bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Development and validation of an RNA sequencing panel for gene fusions in soft tissue sarcoma
Authors: Hu Wanming , Yuan Li , Zhang Xinke , Ni Yang , Hong Dongchun , Wang Zhicai , Li Xiaomin , Ling Yuan , Zhang Chao , Deng Wanglong , Tian Minqi , Ding Ran , Song Chao , Li Jianmin , Zhang Xing
Published: March 2022

Gene fusions are one of the most common genomic alterations in soft tissue sarcomas (STS), which contain more than 70 subtypes. In this study, a custom‐designed RNA sequencing panel including 67 genes was developed and validated to identify gene fusions in STS. In total, 92 STS samples were analyzed using the RNA panel and 95.7% (88/92) successfully passed all the quality control parameters. Fusion transcripts were detected in 60.2% (53/88) of samples, including three novel fusions (MEG3–PLAG1, SH3BP1–NTRK1, and RPSAP52–HMGA2). The panel demonstrated excellent analytic accuracy, with 93.9% sensitivity and 100% specificity. The intra‐assay, inter‐assay, and personnel consistencies were all 100.0% in four samples and three replicates. In addition, different variants of ESWR1–FLI, COL1A1–PDGFB, NAB2–STAT6, and SS18–SSX were also identified in the corresponding subtypes of STS. In combination with histological and molecular diagnosis, 14.8% (13/88) patients finally changed preliminary histology‐based classification. Collectively, this RNA panel developed in our study shows excellent performance on RNA from formalin‐fixed, paraffin‐embedded samples and can complement DNA‐based assay, thereby facilitating precise diagnosis and novel fusion detection.
New ERAS in liver transplantation – Past, present, and next steps
Authors: Hannon Vivienne N. , Tinguely Pascale , McKenna Greg J. , Brustia Raffaele , Kaldas Fady M. , Scatton Olivier , Spiro Michael , Raptis Dimitri Aristotle , Busuttil Ronald W. , Klintmalm Goran B. ,   the ERAS4OLT.org Working Group
Published: March 2022

There are parallels between the history of Enhanced Recovery after Surgery (ERAS) and liver transplantation. Both have been established and advanced by innovative individuals, often going against perceived wisdom and convention. Liver transplantation has traditionally been considered too complex for ERAS pathways, despite a small number of trials showing them to be both safe and of benefit. To date, there are very few randomized controlled trials and cohort studies publishing outcomes on liver transplant patients enrolled in comprehensive ERAS pathways. To progress our field, the 2022 International Liver Transplantation Society's Consensus Conference has created expert panels to analyze the evidence in 32 domains of the liver transplantation pathway using the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluations (GRADE) approach to generate expert recommendations. These recommendations will be voted on by the international community to gain consensus using the Danish model, and create the ERAS4OLT.org Enhanced Recovery after Liver Transplantation Pathway.
Does prolonged cold ischemia affect outcomes in donation after cardiac death donor kidney transplants?
Authors: Harriman David I. , Kazakov Herman , Rogers Jeffrey , Farney Alan C. , Orlando Giuseppe , Jay Colleen , Reeves‐Daniel Amber , Stratta Robert J.
Published: March 2022

Background

The purpose of this study was to analyze the combined effect of cold ischemia time (CIT) and donation after cardiac death (DCD, with requisite warm ischemia time, WIT) on kidney transplant (KT) outcomes.

Methods

Single center retrospective review of DCD KT recipients stratified by CIT.

Results

From 6/08 to 10/20, we performed 446 DCD KTs (115 CIT ≤20, 205 CIT 20–30, 88 CIT 30–40, 38 CIT ≥40 h). Mean WITs (26/25/27/23 min) and KDPI values (59%/55%/55%/59%) were similar while mean CITs (16.4/23.6/33.4/42.5 h) and pump times (10.3/13.6/16.1/20.4 h) differed across groups (P < .05). With a mean 6‐year follow‐up, patient survival (84%/84%/74%/84%) was similar. Kidney graft survival (GS) (72%/72%/56%/58%) and death censored GS (DCGS) (82%/80%/63%/67%) rates decreased whereas rates of primary nonfunction (PNF, .9%/2.4%/9.1%/7.9%) and delayed graft function (DGF) (36%/48%/50%/69%) increased with longer CIT (≥30 h, P < .05). Meaningful years free of dialysis, which we refer to as Allograft Life Years, were achieved in all cohorts (4.5/4.3/3.9/4.3 years per patient transplanted).

Conclusion

DCD donor kidneys with prolonged CIT (≥30 h) are associated with increased rates of DGF and PNF, along with decreased GS and DCGS. Despite this, Allograft Life Years were gained even with longer CITs, demonstrating the utility of using these allografts.
Brazil's Bolsa Família Programme: Aspirations and Realities of Poverty Reduction and Intergenerational Change
Authors: Jones Hayley
Published: March 2022

This article considers the transformative potential of conditional cash transfers to address intergenerational poverty. Drawing on empirical evidence collected through qualitative research in the northeast of Brazil, it traces notions of intergenerational change and continuity amongst young recipients of the Bolsa Família programme (BFP) and their families. It argues that the BFP has contributed to raising expectations and aspirations of social mobility, through a policy narrative that explicitly links education to poverty reduction alongside some relatively limited but nonetheless significant intergenerational changes in material conditions and access to education. However, rising aspirations have not been matched by a concomitant expansion of opportunities available to poor young people in education and the labour market. The article thus highlights the contradictions that arise between policy narratives, the aspirations these narratives engender, and the realities of young people's everyday lives.
Estimating life expectancy in severe cerebral palsy: Tools for doing it right
Authors: Day Steven M.
Published: March 2022

This letter to the editor is on the Invited Review by Mark Rosenthal on pages 709–714 of this issue.
Application of local configuration pattern for automated detection of schizophrenia with electroencephalogram signals
Authors: WeiKoh Joel En , Rajinikanth Venkatesan , Vicnesh Jahmunah , Pham The‐Hanh , Oh Shu Lih , Yeong Chai Hong , Sankaranarayanan Meena , Kamath Aditya , Bairy Giliyar Muralidhar , Barua Prabal Datta , Cheong Kang Hao
Published: March 2022

Recently, a mix of traditional and modern approaches have been proposed to detect brain abnormalities using bio‐signal/bio‐image‐assisted methods. In hospitals, most of the initial/scheduled assessments consider the bio‐signal‐based appraisal, due to its non‐invasive nature and low cost. Further, brain bio‐signal scans can be recorded using a single/multi‐channel electrode setup, which is further evaluated by an experienced doctor, as well as computer software, to identify the nature and severity of abnormality. In this paper, we describe the development of a system for computer supported detection (CSD) of schizophrenia using the electroencephalogram (EEG) signal collected with a 19‐channel electrode array. Schizophrenia is a mental illness that interferes with the way an individual thinks and behaves. It is characterised by psychotic symptoms such as hallucinations or delusions, negative symptoms such as decreased motivation or a lack of interest in daily activities and cognitive symptoms such challenges in processing information to make informed decisions or staying focused. This research has utilized 1142 EEGs (516 normal and 626 schizophrenia) with a frame length of 25 s (6250 samples) for investigation. The work initially converts the EEG signals to images using a spectrogram. Local configuration pattern features were extracted from the images thereafter, and 10‐fold validation technique was used wherein Student's t‐test and z‐score standardization were computed per fold. The highest accuracy of 97.20% was achieved with the K‐nearest neighbour (KNN) classifier. The results obtained confirm that the KNN classifier is helpful in the rapid detection of schizophrenia. This work is one of the first studies to extract local configuration pattern features from spectrogram images, yielding a high accuracy of 97.20%, with reduced computational complexity.
Temperature optimum for marsh resilience and carbon accumulation revealed in a whole‐ecosystem warming experiment
Authors: Smith Alexander J. , Noyce Genevieve L. , Megonigal James Patrick , Guntenspergen Glenn R. , Kirwan Matthew L.
Published: March 2022

Coastal marshes are globally important, carbon dense ecosystems simultaneously maintained and threatened by sea‐level rise. Warming temperatures may increase wetland plant productivity and organic matter accumulation, but temperature‐modulated feedbacks between productivity and decomposition make it difficult to assess how wetlands and their thick, organic‐rich soils will respond to climate warming. Here, we actively increased aboveground plant‐surface and belowground soil temperatures in two marsh plant communities, and found that a moderate amount of warming (1.7°C above ambient temperatures) consistently maximized root growth, marsh elevation gain, and belowground carbon accumulation. Marsh elevation loss observed at higher temperatures was associated with increased carbon mineralization and increased microtopographic heterogeneity, a potential early warning signal of marsh drowning. Maximized elevation and belowground carbon accumulation for moderate warming scenarios uniquely suggest linkages between metabolic theory of individuals and landscape‐scale ecosystem resilience and function, but our work indicates nonpermanent benefits as global temperatures continue to rise.
Mapping of the regions implicated in nuclear localization of multi‐functional DNA repair endonuclease XPF‐ERCC1
Authors: Akahori Ryo , Takamori Chie , Wakasugi Mitsuo , Matsunaga Tsukasa
Published: March 2022

The structure‐specific endonuclease XPF‐ERCC1 is a multi‐functional heterodimer that participates in a variety of DNA repair mechanisms for maintaining genome integrity. Both subunits contain C‐terminal tandem helix–hairpin–helix (HhH2) domains, which are necessary for not only their dimerization but also enzymatic activity as well as protein stability. However, the interdependency of both subunits in their nuclear localization remains poorly understood. In this study, we have analyzed the region(s) that affects the subcellular localization of XPF and ERCC1 using various deletion mutants. We first identified the nuclear localization signal (NLS) in XPF, which was essential for its nuclear localization under the ERCC1‐free condition, but dispensable in the presence of ERCC1 (probably as XPF‐ERCC1 heterodimer). Interestingly, in the NLS‐independent and ERCC1‐dependent XPF nuclear localization, the physical interaction between XPF and ERCC1 via C‐terminal HhH2 domains was not needed. Instead, the amino acid regions 311–469 of XPF and 216–260 of ERCC1 are required for the nuclear localization. Furthermore, we found that the 311–469 region of XPF interacts with ERCC1 in a co‐immunoprecipitation assay. These results suggest that the nuclear localization of XPF‐ERCC1 heterodimer is regulated at multiple levels in an interdependent manner.
The super‐auditor, perpetual beta and pervasive performativity
Authors: Hatherly David
Published: March 2022

The paper advocates a ‘super‐audit’ that assesses the company's future and what that says about the share price or another valuation. Most audit ‘failures’ relate to an assessment of the future whether that be going concern issues, impairments, long‐term contracts, provisions, likely changes in the business environment and so forth. The paper suggests a focus on improving the auditor's skills in assessing the future and the leverage of such skills to look at market value added and the share price as a service to the investment community and those who rely on share prices being fair and reasonable. The super‐audit report becomes akin to an investment analyst's research report and intended to be an influence on share prices. Many companies around the world currently receive little, or no, or low‐quality research coverage. Inevitably many unanswered questions remain for the super‐audit about appointment, remuneration, timings, legal liability, professional education and so forth. They are challenging but not insurmountable and make us think more deeply about the same challenges in relation to the conventional audit. The biggest challenge is how the auditor should progress the process of understanding the business and its future.
Antifungal effect of o‐vanillin on mitochondria of Aspergillus flavus: ultrastructure and TCA cycle are destroyed
Authors: Li Qian , Zhao Ying , Zhu Xiaoman , Xie Yanli
Published: March 2022

Aspergillus flavus (A. flavus) is a conditioned pathogen that severely endangers food safety. This study is aimed to determine the mode of action of o‐vanillin against A. flavus mitochondria. First, o‐vanillin hindered respiration. Furthermore, the mitochondrial ultrastructures were damaged with scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) characterisation. The activities of the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle‐related enzymes were regulated significantly (P < 0.05), and the most significant reduction and promotion was citrate synthase (CS) and malic dehydrogenase (MDH), respectively, at 100 μg mL−1 of o‐vanillin. Consistent with the above phenotypic results, real‐time quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (PCR) (QRT‐PCR) results showed that the relative expressions of genes encoding the TCA‐related enzymes were regulated remarkably (P < 0.05), especially for CIT1 gene (downregulated) and MDH gene (upregulated). This study demonstrated the damage of o‐vanillin on mitochondria and shed light on the antifungal mechanism of o‐vanillin against A. flavus.
Advances in radio frequency pasteurisation equipment for liquid foods: a review
Authors: Soto‐Reyes Nohemí , Sosa‐Morales María Elena , Rojas‐Laguna Roberto , López‐Malo Aurelio
Published: March 2022

Radiofrequency (RF) heating is an alternative emerging technology to conventional thermal methods; it has been employed for food pasteurisation, providing fast and volumetric heating. However, non‐uniformity in the heating pattern has been reported. RF pasteurisation has been studied in different liquid foods. This review provides information about the RF heating mechanism and equipment used to pasteurise liquid food to control deteriorative or pathogen micro‐organisms and the effect of the RF treatment on the quality of liquid foods. Developing an effective RF pasteurisation for liquid foods requires knowing the food dielectric properties, which determine the heating uniformity, temperature distribution and heating rate. The efficiency of continuous RF heating systems could depend on the fluid rate, resident time and absorbed power. RF heating can pasteurise liquid food, decrease microbial population and preserve the product's nutritional and physicochemical quality.
Alkalihalobacillus clausii 088AE as a functional and medical food ingredient: assessment of in vitro protein digestibility and food calorie reduction
Authors: Maity Chiranjit , Bagkar Pratik , Dixit Yogini , Tiwari Amit
Published: March 2022

Alkalihalobacillus clausii 088AE [MCC 0538] showed significant viability during processing and storage of various functional and medicinal food matrices such as hot and cold nonalcoholic beverages, dietary supplements, confectionery and oils. The spore preparation was stable in aqueous suspension (99.355%–99.656%), under acidic conditions (92.067%–99.514%), bile (99.227%–99.791%) and tolerated high temperatures. A. clausii 088AE reduced dietary calories both independently and in multispecies consortium in in vitro. A. clausii 088AE digested dietary protein present in both casein protein (84.307%) and infant formula feed (89.069%) in the postgastric intestinal phase (P = 0.0001). In conclusion, A. clausii 088AE spore preparation remained stable in the preparation and storage of functional and medical foods. A. clausii 088AE can be recommended as an ingredient in functional and medicinal foods that may improve protein digestion and energy metabolism and bring related health benefits.
Exploring the role of self‐awareness in coach development: A grounded theory study
Authors: Carden Julia , Passmore Jonathan , Jones Rebecca J.
Published: March 2022

Workplace coaching is a rapidly growing industry, and while there has been some research carried out to explore the effectiveness of coaching and to evaluate coaching outcomes, there has been very little research to underpin coach development and how coaches best develop coaching competence for workplace coaching. Self‐awareness is perceived by many, including the professional coaching bodies, to be a core‐competency for practising coaches. However, there is a lack of research evidence to underpin this perception and therefore this study, using an inductive grounded theory approach, explores the linkages between self‐awareness and coach development. It finishes by presenting a conceptual framework to identify the linkages between self‐awareness and coach development. The paper aims to make a theoretical contribution to the literature supporting workplace coaching and in particular coach development, by developing theoretical principles to underpin those providing coach development. The findings indicate that self‐awareness is an important competency for coaches to develop as it provides the backbone to developing deep and meaningful connections both for the coach in terms of self‐acceptance and confidence, and for the client in terms of the depth of the relationship, thereby creating an environment in which challenging work can be carried out.
Genetic colour variation visible for predators and conspecifics is concealed from humans in a polymorphic moth
Authors: Nokelainen Ossi , Galarza Juan A. , Kirvesoja Jimi , Suisto Kaisa , Mappes Johanna
Published: March 2022

The definition of colour polymorphism is intuitive: genetic variants express discretely coloured phenotypes. This classification is, however, elusive as humans form subjective categories or ignore differences that cannot be seen by human eyes. We demonstrate an example of a ‘cryptic morph’ in a polymorphic wood tiger moth (Arctia plantaginis), a phenomenon that may be common among well‐studied species. We used pedigree data from nearly 20,000 individuals to infer the inheritance of hindwing colouration. The evidence supports a single Mendelian locus with two alleles in males: WW and Wy produce the white and yy the yellow hindwing colour. The inheritance could not be resolved in females as their hindwing colour varies continuously with no clear link with male genotypes. Next, we investigated if the male genotype can be predicted from their phenotype by machine learning algorithms and by human observers. Linear discriminant analysis grouped male genotypes with 97% accuracy, whereas humans could only group the yy genotype. Using vision modelling, we also tested whether the genotypes have differential discriminability to humans, moth conspecifics and their bird predators. The human perception was poor separating the genotypes, but avian and moth vision models with ultraviolet sensitivity could separate white WW and Wy males. We emphasize the importance of objective methodology when studying colour polymorphism. Our findings indicate that by‐eye categorization methods may be problematic, because humans fail to see differences that can be visible for relevant receivers. Ultimately, receivers equipped with different perception than ours may impose selection to morphs hidden from human sight.
COVID‐19 pandemic lockdown—Is it affecting our skin hygiene and cosmetic practice?
Authors: Bakhati Deepa , Agrawal Sudha
Published: March 2022

Background

Orders such as self‐isolation, quarantine, social distancing, and lockdown implemented as a protective measure against COVID‐19 has allowed people to devote their excess leisure time to their appearance, cosmetics, and hygiene.

Objective

To assess the skin care routine regarding hygiene and cosmetic practices among female users of social media during the COVID‐19 pandemic.

Method

A cross‐sectional study was done among 300 female social media users using purposive sampling. A self‐administered questionnaire that included questions related to hygiene practices such as hand washing, use of hand sanitizers, bathing, hair washing, and use of certain cosmetics before and during the pandemic was used to collect all relevant data.

Result

Handwashing after returning home and shaking hands with others increased during the pandemic as compared with prior practices. The frequency of using a hand sanitizer had also increased during the pandemic. There was a statistically significant decrease in the frequency of the hair removal and visits to beauty salons during the pandemic. Cosmetics were used less, although face creams and lip balm were used more. Even though most of our respondents thought pandemic practices were convenient to use, more than half of them said they wished to go back to their pre‐pandemic routines once the pandemic was over.

Conclusion

The study revealed an increase in washing behavior, use of facial cream, and lip balms. Moreover, a decrease in using make‐up cosmetics, hair removal, and beauty salon visits during the pandemic.
Herbarium phylogenomics: Resolving the generic status of the enigmatic Pseudobartsia (Orobanchaceae)
Authors: Jiang Nan , Dong Li‐Na , Yang Jun‐Bo , Tan Yun‐Hong , Wang Hong , Randle Christopher P. , Li De‐Zhu , Yu Wen‐Bin
Published: March 2022

The millions of herbarium specimens in collections around the world provide historical resources for phylogenomics and evolutionary studies. Many rare and endangered species exist only as historical specimens. Here, we report a case study of the monotypic Pseudobartsia yunnanensis D. Y. Hong (=Pseudobartsia glandulosa[Bentham] W. B. Yu & D. Z. Li: Orobanchaceae) known from a single Chinese collection taken in 1940. We obtained genomic data of Pseudobartsia glandulosa using high‐throughput short‐read sequencing, and then assembled a complete chloroplast genome and nuclear ribosome DNA region in this study. We found that the newly assembled three plastid DNA regions (atpB‐rbcL, rpl16, and trnS‐G) and nuclear ribosomal internal transcribed spacer (nrITS) of Pseudobartsia glandulosa were more than 99.98% similar to published sequences obtained by target sequencing. Phylogenies of Orobanchaceae using 30 plastomes (including 10 new plastomes), using both supermatrix and multispecies coalescent approaches following a novel plastid phylogenomic workflow, recovered seven recognized tribes and two unranked groups, both of which were proposed as new tribes, that is, Brandisieae and Pterygielleae. Within Pterygielleae, all analyses strongly supported Xizangia D. Y. Hong as the first diverging genus, with Pseudobartsia D. Y. Hong as sister to Pterygiella Oliver + Phtheirospermum Bunge (excluding Phtheirospermum japonicum [Thunberg] Kanitz); this supports reinstatement of Pseudobartsia and Xizangia. Although elements of Buchnereae‐Cymbarieae‐Orobancheae and Brandisieae‐Pterygielleae‐Rhinantheae showed incongruence among gene trees, the topology of the supermatrix tree was congruent with the majority of gene trees and functional‐group trees. Therefore, most plastid genes are evolving as a linkage group, allowing the supermatrix tree approach to yield internally consistent phylogenies for Orobanchaceae.
Perceived risk of COVID‐19 exposure and poor COVID‐19 prognosis impair sleep: The mediating and moderating roles of COVID‐19‐related anxiety and knowledge
Authors: Zerbini Giulia , Taflinger Shannon , Reicherts Philipp , Kunz Miriam , Sattler Sebastian
Published: March 2022

The ongoing COVID‐19 pandemic has been linked to increased levels of stress, depression, and anxiety in many people around the world. Therefore, identifying individuals at risk of psychosocial burden during this unprecedented crisis is essential for developing prevention measures and treatment options for mental health issues. To this aim, we investigated two risk groups: individuals at higher risk of exposure to the virus and individuals at higher risk of poor prognosis if they contract the virus. We conducted a survey (N = 4167) with a representative sample of the German population and assessed perceived risk of COVID‐19 exposure and poor prognosis if infected, COVID‐19‐related anxiety, problems with sleep and daytime functioning, as well as self‐reported knowledge about the disease. Results showed that perceived risk group membership was linked to increased problems with sleep and daytime functioning via elevated levels of COVID‐19‐related anxiety. This mediated effect was further moderated by self‐reported COVID‐19 knowledge, but only for individuals who rated themselves at higher risk of COVID‐19 exposure. Thus, knowledge buffered the negative effect of exposure risk on anxiety and ultimately on sleep in this risk group. Reaching individuals at increased risk of exposure with clear information about the disease, how to prevent infection, and treatment options could be an effective strategy to contain anxiety levels and promote good sleep, which is important for general well‐being.
L2 Classroom Input and L2 Positionally Sensitive Grammars: The Role of Information‐Seeking Question Sequences
Authors: HALL JOAN KELLY
Published: March 2022

Evidence from usage‐based studies of second language (L2) acquisition reveals that a main source of L2 learners’ developing grammars is the L2 input to which learners are regularly exposed. What learners develop from their extended engagement in the sequences of actions comprising the input is not an acontextual system of grammatical units but rather thoroughly social, positionally sensitive grammars linked to the linguistic designs of the sequences. A growing body of research drawing on the theoretical framework and analytic methods of conversation analysis (CA) has identified the recurring interactional activities of L2 classrooms, which, for most adult L2 learners, are a major source of L2 input. Less examined are the linguistic designs of the interactional activities. This is the focus of the study reported here. Drawing on the shared theoretical and methodological framework of CA and interactional linguistics (IL), and building on previous work, the study examines the linguistic designs of information‐seeking sequences by which whole‐group instruction is accomplished. The focus is on teacher questions seeking factual information, the type of ‘knownness’ embodied in the questions, and both the actional types and linguistic designs of the student responses they engender. Findings show that while a great deal of opportunities for participation are made available to L2 learners in the information‐seeking sequences, the linguistic quality of the sequences is fairly limited in that the questions are designed primarily to engender one word or multiword phrases. These findings suggest that the possible pathways that learners’ developing L2 positionally sensitive grammars can take from their extended engagement in these sequences are also limited. For L2 teacher education, studies such as this one can enhance teachers’ understanding of the links between classroom input and learners’ developing L2 grammars, and the key role the teachers themselves play in designing the linguistic input of their L2 classroom contexts.
Novelties in Myanmar Agapetes (Ericaceae) with an updated checklist of species from the country
Authors: Tong Yi‐Hua , Fritsch Peter W. , Tan Yun‐Hong , Aung Mu Mu , Yang Bin , Armstrong Kate E.
Published: March 2022

We provide novel taxonomic information for Agapetes (Ericaceae) from Myanmar, describe the new species A. oligodonta, provide a supplemental description of the floral morphology of A. epacridea, and raise A. odontocera var. stenosepala to the rank of species. Line illustrations and photographs of living plants of A. oligodonta and A. epacridea are included, as well as an updated checklist of Agapetes from Myanmar (56 species, 9 varieties and 1 form) with discussion on the distribution of some species.
Borreria kelleri (Spermacoceae, Rubiaceae), a new species from Argentina and Paraguay
Authors: Miguel Laila M. , Sobrado Sandra V. , Florentín Javier E. , Cabral Elsa L. , Salas Roberto M.
Published: March 2022

Borreria kelleri (Spermacoceae, Rubiaceae), is described as a new species from northeastern Argentina and Paraguay. The new species is morphologically similar to B. quadrifaria due to the presence of densely and notable hairs in the angles of the stems and pantoporate pollen grains, but B. quadrifaria can be distinguished by its leaf blades narrowly elliptic or obovate up to 50 mm long, coriaceous, 1–5 glomerules per flowering branch and the bracts equal or barely longer than the diameter of the terminal glomerule. A complete description of the new species, including micromorphological features of flowers, fruits, seeds and pollen grains, illustration, distribution map, conservation status assessment and comparisons with morphologically related species is provided.
Unearthing the plant–microbe quid pro quo in root associations with beneficial fungi
Authors: Almario Juliana , Fabiańska Izabela , Saridis Georgios , Bucher Marcel
Published: March 2022

Mutualistic symbiotic associations between multicellular eukaryotes and their microbiota are driven by the exchange of nutrients in a quid pro quo manner. In the widespread arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) symbiosis involving plant roots and Glomeromycotina fungi, the mycobiont is supplied with carbon through photosynthesis, which in return supplies the host plant with essential minerals such as phosphorus (P). Most terrestrial plants are largely dependent on AM fungi for nutrients, which raises the question of how plants that are unable to form a functional AM sustain their P nutrition. AM nonhost plants can form alternative, evolutionarily younger, mycorrhizal associations such as the ectomycorrhiza, ericoid and orchid mycorrhiza. However, it is unclear how plants such as the Brassicaceae species Arabidopsis thaliana, which do not form known mycorrhizal symbioses, have adapted to the loss of these essential mycorrhizal traits. Isotope tracing experiments with root‐colonizing fungi have revealed the existence of new ‘mycorrhizal‐like’ fungi capable of transferring nutrients such as nitrogen (N) and P to plants, including Brassicaceae. Here, we provide an overview of the biology of trophic relationships between roots and fungi and how these associations might support plant adaptation to climate change.
Sensitivity Analysis of Excess Mortality due to the COVID‐19 Pandemic
Authors: Nepomuceno Marília R. , Klimkin Ilya , Jdanov Dmitri A. , Alustiza‐Galarza Ainhoa , Shkolnikov Vladimir M.
Published: March 2022

Estimating excess mortality is challenging. The metric depends on the expected mortality level, which can differ based on given choices, such as the method and the time series length used to estimate the baseline. However, these choices are often arbitrary, and are not subject to any sensitivity analysis. We bring to light the importance of carefully choosing the inputs and methods used to estimate excess mortality. Drawing on data from 26 countries, we investigate how sensitive excess mortality is to the choice of the mortality index, the number of years included in the reference period, the method, and the time unit of the death series. We employ two mortality indices, three reference periods, two data time units, and four methods for estimating the baseline. We show that excess mortality estimates can vary substantially when these factors are changed, and that the largest variations stem from the choice of the mortality index and the method. We also find that the magnitude of the variation in excess mortality is country‐specific, resulting in cross‐country rankings changes. Finally, based on our findings, we provide guidelines for estimating excess mortality.
Knowledge of Oneself and of Others: Aquinas, Wittgenstein and Rembrandt☆
Authors: Haldane John
Published: March 2022

Current discussions of self‐knowledge focus on awareness of mental states, but a more ancient concern is with knowing one’s nature and with living well in light of that. Pursuit of this Socratic imperative has been associated with a tradition of self‐identification contributed to by Plato, Plotinus, Augustine and Descartes. Their ideas are distinguished and discussed, but another perspective is developed bringing together ideas from Aquinas and Wittgenstein: linking of the former’s understanding of propria and the latter’s account of criteria. The nation of natural signs is adverted to in relation to Reid suggesting a third component to this perspective.
Racial residential segregation, neighborhood disorder, and racial discrimination among black pregnant women
Authors: Dove‐Medows Emily , Misra Dawn P. , McCracken Lindsey , Giurgescu Carmen
Published: March 2022

Objective

To compare and contrast pregnant, Black women's voices with quantitative measures of racial residential segregation, neighborhood disorder, and racial discrimination.

Design and sample

Using a convergent design for the parent study, surveys and qualitative interviews were completed by Black pregnant women (n = 27).

Measures

Content analysis was conducted and data were analyzed to assess for congruency or divergence for each concept related to structural racism (racial residential segregation, neighborhood disorder, and discrimination).

Results

No single concept had 100% agreement across qualitative and quantitative approaches. Participants disclosed experiences during some interviews that were not captured by the surveys. The qualitative interviews offered a more detailed description of the concepts which along with the quantitative measures, provided insights about how participants perceived these mechanisms.

Discussion

While important relationships about the mechanisms of structural racism and preterm birth can be examined using a single approach, using mixed methods can offer more insights about how those most impacted by preterm birth relate to these mechanisms. Future work will best add to the understanding of structural racism and preterm birth when study measures accurately reflect the experiences of the people who experience racism.
Interannual adjustments in stomatal and leaf morphological traits of European beech (Fagus sylvaticaL.) demonstrate its climate change acclimation potential
Authors: Petrik P. , Petek‐Petrik A. , Kurjak D. , Mukarram M. , Klein T. , Gömöry D. , Střelcová K. , Frýdl J. , Konôpková A.
Published: March 2022

The current projections of climate change might exceed the ability of European forest trees to adapt to upcoming environmental conditions. However, stomatal and leaf morphological traits could greatly influence the acclimation potential of forest tree species subjected to global warming, including the single most important forestry species in Europe, European beech.

We analysed stomatal (guard cell length, stomatal density and potential conductance index) and leaf (leaf area, leaf dry weight and leaf mass per area) morphological traits of ten provenances from two provenance trials with contrasting climates between 2016 and 2020. The impact of meteorological conditions of the current and preceding year on stomatal and leaf traits was tested by linear and quadratic regressions. Ecodistance was used to capture the impact of adaptation after the transfer of provenances to new environments.

Interactions of trial–provenance and trial–year factors were significant for all measured traits. Guard cell length was lowest and stomatal density was highest across beech provenances in the driest year, 2018. Adaptation was also reflected in a significant relationship between aridity ecodistance and measured traits. Moreover, the meteorological conditions of the preceding year affected the interannual variability of stomatal and leaf traits more than the meteorological conditions of the spring of the current year, suggesting the existence of plant stress memory.

High intraspecific variability of stomatal and leaf traits controlled by the interaction of adaptation, acclimation and plant memory suggests a high acclimation potential of European beech provenances under future conditions of global climate change.
An abrupt increase in foliage ABA levels on incipient leaf death occurs across vascular plants
Authors: McAdam S. A. M. , Kane C. N. , Mercado Reyes J. A. , Cardoso A. A. , Brodribb T. J.
Published: March 2022

Forest mortality during drought has been attributed to hydraulic failure, which can be challenging to measure. A limited number of alternative proxies for incipient leaf death exist. Here we investigate whether a terminal increase in abscisic acid (ABA) levels in leaves occurs across vascular land plants and is an indicator of imminent leaf death.

For different species across vascular plants, we monitored ABA levels during lethal drought as well as leaf embolism resistance, across the canopy as leaves die following senescence, or when leaves are exposed to a heavy, lethal frost late in the growing season.

We observed a considerable increase in foliage ABA levels once leaves showed signs of incipient leaf death. This increase in ABA levels upon incipient leaf death, could be induced by embolism during drought, by freezing or as leaves age naturally, and was observed in species spanning the phylogeny of vascular land plants as well as in an ABA biosynthetic mutant plant.

A considerable increase in foliage ABA levels may act as an indicator of impending leaf death.
Seed biologists beware: Estimates of initial viability based on ungerminated seeds at the end of an experiment may be error‐prone
Authors: Lamont B. B.
Published: March 2022

Seed viability is routinely measured on seeds that fail to germinate at the end of an experiment. Together with the number of germinants, this is used to estimate viability of the seeds at start of the experiment (i.e., initial viability) and provides the comparative basis on which germination success is determined. The literature and recent data on the germination requirements of Leucadendron species were examined to determine if there was any evidence for a treatment effect on viability of ungerminated seeds at the end of the experiment. The survey showed that sometimes (perhaps often, as the problem has yet to be recognized or reported) prolonged duration in the treatment, especially the control where little germination occurs, lead to loss of viability during the experiment. This resulted in underestimation of initial viability if that treatment was used. I caution against the routine use of end‐of‐trial germination and viability of ungerminated seeds as an estimate of initial viability in determining germination success of various treatments. I explore ways to deal with the problem but the preference is for estimates of initial viability to be undertaken on a separate sample of seeds concurrently with the experiment as this avoids the risk of seed death during the trial.
Quantifying habitat provisioning at macroalgal cultivation sites
Authors: Corrigan Sophie , Brown Andrew Ross , Ashton Ian G. C. , Smale Dan A. , Tyler Charles R.
Published: March 2022

Macroalgal cultivation is expanding rapidly, and promises to contribute significantly towards future food and energy security, sustainable livelihoods, ecosystem services and habitat provisioning for a range of associated organisms globally. Habitat provisioning underpins biodiversity and ecosystem structure and functioning, supports many ecosystem services and has possible benefits to other marine industries, including enhancement of commercial fish stocks. In macroalgal cultivation, however, only recently has habitat provisioning started to be assessed at a local scale (within a farm's footprint) and with a range of different approaches. This review evaluates techniques used to quantify habitat provisioning in and around macroalgal cultivation sites, for species ranging from microorganisms to megafauna, and outlines recommendations to enable a more comprehensive ecological valuation of macroalgal cultivation in the future. The majority of information on biodiversity associated with macroalgal cultivation is associated with quantifying biofouling or pest organisms, rather than the contribution of colonising species to healthy ecosystem functioning. We suggest how better monitoring of macroalgal cultivation could enable an ecosystem approach to aquaculture (EAA) in the future. To achieve this, we highlight the need for standardised and robust methods for quantifying habitat provisioning that will enable assessment and monitoring of macroalgal cultivation sites of varying scales and within different regions and environmental settings. Increased evidence for the potential habitat value of macroalgal cultivation sites will help inform and shape marine legislation, licencing and certification for macroalgal farmers and potentially reduce marine user conflicts, helping the industry to continue to grow sustainably using EAA.
Using genetic data to advance stream fish reintroduction science: a case study in brook trout
Authors: White Shannon L. , Johnson Thomas C. , Rash Jacob M. , Lubinski Barbara A. , Kazyak David C.
Published: March 2022

Widespread extirpation of native fish populations has led to a rise in species reintroduction efforts worldwide. Most efforts have relied on demographic data alone to guide project design and evaluate success. However, the genetic characteristics of many imperiled fish populations including low diversity, local adaptation, and hatchery introgression emphasize the importance of genetic data in the design and monitoring of reintroduction efforts. Focusing on a case study of brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) in North Carolina, we show how the combined use of genetic and demographic data can support reintroduction efforts by improving source population selection and providing opportunities to evaluate genetic viability and adaptive potential in restored populations. Using this combined approach, we reintroduced brook trout into a restored stream from two source populations and monitored changes in genetic diversity and population size in source and recipient populations. Three years after the initial translocation, the reintroduced population had comparable density, but higher genetic diversity, than either source population. This study demonstrates the utility of genetic and demographic data for reintroduction efforts, particularly when extant populations are genetically depauperate and maintaining adaptive potential is a primary restoration goal. However, we emphasize the value of continued monitoring at longer temporal and spatial scales to determine the effects of stochastic process on the long‐term adaptive capacity and persistence of reintroduced populations. Overall, inclusion of genetic data in reintroduction efforts offers increased ability to meet project goals while simultaneously conserving critical sources of adaptive variation that exist across the landscape.
Exact uniformly most powerful postselection confidence distributions
Authors: Garcia‐Angulo Andrea C. , Claeskens Gerda
Published: March 2022

A conditioning on the event of having selected one model from a set of possibly misspecified normal linear regression models leads to the construction of uniformly optimal conditional confidence distributions. They can be used for valid postselection inference. The constructed conditional confidence distributions are finite sample exact and encompass all information regarding the focus parameter in the selected model. This includes the construction of optimal postselection confidence intervals at all significance levels and uniformly most powerful hypothesis tests.
Focusing on different informant characteristics by situation: The dimensions of benevolence and competence in children's trust judgment
Authors: Miyoshi Mio , Sanefuji Wakako
Published: March 2022

Children use informant characteristics, such as competence or benevolence, in trust judgment. Previous studies have examined the characteristics that children prioritize in trust judgment, but findings have been conflicting. Since people possess and tap into each characteristic in their daily lives as the situation demands, children may adjust the characteristics that they choose to rely on depending on the specific situation rather than always prioritizing either of the characteristics. Thus, the present study investigated children's trust judgment in different situations requiring either competence or benevolence. Additionally, children's preference for competence or benevolence was examined to explore its effect on trust judgment. Results showed that children were more likely to select a competent rather than a benevolent person in situations requiring competence and vice versa in situations requiring benevolence. Children preferred the benevolent person rather than the competent person; such preference did not appear to affect their selection of informants across various situations. In summary, children might focus on the different characteristics of the informant in accordance with the situation. Their preference for benevolence might relate to a preference for prosociality. This, in turn, could relate to enhanced sensitivity to benevolence in early childhood.
Functional leaf anatomy of the invasive weed Solanum rostratum Dunal
Authors: Abu‐Nassar Jackline , Gal Shira , Shtein Ilana , Distelfeld Assaf , Matzrafi Maor
Published: March 2022

Solanum rostratum Dunal is an aggressive invasive weed invading many countries worldwide. Our previous study indicated differences in herbicide response between young and mature plants. In this study, we explore the functional leaf surface anatomy of S. rostratum. Leaf area surface characterisation was performed by counting stomata, stellate and glandular trichomes on upper and lower leaf sides on scanning electron microscopy (SEM) micrographs. Total cuticular waxes were extracted and weighed in young and mature leaves. Young and mature leaves were tested for water permeability of the epidermal surfaces using the apoplastic tracer Calcofluor. S. rostratum plants were sprayed with luminous trace colour solution with and without 1% surfactant, droplet number and area were calculated. In young S. rostratum leaves, the leaf surface was densely covered with stellate trichomes on both leaf sides; however, in the mature leaf, stellate trichomes density became low, and prickle rigid increased in mature leaves. Wax amount was significantly higher in mature leaves, while number of stomata was higher in young leaves. Young leaves showed high leaf permeability, with the fluorescent dye permeating the leaf staining the vascular bundles. In young and mature leaves treated with a spraying solution with the addition of surfactant, low droplet number alongside higher coverage area was recorded. Our data highlight the notable differences in leaf epidermal structure of young versus mature plants. We conclude that differences in herbicide permeability, water loss and herbivory in young versus mature leaves of S. rostratum are governed by variation in leaf functional anatomy.