bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Rapid Ensemble Measurement of Protein Diffusion, Probe Blinking and Photobleaching Dynamics in the Complex Cellular Space
Authors: Sehayek Simon , Yi Xiyu , Weiss Shimon , Wiseman Paul W.
Published: June 2021

We present a fluorescence fluctuation image correlation analysis method that can rapidly and simultaneously measure the diffusion coefficient, photoblinking rates, and fraction of diffusing particles of fluorescent molecules in cells. Unlike other image correlation techniques, we demonstrated that our method could be applied irrespective of a non-uniformly distributed, immobile blinking fluorophore population. This allows us to measure blinking and transport dynamics in complex cell morphologies, a benefit for a range of super-resolution fluorescence imaging approaches that rely on probe emission blinking. Furthermore, we showed that our technique could be applied without directly accounting for photobleaching. We successfully employed our technique on several simulations with realistic EMCCD noise and photobleaching models, as well as on Dronpa-C12 labeled beta-actin in living NIH/3T3 and HeLa cells. We found that the diffusion coefficients measured using our method were consistent with previous literature values. We further found that photoblinking rates measured in the live HeLa cells varied as expected with changing excitation power.
A double-hit in vivo model of GBA1 viral microRNA-mediated downregulation and human alpha-synuclein overexpression demonstrates nigrostriatal degeneration
Authors: Polissidis Alexia , Nikolopoulou Georgia , Koronaiou Effrosyni , Nikatou Maria , Viel Catherine , Boyongo Marios , Pablo Sardi S. , Xilouri Maria , Vekrellis Kostas , Stefanis Leonidas
Published: June 2021

Preclinical and clinical studies support a strong association between mutations in the GBA1 gene that encodes β-glucocerebrosidase (GCase) (EC 3.2.1.45; glucosylceramidase beta) and Parkinson’s disease (PD). Alpha-synuclein (AS), a key player in PD pathogenesis, and GBA1 mutations may independently and synergistically cause lysosomal dysfunction and thus, embody clinically well-validated targets of the neurodegenerative disease process in PD. However, double-hit in vivo models, recapitulating pathological features of PD that can be used to dissect the nature of the complex relationship between GCase and AS on the nigrostriatal axis, the region particularly vulnerable in PD, are direly needed. To address this, we implemented a bidirectional approach in mice to examine the effects of: 1) GCase overexpression (wildtype and mutant N370S) on endogenous AS levels and 2) downregulation of endogenous GCase combined with AS overexpression. Striatal delivery of viral-mediated GCase overexpression revealed minimal effects on cortical and nigrostriatal AS tissue levels and no significant effect on dopaminergic system integrity. On the other hand, microRNA (miR)-mediated GBA1 downregulation (miR GBA), combined with virus-mediated human AS overexpression (+AS), yields decreased GCase activity in the cortex, mimicking levels seen in GBA1 heterozygous carriers (30-40%), increased astrogliosis and microgliosis, decreased striatal dopamine levels (50% compared to controls) and loss of nigral dopaminergic neurons (~33%)-effects that were all reversible with miR rescue. Most importantly, the synergistic neurodegeneration of miR GBA+AS correlated with augmented AS accumulation and extracellular release in the striatum. Collectively, our results suggest that GCase downregulation alone is not sufficient to recapitulate key pathological features of PD in vivo, but its synergistic interplay with AS, via increased AS levels and release, drives nigrostriatal neurodegeneration. Furthermore, we demonstrate a novel double-hit model that can be used to identify putative mechanisms driving PD pathophysiology and can be subsequently used to test novel therapeutic approaches.
AtPQT11, a P450 enzyme, detoxifies paraquat via N-demethylation
Authors: Huang Yi-Jie , Huang Yue-Ping , Xia Jin-Qiu , Fu Zhou-Ping , Chen Yi-Fan , Huang Yi-Peng , Ma Aimin , Hou Wen-Tao , Chen Yu-Xing , Qi Xiaoquan , Gao Li-Ping , Xiang Cheng-Bin
Published: June 2021

Paraquat is one of the most widely used nonselective herbicides in agriculture. Due to its wide use, paraquat resistant weeds have emerged and is becoming a potential threat to agriculture. The molecular mechanisms of paraquat resistance in weeds remain largely unknown. Physiological studies indicated that the impaired translocation of paraquat and enhanced antioxidation could improve paraquat resistance in plants. However, the detoxification of paraquat via active metabolism by plants has not been reported to date. Here we report that an activated expression of At1g01600 encoding the P450 protein CYP86A4 confers paraquat resistance as revealed by the gain-of-function mutant paraquat tolerance 11D (pqt11D), in which a T-DNA with four 35S enhancers was inserted at 1646 bp upstream the ATG of At1g01600. The paraquat resistance can be recapitulated in Arabidopsis wild type by overexpressing AtPQT11 (At1g01600), while its knockout mutant is hypersensitive to paraquat. Moreover, AtPQT11 also confers paraquat resistance in E. coli when overexpressed. We further demonstrate that AtPQT11 has P450 enzyme activity that converts paraquat to N-demethyl paraquat nontoxic to Arabidopsis, therefore detoxifying paraquat in plants. Taken together, our results unequivocally demonstrate that AtPQT11/ CYP86A4 detoxifies paraquat via active metabolism, thus revealing a novel molecular mechanism of paraquat resistance in plants and providing a means potentially enabling crops to resist paraquat.
The Influence of Public Health Faculty on College and University Plans during the COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Johnson David A. , Cahill Meredith , Choate Sara , Roelfs David , Walsh Sarah E.
Published: June 2021

The purpose of this study was to determine whether the institutional presence of public health faculty within colleges and universities influenced operational plans for the fall semester of 2020. Using cross-sectional data collected by the College Crisis Initiative of Davidson College, six levels of instructional modalities (ranked from least to most restrictive) were compared between Council on Education of Public Health (CEPH)-accredited and non-CEPH-accredited 4-year institutions. Institutions with CEPH-accredited schools and programs were more likely to select some restrictive teaching modalities: 63.8% more likely to use hybrid/hyflex or more restrictive and 66.9% more likely to be primarily online (with some in person) or more restrictive. However, having CEPH-accredited programs did not push institutions to the most restrictive modalities. COVID-19 cases in county, enrollment, and political affiliation of the state governor were also found to influence instructional modality selection. While any ecological study has certain limitations, this study demonstrates that college and university fall plans appear to have been influenced by the presence of CEPH-accredited schools and programs of public health, and/or the input of their faculty. The influence of relevant faculty expertise on institutional decision-making can help inform college and university responses to future crises.
De-novo draft genome sequence of Crocus Sativus L, Saffron, a golden condiment
Authors: Ambardar Sheetal , Vakhlu Jyoti , Sowdhamini Ramanathan
Published: June 2021

Crocus sativus L, saffron is the highest priced but low yielding plant of medicinal and culinary importance. Despite its economic status, the omic information on this plant is very scarce, with only a couple of transcriptomics and epigenetic studies. In the present study, the draft genome sequence of C. sativus has been assembled using Illumina sequencing. In fact, this is the first genome sequence from any member of family Iridaceae. Genome size of C. sativus was estimated to be 3.5 Gb and the draft genome is 3.01 Gb long with 84.24% genome coverage. In total, 8,62,275 repeats and 9,64,231 SSR markers have been identified. A total of 53,546 functional genes were annotated, out of which, 43,649 proteins were associated with GO annotation. 5726 proteins were identified as transcription factors, with MYB & MYB related family proteins being more abundant. Orthology analysis of C. sativus with 3 different monocot species of the same plant order and rice (model monocot plant) revealed 7328 proteins clusters to be conserved in all the five plant species, whereas 2510 proteins cluster were unique to C. sativus only. 10,912 unigenes of C. sativus were mapped to 387 KEGG pathways of monocot. The genes involved in the pathway of apocarotenoids biosynthesis (crocin, crocetin, picrocrocin, and safranal) were present in the draft genome.
Biological Innocuousness of a Device developed to select the Optimum Spermatozoa to be used in the Treatment of Infertility
Authors: Cubilla Marisa A , Guidobaldi Héctor A , Giojalas Laura C
Published: June 2021

The sperm selection assay (SSA) is a method based on chemotaxis to obtain spermatozoa at the optimum physiological state to successfully fertilize the egg. It consists of a device made of acrylic and an attractant solution which includes progesterone. We evaluate potential cytotoxicity interactions by means of Neutral Red uptake, the MTT and colony formation assays, according to ISO normative. Here we showed that even stressing the conditions of the assays, the SSA device alone or together with the progesterone solutions employed, showed to be innocuous for the cells. Suggesting that SSA could be incorporated into the ART procedures.
Quantitative phase measurements of human cell nuclei using X-ray ptychography
Authors: Schwenke Jorg , Yusuf Mohammed , Shemilt Laura A. , Wagner Ulrich , Sajid Atiqa , Morrison Graeme R. , Zhang Fucai , Parsons Aaron , Rau Christoph , Robinson Ian K.
Published: June 2021

The human cell nucleus serves as an important organelle holding the genetic blueprint for life. In this work, X-ray ptychography was applied to assess the masses of human cell nuclei using its unique phase shift information. Measurements were carried out at the I13-1 beamline at the Diamond Light Source that has extremely large transverse coherence properties. The ptychographic diffractive imaging approach allowed imaging of large structures that gave quantitative measurements of the phase shift in 2D projections. In this paper a modified ptychography algorithm that improves the quality of the reconstruction for weak scattering samples is presented. The application of this approach to calculate the mass of several human nuclei is also demonstrated.
Stabilization of an elusive tautomer by metal coordination
Authors: Parisi Emmanuele , Centore Roberto
Published: June 2021

The solid-state isolation of the different tautomers of a chemical compound can be a challenging problem. In many cases, tautomers with an energy very close to the most stable one cannot be isolated (elusive tautomers). In this article, with reference to the 4-methyl-7-(pyrazin-2-yl)-2H-[1,2,4]triazolo[3,2-c][1,2,4]triazole ligand, for which the elusive 3H-tautomer has an energy only 1.4 kcal mol−1 greater than the most stable 2H form, we show that metal complexation is a successful and reliable way for stabilizing the elusive tautomer. We have prepared two complexes of the neutral ligand with CuBr2 and ZnBr2, namely, aquabromidobis[4-methyl-7-(pyrazin-2-yl)-3H-[1,2,4]triazolo[3,2-c][1,2,4]triazole]copper(II) bromide trihydrate, [CuBr(C8H7N7)2(H2O)]Br·3H2O, and dibromido[4-methyl-7-(pyrazin-2-yl)-2H-[1,2,4]triazolo[3,2-c][1,2,4]triazole][4-methyl-7-(pyrazin-2-yl)-3H-[1,2,4]triazolo[3,2-c][1,2,4]triazole]zinc(II) monohydrate, [ZnBr2(C8H7N7)2]·H2O. The X-ray analysis shows that, in both cases, the elusive 3H-tautomer is present. The results of the crystallographic analysis of the two complexes reflect the different coordination preferences of CuII and ZnII. The copper(II) complex is homotautomeric as it only contains the elusive 3H-tautomer of the ligand. The complex can be described as octahedral with tetragonal distortion. Two 3H-triazolotriazole ligands are bis-chelated in the equatorial plane, while a water molecule and a bromide ion in elongated axial positions complete the coordination environment. The zinc(II) complex, on the other hand, is heterotautomeric and contains two bromide ions and two monodentate ligand molecules, one in the 2H-tautomeric form and the other in the 3H-tautomeric form, both coordinated to the metal in tetrahedral geometry. The observation of mixed-tautomer complexes is unprecedented for neutral ligands. The analysis of the X-ray molecular structures of the two complexes allows the deduction of possible rules for a rational design of mixed-tautomer complexes.
Work stressors and job outcomes: an empirical investigation of frontline service employees in the Indian hospitality industry
Authors: Pradhan Sajeet
Published: June 2021

Purpose

The study aims to investigate the relationship between work stressors (abusive supervision and dysfunctional customer behaviour) and several job outcomes such as service sabotage, job satisfaction and intention to quit among frontline employees in the Indian hospitality industry. It also explores the mediating role of emotional exhaustion explaining the indirect effect between the work stressors and the job outcomes.

Design/methodology/approach

This is a multi-wave (data collected at two time points) cross-sectional survey study. In order to test the study hypotheses, the study draws responses from frontline employees working in several hotels and restaurants in India. The final sample of 274 was analysed using SmartPLS and Statistical Product and Service Solutions (SPSS).

Findings

Results report that both the work stressors were significantly related to the job outcomes in the direction suggested in the literature. Also, the indirect effect between the work stressors and the job outcomes via emotional exhaustion were found to be significant.

Originality/value

The present study makes two unique contributions to the extant literature; first, it conceptualizes and empirically tests the pernicious impact of multiple work stressors like abusive supervisor and dysfunctional customer behaviour on the job outcomes of frontline hospitality industry employees. Second, it is the only study to investigate the relationship between the two work stressors and service sabotage in the Indian hospitality industry.
Female entrepreneurs in a time of crisis: evidence from Ireland
Authors: Stephens Simon , Cunningham Isobel , Kabir Yousra
Published: June 2021

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to develop an understanding of the impact that a crisis such as that created by COVID-19 has on entrepreneurs. The authors focus on female entrepreneurs and their ability and propensity to continue their entrepreneurial journey.

Design/methodology/approach

For each respondent (n = 113), data was collected using an online survey. The survey was distributed in April 2020 during a nationwide lockdown and again in September 2020 as the economy reopened. In completing the survey, respondents were asked a series of multiple-choice questions and a series of open-ended questions.

Findings

The authors present data characterizing the female entrepreneurs, their experience during a time of crisis and the enablers and disablers to the continuation of their entrepreneurial journey. The key findings that emerge from this study include the resilience of the female entrepreneurs, their willingness to contribute to community-based organizations during a crisis and their desire to seek and receive support from their peers.

Originality/value

The findings from this study provide novel insights with regard to the resources and strategies used by female entrepreneurs during a time of crisis. The data was collected during two periods of great uncertainty for the entrepreneurs and at times when their availability was extremely limited.
Network reliance and entrepreneurial performance, the role of external networking behaviour and entrepreneurial orientation: the case of rural farmer-entrepreneurs
Authors: Udimal Thomas Bilaliib , Liu E. , Lou Mingcan
Published: June 2021

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to specifically look at the relationship between reliable network reliance and entrepreneurial performance.

Design/methodology/approach

To help achieve the study objective, 450 rural farmer-entrepreneurs from Jiangsu, Anhui, Guangxi and Zhejiang Provinces were randomly selected. The study concentrated mainly on entrepreneurs who have engaged in entrepreneurial activities the past five or more years.

Findings

This study’s findings show that network reliance has direct and indirect effects on entrepreneurial performance through external networking behaviour. The result further shows that external networking behaviour partially mediates the relationship between network reliance and entrepreneurial performance. On the moderation effect on entrepreneurial orientation (EO), the result reveals that it strengthens the relationship between external networking behaviour and entrepreneurial performance. The result shows that EO has a direct effect on entrepreneurial performance. The paper introduces behavioural component of network to entrepreneurial performance. The study concludes that external networking behaviour of entrepreneurs is key in entrepreneurship as it improves relationships among actors and thereby translating into an improved performance.

Originality/value

The paper brings to light the need to reconsider extension education by including elements of networking to enable rural entrepreneurs derive full benefits of their entrepreneurial ventures.
An empirical study of the performance of weather routing service in the North Pacific Ocean
Authors: Tsai Chaur-Luh , Su Dong-Taur , Wong Chun-Pong
Published: June 2021

Purpose

The objective of this research is to examine the performance of weather routing service in the North Pacific Ocean based on a global container shipping company.

Design/methodology/approach

The data comprise two passages: one that departs from the port of Taipei to the port of Los Angeles (TPE-LAX) and another that departs from the port of Tacoma to the port of Kaohsiung (TCM-KSG). A weather routing service was utilized to compare the differences of the distance, sailing time and fuel consumed among different voyages.

Findings

Results indicated that the average speed of vessel in winter is faster than in summer. The vessels consumed much more fuel in the winter than they did in the summer. In terms of the distance of the passage, the results show that the ships' sailing distance across the North Pacific Ocean in the summer was shorter than it was in the winter.

Research limitations/implications

Due to the difficultly of practical data collection, relatively few sailing records were employed in this study. It is suggested that additional sailing records should be collected, which adopt weather routing recommendations, to more comprehensively analyze sailing performance in future research.

Practical implications

The study's findings offer valuable guidance to different stakeholders in the maritime industry (e.g. seafarers, marine hull and machinery companies, Protection and Indemnity Club (P&I), ocean container carriers and freight forwarders) to clarify their responsibilities in order to achieve desired sailing outcomes.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors' knowledge, the current study is the first research to utilize practical sailing data to provide objective evidence of sailing performance based on a weather routing service, which can assist various stakeholders to make optimal decisions.
Blogs, identity, stigma and scars: the legacy of self-injury
Authors: Kendall Nadine , MacDonald Caylee , Binnie James
Published: June 2021

Purpose

This paper aims to explore the experience of living with scars from self-injury; how people who self-injure (SI) make meaning of their scars and how these scars are a part of the identity construction process.

Design/methodology/approach

It is observed that 60 entries, from 25 online narrative blogs detailing the experience of living with self-injury scars, were analyzed using a contextualized thematic analysis informed by an embodied perspective.

Findings

The analysis generated two dominant themes: temporal aspects of identity; and social stigma and scars.

Originality/value

Far-reaching consequences of self-injury scars on the daily lives of people who SI was found. This included a person’s posture, clothing, choices of career, inclusion in family life, leisure activities and relationships; all of which have corollaries in emotional and psychological well-being. Scars were found to be self-narrative with particular salience given to how scars represented healing. Novel findings included the central role scars played in the resistance of self-injury stigma.
Entrepreneurship education: systematic literature review and future research directions
Authors: Mohamed Nasra Ahmed , Sheikh Ali Ali Yassin
Published: June 2021

Purpose

The purpose of the study is to further understanding of entrepreneurship education, highlighting current trends and directions for further research.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper used systematic literature review of published articles to collect, evaluate, and interpret entrepreneurship education literature from selected databases between 2009 and 2019. The study reviewed 90 articles from the entrepreneurship education literature. There are several different topics that have been analyzed; with the most researched topic being analyzed was focusing on entrepreneurship education development.

Findings

Entrepreneurship education programs have become an increasingly important focus of attention in recent years. This paper deeply investigates the literature on entrepreneurship education to help entrepreneurship education decision makers to develop better solutions.

Research limitations/implications

It must be noted that this study has some limitations, which suggest avenues for further research. In reviewing the articles, the study used only four databases and only considered papers published between 2009 and 2019. Other studies may include more databases and a longer time frame.

Originality/value

Regarding the theories most used in the reviewed articles, TPB and social learning theory (SLT) were most used in relation to entrepreneurship education. This shows that researchers were focusing on the influence of entrepreneurship education in relation to the entrepreneurial intention, behavior and attitude of the individuals.
Gamification of financial applications and financial behavior of young investors
Authors: Pal Abhinav , Indapurkar Kavita , Gupta Kriti Priya
Published: June 2021

Purpose

This study aims to investigate the moderating role of gamification on the relationship of financial attitude (FA), financial self-efficacy (FSE) and financial planning activity (FPA) of individuals on the financial behavior of individuals and also provides a conceptual background on financial management behavior (FMB), FA, FSE and FPA of individuals.

Design/methodology/approach

A preliminary study with the help of a structured questionnaire was conducted by administering the questionnaire to individuals who are exposed to financial apps on their smart phones or personal computers for various money-saving and investment activities. Help of various financial planners and financial consultants led to successful circulation of the questionnaire to respondents. The research model was tested through structural equation modeling using AMOS-21 software. Firstly, a measurement model was evaluated that comprised five latent constructs, i.e. gamifying features (GF), FA, FSE, FPA and FMB. Subsequently, the structural model consisting of the hypothesized relationships was evaluated.

Findings

The role of GF in financial apps and applications in moderating the influence of FA, FSE and FPA on FMB has not been thoroughly studied in the past literature, and the results of this study show that GF significantly moderate the influence of FA and FPA on the FMB of individuals. However, according to the results GF in financial apps do not have a significant moderating role on the influence of FSE on FMB of individuals.

Originality/value

The studies in the past have not investigated the role of gamification in the area of personal finance of individual investors, specifically their financial behavior in both developed and developing countries. This study addresses this gap by examining the role of gamification in moderating the relationship that exists between FA, FSE, FPA and financial behavior.
Plant regulatory lists in the United States are reactive and inconsistent
Authors: Beaury Evelyn M. , Fusco Emily J. , Allen Jenica M. , Bradley Bethany A.
Published: June 2021

Global invasive species introductions are rising, necessitating coordinated regulatory strategies within and across national borders. Although states and nations address their unique priorities using plant regulations, these regulations are most likely to reduce invasive plant introduction and spread if they are consistently enacted across political borders and proactively restrict spread early in the invasion process. Further, a unified regulatory landscape is particularly important given the imminent range infilling and large‐scale climate‐driven range shifts of invasive species.

In the United States, federal and state regulations restrict the introduction and spread of several hundred invasive and noxious plant taxa in an effort to reduce their negative impacts. Using plant regulations for the lower 48 United States, we assessed consistency among regulated taxa based on similarities in adjacent states’ regulatory lists. We assessed proactivity by comparing regulatory lists to plants’ current and potential distributions given occurrence records and species distribution models under climate change.

States regulate from 0 to 162 plant taxa, with an average of only 16.8% overlap of regulated taxa between adjacent states. Up to 137 plants may be present but unregulated in a state, and only 110 of 553 listed taxa were regulated in one or more states where they were not yet present. However, 36 states listed at least one taxon proactively (regulated but not present in the state). Of the 48 proactively listed taxa with species distribution models, we identified 41 cases (38 species in 21 states) where listing was ‘climate proactive’ (regulated, not present and where climate could be suitable for establishment by mid‐century).

Policy implications. US plant regulatory lists were inconsistent across borders and reactive to climate change. However, most states regulate at least one plant taxa prior to its introduction, suggesting that a more proactive approach is possible under existing regulations. Coordination across borders is imperative given gaps in regional defences against invasion and projected invasive plant range shifts under climate change. We suggest that subnational, national and international governing bodies evaluate their plant regulatory lists for consistency and proactivity, as it is paramount for preventing the next wave of plant invasions.
Rotational grazing can mitigate ecosystem service trade‐offs between livestock production and water quality in semi‐arid rangelands
Authors: Hulvey Kristin B. , Mellon Cassie D. , Kleinhesselink Andrew R.
Published: June 2021

Mitigating ecosystem service (ES) trade‐offs is a key management goal in locations where stakeholders value different and potentially conflicting ecosystem services (ESs). However, studies are not often designed to examine how local management actions address ES trade‐offs, and therefore do not provide options that can alleviate conflict.

In semi‐arid rangelands, we examined the potential for managers to mitigate trade‐offs between livestock production and water quality. To move away from solutions that offer cattle removal as a singular management strategy, we examined how cattle presence, plus two elements of rotational grazing—the length of time cattle spend on rangeland (i.e. duration), and the season grazed (i.e. timing), affected stream Escherichia coli (E. coli concentrations). We also modelled how grazing duration and timing affected the ability to meet regulatory benchmarks for water quality throughout a grazing season.

Grazing duration controlled the length of time E. coli concentrations were high in streams. In short‐ and medium‐duration systems, E. coli concentrations were high for shorter periods of time than in long‐duration systems, resulting in fewer violations of national and state water quality standards.

Stream E. coli concentrations showed a consistent seasonal pattern, starting low in spring, peaking in summer and declining towards fall. Thus, grazing during spring or fall, rather than in summer, reduced the number of days that E. coli levels exceeded water quality standards.

Our results suggest that reducing the grazing duration and shifting its timing are complementary strategies that can mitigate the trade‐offs between livestock grazing and water quality without fencing‐off riparian areas or removing cattle from pastures with streams.

Synthesis and applications. In this study, we found grazing duration and timing can be used as tools to mitigate ecosystem service (ES) trade‐offs between cattle production and water quality in rangeland streams. Shorter grazing durations reduced the number of days E. coli levels were above regulatory limits, as did grazing that occurred either early or late in the season. These results support the idea that rotational grazing can be an effective strategy to manage water quality in semi‐arid rangelands. They also highlight the need for more grazing studies that incorporate gradients of duration and timing into study designs.
Forensic anthropology casework performance: Assessing accuracy and trends for biological profile estimates on a comprehensive sample of identified decedent cases
Authors: Hughes Cris E. , Juarez Chelsey , Yim An‐Di
Published: June 2021

The purpose of this study was to investigate the accuracy rates and trends in forensic anthropology casework concerning the estimation of the biological profile (sex, age, ancestry, and stature). Identified cases from the Forensic Anthropology Database for Assessing Methods Accuracy (FADAMA;n = 359) were analyzed to explore the following: accuracy rates per biological profile component, case‐level performance in assessing the biological profile, and factors related to inaccuracy rates. Accuracy rates for the four biological profile components ranged from 83% to 98%, with sex estimation performing the best and stature performing the poorest. While the overall sex estimation inaccuracies were the lowest of any biological profile component, we found that females are missexed approximately ten times more often than males. Inaccurate age estimates were more frequently the result of overestimation than underestimation, while the trends are reversed for stature estimation. Regarding ancestry estimation performance, African American/Black and White decedents had the lowest inaccuracy rates, while Hispanic and Asian/Pacific Islander decedents demonstrated greater inaccuracy rates. When examining accuracy rates for each case, 81% of cases had no inaccurate biological profile estimates, while 17% and 2% inaccurately estimated one and two biological profile components, respectively. The demographic trends of identified forensic anthropology cases reflect the national unidentified decedent demographics. Biological profile accuracy rates were generally comparable to previous studies. The findings highlight the current status of forensic anthropologists’ casework performance, with a greater amount of case‐level inaccuracy rates than previously thought, and demonstrate the potential methodological and sampling strategies that could improve accuracy rates.
Vegetable oils as green solvents for carotenoid extraction from pumpkin (Cucurbita argyrosperma Huber) byproducts: Optimization of extraction parameters
Authors: Portillo‐López Rubén , Morales‐Contreras Blanca E. , Lozano‐Guzmán Eduardo , Basilio‐Heredia José , Muy‐Rangel María D. , Ochoa‐Martínez Luz A. , Rosas‐Flores Walfred , Morales‐Castro Juliana
Published: June 2021

Pumpkin pulp is the main waste generated by pumpkin seed growers. This agro‐industrial waste is a valuable source of bioactive compounds, especially carotenoids (β‐carotene, α‐carotene, and lutein), which exhibit a broad spectrum of health‐promoting effects. In this study, vegetable oils (canola, corn, and soybean oil) were used as green solvent alternatives to conventional organic solvents for carotenoid extraction from dried pumpkin pulp (DPP) waste. The highest carotenoid extraction yield (CEY) was obtained with canola oil, at a 1:10 DPP/oil ratio. Response surface methodology (RSM) was used to optimize the extraction process parameters (temperature, time, and stirring rate) through a Box‐Behnken design (BBD) maximizing CEY in canola oil. The extraction temperature and stirring rate were found to have a significant linear and quadratic effect, respectively, on CEY. Optimum conditions were achieved at 21.8 min, 250 rpm, and 60°C. Under these optimized conditions, the estimated value for CEY was 378.1 µg β‐carotene equivalents/g of DPP, corresponding to 61.6% of the total carotenoid content present in the DPP. In contrast, the observed experimental value was 373.2 µg β‐carotene equivalents/g of DPP (61.2%). The experimental value was very close to the estimated value, which verifies the model's adequacy and fit. This study shows an alternative method to extract carotenoids from DPP with canola oil, obtaining an oil naturally enriched with carotenoids that could be used as a potential functional ingredient in the development of food, cosmetics, and medicinal products.

Practical Application

Pumpkin by‐products are a potential carotenoid source. Vegetable oil can be used as an alternative solvent for carotenoid extraction from pumpkin residues to obtain an enriched carotenoid oil that can be used to formulate food products.
Prophylactic cranial irradiation confers favourable prognosis for patients with limited‐stage small cell lung cancer in the era of MRI: A propensity score‐matched analysis
Authors: Li Jing , Ding Cuimin , Yang Chen , Wang Shuoshuo , Qiao Xueying
Published: June 2021

Introduction

Prophylactic cranial irradiation (PCI) is recommended for patients with limited‐stage small cell lung cancer (LS‐SCLC) who achieve good response after chemoradiotherapy. But PCI is neurotoxic. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is the standard tool for evaluating brain metastasis (BM). This study was to retrospectively analyse the necessity of PCI in the era of MRI in LS‐SCLC.

Methods

From July 2013 to June 2017, 190 patients with LS‐SCLC who were treated with definitive chemoradiotherapy were included and analysed in this study. They were divided into the PCI group and non‐PCI group. Propensity score matching (PSM) analysis was used to balance the variable differences. The Kaplan–Meier method was applied to estimate survival with log‐rank test to ascertain significance between different groups.

Results

Seventy‐seven patients (40.5%) received PCI after chemoradiotherapy. After adjustment for propensity scores, 69 pairs of patients were matched between two groups. After PSM, the 1‐year and 3‐year OS rates were 96.9% and 48.5% in PCI group versus 89.9% and 25.0% in non‐PCI group (HR: 0.419, 95% CI: 0.251–0.701, P = 0.001). The 1‐year and 3‐year BMFS in PCI group were 96.8% and 67.5% versus 62.3% and 37.9% in non‐PCI group (HR: 0.247, 95% CI: 0.132–0.460, P < 0.001).

Conclusion

For patients showing no BM on MRI after definitive CRT, PCI confers less BM and better OS in LS‐SCLC.
Turkish version of modified Hand Mobility in Scleroderma test: A translation and validation study
Authors: Kaymaz Serdar , Karasu Ugur , Alkan Hakan , Cobankara Veli
Published: June 2021

Objective

Hand Mobility in Scleroderma (HAMIS) is a hand function test used to determine the degree of dysfunction of hand movements. The Modified Hand Mobility in Scleroderma (mHAMIS), on the other hand, was developed later and consists of 4 items. The aim of this study was to determine the reliability and validity of mHAMIS.

Methods

This study included a total of 39 patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc) who were assessed with mHAMIS. The Cronbach's α coefficient, Kappa concordance, and intraclass correlation were respectively used to assess the internal consistency, intra‐ and inter‐observer agreement, and inter‐observer reliability of the test. The correlation between the Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ), the Duruoz Hand Index (DHI), and the Turkish version of mHAMIS were evaluated.

Results

The internal consistency of the test items was between .912 and .939. The total internal consistency of the test was excellent, with a Cronbach's alpha value of .954. The intra‐ and inter‐observer agreement were good, with Kappa values of 0.954 (95% CI 0.89‐1.6) and 0.965 (95% CI 0.82‐1.4), respectively. The inter‐observer reliability was 0.966 (95% CI 0.936‐0.982; P<.0001). There was a strong correlation between DHI, HAQ, and mHAMIS (r: .7‐.8).

Conclusion

The Turkish version of the mHAMIS test showed good intra‐ and inter‐observer agreement, intra‐observer reliability, and internal consistency. This test is a reliable and valid tool to assess hand functions in Turkish SSc patients.
Combined COI barcode‐based methods to avoid mislabelling of threatened species of deep‐sea skates
Authors: Carugati L. , Melis R. , Cariani A. , Cau A. , Crobe V. , Ferrari A. , Follesa M. C. , Geraci M. L. , Iglésias S. P. , Pesci P. , Tinti F. , Cannas R.
Published: June 2021

Skates are characterised by conservative body morphology which hampers identification and leads to frequent taxonomic confusion and market mislabelling. Accurate specimen classification is crucial for reliable stock assessments and effective conservation plans, otherwise the risk of extinction could be unnoticed. The misclassification issue is evident for the genus Dipturus, distributed worldwide, from the continental shelf and slope to the deep sea. In this study, barcode cytochrome oxidase I gene (COI) sequences were used along with species delimitation and specimen assignment methods to improve taxonomy and zoogeography of species of conservation interest inhabiting the Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea. In this study, we provided new evidence of the occurence of D. nidarosiensis in the Central‐Western Mediterranean Sea and the lack of Atlantic‐Mediterranean genetic divergence. The Atlantic endangered species D. laevis and D. batis clustered together under the same molecular operational taxonomic unit (MOTU) with any delimitation methods used, while the assignment approach correctly discriminated specimens into the two species. These results provided evidence that the presence of the barcode gap is not an essential predictor of identification success, but the use of different approaches is crucially needed for specimen classification, especially when threshold‐ or tree‐based methods result less powerful. The analyses also showed how different putative, vulnerable, species dwelling across South‐Western Atlantic and South‐Eastern Pacific are frequently misidentified in public sequence repositories. Our study emphasised the limits associated to public databases, highlighting the urgency to verify and implement the information deposited therein in order to guarantee accurate species identification and thus effective conservation measures for deep‐sea skates.
Alcohol use disorder and non‐fatal suicide attempt: findings from a Swedish National Cohort Study
Authors: Edwards Alexis C. , Ohlsson Henrik , Mościcki Eve , Crump Casey , Sundquist Jan , Kendler Kenneth S. , Sundquist Kristina
Published: June 2021

Background and Aims

Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is associated with increased risk of non‐fatal suicide attempt. We aimed to measure the strength and mechanistic nature of the association between AUD and increased suicide attempt and determine any causal pathways and/or shared risk factors.

Design

We used Cox proportional hazards models in population‐level and co‐relative analyses to evaluate the risk of first non‐fatal suicide attempt as a function of previous AUD.

Setting and Participants

We used continuously updated longitudinal nationwide Swedish registry data on native Swedes born from 1950 to 1970 (n = 2 229 619) and followed from age 15 until 2012.

Measurements

AUD and suicide attempt were identified using International Classification of Diseases (ICD)‐8, ICD‐9, and ICD‐10 codes. AUD was also identified using pharmacy and criminal records. Genetic and family environmental risks were derived based on relatedness via the Multi‐Generation Register and shared residency via the Population and Housing Census and the Total Population Register.

Findings

AUD was robustly associated with suicide attempt in crude models (hazard ratio [HR] = 15.24 [95% CI: 14.92, 15.56]). In models adjusted for sociodemographic factors and psychiatric comorbidity, the association was attenuated: for women, HRs declined gradually across time, ranging from 5.55 (3.72, 8.29) during the observation period that ranged from age 15 to 19 years to 1.77 (1.65, 1.90) at age 40 or older. For men, the corresponding figures were 6.12 (4.07, 9.19) and 1.83 (1.72, 1.94); in contrast to women, risk of suicide attempt among men increased from age 15 to 29 before declining. In co‐relative models, a residual association remained, consistent with a causal path from AUD to suicide attempt.

Conclusions

In Sweden, alcohol use disorder appears to be an important predictor of suicide attempt even in the context of other psychiatric disorders. The observed association is likely the result of features that jointly impact risk of alcohol use disorder and suicide attempts (genetic liability, psychiatric illness, and childhood stressors) and a potentially causal pathway, acting independently or in conjunction with one another.
Barriers and potential solutions to international collaboration in neuro‐oncology clinical trials: Challenges from the Australian perspective
Authors: Kong Benjamin Y. , Carter Candace , Nowak Anna K. , Hovey Elizabeth , Lwin Zarnie , Haghighi Neda , Gan Hui K. , Sim Hao‐Wen , Ziegler David S. , Barton Kirston , Parkinson Jonathon , Leonard Robyn , Khasraw Mustafa , Foote Matthew
Published: June 2021

Aim

The neuro‐oncology community in Australia is well positioned to collaborate internationally, with a motivated trials group, strong regulatory bodies and an attractive fiscal environment. We sought to identify gaps in the Australian neuro‐oncology clinical trials landscape and describe strategies to increase international trial access in Australia.

Methods

We searched clinical trial registries to identify active adult primary brain cancer trials. We compared the participation rate and phase of these trials between tumour types and countries. A survey was distributed to the Cooperative Trials Group for Neuro‐Oncology membership to identify barriers and solutions to effective international collaboration.

Results

Globally, 307 trials for adult primary brain cancers were identified. These included 50% pharmaceutical agents, 18% cellular therapies and 9% radiation therapy. Twelve adult primary brain cancer trials were actively recruiting in Australia at the time the survey was sent out. There were more early phase brain cancer trials (34%) compared with colorectal and breast cancer (21% and 24%, respectively). In Australia, 92% of brain cancer trials were involving pharmaceutical agents. The most commonly cited barrier was lack of funding for international trials (86%) and insufficient research time (75%). High ranking solutions included increasing the availability of funding for international trials and creating opportunities to develop personal relationships with collaborators. Accreditation of clinical research key performance indicators into practice (88%) and hospital accreditation (73%) also ranked highly.

Conclusions

Participation in international research in Australia could be improved by embedding clinical research targets into institutional funding, provision of funding for early phase studies and streamlining mutual ethics schemes.
Privatizing the Urban Commons Under Ambiguous Property Rights in China: Is Marketization a Remedy to the Tragedy of the Commons?
Authors: Wang Yiming , Chen Jie
Published: June 2021

The debate on the vitality of the commons remains unsettled, but the attempt by the Chinese state to develop a marketized property rights system to address the so‐called tragedy of the commons has backfired. In Shanghai and other major Chinese cities, the economic transformation has led to an ambiguous property rights system that creates complex and uncertain property relations between the state and private land developers. The resulting ineffective uses and conflicts in the commons are well known, but how to address them is contested. Can privatization drive better use of urban land in China? How do the ambiguous property relations between the state and the private sector affect the spatial design, management, use, and quality of the urban commons in Chinese cities? This article addresses these questions by engaging theoretical debates on how the commons should be held, analyzing the origin and key features of the ambiguous property relation in China, and drawing on a property rights approach to investigate the empirical case of a specific privately owned and managed urban park in Shanghai. The results show that not only does the commodification of property create inherently pervasive ambiguity in the land market, marketization also denies citizens their rights to public space. These findings raise fundamental questions about the idea that marketizing land is a sure tonic to address social problems. The article puts the case for reconsidering the institutionalization of the urban commons.
Religious Land as Commons: Buddhist Temples, Monastic Landlordism, and the Urban Poor in Thailand
Authors: Boonjubun Chaitawat , Haila Anne , Vuolteenaho Jani
Published: June 2021

Recent critical scholarship has theorized the urban commons in terms of value regimes and practices not reducible to market logic. Specifically, it views the urban commons as a counter force to greediness, poverty, and other ills of the neoliberal urban era, but it neglects the centrality of “land.” We offer a corrective. Based on a study of the commons that is embedded in religious land, this article interrogates the tradition‐rooted ethical maintenance and mundane uses of religious land in the context of urban Thailand. Buddhist temples (wats) show that monastic landlords are aware of religious land’s revenue‐generating possibilities, but they resist the temptation to treat it speculatively. Instead, religious land is leased for housing, vending, and farming at a nominal rent, alongside its use for a range of religious and communal purposes. As a faith‐based, non‐Western, and pro‐poor form of urban commons, thewatsprovide an understudied type of flourishing alternative to the privatized commodification and financialization of urban land. We discuss the advantages (related to thewats' stability and popular, but anti‐radical, appeal) and problems (perils of repressiveness, otherworldliness, instances of corruption, and quasi‐sovereignty from state power) in conceptualizing the land of faith‐based organizations and their ownership and leasing practices as instances of the urban commons.