bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Holy Week and the Theater of Art: Sculpture, Retables, and the Spanish Baroque Aesthetic
Authors: Japón Rafael
Published: June 2021

In the 16th century, the social and political changes derived from the European religious wars between Catholic and Protestant countries, economic crises, and the Counter-Reformation had an enormous impact on the evolution of visual culture. These transformations drastically changed the way in which the Catholic faithful interacted with works of art. The exemplary uses given to the images of Jesus Christ, the Virgin Mary, and the saints were promoted as intermediaries between God and people. The intense realism in art served precisely this objective, since the faithful could recognize themself in these figures. In addition, the rise of the brotherhoods and penitentiary guilds led to the popularization of behaviors that imitated the Passion of Christ, such as public self-flagellation. Therefore, the Spanish processional sculpture was fully brought forward by many of these brotherhoods. Processions used theatrical resources and were very successful among the people. In the 17th century, the Hispanic baroque aesthetic was strongly linked to the Catholic Church and was especially evident during Holy Week. The public processions and their artistic resources were very successful, so much so that they have survived to the present, evolving and adapting to each period.
Yma Sumac: The Extraordinary Peruvian Singer and Her Paradoxical Career
Authors: Mendoza Zoila S.
Published: June 2021

Zoila Augusta Emperatriz Chavarri del Castillo (1922–2008), best known by her artistic name, Yma Sumac, startled the world with her unique voice, beauty, and exotic persona. The Peruvian singer became a legend and an icon, while her life and career were filled with controversy and paradox in and outside of her native country. She first emerged as an acclaimed folk singer in the midst of the development of Peruvian national identity in the early 1940s and soon became recognized for her folk art in Latin America. By the end of the decade and as part of a trio directed by her manager and husband, Moisés Vivanco, she started a career in the United States that would lead to radical changes in her musical style and to the creation of a series of fantasies about her origins and identity. A prodigious live performer, she traveled around the world tirelessly, her recordings reached far and wide, and her first album, The Voice of Xtabay, has never been out of print. Yma Sumac participated in two major Hollywood films in the 1950s, and in 1960 her star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame was unveiled. In 2016 Sumac was posthumously honored with a Google Doodle. One of the most internationally known Peruvians, she had a problematic relationship with her own country, but fortunately, two years before her death, she was properly honored and recognized by her native country. She had a long artistic career, performing into the 1990s, but her fame reached its peak in the 1950s when she became known as the “Queen of Exotica,” performing a style of music popular in the United States after World War II.
Judeo-Romance in Italy and France (Judeo-Italian, Judeo-French, Judeo-Occitan)
Authors: Minervini Laura
Published: June 2021

The linguistic history of the Italian, French, and Occitan Jewish communities may be reconstructed thanks to the survival of both written records and modern dialects. The situation of the three groups, however, sharply diverges in terms of quality and quantity of the available sources and retention of their linguistic identity after the medieval period. For the Jewish communities of the Italo-Romance area, there is a corpus of medieval and modern texts, mostly in Hebrew script, and with several dialectological inquiries for modern and contemporary dialects. As for the Jewish communities of Northern France, only a limited corpus of medieval written sources exists, because the French-speaking Jews were linguistically assimilated to their respective environments after the 1394 expulsion from the kingdom of France. On the other hand, the records of the Occitan-speaking Jews are scanty for both the medieval and the modern periods, when they apparently maintained a certain amount of linguistic distinctiveness.
Classifiers in Morphology
Authors: Kilarski Marcin , Allassonnière-Tang Marc
Published: June 2021

Classifiers are partly grammaticalized systems of classification of nominal referents. The choice of a classifier can be based on such criteria as animacy, sex, material, and function as well as physical properties such as shape, size, and consistency. Such meanings are expressed by free or bound morphemes in a variety of morphosyntactic contexts, on the basis of which particular subtypes of classifiers are distinguished. These include the most well-known numeral classifiers which occur with numerals or quantifiers, as in Mandarin Chinese yí liàng chē (one clf.vehicle car) ‘one car’. The other types of classifiers are found in contexts other than quantification (noun classifiers), in possessive constructions (possessive classifiers), in verbs (verbal classifiers), as well as with deictics (deictic classifiers) and in locative phrases (locative classifiers). Classifiers are found in languages of diverse typological profiles, ranging from the analytic languages of Southeast Asia and Oceania to the polysynthetic languages of the Americas. Classifiers are also found in other modalities (i.e., sign languages and writing systems).

Along with grammatical gender, classifiers constitute one of the two main types of nominal classification. Although classifiers and gender differ in some ways, with the presence of a classifier not being reflected in agreement (i.e., the form of associated words), in others they exhibit common patterns. Thus, both types of nominal classification markers contribute to the expansion of the lexicon and the organization of discourse. Shared patterns also involve common paths of evolution, as illustrated by the grammaticalization of classifier systems into gender systems. In turn, particular types of classifiers resemble various means of lexical categorization found in non-classifier languages, including measure words, class terms, as well as semantic agreement between the verb and direct object. All these three means of classification can be viewed in terms of a continuum of grammaticalization, ranging from lexical means to partly grammaticalized classifiers and to grammaticalized gender systems.

Although evidence of classifiers in non-Indo-European languages has been available since the 16th century, it was only the end of the 20th century that saw a formative stage in their study. Since then, classifier systems have offered fascinating insights into the diversity of language structure, including such key phenomena as categorization, functionality, grammaticalization, and the distinction between lexicon and grammar as well as the language-internal and external factors underlying the evolution of morphosyntactic complexity.
Italo-Romance: Gallo-Italic
Authors: Scala Andrea
Published: June 2021

Gallo-Italic dialects are spoken in northern Italy, in a wide area covering Liguria, Piedmont, Lombardy, and Emilia-Romagna and some adjacent territories of Trentino, Tuscany, Le Marche, and southern Switzerland. The term Gallo-Italic was coined by Bernardino Biondelli about the middle of the 19th century and later used in a more rigorous way by Graziadio Isaia Ascoli to identify a group of dialects sharing a significant amount of linguistic features (mainly, but not only, phonetic features). However, Gallo-Italic dialects are not demarcated by a single isogloss and represent rather a group of dialects centered on a cluster of areas defined by individual isoglosses. The highest concentration of these isoglosses (cf., e.g., lenition, loss of final vowels other than -a, labialized front vowels [ø] (or [œ]) < ŏ in stressed open syllable, and [y] < ū, the fronted outcomes [i̯t]/[ʧ] < -ct-) can be found in western Lombardy and Piedmont, whereas some of them do not reach, for example, Liguria and eastern Emilia-Romagna. Such a geographical distribution of isoglosses suggests that they must have spread in northern Italy primarily from Milan or both Milan and Turin, the two main centers of innovation in this area.
Sentence-Final Particles in Chinese
Authors: Pan Victor Junnan
Published: June 2021

Chinese has a rich system of Sentence-Final Particles (SFPs). Traditional grammar and descriptive linguistic studies attempt to capture the precise semantic interpretation and the discourse function of each particle. Much work related to this aspect tries to find out what the core semantic interpretation of a given SFP is, how the diverse interpretations of a given SFP are developed from its core interpretation, and in what context the use of a given SFP is licit. Linguists from different disciplines have made important observations and offered various explanations. On the other hand, diachronic studies trace the origin and the evolution of each SFP, which helps understand the core semantics of SFPs in modern Chinese. Studies on different Chinese dialects also help the understanding of the meaning and the function of SFPs from a comparative perspective. Under the generative framework, SFPs are analyzed as complementizers, which are located in the peripheral domain. Both traditional grammarians and generative syntacticians are interested in patterns like the rigid order that necessarily shows whenever SFPs co-occur. They attempt to establish the hierarchical order of SFPs and identify the general principle that regulates such an order. Recent studies show that such an order is regulated by a discourse constraint related to subjectivity, according to which the higher a functional projection is located, the more directly it is for such a projection to be linked to the speaker’s attitude, the more subjective the interpretation of such a projection becomes, and the less likely it is for such a projection to be embedded. This constraint offers an explanation to the question of why only some SFPs can appear in embedded clauses whereas the others demonstrate root properties. Syntacticians are also interested in the question of how to derive the final order of SFPs. Two analyses are available: disjunction analysis and complement-to-specifier raising analysis. A more recent finding is that under the minimalist framework, each SFP heads a phase and bears an EPP feature. Complement-to-specifier raising is required as a last resort to satisfy the Extended Projection Principle (EPP). The complement of an SFP is moved to the phase edge to postpone the transfer of the phrases that are embedded within the complement, which allows these phrases to be extracted later.
The Economics of Marine Plastic Pollution
Authors: Gattringer Clemens W.
Published: June 2021

Ubiquitous marine plastic pollution has become a prominent ecological issue, as it provokes implications that threaten marine species, induces health concerns, and causes vast economic damages. The complex dynamics behind its pervasive occurrence are multipronged and multidimensional, and simple clear-cut causal chains cannot always be identified. Analytical appraisals aiming to advance the understanding of pervasive plastic pollution need to address these complexities and acknowledge the interconnectedness of social and ecological systems. Orthodox economic analyses have insufficiently addressed this integration and are frequently characterized by shallow transdisciplinary and monodisciplinary approaches. As a result, several mechanisms that are highly relevant in constituting the problem tend to be neglected by presuming simplistic assumptions about human agency and inadequate nature-economy relationships. This reductionism in the conceptualization is mirrored in the policy responses that are advocated to address the issue. A broader perspective and the integration of different disciplinary concepts (such as biophysical limits as a result of the laws of thermodynamics, the notion of power, cognitive biases, institutions, and incommensurability) can underpin a more holistic perspective that considers the issue’s inherent complexities. While in a market idealist world consumers can “vote with their wallets” and transcend their values into purchasing decisions on the market, in reality there are essential difficulties to such an approach. Marine plastic pollution thus challenges economic thinking to address this real-world ecological challenge with insights that are compatible with and noncontradictory to the broad body of knowledge already elaborated by natural sciences. These perspectives are essential not only for forming a substantive interdisciplinary analysis and understanding the underlying institutions of consumption and production, clear key drivers of the problem, but also to identify promising political solutions for meaningful change.
Economics of Environmental Compliance and Enforcement
Authors: Gray Wayne , Shadbegian Ronald
Published: June 2021

Enforcement activity by regulators plays an important and sometimes underappreciated role in the effectiveness of environmental regulation by encouraging regulated entities to comply. Nearly all ex ante cost-benefit analyses assume 100% compliance with regulation. One notable exception is the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s 2008 lead renovation rule in which a 75% compliance rate was assumed when estimating the ex ante benefits and costs, based on the literature regarding compliance rates in the construction sector.

Why do entities comply with environmental regulation? Economists typically use deterrence models to explain the incentives for compliance. They began with simple models that used the frequency of inspections and the size of penalties to calculate the expected cost of noncompliance, but the models have since become more sophisticated along several dimensions. Dynamic penalty strategies by regulators can significantly increase the cost of being labeled a serious violator. Stochastic fluctuations in pollution levels with regular self-reporting requirements can lead firms to over-comply on average to avoid the risk of reporting violations. Inspections and enforcement actions at one facility can have general deterrence impacts at other facilities nearby as well as a specific deterrence impact at the inspected facility. Violations and penalties may impose additional costs on firms in terms of loss of reputation and pushback from customers and people living nearby. These differences in reputational costs may help explain observed heterogeneity in compliance behavior by firms.

Compliance and enforcement behaviors are also affected by the institutional, legal, and scientific context in which they occur. Even with regulations set at the national level, enforcement activity is often carried out at the sub-national level, with the possibility of considerable heterogeneity across jurisdictions in terms of enforcement stringency. This is most obvious in federal countries such as the United States, where enforcement responsibilities for many regulations are delegated to state agencies, and with supra-national regulatory systems such as the European Union, where national agencies are responsible for enforcing regulations. It can also arise in a large country, where even a strong central government may have difficulty ensuring similar enforcement behavior in different regions.

Empirical research also developed over time, initially testing whether enforcement activity affected compliance, then testing for heterogeneous impacts across different firms or different enforcement tools, then moving to more robust research designs. Variations in enforcement intensity have also been used to proxy for overall regulatory stringency in empirical studies of the economic impact of environmental regulation.
Bioeconomic Models
Authors: Bobojonov Ihtiyor
Published: June 2021

Bioeconomic models are analytical tools that integrate biophysical and economic models. These models allow for analysis of the biological and economic changes caused by human activities. The biophysical and economic components of these models are developed based on historical observations or theoretical relations. Technically these models may have various levels of complexity in terms of equation systems considered in the model, modeling activities, and programming languages. Often, biophysical components of the models include crop or hydrological models. The core economic components of these models are optimization or simulation models established according to neoclassical economic theories. The models are often developed at farm, country, and global scales, and are used in various fields, including agriculture, fisheries, forestry, and environmental sectors. Bioeconomic models are commonly used in research on environmental externalities associated with policy reforms and technological modernization, including climate change impact analysis, and also explore the negative consequences of global warming. A large number of studies and reports on bioeconomic models exist, yet there is a lack of studies describing the multiple uses of these models across different disciplines.
Economics of Campus Sustainability
Authors: Hodge Kimberly S. , Stewart Jane , Grella Lilly
Published: June 2021

Can sustainability initiatives support positive economics, or are they necessarily cost-additive? With thousands of colleges and universities across the globe actively pursuing sustainability and carbon-neutrality goals, the question of how to balance institutional sustainability priorities and fiscal responsibility hovers in discussions ranging from utility planning to student programming. Educational institutions often heavily weigh the economics and academics of a potential sustainability project. However, pressing issues with long-term implications, such as climate change and rising operations costs, can make campus sustainability projects an appealing option. Institutions will incorporate the environmental, financial, and social aspects of a decision differently and through different avenues of funding. Examples of measures that institutions of higher education are taking to incorporate sustainability include adaptations of campus infrastructure, operations, and administrative leadership, and those measures necessarily intersect with financial planning and outcomes.

An overview of general models and specific institutional examples of sustainability initiatives in the areas of infrastructure, operations and management, education and community engagement, and administration indicate that sustainability measures, especially for environmental sustainability, can contribute to positive campus economics. This outcome, however, is most likely when decision-making considers both long-term and cross-sectoral impacts to evaluate the true cost–benefit profile as it applies to the institution as a whole.
State of the Art of Hedonic Pricing
Authors: Guignet Dennis , Lee Jonathan
Published: June 2021

Hedonic pricing methods have become a staple in the environmental economist’s toolkit for conducting nonmarket valuation. The hedonic pricing method (HPM) is a revealed preference approach used to indirectly infer the value buyers and sellers place on characteristics of a differentiated product. Environmental applications of the HPM are typically focused on housing and labor markets, where the characteristics of interest are local environmental commodities and health risks. Despite the fact that there have been thousands of hedonic pricing studies published, applications of the methodology still often grapple with issues of omitted variable bias, measurement error, sample selection, choice of functional form, effect heterogeneity, and the recovery of policy-relevant welfare estimates.

Advances in empirical methodologies, increased quality and quantity of data, and efforts to link empirical results to economic theory will surely further the use of the HPM as an important nonmarket valuation tool.
How Do Attitudes and Perceptions Affect Environmental Preferences?
Authors: Choi Andy Sungnok
Published: June 2021

Environmental preferences or willingness to pay (WTP) values tend to be heterogeneous and evolving over time. Attitudes and related theories worked as an alternative observation scope to the more conventional sociodemographic characteristics, explaining preference heterogeneity in environmental economics. Perception as a concept, on the other hand, is too illusive to be exclusively examined so is better treated as an attitude. Although not popular in mainstream environmental economics, the research interest in the attitude–WTP relationship has continued since the late 1990s and has increased and been relatively steady between 2006 and 2020. According to the lessons from the established behavioral models, attitudes are normally categorized as either general or specific. General attitudes are situation-invariant and slow to change, whereas specific attitudes are situational and quick to change. The early pioneering studies of the attitude–WTP relationship used mostly ad hoc measures for environmental attitudes roughly from 1990, followed by the studies of more systematic representation roughly from 2000, and by those of hybrid models roughly from 2010. There were segmentation-based and parameterization-based approaches to incorporating attitudinal characteristics into valuation models. In particular, parameterization has appeared in three generations: indirect inclusion of indicators, sequential estimation using factor analysis, and integrated hybrid models. As future prospects, first, general environmental attitudes might play an important role in the coming decade because of their relative stability (i.e., situation invariant), comparability, and wide influence, determining environmental preferences and behaviors. Second, a potential difference between the segmentation-based and parameterization-based approaches requires further investigation. Third, the role of hybrid models and the payment parameter that is arbitrarily constrained demand more studies for accurate estimation of mean WTP values. The evolving nature of human preferences could be understood only when the observation scope for latent attitudes is enlightened enough to guide studies of environmental economics, to lead environmental policies, and to accomplish sustainable development.
Superomedial Reduction Mammoplasty Affects Patients’ Ability to Breastfeed in a Distinct Manner: A Multicenter Study of 303 Patients
Authors: Jørgensen Mads Gustaf , Albertsdottir Elin , Dalaei Farima , Hesselfeldt-Nielsen Jørgen , Schmidt Volker-Jürgen , Sørensen Jens Ahm , Toyserkani Navid Mohamadpour
Published: June 2021

Background

Breast reduction by the superomedial technique can relieve symptoms related to breast hypertrophy; however, as the lateral and inferior portion of the breast parenchyma is removed and displaced, reduction mammoplasty may lead to an impaired ability to breastfeed.

Objectives

The aim of this study was to assess patients’ ability to breastfeed after superomedial reduction mammoplasty.

Methods

This was a cross-sectional study including patients treated with superomedial reduction mammoplasty between January 2009 and December 2018 at 2 tertiary hospitals in Denmark. Patients were stratified into 2 cohorts, depending on whether they had experienced childbirth before or after their reduction mammoplasty. Patients were sent specific questionnaires regarding maternity, breastfeeding before and after reduction mammoplasty, nipple sensitivity, and current demographic information. Operative details were retrieved from electronic medical records.

Results

In total, 303 patients were identified as eligible for this study (37 patients giving birth after and 266 before reduction mammoplasty). Fewer patients were able to breastfeed exclusively for the recommended 6 months after reduction mammoplasty (2/37, 5.41%) compared with before (92/266, 34.59%; P < 0.05). In addition, fewer patients were able to breastfeed at all after reduction mammoplasty (18/37, 48.64%) compared with before mammoplasty (241/266, 90.60%; P < 0.001). Patients unable to breastfeed after reduction mammoplasty had lower nipple sensitivity and more breast tissue excised (P < 0.05).

Conclusions

Superomedial reduction mammoplasty seems to impair the patient’s ability to breastfeed exclusively for the recommended 6 months. Patients of childbearing age considering reduction mammoplasty should be made aware that reduction mammoplasty reduces their breastfeeding capacity.

Level of Evidence: 4
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis transcriptomics reveals immunological effects of low-dose interleukin-2
Authors: Giovannelli Ilaria , Bayatti Nadhim , Brown Abigail , Wang Dennis , Mickunas Marius , Camu William , Veyrune Jean-Luc , Payan Christine , Garlanda Cecilia , Locati Massimo , Juntas-Morales Raul , Pageot Nicolas , Malaspina Andrea , Andreasson Ulf , Suehs Carey , Saker Safa , Masseguin Christophe , de Vos John , Zetterberg Henrik , Al-Chalabi Ammar , Leigh P Nigel , Tree Timothy , Bensimon Gilbert , Heath Paul R , Shaw Pamela J , Kirby Janine
Published: June 2021

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis is a fatal neurodegenerative disease causing upper and lower motor neuron loss and currently no effective disease-modifying treatment is available. A pathological feature of this disease is neuroinflammation, a mechanism which involves both CNS-resident and peripheral immune system cells. Regulatory T-cells are immune-suppressive agents known to be dramatically and progressively decreased in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Low-dose interleukin-2 promotes regulatory T-cell expansion and was proposed as an immune-modulatory strategy for this disease. A randomized placebo-controlled pilot phase-II clinical trial called Immuno-Modulation in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis was carried out to test safety and activity of low-dose interleukin-2 in 36 amyotrophic lateral sclerosis patients (NCT02059759). Participants were randomized to 1MIU, 2MIU-low-dose interleukin-2 or placebo and underwent one injection daily for 5 days every 28 days for three cycles. In this report, we describe the results of microarray gene expression profiling of trial participants' leukocyte population. We identified a dose-dependent increase in regulatory T-cell markers at the end of the treatment period. Longitudinal analysis revealed an alteration and inhibition of inflammatory pathways occurring promptly at the end of the first treatment cycle. These responses are less pronounced following the end of the third treatment cycle, although an activation of immune-regulatory pathways, involving regulatory T-cells and T helper 2 cells, was evident only after the last cycle. This indicates a cumulative effect of repeated low-dose interleukin-2 administration on regulatory T-cells. Our analysis suggested the existence of inter-individual variation amongst trial participants and we therefore classified patients into low, moderate and high-regulatory T-cell-responders. NanoString profiling revealed substantial baseline differences between participant immunological transcript expression profiles with the least responsive patients showing a more inflammatory-prone phenotype at the beginning of the trial. Finally, we identified two genes in which pre-treatment expression levels correlated with the magnitude of drug responsiveness. Therefore, we proposed a two-biomarker based regression model able to predict patient regulatory T-cell-response to low-dose interleukin-2. These findings and the application of this methodology could be particularly relevant for future precision medicine approaches to treat amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.
Cardiac transplant recipient with COVID-19 induced acute hypoxic respiratory failure: a case report
Authors: Schreiber Ariyon , Elango Kalaimani , Hong Kimberly , Ahsan Chowdhury
Published: June 2021

Background

Heart transplant recipients represent a particularly vulnerable patient population to the novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) due to chronic immunosuppression and high rates of comorbidities. Currently, data are limited and evidence to guide management of heart transplant recipients with COVID-19 is sparse. In this case report, we provide a summary of the current literature as well as an in-depth analysis of our clinical decision-making.

Case summary

A 67-year-old female who underwent cardiac transplantation 1 year prior was found to have acute hypoxic respiratory failure due to COVID-19. Her immunosuppressant medications were modulated with discontinuation of mycophenolate and titration of tacrolimus troughs with a goal of 6–10 ng/dL. She was administered supportive treatment including convalescent plasma, remdesivir, and dexamethasone, in addition to antibiotic treatment that resulted in resolution of her symptoms within a matter of days despite her precarious disposition.

Discussion

This case demonstrates that it can be safe and efficacious to modulate immunosuppressant medications in cardiac transplant recipients in accordance with recommendations made by the International Society of Heart and Lung Transplantation. This case additionally demonstrates that aspects of the current literature regarding the management of COVID-19 can be safely extrapolated to cardiac transplant recipients. Providing supportive care with dexamethasone, remdesivir, and convalescent plasma as indicated can be beneficial in cardiac transplant recipients; although, the current literature regarding convalescent plasma and remdesivir is conflicting.
Incremental prognostic value of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease over coronary computed tomography angiography findings in patients with suspected coronary artery disease
Authors: Ichikawa Keishi , Miyoshi Toru , Osawa Kazuhiro , Miki Takashi , Toda Hironobu , Ejiri Kentaro , Yoshida Masashi , Nakamura Kazufumi , Morita Hiroshi , Ito Hiroshi
Published: June 2021

Aims

This study aimed to investigate additional risk stratification benefits of hepatic steatosis (HS) concurrently assessed during coronary computed tomography angiography (CTA) in a large patient cohort with suspected stable coronary artery disease (CAD).

Methods and results

In this prospective study, 1148 Japanese outpatients without a history of CAD who underwent coronary CTA for suspected stable CAD (mean age 64 ± 14 years) were included. HS, defined on CT as a hepatic-to-spleen attenuation ratio of <1.0, was examined just before the evaluation of adverse CTA findings, defined as obstructive and/or high-risk plaque. The major adverse cardiac events (MACE) were the composite of cardiac death, acute coronary syndrome, and late revascularization. The incremental predictive value of HS was evaluated using the global χ2 test and C-statistic. HS was identified in 247 (22%) patients. During a median follow-up of 3.9 years, MACE was observed in 40 (3.5%) patients. HS was significantly associated with MACE in a model that included adverse CTA findings (hazard ratio 4.01, 95% confidence interval 2.12–7.59, P < 0.001). By adding HS to the Framingham risk score and adverse CTA findings, the global χ2 score and C-statistic significantly increased from 29.0 to 49.5 (P < 0.001) and 0.74 to 0.81 (P = 0.026), respectively. In subgroup analyses in patients with diabetes mellitus and metabolic syndrome, HS had significant additive predictive value for MACE over the Framingham risk score and adverse CTA findings.

Conclusion

In patients with suspected stable CAD, concurrent evaluation of HS during coronary CTA enables more accurate detection of patients at higher risk of MACE.
Dicer promotes Atg8 expression through RNAi independent mechanism in Cryptococcus neoformans
Authors: Feng Weijia , Yang Mengdi , Li Xin , Wei Dongsheng
Published: June 2021

ATG8 is one of the critical genes that participate in several essential autophagic steps. The expression of ATG8 must be exquisitely regulated to avoid physiological disorder and even cell death. However, the mechanisms of regulating ATG8 expression remain to be fully uncovered. In this investigation, we found that Dicer homologs in Cryptococcus neoformans could activate the expression of ATG8 independent of RNAi. Deletion of two Dicer homologs (DCR1 and DCR2) from C. neoformans, especially DCR2, led to significantly reduced Atg8 protein level, but deletion of other RNAi components did not result in the same phenotype. The autophagic flux, the numbers of autophagic bodies and the tolerance to glucose starvation of dcr2∆ were also significantly reduced. Further investigation showed that Dcr2 activates the expression of ATG8 through the promoter region, not the Open Reading Frame or 3′ Untranslated Region. We also found that a similar phenomenon exists in mammalian cells, as DCR1 instead of AGO2 knockdown also reduced the expression of LC3, indicating that this mechanism may be conservative in eukaryotic cells. Therefore, a novel transcription activation mechanism was revealed in this paper.
Transcriptomic and photosynthetic responses to grafting of the Nod1 gene in nodulated and non-nodulated soybeans
Authors: He Qingyuan , Xiang Shihua , Wang Wubin , Shu Yingjie , Li Zhengpeng , Wang Songhua , Chen Lei , Yang Xiaoyan , Zhao Tuanjie
Published: June 2021

Legume plants form symbiotic relationships with rhizobia to convert N2 into ammonia, and the nodulation status can affect plant development including photosynthesis. However, the relationship between nitrogen fixation and photosynthesis during carbon and nitrogen metabolism remains unclear. This study was undertaken to unravel regulation of nodulation and photosynthesis using a spontaneous nonnodulated soybean mutant by grafting. The results of inheritance and gene mapping showed that the nonnodulated mutant was controlled by a recessive gene overlapped with the reported rj1 locus, and might be a new rj1 allele with 1 bp deletion in the fourth exon in comparison to the sequence of normal nodulation plants. According to grafting results, soybean nodulation is obviously determined by the roots, not the seedlings. Moreover, nitrogen content along with related metabolic enzyme activity, and photosynthetic capacity were enhanced by nonnodulated scions grafted with nodulated roots. Contrary results were obtained for nodulated scions grafted with nonnodulated roots. A total of 853 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in the leaves and 1874 in the roots were identified by transcriptome analyses of the grafting treatments. We identified 285 differential gene ontology (GO) terms and 57 differential pathway terms identified in the leaves, while 856 differential GO terms and 207 differential pathway terms in the roots. Twenty DEGs interacting at translation level were selected, and the results of transcriptome analyses were verified by q-PCR. These findings indicated that the nodulation-related Nod allelic gene increases the nitrogen content of nonnodulated plants, which affects the enzymes involved in nitrogen metabolism, leading to changes in hormone levels and further regulation of photosynthesis and carbon metabolism.
The amino acid substitution affects cellular response to mistranslation
Authors: Berg Matthew D , Zhu Yanrui , Ruiz Bianca Y , Loll-Krippleber Raphaël , Isaacson Joshua , San Luis Bryan-Joseph , Genereaux Julie , Boone Charles , Villén Judit , Brown Grant W , Brandl Christopher J
Published: June 2021

Mistranslation, the misincorporation of an amino acid not specified by the “standard” genetic code, occurs in all organisms. tRNA variants that increase mistranslation arise spontaneously and engineered tRNAs can achieve mistranslation frequencies approaching 10% in yeast and bacteria. Interestingly, human genomes contain tRNA variants with the potential to mistranslate. Cells cope with increased mistranslation through multiple mechanisms, though high levels cause proteotoxic stress. The goal of this study was to compare the genetic interactions and the impact on transcriptome and cellular growth of two tRNA variants that mistranslate at a similar frequency but create different amino acid substitutions in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. One tRNA variant inserts alanine at proline codons whereas the other inserts serine for arginine. Both tRNAs decreased growth rate, with the effect being greater for arginine to serine than for proline to alanine. The tRNA that substituted serine for arginine resulted in a heat shock response. In contrast, heat shock response was minimal for proline to alanine substitution. Further demonstrating the significance of the amino acid substitution, transcriptome analysis identified unique up- and down-regulated genes in response to each mistranslating tRNA. Number and extent of negative synthetic genetic interactions also differed depending upon type of mistranslation. Based on the unique responses observed for these mistranslating tRNAs, we predict that the potential of mistranslation to exacerbate diseases caused by proteotoxic stress depends on the tRNA variant. Furthermore, based on their unique transcriptomes and genetic interactions, different naturally occurring mistranslating tRNAs have the potential to negatively influence specific diseases.
Model-based adjustment for conditional benchmarking
Authors: Graham Daniel J , Singh Ramandeep
Published: June 2021

Quantitative benchmarking is widely used in the industry to compare relative performance across a sample of organizations. A key analytical challenge lies in obtaining accurate measures of intrinsic organizational performance net of contextual or exogenous influences. In this paper, we propose a model-based adjustment approach for comparative benchmarking that allows the analyst to recover targeted metrics for specific aspects of innate performance. We outline the statistical theory underpinning our method, provide simulations to demonstrate its properties and describe practical examples for computation. The managerial relevance of the method is demonstrated via two real-world transport industry applications: adjusting for economies of scale and density in benchmarking average costs of urban metros and for service characteristics in benchmarking metro journey times.
Blood and Oral Fluid Cannabinoid Profiles of Frequent and Occasional Cannabis Smokers
Authors: Hoffman Melissa A , Hubbard Jacqueline A , Sobolesky Philip M , Smith Breland E , Suhandynata Raymond T , Sanford Sandra , Sones Emily G , Ellis Shannon , Umlauf Anya , Huestis Marilyn A , Grelotti David J , Grant Igor , Marcotte Thomas D , Fitzgerald Robert L
Published: June 2021

Increased prevalence of cannabis consumption and impaired driving are a growing public safety concern. Some states adopted per se driving laws, making it illegal to drive with more than a specified blood concentration of ∆9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) in a biological fluid (typically blood). Blood THC concentrations decrease significantly (∼90%) with delays in specimen collection, suggesting the use of alternative matrices, such as oral fluid (OF). We characterized 10 cannabinoids’ concentrations, including THC metabolites, in blood and OF from 191 frequent and occasional users by liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry for up to 6 h after ad libitum smoking. Subjects self-titrated when smoking placebo, 5.9 or 13.4% THC cannabis. Higher maximum blood THC concentrations (Cmax) were observed in individuals who received the 5.9% THC versus the 13.4% THC plant material. In blood, the Cmax of multiple analytes, including THC and its metabolites, were increased in frequent compared to occasional users, whereas there were no significant differences in OF Cmax. Blood THC remained detectable (≥5 ng/mL) at the final sample collection for 14% of individuals who smoked either the 5.9 or 13.4% THC cigarette, whereas 54% had detectable THC in OF when applying the same cutoff. Occasional and frequent cannabis users’ profiles were compared, THC was detectable for significantly longer duration in blood and OF from frequent users. Detection rates between frequent and occasional users at multiple per se cutoffs showed larger differences in blood versus OF. Understanding cannabinoid profiles of frequent and occasional users and the subsequent impact on detectability with current drug per se driving limits is important to support forensic interpretations and the development of scientifically supported driving under the influence of cannabis laws.
Strategies for Recruiting People With Dementia to Music Therapy Studies: Systematic Review
Authors: Baker Felicity A , Pool Jonathan , Johansson Kjersti , Wosch Thomas , Bukowska Anna A , Kulis Aleksandra , Blauth Laura , Stensæth Karette , Clark Imogen N , Odell-Miller Helen
Published: June 2021

Positive effects of music therapy for people with dementia and their family carers are reported in a growing number of studies. However, small sample sizes or low recruitment rates often limit the success of these research studies. More adequately powered evidence-based studies are needed to impact policy and funding in dementia care. This systematic review examined recruitment strategies in music therapy clinical trials involving people living with dementia and/or their family carers. Eligible studies described enrolment, consent, accrual, or recruitment methods as well as recruitment or consent rates. Thirty studies with a total of 1,192 participants were included. Recruitment and conversion rates in residential aged care facilities (RACFs) (14 studies) were substantially higher than in community-based studies (16 studies). Whereas studies in RACFs most commonly recruited participants through staff approaching residents face-to-face or conversing with residents’ legal guardians, community-based studies utilized a vast array of strategies, including staff referral, demonstrations/information sessions by researchers, advertisements, and direct contact with residents. Recruitment rates are likely to be higher when recruiters have an existing relationship with potential participants and when an independent third-party dementia organization is involved. Randomized controlled trials led to equally or greater recruitment conversion rates than other designs. Findings suggest that recruitment in dementia trials is complex, challenging, and needs thorough planning and consideration to be time- and cost-effective. Future studies should include reporting of recruitment strategies, enrolment rates, and related aspects so that researchers can better design recruitment strategies and estimate resources needed to reach the target sample size.
Diagnostic Yield of Saliva for SARS-CoV-2 Molecular Testing in Children
Authors: Banerjee Dithi , Sasidharan Anjana , Abdulhamid Ayah , Orosco Esmeralda M , Watts Jennifer L , Schuster Jennifer E , Myers Angela L , Weddle Gina , Selvarangan Rangaraj
Published: June 2021

Pediatric saliva specimen demonstrated high sensitivity (93%) and specificity (96.2%) compared to paired nasopharyngeal swabs (NPS) by Aptima SARS-CoV-2 Assay (Aptima). Viral loads were comparable in both specimen types. Saliva is a safe, noninvasive, and acceptable alternative specimen for SARS-CoV-2 detection in children.
Pulmonary torsion after resuscitative thoracotomy: a case report
Authors: Hara Daisuke , Hamahiro Tomoka , Maeda Ryo , Ayabe Takanori , Tomita Masaki
Published: June 2021

We report a rare case of pulmonary torsion after nonpulmonary thoracotomy. A 38-year-old woman with schizophrenia committed suicide by a self-infliction of sharp force into the chest and abdomen. During emergent abdominal damage control surgery, a left-sided resuscitative thoracostomy was also performed due to hemorrhagic shock. Although abnormal shadow was detected on postoperative chest roentgenogram and computed tomography, the diagnosis of pulmonary torsion was delayed. Seven days after initial surgery, pulmonary torsion was diagnosed and managed by left upper lobectomy. To our knowledge, this is the first report of pulmonary torsion after resuscitative thoracotomy.
Association of Potential for Deaths of Despair With Age and Military Service Era
Authors: Fairman Kathleen A , Buckley Kelsey
Published: June 2021

Introduction

Predictors of deaths of despair, including substance use disorder, psychological distress, and suicidality, are known to be elevated among young adults and recent military veterans. Limited information is available to distinguish age effects from service-era effects. We assessed these effects on indicators of potential for deaths of despair in a large national sample of U.S. adults aged ≥19 years.

Materials and Methods

The study was a retrospective, cross-sectional analysis of publicly available data for 2015-2019 from 201,846 respondents to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), which measures psychological symptoms and substance use behaviors using standardized scales and diagnostic definitions. Indicators of potential for a death of despair included liver cirrhosis, past-year serious suicidal ideation, serious psychological distress per the Kessler-6 scale, and active substance use disorder (e.g., binge drinking on ≥5 occasions in the past month, nonmedical use of prescribed controlled substances, and illicit drug use). Bivariate, age-stratified bivariate, and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed using statistical software and tests appropriate for the NSDUH complex sampling design. Covariates included demographic characteristics, chronic conditions, and religious service attendance.

Results

Indicators were strongly and consistently age-associated, with ≥1 indicator experienced by 45.5% of respondents aged 19-25 years and 10.7% of those aged ≥65 years (P < .01). After age stratification, service-era effects were modest and occurred only among adults aged ≥35 years. The largest service-associated increase was among adults aged 35-49 years; service beginning or after 1975 was associated (P < .01), with increased prevalence of ≥1 indicator (30.2%-34.2% for veterans and 25.2% for nonveterans) or ≥2 indicators (6.4%-8.2% for veterans and 5.4% for nonveterans). Covariate-adjusted results were similar, with adjusted probabilities of ≥1 indicator declining steadily with increasing age: among those 19-34 years, 39.9% of nonveterans and 42.2% of Persian Gulf/Afghanistan veterans; among those aged ≥65 years, 10.3% of nonveterans, 9.2% of World War II/Korea veterans, and 14.4% of Vietnam veterans.

Conclusions

After accounting for age, military service-era effects on potential for a death of despair were modest but discernible. Because underlying causes of deaths of despair may vary by service era (e.g., hostility to Vietnam service experienced by older adults versus environmental exposures in the Persian Gulf and Afghanistan), providers treating veterans of different ages should be sensitive to era-related effects. Findings suggest the importance of querying for symptoms of mental distress and actively engaging affected individuals, veteran or nonveteran, in appropriate treatment to prevent deaths of despair.
Light bridges can suppress the formation of coronal loops
Authors: Miao Yuhu , Fu Libo , Du Xian , Yuan Ding , Jiang Chaowei , Su Jiangtao , Zhao Mingyu , Anfinogentov Sergey
Published: June 2021

A light bridge is a magnetic intrusion into a sunspot, it interacts with the main magnetic field and excites a variety of dynamical processes. In the letter, we studied magnetic connectivity between a light bridge and coronal loops rooted at the sunspot. We used the data of the Atmospheric Imaging Assembly onboard the Solar Dynamics Observatory(SDO) to study the features of sunspots with light bridges. It is found that if a light bridge anchors at the umbra-penumbra boundary, the coronal loops could not be formed around the anchoring point. If the a light bridge become detached from the penumbra, the coronal loop starts to form again. The vector magnetogram provided by the Helioseismic Magnetic Imager onboard SDO shows that the anchoring region of a light bridge usually have an accompanying opposite minor-polarities. We conjugate that the magnetic field line could connect to these opposite polarities and form short-range magnetic loops, and therefore, coronal loops that extend to long-range could not be formed. A model of light bridge is proposed to explain the magnetic connectivity between a light bridge and the coronal loops. This model could explain many physical processes associated with light bridges.