bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Spread of antimicrobial resistance genes via pig manure from organic and conventional farms in the presence or absence of antibiotic use
Authors: Bassitta Rupert , Nottensteiner Annika , Bauer Johann , Straubinger Reinhard K. , Hölzel Christina S.
Published: July 2022

Aims

Antibiotic-resistant bacteria affect human and animal health. Hence, their environmental spread represents a potential hazard for mankind. Livestock farming is suspected to be a key factor for spreading antibiotic resistance; consumers expect organic farming to imply less environmental health risk. This study aimed to assess the role of manure from organic and conventional farms for spreading antimicrobial resistance (AMR) genes.

Methods and Results

AMR-genes—namely tet(A), tet(B), tet(M), sul2 and qacE/qacEΔ1 (potentially associated with multiresistance) were quantified by qPCR. Antimicrobial use during the study period was qualitatively assessed from official records in a binary mode (yes/no). Median concentrations were between 6.44 log copy-equivalents/g for tet(A) and 7.85 for tet(M) in organic liquid manure, and between 7.48 for tet(A) and 8.3 for sul2 in organic farmyard manure. In conventional manure, median concentrations were 6.67 log copy-equivalents/g for sul2, 6.89 for tet(A), 6.77 for tet(B) and 8.36 for tet(M). Integron-associated qac-genes reached median concentrations of 7.06 log copy-equivalents/g in organic liquid manure, 7.13 in conventional manure and 8.18 in organic farmyard manure. The use of tetracyclines or sulfonamides increased concentrations of tet(A) and tet(M), or of sul2, respectively. Comparing farms that did not apply tetracyclines during the study, the relative abundance of tet(A) and tet(M) was still higher for conventional piggeries than for organic ones.

Conclusions

Relative abundances of AMR genes were higher in conventional farms, compared to organic ones. Antibiotic use was linked to the relative abundance of AMR-genes. However, due to the bacterial load, absolute concentrations of AMR-genes were comparable between fertilizers of organic and conventional farms.

Significance and Impact of Study

To our knowledge, this is the first absolute quantification of AMR-genes in manure from organic farms. Our study underlines the importance of long-term reduction in the use of antimicrobial agents in order to minimize antibiotic resistance.
Implementing supplier integration practices to improve performance: The contingency effects of supply base concentration
Authors: Molinaro Margherita , Danese Pamela , Romano Pietro , Swink Morgan
Published: July 2022

Companies are recently facing increasing supply chain disruptions that may influence their supply base design choices. However, studies investigating how these choices affect the effectiveness of other supplier management practices, such as supplier integration, are scarce. The aim of this paper is to explore the impact of various types of supplier integration on the buyer's efficiency and innovation, as well as the contingency effects of supply base concentration, an important supply base design choice. Drawing upon Social Exchange Theory, we argue that the expected benefits of supplier integration activities to efficiency and innovation are strengthened by supply base concentration. We test our hypotheses using data collected from 324 manufacturing plants. Hierarchical regression results reveal that some supplier integration types improve performance only under higher levels of supply base concentration, while the effects of other supplier integration types vary according to the type of performance considered or are not significant at all. In addition, the results suggest that developing technologies to share information with suppliers may be counterproductive in driving efficiency. Besides enriching the supplier integration literature, this research offers guidance for managers who wish to improve efficiency and innovation, while also considering the pros and cons of supply base concentration.
Uncovering Power Dynamics: Feeling Rules in European Policy‐making
Authors: Sanchez Salgado Rosa
Published: July 2022

While feeling rules have been found to be highly relevant in social research and international relations, little is known about their role in European policy‐making. This article explores how emotions have been understood by Commission and Council officials and by Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) across policy areas over a long time period (1999–2014). Qualitative content analysis reveals the existence of feeling rules and that the appropriateness of emotions has been contested. Many policy‐makers, placing emotions in opposition to rationality, have claimed that policy‐making should be devoid of emotions, especially in policy areas such as public health, energy, and the environment. In contrast, in policy areas such as foreign policy and home affairs, emotions are often considered to be appropriate. This article also reflects on the role of feeling rules in constraining and enabling the policy process, uncovering subtle power dynamics. Data analysed include the European Parliament (EP) database (1999–2014) and the EUSpeech database (2007–2015).
“Normal” childhood in the lives of financially struggling white daughters and mothers
Authors: Grant Annaliese
Published: July 2022

Objective

This study identifies the ways low‐income white daughters negotiate normative childhood when describing their responsibilities while growing up.

Background

Though family scholars have long theorized the power of family norms, we know little about the ways children navigate those norms. Using insights from scholarship about social class, whiteness, and childhood, this study explores the ways whiteness, classed experiences, and family life intersect in daughters' and mothers' lives.

Method

This study uses 40 in‐depth retrospective interviews with financially struggling white mothers and adult daughters to understand how daughters and mothers negotiate classed, aged, gendered, and racialized norms about childhood responsibilities.

Results

A majority of daughters hold major family care responsibilities at some point in their childhood, caring for siblings, parents, and themselves for long stretches of time. Though daughters explain why their responsibilities make sense given their classed circumstance, most daughters come to explain their own family work around some version of a “normal” childhood that they do not explicitly tie to class. Mothers may explicitly class the norm more, but also come to express agency and guilt over their daughters' responsibilities.

Conclusion

This work reveals how class, childhood, whiteness, and gender intersect in the lives of financially struggling white mothers and daughters, and shows how family difference becomes coded language for classed experiences.
Daily fluctuations in social status, self‐esteem, and clinically relevant emotions: Testing hierometer theory and social rank theory at a within‐person level
Authors: Mahadevan Nikhila , Gregg Aiden P. , Sedikides Constantine
Published: July 2022

Introduction

Grounded in hierometer theory and social rank theory, this research examined how within‐person fluctuations in social status relate to within‐person fluctuations in self‐esteem and several clinically relevant emotions. Both hierometer theory and social rank theory postulate that particular psychological mechanisms help individuals to navigate social hierarchies adaptively. However, hierometer theory emphasizes self‐esteem, whereas social rank theory emphasizes emotions—specifically, depression, anxiety, and shame.

Methods

We conducted a 10‐day diary study and analyzed the data using multilevel modeling. Participants (N = 345) completed daily measures of their social status, self‐esteem, depression, anxiety, shame, and guilt.

Results

On days when their status was higher, participants reported higher self‐esteem and lower depression, anxiety, and shame. On days when their self‐esteem was higher, participants reported lower depression, anxiety, and shame. These patterns persisted after controlling for baseline individual differences. Furthermore, multilevel mediation analyses indicated that daily self‐esteem mediated the links between daily status, and, individually, daily depression, anxiety, and shame, but not guilt.

Conclusions

Supporting hierometer theory and social rank theory, self‐esteem, and the clinically relevant emotions (except for guilt) appear to serve a status‐tracking function. Self‐esteem plays a more primary role, accounting for the link between status and depression, anxiety, and shame.
Social change at the local level: A psychobiography of Khali Sweeney from Detroit's downtown boxing gym
Authors: Case Amanda S. , Aguiñiga Sergio Maldonado , Hoxsey Abigail
Published: July 2022

Objective

This psychobiography analyzes the life of Khali Sweeney from Detroit's Downtown Boxing Gym to understand his motivation for and methods as a social change agent. In doing so, the project also considers how to prepare the next generation of youth development leaders as social change agents.

Method

We conducted a nine‐step psychobiography based on recommendations from established psychobiographical methods. Using a team‐based, thematic analysis approach we analyzed contextual, first‐, second‐, and third‐ person data from the perspective of Phenomenological Variant of Ecological Systems Theory (PVEST).

Results

Results suggest Khali is an effective social change agent due to five interrelated factors. Analyzing Khali's life through the lens of PVEST also revealed his experiences resulted in two realizations central to him becoming a social change agent: the people and services that are supposed to serve youth at times do not, and; individuals like him can step up to meet youth needs.

Conclusions

Results point to several important lessons related to transformational leadership theory that can enable YDP leaders to serve as social change agents.
Unveiling biogeographical patterns in the worldwide distributed Ceratitis capitata (medfly) using population genomics and microbiome composition
Authors: Arias María Belén , Hartle‐Mougiou Katherine , Taboada Sergi , Vogler Alfried P. , Riesgo Ana , Elfekih Samia
Published: July 2022

Invasive species are among the most important, growing threats to food security and agricultural systems. The Mediterranean medfly, Ceratitis capitata, is one of the most damaging representatives of a group of rapidly expanding species in the family Tephritidae, due to their wide host range and high invasiveness potential. Here, we used restriction site‐associated DNA sequencing (RADseq) to investigate the population genomic structure and phylogeographical history of medflies collected from six sampling sites, including Africa (South Africa), the Mediterranean (Spain, Greece), Latin America (Guatemala, Brazil) and Australia. A total of 1907 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were used to identify two genetic clusters separating native and introduced ranges, consistent with previous findings. In the introduced range, all individuals were assigned to one genetic cluster except for those in Brazil, which showed introgression of an additional genetic cluster that also appeared in South Africa, and which could not be previously identified using microsatellite markers. Moreover, we assessed the microbial composition variations in medfly populations from selected sampling sites using amplicon sequencing of the 16S ribosomal RNA (V4 region). Microbiome composition and structure were highly similar across geographical regions and host plants, and only the Brazilian specimens showed increased diversity levels and a unique composition of its microbiome compared to other sampling sites. The unique SNP patterns and microbiome features in the Brazilian specimens could point to a direct migration route from Africa with subsequent adaptation of the microbiota to the specific conditions present in Brazil. These findings significantly improve our understanding of the evolutionary history of the global medfly invasions and their adaptation to newly colonized environments.
Morphological and odorant‐binding protein 1 gene intron 1 sequence variations inAnopheles stephensifrom Jaffna city in northern Sri Lanka
Authors: Surendran Sinnathamby N. , Kesavan Laxshi , Jayadas Tibutius T. P. , Sivabalakrishnan Kokila , Tharsan Annathurai , Liyanagedara Nimasha , Eswaramohan Thampoe , Raveendran Selvarajah , Singh Om P. , Ramasamy Ranjan
Published: July 2022

ThreeAnopheles stephensibiotypes have historically been differentiated through variations in the mode numbers of egg ridges and adult spiracular indices.Anopheles stephensiodorant‐binding protein 1 gene (AsteObp1) sequences in Iran and Afghanistan have been recently interpreted to suggest that the three biotypes are sibling species.AsteObp1intron 1 sequences, mode numbers of egg ridges and spiracular indices ofAn. stephensiin Jaffna city in Sri Lanka were therefore investigated in field‐collected mosquitoes and short‐term laboratory colonies established from them. AsteObp1intron 1 sequences revealed the region to be polymorphic with four unique sequences, ASJF1–4, present in both short‐term laboratory colonies and field‐collectedAn. stephensi. The spiracular index did not relate to the mode number of egg ridges in JaffnaAn. stephensi. The results suggested that numbers of egg ridges, spiracular indices andAsteObp1intron 1 sequences were not useful for differentiatingAn. stephensibiotypes in Jaffna. It is proposed that the observed differences betweenAn. stephensimosquitoes in Jaffna now result from normal population variance in the context of rapidly changing bionomics in India and northern Sri Lanka.
The genomic landscape of dysembryoplastic neuroepithelial tumours and a comprehensive analysis of recurrent cases
Authors: Pagès Mélanie , Debily Marie‐Anne , Fina Frédéric , Jones David T. W. , Saffroy Raphael , Castel David , Blauwblomme Thomas , Métais Alice , Bourgeois Marie , Lechapt‐Zalcman Emmanuèle , Tauziède‐Espariat Arnault , Andreiuolo Felipe , Chrétien Fabrice , Grill Jacques , Boddaert Nathalie , Figarella‐Branger Dominique , Beroukhim Rameen , Varlet Pascale
Published: July 2022

Aims

Dysembryoplastic neuroepithelial tumour (DNT) is a glioneuronal tumour that is challenging to diagnose, with a wide spectrum of histological features. Three histopathological patterns have been described: specific DNTs (both the simple form and the complex form) comprising the specific glioneuronal element, and also the non‐specific/diffuse form which lacks it, and has unclear phenotype–genotype correlations with numerous differential diagnoses.

Methods

We used targeted methods (immunohistochemistry, fluorescence in situ hybridisation and targeted sequencing) and large‐scale genomic methodologies including DNA methylation profiling to perform an integrative analysis to better characterise a large retrospective cohort of 82 DNTs, enriched for tumours that showed progression on imaging.

Results

We confirmed that specific DNTs are characterised by a single driver event with a high frequency of FGFR1 variants. However, a subset of DNA methylation‐confirmed DNTs harbour alternative genomic alterations to FGFR1 duplication/mutation. We also demonstrated that a subset of DNTs sharing the same FGFR1 alterations can show in situ progression. In contrast to the specific forms, “non‐specific/diffuse DNTs” corresponded to a heterogeneous molecular group encompassing diverse, newly‐described, molecularly distinct entities.

Conclusions

Specific DNT is a homogeneous group of tumours sharing characteristics of paediatric low‐grade gliomas: a quiet genome with a recurrent genomic alteration in the RAS‐MAPK signalling pathway, a distinct DNA methylation profile and a good prognosis but showing progression in some cases. The “non‐specific/diffuse DNTs” subgroup encompasses various recently described histomolecular entities, such as PLNTY and diffuse astrocytoma, MYB or MYBL1 altered.
The Arabidopsis WRR4A and WRR4B paralogous NLR proteins both confer recognition of multiple Albugo candida effectors
Authors: Redkar Amey , Cevik Volkan , Bailey Kate , Zhao He , Kim Dae Sung , Zou Zhou , Furzer Oliver J. , Fairhead Sebastian , Borhan M. Hossein , Holub Eric B. , Jones Jonathan D. G.
Published: July 2022

The oomycete Albugo candida causes white blister rust, an important disease of Brassica crops. Distinct races of A. candida are defined by their capacity to infect different host plant species. Each A. candida race encodes secreted proteins with a CX2CX5G (‘CCG’) motif that are polymorphic and show presence/absence variation, and are therefore candidate effectors.

The White Rust Resistance 4 (WRR4) locus in Arabidopsis thaliana accession Col‐0 contains three genes that encode intracellular nucleotide‐binding domain leucine‐rich repeat immune receptors. The Col‐0 alleles of WRR4A and WRR4B confer resistance to multiple A. candida races, although both WRR4A and WRR4B can be overcome by the Col‐0‐virulent race 4 isolate AcEx1.

Comparison of CCG candidate effectors in avirulent and virulent races, and transient co‐expression of CCG effectors from four A. candida races in Nicotiana sp. or A. thaliana, revealed CCG effectors that trigger WRR4A‐ or WRR4B‐dependent hypersensitive responses.

We found eight WRR4A‐recognised CCGs and four WRR4B‐recognised CCGs, the first recognised proteins from A. candida for which the cognate immune receptors in A. thaliana are known. This multiple recognition capacity potentially explains the broad‐spectrum resistance to several A. candida races conferred by WRR4 paralogues. We further show that of five tested CCGs, three confer enhanced disease susceptibility when expressed in planta, consistent with A. candida CCG proteins being effectors.
COVID‐19, obesity, and immune response 2 years after the pandemic: A timeline of scientific advances
Authors: Belchior‐Bezerra Mayara , Lima Rafael Silva , Medeiros Nayara I. , Gomes Juliana A. S.
Published: July 2022

In the 2 years since the COVID‐19 pandemic was officially declared, science has made considerable strides in understanding the disease's pathophysiology, pharmacological treatments, immune response, and vaccination, but there is still much room for further advances, especially in comprehending its relationship with obesity. Science has not yet described the mechanisms that explain how obesity is directly associated with a poor prognosis. This paper gathers all published studies over the past 2 years that have described immune response, obesity, and COVID‐19, a historical and chronological record for researchers and the general public alike. In summary, these studies describe how the cytokine/adipokine levels and inflammatory markers, such as the C‐reactive protein, are associated with a higher body mass index in COVID‐19‐positive patients, suggesting that the inflammatory background and immune dysregulation in individuals with obesity may be expressed in the results and that adiposity may influence the immune response. The timeline presented here is a compilation of the results of 2 years of scientific inquiry, describing how the science has progressed, the principal findings, and the challenges ahead regarding SARS‐CoV‐2, COVID‐19, and emerging variants, especially in patients with obesity.
High‐quality ice plant reference genome analysis provides insights into genome evolution and allows exploration of genes involved in the transition from C3 to CAM pathways
Authors: Shen Shaoqin , Li Nan , Wang Yujie , Zhou Rong , Sun Pengchuan , Lin Hao , Chen Wei , Yu Tong , Liu Zhuo , Wang Zhiyuan , Tan Xiao , Zhu Changping , Feng Shuyan , Zhang Yu , Song Xiaoming
Published: July 2022

Ice plant (Mesembryanthemum crystallinum), a member of the Aizoaceae family, is a typical halophyte crop and a model plant for studying the mechanism of transition from C3 photosynthesis to crassulacean acid metabolism (CAM). Here, we report a high‐quality chromosome‐level ice plant genome sequence. This 98.05% genome sequence is anchored to nine chromosomes, with a total length of 377.97 Mb and an N50 scaffold of 40.45 Mb. Almost half of the genome (48.04%) is composed of repetitive sequences, and 24 234 genes have been annotated. Subsequent to the ancient whole‐genome triplication (WGT) that occurred in eudicots, there has been no recent whole‐genome duplication (WGD) or WGT in ice plants. However, we detected a novel WGT event that occurred in the same order in Simmondsia chinensis, which was previously overlooked. Our findings revealed that ice plants have undergone chromosome rearrangements and gene removal during evolution. Combined with transcriptome and comparative genomic data and expression verification, we identified several key genes involved in the CAM pathway and constructed a comprehensive network. As the first genome of the Aizoaceae family to be released, this report will provide a rich data resource for comparative and functional genomic studies of Aizoaceae, especially for studies on salt tolerance and C3‐to‐CAM transitions to improve crop yield and resistance.
Photosynthetic, Biochemical and Secondary Metabolite Changes in a Medicinal Plant Chlorophytum borivillianum (Safed musli) against Low and High Doses of UV‐B Radiation
Authors: Jaiswal Deepanshi , Pandey Avantika , Agrawal Madhoolika , Agrawal Shashi Bhushan
Published: July 2022

Plants are inevitably grown in presence of sunlight, therefore bound to be exposed to natural UV‐B radiation. Several studies have already been conducted with UV‐B and medicinal plants and only few studies showed dose dependent variation. The present study aims to find out the variations and adaptation in Chlorophytum borivillianum under two different doses of UV‐B radiation; ambient + low (3.2 kJm−2 d−1) and high (7.2 kJm−2 d−1) UV‐B dose, denoted as LD and HD, respectively. Reduction in photosynthetic rate was higher at HD, while plants receiving LD displayed nonsignificant variation. During vegetative and reproductive stage, significant reduction (P ≤ 0.001) in stomatal conductance was obtained when exposed to HD‐eUV‐B. Fv/Fm showed more reductions in HD‐eUV‐B (12.6%) followed by LD‐eUV‐B (7.9%). Low and high doses of UV‐B enhanced the anthocyanin content but the increase was significant in HD, indicates epidermal protection strategy by the plants. Under LD‐eUV‐B, the content of saponin, a major phytochemical constituent was enhanced by 26%. Phytochemical analysis of roots revealed reduction mostly in fatty acid components whereas the steroidal components (stigmasterol and sarsasapogenin) showed enhancement in response to LD. The study suggests the importance of LD‐eUV‐B in the stimulation of medicinal compounds in C. borivillianum.
ELISA‐based evaluation of antibody response to Leishmania in a region endemic for cutaneous leishmaniasis
Authors: Piyasiri Sachee Bhanu , Samaranayake Thisum Nilakshi , Silva Hermali , Manamperi Nuwani Harshamali , Karunaweera Nadira Darshani
Published: July 2022

Leishmaniasis includes several clinical forms. While routine diagnosis of cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) is by microscopy, an antibody response to CL has been reported in several recent studies. This study evaluated anti‐leishmanial immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibody responses as a biomarker of active leishmaniasis and a measure of exposure to Leishmania. Sera from 50 untreated CL patients, 140 patients under treatment and 280 healthy individuals residing in endemic regions collected as part of an epidemiological survey, was analysed with an enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay established in‐house using receiver operator characteristic curve at optimized cut‐off value. The assay showed high performance as a diagnostic tool in identifying exposure in endemic individuals (sensitivity: 98%, specificity: 90.3%). All patients showed lower antibody levels over time since onset of lesion/s. Antibody levels were higher (p ˂ .01) and persisted for a longer period in untreated patients. In patients under treatment, the level of anti‐IgG antibodies was negatively correlated with the total duration the patient had been on treatment. The anti‐leishmanial IgG response in Leishmania donovani‐induced CL is transient and is unlikely to confer protective immunity. Optimized serological assays may be useful in endemic settings for diagnosis and monitoring the treatment response in CL.
Phylogenetics and evolution of wheat streak mosaic virus: Its global origin and the source of the Australian epidemic
Authors: Jones Roger A. C. , Vazquez‐Iglesias Ines , Hajizadeh Mohammad , McGreig Samuel , Fox Adrian , Gibbs Adrian J.
Published: July 2022

Wheat streak mosaic tritimovirus (WSMV) seriously damages wheat worldwide. We report analyses of new complete ORF (CO) sequences from seven Australian isolates with 56 COs and 128 coat protein (CP) genes sequenced previously. Eleven CO and three CP sequences were recombinants so were removed from our analyses. Patristic distances of maximum‐likelihood phylogenies of nonrecombinant (n‐rec) CO sequences and their CP sequences were closely correlated (R = 0.994, p ≤ 0.00001). The phylogeny of all 188 n‐rec CP genes had four well‐supported phylogroups (I–IV): phylogroup I (one Mexican sequence), phylogroup II (six Iranian sequences), phylogroup III (48 sequences) and phylogroup IV (133 sequences), each with basal Iranian sequences and either mostly European (phylogroup III) or mostly American (phylogroup IV) terminal sequences. Australian and South American sequences formed a phylogroup IV subcluster within a Pacific Northwest USA cluster. Unlike the Iranian, South American and European populations, the North American and Australian populations demonstrated recent population imbalance. Sample collection dates of 40 CO sequences are known, allowing WSMV phylogeny dating by RTDT methodology. The most recent WSMV ancestor was dated at 1456 CE, and the Australian cluster at 1998.7 CE, only 2–3 years before WSMV was first reported. Tritimoviruses originated in central Eurasia, WSMV first entering wheat in its Middle East domestication centre and one basal lineage being taken to Mexico after the Spanish conquest, whereas the other most basal lineage spread throughout Iran, before spreading to other world regions. Probable future spread to other world regions of additional WSMV phylogroups, and of interphylogroup recombinants, constitutes a biosecurity concern.
Sandstone body character and river planform styles of the lower Eocene Willwood Formation, Bighorn Basin, Wyoming, USA
Authors: Wang Youwei , Baars Timothy F. , Sahoo Hiranya , Storms Joep E. A. , Martinius Allard W. , Gingerich Philip , Abels Hemmo A.
Published: July 2022

The lower Eocene Willwood Formation of the Bighorn Basin, Wyoming, USA, is an alluvial succession with a sand content varying around 25%. It has been studied intensively for palaeontology, palaeoenvironments and palaeoclimates, as well as sedimentological and stratigraphic analysis. Channel dynamics were studied at a relatively low resolution throughout the basin over the geological time from late Palaeocene to early Eocene. Here, a high‐resolution study is reported to complement previous research at the basin scale. Efforts are made to document the characteristics and river planform styles of most sandstone bodies encountered through ca 300 m of alluvial stratigraphy in a 10 km2 area of the Deer Creek part of the McCullough Peaks area situated in the basin axis of northern Bighorn Basin. Four channel facies associations are recognized and ascribed to four river planform styles: crevasse channel, trunk channel, braided‐like channel and sinuous‐like channel, with the latter two types dominant. Braided‐like and sinuous‐like channel sandstone bodies differ significantly in thicknesses, being on average 6.1 m versus 9.0 m, but they have similar palaeoflow–perpendicular widths of on average 231 m and palaeoflow directions of on average N 003°. Braided‐like and sinuous‐like river planform styles show no spatial dependency in the 10 km2 study area. Results of this study are in line with existing basin‐scale depositional models that are composed of a single axial system fed by several transverse systems dominantly from the west. The feeding of these systems could be influenced by palaeoclimate changes possibly controlling their contribution over time, thereby impacting river planform styles. At the same time, changing water discharge hydrograph, sediment load and overbank cohesiveness may have equally driven the observed river planform style changes within the basin without a major role of catchments.
We don't remember the O‐Platz protest camp for the sake of it. Collective memories and visibility of migrant activism in Berlin
Authors: Perolini Marco
Published: July 2022

The activists opposing border regimes in Berlin still vividly remember the migrant protest camp on Oranienplatz (O‐Platz), a square in the neighborhood of Kreuzberg, a decade after its establishment in 2012. For them, the protest camp is the ideal type of mobilization against border regimes; the opportunity for racialized migrants to engage in politics and formulate grievances based on their own experiences of border regimes. O‐Platz is remembered as a visible migrant grassroots protest in the backdrop of a history of invisibility of migrant struggles in Germany. In contrast, activists frame their mobilization after O‐Platz as invisible and fragmented, despite the emergence of new networks and alliances, which, however, are not led by migrant activists. Collective memory bridges different movement phases and emphasizes the importance of visibility achieved by collective action centered around the experiences of subaltern groups, specifically racialized migrants with precarious legal status. I argue that memory work is crucial for countering the invisibility and erasure of grassroots migrant struggles in Germany. Memory work has an aspirational function as it transforms characteristics of past mobilization into aspirations for the present, especially in a phase where new players emerge, and the role of grassroots migrant activism seems fading.
Implementation of national blood conservation recommendations at an adult sickle cell center
Authors: Jones Jennifer M. , Swett Ariel D. , Crowe Elizabeth P. , Lawrence Courtney , Bloch Evan M. , Lanzkron Sophie M.
Published: July 2022

Background

Due to the national blood supply crisis caused by the COVID‐19 pandemic, the American Society of Hematology proposed guidance to decrease blood utilization for sickle cell patients on chronic transfusion therapy (CTT). Little evidence exists to support the efficacy and safety of these blood conservation strategies.

Study Design and Methods

Through retrospective analysis, we sought to describe outcomes following implementation of these recommendations in 58 adult sickle cell patients on chronic exchange transfusions. The strategies employed included: relaxing the goal fraction of cells remaining (FCR) to 30%–50%, utilizing depletion exchanges in select patients, and transitioning select patients to monthly simple transfusions. We compared hemoglobin S%, hemoglobin values, and other laboratory parameters, acute care visits, and red blood cell usage during the first year of the COVID‐19 pandemic to the year prior using Wilcoxon signed rank test.

Results

Of 53 patients who remained on chronic exchanges during the pandemic, use of depletion exchange increased (15%–23%) and FCR increased (34.9 [SD 4.7] vs. 37.6 [SD 4.5], p < .05). These changes resulted in 854 units conserved without clinically significant changes to pre‐exchange laboratory parameters, including hemoglobin S%, or number of acute care presentations. In contrast, five patients who transitioned to predominantly simple transfusions, experienced difficulty maintaining hemoglobin S% less than 30 and worsening anemia.

Discussion

Our data suggest that in a blood shortage crisis, optimizing the exchange procedure itself may be the safest means of conserving blood in a population of adult patients with sickle cell disease.
La percepción de los pueblos indígenas amazónicos sobre los derechos humanos y la ley
Authors: Fonseca-Ortiz Tania Lucia , Sierra-Zamora Paola Alexandra , Bermúdez-Tapia Manuel , Seminario-Hurtado Nuccia
Published: July 2022

La evaluación cultural y jurídica de los derechos humanos parte de una perspectiva que ha sido calificada como universal y progresiva, pero esta visión no necesariamente resulta válida cuando se evalúa la perspectiva normativa y jurídica que han desarrollado las comunidades amazónicas en Sudamérica, especialmente porque estas no han logrado materializar el mismo contenido conceptual de valores como la justicia, derechos y obligaciones. Surge, por tanto, una necesaria evaluación de esta dualidad de perspectivas porque se puede generar una visión incongruente con los postulados más básicos que tienen los derechos humanos.
Endothelial Responses to Curvature-Induced Flow Patterns in Engineered Cerebral Aneurysms
Authors: Mandrycky Christian J. , Abel Ashley N. , Levy Samuel , Marsh Laurel M. , Chassagne Fanette , Chivukula Venkat K. , Barczay Sari E. , Kelly Cory M. , Kim Louis J. , Aliseda Alberto , Levitt Michael R. , Zheng Ying
Published: July 2022

Hemodynamic factors have long been associated with clinical outcomes in the treatment of cerebral aneurysms. Computational studies of cerebral aneurysm hemodynamics have provided valuable estimates of the mechanical environment experienced by the endothelium in both the parent vessel and aneurysmal dome walls and have correlated them with disease state. These computational-clinical studies have recently been correlated with the response of endothelial cells (EC) using either idealized or patient-specific models. Here, we present a robust workflow for generating anatomic-scale aneurysm models, establishing luminal cultures of ECs at physiological relevant flow profiles, and comparing EC responses to curvature mediated flow. We show that flow patterns induced by parent vessel curvature produce changes in wall shear stress (WSS) and wall shear stress gradients (WSSG) that are correlated with differences in cell morphology and cellular protein localization. Cells in higher WSS regions align better with the flow and display strong Notch1-extracellular domain (ECD) polarization, while, under low WSS, differences in WSSG due to curvature change were associated with less alignment and attenuation of Notch1-ECD polarization in ECs of the corresponding regions. These proof-of-concept results highlight the use of engineered cellularized aneurysm models for connecting computational fluid dynamics to the underlying endothelial biology that mediates disease.
Influences of Partial Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injury on Anterior Cruciate Ligament Tensional Force and Kinematic Stability During Walking
Authors: Koo Young-Jun , Seon Jong Keun , Lee Giuk , Koo Seungbum
Published: July 2022

Injuries in the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), including partial tear and lengthening of the ACL, change the dynamic function of the knee. However, there is a lack of information on the effect of ACL partial tear on knee kinematics during walking. This study aimed to investigate the effects of different levels of ACL injuries on knee stability and ACL tensional force to identify the critical injury level. Motion data of five normal subjects were acquired along with the ground reaction force. A knee model with 14 ligaments was developed using cadaveric specimen data. The initial length and stiffness of the ACL were changed to develop ACL-injured knee models. Musculoskeletal simulations of the knee models were performed using the measured gait data. The average tibial anterior translation increased significantly by 2.6 ± 0.7 mm when the ACL stiffness decreased to 25% of its original stiffness. The average tibial anterior translation increased significantly by 2.6 ± 0.3 mm at an increase in initial length of 10%. The knee with partial ACL tear had a nonlinear decrease in ACL forces owing to the increase in the level of ACL injury, while the knee with ACL lengthening had linear decreased ACL forces. The partial tear of the ACL caused translational instability, while the complete tear caused both rotational and translational instabilities during the musculoskeletal walking simulation. This study presents the effects of partial ACL injuries on joint kinematics and ACL tensional force during the dynamic motion of walking.
Probing the Influence of Hybrid Thread Design on Biomechanical Response of Dental Implants: Finite Element Study and Experimental Validation
Authors: Chakraborty Arindam , Sahare Kalash Darshan , Datta Pallab , Majumder Santanu , Roychowdhury Amit , Basu Bikramjit
Published: July 2022

This study aimed to perform quantitative biomechanical analysis for probing the effect of varying thread shapes in an implant for improved primary stability in prosthodontics surgery. Dental implants were designed with square (SQR), buttress (BUT), and triangular (TRI) thread shapes or their combinations. Cone-beam computed tomography images of mandible molar zones in human subjects belonging to three age groups were used for virtual implantation of the designed implants, to quantify patient-specific peri-implant bone microstrain, using finite element analyses. The in silico analyses were carried out considering frictional contact to simulate immediate loading with a static masticatory force of 200 N. To validate computational biomechanics results, compression tests were performed on three-dimensional printed implants having the investigated thread architectures. Bone/implant contact areas were also quantitatively assessed. It was observed that, bone/implant contact was maximum for SQR implants followed by BUT and TRI implants. For all the cases, peak microstrain was recorded in the cervical cortical bone. The combination of different thread shapes in the middle or in the apical part (or both) was demonstrated to improve peri-implant microstrain, particularly for BUT and TRI. Considering 1500–2000 microstrain generates in the peri-implant bone during regular physiological functioning, BUT-SQR, BUT-TRI-SQR, TRI-SQR-BUT, SQR, and SQR-BUT-TRI design concepts were suitable for younger; BUT-TRI-SQR, BUT-SQR-TRI, TRI-SQR-BUT, SQR-BUT, SQR-TRI for middle-aged, and BUT-TRI-SQR, BUT-SQR-TRI, TRI-BUT-SQR, SQR, and SQR-TRI for the older group of human patients.
A Novel Low-Cost Three-Dimensional Printed Brace Design Method for Early Onset Scoliosis
Authors: Li Hongwei , Yang Zhangkai , Li Dichen , Qiao Feng
Published: July 2022

Early onset scoliosis (EOS) is a type of spine deformity that presents before 10 years of age. The biomechanical properties in scoliosis have been found to be different, especially in the case of the concave and convex paravertebral muscles. Based on this fact, a novel three-dimensional (3D) printed patient-specific asymmetric stiffness brace design method is proposed in this paper, aiming to provide asymmetric stiffness to match “imbalanced” biomechanical properties of the concave and convex paravertebral muscles, respectively, and treat EOS by applying the block-structure brace. A 3D computer aided design draft model of the brace contour was implemented from 3D scanning. The asymmetric stiffness block-structure brace was designed in Rhinoceros and the finite element (FE) model was imported into abaqus. FE simulation was employed to study the mechanical characteristics of the brace, which provided a quantitative index for the imbalanced property of brace stiffness. The results of the FE simulation showed that the stiffnesses of the concave and convex sides were 145.88 N/mm and 35.95 N/mm, respectively. The block-structure brace was fabricated using 3D printing. Asymmetric stiffness was evaluated by corrective force measurements, which were obtained from a thin-film pressure sensor equipped on the brace. The patient-specific asymmetric stiffness brace was applied to clinical practice in a one-year-old EOS patient. A novel low-cost 3D printed brace design method for EOS was proposed in this study that could potentially be useful in patient treatment acceptance.
Design, Improvement and Evaluation of a Novel In Situ Implanted Bionic Artificial Anal Sphincter
Authors: Wang Lichao , Yan Guozheng , Han Ding , Liu Dasheng , Hua Fangfang , Wu Tong
Published: July 2022

Artificial anal sphincter has gradually become an emerging means of treating anal incontinence. However, most of the systems cannot be implanted in the human body for a long time due to insufficient reliability. Therefore, this paper has designed and improved a novel bionic artificial anal sphincter (BAAS). In order to make it work reliably for a long time, we first optimized and improved key parts to increase their strength. Given the humid working environment in the body, we optimized the design of the waterproof pressure sensor and carried out experimental research on the sealing of the circuit board and the overall sealing. When evaluating the improved system, I used simulation to analyze the structural strength and motion characteristics of the BAAS and used underwater experiments to simulate the human environment to evaluate the waterproofness of the system. The results showed that the strength of the key joint increased by 49.4%, the average clamping time and opening time of the prosthesis were 14.5 s and 13.4 s, respectively, and the angular velocity of the pendulum rod approaching the intestine was about 4.5 deg/s, which was in line with the normal defecation process of the human body. The performance is stable and reliable in the 20-day underwater body fluid simulation experiment. BAAS basically meets the application needs of long-term implantation in the treatment of fecal incontinence.
The audiogram: Detection of pure-tone stimuli in ototoxicity monitoring and assessments of investigational medicines for the inner ear
Authors: Le Prell Colleen G. , Brewer Carmen C. , Campbell Kathleen C. M.
Published: July 2022

Pure-tone thresholds have long served as a gold standard for evaluating hearing sensitivity and documenting hearing changes related to medical treatments, toxic or otherwise hazardous exposures, ear disease, genetic disorders involving the ear, and deficits that develop during aging. Although the use of pure-tone audiometry is basic and standard, interpretation of thresholds obtained at multiple frequencies in both ears over multiple visits can be complex. Significant additional complexity is introduced when audiometric tests are performed within ototoxicity monitoring programs to determine if hearing loss occurs as an adverse reaction to an investigational medication and during the design and conduct of clinical trials for new otoprotective agents for noise and drug-induced hearing loss. Clinical trials using gene therapy or stem cell therapy approaches are emerging as well with audiometric outcome selection further complicated by safety issues associated with biological therapies. This review addresses factors that must be considered, including test-retest variability, significant threshold change definitions, use of ototoxicity grading scales, interpretation of early warning signals, measurement of notching in noise-induced hearing loss, and application of age-based normative data to interpretation of pure-tone thresholds. Specific guidance for clinical trial protocols that will assure rigorous methodological approaches and interpretable audiometric data are provided.
The acoustical effect of the neck frill of the frill-necked lizard (Chlamydosaurus kingii)
Authors: Peacock John , Benson Monica A. , Greene Nathaniel T. , Tollin Daniel J. , Young Bruce A.
Published: July 2022

Animals localise sound by making use of acoustical cues resulting from space and frequency dependent filtering of sound by the head and body. Sound arrives at each ear at different times, with different intensities, and with varying spectral content, all of which are affected by the animal's head and the relative sound source position. Location cues in mammals benefit from structures (pinnae) that modify these cues and provide information that helps resolve the cone of confusion and provide cues to sound source elevation. Animals without pinnae must rely on other mechanisms to solve localisation problems. Most non-mammals lack pinna-like structures, but some possess other anatomical features that could influence hearing. One such animal is the frill-necked lizard (Chlamydosaurus kingii). The species' elaborate neck frill has been speculated to act as an aid to hearing, but no acoustical measurements have been reported. In this study, we characterise the frill's influence on the acoustical information available to the animal. Results suggest that the change in binaural cues is not sufficiently large to impact localisation behavior within the species' likely audiometric range; however, the frill does increase gain for sounds directly in front of the animal similar to a directional microphone.
A limit on the evolutionary rescue of an Antarctic bacterium from rising temperatures
Authors: Toll-Riera Macarena , Olombrada Miriam , Castro-Giner Francesc , Wagner Andreas
Published: July 2022

Climate change is gradual, but it can also cause brief extreme heat waves that can exceed the upper thermal limit of any one organism. To study the evolutionary potential of upper thermal tolerance, we evolved the cold-adapted Antarctic bacteriumPseudoalteromonas haloplanktisto survive at 30°C, beyond its ancestral thermal limit. This high-temperature adaptation occurred rapidly and in multiple populations. It involved genomic changes that occurred in a highly parallel fashion and mitigated the effects of protein misfolding. However, it also confronted a physiological limit, because populations failed to grow beyond 30°C. Our experiments aimed to facilitate evolutionary rescue by using a small organism with large populations living at temperatures several degrees below their upper thermal limit. Larger organisms with smaller populations and living at temperatures closer to their upper thermal tolerances are even more likely to go extinct during extreme heat waves.
Programmed shape-morphing into complex target shapes using architected dielectric elastomer actuators
Authors: Hajiesmaili Ehsan , Larson Natalie M. , Lewis Jennifer A. , Clarke David R.
Published: July 2022

Dielectric elastomer actuators (DEAs) are among the fastest and most energy-efficient, shape-morphing materials. To date, their shapes have been controlled using patterned electrodes or stiffening elements. While their actuated shapes can be analyzed for prescribed configurations of electrodes or stiffening elements (the forward problem), the design of DEAs that morph into target shapes (the inverse problem) has not been fully addressed. Here, we report a simple analytical solution for the inverse design and fabrication of programmable shape-morphing DEAs. To realize the target shape, two mechanisms are combined to locally control the actuation magnitude and direction by patterning the number of local active layers and stiff rings of varying shapes, respectively. Our combined design and fabrication strategy enables the creation of complex DEA architectures that shape-morph into simple target shapes, for instance, those with zero, positive, and negative Gaussian curvatures as well as complex shapes, such as a face.