bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Cochabamba’s 2000 Water War in Historical Perspective
Authors: Hines Sarah
Published: February 2023

Water has long shaped economic, social, and political life in Bolivia’s highlands and valleys. As a result of dispossession under the Incas, the Spanish, and postcolonial governments, a small group of large landowners (hacendados) controlled most water sources in Bolivia’s most important agricultural valleys in Cochabamba by the end of the 19th century. Purchases of some of these estate (hacienda) sources and hydraulic infrastructure projects under military socialist governments in the late 1930s and early 1940s increased water access for independent smallholders (piqueros) and the growing urban population there, but water ownership and access remained highly unequal on the eve of Bolivia’s 1952 revolution. After seizing power in April 1952, the Movimiento Nacionalista Revolucionario party passed an agrarian reform that provided for redistribution of hacienda land and water sources. Redistribution of previously hoarded water sources to estate tenants (colonos) transformed the region and the nation’s water tenure regime. But the reform excluded Cochabamba’s piqueros, landless peasants, and residents of the growing department capital. In the decades that followed, these groups worked to expand and protect their water access. City center residents protested shortages and rate hikes. Migrants to neighborhoods on the urban periphery built independent water supply and distribution systems. And peasants built and maintained irrigation infrastructure and fought efforts to drill deep wells that threatened shallow irrigation wells. These groups rallied behind the Misicuni Dam project, which promised to provide water for consumption, irrigation, and hydroelectricity, and faced off with the Inter-American Development Bank and Cochabamba’s municipal water company, SEMAPA. Contention and competition over water access and management, as well as residents’ autonomous management and contributions of labor to building water infrastructure, laid the basis for conflicts over water privatization in the 1990s. “Water wars” in Cochabamba in 2000 and in El Alto in 2005 forced the national government to cancel water administration contracts with transnational corporations and helped propel coca growers’ union leader Evo Morales to the presidency. Morales, Bolivia’s first Indigenous president, called a constituent assembly to refound the country in the interests of Indigenous people, workers, and the poor, fulfilling his promise to social movements. The resulting constitution enshrined a right to water access as well as Indigenous and peasant communities’ rights to manage water and other resources autonomously. At the urging of Morales’s government and water activists, the United Nations adopted a human right to water. While some Bolivian water activists supported these efforts, others have criticized the Morales government’s use of the concept of the human right to water to justify new rounds of water dispossession.
Vehicle-Related Causes of Flood Fatalities
Authors: Gissing Andrew , Hamilton Kyra , Smith Grantley , Peden Amy E.
Published: February 2023

Vehicle-related flood incidents represent a leading cause of flood fatalities, as well as resulting in an additional health system and emergency services burden. A large proportion of these deaths are preventable and represent an area of collaboration across a range of fields, including emergency services, disaster preparedness, floodplain management, public health, and road safety. The nature of the risk is exacerbated by increases in the frequency and severity of flood events in a warming climate and further urbanization.

The nature of vehicle-related flood incidents is multidimensional, consisting of flood hazard, behavioral, vehicle, and road-related factors. Equally, strategies required to reduce the incidence of vehicles entering floodwater must be multidimensional, giving consideration to behavioral, regulatory, structural, and emergency response measures. Such an approach requires the involvement of a diverse range of stakeholders.
Chromosome and bands: comparative cytogenetics of the morphotypes ofAmeerega trivittata(Anura: Dendrobatidae)
Authors: Koch Esteban Diego , Feldberg Eliana , Pinangé Diego Sotero de Barros , Viana Patrik , Goll Leonardo Gusso , Traldi Josiane Baccarin
Published: February 2023

Ameerega trivittata is a widely distributed dendrobatid species with colour polymorphism for which only the diploid number, nucleolar organizer regions (NORs) and heterochromatic pattern are known. Here, we investigated the existence of cytogenetic structure in A. trivittata populations with different morphotypes. Four morphotypes and their geographical distributions were defined. All the individuals have 24 chromosomes and a similar heterochromatic pattern, the same location of telomeric regions and 5S rDNA. The NOR site was coincident with the 18S rDNA in pair 9, but some individuals presented an additional site in one of the homologues of pair 11. The highest variation was found in the microsatellite distribution patterns. Comparing the cytogenetic characters of the individuals, two groups were detected: (1) Tabatinga (morphotype B) and Benjamin Constant (morphotype A), and (2) Presidente Figueiredo and Tefé (morphotype C). The cytogenetic data appear to be correlated to the structure pattern of the morphotypes, and corroborate the dispersal routes proposed in the literature. This is the first study of population cytogenetics for the group. Our results provide a series of cytogenetic characters for A. trivittata and for Dendrobatidae for the first time and highlight the importance of considering cytogenetics in population research.
Body size and the architecture of the visual system in crepuscular and diurnal bees
Authors: Araújo Priscila , de Almeida Caetano Carolina , Schlindwein Clemens , Alves-Dos-Santos Isabel , Mota Theo
Published: February 2023

Crepuscular bees have larger compound eyes, ommatidia and ocelli than diurnal bees. These visual adaptations allow these bees to forage during twilight. While the sizes of visual organs are positively correlated with body size in diurnal bees, this relationship is as yet unclear in crepuscular bees. Here we measured the sizes of the ocellus; compound eyes; ommatidial density; and dorsal, frontal and ventral facets of 11 phylogenetically related bee species with different temporal patterns. We tested whether and how each of these visual attributes is correlated with body size and/or temporal pattern. Except for ommatidial density and size of the frontal ommatidia, which are similar in crepuscular bees of different sizes, we found that all other visual variables in diurnal and crepuscular bees are correlated with both body size and temporal pattern. The lower variability in ommatidial density among crepuscular bees suggests that their eyes operate on the threshold between light sensitivity and visual acuity. Furthermore, similar frontal ommatidial sizes in bees of different sizes indicate that this eye region is under higher evolutionary pressure in small than in large crepuscular bees to ensure light sensitivity. Finally, those crepuscular bees from different families convergently share the same visual characteristics.
Nonparametric estimation of the intensity function of a spatial point process on a Riemannian manifold
Authors: Ward S , Battey H S , Cohen E A K
Published: February 2023

This paper is concerned with nonparametric estimation of the intensity function of a point process on a Riemannian manifold. It provides a first-order asymptotic analysis of the proposed kernel estimator for Poisson processes, supplemented by empirical work to probe the behaviour in finite samples and under other generative regimes. The investigation highlights the scope for finite-sample improvements by allowing the bandwidth to adapt to local curvature.
Distimake vitifolius (Convolvulaceae): reclassification of a widespread species in view of phylogenetics and convergent pollen evolution
Authors: Pisuttimarn Ponprom , Simões Ana Rita Giraldes , Petrongari Fernanda Satori , Simão-Bianchini RosâNgela , Barbosa Juliana Cruz Jardim , de Man Ine , Fonseca Luiz Henrique Martins , Janssens Steven B , Patil Sujit B , Shimpale Vinod B , Pornpongrungrueng Pimwadee , Leliaert Frederik , Chatrou Lars W
Published: February 2023

Distimake vitifolius comb. nov. (Convolvulaceae), currently treated as Camonea vitifolia, is a common and widespread species in South-East Asia. A recent study on the re-delimitation of the genus Merremia classified its species into six genera. The results of molecular phylogenetic analyses and the presence of hexazonocolpate pollen informed the transfer of Merremia vitifolia to Camonea. We present new molecular, morphological and palynological data and reinterpret previous results, demonstrating that the species should be classified in Distimake instead, reflecting the phylogenetic relationships of the species. Thus, the occurrence of hexazonocolpate pollen in both Distimake and Camonea is found to be the result of the convergent evolution of this apertural pattern in ‘Merremieae’, with implications for pollen evolution studies in the family. We formally transfer Camonea vitifolia to Distimake and present this reclassification as an example of the relevance of reciprocal reinterpretation of different sources of evidence in systematic studies.
Analysis of Dynamic Efficacy Endpoints of the Nix-TB Trial
Authors: Solans Belén P , Imperial Marjorie Z , Olugbosi Morounfolu , Savic Rada M
Published: February 2023

Background

Safer, better, and shorter treatments for multidrug-resistant (MDR) and extensively drug-resistant (XDR) tuberculosis (TB) are an urgent global health need. The phase 3 clinical trial Nix-TB (NCT02333799) tested a 6-month treatment of MDR and XDR-TB consisting of high-dose linezolid, bedaquiline, and pretomanid (BPaL). In this study, we investigate the relationship between the pharmacokinetic characteristics of the drugs, patient characteristics and efficacy endpoints from Nix-TB.

Methods

Pharmacokinetic data were collected at weeks 2, 8, and 16. Efficacy endpoints including treatment outcomes, time to stable culture conversion, and longitudinal time to positivity in the mycobacterial growth indicator tube assay were each characterized using nonlinear mixed-effects modeling. Relationships between patient, treatment pharmacokinetics, and disease characteristics and efficacy endpoints were evaluated.

Results

Data from 93 (85% of the total) participants were analyzed. Higher body mass index was associated with a lower incidence of unfavorable treatment outcomes. Median time to stable culture conversion was 3 months in patients with lower baseline burden compared with 4.5 months in patients with high baseline burden. Participants with minimal disease had steeper time to positivity trajectories compared with participants with high-risk phenotypes. No relationship between any drugs’ pharmacokinetics (drug concentration or exposure metrics) and any efficacy outcomes was observed.

Conclusions

We have successfully described efficacy endpoints of a BPaL regimen from the Nix-TB trial. Participants with high-risk phenotypes significantly delayed time to culture conversion and bacterial clearance. The lack of a relationship between pharmacokinetic exposures and pharmacodynamic biomarkers opens the possibility to use lower, safer doses, particularly for toxicity-prone linezolid.

Clinical Trials Registration

NCT02333799.
Recruitment and Residence of Intestinal T Cells – Lessons for Therapy in Inflammatory Bowel Disease
Authors: Gordon Hannah , Rodger Beverley , Lindsay James O , Stagg Andrew J
Published: February 2023

Targeting leukocyte trafficking in the management of inflammatory bowel disease [IBD] has been a significant therapeutic advance over the past 15 years. However, as with other advanced therapies, phase III clinical trials report response to trafficking inhibitors in only a proportion of patients, with fewer achieving clinical remission or mucosal healing. Additionally, there have been significant side effects, most notably progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy in association with the α4 inhibitor natalizumab.

This article reviews the mechanisms underpinning T cell recruitment and residence, to provide a background from which the strength and limitations of agents that disrupt leukocyte trafficking can be further explored.

The therapeutic impact of trafficking inhibitors is underpinned by the complexity and plasticity of the intestinal immune response. Pathways essential for gut homing in health may be bypassed in the inflamed gut, thus providing alternative routes of entry when conventional homing molecules are targeted. Furthermore, there is conservation of trafficking architecture between proinflammatory and regulatory T cells. The persistence of resident memory cells within the gut gives rise to local established pro-inflammatory populations, uninfluenced by inhibition of trafficking. Finally, trafficking inhibitors may give rise to effects beyond the intended response, such as the impact of vedolizumab on innate immunity, as well as on target side effects.

With significant research efforts into predictive biomarkers already underway, it is ultimately hoped that a better understanding of trafficking and residence will help us predict which patients are most likely to respond to inhibition of leukocyte trafficking, and how best to combine therapies.
Psychometric properties of self-reported measures of self-management for chronic heart failure patients: a systematic review
Authors: Chen Yu , Lu Minmin , Jia Lingying
Published: February 2023

Aims

The aim of this study is to identify and assess the psychometric properties of patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) of self-management for chronic heart failure (CHF) patients.

Methods and results

Eleven databases and two websites were searched from the inception to 1 June 2022. The COnsensus-based Standards for the selection of health Measurement INstruments (COSMIN) risk of bias checklist was used to assess the methodological quality. The COSMIN criteria were used to rate and summarize the psychometric properties of each PROM. The modified Grading of Recommendation Assessment, Development, and Evaluation was used to assess the certainty of evidence. In total, 43 studies reported on the psychometric properties of 11 PROMs. Structural validity and internal consistency were the parameters evaluated most frequently. Limited information was identified on hypotheses testing for construct validity, reliability, criterion validity, and responsiveness. No data regarding measurement error and cross-cultural validity/measurement invariance were achieved. High-quality evidence on psychometric properties was provided for Self-care of Heart Failure Index (SCHFI) v6.2, SCHFI v7.2, and European Heart Failure Self-care Behavior Scale 9-item (EHFScBS-9).

Conclusion

Based on the findings from the included studies, SCHFI v6.2, SCHFI v7.2, and EHFScBS-9 could be recommended to evaluate self-management for CHF patients. Further studies are necessary to evaluate more psychometric properties, such as measurement error, cross-cultural validity/measurement invariance, responsiveness, and criterion validity, and carefully evaluate the content validity.

Registration

PROSPERO CRD42022322290
Reference values of aerobic fitness in the contemporary paediatric population
Authors: Gavotto Arthur , Mura Thibault , Rhodes Jonathan , Yin Suellen Moli , Hager Alfred , Hock Julia , Guillaumont Sophie , Vincenti Marie , De La Villeon Gregoire , Requirand Anne , Picot Marie-Christine , Huguet Helena , Souilla Luc , Moreau Johan , Matecki Stefan , Amedro Pascal
Published: February 2023

Aims

There has been a growing interest in the use of markers of aerobic physical fitness (VO2max assessed by cardiopulmonary exercise test (CPET)) in the follow-up of paediatric chronic diseases. The dissemination of CPET in paediatrics requires valid paediatric VO2max reference values to define the upper and lower normal limits. This study aimed to establish VO2max reference Z-score values, from a large cohort of children representative of the contemporary paediatric population, including those with extreme weights.

Methods and results

In this cross-sectional study, 909 children aged 5 to 18 years old from the general French population (development cohort) and 232 children from the general German and US populations (validation cohort) underwent a CPET, following the guidelines on high-quality CPET assessment. Linear, quadratic, and polynomial mathematical regression equations were applied to identify the best VO2max Z-score model. Predicted and observed VO2max values using the VO2max Z-score model, and the existing linear equations were compared, in both development and validation cohorts. For both sexes, the mathematical model using natural logarithms of VO2max, height, and BMI was the best fit for the data. This Z-score model could be applied to normal and extreme weights and was more reliable than the existing linear equations, in both internal and external validity analyses (https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.d2l.zscore).

Conclusion

This study established reference Z-score values for paediatric cycloergometer VO2max using a logarithmic function of VO2max, height, and BMI, applicable to normal and extreme weights. Providing Z-scores to assess aerobic fitness in the paediatric population should be useful in the follow-up of children with chronic diseases.

Clinical trial registration

ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04876209
Transcriptomic profiling of sex-specific olfactory neurons reveals subset-specific receptor expression in Caenorhabditis elegans
Authors: Reilly Douglas K , Schwarz Erich M , Muirhead Caroline S , Robidoux Annalise N , Narayan Anusha , Doma Meenakshi K , Sternberg Paul W , Srinivasan Jagan
Published: February 2023

The nematode Caenorhabditis elegans utilizes chemosensation to navigate an ever-changing environment for its survival. A class of secreted small-molecule pheromones, termed ascarosides, play an important role in olfactory perception by affecting biological functions ranging from development to behavior. The ascaroside #8 (ascr#8) mediates sex-specific behaviors, driving avoidance in hermaphrodites and attraction in males. Males sense ascr#8 via the ciliated male-specific cephalic sensory (CEM) neurons, which exhibit radial symmetry along dorsal–ventral and left–right axes. Calcium imaging studies suggest a complex neural coding mechanism that translates stochastic physiological responses in these neurons to reliable behavioral outputs. To test the hypothesis that neurophysiological complexity arises from differential expression of genes, we performed cell-specific transcriptomic profiling; this revealed between 18 and 62 genes with at least twofold higher expression in a specific CEM neuron subtype vs both other CEM neurons and adult males. These included two G protein–coupled receptor (GPCR) genes, srw-97 and dmsr-12, that were specifically expressed in nonoverlapping subsets of CEM neurons and whose expression was confirmed by GFP reporter analysis. Single CRISPR-Cas9 knockouts of either srw-97 or dmsr-12 resulted in partial defects, while a double knockout of both srw-97 and dmsr-12 completely abolished the attractive response to ascr#8. Together, our results suggest that the evolutionarily distinct GPCRs SRW-97 and DMSR-12 act nonredundantly in discrete olfactory neurons to facilitate male-specific sensation of ascr#8.
Physical Disability, Psychological Resilience, and COVID-Related Changes in Depressive Symptoms Among U.S. Older Adults
Authors: Li Miao , Luo Ye
Published: February 2023

Objectives

This study pursued 3 goals: (1) to determine how depressive symptoms among U.S. older adults changed in 2018–2020, a period transitioning to the first wave of coronavirus disease (COVID) pandemic, compared to in prepandemic periods, (2) to determine whether physical disability predicts change in depressive symptoms in 2018–2020, and (3) to assess whether psychological resilience moderates the association between physical disability and change in depressive symptoms in 2018–2020.

Methods

Based on biennial longitudinal data of the Health and Retirement Study from 2010 to 2020, we used a before–after design and latent change score model to examine whether depressive symptoms change in 2018–2020 represents a continuation or departure from the overall trend of between-wave changes in 2010–2018. We also used physical disability in 2018 and psychological resilience in 2016–2018 to predict depressive symptoms change score in 2018–2020.

Results

In contrast to the relatively stable between-wave change trend in 2010–2018, there was an abrupt elevation in the latent change score of depressive symptoms in 2018–2020, which was primarily driven by increased affective symptoms (e.g., depressed mood, loneliness, unhappiness, and sadness). Increase in depressive symptoms in 2018–2020 was associated positively with physical disability but negatively with psychological resilience. Moderation effect of psychological resilience, however, was not significant.

Discussion

Our findings reveal heavier COVID-related mental health burden for older adults with physical disabilities and the potential benefits of enhancing individual psychological resilience. They also suggest that health interventions addressing the COVID impacts need to particularly focus on the affective aspects of depressive symptoms.
Black Inflammatory Bowel Disease Patients Have Lower Response to Antitumor Necrosis Factor Agents Compared With White Patients
Authors: Burstiner Landen Shane , Owings Anna H , Royer Amor , Hreish Yousef , Johnson Jeshanah , Barr Madelyn , Laird Hannah , Tarugu Spurthi , Edwards Kane , Bradley Lauren , Brar Himmat , Robinson Tanya O , Hosseini-Carroll Pegah , Liu Julia , Glover Sarah C
Published: February 2023

Background

Most studies on the safety and efficacy of antitumor necrosis factor alpha (anti-TNF) agents in the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease have included few Black patients.

Aims

We aimed to evaluate the therapeutic response rate in Black IBD patients compared with White patients.

Methods

We conducted a retrospective review of IBD patients who were treated with anti-TNF agents and assessed those with therapeutic drug levels for clinical, endoscopic, and radiologic response to anti-TNF treatment.

Results

We identified 118 patients who met the inclusion criteria. Black IBD patients had significantly higher prevalence of endoscopic and radiologic active disease compared with White patients (62% and 34%, respectively; P = .023), despite similar proportions reaching therapeutic titers (67% and 55%, respectively; P = .20). Moreover, Black patients had significantly higher rate of IBD-related hospitalizations than White patients (30% vs 13%, respectively; P = .025) while on anti-TNF agents.

Conclusions

Black IBD patients on anti-TNF agents had a significantly higher prevalence of active disease and more IBD-related hospitalizations than White patients.
Could an artificial intelligence approach to prior authorization be more human?
Authors: Lenert Leslie A , Lane Steven , Wehbe Ramsey
Published: February 2023

Prior authorization (PA) may be a necessary evil within the healthcare system, contributing to physician burnout and delaying necessary care, but also allowing payers to prevent wasting resources on redundant, expensive, and/or ineffective care. PA has become an “informatics issue” with the rise of automated methods for PA review, championed in the Health Level 7 International’s (HL7’s) DaVinci Project. DaVinci proposes using rule-based methods to automate PA, a time-tested strategy with known limitations. This article proposes an alternative that may be more human-centric, using artificial intelligence (AI) methods for the computation of authorization decisions. We believe that by combining modern approaches for accessing and exchanging existing electronic health data with AI methods tailored to reflect the judgments of expert panels that include patient representatives, and refined with “few shot” learning approaches to prevent bias, we could create a just and efficient process that serves the interests of society as a whole. Efficient simulation of human appropriateness assessments from existing data using AI methods could eliminate burdens and bottlenecks while preserving PA’s benefits as a tool to limit inappropriate care.
Simultaneous Screening and Quantitation of Drugs and Their Metabolites in Postmortem Samples by Liquid Chromatography–High-Resolution Mass Spectrometry: Does It Provide Any Benefits?
Authors: Rab Edmund , Martin Stephanie , Freemont Anthony , Maslin Samantha , Marr Roger , Kanu Mohammad-Sadik
Published: February 2023

Screening of postmortem blood and urine samples is used to identify compounds that may have contributed to an individual’s death. Toxicologically significant compounds detected by the screen are then quantitated in blood to determine their likely effect upon death. In most laboratories, this is a two-step process. This study compares an established two-step screening and quantitative processes, utilizing a gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) screen followed by quantitation by GC–MS or high-performance liquid chromatography with diode array detection (HPLC–DAD), with a novel method utilizing liquid chromatography–high-resolution mass spectrometry (LC–HRMS). The LC–HRMS assay is able to screen postmortem blood and urine samples and simultaneously measure the concentration of toxicologically significant compounds in postmortem blood. Screening results of 200 postmortem blood samples and 103 postmortem urine samples by LC–HRMS and GC–MS showed that LC–HRMS detected key compounds in 125% more instances and there was a 60% increase in the number of compounds detected. Quantitative values generated using the LC–HRMS assay were within ±10% of values obtained using the established methods by GC–MS or HPLC–DAD. A retrospective analysis of turnaround times pre- and post-adoption of LC–HRMS showed a decrease for all of the compounds in the analysis, including a 43% reduction for free morphine and codeine, a 50% reduction for amphetamine and a 37% reduction for cocaine. Combining screening and quantitation reduced staffing requirements by 2 days for opiate quantitation and 1 day for most other analytes. The adoption of LC–HRMS also significantly reduced sample volume requirements. These results demonstrate that the adoption of LC–HRMS for simultaneous screening and quantitation delivered significant benefits in comparison to the two-step procedure.
Exploring the Role of Social Protection Interventions in Preventing Child Labour: Reinforcing the Case for a Human Rights-Based Model of Intervention
Authors: Hennessy Róisín
Published: February 2023

Social protection measures have emerged as critical interventions to tackle child labour. However, the effectiveness of divergent models of social protection for preventing child labour is undertheorized by academic scholars, and the specific links between child labour and social protection policy generally are underexplored. To advance knowledge in this field, first, this article develops a conceptual framework to analyse evolving discourses relating to the design of social protection measures adopted by the World Bank (WB) and International Labour Organization (ILO). The analysis distinguishes between minimalist ‘safety-net and market-centred’ approaches to social protection (associated with the WB), and more fulsome ‘human rights-based’ interventions (associated with the ILO). The implications of these diverse models of social protection and their impact on children in economic exploitation are analysed. Second, the article engages in an innovative analysis of available empirical studies to measure the effectiveness in practice of different models of social protection. The article argues that interventions that are explicitly linked to broader socio-economic rights and align with a ‘human rights-based’ approach give rise to the most effective results. In contrast, interventions that adopt a ‘safety-net and market-centred’ approach can result in mixed outcomes, and/or increases in child labour. A further finding from the analysis reveals that the gendered burden of social reproduction work is a structural issue that cuts across all of the different social protection interventions and plays a crucial role in their varying outcomes. The article concludes with recommendations for policy makers that have implications for the design of ‘child-friendly’ social protection.
Importance of Consistency and Standardization in Estimating Economic Contributions of the Forest Industry in the Southern United States
Authors: Court Christa D , Ferreira João-Pedro , Stair Caleb A , Hodges Alan W
Published: February 2023

The forest industry is a significant contributor to many local and state economies in the United States (US). Informed public policy at state and national levels requires that decision makers have accurate and defensible information on the value and structure of these economic contributions. However, different methods and modeling assumptions used and different industry sectors included by various analysts complicate meaningful comparisons across regions and time. This work presents a standardized approach to economic contribution assessments of the forest industry. The US Southern Forest region serves as an example of this approach with standardized results for economic contributions per capita, per acre of timberland, and per unit volume of timber harvested when comparing across regions and time. Among other findings, the results suggest that states with developed wood and paper product manufacturing industries have significantly greater economic contributions than states that are concentrated on timber harvesting.
Computational aerodynamics with isogeometric analysis
Authors: Bazilevs Yuri , Takizawa Kenji , Tezduyar Tayfun E , Korobenko Artem , Kuraishi Takashi , Otoguro Yuto
Published: February 2023

The superior accuracy isogeometric analysis (IGA) brought to computations in fluid and solid mechanics has been yielding higher fidelity in computational aerodynamics. The increased accuracy we achieve with the IGA is in the flow solution, in representing the problem geometry, and, when we use the IGA basis functions also in time in a space–time (ST) framework, in representing the motion of solid surfaces. It is of course as part of a set of methods that the IGA has been very effective in computational aerodynamics, including complex-geometry aerodynamics. The set of methods we have been using can be categorized into those that serve as a core method, those that increase the accuracy, and those that widen the application range. The core methods are the residual-based variational multiscale (VMS), ST-VMS and arbitrary Lagrangian–Eulerian VMS methods. The IGA and ST-IGA are examples of the methods that increase the accuracy. The complex-geometry IGA mesh generation method is an example of the methods that widen the application range. The ST Topology Change method is another example of that. We provide an overview of these methods for IGA-based computational aerodynamics and present examples of the computations performed. In computational flow analysis with moving solid surfaces and contact between the solid surfaces, it is a challenge to represent the boundary layers with an accuracy attributed to moving-mesh methods and represent the contact without leaving a mesh protection gap.
Generation of blastoids from human parthenogenetic stem cells
Authors: Zhong Ke , Luo Yu-Xin , Li Dan , Min Zhe-Ying , Fan Yong , Yu Yang
Published: February 2023

Parthenogenetic embryos derive their genomes entirely from the maternal genome and lack paternal imprint patterns. Many achievements have been made in the study of genomic imprinting using human parthenogenetic embryonic stem cells (hPg-ESCs). However, due to developmental defects and ethical limits, a comprehensive understanding of parthenogenetic embryonic development is still lacking. Here, we generated parthenogenetic blastoids (hPg-EPSCs blastoids) from hPg-ESC-derived extended pluripotent stem cells (hPg-EPSCs) using our previously published two-step induction protocol. Morphology, specific marker expression and single-cell transcriptome analysis showed that hPg-EPSCs blastoids contain crucial cell lineages similar to blastoids (hBp-EPSCs blastoids) generated from human biparental EPSCs (hBp-EPSCs). Single-cell RNA-seq compared the expression of genes related to imprinting and X chromosome inactivation in hPg-EPSCs blastoids and hBp-EPSCs blastoids. In conclusion, we generated parthenogenetic blastoids, which will potentially promote the study of genomic imprinting in embryonic development and uncover the influence of parental origin bias on human development and pathological mechanisms.
Statistics of precipitable water vapour above the sites of the 6-m Big Telescope Alt-azimuthal and new 3-m Large Solar Telescope using ERA5 data
Authors: Bolbasova Lidia A , Shikhovtsev Artem Yu , Ermakov Sergei A
Published: February 2023

Atmospheric conditions have a major impact on the quality of ground-based astronomy observations. Among atmospheric molecular gases, water vapour presents a significant challenge in ground-based astronomical observations in spectral bands ranging from radio to infrared. The impact of water vapour on astronomical observations is expressed in terms of precipitable water vapour (PWV). Water vapour is a greenhouse gas on Earth that plays an important role in various atmospheric processes, including global climate change. In this work, we analyse the long-term (1975–2021) statistics of PWV above two mid-latitude sites: the 6-m Big Telescope Alt-azimuthal in the Caucasus Mountains and the new 3-m Large Solar Telescope in the Sayan Mountains. Both astronomical sites were established over 45 years ago and are located at an altitude of 2000 m above sea level. We use ERA5 – a new-generation European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) retrieved atmospheric reanalysis product. First, we evaluate the reliability of the PWV variable provided in the ERA5 data using global navigation satellite system (GNSS) measurement data. We present the analysis of PWV statistics, including seasonal behaviour above the sites in the infrared astronomical observations context. Then we provide long-term changes of PWV for the period 1975–2021 and examine the data set for the statistical significance of trends. Finally we discuss PWV correlation with other atmospheric parameters: surface temperature and total cloud cover in the regions of both sites.
VaTEST I: validation of sub-Saturn exoplanet TOI-181b in narrow orbit from its host star
Authors: Mistry Priyashkumar , Pathak Kamlesh , Lekkas Georgios , Prasad Aniket , Bhattarai Surendra , Maity Mousam , Beichman Charles A , Ciardi David R , Evans Phil , Bieryla Allyson , Eastman Jason D , Esquerdo Gilbert A , Lucero Jennifer P
Published: February 2023

We present here a validation of sub-Saturn exoplanet TOI-181b orbiting a K spectral type star TOI-181 (mass: 0.822 ± 0.04 M⊙, radius: 0.745 ± 0.02 R⊙, temperature: 4994 ± 50 K) as a part of Validation of Transiting Exoplanets using Statistical Tools (VaTEST) project. TOI-181b is a planet with radius 6.95 ± 0.08 R⊕, mass 46.16 ± 2.71 M⊕, orbiting in a slightly eccentric orbit with eccentricity 0.15 ± 0.06 and semimajor axis of 0.054 ± 0.004 au, with an orbital period of 4.5320 ± 0.000002 d. The transit photometry data were collected using Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) and spectroscopic data for radial velocity analysis were collected using The European Southern Observatory’s (ESO) High Accuracy Radial Velocity Planet Searcher (HARPS) telescope. Based on the radial velocity best-fit model we measured RV semi-amplitude to be 20.56 ± 2.37 m s−1. Additionally, we used VESPA and TRICERATOPS to compute the False Positive Probability (FPP), and the findings were FPP values of 1.68 × 10−14 and 3.81 × 10−04, respectively, which are significantly lower than the 1 per cent threshold. The finding of TOI-181b is significant in the perspective of future work on the formation and migration history of analogous planetary systems since warm sub-Saturns are uncommon in the known sample of exoplanets.
Full forward model of galaxy clustering statistics with AbacusSummit light cones
Authors: Yuan Sihan , Hadzhiyska Boryana , Abel Tom
Published: February 2023

Novel summary statistics beyond the standard 2-point correlation function (2PCF) are necessary to capture the full astrophysical and cosmological information from the small-scale (r < 30h−1Mpc) galaxy clustering. However, the analysis of beyond-2PCF statistics on small scales is challenging because we lack the appropriate treatment of observational systematics for arbitrary summary statistics of the galaxy field. In this paper, we develop a full forward modelling pipeline for a wide range of summary statistics using the large high-fidelity AbacusSummit light cones that account for many systematic effects as well as remain flexible and computationally efficient to enable posterior sampling. We apply our forward model approach to a fully realistic mock galaxy catalog and demonstrate that we can recover unbiased constraints on the underlying galaxy–halo connection model using two separate summary statistics: the standard 2PCF and the novel k-th nearest neighbour (kNN) statistics, which are sensitive to correlation functions of all orders. We will demonstrate its strong constraining power on extended galaxy–halo connection models and cosmology in follow up papers. We expect this to become a powerful approach when applying to upcoming surveys such as DESI where we can leverage a multitude of summary statistics across a wide redshift range to maximally extract information from the non-linear scales.
Is there a reduction in hip destruction under a treat-to-target strategy in patients with rheumatoid arthritis?
Authors: Tsushima Hidetoshi , Takahide Sakuragi , Akasaki Yukio , Fujiwara Toshifumi , Hara Daisuke , Ikemura Satoshi , Sakuraba Kouji , Kamura Satoshi , Miyahara Hisaaki , Yamada Hisakata , Fukushi Jun-ichi , Nakashima Yasuharu
Published: February 2023

Objectives

The treatments for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) have been greatly improved, and the tight control of disease activity yields superior clinical outcomes. This study aimed to elucidate the accompanying changes in hip destruction following the implementation of a treat-to-target strategy for patients with RA.

Methods

We extracted 190 hips over two periods, i.e. the early period (1998–2003) and the late period (2013–19), with 103 and 87 hips, respectively. The observed rheumatic changes, such as inward migration, upward migration, and femoral head collapse, were quantitatively evaluated, while osteoarthritic changes, such as the formation of a capital drop, were investigated from radiographs before primary total hip arthroplasty.

Results

A comparison of the two periods’ data showed that the degree of inward migration (−3.44 vs. −7.45 mm; P < .001) and upward migration (+4.3 vs. +0.95 mm; P < .001) significantly decreased in the late-period group. The collapse of the femoral head was not significantly different. The incidence of capital drops was significantly higher in the late-period group (7.8% vs. 27.5%; P < .001).

Conclusions

The degree of inward and upward migration representative of rheumatic changes reduced, whereas the frequency of capital drops as osteoarthritic changes increased during the late period.
ARBUSCULAR MYCORRHIZA-INDUCED KINASES AMK8 and AMK24 associate with the receptor-like kinase KINASE3 to regulate arbuscular mycorrhizal symbiosis in Lotus japonicus
Authors: Leng Junchen , Wei Xiaotong , Jin Xinyi , Wang Longxiang , Fan Kai , Zou Ke , Zheng Zichao , Saridis Georgios , Zhao Ningkang , Zhou Dan , Duanmu Deqiang , Wang Ertao , Cui Haitao , Bucher Marcel , Xue Li
Published: February 2023

Arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) symbiosis is a widespread, ancient mutualistic association between plants and fungi, and facilitates nutrient uptake into plants. Cell surface receptor-like kinases (RLKs) and receptor-like cytoplasmic kinases (RLCKs) play pivotal roles in transmembrane signaling, while few RLCKs are known to function in AM symbiosis. Here, we show that 27 out of 40 AM-induced kinases (AMKs) are transcriptionally upregulated by key AM transcription factors in Lotus japonicus. Nine AMKs are only conserved in AM-host lineages, among which the SPARK-RLK-encoding gene KINASE3 (KIN3) and the RLCK paralogues AMK8 and AMK24 are required for AM symbiosis. KIN3 expression is directly regulated by the AP2 transcription factor CTTC MOTIF-BINDING TRANSCRIPTION FACTOR1 (CBX1), which regulates the reciprocal exchange of nutrients in AM symbiosis, via the AW-box motif in the KIN3 promoter. Loss of function mutations in KIN3, AMK8, or AMK24 result in reduced mycorrhizal colonization in L. japonicus. AMK8 and AMK24 physically interact with KIN3. KIN3 and AMK24 are active kinases and AMK24 directly phosphorylates KIN3 in vitro. Moreover, CRISPR-Cas9-mediated mutagenesis of OsRLCK171, the sole homolog of AMK8 and AMK24 in rice (Oryza sativa), leads to diminished mycorrhization with stunted arbuscules. Overall, our results reveal a crucial role of the CBX1-driven RLK/RLCK complex in the evolutionarily conserved signaling pathway enabling arbuscule formation.
Microalgal glycerol-3-phosphate acyltransferase role in galactolipids and high-value storage lipid biosynthesis
Authors: Zou Song , Lu Yuanchen , Ma Haiyan , Li Yanhua , Chen Guanqun , Han Danxiang , Hu Qiang
Published: February 2023

Glycerolipids are the most abundant lipids in microalgae, and glycerol-3-phosphate:acyl-CoA acyltransferase (GPAT) plays an important role in their biosynthesis. However, the biochemical and biological functions of algal GPAT remain poorly characterized. Here, we characterized the endoplasmic reticulum (ER)-associated GPAT of the model unicellular green alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii (CrGPATer). Enzymatic assays indicated that CrGPATer is an sn-1 acyltransferase using a variety of acyl-CoAs as the acyl donor. Subcellular localization revealed that CrGPATer was associated with ER membranes and lipid droplets. We constructed overexpression (OE) and knockdown (KD) transgenic C. reinhardtii lines to investigate the in vivo function of CrGPATer. Lipidomic analysis indicated that CrGPATer OE enhanced the cellular content of galactolipids, especially monogalactosyldiacylglycerol, under nitrogen deficiency stress. Correspondingly, CrGPATer KD lines contained lower contents of galactolipids than the control. Feeding experiments with labeled phosphatidic acid revealed that the intermediate of the eukaryotic Kennedy pathway could be used for galactolipid biosynthesis in the chloroplasts. These results provided multiple lines of evidence that the eukaryotic Kennedy pathway mediated by CrGPATer may be involved in galactolipid biosynthesis in C. reinhardtii. OE of CrGPATer significantly increased the content of triacylglycerol and the yield of biomass. Moreover, the content and yield of 1, 3-olein-2-palmitin, a high-value lipid that can be used as an alternative for human milk fat in infant formula, were significantly enhanced in the OE transgenic lines. Taken together, this study provided insights into the biochemical and biological functions of CrGPATer and its potential as a genetic engineering target in functional lipid manufacturing.
Experimental approaches in studying active biomolecules modulating fruit ripening: Melatonin as a case study
Authors: Arabia Alba , Muñoz Paula , Pallarés Núria , Munné-Bosch Sergi
Published: February 2023

Phytohormones are naturally occurring small organic molecules found at low concentrations in plants. They perform essential functions in growth and developmental processes, from organ initiation to senescence, including fruit ripening. These regulatory molecules are studied using different experimental approaches, such as performing exogenous applications, evaluating endogenous levels, and/or obtaining genetically modified lines. Here, we discuss the advantages and limitations of current experimental approaches used to study active biomolecules modulating fruit ripening, focusing on melatonin. Although melatonin has been implicated in fruit ripening in several model fruit crops, current knowledge is affected by the different experimental approaches used, which have given different and sometimes even contradictory results. The methods of application and the doses used have produced different results in studies based on exogenous applications, while different measurement methods and ways of expressing results explain most of the variability in studies using correlative analyses. Furthermore, studies on genetically modified crops have focused on tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) plants only. However, TILLING and CRISPR methodologies are becoming essential tools to complement the results from the experimental approaches described above. This will not only help the scientific community better understand the role of melatonin in modulating fruit ripening, but it will also help develop technological advances to improve fruit yield and quality in major crops. The combination of various experimental approaches will undoubtedly lead to a complete understanding of the function of melatonin in fruit ripening in the near future, so that this knowledge can be effectively transferred to the field.
cAMP controls the balance between dormancy and activation of primordial follicles in mouse ovaries
Authors: Zheng Wenying , Zhang Tuo , Zhao Ting , Zhu Zijian , Qin Shaogang , Yan Hao , He Meina , Zhou Bo , Xia Guoliang , Zhang Hua , Wang Chao
Published: February 2023

In mammalian ovaries, the balance between dormancy and activation of primordial follicles determines the female fecundity and endocrine homeostasis. Recently, several functional molecules and pathways have been reported to be involved in the activation of primordial follicles. However, the homeostasis regulatory mechanisms of primordial follicle activation are still scant. Our previous study has proved that a relatively higher concentration of cyclic AMP (cAMP) is required for primordial follicle formation. Here, we identified that cAMP also plays a vital role in the balance between dormancy and activation of primordial follicles. Our results showed that the concentration of cAMP remained stable in neonatal mouse ovaries, which is due to ADCY3, the synthetase of cAMP, and PDE3A, the hydrolytic enzyme of cAMP, were synchronously increased during the activation of primordial follicles in mouse ovaries. Once the concentration of cAMP in neonatal ovaries was either elevated or reduced in vitro, the activation of primordial follicles was either accelerated or decelerated accordingly. In addition, a higher concentration of cAMP in the ovaries of puberty mice improved primordial follicle activation in vivo. Finally, cAMP promoted primordial follicle activation via canonical mTORC1–PI3K signaling cascades and PKA signaling. In conclusion, our findings reveal that the concentration of cAMP acts as a key regulator in balancing the dormancy and activation of primordial follicles in the mouse ovary.