will reinforce the dominance of hearing communication practices and hinder deaf students’ multilingual/multimodal repertoires.
Machine learning with D-dimer in the risk stratification for pulmonary embolism: a derivation and internal validation study
Authors: Villacorta Humberto , Pickering John W , Horiuchi Yu , Olim Moshe , Coyne Christopher , Maisel Alan S , Than Martin P
Published: September 2021

Aim

To develop a machine learning model to predict the diagnosis of pulmonary embolism (PE).

Methods and results

We undertook a derivation and internal validation study to develop a risk prediction model for use in patients being investigated for possible PE. The machine learning technique, generalized logistic regression using elastic net, was chosen following an assessment of seven machine learning techniques and on the basis that it optimized the area under the receiver operator characteristic curve (AUC) and Brier score. Models were developed both with and without the addition of D-dimer. A total of 3347 patients were included in the study of whom, 219 (6.5%) had PE. Four clinical variables (O2 saturation, previous deep venous thrombosis or PE, immobilization or surgery, and alternative diagnosis equal or more likely than PE) plus D-dimer contributed to the machine learning models. The addition of D-dimer improved the AUC by 0.16 (95% confidence interval 0.13–0.19), from 0.73 to 0.89 (0.87–0.91) and decreased the Brier score by 14% (10–18%). More could be ruled out with a higher positive likelihood ratio than by the Wells score combined with D-dimer, revised Geneva score combined with D-dimer, or the Pulmonary Embolism Rule-out Criteria score. Machine learning with D-dimer maintained a low-false-negative rate at a true-negative rate of nearly 53%, which was better performance than any of the other alternatives.

Conclusion

A machine learning model outperformed traditional risk scores for the risk stratification of PE in the emergency department. However, external validation is needed.
Generalizability of randomized controlled trials in heart failure with reduced ejection fraction
Authors: Lim Yvonne Mei Fong , Molnar Megan , Vaartjes Ilonca , Savarese Gianluigi , Eijkemans Marinus J C , Uijl Alicia , Vradi Eleni , Suzart-Woischnik Kiliana , Brugts Jasper J , Brunner-La Rocca Hans-Peter , Blanc-Guillemaud Vanessa , Couvelard Fabrice , Baudier Claire , Dyszynski Tomasz , Waechter Sandra , Lund Lars H , Hoes Arno W , Tyl Benoit , Asselbergs Folkert W , Gerlinger Christoph , Grobbee Diederick E , Cronin Maureen , Koudstaal Stefan
Published: September 2021

Background

Heart failure (HF) trials have stringent inclusion and exclusion criteria, but limited data exist regarding generalizability of trials. We compared patient characteristics and outcomes between patients with HF and reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) in trials and observational registries.

Methods and Results

Individual patient data for 16 922 patients from five randomized clinical trials and 46 914 patients from two HF registries were included. The registry patients were categorized into trial-eligible and non-eligible groups using the most commonly used inclusion and exclusion criteria. A total of 26 104 (56%) registry patients fulfilled the eligibility criteria. Unadjusted all-cause mortality rates at 1 year were lowest in the trial population (7%), followed by trial-eligible patients (12%) and trial-non-eligible registry patients (26%). After adjustment for age and sex, all-cause mortality rates were similar between trial participants and trial-eligible registry patients [standardized mortality ratio (SMR) 0.97; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.92–1.03] but cardiovascular mortality was higher in trial participants (SMR 1.19; 1.12–1.27). After full case-mix adjustment, the SMR for cardiovascular mortality remained higher in the trials at 1.28 (1.20–1.37) compared to RCT-eligible registry patients.

Conclusion

In contemporary HF registries, over half of HFrEF patients would have been eligible for trial enrolment. Crude clinical event rates were lower in the trials, but, after adjustment for case-mix, trial participants had similar rates of survival as registries. Despite this, they had about 30% higher cardiovascular mortality rates. Age and sex were the main drivers of differences in clinical outcomes between HF trials and observational HF registries.
Prognostic influence of a ground-glass opacity component in hypermetabolic lung adenocarcinoma
Authors: Hattori Aritoshi , Matsunaga Takeshi , Fukui Mariko , Takamochi Kazuya , Suzuki Kenji
Published: September 2021

OBJECTIVES

We evaluated the oncological role of a ground-glass opacity (GGO) component in hypermetabolic lung adenocarcinoma with a high maximum standardized uptake value.

METHODS

Between 2008 and 2017, we retrospectively reviewed the data of surgically resected clinically node-negative lung adenocarcinomas with a hypermetabolic activity. Furthermore, they were classified based on the presence of GGO. The prognostic significance of a GGO in hypermetabolic tumours was evaluated using the Cox proportional-hazards model. The overall survival (OS) was estimated by the Kaplan–Meier method using a log-rank test.

RESULTS

Of the 1134 surgically resected clinically node-negative lung adenocarcinoma, 603 cases with hypermetabolic activity (maximum standardized uptake value ≥3.0 mg/dl) were evaluated. Among them, there were 120 (20%) cases in the With GGO group and 483 (80%) in the Solid group. The 5-year OS of patients with hypermetabolic lung adenocarcinoma was significantly different between the With GGO and Solid groups (83.1% vs 59.4%, P < 0.001). After stratifying by the presence of GGO, maximum standardized uptake value and maximum tumour size were independently significant prognosticators in the Solid group by multivariable analysis; however, no clinical factors were associated with survival among the With GGO group. The 5-year OS was favourable despite the solid component size among the With GGO group (T1a + T1b: 85.5%, T1c: 80.0%, T2a or more: 84.2%, P = 0.904). For the Solid group, survival diminished drastically with increasing tumour size (T1a + T1b: 68.7%, T1c: 62.8%, T2a or more: 48.0%, P < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

The prognosis of lung adenocarcinoma with GGO was favourable even in hypermetabolic tumours. Accordingly, the presence of GGO should be considered as an important parameter in the next clinical T classification.
Anatomical variations of the upper thoracic sympathetic chain: a review
Authors: Vanlommel Jens , Van Look Lawrence , Peetermans Maxime , Uyttebroek Leen , van Nassauw Luc , Van Schil Paul
Published: September 2021

Abstract OBJECTIVES

The objective of this study is to provide a thorough overview of the anatomical variations of the upper thoracic sympathetic trunk to improve clinical results of upper thoracic sympathectomy. In addition, this study strives for standardization of future studies regarding the anatomy of the upper thoracic sympathetic chain.

METHODS

The Web of Science, PubMed and Google Scholar databases were searched using keywords, alone or combined, regarding the anatomy of the thoracic sympathetic chain. The search was limited to studies performed in humans.

RESULTS

Fifteen studies were finally included. Cervicothoracic ganglion and nerve of Kuntz were present in 77% and 53%, respectively. The upper thoracic ganglia were predominantly located in their corresponding intercostal space with a relatively downwards shift at the lower thoracic levels. The right sympathetic trunk is prone to have more communicating rami then the left. The lower levels of ganglia tend to have more normal rami. No clear pattern was found concerning the presence of the ascending rami and there was a decrease in the number of descending rami as the chain runs caudally. The intercostal rami remain a rare anatomical variation.

CONCLUSIONS

This study presents an overview of the anatomy of the upper thoracic sympathetic chain. Its results may guide upper thoracic sympathectomy to improve clinical results. This review also provides a baseline for future studies on anatomical variations of the thoracic sympathetic trunk. More uniform reporting is necessary to compare different anatomical studies.
Women who breastfeed exhibit cognitive benefits after age 50
Authors: Fox Molly , Siddarth Prabha , Oughli Hanadi Ajam , Nguyen Sarah A , Milillo Michaela M , Aguilar Yesenia , Ercoli Linda , Lavretsky Helen
Published: September 2021

Background and objectives

Women who breastfeed may experience long-term benefits for their health in addition to the more widely appreciated effects on the breastfed child. Breastfeeding may induce long-term effects on biopsychosocial systems implicated in brain health. Also, due to diminished breastfeeding in the postindustrial era, it is important to understand the lifespan implications of breastfeeding for surmising maternal phenotypes in our species’ collective past. Here, we assess how women’s breastfeeding history relates to postmenopausal cognitive performance.

Methodology

A convenience sample of Southern California women age 50+ was recruited via two clinical trials, completed a comprehensive neuropsychological test battery and answered a questionnaire about reproductive life history. General linear models examined whether cognitive domain scores were associated with breastfeeding in depressed and non-depressed women, controlling for age, education and ethnicity.

Results

Women who breastfed exhibited superior performance in the domains of Learning, Delayed Recall, Executive Functioning and Processing Speed compared to women who did not breastfeed (P-values 0.0003–0.015). These four domains remained significant in analyses limited to non-depressed and parous subsets of the cohort. Among those depressed, only Executive Functioning and Processing Speed were positively associated with breastfeeding.

Conclusions and implications

We add to the growing list of lifespan health correlates of breastfeeding for women’s health, such as the lower risk of type-2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and breast cancer. We surmise that women’s postmenopausal cognitive competence may have been greater in past environments in which breastfeeding was more prevalent, bolstering the possibility that postmenopausal longevity may have been adaptive across human evolutionary history.

Lay Summary

Breastfeeding may affect women’s cognitive performance. Breastfeeding’s biological effects and psychosocial effects, such as improved stress regulation, could exert long-term benefits for the mother’s brain. We found that women who breastfed performed better on a series of cognitive tests in later life compared to women who did not breastfeed.
Food Banks and Retail Markups
Authors: Lowrey John D , Richards Timothy J , Hamilton Stephen F
Published: September 2021

Food banks play a critical part in the food distribution system. In this paper, we examine the impact of food bank donations on retailer markups using data on donations and store-level productivity. We frame our empirical model of food bank donations and store-level markups as an example of quality-based price discrimination and find that stores that donate more food to the local food bank are able to charge higher markups—33% higher—after controlling for the well-known endogeneity problems. Our findings suggest that donations are not just charitable gestures by retailers but are in their own self-interests.
Grading Practices and the Social Gradient in GPA: Quasi-Experimental Evidence from Sweden
Authors: Hjorth-Trolle Anders , Rosenqvist Erik , Hed Anders
Published: September 2021

We analyse the causal effect of grading practices on socioeconomic differences in GPA. While earlier studies have documented the significant role of non-academic student traits such as self-discipline or cultural capital in producing social gradients in GPA, this study is the first to analyse the effect of grading practices on the socioeconomic gradient in grades. We exploit a Swedish educational reform, which changed the compulsory school’s grading system from a relative scale to an absolute scale between 1997 and 1998. Under reasonable and largely testable assumptions, the changes between these two years in the association between various socioeconomic background variables and student GPA has a causal interpretation as an effect of the change in grading practice. Results show that changing the grading practice can significantly alter the social gradients in GPA, in this case widening the gap between students of low and high educated parents, while also narrowing the achievement gap between girls and boys. We attribute the increase in social gradient to an interplay between school segregation and frog-pond effects.
Myocardial viability testing: all STICHed up, or about to be REVIVED?
Authors: Ryan Matthew , Morgan Holly , Chiribiri Amedeo , Nagel Eike , Cleland John , Perera Divaka
Published: September 2021

Patients with ischaemic left ventricular dysfunction frequently undergo myocardial viability testing. The historical model presumes that those who have extensive areas of dysfunctional-yet-viable myocardium derive particular benefit from revascularization, whilst those without extensive viability do not. These suppositions rely on the theory of hibernation and are based on data of low quality: taking a dogmatic approach may therefore lead to patients being refused appropriate, prognostically important treatment. Recent data from a sub-study of the randomized STICH trial challenges these historical concepts, as the volume of viable myocardium failed to predict the effectiveness of coronary artery bypass grafting. Should the Heart Team now abandon viability testing, or are new paradigms needed in the way we interpret viability? This state-of-the-art review critically examines the evidence base for viability testing, focusing in particular on the presumed interactions between viability, functional recovery, revascularization and prognosis which underly the traditional model. We consider whether viability should relate solely to dysfunctional myocardium or be considered more broadly and explore wider uses of viability testingoutside of revascularization decision-making. Finally, we look forward to ongoing and future randomized trials, which will shape evidence-based clinical practice in the future.
Finding very high lipoprotein(a): the need for routine assessment
Authors: Nurmohamed Nick S , Kaiser Yannick , Schuitema Pauline C E , Ibrahim Shirin , Nierman Melchior , Fischer Johan C , Chamuleau Steven A J , Knaapen Paul , Stroes Erik S G
Published: September 2021

Aims

To validate the reported increased atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) risk associated with very high lipoprotein(a) [Lp(a)] and to investigate the impact of routine Lp(a) assessment on risk reclassification.

Methods and results

We performed a cross-sectional case-control study in the Amsterdam UMC, a tertiary hospital in The Netherlands. All patients in whom a lipid blood test was ordered between October 2018 and October 2019 were included. Individuals with Lp(a) >99th percentile were age and sex matched to individuals with Lp(a) ≤20th percentile. We computed odds ratios (ORs) for myocardial infarction (MI) and ASCVD using multivariable logistic regression adjusted for age, sex, and systolic blood pressure. Furthermore, we assessed the additive value of Lp(a) to established ASCVD risk algorithms. Lipoprotein(a) levels were determined in 12 437 individuals, out of whom 119 cases [Lp(a) >99th percentile; >387.8 nmol/L] and 119 matched controls [Lp(a) ≤20th percentile; ≤7 nmol/L] were included. Mean age was 58 ± 15 years, 56.7% were female, and 30.7% had a history of ASCVD. Individuals with Lp(a) levels >99th percentile had an OR of 2.64 for ASCVD [95% confidence interval (CI) 1.45–4.89] and 3.39 for MI (95% CI 1.56–7.94). Addition of Lp(a) to ASCVD risk algorithms led to 31% and 63% being reclassified into a higher risk category for Systematic Coronary Risk Evaluation (SCORE) and Second Manifestations of ARTerial disease (SMART), respectively.

Conclusion

The prevalence of ASCVD is nearly three-fold higher in adults with Lp(a) >99th percentile compared with matched subjects with Lp(a) ≤20th percentile. In individuals with very high Lp(a), addition of Lp(a) resulted in one-third of patients being reclassified in primary prevention, and over half being reclassified in secondary prevention.
Radial strain imaging-guided lead placement for improving response to cardiac resynchronization therapy in patients with ischaemic cardiomyopathy: the Raise CRT trial
Authors: Glikson Michael , Beinart Roy , Golovchiner Gregory , Sheshet Alon Bar , Swissa Moshe , Bolous Munther , Rosso Raphael , Medina Aharon , Haim Moti , Friedman Paul , Khalamaizer Vladimir , Benzvi Shlomit , Ito Saki , Goldenberg Ilan , Klempfner Robert , Vaturi Ori , Oh Jae K
Published: September 2021

Aims

To evaluate the benefit of speckle tracking radial strain imaging (STRSI)-guided left ventricular (LV) lead (LVL) positioning in cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) in patients (pts) with ischaemic cardiomyopathy with CRT indication.

Methods and results

We conducted a prospective randomized controlled trial. Patients were enrolled in nine centres with 2:1 randomization into two groups (guided vs. control). Patients underwent STRSI to identify the optimal LV position from six LV segments at midventricular level. Implantation via STRSI was attempted for recommended segment in the guided group only. Follow-up included echocardiography (6 months) and clinical evaluation (6 and 12 months). The primary endpoint was comparison % reduction in LV end-systolic volume at 6 months with baseline. Secondary endpoints included hospitalizations for heart failure and death, and improvement in additional echocardiographic measurements and quality of life score. A total of 172 patients (115 guided vs. 57 control) were enrolled. In the guided group, 60% of the implanted LV leads were adjudicated to be successfully located at the recommended segment, whereas in the control group 44% reached the best STRSI determined segment. There was no difference between the groups in any of the primary or secondary endpoints at 6 and 12 months.

Conclusion

Our findings suggest that echo-guided implantation of an LV lead using STRSI does not improve the clinical or echocardiographic response compared with conventional implantation.
Atrial fibrillation progression and the importance of early treatment for improving clinical outcomes
Authors: Gunawardene Melanie A , Willems Stephan
Published: September 2021

Over time, atrial fibrillation (AF) naturally progresses from initially paroxysmal to persistent/permanent AF caused by structural and electrical remodelling with a complex underlying pathogenesis. It has been demonstrated that this progression of AF itself is linked to negative cardiovascular outcomes (stroke, systemic embolism, and hospitalization due to heart failure). Consequently, there is a profound rationale for early treatment of AF as a cornerstone of AF management. Recent randomized trials produced evidence that early rhythm control is effective in maintaining sinus rhythm, lower the risk of cardiovascular outcomes, and that catheter ablation of AF is effective to delay AF progression. This review will illuminate current evidence regarding the hypothesis of early AF treatment to prevent AF progression and improve clinical outcomes.
Underweight among adolescents in Denmark: prevalence, trends (1998–2018), and association of underweight with socioeconomic status
Authors: Holstein Bjørn E , Andersen Anette , Damsgaard Mogens Trab , Madsen Katrine Rich , Pedersen Trine Pagh
Published: September 2021

Background

Underweight among adolescents is an important clinical and public health issue. It is associated with adverse health outcomes throughout the life-span and may reflect food poverty, unhealthy eating habits, or some underlying health conditions.

Objective

To study prevalence and trends in underweight among adolescents 1998–2018, to examine social inequality in underweight, and whether social inequality changed over time.

Methods

Data were derived from 6 cross-sectional school surveys from The Health Behaviour in School-aged Children study in Denmark. The study included 11-, 13-, and 15-year-old schoolchildren in random samples of schools in 1998, 2002, 2006, 2010, 2014, and 2018 (n = 22,177). Underweight was determined by body mass index-for-age thinness grade 2–3 (the Cole and Lobstein method). Socioeconomic status was determined using occupational social class (the Danish OSC Measurement).

Results

The overall prevalence of underweight was 3.1% among boys and 5.3% among girls (P < 0.0001) and decreased by age (P < 0.0001) among both boys and girls. The prevalence of underweight was almost stable from 1998 to 2018. There was no observed absolute or relative social inequality in the prevalence of underweight among boys or girls.

Conclusion

The prevalence of underweight in 11- to 15-year-olds was significantly higher among girls than boys. The prevalence remained stable from 1998 to 2018. There was no significant association between SES and prevalence of underweight. It is important to elucidate the underlying causes of underweight such as malnutrition, eating disorders, eating problems, loss of appetite, chronic diseases, insufficient knowledge of nutrients effects on bodily functions, and persistent pain.
The flavin transferase ApbE flavinylates the ferredoxin:NAD+-oxidoreductase Rnf required for N2 fixation in Azotobacter vinelandii
Authors: Bertsova Yulia V , Serebryakova Marina V , Baykov Alexander A , Bogachev Alexander V
Published: September 2021

Azotobacter vinelandii, the model microbe in nitrogen fixation studies, uses the ferredoxin:NAD+-oxidoreductase Rnf to regenerate ferredoxin (flavodoxin), acting as an electron donor for nitrogenase. However, the relative contribution of Rnf to nitrogenase functioning is unknown because this bacterium contains another ferredoxin reductase, FixABCX. Furthermore, Rnf is flavinylated in the cell, but the importance and pathway of this modification reaction also remain largely unknown. We constructed A. vinelandii cells with impaired activities of FixABCX and/or putative flavin transferase ApbE. The ApbE-deficient mutant could not produce covalently flavinylated membrane proteins and demonstrated markedly decreased flavodoxin:NAD+ oxidoreductase activity and significant growth defects under diazotrophic conditions. The double ΔFix/ΔApbE mutation abolished the flavodoxin:NAD+ oxidoreductase activity and the ability of A. vinelandii to grow in the absence of a fixed nitrogen source. ApbE flavinylated a truncated RnfG subunit of Rnf1 by forming a phosphoester bond between flavin mononucleotide and a threonine residue. These findings indicate that Rnf (presumably its Rnf1 form) is the major ferredoxin-reducing enzyme in the nitrogen fixation system and that the activity of Rnf depends on its covalent flavinylation by the flavin transferase ApbE.
Non-conventional yeasts for food and additives production in a circular economy perspective
Authors: Binati Renato L , Salvetti Elisa , Bzducha-Wróbel Anna , Bašinskienė Loreta , Čižeikienė Dalia , Bolzonella David , Felis Giovanna E
Published: September 2021

Yeast species have been spontaneously participating in food production for millennia, but the scope of applications was greatly expanded since their key role in beer and wine fermentations was clearly acknowledged. The workhorse for industry and scientific research has always been Saccharomyces cerevisiae. It occupies the largest share of the dynamic yeast market, that could further increase thanks to the better exploitation of other yeast species.

Food-related ‘non-conventional’ yeasts (NCY) represent a treasure trove for bioprospecting, with their huge untapped potential related to a great diversity of metabolic capabilities linked to niche adaptations. They are at the crossroad of bioprocesses and biorefineries, characterized by low biosafety risk and produce food and additives, being also able to contribute to production of building blocks and energy recovered from the generated waste and by-products.

Considering that the usual pattern for bioprocess development focuses on single strains or species, in this review we suggest that bioprospecting at the genus level could be very promising. Candida, Starmerella, Kluyveromyces and Lachancea were briefly reviewed as case studies, showing that a taxonomy- and genome-based rationale could open multiple possibilities to unlock the biotechnological potential of NCY bioresources.
First Annotated Genome of a Mandibulate Moth, Neomicropteryx cornuta, Generated Using PacBio HiFi Sequencing
Authors: Li Xuankun , Ellis Emily , Plotkin David , Imada Yume , Yago Masaya , Heckenhauer Jacqueline , Cleland Timothy P , Dikow Rebecca B , Dikow Torsten , Storer Caroline G , Kawahara Akito Y , Frandsen Paul B
Published: September 2021

We provide a new, annotated genome assembly of Neomicropteryx cornuta, a species of the so-called mandibulate archaic moths (Lepidoptera: Micropterigidae). These moths belong to a lineage that is thought to have split from all other Lepidoptera more than 300 Ma and are consequently vital to understanding the early evolution of superorder Amphiesmenoptera, which contains the order Lepidoptera (butterflies and moths) and its sister order Trichoptera (caddisflies). Using PacBio HiFi sequencing reads, we assembled a highly contiguous genome with a contig N50 of nearly 17 Mb. The assembled genome length of 541,115,538 bp is about half the length of the largest published Amphiesmenoptera genome (Limnephilus lunatus, Trichoptera) and double the length of the smallest (Papilio polytes, Lepidoptera). We find high recovery of universal single copy orthologs with 98.1% of BUSCO genes present and provide a genome annotation of 15,643 genes aided by resolved isoforms from PacBio IsoSeq data. This high-quality genome assembly provides an important resource for studying ecological and evolutionary transitions in the early evolution of Amphiesmenoptera.
‘Leaders, not Lords’: Führertum, Democracy and Nazism in the Weimar Republic
Authors: Unger-Alvi Simon
Published: September 2021

This article examines the use of the concept of Führertum (leadership) in Weimar Germany. From a historical perspective, scholars tend to analyse the discourse on leadership through the lens of Nazi dictatorship. Yet the picture changes if we take the end of the old monarchy as the starting point. In particular, this article analyses how democrats and liberals developed their own ideas on Führertum. It argues that this concept was in vogue in Weimar because it signified a deviation from the hierarchical order of the traditional Obrigkeit and the established societal authorities of monarchical institutions. A leader had no subjects, only voluntary supporters. In this sense, ‘leadership’ seemed to correspond to popular sovereignty and had populist, even democratic, connotations.

This article draws on publications of both well-known political theorists and amateur authors such as high school teachers and civil servants. In Weimar, the term Führertum was used by a variety of political groups and led in multiple ideological directions. Simultaneously, this political contingency facilitated political communication between Nazis and democrats. I argue that seemingly participatory and ‘democratic’ definitions of leadership eventually invited democrats to take part in the ‘national community’ of Nazi Germany. Specifically, this article shows how authors of interwar media believed they were rediscovering democratic ideas in the Nazi Party and how their understanding of democracy influenced their reactions to constitutional changes such as the Enabling Act of 1933. Paradoxical as it may be, discourse on leadership allowed many democrats to identify with Nazi ideology.
Travelling Heroes—A Transcultural Re-evaluation of Kurt R. Grossmann’s Unbesungene Helden (1957), an Early Compilation of Rescue Stories
Authors: Herrmann Manja
Published: September 2021

This article concentrates on the first German-language compilation of ‘rescue stories’, narratives of Jews who survived the Holocaust with the help of non-Jews. While Kurt R. Grossmann’s 1957 book Die unbesungene Helden: Menschen in Deutschlands dunklen Tagen (The Unsung Heroes: Humans in Germany’s Dark Days) has received some scholarly attention, its original sources have not yet been examined. Previous research on the remembrance of the ‘rescue of Jews’ in Germany has tended to read Grossmann’s anthology within a single national—that is, German—context. This article provides a short introduction to Grossmann’s biography and the development history of The Unsung Heroes. It then traces the editorial history of four chapters in the anthology dealing with German cases: ‘Mieze’, ‘The Block Warden and the Eastern-Jewish Tailor’, ‘The Yellow Badge—A Symbol of Protest’ and ‘The Case of Schindler’. The article proposes that in light of its collection of material, its various sources and its production context of formerly German Jews in the United States, the text serves as a superb example of ‘transcultural’ remembrance or ‘travelling memory’.
Societal, Organizational, Relational, and Individual Perceptions of Sexual Violence Against Older Adults and Its Prevention: A Systematic Scoping Review
Authors: Hand Michelle D , Lee Mo Yee , Dabelko-Schoeny Holly , Kaiser Michelle , Mengo Cecilia
Published: September 2021

Background and Objectives

Older adults are not regarded as sexual and are widely excluded from sexual violence (SV) research, policies, and practice; little is known about SV against older adults and its prevention.

Research Design and Methods

An 8-database scoping review explored perceptions of SV against older adults, barriers to prevention, and solutions for prevention. Included were peer-reviewed and gray sources published since 2010, supported by primary research, on perceptions of SV in later life and prevention. A thematic analysis was conducted to explore key themes.

Results

Of 148 potentially relevant sources returned, 95 were fully read after screening titles and abstracts; 19 were critically appraised and 18 were assessed for analysis. Seven overarching themes emerged, surrounding (a) knowledge and awareness, (b) research, (c) policy changes and development, (d) intersectional prejudice, (e) SV being taboo, (f) sociocultural differences, and (g) confusion regarding the definition and nature of SV.

Discussion and Implications

These findings offer relevant considerations for practice, policy, and research, which will be further discussed.
Caregiving Burden Among Caregivers of People With Dementia Through the Lens of Intersectionality
Authors: Liu Ruotong , Chi Iris , Wu Shinyi
Published: September 2021

Background and Objectives

Caregivers may be at different risks of various types of burdens by virtue of their gender and racial/ethnic status. This article explores the differences in caregiving burdens across the intersectionality of race and gender.

Research Design and Methods

Using Round 5 (conducted in 2015) and Round 7 (conducted in 2017) of National Study of Caregiving and National Health and Aging Trends Study data, the study examined differences in caregiver burdens across and within different gender and racial/ethnic groups, within the realms of financial, emotional, and physical burdens. The sample consisted of 1,206 caregivers who provided services to Medicare beneficiaries. Logistic regressions were performed to assess the 3 types of burdens each subgroup was experiencing.

Results

Results indicated that within the intersectionality framework, compared to White female caregivers, Black male caregivers were 3.3 times (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.77–6.22) more likely to experience financial burden, and Black female caregivers were 54% less likely to experience physical burden. Surprisingly, compared to White female caregivers, all the other groups were 37% (95% CI 0.41–0.95) to 71% (95% CI 0.15–0.56) less likely to have emotional burden.

Discussion and Implications

The findings highlighted that Black male caregivers are experiencing financial burden and White female caregivers are experiencing emotional burden disproportionately. To develop effective interventions and programs for dementia caregivers, a special focus should be put on monitoring the differences in the types of burdens that the above-mentioned population subgroups experience.
Promoting Caregiver Mastery in Black American Dementia Caregivers
Authors: Bonds Johnson Kalisha , Brewster Glenna S , Cicero Ethan , Hepburn Kenneth , Clevenger Carolyn K , Daniel Gaea , Pak Victoria , Paul Sudeshna , Epps Fayron
Published: September 2021

Over 6 million older Americans live with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias; Black American older adults’ prevalence is more than twice that of non-Hispanic White older adults. The Black American dementia caregiving experience can be encapsulated within the Black Family Socioecological Context Model, which provides a conceptual basis for examining social determinants of health at individual, family, community, and societal levels with careful consideration for how the intersection of race, gender, and class of Black American dementia caregivers influences the multiple dimensions of their caregiving experiences. Family dynamics, community setting, and health care systems have a potentially bidirectional influence on these caregivers, which is shaped by historical and ongoing systemic and institutional racism and general disenfranchisement. This Forum article outlines how the Social Cognitive Theory offers ways for Black American dementia caregivers to achieve a sense of mastery within the complicated and fraught ecology within which their caregiving occurs. We propose a research agenda to create programs and interventions for enhancing a sense of mastery among Black American dementia caregivers. Two concepts in particular, “constraints” and “efficacy expectations,” provide ways to create a systematic approach to developing successful coping strategies for the constraints perceived by individuals as they undertake and function in the caregiving role. The recognition of the complexity of the caregiving ecosystem and intersectionality of caregivers’ experience and identity emphasize the importance of individualization: Each caregiver’s experience of this ecosystem—and therefore each Black American dementia caregiver’s way to mastery within it—will be uniquely shaped and experienced.
Evidence for asthenospheric flow rotation in northwest Canada: insights from shear wave splitting
Authors: Bolton Andrew R , Schutt Derek L , Aster Richard C , Audet Pascal , Schaeffer Andrew J , Estève Clément , Freymueller Jeffrey T , Cubley Joel F
Published: September 2021

The Mackenzie Mountains (MM) of northwest Canada are an actively uplifting, seismogenic salient of the northern Canadian Cordillera that lie 750 km NE of the main Pacific–North America plate boundary. We present new shear wave splitting measurements from a linear array transecting the region to characterize upper-mantle anisotropy and the relative role of the lithosphere and asthenosphere in MM uplift. A gradual rotation in anisotropy occurs across the Canadian Cordillera, with stations nearest to the craton yielding NE fast-axis orientations that are subparallel to North America absolute plate motion (∼230°). Moving SW from the craton, across the MM and towards the plate boundary, fast-axis orientations rotate to become aligned with major lithospheric fabrics (NW–SE). Previous work has shown that the Cordilleran lithosphere is thin (≈50 km) in this region. We therefore interpret these results to primarily reflect sublithospheric flow. Three possibilities for asthenospheric flow are presented, but none of them fit the data well. Therefore, we believe that flow in the SW is due to upwelling from the slab window that opened up around 45–25 Ma, although it is possible the lithosphere is more than 50 km in thickness, in which case these splits reflect the tectonic fabric of the region.
Density structure of the island of Hawai'i and the implications for gravity-driven motion of the south flank of Kīlauea Volcano
Authors: Denlinger Roger P , Flinders Ashton
Published: September 2021

The discovery that large landslides dissected the Hawaiian Islands, scattering debris over thousands of square kilometres of seafloor, changed our ideas of island growth and evolution. The evidence is consistent with catastrophic flank collapse during volcano growth, and draws our focus to the currently active island of Hawai'i, the volcanoes Mauna Loa and Kīlauea, and particularly to the actively mobile south flank of Kīlauea. Both the weight distribution and pressure within an extensive magmatic system are perceived to affect stability, but the role of gravitational body forces and island density distribution has not been quantitatively assessed. We use seismic velocities derived from tomography to model the density distribution of the island of Hawai'i and find that olivine-rich melts and rocks in Hawaiian volcanoes result in a close association of seismic velocity and density. The resultant density model reproduces more than 95 per cent of the observed gravity disturbance signal wherever tomographic control exists and provides a basis for evaluating the body forces from gravity. We also find that if the decollement is weak, then gravitational body forces can produce slip that explains most seismo-tectonic and volcano-tectonic structural features of Kīlauea. Where the decollement is in a state of incipient slip from this weight distribution, fluctuations in magma pressure can trigger accelerated slip on the decollement. Yet this is only true of the south flank of Kīlauea. Though weight and magma distributions produce significant forces driving the west flank of Mauna Loa seaward, this flank is relatively stable. Stability over most of the last decade indicates a strong foundation beneath the west flank of Mauna Loa, perhaps as a result of past landslides that scraped clay-rich sediments from the decollement.
Assessing uncertainties in infrasound network performance modelling: application to the Euro-Mediterranean and Southeast Asian region
Authors: Tailpied Dorianne , Le Pichon Alexis , Taisne Benoit
Published: September 2021

We propose a modelling technique to confidently estimate and optimize the performance of any infrasound network to remotely monitor sources of interest such as volcanic eruptions, while considering realistic atmospheric specifications along the propagation path, source frequency and noise levels at the station. To provide a more realistic picture of the network performance, we define a confidence level accounting for propagation and atmospheric uncertainties. Therefore, we consider ‘numerical’ uncertainties linked to the approximations made in the used propagation model, errors of the developed mathematical model and atmospheric uncertainties derived from measurement campaigns. In parallel, we perform a sensitivity analysis to determine how each input parameter contributes to the developed mathematical model output as well as to the attenuation model output. Such study is helpful for model simplification and uncertainty reduction by identifying, and thus paying more attention to the most influential model inputs. Below 1 Hz, the effect of ‘numerical’ errors on network performance modelling dominates. The same situation is observed during strong and stable downwind stratospheric winds along propagation paths. Conversely, when propagation occurs upwind, atmospheric uncertainties become predominant as the frequency increases. This method is then applied to assess the performance of the International Monitoring System (IMS) infrasound network in the Euro-Mediterranean and the Southeast Asian regions. We highlight a frequency, seasonal and spatial dependence of uncertainties in the modelling. Below 1 Hz, large errors are predicted in the shadow zone but the overall error is less than 20 dB. Above 1 Hz, errors with same order of magnitude are also observed, when strong stratospheric jets prevail. But during weak stratospheric duct, uncertainties associated to the modelled attenuation may exceed 30 dB. Such studies lead to significant improvement in assessing detection capability of infrasound network, which is of great interest for monitoring artificial or natural explosive sources like volcanic eruption. In particular this work will contribute into designing and prioritizing maintenance of any given infrasound network, in order to provide even better and more accurate predictions.
Attention-based LSTM-FCN for earthquake detection and location
Authors: Bai Tao , Tahmasebi Pejman
Published: September 2021

Earthquake detection and localization are challenging since the seismic signal usually is noisy and the microearthquakes are hidden in the seismic noise. Traditional detection and localization methods often rely on manually picked phases or computationally intensive algorithms. Inspired by the successful application of a deep learning model, ConvNetQuake, in detecting and locating the seismic events, we train an attention-based long short-term memory fully convolutional network (LSTM-FCN) model to improve the detection and location accuracy on the same data set. We use a parallel structure of FCN and LSTM to extract different features separately and merge them as a vector for better classification. In particular, FCN is used to extract high-level features and, similarly, LSTM is employed to model the temporal dependences. Besides, an attention mechanism is added to the LSTM to select a significant input segment along with a squeeze-and-excitation block in FCN to enhance useful feature maps for classification. We show that the trained model has a classification accuracy of 89.1 per cent, which represents 14.5 per cent improvement compared to the ConvNetQuake model. Moreover, the ConvNetQuake model only considered classifying seismic events roughly into one of the six geographic regions. But our model can locate the seismic events with a higher resolution by classifying them into as a greater number of regions as to 15 while a relatively high accuracy is maintained. We also demonstrate that the incorporated attention mechanism can effectively improve the classification performance by automatically and selectively enhancing the significant feature maps and inputs.