bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Evaluation of Immunoexpression of AJUBA Protein in Normal Oral Mucosa and Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma
Authors: Desai Priyanka , Awatiger Manjula M. , Mane Deepa R.
Published: October 2022

AJUBA is multifunctional scaffold protein which belongs to Zyxin family of proteins. It is known to have dual role in cancer as a tumor promoter and tumor suppressor. AJUBA has a key role in systemic malignancies like esophageal squamous cell carcinoma, colorectal cancer, cervical, breast, prostate cancer, etc. But there is very sparse literature available regarding its expression profile in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) and moreover its expression has not been observed in normal oral mucosa (NOM). Thus, the aim of this research is to explore the expression profile of AJUBA by immunohistochemical method in NOM and OSCC. Furthermore, we also evaluated the association of AJUBA expression with clinicopathologic parameters. A total of 84 samples of formalin fixed paraffin embedded tissue blocks comprising of 42 cases each of NOM and OSCC were subjected to detect immunoexpression of AJUBA. We found enhanced intense immune-expression of AJUBA in OSCC cases than compared with NOM and found to be statistically significant. The parameters specific to histologic tumor grade and inflammatory response in OSCC also found to have statistically significant with AJUBA expression. Our study is first of its kind to reveal AJUBA expression in basal and suprabasal layer of NOM suggestive of its definitive role in differentiation and stratification process. We also observed its intense expression in peripheral cell of tumor islands of OSCC cases, which can suggest its possible role in tumor growth and progression.
Rising to Meet the Moment: What Does the Public Health Workforce Need to Modernize?
Authors: Balio Casey P. , Galler Nicole , Meit Michael , Hale Nathan , Beatty Kate E.
Published: October 2022

Objective:

This study uses findings from the most recent iterations of the Public Health Workforce Interest and Needs Survey (PH WINS) to describe importance, skill level, and gaps of key public health competencies as well as characteristics associated with gaps.

Design:

Repeated cross-sectional analysis of the 2017 and 2021 PH WINS data.

Setting:

State and local health departments.

Participants:

Nationally representative population of state and local governmental public health workers.

Main Outcome Measures:

Gaps of key public health competencies related to data, evidence-based approaches, health equity and social justice, factors that affect public health, cross-sectoral partnerships, and community health assessments and improvement plans. Gaps reflect areas of high importance and low skill level. Differences in gaps among the traditional public health workforce and those hired specifically for COVID-19 response.

Results:

For most competency areas, more than 20% of the public health workforce perceived a gap. Gaps related to environmental factors that affect public health, social determinants of health and cross-sector partnerships, and community health assessments and improvement plans were the largest. Tenure in public health practice, highest level of education, and having formal public health training were associated with lower odds of gaps in most areas. In a secondary analysis of traditional public health workforce compared with those hired specifically for COVID-19 response, those hired for COVID-19 response reported significantly fewer gaps for all but one competency considered.

Conclusions:

A substantial proportion of the public health workforce perceives gaps in competency areas that are of high importance to the evolving role of public health. As public health continues to adjust and modernize in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and other historic changes, understanding and addressing training needs of the workforce will be instrumental to public health's ability to respond to the needs of the public.
PH WINS 2021 Methodology Report
Authors: Robins Moriah , Leider Jonathon P. , Schaffer Kay , Gambatese Melissa , Allen Elizabeth , Hare Bork Rachel
Published: October 2022

Context:

The Public Health Workforce Interests and Needs Survey (PH WINS) was fielded in 2014 and 2017 and is the largest survey of the governmental public health workforce. It captures individual employees' perspectives on key issues such as workplace engagement and satisfaction, intention to leave, training needs, ability to address public health issues, as well as collects demographic information. This article describes the methods used for the 2021 PH WINS fielding.

PH WINS 2021:

PH WINS 2021 was fielded to a nationally representative sample of staff in State Health Agency-Central Offices (SHA-COs) and local health departments (LHDs) from September 13, 2021, to January 14, 2022. The instrument was revised to assess the pandemic's potential toll on the workforce, including deployment to COVID-19 response roles and well-being, and the country's renewed focus on health equity and “Racism as a Public Health Crisis.” PH WINS 2021 had 3 sampling frames: SHAs, Big Cities Health Coalition (BCHC) members, and LHDs. All participating agencies were surveyed using a census approach.

Participation:

Overall, staff lists for 47 SHAs, 29 BCHC members, and 259 LHDs were collected, and the survey was sent to 137 446 individuals. PH WINS received a total of 44 732 responses, 35% of eligible respondents. The nationally representative SHA-CO frame includes a total of 14 957 individuals, and the nationally representative LHD frame includes 26 933 individuals from 439 LHDs (decentralized and nondecentralized).

Considerations for Analysis:

PH WINS now offers a multiyear, nationally representative sample of both SHA-CO and LHD staff. Both practice and academia can use PH WINS to better understand the strengths, needs, and opportunities of the workforce. When using PH WINS for additional data analysis, there are a number of considerations both within the 2021 data set and when conducting multiyear and multiple cross-sectional analyses.
Turnover, COVID-19, and Reasons for Leaving and Staying Within Governmental Public Health
Authors: Leider Jonathon P. , Shah Gulzar H. , Yeager Valerie A. , Yin Jingjing , Madamala Kusuma
Published: October 2022

Background and Objectives:

Public health workforce recruitment and retention continue to challenge public health agencies. This study aims to describe the trends in intention to leave and retire and analyze factors associated with intentions to leave and intentions to stay.

Design:

Using national-level data from the 2017 and 2021 Public Health Workforce Interests and Needs Surveys, bivariate analyses of intent to leave were conducted using a Rao-Scott adjusted chi-square and multivariate analysis using logistic regression models.

Results:

In 2021, 20% of employees planned to retire and 30% were considering leaving. In contrast, 23% of employees planned to retire and 28% considered leaving in 2017. The factors associated with intentions to leave included job dissatisfaction, with adjusted odds ratio (AOR) of 3.8 (95% CI, 3.52-4.22) for individuals who were very dissatisfied or dissatisfied. Odds of intending to leave were significantly high for employees with pay dissatisfaction (AOR = 1.83; 95% CI, 1.59-2.11), those younger than 36 years (AOR = 1.58; 95% CI, 1.44-1.73) or 65+ years of age (AOR = 2.80; 95% CI, 2.36-3.33), those with a graduate degree (AOR = 1.14; 95% CI, 1.03-1.26), those hired for COVID-19 response (AOR = 1.74; 95% CI, 1.49-2.03), and for the BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and people of color) (vs White) staff (AOR = 1.07; 95% CI, 1.01-1.15). The leading reasons for employees' intention to stay included benefits such as retirement, job stability, flexibility (eg, flex hours/telework), and satisfaction with one's supervisor.

Conclusions:

Given the cost of employee recruitment, training, and retention of competent employees, government public health agencies need to address factors such as job satisfaction, job skill development, and other predictors of employee retention and turnover.

Implications:

Public health agencies may consider activities for improving retention by prioritizing improvements in the work environment, job and pay satisfaction, and understanding the needs of subgroups of employees such as those in younger and older age groups, those with cultural differences, and those with skills that are highly sought-after by other industries.
PH WINS for All: The Critical Role of Partnerships for Engaging All Local Health Departments in the Public Health Workforce Interests and Needs Survey
Authors: Kulik Phoebe K. G. , Leider Jonathon P. , Rogers Megan , Karnik Harshada , Power Laura E. , Schaffer Kay , Bekemeier Betty
Published: October 2022

The 2021 “PH WINS for All” pilot sought to address a rural research gap by including small local health departments in the Public Health Workforce Interests and Needs Survey (PH WINS) for the first time. To do so, the de Beaumont Foundation partnered with the Public Health Training Centers in Health and Human Services Regions V and X. This article describes the collaborative efforts that made the PH WINS for All pilot successful, presents respondent demographics by agency size, and discusses the importance of gathering such data to address the unique needs of the workforce in small local health departments.
Qualitative Insights From Governmental Public Health Employees About Experiences Serving During the COVID-19 Pandemic, PH WINS 2021
Authors: Yeager Valerie A. , Madsen Emilie R. , Schaffer Kay
Published: October 2022

Objective:

The purpose of the current study was to examine governmental public health employee experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Design and Setting:

A total of 5169 responses to a PH WINS 2021 open-ended question were qualitatively coded. The question asked employees to share their experiences during the COVID-19 response. The 15 most common themes are discussed.

Participants:

Responses from governmental public health employees in state health agencies (SHAs), big cities (Big City Health Coalition or BCHC agencies), and local health departments (LHDs) across all 50 states were included.

Results:

The most frequently identified theme was pride in public health work and/or the mission of public health (20.8%), followed by leadership (17.2%), burnout or feeling overwhelmed (14%), communication (11.7%), and overtime/extra work (9.7%). Among the top 15 themes identified, comments about pride in public health work and/or the mission of public health (95.9%), teamwork (81.5%), and telework (61%) were predominantly positive. Co-occurring themes for responses that expressed pride in public health work and/or the mission of public health were often countered with explanations of why respondents remain frustrated, including feeling burned out or overwhelmed, disappointment with the community's sense of responsibility or trust in science, and feeling unappreciated either by the community or their agency. All of these co-occurring themes were predominantly negative.

Conclusions:

Employees are proud to work in public health and value teamwork but often felt overworked and unappreciated during the COVID-19 pandemic. Reviewing existing emergency preparedness protocols in the context of lessons learned during the COVID-19 pandemic and listening to employees' experiences with teleworking and task sharing may better prepare agencies for future challenges. Creating channels for clear communication during a period of changing information and guidelines may help employees feel more prepared and valued during an emergency response.
The Role of Harassment in the Mental Well-being of Local Public Health Professionals and Its Relationship With an Intent to Leave Their Organization During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: McCall Timothy C. , Alford Aaron A. , Cunningham Margaret C. , Hall Kellie , Royster Jordan
Published: October 2022

Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, news and nationwide survey efforts have reported harassment and bullying among local health officials, departments, and personnel, concurrent to a shortage of public health staff in the United States. We examined a nationally representative sample of local public health professionals (LPHPs) from the 2021 Public Health Workforce Interests and Needs Survey (PH WINS) data set to explore reported experiences with harassment, threats, and bullying; self-rated mental and emotional well-being; and intent to leave an organization. Results indicated that experience of harassment was negatively associated with ratings of mental and emotional health and positively associated with an intent to leave an organization. We discuss implications and recommendations to mitigate these risks for the nation's local public health workforce.
Endoscopic Removal of Supraperiosteal Heterotopic Ossification of the Forehead
Authors: Seo Kwang Sik , Lee Jae Woo
Published: October 2022

Heterotopic ossification (HO) refers to the mature lamellar bone structure that develops locally in soft-tissue sites. Heterotopic ossification is known to occur mainly in the traumatic area or the muscle and joint capsule after surgery such as total hip arthroplasty or total knee arthroplasty. The pathophysiological cause of HO is not precisely known, but it seems to be related to some genetic predisposition. Craniomaxillofacial HO is rare and, in several reported cases, is primarily related to previous surgeries involving the masticatory muscles. The authors report on a patient who underwent endoscopic removal of a bone mass in the forehead. He completely denied any history of forehead trauma or surgery. There were no scars, trauma, or surgical marks found on the patient’s forehead. Preoperative magnetic resonance imaging showed that the mass was granuloma, but histological examination after surgical removal confirmed it as HO.
Impact of the Timing of Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography for the Treatment of Acute Cholangitis: A Meta-analysis and Systematic Review
Authors: Lyu Yunxiao , Wang Bin , Ye Shenjian , Cheng Yunxiao
Published: October 2022

Background:

The optimal timing for endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) for acute cholangitis (AC) has not been unequivocally established.

Aims:

To perform a meta-analysis of the outcomes associated with particular timings of ERCP for AC.

Methods:

A systematic literature search was conducted for studies of ERCP for AC, and then a meta-analysis of the in-hospital mortality (IHM), 30-day mortality, and length of hospital stay (LHS) was performed.

Results:

Seven non-randomized studies of 88,562 patients were considered appropriate for inclusion. Compared with performing ERCP more than 24 hours after admission, ERCP within 24 hours was associated with lower IHM (P<0.0004), but no difference in 30-day mortality (P=0.38) was found between the 2 groups. ERCP performed <48 hours after admission was associated with a lower IHM and 30-day mortality (P<0.00001 and P=0.03) than ERCP performed >48 hours after admission. In addition, ERCP performed within 24 or 48 hours was associated with a shorter LHS (P<0.00001 and P<0.00001, respectively).

Conclusion:

ERCP within 48 hours of admission is superior to subsequent ERCP with respect to IHM, 30-day mortality, and LHS, and ERCP performed within 24 hours is associated with lower IHM and LHS.
A mixed-methods evaluation of the ¡Vamos por Más! parenting program implementation in Chile
Authors: Meyer Jessica K.V. , Diaspro Gabriela , Muñoz Iván , Burmeister Catalina , García-Huidobro Diego
Published: October 2022

Introduction and aims:

Substance use is a significant global concern. Strengthening parenting in families with adolescents has been shown to reduce substance use initiation. The ¡Vamos por Más! (¡VxM!) program is a positive-parenting program developed in Chile to improve family relations and reduce adolescent substance use that combines in-person school workshops, multimedia messaging and personalized support. This manuscript reports a mixed-methods evaluation of the pilot implementation of the ¡VxM! program utilizing the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research and Proctor's taxonomy for process outcomes.

Methods:

An explanatory sequential design was used. Quantitative methods evaluated program use, acceptability, appropriateness, and fidelity, and were followed by qualitative focus groups (FGs) to assess the implementation process and understand these outcomes. Thirteen FGs stratified by school and role, including school leaders, program facilitators, participants, and researchers, were conducted.

Results:

The program was implemented in three schools, reaching 253 families with in-person workshops (40.5% of potential participants), 257 parents who viewed on average 72.1% of sent multimedia messages, and 2 families who used the personalized support (0.3%). Overall, the program was viewed as acceptable and appropriate by participants and implementers due to the high quality of program materials, targeted content, and activities. Implementation differed by schools. Key implementation factors were the outer context, inner school setting, and implementation processes.

Conclusions:

This comprehensive evaluation, including both intervention implementers and participants, identified implementation facilitators, barriers, and outcomes. Future ¡VxM! implementations should alter program components of schools with lower engagement to improve program implementation and outcomes.
Selection on embryonic haemoglobin in an elevational generalist songbird
Authors: Beckman Elizabeth J. , Vargas Campos Walter , Benham Phred M. , Schmitt C. Jonathan , Cheviron Zachary A. , Witt Christopher C.
Published: October 2022

Animals developing at high elevation experience a suite of environmental challenges, most notably the low partial pressure of oxygen (
P
O
2
) in ambient air. In low
P
O
2
, bird species with high-elevation ancestry consistently demonstrate higher hatching success than lowland counterparts, suggesting highland birds are adapted to restricted O
2
(hypoxia) in early development. Haemoglobin (Hb), the critical oxygen-transport protein, is a likely target of
P
O
2
-related selection across ontogeny since Hb isoforms expressed at distinct developmental stages demonstrate different O
2
affinities. To test if Hb function is under
P
O
2
-related selection at different ontogenetic stages, we sampled a songbird, the hooded siskin (
Spinus magellanicus
), across two approximately 4000 m elevational transects. We sequenced all of the loci that encode avian Hb isoforms, and tested for signatures of spatially varying selection by comparing divergence patterns in Hb loci to other loci sampled across the genome. We found strong signatures of diversifying selection at non-synonymous sites in loci that contribute to embryonic (
α
π
,
β
H
) and definitive (
β
A
) Hb isoforms. This is the first evidence for selection on embryonic haemoglobin in high-elevation Neoaves. We conclude that selection on Hb function at brief, but critical stages of ontogeny may be a vital component to high elevation adaptation in birds.
Beyond facial width-to-height ratios: bizygomatic width is highly sexually dimorphic when adjusting for allometry
Authors: Caton Neil R. , Dixson Barnaby J. W.
Published: October 2022

A large and ever-growing literature implicates male facial width-to-height ratio (bizygomatic width divided by facial height) as a secondary sexual trait linked to numerous physical and psychological perceptions. However, this research is based entirely on the premise that bizygomatic width is sexually dimorphic, which recent research has called into question. Unfortunately, statisticians for the last 125 years have noted that morphological ratio measurements may engender spurious correlations and biased effect-size estimates. In the current study, we find that bizygomatic width is highly sexually dimorphic (equivalentd= 1.39), even after adjusting for 92 allometric measurements, including multiple facial height and other craniofacial measurements (equivalentd= 1.07) in a sample of 6068 men and women. By contrast, facial width-to-height ratio (fWHR) measurements demonstrated a statistical pattern consistent with the age-old argument that morphological ratio measurements may engender spurious correlations and biased effect-size estimates. Thus, when avoiding facial ratio measurements and adjusting for allometry in craniofacial measures, we found strong support for a key premise in the human evolutionary and behavioural sciences that bizygomatic width exhibits male-biased sexual dimorphism.
Selfish herd effects depend on prey crypsis
Authors: Piccolo Hannah , Beresford David , Hossie Thomas J.
Published: October 2022

Determining why some animals form groups while others remain solitary is a longstanding goal in behavioural ecology. Group formation can help mitigate predation risk through various mechanisms, including risk dilution and group vigilance. The selfish herd hypothesis proposes that prey can reduce their risk by minimizing the area around which all points in that area are closer to them than to another conspecific (i.e. by minimizing their ‘domain of danger’ (DOD)). This hypothesis assumes that an individual's predation risk is proportional to the size of its DOD; however, the relationship between risk and proximity to conspecifics may depend on additional factors. Specifically, approaching conspecifics may be costly for prey that rely on crypsis because group formation increases detectability. Using plasticine model prey, we experimentally manipulated prey coloration as well as the DOD, and then tracked their ‘survival’ under natural field conditions. We found that an individual's predation risk increased with their DOD for conspicuous (red) prey, but decreased with the DOD in cryptic (green) prey. Our results are consistent with patterns in natural systems and indicate that the relationship between predation risk and DOD depends on additional factors like prey coloration.
Temperature causes species-specific responses to UV-induced DNA damage in amphibian larvae
Authors: Hird Coen , Franklin Craig E. , Cramp Rebecca L.
Published: October 2022

Anthropogenic ozone depletion has led to a 2–5% increase in ultraviolet B radiation (UVBR) levels reaching the earth's surface. Exposure to UVBR causes harmful DNA damage in amphibians, but this is minimized by DNA repair enzymes such as thermally sensitive cyclobutane pyrimidine dimer (CPD)-photolyase, with cool temperatures slowing repair rates. It is unknown whether amphibian species differ in the repair response to a given dose of UVBR across temperatures. We reared larvae of three species (
Limnodynastes peronii
,
Limnodynastes tasmaniensis
and
Platyplectrum ornatum
) at 25°C and acutely exposed them to 80 µW cm
−2
UVBR for 2 h at either 20°C or 30°C. UVBR-mediated DNA damage was measured as larvae repaired damage in photoreactive light at their exposure temperatures. Cool temperatures increased DNA damage in two species and slowed DNA repair rate in
P. ornatum
. The magnitude of DNA damage incurred from UVBR was species-specific.
Platyplectrum ornatum
had the lowest CPDs and DNA repair rates, and the depressive effects of low temperature on photorepair were greater in
L. tasmaniensis
. Considering the susceptibility of most aquatic organisms to UVBR, this research highlighted a need to consider the complexity of species-specific physiology when forecasting the influence of changing UVBR and temperature in aquatic ecosystems.
Multistable bioinspired origami with reprogrammable self-folding
Authors: Rojas Salvador , Riley Katherine S. , Arrieta Andres F.
Published: October 2022

Origami has emerged as a design paradigm to realize morphing structures with rich kinematic and mechanical properties. Biological examples augment the potential design space by suggesting intriguing routes for achieving self-folding from architected materials. We introduce a class of multistable self-folding origami adaptable after fabrication inspired by the earwig wing. This is achieved by designing bilayer creases that display anisotropic shrinkage in response to external stimulation, enabling a mechanism for prestrain adaptation. We establish a bilayer model for stretchable straight and trapezoidal (β) creases to generate bistable origami structures. We adapt the topology of the structure’s energy landscapes by tuning the fold prestrain level as a function of the stimulation time. The proposed method and model allows for converting flat sheets with arranged facets and prestrained mountain-valley creases into self-folding multistable structures. Introducing multistability from self-folding avoids ambiguous folding branches present in the rich configuration space at the flat state. The obtained crease prestrain programming is leveraged to manufacture a biomimetic earwig wing featuring the complex crease pattern, structural stability and rapid closure of the biological counterpart. The presented method provides a route for encoding prestrain in self-folding origami, the multistability of which is adaptable after fabrication.
Process-based modelling of microbial community dynamics in the human colon
Authors: Kettle Helen , Louis Petra , Flint Harry J.
Published: October 2022

The human colon contains a dynamic microbial community whose composition has important implications for human health. In this work, we build a process-based model of the colonic microbial ecosystem and compare with general empirical observations and the results of
in vivo
experiments. Our model comprises a complex microbial ecosystem along with absorption of short chain fatty acids (SCFA) and water by the host through the gut wall, variations in incoming dietary substrates (in the form of ‘meals’ whose composition varies in time), bowel movements, feedback on microbial growth from changes in pH resulting from SCFA production and multiple compartments to represent the proximal, transverse and distal colon. We verify our model against a number of observed criteria, e.g. total SCFA concentrations, SCFA ratios, mass of bowel movements, pH and water absorption over the transit time; and then run simulations investigating the effect of colonic transit time, and the composition and amount of indigestible carbohydrate in the host diet, which we compare with
in vivo
studies. The code is available as an R package (microPopGut) to aid future research.
Development and validation of subject-specific 3D human head models based on a nonlinear visco-hyperelastic constitutive framework
Authors: Upadhyay Kshitiz , Alshareef Ahmed , Knutsen Andrew K. , Johnson Curtis L. , Carass Aaron , Bayly Philip V. , Pham Dzung L. , Prince Jerry L. , Ramesh K. T.
Published: October 2022

Computational head models are promising tools for understanding and predicting traumatic brain injuries. Most available head models are developed using inputs (i.e. head geometry, material properties and boundary conditions) from experiments on cadavers or animals and employ hereditary integral-based constitutive models that assume linear viscoelasticity in part of the rate-sensitive material response. This leads to high uncertainty and poor accuracy in capturing the nonlinear brain tissue response. To resolve these issues, a framework for the development of subject-specific three-dimensional head models is proposed, in which all inputs are derived
in vivo
from the same living human subject: head geometry via magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), brain tissue properties via magnetic resonance elastography (MRE), and full-field strain-response of the brain under rapid head rotation via tagged MRI. A nonlinear, viscous dissipation-based visco-hyperelastic constitutive model is employed to capture brain tissue response. Head models are validated using quantitative metrics that compare spatial strain distribution, temporal strain evolution, and the magnitude of strain maxima, with the corresponding experimental observations from tagged MRI. Results show that our head models accurately capture the strain-response of the brain. Further, employment of the nonlinear visco-hyperelastic constitutive framework provides improvements in the prediction of peak strains and temporal strain evolution over hereditary integral-based models.
Planar cell polarity: intracellular asymmetry and supracellular gradients of Dachsous
Authors: Chorro Adrià , Verma Bhavna , Homfeldt Maylin , Ibáñez Beatríz , Lawrence Peter A. , Casal José
Published: October 2022

The slope of a supracellular molecular gradient has long been thought to orient and coordinate planar cell polarity (PCP). Here we demonstrate and measure that gradient. Dachsous (Ds) is a conserved and elemental molecule of PCP; Ds forms intercellular bridges with another cadherin molecule, Fat (Ft), an interaction modulated by the Golgi protein Four-jointed (Fj). Using genetic mosaics and tagged Ds, we measure Ds
in vivo
in membranes of individual cells over a whole metamere of the
Drosophila
abdomen. We find as follows. (i) A supracellular gradient rises from head to tail in the anterior compartment (A) and then falls in the posterior compartment (P). (ii) There is more Ds in the front than the rear membranes of all cells in the A compartment, except that compartment's most anterior and most posterior cells. There is more Ds in the rear than in the front membranes of all cells of the P compartment. (iii) The loss of Fj removes intracellular asymmetry anteriorly in the segment and reduces it elsewhere. Additional experiments show that Fj makes PCP more robust. Using Dachs (D) as a molecular indicator of polarity, we confirm that opposing gradients of PCP meet slightly out of register with compartment boundaries.
Tracing and testing multiple generations of contacts to COVID-19 cases: cost–benefit trade-offs
Authors: Kim Jungyeol , Chen Xingran , Nikpey Hesam , Rubin Harvey , Saeedi Bidokhti Shirin , Sarkar Saswati
Published: October 2022

Traditional contact tracing tests the direct contacts of those who test positive. But, by the time an infected individual is tested, the infection starting from the person may have infected a chain of individuals. Hence, why should the testing stop at direct contacts, and not test secondary, tertiary contacts or even contacts further down? One deterrent in testing long chains of individuals right away may be that it substantially increases the testing load, or does it? We investigate the costs and benefits of such multi-hop contact tracing for different number of hops. Considering diverse contact networks, we show that the cost–benefit trade-off can be characterized in terms of a single measurable attribute, the
initial epidemic growth rate
. Once this growth rate crosses a threshold, multi-hop contact tracing substantially reduces the outbreak size compared with traditional tracing. Multi-hop even incurs a lower cost compared with the traditional tracing for a large range of values of the growth rate. The cost–benefit trade-offs can be classified into three phases depending on the value of the growth rate. The need for choosing a larger number of hops becomes greater as the growth rate increases or the environment becomes less conducive toward containing the disease.
Curvature-driven instabilities in thin active shells
Authors: Giudici Andrea , Biggins John S.
Published: October 2022

Spontaneous material shape changes, such as swelling, growth or thermal expansion, can be used to trigger dramatic elastic instabilities in thin shells. These instabilities originate in geometric incompatibility between the preferred extrinsic and intrinsic curvature of the shell, which may be modified by active deformations through the thickness and in plane, respectively. Here, we solve the simplest possible model of such instabilities, which assumes the shells are shallow, thin enough to bend but not stretch, and subject to homogeneous preferred curvatures. We consider separately the cases of zero, positive and negative Gauss curvature. We identify two types of supercritical
symmetry-breaking
instability, in which the shell’s principal curvature spontaneously breaks discrete up/down symmetry and continuous planar isotropy. These are then augmented by
inversion
instabilities, in which the shell jumps subcritically between up/down broken symmetry states and
rotation
instabilities, in which the curvatures rotate by 90° between states of broken isotropy without release of energy. Each instability has a thickness-independent threshold value for the preferred extrinsic curvature proportional to the square root of Gauss curvature. Finally, we show that the threshold for the isotropy-breaking instability is the same for deep spherical caps, in good agreement with recently published data.
Liquid–liquid phase reaction between crystal violet and sodium hydroxide: kinetic study and precipitate analysis
Authors: Yu Qingcheng , Florentino Maya , Abplanalp Emily , Liang Yingyi , Kremer Sally , Choi Gabriel , Park Chris , Jung Hye Jung , Halada Gary , Nitodas Steve , Meng Yizhi , Kim Taejin
Published: October 2022

To investigate reaction order and kinetic parameters of the reaction between crystal violet (CV) and sodium hydroxide (NaOH), various concentrations of the reactants were applied. The present work also verifies the unknown solid product produced under highly concentrated conditions. The reaction orders of CV and NaOH were determined to be 1 and 1.08 by pseudo rate method, respectively, with a rate constant,
k
, of 0.054 [(M
−1.08
) s
−1
]. In addition to pseudo rate method, the half-life approach was used to calculate the overall reaction order to verify the accuracy of pseudo rate method. The overall reaction order was determined to be 1.9 by the half-life method. The overall reaction order based on the two methods studied was approximately 2. The precipitate formation was observed when high concentrations of CV (0.01–0.1 M) and NaOH (1.0 M) were applied. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy was used to compare the spectra of the precipitate generated and a commercial solvent violet 9 (SV9). Based on the FTIR spectra, it was confirmed that the molecular structure of the precipitate matched that of solvent violet 9.
Research funders should be more transparent: a plea for open applications
Authors: Horbach Serge P. J. M. , Tijdink Joeri K. , Bouter Lex
Published: October 2022

Transparency is increasingly becoming the new norm and modus operandi of the global research enterprise. In this mini-review, we summarize ongoing initiatives to increase transparency in science and funding in particular. Based on this, we make a plea for the next step in funders' compliance with the principles of Open Science, suggesting the adoption of
open applications
. Our proposed model includes a plea for the publication of all submitted grant applications; open sharing of review reports, argumentations for funding decisions and project evaluation reports; and the disclosure of reviewers' and decision committee members' identities. In line with previous calls for transparency and the available evidence about these measures' effectiveness, we argue that open applications could lead to more diverse collaboration, recognition of research ideas, fairer procedures for grant allocation, more research on funding practices and increased trust in the funding allocation process.
Continuum soft tissue models from upscaling of arrays of hyperelastic cells
Authors: Barry Roxanna G. , Hill Nicholas A. , Stewart Peter S.
Published: October 2022

Constitutive models for soft tissue mechanics are typically constructed by fitting phenomenological models to experimental measurements. However, a significant challenge is to rationally construct soft tissue models that encode the properties of the constituent cells and their extracellular matrix. This work presents a framework to derive multiscale soft tissue models that incorporate properties of individual cells without assuming homogeneity or periodicity at the cell level. We consider a viscoelastic model for each cell (which can deform, grow and divide), that we couple to form a network description of a one-dimensional line of cells. We use a discrete-to-continuum approach to form (nonlinear) continuum partial differential equation models for the tissue. These models elucidate the contrasting role of the two forms of dissipation: substrate dissipation localizes the deformation to the neighbourhood of the free boundary and inhibits morphoelastic growth, whereas internal cell dissipation promotes spatial uniformity and does not influence the elongation length. Furthermore, cell division is shown to increase the rate of elongation of the array compared with growth alone, provided the substrate dissipation is proportional to the cell surface area.
Representing the stress and strain energy of elastic solids with initial stress and transverse texture anisotropy
Authors: Mukherjee Soumya , Destrade Michel , Gower Artur L.
Published: October 2022

Real-world solids, such as rocks, soft tissues and engineering materials, are often under some form of stress. Most real materials are also, to some degree, anisotropic due to their microstructure, a characteristic often called the ‘texture anisotropy’. This anisotropy can stem from preferential grain alignment in polycrystalline materials, aligned micro-cracks or structural reinforcement, such as collagen bundles in biological tissues, steel rods in pre-stressed concrete and reinforcing fibres in composites. Here, we establish a framework for initially stressed solids with transverse texture anisotropy. We consider that the strain energy per unit mass of the reference is an explicit function of the elastic deformation gradient, the initial stress tensor and the texture anisotropy. We determine the corresponding constitutive relations and develop examples of nonlinear strain energies that depend explicitly on the initial stress and direction of texture anisotropy. As an application, we then employ these models to analyse the stress distribution of an inflated initially stressed cylinder with texture anisotropy and the tension of a welded metal plate. We also deduce the elastic moduli needed to describe linear elasticity from stress reference with transverse texture anisotropy. As an example, we show how to measure the stress with small-amplitude shear waves.
Loss of endangered frugivores from seed dispersal networks generates severe mutualism disruption
Authors: Lamperty Therese , Brosi Berry J.
Published: October 2022

Many tropical seed-dispersing frugivores are facing extinction, but the consequences of the loss of endangered frugivores for seed dispersal is not well understood. We investigated the role of frugivore endangerment status via robustness-to-coextinction simulations (in this context, more accurately described as robustness-to-partner-loss simulations) using data from the Brazilian Atlantic Forest biodiversity hotspot. By simulating the extinction of endangered frugivores, we found a rapid and disproportionate loss of tree species with dispersal partners in the network, and this surprisingly surpassed any other frugivore extinction scenario, including the loss of the most generalist frugivores first. A key driver of this pattern is that many specialist plants rely on at-risk frugivores as seed-dispersal partners. Moreover, interaction compensation in the absence of endangered frugivores may be unlikely because frugivores with growing populations forage on fewer plant species than frugivores with declining populations. Therefore, protecting endangered frugivores could be critical for maintaining tropical forest seed dispersal, and their loss may have higher-than-expected functional consequences for tropical forests, their regeneration processes, and the maintenance of tropical plant diversity
Nutritional stress exacerbates impact of a novel insecticide on solitary bees' behaviour, reproduction and survival
Authors: Knauer Anina C. , Alaux Cedric , Allan Matthew J. , Dean Robin R. , Dievart Virginie , Glauser Gaétan , Kiljanek Tomasz , Michez Denis , Schwarz Janine M. , Tamburini Giovanni , Wintermantel Dimitry , Klein Alexandra-Maria , Albrecht Matthias
Published: October 2022

Pesticide exposure and food stress are major threats to bees, but their potential synergistic impacts under field-realistic conditions remain poorly understood and are not considered in current pesticide risk assessments. We conducted a semi-field experiment to examine the single and interactive effects of the novel insecticide flupyradifurone (FPF) and nutritional stress on fitness proxies in the solitary beeOsmia bicornis. Individually marked bees were released into flight cages with monocultures of buckwheat, wild mustard or purple tansy, which were assigned to an insecticide treatment (FPF or control) in a crossed design. Nutritional stress, which was high in bees foraging on buckwheat, intermediate on wild mustard and low on purple tansy, modulated the impact of insecticide exposure. Within the first day after application of FPF, mortality of bees feeding on buckwheat was 29 times higher compared with control treatments, while mortality of FPF exposed and control bees was similar in the other two plant species. Moreover, we found negative synergistic impacts of FPF and nutritional stress on offspring production, flight activity, flight duration and flower visitation frequency. These results reveal that environmental policies and risk assessment schemes that ignore interactions among anthropogenic stressors will fail to adequately protect bees and the pollination services they provide.
Sensory evolution in a cavefish radiation: patterns of neuromast distribution and associated behaviour inSinocyclocheilus(Cypriniformes: Cyprinidae)
Authors: Chen Bing , Mao Tingru , Liu Yewei , Dai Wenzhang , Li Xianglin , Rajput Amrapali P. , Pie Marcio R. , Yang Jian , Gross Joshua B. , Meegaskumbura Madhava
Published: October 2022

The genusSinocyclocheilus, comprising a large radiation of freshwater cavefishes, are well known for their presence of regressive features (e.g. variable eye reduction). Fewer constructive features are known, such as the expansion of the lateral line system (LLS), which is involved in detecting water movements. The precise relationship between LLS expansion and cave adaptation is not well understood. Here, we examine morphology and LLS-mediated behaviour inSinocyclocheilusspecies characterized by broad variation in eye size, habitat and geographical distribution. Using live-staining techniques and automated behavioural analyses, we examined 26Sinocyclocheilusspecies and quantified neuromast organ number, density and asymmetry within a phylogenetic context. We then examined how these morphological features may relate to wall-following, an established cave-associated behaviour mediated by the lateral line. We show that most species demonstrated laterality (i.e. asymmetry) in neuromast organs on the head, often biased to the right. We also found that wall-following behaviour was distinctive, particularly among eyeless species. Patterns of variation in LLS appear to correlate with the degree of eye loss, as well as geographical distribution. This work reveals that constructive LLS evolution is convergent across distant cavefish taxa and may mediate asymmetric behavioural features that enable survival in stark subterranean microenvironments.
Mechanism of dual pharmacological correction and potentiation of human CFTR
Authors: Wang Chi , Yang Zhengrong , Loughlin Blaine J. , Xu Haijin , Veit Guido , Vorobiev Sergey , Clarke Oliver B. , Jiang Fan , Li Yaohui , Singh Shikha , Rich Zachary , Menten Elizabeth R. , Grassucci Robert A. , Wang Wei , Mezzell Allison , Fu Ziao , Wong Kam-Ho , Wang Jing , Wetmore Diana R. , Sutton R. Bryan , Brouillette Christie G. , Urbatsch Ina L. , Kappes John C. , Lukacs Gergely L. , Frank Joachim , Hunt John F.
Published: October 2022

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is caused by mutations in a chloride channel called the human Cystic Fibrosis Transmembrane Conductance Regulator (hCFTR). We used cryo-EM global conformational ensemble reconstruction to characterize the mechanism by which the breakthrough drug VX445 (Elexacaftor) simultaneously corrects both protein-folding and channel-gating defects caused by CF mutations. VX445 drives hCFTR molecules harboring the gating-defective G551D mutation towards the open-channel conformation by binding to a site in the first transmembrane domain. This binding interaction reverses the usual pathway of allosteric structural communication by which ATP binding activates channel conductance, which is blocked by the G551D mutation. Our ensemble reconstructions include a 3.4 Å non-native structure demonstrating that detachment of the first nucleotide-binding domain of hCFTR is directly coupled to local unfolding of the VX445 binding site. Reversal of this unfolding transition likely contributes to its corrector activity by cooperatively stabilizing NBD1 and the transmembrane domains of hCFTR during biogenesis.

Cryo-EM global conformational ensemble reconstruction has been used to characterize the mechanism-of-action of a breakthrough pharmaceutical that corrects fatal protein-folding and channel-gating defects in the human cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR).
Critical transitions and evolutionary hysteresis in movement: Habitat fragmentation can cause abrupt shifts in dispersal that are difficult to revert
Authors: de Jager Monique , Soons Merel
Published: October 2022

Under habitat fragmentation, plant species’ survival hinges on the ability of individuals to disperse from one habitat patch to another. While there is evidence that severe habitat fragmentation leads to evolution of reduced dispersal ability and that such decreased mobility is generally detrimental for species’ survival, it is unknown whether species adapt via a gradual loss in dispersal ability or via a sudden shift from frequent to infrequent dispersal between patches (i.e., a critical transition). Using a spatially explicit, individual-based modelling approach, we show that a small increase in inter-patch distance can generate an abrupt shift in plant seed dispersal strategy from long to short distances. Most importantly, we found that a substantial increase in connectivity between habitat fragments is required to reverse this loss of long-distance dispersal, due to an evolutionary hysteresis effect. Our theory prompts for re-consideration of the eco-evolutionary consequences of habitat fragmentation as restoring habitat connectivity may require restoration of much higher connectivity levels than currently assumed.
Conservation vs. Wild-Animal Suffering : how can population dynamics help?
Authors: Salliou Nicolas , Mayer Paula , Baron Alexandre
Published: October 2022

Conservation and ethical consideration for animal welfare in the wild appear to be synergetic because they both care for non-human animals. However, many practices such as culling seem to achieve conservation purposes but at the cost of producing a lot of wild-animal suffering, antagonizing conservationists and animal rights advocates. To explore this tension, we model the suffering of animals in wild ecosystems by resorting to classical population dynamics equations and using death rates as a metric of suffering. Our results show that, depending on the structure and parameters of the ecosystem, animal rights advocates and conservationists can have either opposing or compatible interests, where conserving species can go hand in hand with reducing the overall suffering. These models contribute to the concrete question of how to cope with suffering in the wild and may help ecosystem managers who are regularly confronted with interventions in the wild.