bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The ecological function of insect egg micropyles
Authors: Iossa Graziella
Published: February 2022

Insect egg micropyles are openings through the chorion allowing sperm entry for fertilisation. Micropyles are diverse structures showing remarkable variation in number, spatial arrangement and physical structure across extant insect orders. Despite being almost ubiquitous across insects, they have received little attention. As key morphological features of an immobile life stage, it is plausible that part of the diversity exhibited by micropyles is adaptive, supporting other egg structures during embryo development. So, while egg fertilization is the primary function of micropyles, they could aid embryo development and be shaped by natural, as well as sexual selection.

Here I first used ancestral reconstruction to investigate micropyle presence, number and variation in primitive insects. Then, I used phylogenetic comparative analyses to explore the ecological function of micropyle number.

I hypothesised that micropyle number correlated with (1) aeropyle presence facilitating oxygen exchange; (2) aquatic oviposition supporting development in water and is influenced by (3) critical bioclimatic variables.

Across 24 hexapod orders, the most likely ancestral state was one or two micropyles, interspecific variation was high and intraspecific variation was low. Mean micropyle number ranged from zero in Entognatha, Strepsiptera and Thysanoptera to 120 in Panstrongylus geniculatus, Hemiptera, and over 100 on average for Apidae, Hymenoptera. Micropyle number was strongly positively related to (1) egg size, with larger eggs having more micropyles; (2) the presence of aeropyles; (3) annual precipitation, with eggs developing in habitats with low annual precipitation exhibiting fewer micropyles; and (4) negatively related to micropyle width, insect eggs having fewer larger micropyles or numerous smaller ones. However, aquatic oviposition did not affect micropyle number.

Overall these findings point to an adaptive ecological function of egg micropyles in addition to their primary fertilisation function. This is consistent with the hypothesis that micropyles aid embryo survival, and so this almost‐ubiquitous trait across insects is shaped by sexual and natural selection pressures during this critical life stage.

Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.
‘Ever Greater Divergence’, but…: The Ongoing Saga of Brexit and Financial Services
Authors: Sowels Nicholas
Published: February 2022

As in many other fields, UK‐EU relations in financial services are set on a path of ever greater divergence. This follows logically from Theresa May’s Lancaster House speech in January 2017 announcing that the UK would leave the single market. The City‐based policy community then quickly moved from hoping to keep passporting rights to the EU market, towards searching for access based on ‘equivalence’. But as negotiations became more acrimonious following Boris Johnson’s arrival in Downing Street and (Lord) David Frost’s appointment as Chief Negotiator for Exiting the European Union in 2019, the prospects for a deal on financial services slipped away—perhaps surprisingly, given the centrality of finance to the British economy. For its part, the EU has been increasingly reluctant to reach a deal on financial services, taking instead the path to greater financial autonomy and regulatory control within the European Union and the Eurozone in particular. As a result, UK‐based firms no longer have access to the EU market, although there is still a tug‐of‐war of some consequence over the location of euro‐denominated derivative trading. Incremental divergence is now at work, as Britain pursues a strategy of competitiveness based on better regulation, within the international framework established after the global financial crisis of 2007–2009.
Definition and categorization of rural and assessment of realized access to care
Authors: Zahnd Whitney E. , Del Vecchio Natalie , Askelson Natoshia , Eberth Jan M. , Vanderpool Robin C. , Overholser Linda , Madhivanan Purnima , Hirschey Rachel , Edward Jean
Published: February 2022

Objective

To examine how three measures of realized access to care vary by definitions and categorizations of “rural”.

Data sources

Health Information National Trends Survey (HINTS) data, a nationally representative survey assessing knowledge of health‐related information, were used. Participants were categorized by county‐based Urban Influence Codes (UICs), Rural–Urban Continuum Codes (RUCCs), and census tract‐based Rural–Urban Commuting Area (RUCAs).

Study design

Three approaches were used across categories of UICs, RUCCs, and RUCAs: (1) non‐metropolitan/metropolitan, (2) three‐group categorization based upon population size, and (3) three‐group categorization based on adjacency to metropolitan areas. Wald Chi‐square tests evaluated differences in sociodemographic variables and three measures of realized access across three of Penchansky's “A's of access” and approaches. The three outcome measures included: having a regular provider (realized availability), self‐reported “excellent” quality of care (realized acceptability), and self‐report of the provider “always” spending enough time with you (provider attentiveness–realized accommodation). The average marginal effects corresponding to each outcome were calculated.

Data collection/extraction methods

N/A

Principal findings

All approaches indicated comparable variation in sociodemographics. In all approaches, RUCA‐based categorizations showed differences in having a regular provider (e.g., 68.9% of non‐metropolitan and 64.4% of metropolitan participants had a regular provider). This association was attenuated in multivariable analyses. No rural–urban differences in quality of care were seen in unadjusted or adjusted analyses regardless of approach. After adjustment for covariates, rural respondents reported greater provider attentiveness in some categorizations of rural compared with urban (e.g., non‐metropolitan respondents reported 6.03 percentage point increase in probability of having an attentive provider [CI = 0.76–11.31%] compared with metropolitan).

Conclusions

Our findings underscore the importance of considering multiple definitions of rural to understand access disparities and suggest that continued research is needed to examine the interplay between potential and realized access. These findings have implications for federal funding, resource allocation, and identifying health disparities.
Utility of DNA barcoding for identification of common Vespa species (Hymenoptera: Vespidae) from Yunnan, China
Authors: Wang Ming‐Ming , Yin Peng‐Kai , Tang Ya‐Ni , Yang Zi‐Zhong , Xiao Huai , Zhang Cheng‐Gui , Yang Yin‐He , Yang Da‐Song
Published: February 2022

As traditional Chinese medicine and edible insects, Vespa hornets have high economic value and huge market demand. Hornet breeding has become an important way to increase the income of mountain farmers in China, but the limitation of traditional identification methods has become the bottleneck of the modern development of hornet resources. In this study, a simple and reliable method for the molecular identification of typical hornets from Yunnan was successfully established. In the NCBI database, DNA sequences of hornet samples were aligned as Vespa analis, Vespa basalis, Vespa velutina, Vespa mandarinia, Vespa magnifica, Vespa binghami, Vespa soror by BLAST search. The efficiency of the PCR amplification of mitochondrial cytochrome C oxidase I (COI) gene sequences in all samples was 100% by using the optimized program. Moreover, a reference database for DNA barcodes of Vespa materials in Yunnan was constructed. This study provided a successful example for the identification of local insects of Yunnan and will be helpful to the development of wasp resources.
Depression in psoriatic arthritis: Related to socio‐demographics, comorbid loads or disease activity?
Authors: Lai Tin Lok , Au Chi Kit , Chung Ho Yin , Lau Chak Sing
Published: February 2022

Aim

Psychological distress commonly occurs in patients with psoriatic arthritis (PsA). The primary objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of depression in PsA. The secondary objective was to explore its associated factors, including socio‐demographics, disease activity data and comorbidities.

Methods

Patients with PsA fulfilling the Classification Criteria for Psoriatic Arthritis were consecutively recruited from local rheumatology clinics. Depression was assessed by a self‐administered Chinese‐Cantonese version of the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS).

Results

Two hundred and eight eligible patients with PsA were recruited, with 82 females and 126 males. Depression was found in 62 (29.8%) of them. The univariate model identified these associated factors: (1) Psoriasis Area and Severity Index score; (2) disease activity measurement, that is tender and swollen joint count, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, C‐reactive protein, Disease Activity in Psoriatic Arthritis (DAPSA) score, Leeds Enthesitis Index and tender dactylitis count; (3) quality of life measurement, that is Health Assessment Questionnaire ‐ Disability Index (HAQ‐DI), pain and general health perception; (4) PsA duration; and (5) body mass index. The final regression model identified DAPSA and HAQ‐DI were closely associated with depression,P = .007 andP = .02 respectively. Moderate and strong correlations with HADS score were found with DAPSA (Kendall's tau‐b coefficient [τb] = 0.25) and HAQ‐DI (τb = 0.4) respectively. No associations with depression were found between age, living and employment status, gender, demographics, inflammatory markers, disease duration, skin involvement and comorbidities, in term of Charlson's Comorbidity Index.

Conclusion

Depression was prevalent among PsA patients and it was closely correlated with disease activity and physical function impairment. Achieving low disease activity and maintaining physical function in patients with PsA may mitigate the psychological burden. The present study also highlighted the unmet needs of strategies to identify this common phenomenon.
Metformin induces S‐adenosylmethionine restriction to extend the Caenorhabditis elegans healthspan through H3K4me3 modifiers
Authors: Xiao Yi , Liu Fang , Kong Qinghong , Zhu Xinting , Wang Haijuan , Li Sanhua , Jiang Nian , Yu Changyan , Yun Liu
Published: February 2022

Metformin, a widely prescribed first‐line drug for the treatment of type II diabetes mellitus, has been shown to extend lifespan and delay the onset of age‐related diseases. The precisely mechanisms by which these effects are realized remain elusive. We find that metformin exposure is restricted to adults, which is sufficient to extend lifespan. However, limiting metformin exposure to the larvae has no significant effect on Caenorhabditis elegans longevity. Here, we show that after metformin treatment, the level of S‐adenosylmethionine (SAM) is reduced in adults but not in the larvae. Potential mechanisms by which reduced SAM might increase lifespan include altering the histone methylation. However, the molecular connections between metformin, SAM limitation, methyltransferases, and healthspan‐associated phenotypes are unclear. Through genetic screening of C. elegans, we find that metformin promotes the healthspan through an H3K4 methyltransferase/demethylase complex to downregulate the targets, including mTOR and S6 kinase. Thus, our studies provide molecular links between meformin, SAM limitation, histone methylation, and healthspan and elucidate the mode action of metformin‐regulated healthspan extension will boost its therapeutic application in the treatment of human aging and age‐related diseases.
Anthropology and the misery of writing
Authors: Starn Orin
Published: February 2022

We have had much excited talk about experimental ethnography and new genres of writing. Much of it acknowledges the difficulties of putting words to page. But few of the many reflections and meditations about ethnography really delve into the self‐destroying anxiety and misery that can accompany writing in anthropology and across the humanities. That many of us—from graduate students to tenured professors—have suffered bad, sometimes career‐ending trouble with writing is a public secret. I draw on my own struggle with writing and depression to try to make some sense of why desperation and worse related to writing are so relatively commonplace in anthropology today—and whether there's anything we can do about it.
Intersectional justice denied: Racist warring masculinity, negative peace, and violence in post‐peace accords El Salvador
Authors: Velásquez Estrada R. Elizabeth
Published: February 2022

The skyrocketing violence in Central America calls upon scholars to examine the needed conditions for peace. This article challenges the assumption that the absence of violence among factions in conflict is the chief goal around which peacemaking efforts should operate. Based on ethnographic research with women relatives of male gang members and civil war veterans in El Salvador, I argue that the 1992 Salvadoran Peace Accords that ended twelve years of civil war developed a male‐centered notion of negative peace that ended the armed conflict while naturalizing racialized state violence as part of security measures and ongoing violence against women as low‐grade part of everyday life. In the post‐accords era, gang members advance their version of negative peace, promising to protect women and the nation while continuing to oppress their women relatives. I suggest that the effective path to attain substantive peace is to proactively engage in intersectional justice to redress multiple and intersecting forms of violence. The consequences of peacemaking efforts without this attention will result in continued massive killing and immigration to the United States.
War‐related trauma linked to increased sustained attention to threat in children
Authors: Michalek Julia , Lisi Matteo , Binetti Nicola , Ozkaya Sumeyye , Hadfield Kristin , Dajani Rana , Mareschal Isabelle
Published: February 2022

Experiences of war and displacement can have profound effects on children's affective development and mental health, although the mechanism(s) underlying these effects remain unknown. This study investigated the link between early adversity and attention to affective stimuli using a free‐viewing eye‐tracking paradigm with Syrian refugee (n = 31, Mage = 9.55, 12 female) and Jordanian non‐refugee (n = 55, Mage = 9.98, 30 female) children living in Jordan (March 2020). Questionnaires assessed PTSD, anxiety/depression, insecurity, distress, and trauma. Refugee children showed greater initial avoidance of angry and happy faces compared to non‐refugee children, and higher trauma exposure was linked to increased sustained attention to angry stimuli. These findings suggest that war‐related trauma may have differential effects on the early and later stages of affective processing in refugee children.
Accuracy of bone‐level assessments following reconstructive surgical treatment of experimental peri‐implantitis
Authors: Almohandes Ahmed , Lund Henrik , Carcuac Olivier , Petzold Max , Berglundh Tord , Abrahamsson Ingemar
Published: February 2022

Aims

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the accuracy of bone‐level assessments using either cone‐beam computed tomography (CBCT), intra‐oral peri‐apical (PA) radiographs or histology following reconstructive treatment of experimental peri‐implantitis.

Materials and Methods

Six Labrador dogs were used. Experimental peri‐implantitis was induced 3 months after implant placement. Surgical treatment of peri‐implantitis was performed and peri‐implant defects were allocated to one of four treatment categories; no augmentation, bone graft materials with or without a barrier membrane. Six months later, intra‐oral PA radiographs and block biopsies from all implants sites were obtained. Marginal bone levels (MBLs) were measured using PA radiographs, CBCT and histology.

Results

Significant correlations of MBL assessments were observed between the three methods. The measurements in PA radiographs consistently resulted in an overestimation of the bone level of about 0.3–0.4 mm. The agreement between the methods was not influenced by the use of bone substitute materials in the management of the osseous defects.

Conclusions

Although MBL assessments obtained from PA radiographs showed an overestimation compared to MBL assessments on corresponding CBCT images and histological sections, PA radiographs can be considered a reliable technique for peri‐implant bone‐level evaluations following reconstructive surgical therapy of experimental peri‐implantitis.
All rights reserved: Copyright protection and multinational knowledge transfers
Authors: Ivus Olena , Park Walter G.
Published: February 2022

The copyright industry contributes to global knowledge transfers, rivaling the manufacturing industry. Creative works are media for conveying information. This paper studies the effects of copyright protection on the international licensing of US companies in the copyright‐based industries. The results show that copyrights affect technological development in creative industries as well as beyond; for example, in supporting industries that produce complementary output. The empirical analysis considers firms' selection into licensing, based on the cost of transferring creative works to host markets. The volume and likelihood of licensing rise with copyright protection when creative works are in sufficiently high demand.
Controlling the electrical resistivity of porous silicon carbide ceramics and their applications: A review
Authors: Anwar Muhammad Shoaib , Bukhari Syed Zaighum Abbas , Ha Jang‐Hoon , Lee Jongman , Song In‐Hyuck , Kim Young‐Wook
Published: February 2022

Porous silicon carbide (SiC)‐based ceramics are widely used in numerous applications of technical importance owing to their exceptional structural (e.g., excellent chemical, mechanical, and thermal stability) and functional (e.g., controlled electrical resistivity) properties. Porous SiC with controlled electrical resistivity is required for various advanced applications, for example, power electronic devices, semiconductor processing parts, fusion reactors, thermoelectric energy conversion, electromagnetic shielding, and environmental applications such as heatable filters. The electrical properties of sintered porous SiC are significantly affected by its chemical composition, processing conditions, and microstructure. This article reviews the influence of certain critical factors, such as the polytype, doping conditions, porosity (%), additive composition (oxide additives, element additives, metal nitride/carbide additives, etc.), and processing conditions on the electrical resistivity of porous SiC. Novel applications of porous SiC with controlled electrical resistivity are also discussed in this review.
A lot of convergence, a bit of divergence: Environment and interspecific interactions shape body colour patterns in Lissotriton newts
Authors: de Solan Thomas , Théry Marc , Picard Damien , Crochet Pierre‐André , David Patrice , Secondi Jean
Published: February 2022

Coexistence with related species poses evolutionary challenges to which populations may react in diverse ways. When exposed to similar environments, sympatric populations of two species may adopt similar phenotypic trait values. However, selection may also favour trait divergence as a way to reduce competition for resources or mates. The characteristics of external body parts, such as coloration and external morphology, are involved to varying degrees in intraspecific signalling as well as in the adaptation to the environment and consequently may be diversely affected by interspecific interactions in sympatry. Here, we studied the effect of sympatry on various colour and morphological traits in males and females of two related newt species Lissotriton helveticus and L. vulgaris. Importantly, we did not only estimate how raw trait differences between species respond to sympatry, but also the marginal responses after controlling for environmental variation. We found that dorsal and caudal coloration converged in sympatry, likely reflecting their role in adaptation to local environments, especially concealment from predators. In contrast, aspects of male and female ventral coloration, which harbours sexual signals in both species, diverged in sympatry. This divergence may reduce opportunities for interspecific sexual interactions and the associated loss of energy, suggesting reproductive character displacement (RCD). Our study emphasizes the contrasting patterns of traits involved in different functions and calls for the need to consider this diversity in evolutionary studies.
Mass fractal dimension from 2D microscopy images via an aggregation model with variable compactness
Authors: Ferri Giulia , Humbert Severine , Schweitzer Jean‐Marc , Digne Mathieu , Lefebvre Veronique , Moreaud Maxime
Published: February 2022

Microscopy‐image analysis provides precious information on size and structure of colloidal aggregates and agglomerates. The structure of colloids is often characterized using the mass fractal dimension , which is different from the two‐dimensional (2D) fractal dimension that can be computed from microscopy images. In this work, we propose to use a recent morphological aggregation model to find a relationship between 2D image fractal dimension and 3D mass fractal dimension of aggregates and agglomerates. Our case study is represented by scanning transmission electron microscopy images of boehmite colloidal suspensions. The behaviour of the computed at different acid and base concentration shows a fair agreement with the results of small angle x‐ray scattering and with the literature, enabling to use the versus relationship to study the impact of the composition of the colloidal suspension on the density of colloidal aggregates and agglomerates.
Autonomous competences and quality of professional life of paediatric nurses in primary care, their relationship and associated factors: A cross‐sectional study
Authors: Laserna Jiménez Cristina , Garrido Aguilar Eva , Casado Montañés Isabel , Estrada Masllorens Joan Maria , Fabrellas Núria
Published: February 2022

Aims and Objectives

To identify the autonomous competences and quality of professional life of paediatric nurses in primary care, their relationship and possible associated factors.

Background

The autonomous competences of paediatric nurses vary among healthcare providers in Catalonia, Spain. Autonomy is related to quality of professional life, but little is known about autonomous competences and other factors contributing to paediatric nurses’ quality of professional life.

Design

A cross‐sectional study following the STROBE statement.

Methods

Data from 206 paediatric primary care nurses were analysed. A self‐administered survey consisting of an ad hoc questionnaire and a validated instrument to measure quality of professional life (QPL‐35 questionnaire) was conducted. Descriptive, bivariate and general multivariate regression analyses were used to identify the relationship between autonomous competences and quality of professional life, and its predicting factors.

Results

47.6% nurses reported a medium level of autonomous competences, 46.6% a high level, and 5.8% a low level. Quality of professional life was medium‐high for the domains perception of managerial support and global perception of workload and for the item disconnect from work after work shift, and very high and high values for the domain intrinsic motivation and for the item quality of work life, respectively. Autonomous competences and perceived autonomy were factors associated with quality of professional life. Other associated factors were academic background, specific training and being a paediatric nurse specialist.

Conclusions

Paediatric nurses in primary care have a medium‐high level of autonomous competences and they perceive a high level of autonomy. Autonomous competences and level of perceived autonomy are predictors of quality of professional life.

Relevance to clinical practice

Enhancing paediatric nurses’ autonomous competences and academic background, receiving specific training and being paediatric nurse specialists might improve their quality of professional life, healthcare quality and outcomes for the child population.
A DINOFLAGELLATE TBP‐LIKE FACTOR ACTIVATES TRANSCRIPTION FROM A TTTT‐BOX IN YEAST
Authors: Zaheri Bahareh , Veilleux‐Trinh Charlotte , Morse David
Published: February 2022

Dinoflagellates do not have a typical TATA‐binding protein (TBP), a subunit of the general transcription factor TFIID complex. Instead, they have a TBP‐like factor (TLF) that has been shown to bind TTTT instead of TATA in vitro. The ability of TLF to act as a functional replacement of TBP in vivo has never been assessed, however. Here, we show that a dinoflagellate TLF can drive expression of a reporter gene controlled by a budding yeast promoter whose TATA box was mutated to TTTT. TLF is thus able to bind and activate the yeast RNA polymerase and appear to function normally in the TFIID complex.
Plantaricin LD1 purified from Lactobacillus plantarum LD1 inhibits biofilm formation of Enterococcus faecalis ATCC 29212 in tooth model
Authors: Yadav M.K. , Yadav P. , Dhiman M. , Tewari S. , Tiwari S.K.
Published: February 2022

Plantaricin LD1 was purified to homogeneity using activity-guided chromatography. Enterococcus faecalis ATCC 29212 was found to be sensitive to plantaricin LD1 showing 13 ± 0·21 mm zone of growth inhibition. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) was found to be 50 µg ml−1 against Ent. faecalis ATCC 29212. The in vitro biofilm formation by Ent. faecalis ATCC 29212 was observed, which was completely inhibited in the presence of bacteriocin. Similarly, biofilm formation was also observed on the teeth surface showing purple colour, whereas treated-teeth were clean and indicated no biofilm formation. Further, untreated cells of Ent. faecalis ATCC 29212 were found normal and plantaricin LD1-treated cells were ruptured when seen under light microscope, suggesting killing of target cells. These findings have proven the initial leads for antimicrobial and anti-biofilm activity of plantaricin LD1 against Ent. faecalis and its possible application for the treatment of endodontic diseases.
The manufacture and origin of the Tutankhamen meteoritic iron dagger
Authors: Matsui Takafumi , Moriwaki Ryota , Zidan Eissa , Arai Tomoko
Published: February 2022

The Iron Age was the time when people acquired iron processing technology and is generally thought to have begun after 1200 B.C. Some prehistoric iron artifacts made of iron meteorites are dated from the Bronze Age. A nicely preserved meteoritic iron dagger was found in the tomb of King Tutankhamen (1361–1352 B.C.) of ancient Egypt. Yet, its manufacturing method and origin remain unclear. Here, we report nondestructive two‐dimensional chemical analyses of the Tutankhamen iron dagger, conducted at the Egyptian Museum of Cairo. Elemental mapping of Ni on the dagger blade surface shows discontinuous banded arrangements in places with “cubic” symmetry and a bandwidth of about 1 mm, suggesting a Widmanstätten pattern. The intermediate Ni content (11.8 ± 0.5 wt%) with the presence of the Widmanstätten pattern implies the source meteorite of the dagger blade to be octahedrite. The randomly distributed sulfur‐rich black spots are likely remnants of troilite (FeS) inclusions in iron meteorite. The preserved Widmanstätten pattern and remnant troilite inclusion show that the iron dagger was manufactured by low‐temperature (<950 °C) forging. The gold hilt with a few percent of calcium lacking sulfur suggests the use of lime plaster instead of gypsum plaster as an adhesive material for decorations on the hilt. Since the use of lime plaster in Egypt started during the Ptolemaic period (305–30 B.C.), the Ca‐bearing gold hilt hints at its foreign origin, possibly from Mitanni, Anatolia, as suggested by one of the Amarna letters saying that an iron dagger with gold hilt was gifted from the king of Mitanni to Amenhotep III, the grandfather of Tutankhamen.
Progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy in multiple myeloma associated with daratumumab, lenalidomide, and dexamethasone
Authors: Seko Kento , Uchida Yuto , Kanamori Takashi , Sakurai Keita , Usami Toshihiko , Kuno Tomoyuki , Takada Koji , Nakamichi Kazuo , Matsukawa Noriyuki
Published: February 2022

Progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy is a rare but fatal demyelinating disease of the central nervous system with reactivation of JC virus. Herein, we describe a case of progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy associated with a therapeutic regimen of daratumumab, lenalidomide, and dexamethasone for multiple myeloma. A 69‐year‐old man with multiple myeloma was admitted to the neurological care unit due to progressive cognitive dysfunction after seven cycles of the regimen. His CD4+ T cell count was 190 cells/μL. Diffusion‐weighted magnetic resonance imaging revealed nodular diffusion restrictions in the frontal and parietal lobes. He was diagnosed with progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy following a positive polymerase chain reaction test for JC virus DNA in the cerebrospinal fluid. After cessation of multiple myeloma treatment, his cognition and magnetic resonance imaging findings improved within 3 months. We should recognize this potentially fatal complication in patients receiving this regimen.
Why does pollen morphology vary? Evolutionary dynamics and morphospace occupation in the largest angiosperm order (Asterales)
Authors: Jardine Phillip E. , Palazzesi Luis , Tellería M. Cristina , Barreda Viviana D.
Published: February 2022

Morphological diversity (disparity) is a key component of biodiversity and increasingly a focus of botanical research. Despite the wide range of morphologies represented by pollen grains, to date there are few studies focused on the controls on pollen disparity and morphospace occupation, and fewer still considering these parameters in a phylogenetic framework.

Here, we analyse morphospace occupation, disparity and rates of morphological evolution in Asterales pollen, in a phylogenetic context. We use a dataset comprising 113 taxa from across the Asterales phylogeny, with pollen morphology described using 28 discrete characters.

The Asterales pollen morphospace is phylogenetically structured around groups of related taxa, consistent with punctuated bursts of morphological evolution at key points in the Asterales phylogeny. There is no substantial difference in disparity among these groups of taxa, despite large differences in species richness and biogeographic range. There is also mixed evidence for whole‐genome duplication as a driver of Asterales pollen morphological evolution.

Our results highlight the importance of evolutionary history for structuring pollen morphospace. Our study is consistent with others that have shown a decoupling of biodiversity parameters, and reinforces the need to focus on disparity as a key botanical metric in its own right.
Evaluation of corneal topography, pachymetry and higher order aberrations for detecting subclinical keratoconus
Authors: Kandel Sandeep , Chaudhary Meenu , Mishra Sanjeeb K , Joshi Niraj D , Subedi Manish , Puri Prajjol R , Gyawali Parash , Bist Jeewanand , Kandel Himal
Published: February 2022

Purpose

To compare corneal topography, pachymetry and higher order aberrations in keratoconic and normal eyes; to investigate their association in keratoconic eyes; and to determine their diagnostic ability for detecting subclinical keratoconus in a Nepalese population.

Methods

Ninety‐six eyes of 48 keratoconus patients and 50 normal eyes of 50 control subjects were included in this study. The eyes of keratoconus patients were classified into four different study groups: subclinical, stage 1, stage 2 and advanced stage keratoconus. In each eye, corneal topography, pachymetry and corneal aberrometry indices were measured using a Sirius corneal tomographer. The study parameters of keratoconic eyes were compared with normal eyes, and the possible association of corneal aberrometry with topography and pachymetry indices was investigated. The area under curve (AUC) of receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves along with optimal cutoff values with best sensitivity and specificity were also determined for each index to detect subclinical keratoconus.

Results

All the indices except average keratometry measurements (Kavg and mmavg) and spherical aberration (SA) were found to be significantly different in subclinical keratoconus compared to the control group (p < 0.05). In keratoconic eyes, all corneal aberrations were significantly correlated with the topography and pachymetry indices (range of ρ: −0.25 to 0.96; all p < 0.05) except for trefoil and minimum corneal thickness (Thkmin). All the indices except Kavg, mmavg and SA showed excellent diagnostic ability (AUC > 0.90) in detecting subclinical keratoconus. The cutoff values proposed for the asymmetry index of the corneal back surface (SIb), Strehl ratio of point spread function (PSF), coma and Baiocchi‐Calossi‐Versaci index of corneal back surface (BCVb) each showed excellent sensitivity (100%) and specificity (≥97%).

Conclusions

Corneal higher order aberrations were found to be significantly elevated in subclinical keratoconus compared to healthy controls. SIb, PSF, coma and BCVb were identified as the most powerful Sirius indices for the detection of subclinical keratoconus.
Catheter ablation for papillary muscle arrhythmias: A systematic review
Authors: Mariani Marco Valerio , Piro Agostino , Magnocavallo Michele , Chimenti Cristina , Della Rocca Domenico , Santangeli Pasquale , Natale Andrea , Fedele Francesco , Lavalle Carlo
Published: February 2022

Background

Catheter ablation of papillary muscle ventricular arrhythmias (PM‐VAs) has been associated with unsatisfactory results. Features that may affect acute and long‐term procedural outcomes are not well established.

Objective

To systematically review the available data in the literature assessing efficacy and safety of PM‐VAs catheter ablation.

Methods

An online search of PubMed, Cochrane Registry, Web of Science, Scopus and EMBASE libraries (from inception to March 1, 2021) was performed, in addition to manual screening. Twenty‐one observational noncontrolled case‐series were considered eligible for the systematic review, including 536 patients.

Results

Postero‐medial PM harbored 60.8% of PM‐VAs, while antero‐lateral PM and right ventricular PMs 34.9% and 4.3% of cases, respectively. The mean acute success rate of the index ablation procedure was 88.1% (95% CI 82.8% to 91.9%, p < .001, I2 0%). After a mean follow‐up period of 15.5 ± 17.4 months, pooled long‐term arrhythmia‐free rate was 69.2%, while the pooled long‐term success rate after multiple ablation procedure was 84.9%. Overall, procedure complications occurred in nine patients (1.7%) and no procedure‐related deaths were reported. The use of intracardiac echocardiography (ICE) as well as contact force sensing (CFS) and irrigated catheters during ablation was associated with higher rates of arrhythmia‐freedom at long‐term follow‐up.

Conclusions

Catheter ablation is an effective and safe strategy for PM‐VAs, with an acute success rate of 88.1%, a long‐term success rate of 69.2%, with a relatively low procedural complication rate. The use of ICE, irrigated catheters and catheters with CFS capability was associated with higher rates of arrhythmia‐freedom at long‐term follow‐up.
PyCLKDE: A big data‐enabled high‐performance computational framework for species habitat suitability modeling and mapping
Authors: Zhang Guiming
Published: February 2022

Species habitat suitability modeling and mapping (HSM) at large spatial scales (e.g., continental, global) and at fine spatiotemporal resolutions helps understand spatiotemporal dynamics of species distributions (e.g., migratory birds). Such HSM endeavors often involve “big” environmental and species datasets, which traditional software tools are often incapable of handling. To overcome the computational challenges facing conducting big data‐involved HSM tasks, this study develops a big data‐enabled high‐performance computational framework to conduct HSM efficiently on large numbers of species records and massive volumes of environmental covariates. As a demonstration of its usability, PyCLKDE was implemented based on the computational framework for flexibly integrating multi‐source species data for HSM. The computing performance of PyCLKDE was thoroughly evaluated through experiments modeling and mapping Empidonax virescens habitat suitability in the continental Americas using high‐resolution environmental covariates and species observations obtained from citizen science projects. Results show that PyCLKDE can effectively exploit computing devices with varied computing capabilities (CPUs and GPUs on high‐end workstations or commodity laptops) for parallel computing to accelerate HSM computations. PyCLKDE thus enables conducting big data‐involved HSM using commonly available computing resources. Using PyCLKDE as an example, efforts are called for to develop similar geocomputation tools based on the proposed framework to realize the potential of effectively performing geospatial big data analytics utilizing heterogenous computing resources on “personal‐grade” computing resources.
China's impact on regional employment: Propagation through input–output linkages and co‐location patterns
Authors: Kainuma Shuhei , Saito Yukiko U.
Published: February 2022

How do imports from China affect local labour markets in Japan? We examine this question using commuting zones as regional units and analysing shock propagation through supply chains and co‐location patterns. Applying the method proposed by Autor et al. (American Economic Review, 103, 2121, 2013) and Acemoglu, Autor et al. (Journal of Labor Economics, 34, S141, 2016), we examine the impact of import shocks on regional manufacturing employment using input–output tables which allows us to investigate the propagation of shocks to both upstream and downstream industries and to relate the regional impact to industry co‐location patterns. We find that the negative direct effect on local employment is underestimated in previous studies that do not consider the regional propagation of the shock through supply chains, especially the positive shock to downstream industries. Downstream industries in Japan, for example, significantly benefit from imports from China as they lower input prices and increase employment. In contrast to downstream industries, we find no significant impact on upstream industries. Our results imply that the direct negative effect on local labour markets is somewhat mitigated by effects on downstream industries within the same region.
Pace of structural change and inter‐sectoral relative price: The case of India and China
Authors: Chattopadhyay Subhasankar
Published: February 2022

Though the behaviour of output composition during structural change is highly stylised, the behaviour of the inter‐sectoral relative prices is not. We explore two related questions in the context of structural change in India and China (1950–2010). First, what factors determine changes in the inter‐sectoral relative prices during structural change and growth? Second, is there a link between the behaviour of the relative price and the ‘pace’ of structural change? We show that the overall pace of structural change has been much slower in India than in China. With the help of a two‐sector growth model comprising a traditional sector producing agricultural goods and a modern sector producing industrial commodities, we show that the slower pace can be explained by the way sectoral growth dynamics affect the behaviour of the relative price over time.
The impact of incisional negative pressure wound therapy on scar quality and patient‐reported outcomes: A within‐patient‐controlled, randomised trial
Authors: Timmermans Floyd W. , Mokken Sterre E. , Smit Jan‐Maerten , Bouman Mark‐Bram , van de Grift Timotheus C. , Mullender Margriet G. , Middelkoop Esther
Published: February 2022

Literature provides a moderate level of evidence for the beneficial effects of incisional negative pressure wound therapy (iNPWT) on scar quality. The purpose of this study was to establish if iNPWT results in improved scar outcomes in comparison to the standard of care. Therefore, a within‐patient randomised controlled, open‐label trial was conducted in transgender men undergoing gender‐affirming mastectomies. A unilateral side was randomised to receive iNPWT (PICO™, Smith&Nephew) without suction drains and contrastingly the standard dressing (Steri‐Strips™) with suction drain. Scar quality and questionnaires were bilaterally measured by means of objective assessments and patient‐reported outcome measures (PROM) at 1, 3 and 12 months. Objective scar outcomes were scar pliability (Cutometer®), colouration (DSM‐II) and scar width (3‐D imaging). PROM outcomes were related to scars (POSAS and SCAR‐Q) and body satisfaction (BODY‐Q). From 85 included patients, 80 were included for analyses. No significant difference between treatments was seen in the quantitative outcomes of scar pliability, colour, and width. For qualitative scar outcomes, several significant findings for iNPWT were found for several subscales of the POSAS, SCAR‐Q, and BODY‐Q. These effects could not be substantiated with linear mixed‐model regression, signifying no statically more favourable outcome for either treatment option. In conclusion, this study demonstrated that some PROM outcomes were more favourable for the iNPWT compared to standard treatment. In contrast, the quantitative outcomes showed no beneficial effects of iNPWT on scar outcomes. This suggests that iNPWT is of little benefit as a scar‐improving therapy.
Clara Wieck's A minor Piano Concerto: Formal Innovation and the Problem of Parametric Disconnect in Early Romantic Music
Authors: Taylor Benedict
Published: February 2022

Clara Wieck's Piano Concerto in A minor, Op. 7 (1833–35), presents an intriguing example of the formal developments in the genre of the Romantic concerto during the second quarter of the nineteenth century. In line with a growing number of concertos from this period, Wieck's work
offers a number of "progressive" or non-Classical traits: a unitary exposition, truncated first-movement form, run-on movements, and cyclic thematic links between movements. Such features can be found individually or in conjunction in other concerted works from the preceding decade, but what
distinguishes Wieck's work is the extent to which she combines all these traits in a single piece. This article examines the formal procedures of Wieck's Op. 7, which is taken as an exemplary case study of the development of Romantic form and syntax in the period after 1820. It argues that
what is distinctive about this concerto is the extent to which parameters that had at one time been closely coordinated—tonal structure, form-functional phrase type, thematic identity, topic, and texture—now appear dissociated from their generically expected interrelation. This
situation—which I term "parametric disconnect"—has far-reaching ramifications for how we are able to theorize Romantic form.
Who Composed K. 626b/16, and Why Would Mozart Write It Down?
Authors: Rom Uri B.
Published: February 2022

In conjunction with Wolfgang Amadé Mozart's 265th birthday on 27 January 2021, the Salzburg International Mozarteum Foundation presented a premiere performance and an online edition of the recently rediscovered Allegro in D major for Piano, K. 626b/16. While the authenticity
of the document and of Mozart's handwriting appears to be beyond doubt, Mozart's authorship has been designated "conjectural" in the RISM data released alongside the piece's edition. In this study I set out to examine the question of authenticity of this miniature, demonstrably a piano reduction
of an orchestral composition, from a style-analytical perspective. Some aspects recall Mozart's London Sketchbook, dated almost a decade earlier than the editor's proposed dating for K. 626b/16, 1773; however, no compelling connection between the two can be established. The piece's
midway position between a sonata-dance and a sonata-allegro movement, and its particular employment of voice-leading schemata and musical punctuation, deem Mozart's authorship unlikely. I discuss its possible origin as a ballet number in conjunction with the genres of the chaconne and the
stage minuet. Borrowings from K. 626b/16 are identified in both the first movement of Mozart's Symphony K. 128 and the closing chorus of Lucio Silla, suggesting a date no later than the first months of 1772. Elements of the piano piece resurfacing in later well-known Mozart works substantiate
its lasting influence on the composer.
The Kinetic Universe of Philippe Leroux's De la texture (2007): Drum Rudiments, Waveform Profiles, and Process Polyphony
Authors: Raz Carmel
Published: February 2022

This vignette makes a number of analytical observations about Philippe Leroux's octet De la texture (2007), with a particular focus on the composer's transformation of gestural materials drawn from drum rudiments and waveform shapes into formal processes unfolding at various
levels throughout the piece. It demonstrates how Leroux deploys his primal building blocks, whether composed of rudiments, waveform profiles, or non-pitched materials, within processes of kinetic ebb and flow that include alterations in dynamics, register, and tempo, as well as changes in
pitch and/or rhythm.
Stochastic Bifurcation and Energy Transfer in an Inerter-Based Pendulum Vibration Absorber
Authors: Cosner Joel A. , Tai Wei-Che
Published: February 2022

In this theoretical study, the vibration suppression, energy transfer, and bifurcation characteristics, as a function of dimensionless parameters, are investigated for an inerter-based pendulum vibration absorber (IPVA) attached to a linear single-degree-of-freedom spring-mass-damper system (primary structure), subject to white noise excitation. A perturbation method is introduced to detect and track the bifurcation points of the system. It is shown that the marginal probability density function of the pendulum angular displacement undergoes a P-bifurcation at critical parameter values, transitioning from monomodality to bi-modality. A cumulant-neglect technique is used to predict the mean squares of the system, which are compared to the response of a linear system without the IPVA to quantify the vibration suppression. It is shown that the IPVA leads to effective vibration mitigation of the structure in the neighborhood of the P-bifurcation, which is achieved by transferring the kinetic energy of the structure to the pendulum. The results are validated by a Monte Carlo simulation that is used to numerically approximate the marginal probability density function for the pendulum angle as well as the mean squares.
Optimization of the Thermal Performance of Three-Dimensional Integrated Circuits Utilizing Rectangular-Shaped and Disk-Shaped Heat Pipes
Authors: Lu Sainan , Vafai Kambiz
Published: February 2022

Rectangular-shaped and disk-shaped heat pipes, as innovative heat sinks, are investigated to optimize the thermal performance of three-dimensional integrated circuits (3D ICs) in this work. Finite volume numerical analysis is employed to carry out the simulation of the thermal performance of 3D ICs. Both rectangular-shaped and disk-shaped heat pipes substantially improved the overall thermal performance and reduced the hotspot temperatures by 7 K and 11 K on average, respectively. Furthermore, utilizing the rectangular-shaped or the disk-shaped heat pipe as the heat spreader in place of a solid copper heat spreader further optimizes the thermal performance by reduction of the junction temperatures 14 K and 16 K on average, respectively. These reductions are achieved while the weight of the setup is also significantly reduced. The results indicate that the innovative flat-shaped heat pipes significantly optimize the thermal performance of 3D ICs. The model and results presented in this work aim to pave the way to markedly alleviate the thermal issues of the 3D ICs.