bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Pore formation in MoS2 monolayer under irradiation by swift heavy ions: A molecular dynamics study
Authors: Kolesnikova A. , Osipov V.
Published: September 2022

Molecular dynamics simulations were performed to study the formation process of nanopores in a freestanding MoS2 monolayer irradiated using swift heavy ions. We considered five types of ions (Ar, Kr, Xe, W, and Bi) with energies ranging from 26 MeV to 4.5 GeV. The impact point was always located in the center of the cell far from the border to reduce undesired high energy interactions over the periodic boundaries. The two-temperature atomistic model with an explicit account of electron thermal conductivity was used. The possibility of forming pores of various shapes with sizes from 1.5 to 48 nm was found. Pore size increases with ion incident energy and decreases with ion mass. Most of the pores have internal amorphization, which can disappear with increasing the irradiation dose. Our results demonstrate that it is feasible to fabricate controlled nanopores in an MoS2 monolayer via swift heavy ion irradiation with Bi ions being the most efficient. Possible practical applications of the obtained results are discussed.
A scattering matrix formalism to model periodic heat diffusion in stratified solid media
Authors: Li Tao , Chen Zhen
Published: September 2022

Transfer matrix formalism is widely used in modeling periodic heat diffusion in layered structures. Due to an intrinsic numerical instability issue, this formalism fails at high heating frequencies and/or in thick structures. Inspired by its success in modeling wave propagation, we develop a numerically stable scattering matrix framework to model periodic heat diffusion in stratified solid media. As a concrete example, we apply this scattering matrix methodology to the 3ω method. We first validate our framework using various well-known solutions. Next, we demonstrate the numerical stability of the framework using a configuration that resembles the three-dimensional stacked architecture for chip packing. Last, we propose synthetic “experiments” to exhibit, under certain circumstances, the merits of the scattering matrix formalism in extracting thermal properties.
Layering and capillary waves in the structure factor of liquid surfaces
Authors: Hernández-Muñoz Jose , Tarazona Pedro , Chacón Enrique
Published: September 2022

Within the extended Capillary Wave Theory (ECWT), to extract the bending modulus of a liquid surface from the total structure factor of the interfacial region requires to separate the capillary waves (CW) signal from a non-CW background. Some years ago, Höfling and Dietrich (HD), working in the strict grazing incidence limit qz = 0, proposed a background that combines the liquid and vapor bulk structure factors in the amounts set by Gibbs’s plane. We contrast that proposal with Molecular Dynamics (MD) simulations of the Lennard-Jones model analyzed with the Intrinsic Sampling Method (ISM). The study is extended to qz ≠ 0, to test the stronger consistency requirements of the ECWT and the experimental conditions; it shows a good MD-ECWT matching although we need some fine tuning over HD proposal. Then, the agreement with the ISM result for the surface bending modulus is good and that provides an interpretation, in terms of the molecular layering at the liquid edge, for the fluctuating surface represented by the CW signal in the surface structure factor, both for MD simulations and surface diffraction experiments.
Inhibition of major histocompatibility complex-I antigen presentation by sarbecovirus ORF7a proteins
Authors: Zhang Fengwen , Zang Trinity M. , Stevenson Eva M. , Lei Xiao , Copertino Dennis C. , Mota Talia M. , Boucau Julie , Garcia-Beltran Wilfredo F. , Jones R. Brad , Bieniasz Paul D.
Published: September 2022

Viruses employ a variety of strategies to escape or counteract immune responses, including depletion of cell surface major histocompatibility complex class I (MHC-I), that would ordinarily present viral peptides to CD8
+
cytotoxic T cells. As part of a screen to elucidate biological activities associated with individual severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) viral proteins, we found that ORF7a reduced cell surface MHC-I levels by approximately fivefold. Nevertheless, in cells infected with SARS-CoV-2, surface MHC-I levels were reduced even in the absence of ORF7a, suggesting additional mechanisms of MHC-I down-regulation. ORF7a proteins from a sample of sarbecoviruses varied in their ability to induce MHC-I down-regulation and, unlike SARS-CoV-2, the ORF7a protein from SARS-CoV lacked MHC-I downregulating activity. A single amino acid at position 59 (T/F) that is variable among sarbecovirus ORF7a proteins governed the difference in MHC-I downregulating activity. SARS-CoV-2 ORF7a physically associated with the MHC-I heavy chain and inhibited the presentation of expressed antigen to CD8
+
T cells. Specifically, ORF7a prevented the assembly of the MHC-I peptide loading complex and caused retention of MHC-I in the endoplasmic reticulum. The differential ability of ORF7a proteins to function in this way might affect sarbecovirus dissemination and persistence in human populations, particularly those with infection- or vaccine-elicited immunity.
Neutral voices in audio descriptions
Authors: Machuca María Jesús , Matamala Anna
Published: September 2022

A neutral delivery has often been considered to be the norm in audio description, but it is unclear what a ‘neutral voice’ means. This article begins with a discussion of neutrality in prosody and with a contextualization of AD voicing. It then presents an acoustic analysis of a corpus of audio descriptions in Catalan, English, and Spanish. Based on the results of this analysis, a perception test is designed, and its results are discussed here. The perception test involves participants with sight loss (31 in Spanish, 35 in Catalan, 40 in English) and without sight loss (29 in Spanish, 46 in Catalan, 31 in English) who are asked to define what a neutral voice is for them. Respondents are also asked to select the male and female voices that they consider most neutral. The qualitative analysis of the replies, together with the selection made by participants for both male and female voices across three different languages, sheds some light on how neutrality (or non-neutrality) could be defined. The study does not aim to determine what acoustic features voices should have in the context of audio description but tries to better understand what a neutral voice is, considering that this has traditionally been a frequent expression in research on audio description delivery.
Design of a novel bilayered structure of ferromagnetic metal and nonmagnetic insulator wires while maintaining the distance between the constituent skyrmions
Authors: Kato Masataka , Ohsawa Tomokatsu , Honda Syuta
Published: September 2022

Magnetic-skyrmion-based racetrack memory is a high-density memory for storing information driven by low-power, wherein the arrangement of skyrmions is stored in the form of binary digit combinations. This arrangement is altered based on the skyrmion motion resulting from the influence of the spin-transfer torque. We propose a novel layered structure of a ferromagnetic metal (FM) wire/nonmagnetic insulator wire/FM wire in which the skyrmions move while maintaining the arrangement. It consists of two FM wires that are perpendicularly magnetized. One of these comprises several skyrmions, which act as binary digits (data skyrmions). The other wire constitutes a sufficient number of skyrmions that are closely packed and allow the spin-polarized current to flow. A dipole–dipole interaction acts between these two FM wires. The motion of the data skyrmion is induced by the current-induced motion of the packed skyrmion. The motion of skyrmions is simulated via micromagnetic approaches. The data skyrmions move while maintaining the distance between each skyrmion. The analog position of the data skyrmion is controlled by the current flowing through another wire. The stable data skyrmion motion has a threshold current. When the current is larger than the threshold current, the skyrmion breaks, and/or the distance between skyrmions breaks. The threshold current density is found to decrease with an increasing vacuum layer thickness and increase with increasing thickness of the FM wire flowing current. Our results show that the skyrmion motion in the proposed structure can drive skyrmions with a spin-current density lower than that of the coupled granular/continuous structure and the edge-notched nanowire structure. This structure can be used in developing low-power operational devices based on skyrmion motion.
Understanding magnetocrystalline anisotropy based on orbital and quadrupole moments
Authors: Miura Yoshio , Okabayashi Jun
Published: September 2022

Understanding magnetocrystalline anisotropy (MCA) is fundamentally important for developing novel magnetic materials. Therefore, clarifying the relationship between MCA and local physical quantities observed by spectroscopic measurements, such as the orbital and quadrupole moments, is necessary. In this review, we discuss MCA and the distortion effects in magnetic materials with transition metals (TMs) based on the orbital and quadrupole moments, which are related to the spin-conserving and spin-flip terms in the second-order perturbation calculations, respectively. We revealed that orbital moment stabilized the spin moment in the direction of the larger orbital moment, while the quadrupole moment stabilized the spin moment along the longitudinal direction of the spin-density distribution. The MCA of the magnetic materials with TMs and their interfaces can be determined from the competition between these two contributions. We showed that the perpendicular MCA of the face-centered cubic Ni with tensile tetragonal distortion arose from the orbital moment anisotropy, whereas that of Mn-Ga alloys originated from the quadrupole moment of spin density. In contrast, in the Co/Pd(111) multilayer and Fe/MgO(001), both the orbital moment anisotropy and quadrupole moment of spin density at the interfaces contributed to the perpendicular MCA. Understanding the MCA of magnetic materials and interfaces based on orbital and quadrupole moments is essential to design MCA of novel magnetic applications.
Temperature dependent studies on centimeter-scale MoS2 and vdW heterostructures
Authors: Sebastian Ann Rose , Kaium Md Golam , Ko Tae-Jun , Shawkat Mashiyat Sumaiya , Jung Yeonwoong , Ahn Ethan C
Published: September 2022

Transition metal dichalcogenides is an emerging 2D semiconducting material group which has excellent physical properties in the ultimately scaled thickness dimension. Specifically, van der Waals heterostructures hold the great promise in further advancing both the fundamental scientific knowledge and practical technological applications of 2D materials. Although 2D materials have been extensively studied for various sensing applications, temperature sensing still remains relatively unexplored. In this work, we experimentally study the temperature-dependent Raman spectroscopy and electrical conductivity of molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) and its heterostructures with platinum dichalcogenides (PtSe2 and PtTe2) to explore their potential to become the next-generation temperature sensor. It is found that the MoS2-PtX2 heterostructure shows the great promise as the high-sensitivity temperature sensor.
Feature enhancement network for CNV typing in optical coherence tomography images
Authors: Xu Chuanzhen , Xi Xiaoming , Yang Lu , Yang Xiao , Song Zuoyong , Nie Xiushan , Zhang Limei , Zhang Yanwei , Chen Xinjian , Yin Yilong
Published: September 2022

Objective. Choroidal neovascularization (CNV) is a characteristic feature of wet age-related macular degeneration, which is one of the main causes of blindness in the elderly. Automatic classification of CNV in optical coherence tomography images plays an auxiliary role in the clinical treatment of CNV. Approach. This study proposes a feature enhancement network (FE-net) to discriminate between different CNV types with high inter-class similarity. The FE-net consists of two branches: discriminative FE and diverse FE. In the discriminative FE branch, a novel class-specific feature extraction module is introduced to learn class-specific features, and the discriminative loss is introduced to make the learned features more discriminative. In the diverse FE branch, the attention region selection is used to mine the multi-attention features from feature maps in the same class, and the diverse loss is introduced to guarantee that the attention features are different, which can improve the diversity of the learned features. Main results. Experiments were conducted on our CNV dataset, with significant accuracy of 92.33%, 87.45%, 90.10%, and 91.25% on ACC, AUC, SEN, and SPE, respectively. Significance. These results demonstrate that the proposed method can effectively learn the discriminative and diverse features to discriminate subtle differences between different types of CNV. And accurate classification of CNV plays an auxiliary role in clinical treatmen.
Tribological behaviour of ZA/ZrB2
in situ composites using response surface methodology and artificial neural network
Authors: Kumar Vineet , Gautam Gaurav , Singh Aman , Singh Vinay , Mohan Sunil , Mohan Anita
Published: September 2022

Recent advancement in metal matrix composites shows the reduction in resource and energy consumption through improvement in tribological properties. However, statistical modelling helps to achieve the material efficiency through optimizing experimental parameters. This study focuses on developing a statistical modelling to predict the tribological behaviour of ZA/ZrB2
in situ composites. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) was conducted using Response surface methodology (RSM) by Design expert 13 software which was suggested the use of quadratic model and the regression equation was developed. Varying load, sliding distance, and volume % of ZrB2 as input parameters and wear and coefficient of friction (COF) as response parameters were utilized in RSM. Results indicate that the volume % of ZrB2 is the main contributing parameter for wear while for COF, load is the main contributing factor. Artificial neural network (ANN) developed using PYTHON was also employed to validate the optimized parameters for wear and COF suggested by RSM. Experimental results and statistical analysis results obtained from RSM and ANN show the close tolerance and thus suggest a significant model that envisages the tribological characteristics of alloy and composites. Regression equation could be successfully utilized to predict the wear and COF at any given set of input variables based on applications.
Microstructure and corrosion performance of plasma electrolytic oxidation coatings on the surface of conventional and selective laser melted Ti-6Al-4V alloy
Authors: Khorasanian Mehdi , Yeganeh Mahdi , Zaree Seyed Reza Alavi
Published: September 2022

Plasma electrolytic oxidation was carried out on conventional and selective laser melted Ti-6Al-4V alloy in electrolytes with different concentrations of sodium hexametaphosphate. Microstructure and chemical analysis of the surface and cross section of the samples were studied by scanning electron microscopy. X-ray diffraction was carried out to evaluate the phase analysis of the specimens. Corrosion behavior of the specimens was investigated by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. The results showed that the coatings were mainly composed of titanium dioxide. When sodium hexametaphosphate was added to the electrolyte, phosphorus was incorporated into the coatings and the morphology of the coatings was altered to a non-uniform one with large pores and cracks. Corrosion studies confirmed that the coatings on the conventional alloy show higher corrosion resistance, mainly due to the formation of denser coatings with lower porosities. Addition of 1 and 2 g l−1 sodium hexamethaphosphate to the electrolyte lead to the change in impedance modulus of the coated conventionally produced samples from 83 KΩ.cm2 (for the sample coated without sodium hexametaphosphate) to 85 and 146 KΩ.cm2, respectively. On the other hand, these values for the coated selective melted specimens were 80 (for the sample coated without sodium hexametaphosphate) to 23 and 1.5 KΩ.cm2, respectively. Ate the same time, the values of charge transter resistance for the coated conventional samples were 105, 102, and 201 KΩ.cm2, while the equivalent values for the selective laser melted specimens were 135, 51, and 4.1 KΩ.cm2.
An algorithm for the labeling and interactive visualization of the cerebrovascular system of ischemic strokes
Authors: Thamm Florian , Jürgens Markus , Taubmann Oliver , Thamm Aleksandra , Rist Leonhard , Ditt Hendrik , Maier Andreas
Published: September 2022

During the diagnosis of ischemic strokes, the Circle of Willis and its surrounding vessels are the arteries of interest. Their visualization in case of an acute stroke is often enabled by Computed Tomography Angiography (CTA). Still, the identification and analysis of the cerebral arteries remain time consuming in such scans due to a large number of peripheral vessels which may disturb the visual impression. We propose VirtualDSA++, an algorithm designed to segment and label the cerebrovascular tree on CTA scans. Especially with stroke patients, labeling is a delicate procedure, as in the worst case whole hemispheres may not be present due to impeded perfusion. Hence, we extended the labeling mechanism for the cerebral arteries to identify occluded vessels. In the work at hand, we place the algorithm in a clinical context by evaluating the labeling and occlusion detection on stroke patients, where we have achieved labeling sensitivities comparable to other works between 92% and 95%. To the best of our knowledge, ours is the first work to address labeling and occlusion detection at once, whereby a sensitivity of 67% and a specificity of 81% were obtained for the latter. VirtualDSA++ also automatically segments and models the intracranial system leading to further processing possibilities. We present the generic concept of iterative systematic search for pathways on all nodes of said model, which enables new interactive features. Exemplary, we derive in detail, firstly, the interactive planning of vascular interventions like the mechanical thrombectomy and secondly, the interactive suppression of vessel structures that are not of interest in diagnosing strokes (like veins). We discuss both features as well as further possibilities emerging from the proposed concept.
Coronin2A links actin-based endosomal processes to the EHD1 fission machinery
Authors: Dhawan Kanika , Naslavsky Naava , Caplan Steve
Published: September 2022

The mechanisms of endosomal fission are poorly understood. In this study, it was demonstrated that the ATPase EHD1 is linked to the actin cytoskeleton via an interaction with Coronin2A. Depletion of the latter impairs recycling of clathrin-independent cargo and delays internalization of clathrin-dependent cargo by impeding endosomal fission.
The mitochondrial RNA granule modulates manganese-dependent cell toxicity
Authors: Werner E. , Gokhale A. , Ackert M. , Xu C. , Wen Z. , Roberts A. M. , Roberts B. R. , Vrailas-Mortimer A. , Crocker A. , Faundez V.
Published: September 2022

SLC30A10 and PARK2 mutations compromise the mitochondrial RNA granule, which is required for processing polycistronic mitochondrial RNAs. Cells and Drosophila lacking RNA granule components were resistant to manganese. It is concluded that the down-regulation of the granule function is an adaptive mechanism for cells exposed to manganese.
How many authors does it take to publish a high profile or classic paper?
Authors: Rao Hai , Che Jun , Yin Changhui , Zhou Yunfan , Ma Yifang , Tian Ruilin
Published: September 2022

Although the process of publishing a scientific paper has gotten simpler, it is increasingly difficult to publish a paper in high profile journals. We have analyzed the publishing data in the cell biology field and found several alarming trends developing over the last two decades. There is an emerging divide between scientist-run journals and professional-run high profile journals. How did this happen? What should we do? The core issue is whether the current standard for high profile journals hurts rather than helps the scientific discovery process. In this regard, we suggest that the editors and scientists should direct their focus on the potential impact and rigor of the work instead of the “perfection” or “completeness” of the study.
Structures and jurisdictions
Authors: Zelden Charles L.
Published: September 2022

This chapter explores and explains the workloads, structures, and powers of American courts. While noting the differences that exist between how different states set up and name their court systems, it argues that all American courts can be classified by their function and jurisdictional powers into four categories. These include trial courts of lesser jurisdiction, trial courts of general jurisdiction, intermediate appellate courts, and appellate courts of last resort. The chapter then defines and explores the concept of jurisdiction, or the powers of a court to rule on specific matters and over specific litigants, linking jurisdiction to court structures and powers. Last, it discusses the complexities that federalism—split governing authority between states and the federal government—has in these matters.
Ivan Pavlov: A Very Short Introduction
Authors: Todes Daniel P.
Published: September 2022

Ivan Pavlov (1849–1936) is famous for his Nobel Prize–winning studies of digestion and, especially, his investigations of conditional reflexes, through which he attempted to understand and ease the “torments” of human consciousness. Based on rich archival materials, this work provides a uniquely rich and readable introduction to his life and work. The book follows Pavlov from his youth as a provincial seminarian to his scientific studies, traumas, and professional success in the glittering capital of St. Petersburg through world war and two revolutions, international celebrity status, and his complex relationship with the Bolsheviks under Lenin and Stalin. Exploring Pavlov’s quest to constrain the psyche within mechanistic law, the work explains his innovative experimental techniques and approach, discusses his interpretive practices as a physiologist, reveals the personalities and importance of his favorite experimental dogs, and analyzes his important, but little-known, experiments on chimpanzees. The work ends with a discussion of the two manuscripts on which Pavlov labored during his last days, which reveal the relationship between the great scientist’s work and his psychological drive for certainty amid the unforeseeable calamities in life and express his final thoughts about the relationship between science, Christianity, and Communism.
Year of climaxes
Authors: Todes Daniel P.
Published: September 2022

The International Congress of Physiology, convened in Russia in August 1935, was for Pavlov a dream come true. He was hailed by the gathering as the Prince of World Physiology and foreign colleagues marveled at Russia’s new scientific facilities and cadres. Deeply moved, he publicly praised Soviet leaders as “great social experimenters.” Yet, as he told Molotov, their “social experiment” was “terribly expensive” and its results were unknown. The original purpose of his Institute of Experimental Genetics of Higher Nervous Activity (Koltushi) was to produce through selective breeding animals with an improved nervous system “for the use and glory first and foremost of my homeland.” Research began in 1928, but soon bogged down. From summer 1933, Pavlov was preoccupied with chimps Roza and Rafael. He observed that, unlike a dog confined to an experimental stand, mobile chimps engaged objects multidimensionally—generating associations that could not be explained as conditional reflexes.
Final reflections
Authors: Todes Daniel P.
Published: September 2022

During his last winter at Koltushi, Pavlov struggled over two manuscripts. In “Psychology as a Science,” he changed his long-standing view that the physiological conditional reflex was synonymous with the psychologists’ association. The two were physiologically distinct, generated different kinds of knowledge, and combined in a cortical “mosaic of associations.” He now prepared his lab to study these dynamics. He also labored over an essay criticizing official atheism. He criticized the “barbaric repression” of religion, which relieved the most painful dimension of life—the constant threat of the uncontrollable and unexpected. Science, he uncharacteristically conceded, could not now protect people against the unforeseeable in life, but religion did so by providing an ideal of behavior, personified by Jesus, “who embodied the greatest of all human truths, the truth of the equality of all people.” Here, perhaps, resided a promising commonality between Christianity and Communism. Time, he concluded, would tell.
When we need others to accomplish something
Authors: Menkel-Meadow Carrie
Published: September 2022

This chapter introduces different contexts of negotiation, with examples, including international, diplomatic, business, legal, interpersonal, family, and employment to demonstrate the key concepts of negotiation: the behavioral interaction of two or more people in which they must deal with or bargain with others to accomplish something. Different perspectives on competitive and individual gain or joint and collaborative models of negotiation are presented. This chapter introduces the multi-disciplinarity of negotiation analysis and behavior—the science and the art of negotiation derived from game theory, psychology, sociology, political science, law, decision sciences, and planning. The chapter outlines the constituent chapters of the book, some conceptual, others behavioral.
Contexts in negotiation
Authors: Menkel-Meadow Carrie
Published: September 2022

This chapter explores how different contexts in negotiation require different mindsets, approaches, and behavioral choices. Contexts include the purpose of the negotiation, the subject matter of the negotiation (money, land, divisible, sharable), the number of and relationship of the parties (family, business, one-off, long term), publicity or privacy, number and content of issues, agency and accountability, voluntariness or compulsion, timing, deadlines, routineness, power-leverage of the parties, personal characteristics, demographics, personality, and what alternatives to negotiation are available. Each of these contexts is related to different choices about ends and means of negotiation strategies and tactics.
Complex multi-party multi-issue negotiations
Authors: Menkel-Meadow Carrie
Published: September 2022

This chapter explores the variations of numbers of parties and issues and how negotiations involving more than two parties (dyadic) negotiations are different. With three or more negotiation parties there will be coalition formations, defections, problems of commitments, need for decision rules (voting), and determinations of what constitutes an agreement (consent of two is not enough). Complex negotiations require process and decision rule management—ground rules for speaking, voting rules for decision and agreement. There will be log rolling, partial agreements, and trades from one party to another, making negotiated agreements less stable without clear rules of process. This chapter provides examples from historical and common areas for group and complex negotiation—constitution making, democratic decision making, corporate and group action; governmental processes. In larger groups there may be choices about consensus rules, dissent, and a need to have a third party (leader, mediator, facilitator) manage the negotiation and decision process.
The future of negotiation
Authors: Menkel-Meadow Carrie
Published: September 2022

This chapter previews new and complicated uses of modern negotiation processes such as online contract formation and dispute resolution, electronic negotiation, customer service, virtual negotiation, asynchronous negotiation, hybrid negotiation (using different forms of negotiation, combined with other media or processes such as mediation, arbitration) and the development of new models of dispute system design and Ombuds services for consideration of management of iterated or internal negotiation issues (e.g. in employment, business, consumer relations). The chapter considers the place of negotiation in modern international relations—diplomacy, cultural and political conflicts, and peace-seeking efforts.
Music as technology
Authors: Katz Mark
Published: September 2022

This chapter proposes a broad conception of music technology that includes acoustic and electronic instruments; engraving and printing; sound recording and playback; broadcasting; software; and even the human body. There are two main reasons for embracing this broad understanding of music technology. First, it allows us to see continuities and relationships obscured by the tendency to focus on the novel or disruptive aspects of technology. Second, an expansive view of technology can illuminate hidden cultural contexts and power dynamics. The chapter provides a brief history of music technology, explores debates about Auto-Tune in gospel music, and cites the adaptation of the harmonium in India and accordion in Madagascar to demonstrate why music technology must be understood in its cultural context.
Time
Authors: Katz Mark
Published: September 2022

Music is a time machine. More specifically, it is as a tool for taming time. Our fascination with time has led us to develop tools for marking and tracking it, from sundials and calendars to wristwatches and atomic clocks. Music, however, may be the tool that comes closest to controlling time, that is, our experience of it. This chapter explores how technologies of musical creation, preservation, and dissemination engage with the dimension of time, and thus shape how we experience and create music. Technologies explored include notation, the metronome, the click track, quantization, sound recording, and looping. Musical examples draw from Disney films, minimalism, Chopped and Screwed, Drum and Bass, and the music of Daphne Oram, The Beatles, and KT Tunstall.
The Coronavirus Disease 2019 Pandemic Unmasked the Challenges Faced by Early-Stage Faculty in Infectious Diseases: A Call to Action
Authors: Scherer Erin M , Backer Martin , Carvajal Karen , Danziger-Isakov Lara , Frey Sharon , Howard Leigh M , Scaggs Huang Felicia , Kottkamp Angelica C , Reid Tara , Rodriguez-Barradas Maria C , Stankiewicz Karita Helen C , Teoh Zheyi , Wald Anna , Whitaker Jennifer , Wiley Zanthia , Ofotokun Igho , Edwards Kathryn M ,   for the Infectious Diseases Clinical Research Consortium (IDCRC) Mentorship Program Writing Group
Published: September 2022

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and associated increase in family care responsibilities resulted in unsustainable personal and professional workloads for infectious diseases (ID) faculty on the front lines. This was especially true for early-stage faculty (ESF), many of whom had caregiving responsibilities. In addition, female faculty, underrepresented in medicine and science faculty and particularly ESF, experienced marked declines in research productivity, which significantly impacts career trajectories. When combined with staffing shortages due to an aging workforce and suboptimal recruitment and retention in ID, these work-life imbalances have brought the field to an inflection point. We propose actionable recommendations and call on ID leaders to act to close the gender, racial, and ethnic gaps to improve the recruitment, retention, and advancement of ESF in ID. By investing in systemic change to make the ID workforce more equitable, we can embody the shared ideals of diversity and inclusion and prepare for the next pandemic.
GWAS of genetic factors affecting white blood cell morphological parameters in Sardinians uncovers influence of chromosome 11 innate immunity gene cluster on eosinophil morphology
Authors: Marongiu Michele , Pérez-Mejías Gonzalo , Orrù Valeria , Steri Maristella , Sidore Carlo , Díaz-Quintana Antonio , Mulas Antonella , Busonero Fabio , Maschio Andrea , Walter Klaudia , Tardaguila Manuel , Akbari Parsa , Soranzo Nicole , Fiorillo Edoardo , Gorospe Myriam , Schlessinger David , Díaz-Moreno Irene , Cucca Francesco , Zoledziewska Magdalena
Published: September 2022

Few genome-wide association studies (GWAS) analyzing genetic regulation of morphological traits of white blood cells have been reported. We carried out a GWAS of 12 morphological traits in 869 individuals from the general population of Sardinia, Italy. These traits, included measures of cell volume, conductivity and light scatter in four white-cell populations (eosinophils, lymphocytes, monocytes, neutrophils). This analysis yielded seven statistically significant signals, four of which were novel (four novel, PRG2, P2RX3, two of CDK6). Five signals were replicated in the independent INTERVAL cohort of 11 822 individuals. The most interesting signal with large effect size on eosinophil scatter (P-value = 8.33 x 10−32, beta = −1.651, se = 0.1351) falls within the innate immunity cluster on chromosome 11, and is located in the PRG2 gene. Computational analyses revealed that a rare, Sardinian-specific PRG2:p.Ser148Pro mutation modifies PRG2 amino acid contacts and protein dynamics in a manner that could possibly explain the changes observed in eosinophil morphology. Our discoveries shed light on genetics of morphological traits. For the first time, we describe such large effect size on eosinophils morphology that is relatively frequent in Sardinian population.
An overview on elasmobranch release as a bycatch mitigation strategy
Authors: Wosnick Natascha , Giareta Eloísa Pinheiro , Leite Renata Daldin , Hyrycena Ingrid , Charvet Patricia
Published: September 2022

Sharks and rays are among the most threatened vertebrates, mostly due to commercial fisheries. Data on incidental capture is sparse, but it is estimated that about 50% of reported global catches of elasmobranchs are from bycatch. Elasmobranchs are captured in a variety of fishing gear throughout the world. One promising strategy to minimize incidental catches is the release of live sharks and rays. However, so far, no critical analysis had been carried out to assess the importance of release as a measure to mitigate the impacts of bycatch. Results indicated that despite onboard releases being cited in Plans of Action (along ZEEs) and recommendations/regulations of Regional Fisheries Management Commissions (in international waters), this measure is treated as secondary and has voluntary adherence, which can significantly reduce its efficiency. Moreover, among the Best Fishing Practice Manuals currently available, although release is cited as a priority, most of them do not consider the dynamics of the location/fishing modality for which it was developed. A change on how release is perceived is needed to prioritize this conservation strategy, as well as its potential as a social tool to reduce the impacts of bycatch on sharks and rays.
The association between psychostimulant use in pregnancy and adverse maternal and neonatal outcomes: results from a distributed analysis in two similar jurisdictions
Authors: Camacho Ximena , Zoega Helga , Gomes Tara , Schaffer Andrea L , Henry David , Pearson Sallie-Anne , Vigod Simone , Havard Alys
Published: September 2022

Background

Conflicting evidence suggests a possible association between use of prescribed psychostimulants during pregnancy and adverse perinatal outcomes.

Methods

We conducted population-based cohort studies including pregnancies conceived between April 2002 and March 2017 (Ontario, Canada; N = 554 272) and January 2003 to April 2011 [New South Wales (NSW), Australia; N = 139 229]. We evaluated the association between exposure to prescription amphetamine, methylphenidate, dextroamphetamine or lisdexamfetamine during pregnancy and pre-eclampsia, placental abruption, preterm birth, low birthweight, small for gestational age and neonatal intensive care unit admission. We used inverse probability of treatment weighting based on propensity scores to balance measured confounders between exposed and unexposed pregnancies. Additionally, we restricted the Ontario cohort to social security beneficiaries where supplementary confounder information was available.

Results

In Ontario and NSW respectively, 1360 (0.25%) and 146 (0.10%) pregnancies were exposed to psychostimulants. Crude analyses indicated associations between exposure and nearly all outcomes [OR range 1.15–2.16 (Ontario); 0.97–2.20 (NSW)]. Nearly all associations were attenuated after weighting. Pre-eclampsia was the exception: odds remained elevated in the weighted analysis of the Ontario cohort (OR 2.02, 95% CI 1.42–2.88), although some attenuation occurred in NSW (weighted OR 1.50, 95% CI 0.77–2.94) and upon restriction to social security beneficiaries (weighted OR 1.24, 95% CI 0.64–2.40), and confidence intervals were wide.

Conclusions

We observed higher rates of outcomes among exposed pregnancies, but the attenuation of associations after adjustment and likelihood of residual confounding suggests psychostimulant exposure is not a major causal factor for most measured outcomes. Our findings for pre-eclampsia were inconclusive; exposed pregnancies may benefit from closer monitoring.
20 New Insights on Data Integration and Artificial Intelligence to Predict Primiparous Lactation Curves Capturing Genotype-by-Environment Interactions
Authors: Zhang Fan , Weigel Kent , Cabrera Victor E
Published: September 2022

We are developing a Dairy Brain by applying precision dairy farming, big data analytics, artificial intelligence, and the internet of things with the aim to accomplish a near real-time, data-integrated, data-driven, continuous decision-making engine through which management decisions can be better informed by integrated data streams to improve the economics of the farm and to positively benefit the individual animal and the overall farm through descriptive, predictive, and prescriptive analytics. Within this general concept, we have developed a machine learning hybrid K-medoids, random forest and support vector regression (K-R-S) approach for predicting the lactation curves of individual primiparous cows within a targeted environment using monthly milk production data from their dams and paternal siblings for 6,400 calves born in Wisconsin farms in year 2016. Our K-R-S hybrid approach outperformed the mean of paternal siblings in predicting first lactation test-day milk yield of primiparous cows 74.2% of the predictions. The algorithm has the ability to predict all data points required to construct primiparous cows’ full lactation curves even before they have started their productive life. Our approach allows the genotype-by-environment interactions to be portrayed in the prediction algorithm. Our current model uses only test-day (monthly) production data, but the artificial intelligence architecture is prepared to accommodate more frequent farm records (e.g., daily milk records from milking parlor) or other phenotype measures such as reproductive or health parameters for better characterization of the animals and their production environment towards improved prediction accuracy. We envision the prediction architecture will serve as an engine of farm-specific continuous prediction relaying on a constant flux of integrated data from different farm data sources following the Dairy Brain notion of data integration, analytics, and decision making.
65 The Role of Livestock as up-Cyclers of Food by-Products and Waste
Authors: Ominski Kim , McAllister Tim A , Stanford Kim , Mengistu Genet , Gunte Kebebe E , Marcos Marcos , Wittenberg Karin , Omonijo Faith , White Jaime , Legesse Getahun
Published: September 2022

Food waste is a global dilemma with environmental, social and economic consequences. Environmental impacts of wasted food are substantial as it comprises the single largest category of organic matter in municipal landfills. Therefore, redirection of food waste from landfills is necessary to improve global food security and environmental sustainability issues. Livestock, with their capacity to “up-cycle” relatively low-quality feedstuffs into high quality protein, are an essential element of this solution. However, challenges regarding utilization of food waste for livestock production include regulatory restrictions, safety concerns and logistics associated with collection, transport and handling. Moreover, identifying industries with significant loss and waste resources along the supply chain, quantifying availability, and effective communication and coordination are necessary steps for large-scale diversion of food loss and waste to livestock feed. In Canada, Loop Resources is a one-of-a-kind organization that enables food wholesalers, retailers, and producers to divert unsaleable food away from landfill to local food banks and livestock farmers. They are working with retailers to divert 2.5 – 3.5 million kg of food waste/month to over 2500 farms across Canada. However, today’s diversity of by-products and urban setting for much of our food waste requires a diversity of solutions. Producer and processor incentives to recover more food will require investment to improve infrastructure and create market opportunities. Research to facilitate safe incorporation of food waste in animal feed is also a critical step toward changes in policy and regulation. In addition, comprehensive LCA-type assessments will shed light on the environmental benefits of replacing feed grains or forages with by-products or food waste. Finally, a coordinated approach requiring input from producers, food processors, feed suppliers, researchers, policy makers and retailers, is critical for the development of successful strategies for inclusion of food loss and waste in livestock diets.
148 Effect of Increasing Sodium Sulfate in Water on Intake on Ruminal Fermentation and the in Vitro Effect of Bismuth Subsalicylate on gas Production and NDF Digestibility
Authors: Evans Mikaela G , Ribeiro Gabriel O , Henry Darren H , Johnson Jordan A , Campbell John R , Waldner Cheryl , Penner Gregory B
Published: September 2022

This study evaluated in vivo effects of increasing sulfate concentrations of drinking water on dry matter intake (DMI), water intake, ruminal fermentation, and apparent total-tract digestibility, and in vitro effects of water sulfate and bismuth subsalicylate (BSS) dose. Eight ruminal-cannulated beef heifers (382 ± 45 kg) were stratified into two complete and one incomplete 3×3 Latin squares with 28 d periods. Water contained 341 ± 29 (LS), 2,785 ± 71 (MS), or 4,948 ± 163 mg/L (HS) sulfate. Feed and water intake, ruminal fermentation, and nutrient digestibility were evaluated. Ruminal gas samples were collected every 4 h on d 27 to analyze hydrogen sulfide (H2S) concentration. At the end of each period, digesta collected from heifers in the complete Latin squares were used for in vitro incubation to evaluate water sulfate and BSS dose (0.0, 0.2, 0.4, and 0.6% dry matter). Water intake was 7 L/d greater (P < 0.01) for HS than LS, while MS did not differ. Water sulfate did not affect DMI, but total sulfur intake increased with increasing water sulfate concentration (P < 0.01). Heifers drinking MS and HS had greater ruminal H2S for 10.5 h after water provision and HS continued to be greater for another 4 h relative to LS (sulfate hour, P < 0.01). Ruminal SCFA concentration, molar proportions of major acids, and nutrient digestibility were not affected (P≥0.19). There were no interactions between water sulfate and BSS in vitro. In vitro H2S production (µg/48 h) increased with increasing sulfate concentration (P < 0.01) and was reduced (P=0.05) by BSS inclusion. Neutral detergent fiber digestibility was not affected by sulfate or BSS. Increasing water sulfate concentrations did not negatively affect water or feed intake but did increase H2S concentration and production in vivo and in vitro, respectively. Bismuth subsalicylate may be a potential strategy to reduce H2S production.
173 The North American Bison Management System: Reintroduction of a Species with Ecological, Economic, and Cultural Roles in a Changing Climate
Authors: Martin Jeff M , Cammack Kristi M
Published: September 2022

Bison (Bison bison) restoration has profound implications for ecological, economic and cultural domains, especially restoration into their former historic ranges. Climate change and climate variability, however, threaten sustainable restoration progress. The historic range of bison centered on the prairies of the Great Plains but spanned from Alaska to Mexico and from the Pacific coast to Florida and Pennsylvania, land which is now primarily privately held. Today, 63% of the 184,000 privately owned bison are located in the northern Great Plains, with 12,000 additional bison in the public sector, and 20,000 additional bison in each of the non-profit NGO and Tribal sectors. This multi-sectoral production-conservation system is referred to as the bison management system (BMS) and all sectors are intricately and economically linked through the production market and the cross-transferal of surplus animals. Bison are native ecological keystone species in native prairies and help to restore ecosystems. Their innate wallowing behavior produces shallow bare-soil depressions which create habitat for many other prairie-inhabiting species. Because bison create these wallows by excavating, urinating, and rolling, they also open the seed bank and concentrate nutrient inputs, and in turn increase plant biodiversity in the immediately adjacent landscape. Economically, the bison market has grown over the past 20 years, with bison market returns 1.5–3.3 times that of cattle. Finally, bison repopulation on Tribal lands increases food sovereignty, enhances economic stability, and revitalizes cultural connections to Tribal lands. The newly established Center of Excellence for Bison Studies at South Dakota State University aims to advance research, education, and outreach that address issues associated with each the ecological, economic, and cultural domains throughout the BMS, and is especially focused on restoration challenges associated with climate change and climate variability in conservation and production settings.