bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The arch remodelling stent for DeBakey I acute aortic dissection: experience with 100 implantations
Authors: Montagner Matteo , Kofler Markus , Seeber Fabian , Pitts Leonard , Starck Christoph , Sündermann Simon H , Kurz Stephan , Grubitzsch Herko , Falk Volkmar , Kempfert Jörg
Published: July 2022

OBJECTIVES

A novel hybrid non-covered stent was developed to treat malperfusion and prevent aneurysm formation following hemiarch procedure for DeBakey I acute aortic dissection (AAD). The present analysis investigates the performance of the device in 100 consecutive implantations.

METHODS

Between 2018 and 2021, 100 patients underwent surgical repair of DeBakey I AAD with implantation of a non-covered stent in the arch and descending aorta. The primary entry tear was located in the root or the ascending aorta. Clinical and imaging data were collected and analysed retrospectively. The endpoints of the study were 30-day mortality, neurological outcome and need of additional procedures due to postoperative malperfusion. Technical success was assessed in the first postoperative computed tomography in regard to the induction of false lumen thrombosis in the descending aorta.

RESULTS

The median age was 61 (54–73) years. Preoperative malperfusion was present in 46 (46%) patients. The primary arterial cannulation strategy was the right axillary artery and an open distal anastomosis was performed in a median caudal circulatory arrest of 40 (34–52) min. In 48% of cases, a 55–40 tapered stent was implanted. The 30-day mortality was 18%, and the operation-related new postoperative neurological deficit was present in 8%. Technical success was achieved in 76% of patients.

CONCLUSIONS

The novel non-covered stent can be safely applied to complement aortic repair with the hemiarch procedure for DeBakey I AAD. The expansion of the true lumen through the device may prevent postoperative malperfusion and induces positive vascular remodelling with the thrombosis of the false lumen.
Discrimination unveiled: a field experiment on the barriers faced by Muslim women in Germany, the Netherlands, and Spain
Authors: Fernández-Reino Mariña , Di Stasio Valentina , Veit Susanne
Published: July 2022

We examine the penalties faced by veiled and unveiled Muslim women when applying for jobs in three European labour markets: Germany, the Netherlands, and Spain. We rely on recent literature comparing public opposition towards Muslims in general and opposition to Muslims’ religious practices, such as the wearing of the hijab. Based on a cross-nationally harmonized field experiment on hiring discrimination, we use two different signals of Muslimness (volunteering activities in a Muslim community centre or wearing the Muslim headscarf) to identify whether employers discriminate against Muslims as a group or against Muslims adhering to specific Muslim practices—in this case, wearing the headscarf. We present robust evidence that veiled Muslim women are discriminated against in Germany and the Netherlands, but only when applying for jobs that require a high level of customer contact. In Spain, however, the level of discrimination against veiled Muslim women is much smaller than in the other two countries. The high level of discrimination we found in the Netherlands, where the institutional context has traditionally been open to the accommodation of religious minority rights, is particularly surprising and points to the possibly stigmatizing effect of recent policies geared towards the cultural assimilation of immigrants.
Health outcomes in primary care: a 20-year evidence map of randomized controlled trials
Authors: Missiou Aristea , Lionis Christos , Evangelou Evangelos , Tatsioni Athina
Published: July 2022

Objective

To quantify the different types of health outcomes assessed as primary outcomes in randomized controlled trials (RCTs) in the primary care (PC) setting during the last 20 years and identify whether potential gaps exist in specific types of health care and types of intervention.

Methods

We systematically searched PubMed, Scopus, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, from January 2000 to September 2020 for published RCTs in PC. We recorded characteristics of eligible studies and mapped evidence by health outcome category (patient health outcomes, health services outcomes); and for each outcome category, by types of health care (preventive, acute, chronic, palliative), and by types of intervention (drug, behavioural, on structure, and on process). For RCTs assessing patient health outcomes as primary outcomes, we further mapped using the quality-of-care dimensions, that is, effectiveness, safety, and patient-centredness.

Results

Of the 518 eligible RCTs in PC, 357 (68.9%) evaluated a patient health outcome as the primary outcome, and 161 (31.1%) evaluated only health services outcomes as primary outcomes. Many focused on population with chronic illness (224 trials; 43.2%) and evaluated interventions on processes of health care (239 trials; 46.1%). Research gaps identified include preventive and palliative care, behavioural interventions, and safety and patient-centredness outcomes as primary outcomes.

Conclusion

Our evidence map showed research gaps in certain types of health care and interventions. It also showed research gaps in assessing safety and measures to place patient at the centre of health care delivery as primary outcomes.
The Chromosomal Distribution of Sex-Biased MicroRNAs in Drosophila is Nonadaptive
Authors: Marco Antonio
Published: July 2022

Genes are often differentially expressed between males and females. In Drosophila melanogaster, the analysis of sex-biased microRNAs (short noncoding regulatory molecules) has revealed striking differences with protein-coding genes. Mainly, the X chromosome is enriched in male-biased microRNA genes, although it is depleted of male-biased protein-coding genes. The paucity of male-biased genes in the X chromosome is generally explained by an evolutionary process called demasculinization. I suggest that the excess of male-biased microRNAs in the X chromosome is due to high rates of de novo emergence of microRNAs (mostly in other neighboring microRNAs), a tendency of novel microRNAs in the X chromosome to be expressed in testis, and to a lack of a demasculinization process. To test this hypothesis, I analyzed the expression profile of microRNAs in males, females, and gonads in D. pseudoobscura, in which an autosome translocated into the X chromosome effectively becoming part of a sex chromosome (neo-X). I found that the pattern of sex-biased expression is generally conserved between D. melanogaster and D. pseudoobscura. Also, orthologous microRNAs in both species conserve their chromosomal location, indicating that there is no evidence of demasculinization or other interchromosomal movement of microRNAs. Drosophila pseudoobscura-specific microRNAs in the neo-X chromosome tend to be male-biased and particularly expressed in testis. In summary, the apparent paradox resulting from male-biased protein-coding genes depleted in the X chromosome and an enrichment in male-biased microRNAs is consistent with different evolutionary dynamics between coding genes and short RNAs.
Loop detection using Hi-C data with HiCExplorer
Authors: Wolff Joachim , Backofen Rolf , Grüning Björn
Published: July 2022

Background

Chromatin loops are an essential factor in the structural organization of the genome; however, their detection in Hi-C interaction matrices is a challenging and compute-intensive task. The approach presented here, integrated into the HiCExplorer software, shows a chromatin loop detection algorithm that applies a strict candidate selection based on continuous negative binomial distributions and performs a Wilcoxon rank-sum test to detect enriched Hi-C interactions.

Results

HiCExplorer’s loop detection has a high detection rate and accuracy. It is the fastest available CPU implementation and utilizes all threads offered by modern multicore platforms.

Conclusions

HiCExplorer’s method to detect loops by using a continuous negative binomial function combined with the donut approach from HiCCUPS leads to reliable and fast computation of loops. All the loop-calling algorithms investigated provide differing results, which intersect by $\sim 50\%$ at most. The tested in situ Hi-C data contain a large amount of noise; achieving better agreement between loop calling algorithms will require cleaner Hi-C data and therefore future improvements to the experimental methods that generate the data.
Chromosome-level genome assembly of Plazaster borealis sheds light on the morphogenesis of multiarmed starfish and its regenerative capacity
Authors: Lee Yujung , Kim Bongsang , Jung Jaehoon , Koh Bomin , Jhang So Yun , Ban Chaeyoung , Chi Won-Jae , Kim Soonok , Yu Jaewoong
Published: July 2022

Background

Plazaster borealis has a unique morphology, displaying multiple arms with a clear distinction between disk and arms, rather than displaying pentaradial symmetry, a remarkable characteristic of echinoderms. Herein we report the first chromosome-level reference genome of P. borealis and an essential tool to further investigate the basis of the divergent morphology.

Findings

In total, 57.76 Gb of a long read and 70.83 Gb of short-read data were generated to assemble a de novo 561-Mb reference genome of P. borealis, and Hi-C sequencing data (57.47 Gb) were used for scaffolding into 22 chromosomal scaffolds comprising 92.38% of the genome. The genome completeness estimated by BUSCO was 98.0% using the metazoan set, indicating a high-quality assembly. Through the comparative genome analysis, we identified evolutionary accelerated genes known to be involved in morphogenesis and regeneration, suggesting their potential role in shaping body pattern and capacity of regeneration.

Conclusion

This first chromosome-level genome assembly of P. borealis provides fundamental insights into echinoderm biology, as well as the genomic mechanism underlying its unique morphology and regeneration.
Chromosome-level assembly and annotation of the blue catfishIctalurus furcatus, an aquaculture species for hybrid catfish reproduction, epigenetics, and heterosis studies
Authors: Wang Haolong , Su Baofeng , Butts Ian A E , Dunham Rex A , Wang Xu
Published: July 2022

Background

The blue catfish is of great value in aquaculture and recreational fisheries. The F1 hybrids of female channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus) × male blue catfish (Ictalurusfurcatus) have been the primary driver of US catfish production in recent years because of superior growth, survival, and carcass yield. The channel–blue hybrid also provides an excellent model to investigate molecular mechanisms of environment-dependent heterosis. However, transcriptome and methylome studies suffered from low alignment rates to the channel catfish genome due to divergence, and the genome resources for blue catfish are not publicly available.

Results

The blue catfish genome assembly is 841.86 Mbp in length with excellent continuity (8.6 Mbp contig N50, 28.2 Mbp scaffold N50) and completeness (98.6% Eukaryota and 97.0% Actinopterygii BUSCO). A total of 30,971 protein-coding genes were predicted, of which 21,781 were supported by RNA sequencing evidence. Phylogenomic analyses revealed that it diverged from channel catfish approximately 9 million years ago with 15.7 million fixed nucleotide differences. The within-species single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) density is 0.32% between the most aquaculturally important blue catfish strains (D&B and Rio Grande). Gene family analysis discovered significant expansion of immune-related families in the blue catfish lineage, which may contribute to disease resistance in blue catfish.

Conclusions

We reported the first high-quality, chromosome-level assembly of the blue catfish genome, which provides the necessary genomic tool kit for transcriptome and methylome analysis, SNP discovery and marker-assisted selection, gene editing and genome engineering, and reproductive enhancement of the blue catfish and hybrid catfish.
Messianism Refigured: Tadeusz Zygfryd Kassern’s Musical Monument to the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising
Authors: Pierce J Mackenzie
Published: July 2022

This essay explores the commemorative stance of Tadeusz Zygfryd Kassern’s opera The Anointed (1951) toward the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising and situates the work within an early and volatile period of cultural responses to the Holocaust in Poland and the United States. Through a close examination of the opera’s literary sources and musical setting, as well as the archival materials related to its creation, the essay shows how the opera treats Polish Romantic messianism as a symbolic language with which to grapple with Jewish resistance to the Holocaust, even as similar messianic tropes were being used to consolidate Polish ethnonationalist memory of  World War II.
Medicine recovery and reuse in a hospital setting: a lesson from Italy
Authors: Gianino Maria Michela , Cotugno Valentina , Scattaglia Marco , Colasanto Irene , Scaldaferri Matilde , Cattel Francesco
Published: July 2022

Objectives

In 2017, a new programme was created for recovering and reusing (i) unexpired Class A medicines (i.e. dispensed either by community pharmacies or by hospitals) in hospital settings and (ii) medicines for hospital use only (Class H). The aim of this study was to describe a three-year reuse programme and assess its impact on medicines cost savings.

Methods

The setting was AOU Città della salute e della Scienza—in Turin (Italy). All the collected data referred to packages of medicines collected by/assigned to AOU for reuse over the 1 December 2017/1 December 2020 period. Retail prices were used to calculate the financial value of the medication. Costs for the time required for the reuse programme (a working group comprising a pharmacist, an administrative and a warehouse worker) were estimated.

Key findings

A total of 10 450 boxes were recovered for reuse (corresponding to 52% of donated boxes). The total value was €1 300 000. Class H accounted for 73% (€952 000) of the total value of the recovered medicines, while they represented only 9% of the packages collected by/assigned to AOU. Estimated cost for the reuse programme was €75 806.

Conclusions

Medicine recycling programmes with appropriate checks can be implemented to facilitate reuse of medications in hospital settings. This study provides evidence that a reuse programme reduced drug expenditures, especially regarding the Class H medications. These results contribute to the debate regarding opportunity for recycling and sustainability in medicines management.
Building Walls at Sea: An Assessment of the Legality of the Greek Floating Barrier
Authors: Georgoula Danae F
Published: July 2022

In January 2020, against the backdrop of the Mediterranean refugee crisis, Greece announced its intention to install a floating barrier in the maritime passage between Turkey and Lesvos as a measure to deter the flow of asylum seekers arriving by sea. This article analyses the implications and assesses the legality of installing a floating barrier in light of the law of the sea, human rights law, and refugee law.
Grazing bifurcations and transitions between periodic states of the PP04 model for the glacial cycle
Authors: Budd Chris , Morupisi Kgomotso S
Published: July 2022

We look at the periodic behaviour of the Earth’s glacial cycles and the transitions between different periodic states when either external parameters (such as $\omega $) or internal parameters (such as $d$) are varied. We model this using the PP04 model of climate change. This is a forced discontinuous Filippov (non-smooth) dynamical system. When periodically forced this has coexisting periodic orbits. We find that the transitions in this system are mainly due to grazing events, leading to grazing bifurcations. An analysis of the grazing bifurcations is given and the impact of these on the domains of attraction and regions of existence of the periodic orbits is determined under various changes in the parameters of the system. Grazing transitions arise for general variations in the parameters (both internal and external) of the PP04 model. We find that the grazing transitions between the period orbits resemble those of the Mid-Pleistocene-Transition.
Medical visits and health-care expenditures of patients attending orthopedic clinics during the COVID-19 pandemic in Japan: LIFE Study
Authors: Tani Naomichi , Fukuda Haruhisa
Published: July 2022

Background

The first state of emergency for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in Japan was imposed from April to May 2020. During that period, people were urged to avoid non-essential outings, which may have reduced their access to health care.

Methods

Using health-care claims data from a city in Fukuoka prefecture, Japan, we conducted a retrospective cohort study of the state of emergency’s impact on patients’ medical visits to orthopedic clinics and their associated health-care expenditures. These measures were compared between 2019 and 2020 using a year-over-year analysis and unpaired t-tests.

Results

The analysis showed that medical visits in 2020 significantly decreased by 23.7% in April (P < 0.01) and 17.6% in May (P < 0.01) when compared with the previous year. Similarly, monthly outpatient health-care expenditure significantly decreased by 2.4% (P < 0.01) in April 2020 when compared with April 2019. In contrast, the health-care expenditure per capita per visit significantly increased by 1.5% (P < 0.01) in June 2020 (after the state of emergency was lifted) when compared with June 2019.

Conclusion

As orthopedic clinics in Japan are reimbursed using a fee-for-service system, the increases in per capita expenditures after the state of emergency may be indicative of physician-induced demand. However, we posit that it is more likely that a post-emergency increase in anti-inflammatory and analgesic treatments for spondylopathies, low back pain and sciatica induced a temporary rise in these expenditures.
Can Critical Religion Play by Its Own Rules? Why There Must Be More Ways to Be “Critical” in the Study of Religion
Authors: Watts Galen , Mosurinjohn Sharday
Published: July 2022

According to some of the most vocal proponents of Critical Religion (CR), taking CR seriously entails accepting that religion as an analytic category leads to reification and naturalization and is unduly normative, thus critical scholars of religion should abandon it and restrict ourselves to studying discursive battles over the uses of religion. In this article, we build on the case for alternative critical proposals by offering an immanent critique of the work of proponents of CR. In doing so, we identify and outline CR’s major analytical flaws, which we name as follows: inconsistent historicization, crypto-normativity, and arbitrary abandonment. We conclude that CR scholarship cannot but fail to live up to its own ideals, and moreover that much would be lost were we to limit the critical study of religion to CR.
An ordinal severity scale for COVID-19 retrospective studies using Electronic Health Record data
Authors: Khodaverdi Maryam , Price Bradley S , Porterfield J Zachary , Bunnell H Timothy , Vest Michael T , Anzalone Alfred Jerrod , Harper Jeremy , Kimble Wes D , Moradi Hamidreza , Hendricks Brian , Santangelo Susan L , Hodder Sally L ,   N3C Consortium Collaborators, Chute Christopher G , Haendel Melissa A , Walden Anita
Published: July 2022

Objectives

Although the World Health Organization (WHO) Clinical Progression Scale for COVID-19 is useful in prospective clinical trials, it cannot be effectively used with retrospective Electronic Health Record (EHR) datasets. Modifying the existing WHO Clinical Progression Scale, we developed an ordinal severity scale (OS) and assessed its usefulness in the analyses of COVID-19 patient outcomes using retrospective EHR data.

Materials and Methods

An OS was developed to assign COVID-19 disease severity using the Observational Medical Outcomes Partnership common data model within the National COVID Cohort Collaborative (N3C) data enclave. We then evaluated usefulness of the developed OS using heterogenous EHR data from January 2020 to October 2021 submitted to N3C by 63 healthcare organizations across the United States. Principal component analysis (PCA) was employed to characterize changes in disease severity among patients during the 28-day period following COVID-19 diagnosis.

Results

The data set used in this analysis consists of 2 880 456 patients. PCA of the day-to-day variation in OS levels over the totality of the 28-day period revealed contrasting patterns of variation in disease severity within the first and second 14 days and illustrated the importance of evaluation over the full 28-day period.

Discussion

An OS with well-defined, robust features, based on discrete EHR data elements, is useful for assessments of COVID-19 patient outcomes, providing insights on the progression of COVID-19 disease severity over time.

Conclusions

The OS provides a framework that can facilitate better understanding of the course of acute COVID-19, informing clinical decision-making and resource allocation.
The Potential of Arterial Pulse Wave Analysis in Burn Resuscitation: A Pilot In Vivo Study
Authors: ArabiDarrehDor Ghazal , Kao Yi-Ming , Oliver Mary A , Parajuli Babita , Carney Bonnie C , Keyloun John W , Moffatt Lauren T , Shupp Jeffrey W , Hahn Jin-Oh , Burmeister David M
Published: July 2022

While urinary output (UOP) remains the primary endpoint for titration of intravenous fluid resuscitation, it is an insufficient indicator of fluid responsiveness. Although advanced hemodynamic monitoring (including arterial pulse wave analysis [PWA]) is of recent interest, the validity of PWA-derived indices in burn resuscitation extremes has not been established. The goal of this paper is to test the hypothesis that PWA-derived cardiac output (CO) and stroke volume (SV) indices as well as pulse pressure variation (PPV) and systolic pressure variation (SPV) can play a complementary role to UOP in burn resuscitation. Swine were instrumented with a Swan-Ganz catheter for reference CO and underwent a 40% TBSA burns with varying resuscitation paradigms, and were monitored for 24 hours in an ICU setting under mechanical ventilation. The longitudinal changes in PWA-derived indices were investigated, and resuscitation adequacy was compared as determined by UOP vs PWA indices. The results indicated that PWA-derived indices exhibited trends consistent with reference CO and SV measurements: CO and SV indices were proportional to reference CO and SV, respectively (CO: postcalibration limits of agreement [LoA] = ±24.7 [ml/min/kg], SV: postcalibration LoA = ±0.30 [ml/kg]) while PPV and SPV were inversely proportional to reference SV (PPV: postcalibration LoA = ±0.32 [ml/kg], SPV: postcalibration LoA = ±0.31 [ml/kg]). The results also indicated that PWA-derived indices exhibited notable discrepancies from UOP in determining adequate burn resuscitation. Hence, it was concluded that the PWA-derived indices may have complementary value to UOP in assessing and guiding burn resuscitation.
How to enter high-opportunity places? The role of social contacts for residential mobility
Authors: Ilyés Virág , Boza István , Lőrincz László , Eriksson Rikard H
Published: July 2022

The aim of this article is to analyze the contribution of social ties to moving to high-opportunity locations and assess whether their effect is more pronounced for low-income individuals as a compensation for economic resources. This is done by utilizing Swedish administrative data and by focusing on a wide range of relationships (observed directly or inferred from the data): close and distant family ties, former co-workers and university peers. For estimating the effect of social ties, we use linear probability models, where observed migration is regressed on individual-specific and target-specific characteristics. To account for the nonrandom sorting of movers between locations, we apply sending municipality–target municipality–occupation fixed effects. Our results suggest that there is a positive relationship between migration and the presence of links at given targets for all the examined contact types. The effects are even stronger if the targets are hard-to-reach municipalities (located in Stockholm County or a municipality with higher housing prices). We also demonstrate that, when moving to such opportunity-rich areas, ties to former co-workers and university peers are even more essential assets for those with limited resources. Furthermore, we show that direct help with housing through contacts is an existing factor that contributes to the effect of social networks on residential mobility. The results reinforce the idea that social ties may be of great help in reducing barriers to mobility and can be used to compensate for limited economic resources. We demonstrate the validity of our fixed-effect estimation strategy using a placebo contact approach.
Reference Genome of the Black Surfperch,Embiotoca jacksoni(Embiotocidae, Perciformes), a California Kelp Forest Fish That Lacks a Pelagic Larval Stage
Authors: Bernardi Giacomo , Toy Jason A , Escalona Merly , Marimuthu Mohan P A , Sahasrabudhe Ruta , Nguyen Oanh , Sacco Samuel , Beraut Eric , Toffelmier Erin , Miller Courtney , Shaffer H Bradley
Published: July 2022

Surfperches (Family Embiotocidae) are viviparous temperate reef fishes that brood their young. This life history trait translates into limited dispersal, strong population structure, and an unusually strong potential for local adaptation in a marine fish. As part of the California Conservation Genomics Project (CCGP), we sequenced the genome of the Black Surfperch, Embiotoca jacksoni, to establish a genomic model for understanding phylogeographic patterns of marine organisms in California. These patterns, in turn, may inform the design of marine protected areas using dispersal models based on genomic data. The genome of E. jacksoni is typical of marine fishes at less than 1Gb (genome size = 635 Mb), and our assembly is near-chromosome level (contig N50 = 6.5Mb, scaffold N50 = 15.5 Mb, BUSCO = 98.1%). Within the context of the CCGP, the genome will be used as a reference for future whole genome resequencing projects aimed at enhancing our knowledge of the population structure of the species, and efficacy of Marine Protected Areas across the state.
Estimating a Non-parametric Memory Kernel for Mutually Exciting Point Processes
Authors: Clements A E , Hurn A S , Lindsay K A , Volkov V V
Published: July 2022

Self- and cross-excitation in point processes are commonly captured in the financial econometrics literature using a multivariate exponential memory kernel. In this article, the exponential assumption is relaxed and the resultant non-parametric memory kernel is estimated by a method based on second-order cumulants. The estimator is shown to be consistent and asymptotically normally distributed and performs well under simulation. An empirical application based on 10 international stock indices is presented. Two different indices of contagion between markets are constructed from the point process models in order to examine interconnection over time. A conclusion which emerges from these results is the assumption that a parametric kernel may be too restrictive as the application reveals interesting features, and in some cases substantial differences, between the exponential and non-parametric kernels.
Estimating Unobserved Soft Adjustment in Credit Rating Models: Before and after the Dodd–Frank Act
Authors: Gu Zhutong , Jiang Yixiao , Yang Shuyang
Published: July 2022

Credit Rating Agencies (CRAs) adjust preliminary bond ratings with knowledge beyond publicly available information. These unobserved “soft adjustments” may reflect material nonpublic information and rating biases due to conflicts of interest, making certain bond characteristics endogenous. We model and quantify soft adjustments as bond-specific thresholds in a semiparametric ordered-response model and exploit ownership structures of bond-issuers to control for endogeneity. Relying on the shift restrictions, we develop a location estimator for models of ordered choices with correlated heterogenous thresholds. Using Moody’s initial ratings from 2000 to 2016, we find a significant reduction of soft adjustment after the Dodd–Frank reform.
Characterization of the Blood-Feeding Patterns of Culex quinquefasciatus (Diptera: Culicidae) in San Bernardino County, California
Authors: Guinn Aelish , Su Tianyun , Thieme Jennifer , Cheng Min-Lee , Brown Michelle Q , Thiemann Tara
Published: July 2022

West Nile virus (WNV) is a zoonotic disease that is endemic in North America and is known to cause a range of symptoms from mild to life threatening in humans. Culex quinquefasciatus is one of the most prominent vectors of WNV in Southern California. The goal of this study was to identify which animal species are most fed upon by these mosquitoes in various habitats in the West Valley area of San Bernardino County, California, and determine the relationship between blood-feeding patterns and WNV activity in the region. Culex quinquefasciatus specimens were collected by West Valley Mosquito and Vector Control District during 2011 from 32 different sites. The bloodmeals of 683 individuals (92.4% of those tested) were identified using the mitochondrial gene cytochrome c oxidase 1 (COI). These bloodmeals comprised 29 vertebrate species across four different habitats. Species richness (ranging from 10 to 17) was not significantly different between habitats when rarified to account for sample size. Across habitats, the highest percentage of avian bloodmeals were taken from house sparrows (18.8–39.1%) and house finches (2.6–31.5%). Bloodmeals were identified from five mammalian species, accounting for 5.1–59.2% of bloodmeals by habitat, including humans (0–4.1%). A seasonal shift towards increased mammalian bloodmeal prevalence, specifically for domestic dog and human bloodmeals, was observed in urban habitats. The WNV activity during 2011 in San Bernardino County occurred mostly in urban and suburban areas as indicated by minimum infection rate (MIR) in Culex quinquefasciatus, notable as all human bloodmeals were identified from these two habitats.
Management of Chronic Pain and PTSD in Veterans With tDCS+Prolonged Exposure: A Pilot Study
Authors: Hernandez-Tejada Melba A , Cherry Kathryn E , Rauch Sheila A M , Acierno Ron , Fries Gabriel R , Muzzy Wendy , Teng Ellen J , Wangelin Bethany , Ahn Hyochol
Published: July 2022

Introduction

Chronic pain and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are prevalent comorbid conditions, particularly in Veterans; however, there are few integrated treatments for chronic pain and PTSD. Instead, interventions are typically implemented separately and may involve addictive opioids. Although there are highly effective, non-pharmacological treatments for PTSD, they are plagued by high dropout, which may be exacerbated by comorbid pain, as these PTSD treatments typically require increased activity. Importantly, a noninvasive pain treatment, tDCS (transcranial direct current stimulation) shows indications of effectiveness and may be integrated with psychological treatments, even when delivered via telehealth. This study examines the feasibility and initial efficacy of integrating home telehealth tDCS with prolonged exposure (PE), an evidence-based PTSD treatment.

Materials and Methods

Thirty-nine Veterans were contacted, 31 consented to evaluation, 21 were enrolled, and 16 completed treatment and provided pre- and post-treatment data at one of two Veterans Affairs Medical Centers. Transcranial direct current stimulation sessions corresponded with PE exposure assignments, as there is theoretical reason to believe that tDCS may potentiate extinction learning featured in PE.

Results

Patients evinced significant improvement in both pain interference and PTSD symptoms and a trend toward improvement in depression symptoms. However, a significant change in pain intensity was not observed, likely because of the small sample size.

Discussion

The findings provide initial support for the feasibility of an entirely home-based, integrated treatment for comorbid PTSD and pain.
Population synthesis of AX J1745.6−2901 X-ray nova-type binaries with rapidly decreasing orbital periods
Authors: Bogomazov A I , Cherepashchuk A M , Khruzina T S , Tutukov A V
Published: July 2022

The neutron star low-mass X-ray binary (LMXB) AX J1745.6−2901 was detected with an anomalously fast decrease of its orbital period. The decreasing rate of the orbital period exceeds the contribution of all processes extracting angular momentum from the binary star in the standard model. Using the scenario machine code, we conducted a population synthesis study of X-ray novae with neutron stars to investigate a possible formation and evolution of such binaries. Such close LMXBs should experience a preceding common envelope stage, in which the magnetic fields of the low-mass main-sequence donor stars can be dramatically amplified. Our calculations show that the magnetic stellar wind of the optical companion can efficiently extract angular momentum from the binary systems, and produce the observed orbital-period derivatives of AX J1745.6−2901 and black hole LMXBs. The estimated values of the required magnetic field induction are the following: Bd ≈ 400 G (AX J1745.6−2901), Bd ≈ 1500 G (KV UMa), Bd ≈ 400 G (A0620−00) and Bd ≈ 1800 G (Nova Muscae). We successfully reproduced the current observational abundance of such anomalous neutron star X-ray novae, and computed the appropriate value of the parameter of magnetic braking λMSW (0.8−0.6 for Roche lobe filling stars and 0.4−0.15 for binaries with partial Roche lobe filling).
Evolution of Human-Specific Alleles Protecting Cognitive Function of Grandmothers
Authors: Saha Sudeshna , Khan Naazneen , Comi Troy , Verhagen Andrea , Sasmal Aniruddha , Diaz Sandra , Yu Hai , Chen Xi , Akey Joshua M , Frank Martin , Gagneux Pascal , Varki Ajit
Published: July 2022

The myelomonocytic receptor CD33 (Siglec-3) inhibits innate immune reactivity by extracellular V-set domain recognition of sialic acid (Sia)-containing “self-associated molecular patterns” (SAMPs). We earlier showed that V-set domain-deficient CD33-variant allele, protective against late-onset Alzheimer’s Disease (LOAD), is derived and specific to the hominin lineage. We now report multiple hominin-specific CD33 V-set domain mutations. Due to hominin-specific, fixed loss-of-function mutation in the CMAH gene, humans lack N-glycolylneuraminic acid (Neu5Gc), the preferred Sia-ligand of ancestral CD33. Mutational analysis and molecular dynamics (MD)-simulations indicate that fixed change in amino acid 21 of hominin V-set domain and conformational changes related to His45 corrected for Neu5Gc-loss by switching to N-acetylneuraminic acid (Neu5Ac)-recognition. We show that human-specific pathogens Neisseria gonorrhoeae and Group B Streptococcus selectively bind human CD33 (huCD33) as part of immune-evasive molecular mimicry of host SAMPs and that this binding is significantly impacted by amino acid 21 modification. In addition to LOAD-protective CD33 alleles, humans harbor derived, population-universal, cognition-protective variants at several other loci. Interestingly, 11 of 13 SNPs in these human genes (including CD33) are not shared by genomes of archaic hominins: Neanderthals and Denisovans. We present a plausible evolutionary scenario to compile, correlate, and comprehend existing knowledge about huCD33-evolution and suggest that grandmothering emerged in humans.
Functional significance of mouse seminal vesicle sulfhydryl oxidase on sperm capacitationin vitro
Authors: Balu Rubhadevi , Ramachandran Shiyam Sundar , Mathimaran Amala , Jeyaraman Jeyakanthan , Paramasivam Sudhakar Gandhi
Published: July 2022

During ejaculation, cauda epididymal spermatozoa are suspended in a protein-rich solution of seminal plasma, which is composed of proteins mostly secreted from the seminal vesicle. These seminal proteins interact with the sperm cells and bring about changes in their physiology, so that they can become capacitated in order for the fertilization to take place. Sulfhydryl oxidase (SOX) is a member of the QSOX family and its expression is found to be high in the seminal vesicle secretion (SVS) of mouse. Previously, it has been reported to cross-link thiol-containing amino acids among major SVS proteins. However, its role in male reproduction is unclear. In this study, we determined the role of SOX on epididymal sperm maturation and also disclosed the binding effect of SOX on the sperm fertilizing ability in vitro. In order to achieve the above two objectives, we constructed a Sox clone (1.7 kb) using a pET-30a vector. His-tagged recombinant Sox was overexpressed in Shuffle Escherichia coli cells and purified using His-Trap column affinity chromatography along with hydrophobic interaction chromatography. The purified SOX was confirmed by western blot analysis and by its activity with DTT as a substrate. Results obtained from immunocytochemical staining clearly indicated that SOX possesses a binding site on the sperm acrosome. The influence of SOX on oxidation of sperm sulfhydryl to disulfides during epididymal sperm maturation was evaluated by a thiol-labeling agent, mBBr. The SOX protein binds onto the sperm cells and increases their progressive motility. The effect of SOX binding on reducing the [Ca2+]i concentration in the sperm head was determined using a calcium probe, Fluo-3 AM. The inhibitory influence of SOX on the sperm acrosome reaction was shown by using calcium ionophore A32187 to induce the acrosome reaction. The acrosome-reacted sperm were examined by staining with FITC-conjugated Arachis hypogaea (peanut) lectin. Furthermore, immunocytochemical analysis revealed that SOX remains bound to the sperm cells in the uterus but disappears in the oviduct during their transit in the female reproductive tract. The results from the above experiment revealed that SOX binding onto the sperm acrosome prevents sperm capacitation by affecting the [Ca2+]i concentration in the sperm head and the ionophore-induced acrosome reaction. Thus, the binding of SOX onto the sperm acrosome may possibly serve as a decapacitation factor in the uterus to prevent premature capacitation and acrosome reaction, thus preserving their fertilizing ability.
Assessing the morphological impacts of long-term harvesting in intertidal gastropods using historical data and morphometric tools
Authors: Doyle Darragh , Frias João , Gammell Martin P , Lynch Michael , Nash Roisin
Published: July 2022

Size-selective harvesting of intertidal molluscs is a common practice. However, the effects of long-term traditional harvesting remain unclear. Changes in mean shell size are generally taken as evidence of changes in harvesting intensity. However, mean shell size is also influenced by environmental pressures, which may confound the analysis of size variation over time. In this study, we apply geometric morphometrics to historical data from two shell middens, in an attempt to classify Littorina littorea shells to their environmental origins, prior to carrying out shell size analysis. Using this method, shell shape was found to be consistent within and between the midden sites. Based on comparison with modern populations from shores of known wave exposure, the midden shells were found to be more consistent with sheltered shores, and to differ most from the very exposed shore sites, the latter of which are located adjacent to the midden remains. The mean shell size was significantly smaller in the more recent midden site. We hypothesize this reduction is caused by an increase in harvesting intensity over this period. It is also possible, given the very slight reduction in shell size, coupled with certain life-history traits of L. littorea, that the change in shell size was caused by slight differences in environmental conditions. The use of midden shells and morphometrics has the potential to provide an insight into previous environmental conditions and past harvesting practices, which may be used to inform current harvesting practices.
Climate change is predicted to reduce sympatry among North American wood-warblers
Authors: Pham Cody H , Price J Jordan , Tallant Jason M , Karowe David N
Published: July 2022

Anthropogenic climate change will dramatically alter species distributions. The rate and magnitude of range shifts, however, will differ among taxa, resulting in altered patterns of co-occurrence and interspecific interactions. We examined potential climate-mediated breeding range shifts among North American wood-warblers (Parulidae), a speciose avian family likely to be especially impacted by such changes due to high levels of interspecific competition and hybridization. We used publicly available species distribution model (SDM) range outputs to compare current ranges and patterns of sympatry among warbler species to future ranges and sympatry under 1.5°C, 2.0°C, and 3.0°C of average global warming. Range overlap among species and number of sympatric species are expected to decrease significantly in future warming scenarios, and unequal range shifts will alter the composition of warbler communities. On average, climate change will result in net decreases in the local species diversity; each warbler species is predicted to gain sympatry with approximately 1 new species and lose sympatry with approximately 2 species. Climate-mediated changes are predicted to differ among warblers in different regions of North America, with greatest impacts on eastern and boreal forest species. Our findings suggest that climate change will alter the diversity of wood-warbler communities during this century. Targeted monitoring of these changing interspecific relationships, especially for antagonistic interactions or hybridization between newly sympatric species, will be crucial for prioritizing particular species and regions in future conservation or management efforts.
Clinical training within an Indigenous community: a qualitative description of pediatric residents’ learning experiences
Authors: Waldner Richelle , Baydala Lola , Tremblay Melissa , Pynoo Emily , Dreise Heather
Published: July 2022

Objectives

Indigenous children and families experience inequities across health domains. Calls to action from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada and the Indigenous Physicians Association of Canada have highlighted the need for medical professionals to better understand these inequities and improve the provision of culturally safe services through collaboration between Indigenous communities and medical residency programs. There are currently no published evaluations of clinical training for Canadian medical residents within Indigenous communities. The current study was conducted at an on-reserve pediatric outreach clinic (Maskwacis Pediatric Outreach Clinic; MPOC).

Methods

From the perspectives of pediatric residents, the researchers explored the impacts of attending MPOC during resident training. Residents completed anonymous surveys over an 18-month period that addressed patient and caregiver encounters, the value of MPOC on resident training, significant pediatric health issues in the community, and limitations of MPOC in contributing to training. Seven residents participated in a focus group that expanded upon survey results.

Results

Thirty-four surveys were completed. Responses reflected an enhanced understanding of social, environmental, and systemic contributors to health issues, and learning regarding the complexity of circumstances that Indigenous children and families face. Focus group results were organized into the impacts of MPOC on (1) residents and (2) patients, with several sub-categories.

Conclusions

Findings suggest that direct clinical exposure to Indigenous child health issues is a valuable educational experience for pediatric residents. The importance of strength-based approaches to educating medical residents regarding the social determinants of health and colonial contexts of Indigenous health disparities is also identified.
Mothers’ experiences and perceptions of their child’s weaning process from tube feeding within a multidisciplinary Paediatric Feeding Program
Authors: Cipolla Josie , Reeves-Latour Jonathan , Ramsay Maria , Li Patricia
Published: July 2022

Objectives

Previous studies have described the negative impact that tube feeding of children with complex chronic diseases has on the caregivers’ emotions, relationships and daily life. It is unclear whether these negative experiences persist or change during and after the weaning process. We sought to explore mothers’ experiences and perceptions of their child being weaned off tube feeding within a Paediatric Feeding Program (PFP).

Methods

We conducted a qualitative study using semi-structured interviews with mothers whose children <4 years old had experienced feeding tube weaning within an outpatient, family-centred, telemedicine-supported PFP. The transcripts were analyzed using thematic analysis.

Results

We conducted 9 interviews with mothers of children (n = 10) in the PFP at which point data saturation was achieved. Three main themes emerged: a) the initial emotional toll on mothers stemming from fear of perceived adverse consequences of decreasing tube feeds and uncertainty surrounding efficacy of weaning; b) achievement of weaning via a family-centered approach through gaining trust, close contact, and collaboration with the team; and c) attainment of mothers’ expectations of family life through transformed relationships and social activities. A positive evolution of emotions was observed, attributable to the support of the PFP.

Conclusions

These experiences suggest that our outpatient weaning program had a positive impact on the stress, fear, and relational challenges that mothers reported before and during initial tube weaning. These findings highlight potential areas of discussion with families at multiple stages of the child’s tube feeding experience, to help normalize emotions for families and support coping strategies.
Gödel’s Disjunctive Argument
Authors: Wrigley Wesley
Published: July 2022

Gödel argued that the incompleteness theorems entail that the mind is not a machine, or that certain arithmetical propositions are absolutely undecidable. His view was that the mind is not a machine, and that no arithmetical propositions are absolutely undecidable. I argue that his position presupposes that the idealized mathematician has an ability which I call the recursive-ordinal recognition ability. I show that we have this ability if, and only if, there are no absolutely undecidable arithmetical propositions. I argue that there are such propositions, but that no recognizable example of one can be identified, even in principle.
Brassinosteroid signaling restricts root lignification by antagonizing SHORT-ROOT function in Arabidopsis
Authors: Li Meng , Li Pengxue , Wang Chunhua , Xu Huimin , Wang Mengxue , Wang Yanli , Niu Xufang , Xu Mengyuan , Wang Hong , Qin Yaxin , Tang Wenqiang , Bai Mingyi , Wang Wenfei , Wu Shuang
Published: July 2022

Cell wall lignification is a key step in forming functional endodermis and protoxylem (PX) in plant roots. Lignified casparian strips (CS) in endodermis and tracheary elements of PX are essential for selective absorption and transport of water and nutrients. Although multiple key regulators of CS and PX have been identified, the spatial information that drives the developmental shift to root lignification remains unknown. Here, we found that brassinosteroid (BR) signaling plays a key role in inhibiting root lignification in the root elongation zone. The inhibitory activity of BR signaling occurs partially through the direct binding of BRASSINAZOLE-RESISTANT 1 (BZR1) to SHORT-ROOT (SHR), repressing the SHR-mediated activation of downstream genes that are involved in root lignification. Upon entering the mature root zone, BR signaling declines rapidly, which releases SHR activity and initiates root lignification. Our results provide a mechanistic view of the developmental transition to cell wall lignification in Arabidopsis thaliana roots.