bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The regulatory network for petal anthocyanin pigmentation is shaped by the MYB5a/NEGAN transcription factor in Mimulus
Authors: Zheng Xingyu , Om Kuenzang , Stanton Kimmy A , Thomas Daniel , Cheng Philip A , Eggert Allison , Simmons Emily , Yuan Yao-Wu , Conradi Smith Gregory D , Puzey Joshua R , Cooley Arielle M
Published: January 2021

Much of the visual diversity of angiosperms is due to the frequent evolution of novel pigmentation patterns in flowers. The gene network responsible for anthocyanin pigmentation, in particular, has become a model for investigating how genetic changes give rise to phenotypic innovation. In the monkeyflower genus Mimulus, an evolutionarily recent gain of petal lobe anthocyanin pigmentation in M. luteus var. variegatus was previously mapped to genomic region pla2. Here, we use sequence and expression analysis, followed by transgenic manipulation of gene expression, to identify MYB5a—orthologous to the NEGAN transcriptional activator from M. lewisii—as the gene responsible for the transition to anthocyanin-pigmented petals in M. l. variegatus. In other monkeyflower taxa, MYB5a/NEGAN is part of a reaction-diffusion network that produces semi-repeating spotting patterns, such as the array of spots in the nectar guides of both M. lewisii and M. guttatus. Its co-option for the evolution of an apparently non-patterned trait—the solid petal lobe pigmentation of M. l. variegatus—illustrates how reaction-diffusion can contribute to evolutionary novelty in non-obvious ways. Transcriptome sequencing of a MYB5a RNAi line of M. l. variegatus reveals that this genetically simple change, which we hypothesize to be a regulatory mutation in cis to MYB5a, has cascading effects on gene expression, not only on the enzyme-encoding genes traditionally thought of as the targets of MYB5a but also on all of its known partners in the anthocyanin regulatory network.
Psychological Pathways Linking Parent–Child Relationships to Objective and Subjective Sleep Among Older Adults
Authors: Wang Haowei , Kim Kyungmin , Burr Jeffrey A , Wu Bei
Published: January 2021

Objectives

This study investigated whether older adults with better relationships with their adult children have better subjective and objective sleep quality than older adults with less-positive relationships with their children. We also examined whether depressive symptoms and loneliness mediated the association between parent–child relationships and sleep among older adults.

Methods

Data were used from the second wave of the National Social life, Health, and Aging Project, in which 548 respondents (aged 62–90) participated in the sleep survey to measure their actigraph sleep activity for three consecutive days. Respondents also reported sleep quality (i.e., sleep duration and insomnia symptoms), contact frequency, and emotional closeness with their children.

Results

Results from structural equation modeling showed that greater emotional closeness with children was directly associated with better objective sleep characteristics (i.e., sleep fragmentation and amount of sleep). Also, more frequent contact with children was directly related to fewer insomnia symptoms among older adults. Moreover, emotional closeness with children was indirectly linked to insomnia symptoms via depressive symptoms among older adults.

Discussion

This study provided evidence for psychological pathways linking parent–child relationships and older parents’ subjective sleep. The findings have implications for health professionals and family counselors who help people with sleep problems and relationship difficulties.
Functional Limitations, Social Integration, and Daily Activities in Late Life
Authors: Fingerman Karen L , Ng Yee To , Huo Meng , Birditt Kira S , Charles Susan T , Zarit Steven
Published: January 2021

Objectives

Disability in late life has been associated with increases in receiving care and loss of autonomy. The Disablement Process Model suggests that physical impairments lead to functional limitations that contribute to disabilities in managing household, job, or other demands. Yet, we know surprisingly little about how functional limitations are related to activities throughout the day among community-dwelling adults or the possible moderating role of social integration on these associations.

Methods

Community-dwelling adults (N = 313) aged 65 and older completed a baseline interview assessing their functional limitations, social ties, and background characteristics. Over 5–6 days, they answered questions about daily activities and encounters with social partners every 3 h on handheld Android devices.

Results

Multilevel logistic models revealed that functional limitations are associated with an increased likelihood of activities associated with poor health (e.g., TV watching, medical appointments) and reduced likelihood of social activities, or physical activities, chores, or leaving the home. Most moderation analyses were not significant; family and friends did not mitigate associations between functional limitations and daily activities, with the exception of medical appointments. Individuals with functional limitations were more likely to attend medical appointments when with their social partners than when alone.

Discussion

This study provided a modest indication that functional limitations in community-dwelling older adults are associated with patterns of activity that may lead to further limitations, disability, or loss of autonomy. Findings warrant longitudinal follow-up to establish subsequent patterns of decline or stability.
A Typical Week With Mild Cognitive Impairment
Authors: Renn Brenna N , Wool Jenny L , Belza Basia
Published: January 2021

Background and Objectives

Identifying the experience of people with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) may help develop research agendas, interventions, and other supports to better match individuals’ needs. The purpose of this study was to explore the subjective experience of a “typical week” living with MCI to document (a) important activities, (b) barriers to usual activities, and (c) facilitators and supports.

Research Design and Methods

We conducted remote individual photo-elicitation interviews with 11 community-dwelling adults aged 55 years or older with MCI. Participants each provided 5–10 photographs of daily life taken over 1 week to facilitate a semistructured qualitative interview. Interview transcriptions were coded in Dedoose software and analyzed using thematic analysis.

Results

Participants shared photos and narratives highlighting the important activities in a typical week, in which physical activity, social engagement, spiritual and religious practice, hobbies, and cognitive stimulation were central. Many also shared disruptions to former routines and reduction of activities alongside increased use of new strategies and environmental supports (e.g., calendars, smartphones). Finally, emergent themes centered on disclosure of their diagnosis and reflections about the future.

Discussion and Implications

Participant-generated images aided data collection and facilitated discussion of sensitive topics with individuals with MCI. Such narratives may illustrate the needs and opportunities to promote well-being in individuals with MCI, including engagement in meaningful and health-promoting activities, assessing barriers to important daily activities, and considering supports that match the experience and needs of those with MCI.
An ecological response to ethno-nationalistic populism: grassroots environmental peacebuilding in south Asia
Authors: Huda Mirza Sadaqat
Published: January 2021

The geopolitical and geophysical realities of south Asia create a deep sense of paradox. On the one hand, territorial disputes and hyper-nationalism have resulted in some of the most militarized borders in the world. South Asia's international boundaries are subject to a range of conflicts, which includes high-level armed confrontations between India and Pakistan and low-level, yet deadly, incidents at the India–Bangladesh border. On the other hand, the region's ecology is inherently interlinked through shared rivers, glaciers and forests. South Asia's borders therefore present unique opportunities for environmental peacebuilding, as they are the epicentre of political conflicts as well as the source of transnational ecological connections. This article argues that grassroots processes of environmental peacebuilding can be used to build societal resistance to the rise of ethno-nationalistic populism in south Asia. Using interview data, the article tests concepts on pathways to environmental peacebuilding against underlying drivers of regional conflicts. The study suggests ways by which grassroots environmental initiatives on the Sundarbans forest between India and Bangladesh and the Thar desert between India and Pakistan can address the contemporary rise in nativist politics. The article contributes to existing literature by connecting theories on pathways to environmental peacebuilding to the ideational drivers of territorial and political conflicts. It adds to policy discussions by suggesting an ecological response to the contemporary rise of ethno-nationalistic populism in various regions of the world.
The past and future(s) of environmental peacebuilding
Authors: Ide Tobias , Bruch Carl , Carius Alexander , Conca Ken , Dabelko Geoffrey D , Matthew Richard , Weinthal Erika
Published: January 2021

Environmental peacebuilding is a rapidly growing field of research and practice at the intersection of environment, conflict, peace and security. Focusing on these linkages is crucial in a time when the environment is a core issue of international politics and the number of armed conflicts remains high. This article introduces a special issue with a particular emphasis on environmental opportunities for building and sustaining peace. We first detail the definitions, theoretical assumptions and intellectual background of environmental peacebuilding. The article then provides context for the special issue by briefly reviewing core findings and debates of the first two generations of environmental peacebuilding research. Finally, we identify knowledge gaps that should be addressed in the next generation of research, and to which the articles in this special issue contribute: bottom-up approaches, gender, conflict-sensitive programming, use of big data and frontier technology, and monitoring and evaluation.
Climate change and conflict in the Sahel: the acacia gum tree as a tool for environmental peacebuilding
Authors: Kalilou Ousseyni
Published: January 2021

Environmental stress contributes to food insecurity, poverty, forced migration and violent conflict in the Sahel, with climate change aggravating the situation. The production of gum arabic from the acacia tree increasingly aligns with the community stakeholders’ efforts to promote climate change mitigation, adaptation and resilience. Based on expert interviews and field observations in Niger, and a reading of relevant documents, I found that gum arabic production is valuable for conflict mitigation because it helps tackle the root causes of violent conflicts. The acacia gum tree is a natural soil fixer and multinational companies have coveted the resin from the tree, which is a rising commodity and a promising source of revenue for the local inhabitants. As different communities work together and cooperate with outside actors (government agencies, international partners, NGOs and businesses), the opportunities to build social cohesion around the tree increase. By facilitating ecological improvement, social inclusion and poverty alleviation, the promotion of gum arabic production, despite other issues such as bad natural resource governance, is a critical environmental peacebuilding strategy. Hence, suitable funding of massive afforestation with the acacia tree fits with community-based natural climate solutions to global humanitarian issues by protecting and restoring the local environment.
Formalization as a tool for environmental peacebuilding? Artisanal and small-scale mining in Liberia and Sierra Leone
Authors: Ankenbrand Christina , Welter Abrina , Engwicht Nina
Published: January 2021

Artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) has long been a vital source of livelihoods for rural populations in the global South. Yet, it has also been linked to a host of social, political and environmental adversities, including violent conflict. As environmental peacebuilding increasingly stresses the importance of livelihood improvement as a means of fostering peace in conflict-affected extractive societies, ASM formalization has been identified as a solution to mitigate the sector's challenges, thereby addressing underlying causes of conflict. This article critically investigates the contribution of ASM formalization to sustainable peace by focusing on its impact on the livelihood dimension of peacebuilding. It analyses the livelihood impact of three formalization interventions in the diamond sectors of two countries: cooperatives in Liberia, and, in Sierra Leone, ethical sourcing schemes and a community-based natural resource management initiative. In line with calls for a paradigm shift from a narrow legalization-centred understanding of formalization to a broader approach that accounts for livelihood quality, the analysis presented here focuses on interventions that were informed by the ideal of improving the well-being of ASM workers and communities. We propose three pathways through which ASM formalization could potentially contribute to livelihood enhancement: income security, working conditions and community benefits. Based on fieldwork, this article highlights the challenges of generating livelihood improvements through formalization. Even when specifically designed to address the needs of ASM communities, during implementation, they risk prioritizing a narrow conceptualization of formalization and thus failing to become a conductor of transformative change.
E. H. Carr, Chatham House and Nationalism
Authors: Cox Michael
Published: January 2021

A great deal has been written about the intellectual sources of E. H. Carr's most famous book in International Relations, The twenty years’ crisis, published on the eve of the Second World War. However, very little attention has been paid to the contribution which Chatham House made to the book after having appointed Carr to chair a study group on ‘Nationalism’ in 1936. The volume which appeared three years later was not the most scintillating of studies, bearing as it did all the hallmarks of having been composed by a committee whose members held sharply differing views. On the other hand, the deep research that went into the volume (published in 1939 under the somewhat unimaginative title of Nationalism) contributed in significant ways—as Carr himself confessed at the time—to informing his ideas about the critical role played by nationalism and the nation-state in the crisis of the inter-war system. As this review essay shows, Carr's long journey towards rethinking world order began in Paris in 1919, as he grappled with the problem posed by nationalism in central and eastern Europe; continued through the 1930s with further work on the subject; and reached a resolution in his own work with the appearance of The twenty years’ crisis, followed in 1945 with the publication of his best-selling volume, Nationalism and after.
Real-time intraoperative co-registration of transesophageal echocardiography with fluoroscopy facilitates transcatheter mitral valve-in-valve implantation in cases of invisible degenerated bioprosthetic valves
Authors: Wamala Isaac , Unbehaun Axel , Klein Christoph , Kukucka Marian , Eggert-Doktor Dirk , Buz Semih , Stein Julia , Sündermann Simon , Falk Volkmar , Kempfert Jörg
Published: January 2021

OBJECTIVES

Transcatheter mitral valve-in-valve (TMViV) implantation is an alternative treatment to surgery for high-risk patients with degenerated bioprosthetic mitral valves. Some types of bioprostheses are fluoroscopically translucent, resulting in an ‘invisible’ target deployment area. In this study, we describe the feasibility and outcomes of this procedure using intraoperative fusion of transoesophageal echocardiography (TEE) and live fluoroscopy to facilitate valve deployment in cases of invisible bioprosthetic valves.

METHODS

We reviewed all TMViV implantations at our centre from July 2014 to July 2019. Patient, procedure and outcome details were compared between those with a visible bioprosthesis (N = 22) to those with an invisible one (N = 12). Intra-operative TEE and live Fluoroscopy co-registration were used for real-time guidance for all invisible targets.

RESULTS

All valve implantations were completed successfully in both groups without cardiovascular injury, valve migration or left ventricular outflow-tract obstruction. Technical success was 100% in both groups. One-year survival was 83% [95% confidence interval (CI) 70–96] for the entire cohort, with 79% (95% CI 63–100) survival for the visible group and 92% (95% CI 77–100) for the invisible group. Probability of 1-year survival free from mitral valve reintervention, significant valve dysfunction, stroke or myocardial infraction was 78% (95% CI 63–93) for all patients whereby the probability was 72% (95% CI 54–97) in the visible group and 80% (95% CI 59–100) for the invisible group.

CONCLUSIONS

The use of intraoperative TEE and live fluoroscopy image fusion facilitates accurate TMViV among patients with a fluoroscopically invisible target-landing zone.
Does erector spinae plane block result in improved postoperative analgesia and enhanced recovery in adult patients after cardiac surgery?
Authors: Misra Satyajeet , Awal Shikha
Published: January 2021

A best evidence topic in cardiac surgery was written according to a structured protocol. The question addressed was whether erector spinae plane block (ESPB) resulted in improved postoperative analgesia and enhanced recovery in adult cardiac surgical patients. A total of 333 papers were found using the reported search of which, 7 papers represented the best evidence to answer the clinical question. The authors, journal, date and country of publication, patient groups studied, study type, relevant outcomes and results of these papers are tabulated. The cardiac surgical procedures included off-pump coronary artery bypass surgery (1 study), mitral/tricuspid valve repair (1 study), robotic minimally invasive coronary artery bypass surgery (1 study) and other cardiac surgeries (4 studies). ESPB was compared to intravenous analgesia (5 studies), thoracic epidural analgesia (1 study) and serratus anterior plane block and paravertebral block (1 study). With ESPB, there was significant improvement in postoperative pain scores (4 studies), decreased opioid requirement/rescue analgesia (3 studies), increased duration of analgesia (1 study), decreased time to extubation (3 studies), less increase in postoperative Troponin T (1 study), earlier ambulation (2 studies), earlier oral intake (1 study), earlier chest drain removal (1 study), better patient satisfaction (1 study), reduced adverse events (1 study) and decreased intensive care unit stay (3 studies). We conclude that ESPB may be associated with improved postoperative analgesia and enhanced recovery after adult cardiac surgery based on the available evidence. However, there is a need for better quality randomized controlled trials to consolidate these findings.
Internal thoracic artery graft ipsilateral to the arteriovenous fistula in haemodialysis patients
Authors: Hachiro Kohei , Kinoshita Takeshi , Suzuki Tomoaki , Asai Tohru
Published: January 2021

OBJECTIVES

The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of in situ internal thoracic artery (ITA) grafting ipsilateral to the arteriovenous fistula (AVF) on postoperative outcomes in haemodialysis patients undergoing isolated coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG).

METHODS

We reviewed 132 haemodialysis patients who underwent isolated CABG between January 2002 and December 2019. With a difference between the left and right upper arms blood pressure measurement of ≥20 mmHg, we did not use the ITA on the lower value side. We categorized patients into 55 patients (41.7%, ipsilateral group) whose left anterior descending artery was revascularized using the in situ ITA ipsilateral to the AVF, and 77 patients (58.3%, contralateral group) whose left anterior descending artery was revascularized using the ITA opposite the AVF. We compared patients’ postoperative outcomes after adjusting for their backgrounds using weighted logistic regression analysis and inverse probability of treatment weighting.

RESULTS

No patients developed coronary steal postoperatively, and there was no significant difference in 30-day mortality between the groups (P = 0.353). The adjusted 5-year estimated rates of freedom from all-cause and cardiac death in the ipsilateral vs contralateral groups were 52.3% vs 54.0% and 78.2% vs 88.6%, respectively; survival curves were not statistically significantly different (P = 0.762 and P = 0.229, respectively).

CONCLUSIONS

In situ ITA grafting ipsilateral to the AVF was not associated with postoperative early and mid-term worse outcomes in haemodialysis patients undergoing isolated CABG.
Challenges and Opportunities in the Use of High and Maximum Biocontainment Facilities in Developing and Licensing Risk Group 3 and Risk Group 4 Agent Veterinary Vaccines
Authors: Brake David A , Kuhn Jens H , Marsh Glenn A , Beer Martin , Fine Joshua B
Published: January 2021

New solutions are necessary for the singular global health security threat formed by endemic, epidemic, and emerging/re-emerging zoonoses, coupled with epizootic and enzootic transboundary animal diseases (TADs). This One Health issue is related to the daily interactions between wildlife, domesticated and indigenous livestock, and humans primarily associated with global trade, transboundary co-movement of humans and diverse livestock/livestock products, and agriculture production intensification and penetration into previously uninhabited areas. The World Health Organization defines Risk Group 3 (RG-3) and RG-4 pathogens as mainly viruses but also bacteria that serve as the foundation for approximately 60% of emerging infectious diseases that are zoonoses. The World Organisation for Animal Health defines trade-notifiable TADs, and subsets of these are zoonotic. Livestock vaccination policies mainly focus on TADs that are promulgated by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization and government agriculture agencies. The development, licensure, and product manufacturing of next-generation molecular-based RG-3 and RG-4 veterinary vaccines largely ignored by the global animal health biopharmaceutical sector can have an important positive impact on food security and One Health. There have been sharp increases in the global demand for livestock meat and milk products, especially in low- and middle-income countries in Africa and Asia. This relatively recent market driver—coupled with scientific advances in human EID and zoonotic disease vaccine platform technologies and increases in the number of high (US biosafety level 3 agriculture) and maximum (US animal biosafety level 4) biocontainment facilities with supporting workforce capabilities—offers new investment opportunities to the animal health biopharmaceutical sector. Moreover, a growing number of One Health public-private partnerships have moved the net present value calculus in favor of the financial feasibility of RG-3 and RG-4 veterinary vaccine product development and licensure. This article highlights the challenges and opportunities in the use of high and maximum biocontainment facilities in developing and licensing RG-3 and RG-4 veterinary vaccines that are safe and effective against epizootic and enzootic TADs and zoonotic diseases.
Novel in vitro microfluidic platform for osteocyte mechanotransduction studies
Authors: Xu Liangcheng , Song Xin , Carroll Gwennyth , You Lidan
Published: January 2021

Osteocytes are the major mechanosensing cells in bone remodeling. Current in vitro bone mechanotransduction research use macroscale devices such as flow chambers; however, in vitro microfluidic devices provide an optimal tool to better understand this biological process with its flexible design, physiologically relevant dimensions and high-throughput capabilities. This project aims to design and fabricate a multi-shear stress, co-culture platform to study the interaction between osteocytes and other bone cells under varying flow conditions. Standard microfluidic design utilizing changing geometric parameters is used to induce different flow rates that are directly proportional to the levels of shear stress, with devices fabricated from standard polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS)-based softlithography processes. Each osteocyte channel (OCY) is connected to an adjacent osteoclast channel (OC) by 20-μm perfusion channels for cellular signaling molecule transport. Significant differences in RANKL levels are observed between channels with different shear stress levels, and we observed that pre-osteoclast differentiation was directly affected by adjacent flow-stimulated osteocytes. Significant decrease in the number of differentiating osteoclasts is observed in the OC channel adjacent to the 2-Pa shear stress OCY channel, while differentiation adjacent to the 0.5-Pa shear stress OCY channel is unaffected compared with no-flow controls. Addition of zoledronic acid showed a significant decrease in osteoclast differentiation, compounding to effect instigated by increasing fluid shear stress. Using this platform, we are able to mimic the interaction between osteocytes and osteoclasts in vitro under physiologically relevant bone interstitial fluid flow shear stress. Our novel microfluidic co-culture platform provides an optimal tool for bone cell mechanistic studies and provides a platform for the discovery of potential drug targets for clinical treatments of bone-related diseases.
Cefazolin versus ceftriaxone as definitive treatment forKlebsiella pneumoniaebacteraemia: a retrospective multicentre study in Singapore
Authors: Lee I Russel , Thein Tun-Linn , Ang Li Wei , Ding Ying , Lim Jonathan J , Bok Chwee Fang , Mukherjee Shilpa , Titin Christina , Kalimuddin Shirin , Archuleta Sophia , Lye David C
Published: January 2021

Background

Ceftriaxone is the preferred treatment for bacteraemia caused by non-MDR (antibiotic-susceptible) Klebsiella pneumoniae. Excessive and widespread ceftriaxone use creates selection pressure for ESBLs. Cefazolin is an alternative, although there are theoretical concerns that SHV-1 β-lactamase in K. pneumoniae may inactivate cefazolin in an inoculum-dependent manner.

Objectives

In this retrospective study, we investigated the outcomes in K. pneumoniae bacteraemia patients treated with IV cefazolin versus IV ceftriaxone as definitive therapy.

Methods

A total of 917 patients infected with K. pneumoniae from 1 January to 31 December 2016 in three public acute care hospitals in Singapore were screened for study eligibility. Consecutive unique episodes of monomicrobial bacteraemia caused by cefazolin- and/or ceftriaxone-susceptible K. pneumoniae were analysed (n = 284).

Results

There were 143 patients (50.4%) in the cefazolin group and 141 patients (49.6%) in the ceftriaxone group. Demographics, baseline illness severity and risk factors for healthcare-associated bacteraemia were comparable in the two treatment groups. The primary outcome of 28 day all-cause mortality was not significantly different between the cefazolin and ceftriaxone groups (10.5% versus 7.1%, P = 0.403). Both in the crude analysis and using a multivariable logistic regression model with inverse probability weighting based on propensity score, cefazolin treatment was not associated with increased risk of 28 day mortality (OR 1.51 with ceftriaxone as the reference group, 95% CI 0.67–3.53; adjusted OR 1.55, 95% CI 0.33–7.40).

Conclusions

Cefazolin may be a ceftriaxone-sparing alternative treatment for antibiotic-susceptible K. pneumoniae bacteraemia. This observation may provide sufficient clinical equipoise for a randomized controlled trial.
Point prevalence survey of antibiotic consumption across three hospitals in Ghana
Authors: Amponsah Obed Kwabena Offe , Buabeng Kwame Ohene , Owusu-Ofori Alex , Ayisi-Boateng Nana Kwame , Hämeen-Anttila Katri , Enlund Hannes
Published: January 2021

Background

Actionable data on antimicrobial use is important when planning strategic interventions such as antimicrobial stewardship to address the challenge of drug resistance, particularly in resource-constrained settings.

Objectives

To assess the prevalence of antibiotic use, the pattern of commonly used antibiotics and patient factors that may be associated with the increased use of antibiotics in the study hospitals.

Methods

This was a cross-sectional study conducted using the WHO Methodology for Point Prevalence Surveys in hospitals. Chi-squared analysis, Fisher’s exact test and logistic regression were employed to analyse statistically the data obtained.

Results

The overall prevalence of antibiotic use in the hospitals was 60.5%. The commonest indications for antibiotic recommendations were community-acquired infections (36.5%), surgical prophylaxis (26.1%) and hospital-acquired infections (15.7%), among others. Very few (2.7%) of the patients had their samples taken for culture and susceptibility testing to guide therapy. Penicillins (48.7%), cephalosporins (23.5%) and fluoroquinolones (17.4%) were the most commonly prescribed antibiotics. Concurrent malaria infection [adjusted OR (AOR) 0.33, 95% CI 0.11–0.94, P = 0.04] and increasing age (AOR 0.98, 95% CI 0.96–1.00, P = 0.02) were associated with lower risk of antibiotic use.

Conclusions

The prevalence of antibiotic consumption in the hospitals was lower than that reported in similar studies in Ghana, but high relative to some reports from high-income countries. Most antibiotic therapy was empirical and not guided by culture and susceptibility testing. There is the need for application of the WHO AWaRe classification for the selection of antibiotics and increased use of culture and susceptibility data to guide infectious disease therapy.
Plant Resistance in Some Modern Soybean Varieties May Favor Population Growth and Modify the Stylet Penetration ofBemisia tabaci(Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae)
Authors: Almeida Mauricélia F , Tavares Clébson S , Araújo Euires O , Picanço Marcelo C , Oliveira Eugênio E , Pereira Eliseu José G
Published: January 2021

Complaints of severe damage by whiteflies in soybean fields containing genetically engineered (GE) varieties led us to investigate the role of transgenic soybean varieties expressing resistance to some insects (Cry1Ac Bt toxin) and to herbicide (glyphosate) on the population growth and feeding behavior of Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius) MEAM1 (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae). In the laboratory, the whiteflies reared on the GE Bt soybeans had a net reproductive rate (R0) 100% higher and intrinsic rate of population increase (rm) 15% higher than those reared on non-GE soybeans. The increased demographic performance was associated with a higher lifetime fecundity. In electrical penetration graphs, the whiteflies reared on the GE soybeans had fewer probes and spent 50% less time before reaching the phloem phase from the beginning of the first successful probe, indicating a higher risk of transmission of whitefly-borne viruses. Data from Neotropical fields showed a higher population density of B. tabaci on two soybean varieties expressing glyphosate resistance and Cry1Ac Bt toxin. These results indicate that some GE soybean varieties expressing insect and herbicide resistances can be more susceptible to whiteflies than non-GE ones or those only expressing herbicide resistance. Most likely, these differences are related to varietal features that increase host-plant susceptibility to whiteflies. Appropriate pest management may be needed to deal with whiteflies in soybean fields, especially in warm regions, and breeders may want to consider the issue when developing new soybean varieties.
Sealed and concealed: the uses of Hans Sloane’s collection of ‘Vegetable Substances’
Authors: Pickering Victoria R M
Published: January 2021

Between the late seventeenth and mid-eighteenth centuries, the physician Hans Sloane (1660–1753) formed a botanical collection, which he termed the ‘Vegetable Substances’. It comprised over 12,500 specimens and corresponding catalogue descriptions. These bits of plants were sealed into small glass boxes so that viewers could examine them closely without damaging them. While Sloane never described the use of this collection, it formed part of his method of understanding and ordering the world around him. This method included writing descriptions of plant specimens that acknowledged their context: the people who collected them, where they came from and their local uses. This paper also suggests a more fluid concept of use by examining the uses of the plants in the collection in terms of medicine and gardening.
Variation and potential influence factors of foliar pH in land-water ecozones of three small plateau lakes
Authors: Liu Sining , An Shenqun , Yan Zhengbing , Ren Junpeng , Lu Xiaoqian , Ge Feiyang , Han Wenxuan
Published: January 2021

Aims

Foliar pH of terrestrial plants, a trait tightly associated with plant physiology and nutrient utilization, varies with plant functional types (PFTs) and environmental changes. However, it is yet unclear about the variation in foliar pH of aquatic plants, and the difference between aquatic and terrestrial plants.

Methods

Foliar pH, leaf carbon, nitrogen content of plants along the lakeshore zones and the environmental conditions (water or soil pH, water status) of the corresponding vegetation of three small plateau lakes were investigated, to determine the variation and potential influence factors of foliar pH at both PFT and community levels.

Important Findings

Foliar pH varied largely among aquatic plants, and across aquatic, helophytic and terrestrial plants. Floating-leaved macrophytes had more acidic foliage (pH = 4.21 ± 0.05) than emergent (5.71 ± 0.07) and submerged macrophytes (5.82 ± 0.06). Foliar pH of aquatic herbs (5.43 ± 0.10) was lower than that of helophytic (6.12 ± 0.07) and terrestrial herbs (5.74 ± 0.05). Terrestrial herbs had significantly higher foliar pH than woody plants. The variation in foliar pH across PFTs may be mainly ascribed to leaf structure, light utilization and nutrient characteristics. Consistent with the pattern on PFT level, aquatic communities had more acidic foliage than terrestrial communities, which was mainly shaped by species composition, water status and environmental pH. This study documented the first-time foliar pH of aquatic plants, and comparison of foliar pH among various plant types at a landscape scale. Our results provide bases for further exploration of the underlying mechanism and its ecological significance for wetland ecosystems.
Helminth infections in the US military: from strongyloidiasis to schistosomiasis
Authors: R Lindrose Alyssa , Mitra Indrani , Fraser Jamie , Mitre Edward , Hickey Patrick W
Published: January 2021

Background

Helminth infections caused by parasitic worms, including nematodes (roundworms), cestodes (tapeworms) and trematodes (flukes), can cause chronic symptoms and serious clinical outcomes if left untreated. The US military frequently conducts activities in helminth-endemic regions, particularly Africa, the Middle East and Southeast Asia. However, the military does not currently screen for these infections, and to date, no comprehensive surveillance studies have been completed to assess the frequency of helminth diagnoses in the military personnel and their families.

Methods

To determine the burden of helminth infections in the US Military Health System (MHS), we conducted a retrospective analysis of International Classification of Diseases (ICD)-9/10 diagnosis codes from all medical encounters in the MHS Data Repository (MDR) from fiscal years (FY) 2012 to 2018. Chart reviews were conducted to assign ICD diagnoses as incorrect, suspected, probable or confirmed based on the laboratory results and symptoms.

Results

Abstraction of MHS data revealed over 50 000 helminth diagnoses between FY 2012 and FY 2018. Of these, 38 445 of diagnoses were amongst unique subjects. After chart review, we found there were 34 425 validated helminth infections diagnosed amongst the unique subjects of US military personnel, retirees and dependents. Nearly 4000 of these cases represented infections other than enterobiasis. There were 351 validated strongyloidiasis diagnoses, 317 schistosomiasis diagnoses and 191 diagnoses of cysticercosis during the study period. Incidence of intestinal nematode infection diagnoses showed an upward trend, whilst the incidence of cestode infection diagnoses decreased.

Conclusions

The results of this study demonstrate that helminth infections capable of causing severe morbidity are often diagnosed in the US military. As helminth infections are often asymptomatic or go undiagnosed, the true burden of helminth infections in US military personnel and dependents may be higher than observed here. Prospective studies of US military personnel deployed to helminth-endemic areas may be indicated to determine if post-deployment screening and/or empirical treatment are warranted.
A new distance to the Brick, the dense molecular cloud G0.253+0.016
Authors: Zoccali M , Valenti E , Surot F , Gonzalez O A , Renzini A , Valenzuela Navarro A
Published: January 2021

We analyse the near-infrared colour–magnitude diagram of a field including the giant molecular cloud G0.253+0.016 (a.k.a. The Brick) observed at high spatial resolution, with HAWK-I@VLT. The distribution of red clump stars in a line of sight crossing the cloud, compared with that in a direction just beside it, and not crossing it, allow us to measure the distance of the cloud from the Sun to be 7.20, with a statistical uncertainty of ±0.16 and a systematic error of ±0.20 kpc. This is significantly closer than what is generally assumed, i.e. that the cloud belongs to the near side of the central molecular zone, at 60 pc from the Galactic centre. This assumption was based on dynamical models of the central molecular zone, observationally constrained uniquely by the radial velocity of this and other clouds. Determining the true position of the Brick cloud is relevant because this is the densest cloud of the Galaxy not showing any ongoing star formation. This puts the cloud off by one order of magnitude from the Kennicutt–Schmidt relation between the density of the dense gas and the star formation rate. Several explanations have been proposed for this absence of star formation, most of them based on the dynamical evolution of this and other clouds, within the Galactic centre region. Our result emphasizes the need to include constraints coming from stellar observations in the interpretation of our Galaxy’s central molecular zone.
Atmospheric turbulence profiling with multi-aperture scintillation of a Shack–Hartmann sensor
Authors: Ogane Hajime , Akiyama Masayuki , Oya Shin , Ono Yoshito
Published: January 2021

Adaptive optics (AO) systems that use tomographic estimation of the three-dimensional structure of atmospheric turbulence require the vertical atmospheric turbulence profile, which describes turbulence strength as a function of altitude as prior information. We propose a novel method to reconstruct the profile by applying a multi-aperture scintillation sensor (MASS) method to scintillation data obtained by a Shack–Hartmann wavefront sensor (SH-WFS). Compared with a traditional MASS, which uses atmospheric scintillation within four concentric annular apertures, the new method utilizes scintillation in several hundreds of spatial patterns, which are created by combinations of SH-WFS subapertures. Accuracy of the turbulence profile reconstruction is evaluated with Bayesian inference, and it is confirmed that the turbulence profile with more than 10 layers can be reconstructed because of the large number of constraints. We demonstrate the new method with a SH-WFS attached to the 51-cm telescope at Tohoku University and we confirm that the general characteristics of the atmospheric turbulence profile are reproduced.
Efficiency of thermal conduction in a magnetized circumgalactic medium
Authors: Kooij Richard , Grønnow Asger , Fraternali Filippo
Published: January 2021

The large temperature difference between cold gas clouds around galaxies and the hot haloes that they are moving through suggests that thermal conduction could play an important role in the circumgalactic medium. However, thermal conduction in the presence of a magnetic field is highly anisotropic, being strongly suppressed in the direction perpendicular to the magnetic field lines. This is commonly modelled by using a simple prescription that assumes that thermal conduction is isotropic at a certain efficiency f < 1, but its precise value is largely unconstrained. We investigate the efficiency of thermal conduction by comparing the evolution of 3D hydrodynamical (HD) simulations of cold clouds moving through a hot medium, using artificially suppressed isotropic thermal conduction (with f), against 3D magnetohydrodynamical (MHD) simulations with (true) anisotropic thermal conduction. Our main diagnostic is the time evolution of the amount of cold gas in conditions representative of the lower (close to the disc) circumgalactic medium of a Milky-Way-like galaxy. We find that in almost every HD and MHD run, the amount of cold gas increases with time, indicating that hot gas condensation is an important phenomenon that can contribute to gas accretion on to galaxies. For the most realistic orientations of the magnetic field with respect to the cloud motion we find that f is in the range 0.03–0.15. Thermal conduction is thus always highly suppressed, but its effect on the cloud evolution is generally not negligible.
ML-MOC: Machine Learning (kNN and GMM) based Membership determination for Open Clusters
Authors: Agarwal Manan , Rao Khushboo K , Vaidya Kaushar , Bhattacharya Souradeep
Published: January 2021

The existing open-cluster membership determination algorithms are either prior dependent on some known parameters of clusters or are not automatable to large samples of clusters. In this paper, we present ml-moc, a new machine-learning-based approach to identify likely members of open clusters using the Gaia DR2 data and no a priori information about cluster parameters. We use the k-nearest neighbour (kNN) algorithm and the Gaussian mixture model (GMM) on high-precision proper motions and parallax measurements from the Gaia DR2 data to determine the membership probabilities of individual sources down to G ∼ 20 mag. To validate the developed method, we apply it to 15 open clusters: M67, NGC 2099, NGC 2141, NGC 2243, NGC 2539, NGC 6253, NGC 6405, NGC 6791, NGC 7044, NGC 7142, NGC 752, Blanco 1, Berkeley 18, IC 4651, and Hyades. These clusters differ in terms of their ages, distances, metallicities, and extinctions and cover a wide parameter space in proper motions and parallaxes with respect to the field population. The extracted members produce clean colour–magnitude diagrams and our astrometric parameters of the clusters are in good agreement with the values derived in previous work. The estimated degree of contamination in the extracted members ranges between 2 ${{\ \rm per\ cent}}$ and 12 ${{\ \rm per\ cent}}$. The results show that ml-moc is a reliable approach to segregate open-cluster members from field stars.
Complexity of the simplest species tree problem
Authors: Zhu Tianqi , Yang Ziheng
Published: January 2021

The multispecies coalescent model provides a natural framework for species tree estimation accounting for gene-tree conflicts. Although a number of species tree methods under the multispecies coalescent have been suggested and evaluated using simulation, their statistical properties remain poorly understood. Here, we use mathematical analysis aided by computer simulation to examine the identifiability, consistency, and efficiency of different species tree methods in the case of three species and three sequences under the molecular clock. We consider four major species-tree methods including concatenation, two-step, independent-sites maximum likelihood, and maximum likelihood. We develop approximations that predict that the probit transform of the species tree estimation error decreases linearly with the square root of the number of loci. Even in this simplest case, major differences exist among the methods. Full-likelihood methods are considerably more efficient than summary methods such as concatenation and two-step. They also provide estimates of important parameters such as species divergence times and ancestral population sizes,whereas these parameters are not identifiable by summary methods. Our results highlight the need to improve the statistical efficiency of summary methods and the computational efficiency of full likelihood methods of species tree estimation.
Chih-chen Wang: the social responsibility of scientists
Authors: Gu (顾超) Chao
Published: January 2021

Chih-chen Wang is a distinguished biochemist and molecular biologist, and an Academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS). From 2008 to 2013, she was a vice chairperson of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC). As a young researcher, Wang participated in research on insulin. Since the 1990s, she has been focusing on the study of protein folding, and has initiated a new research area of isomerase and molecular chaperones in China.

In this interview, Chih-chen Wang elaborates on the social responsibility of scientists by drawing on both her scientific research and CPPCC experience. In Wang's view, what China really needs are intellectuals with independent thinking and strong social responsibility, who are able to provide the government valuable advice and communicate with the public to increase society's scientific literacy. She also hopes that female scientists can be more confident and gain greater attention and support from society.
Second-Window Indocyanine Green for Visualization of Hemangioblastoma: A Case Report With Two-Dimensional Operative Video
Authors: Singh Yash B , Cho Steve S , Blue Rachel , Teng Clare W , De Ravin Emma , Buch Love , Lee John Y K
Published: January 2021

BACKGROUND AND IMPORTANCE

The proper differentiation of neoplastic tissue from adjacent brain parenchyma can pose a great challenge, especially in eloquent areas of the brain. With the novel technique, “Second-Window Indocyanine Green,” injection of a near-infrared fluorophore (ICG) allows for intraoperative visualization of tumors by taking advantage of the compromised vasculature surrounding the tumor. Thus, such a technique may demonstrate utility for hemangioblastomas, which are hypervascular tumors of the central nervous system.

CLINICAL PRESENTATION

Here we present the case of a 39-yr-old male with a demonstrated cystic mass in the left cerebellum, with additional edema spreading towards the vermis. A total of 5 mg/kg of ICG was delivered intravenously 24 h prior to the operation. The tumor was approached via the infratentorial suboccipital approach. We observed strong near-infrared fluorescence through the intact dura, consistent with the tumor location. Surgical pathology confirmed a final diagnosis of cerebellar hemangioblastoma. There was complete resection of the tumor, with the patient discharged uneventfully.

CONCLUSION

We report the first successful case of fluorescence-guided surgery of a cerebellar hemangioblastoma using near-infrared fluorescence imaging with the Second-Window ICG technique. This joins a growing series of publications that demonstrate the efficacy of a novel application of ICG, a near-infrared fluorophore, in accurate intraoperative visualization of neoplastic tissue. While the use of a dedicated near-infrared platform (ie, the VisionSense Iridium [Visionsense, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania]) yields a higher signal-to-background ratio, a neurosurgical microscope (ie, the Leica OH6 [Leica Microsystems, Wetzlar, Germany]) may also provide a suitable option in cases where fluorescence is very strong.