bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
An AAV-ie based Vaccine effectively protects against SARS-CoV-2 and Circulating Variants
Authors: Zhao Simeng , Tan Fangzhi , Ke Junzi , Yang Jie , Lin Chao-bo , Wang Haopeng , Zhong Guisheng
Published: May 2021

Prophylactic vaccines against SARS-CoV-2 have been extensively developed globally to overcome the COVID-19 pandemic. However, recently emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants B.1.1.7 and B.1.351 limit the vaccine protection effects and successfully escape antibody cocktail treatment. Herein, based on our previously engineered adeno-associated viral (AAV) vector, AAV-ie, and systematic immunogen screening, we developed an AAV-ie-S1 vaccine with thermostability, high efficiency, safety, and single-dose vaccination advantage. Importantly, the AAV-ie-S1 immune sera efficiently neutralize B.1.1.7 and B.1.351, indicating a potential to circumvent the spreading of SARS-CoV-2.
Identification of Actin Filament Interactors in Giardia lamblia
Authors: Steele-Ogus Melissa C. , Johnson Richard , MacCoss Michael , Paredez Alexander R.
Published: May 2021

The deep-branching protozoan parasite Giardia lamblia is the causative agent of the intestinal disease giardiasis. Consistent with its proposed evolutionary position, many pathways are minimalistic or divergent, including its actin cytoskeleton. Giardia is the only eukaryote known to lack all canonical actin-binding proteins. Previously, our lab identified a number of non-canonical Giardia lamblia actin (GlActin) interactors; however, these proteins appeared to interact only with monomeric or globular actin (G-actin), rather than filamentous actin (F-actin). To identify interactors, we used a chemical crosslinker to preserve native interactions, followed by an anti-GlActin antibody, Protein A affinity chromatography, and liquid chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry. We found 46 putative actin interactors enriched in the conditions favoring F-actin. Data are available via ProteomeXchange with identifier PXD026067. None of the proteins identified contain known actin-interacting motifs, and many lacked conserved domains. Each potential interactor was then tagged with the fluorescent protein mNeonGreen and visualized in live cells. We categorized the proteins based on their primary localization; localizations included ventral disc, marginal plate, nuclei, flagella, plasma membrane, and internal membranes. One protein from each category was co-localized with GlActin using immunofluorescence microscopy. We also co-immunoprecipitated one protein from each category and confirmed three interactions. Most of the localization patterns are consistent with previously demonstrated GlActin functions, but the ventral disc represents a new category of actin interactor localization. These results suggest a role for GlActin in ventral disc function, which has previously been controversial.

Importance

The single-celled eukaryote Giardia lamblia is an intestinal parasite that colonizes the small intestine and causes diarrhea and vomiting, which can lead to dehydration and malnutrition. Giardia actin (GlActin) has a conserved role in Giardia cells, despite being a highly divergent protein with none of the conserved regulators found in model organisms. Here we identify and localize 46 interactors of polymerized actin. These putative interactors localize to a number of places in the cell, underlining GlActin’s importance in multiple cellular processes. Surprisingly, eight of these proteins localize to the ventral disc, Giardia’s host attachment organelle. Since host attachment is required for infection, proteins involved in this process are an appealing target for new drugs. While treatments for Giardia exist, drug resistance is becoming more common, resulting in a need for new treatments. Giardia and human systems are highly dissimilar, thus drugs specifically tailored to Giardia proteins would be unlikely to have side effects.
Analyzing Supply and Demand on a General Internal Medicine Ward: A Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: Fralick Michael , Kaw Neal , Wang Mingkun , Mamdani Muhammad , Mourad Ophyr
Published: May 2021

Background

The capacity of the general internal medicine clinical teaching units has been strained by decreasing resident supply and increasing patient demand. The objective of our study was to quantitatively compare the number of residents (supply) with the volume and duration of patient care activities (demand) to identify inefficiency.

Methods

Using the most recently available data from an academic teaching hospital, we identified each occurrence of a set of patient care activities that took place on the clinical teaching unit. We completed a descriptive analysis of the frequencies of these activities and how the frequencies varied by hour, day, week, month, and year. Patient care activities included admissions, rounds, responding to pages, meeting with patients and their families, patient transfers, discharges, and responding to cardiac arrests. The estimated time to complete each task was based on the available data in our electronic healthcare system and interviews with general internal medicine physicians or trainees. To calculate resident utilization, the person-hours of patient care tasks was divided by the person-hours of resident supply. Resident utilization was computed for three scenarios corresponding to varying levels of resident absenteeism.

Results

Between 2015 and 2019 there were 14,581 consultations to general internal medicine from the emergency department. Patient volumes tended to be highest during January and lowest during May and June; and highest on Monday morning and lowest on Friday night. Daily admissions into hospital from the emergency department were higher on weekdays than on weekends, and hourly admissions peaked at 8:00 AM and between 3:00 PM and 1:00 AM. Weekday resident utilization was generally highest between 8:00 AM and 2:00 PM and lowest between 1:00 AM and 8:00 AM. In a scenario where all residents were present apart from those who were post-call, resident utilization generally never exceeded 100%; in scenarios where at least one resident was absent due to illness and/or vacation, it was common for resident utilization to approach or exceed 100%, particularly during daytime working hours.

Interpretation

Analyzing supply and demand on a general internal medicine ward has allowed us to identify periods where supply and demand are not aligned and to empirically demonstrate the vulnerability of current staffing models. These data have the potential to inform and optimize scheduling on an internal medicine ward.
enviLink: A database linking contaminant biotransformation rules to enzyme classes in support of functional association mining
Authors: Schmid Emanuel , Fenner Kathrin
Published: May 2021

Motivation

The ability to assess and engineer biotransformation of chemical contaminants present in the environment requires knowledge on which enzymes can catalyze specific contaminant biotransformation reactions. For the majority of over 100’000 chemicals in commerce such knowledge is not available. Enumeration of enzyme classes potentially catalyzing observed orde novopredicted contaminant biotransformation reactions can support research that aims at experimentally uncovering enzymes involved in contaminant biotransformation in complex natural microbial communities.

Database

enviLink is a new data module integrated into the enviPath database and contains 316 theoretically derived linkages between generalized biotransformation rules used for contaminant biotransformation prediction in enviPath and 3rdlevel EC classes. Rule-EC linkages have been derived using two reaction databases, i.e., Eawag-BBD in enviPath, focused on contaminant biotransformation reactions, and KEGG. 32.6% of identified rule-EC linkages overlap between the two databases, whereas 40.2% and 27.2%, respectively, are originating from Eawag-BBD and KEGG only.

Implementation and availability

enviLink is encoded in RDF triples as part of the enviPath RDF database. enviPath is hosted on a public webserver (envipath.org) and all data is freely available for non-commercial use. enviLink can be searched online for individual transformation rules of interest (https://tinyurl.com/y63ath3k) and is also fully downloadable from the supporting materials (i.e., Jupyter notebook “enviLink” and tsv files provided through GitHub athttps://github.com/emanuel-schmid/enviLink).
Weaning age and its effect on the development of the swine gut microbiome and resistome
Authors: Holman Devin B , Gzyl Katherine E. , Mou Kathy T. , Allen Heather K.
Published: May 2021

Piglets are often weaned between 19 and 22 d of age in North America although in some swine operations this may occur at 14 d or less. Piglets are abruptly separated from their sow at weaning and are quickly transitioned from sow’s milk to a plant-based diet. The effect of weaning age on the long-term development of the pig gut microbiome is largely unknown. Here, pigs were weaned at either 14, 21, or 28 d of age and fecal samples collected 20 times from d 4 (neonatal) through to marketing at d 140. The fecal microbiome was characterized using 16S rRNA gene and shotgun metagenomic sequencing. The fecal microbiome of all piglets shifted significantly three to seven days post-weaning with an increase in microbial diversity. SeveralPrevotellaspp. increased in relative abundance immediately after weaning as did butyrate-producing species such asButyricicoccus porcorum, Faecalibacterium prausnitzii, andMegasphaera elsdenii. Within 7 days of weaning, the gut microbiome of pigs weaned at 21 and 28 days of age resembled that of pigs weaned at 14 d. Resistance genes to most antimicrobial classes decreased in relative abundance post-weaning with the exception of those conferring resistance to tetracyclines and macrolides-lincosamides-streptogramin B. The relative abundance of microbial carbohydrate-active enzymes (CAZymes) changed significantly in the post-weaning period with an enrichment of CAZymes involved in degradation of plant-derived polysaccharides. These results demonstrate that the pig gut microbiome tends change in a predictable manner post-weaning and that weaning age has only a temporary effect on this microbiome.

Importance

Piglets are abruptly separated from their sow at weaning and are quickly transitioned from sow’s milk to a plant-based diet. This is the most important period in commercial swine production yet the effect of weaning age on the long-term development of the pig gut microbiome is largely unknown. Metagenomic sequencing allows for a higher resolution assessment of the pig gut microbiome and enables characterization of the resistome. Here we used metagenomic sequencing to identify bacterial species that were enriched post-weaning and therefore may provide targets for future manipulation studies. In addition, functional profiling of the microbiome indicated that many carbohydrate and metabolic enzymes decrease in relative abundance of after weaning. This study also highlights the challenges faced in reducing antimicrobial resistance in pigs as genes conferring tetracycline and macrolide resistance remained relatively stable from 7 days of age through to market weight at 140 d despite no exposure to antimicrobials.
Identification ofLagopus muta japonicaplant food resources in the Northern Japan Alps using DNA metabarcoding
Authors: Fujii Taichi , Ueno Kaoru , Shirako Tomoyasu , Nakamura Masatoshi , Minami Motoyasu
Published: May 2021

DNA metabarcoding was employed to identify plant-derived food resources of the Japanese rock ptarmigan (Lagopus muta japonica), registered as a natural living monument in Japan, in the Northern Japanese Alps in Toyama Prefecture, Japan, in July to October, 2015-2018. By combined use ofrbcLand ITS2 local databases of 74 alpine plant species found in the study area, a total of 43 plant taxa were identified and could be assigned to 40 species (93.0%), two genera (4.7%), and one family (2.3%). Rarefaction analysis of each sample collection period showed that this study covered more than 90% of the plant food resources found in the study area. Of the 21 plant families identified using the combinedrbcLand ITS2 local databases, the most dominant families were Ericaceae (98.1% of 105 fecal samples), followed by Rosaceae (42.9%), Apiaceae (35.2%), and Poaceae (19.0%). In all fecal samples examined, the most frequently encountered plant species wereVaccinium ovalifoliumvar.ovalifolium(69.5%), followed byEmpetrum nigrumvar.japonicum(68.6%),Vacciniumsp. (54.3%),Kalmia procumbens(42.9%), andTilingia ajanensis(34.3%). Rarefaction analysis of each collection period in the study revealed that this study covered more than 90% (from 91.0% in July to 97.5% in September) of the plant food resources found in the study area, and 98.1% of the plant food taxa were covered throughout the entire study period. Thus, DNA metabarcoding using therbcLand ITS2 local databases of alpine plants in combination and rarefaction analysis are considered to be well suited for estimating the dominant food plants in the diet of Japanese rock ptarmigans. Further, the local database constructed in this study can be used to survey other areas with similar flora.
Mosquito-bacteria interactions during larval development trigger metabolic changes with carry-over effects on adult fitness
Authors: Giraud Émilie , Varet Hugo , Legendre Rachel , Sismeiro Odile , Aubry Fabien , Dabo Stéphanie , Dickson Laura B. , Moro Claire Valiente , Lambrechts Louis
Published: May 2021

In animals with distinct life stages such as holometabolous insects, adult phenotypic variation is often shaped by the environment of immature stages, including their interactions with microbes colonizing larval habitats. Such carry-over effects were previously observed for several adult traits of the mosquito Aedes aegypti after larval exposure to different bacteria, but the mechanistic underpinnings are unknown. Here, we investigated the molecular changes triggered by gnotobiotic larval exposure to different bacteria in Ae. aegypti. We initially screened a panel of 16 bacterial isolates from natural mosquito breeding sites to determine their ability to influence adult life-history traits. We subsequently focused on four bacterial isolates (belonging to Flavobacterium, Lysobacter, Paenibacillus, and Enterobacteriaceae) with significant carry-over effects on adult survival and found that they were associated with distinct transcriptomic profiles throughout mosquito development. Moreover, we detected carry-over effects at the level of gene expression for the Flavobacterium and Paenibacillus isolates. The most prominent transcriptomic changes in gnotobiotic larvae reflected a profound remodeling of lipid metabolism, which translated into phenotypic differences in lipid storage and starvation resistance at the adult stage. Together, our findings indicate that larval exposure to environmental bacteria trigger substantial physiological changes that impact adult fitness, uncovering a mechanism underlying carry-over effects of mosquito-bacteria interactions during larval development.
NMR chemical shift assignments of RNA oligonucleotides to expand the RNA chemical shift database
Authors: Liu Yaping , Kotar Anita , Hodges Tracy L. , Abdallah Kyrillos , Taleb Mallak H. , Bitterman Brayden A. , Jaime Sara , Schaubroeck Kyle J. , Mathew Ethan , Morgenstern Nicholas W. , Lohmeier Anthony , Page Jordan L. , Ratanapanichkich Matt , Arhin Grace , Johnson Breanna L. , Cherepanov Stanislav , Moss Stephen C. , Zuniga Gisselle , Tilson Nicholas J. , Yeoh Zoe C. , Johnson Bruce A. , Keane Sarah C.
Published: May 2021

RNAs play myriad functional and regulatory roles in the cell. Despite their significance, three-dimensional structure elucidation of RNA molecules lags significantly behind that of proteins. NMR-based studies are often rate-limited by the assignment of chemical shifts. Automation of the chemical shift assignment process can greatly facilitate structural studies, however, accurate chemical shift predictions rely on a robust and complete chemical shift database for training. We searched the Biological Magnetic Resonance Data Bank (BMRB) to identify sequences that had no (or limited) chemical shift information. Here, we report the chemical shift assignments for 12 RNA hairpins designed specifically to help populate the BMRB.
The role of AUX1 during lateral root development in the domestication of the model C4 grass Setaria italica
Authors: Tang Sha , Shahriari Mojgan , Xiang Jishan , Pasternak Taras , Igolkina Anna , Aminizade Somayeh , Zhi Hui , Gao Yuanzhu , Roodbarkelari Farshad , Sui Yi , Jia Guanqing , Wu Chuanyin , Li Xugang , Meshcheryakov Georgy , Samsonova Maria , Diao Xianmin , Palme Klaus , Teale William
Published: May 2021

C4 photosynthesis increases the efficiency of carbon fixation by spatially separating high concentrations of molecular oxygen from rubisco. The specialized leaf anatomy required for this separation evolved independently many times. C4 root systems are highly branched, an adaptation thought to support high rates of photosynthesis; however, little is known about the molecular mechanisms that have driven the evolution of C4 root system architecture (RSA). Using a mutant screen in the C4 model plant Setaria italica, we identify siaux1-1 and siaux1-2 as RSA mutants, and use CRISPR/cas9-mediated genome editing and overexpression to confirm the importance of the locus. As AUX1 is not necessary for lateral root emergence in S. viridis, the species from which S. italica was domesticated, we conducted an analysis of auxin responsive elements in the promoters of auxin-responsive gene families in S. italica, and explore the molecular basis of SiAUX1’s role in seedling development using an RNAseq analysis of wild type and siaux1-1 plants. Finally, we use a root coordinate system to compare cell-by-cell meristem structures in siaux1-1 and wild type Setaria plants, observing changes in the distribution of cell volumes in all cell layers and a dependence in the frequency of protophloem and protoxylem strands on siAUX1.
Functional dissection of human mitotic genes using CRISPR-Cas9 tiling screens
Authors: Herman Jacob A. , Carter Lucas , Arora Sonali , Zhu Jun , Biggins Sue , Paddison Patrick J.
Published: May 2021

Kinetochores are large protein complexes that assemble at the centromere and bind to mitotic spindle microtubules to ensure accurate chromosome segregation. Like most protein-coding genes, the full multifunctional nature of kinetochore factors remains uncharacterized due to the limited experimental tools for unbiased dissection of human protein sequences. We developed a method that leverages CRISPR-Cas9 induced mutations to identify key functional regions within protein sequences required for cellular outgrowth. Our analysis of 48 human mitotic genes revealed hundreds of regions required for cell proliferation, including known domains and uncharacterized ones. We validated the essential nature for 15 of these regions, including amino acids 387-402 of Mad1, which identified an unknown domain that contributes to Mad1 kinetochore localization and chromosome segregation fidelity. Altogether, we demonstrate that CRISPR-Cas9-based tiling mutagenesis identifies key functional domains in protein-coding genesde novo, which elucidates separation of function mutants and allows functional annotation across the human proteome.
Geodesic-based distance reveals non-linear topological features in neural activity from mouse visual cortex
Authors: Beshkov Kosio , Tiesinga Paul
Published: May 2021

An increasingly popular approach to the analysis of neural data is to treat activity patterns as being constrained to and sampled from a manifold, which can be characterized by its topology. The persistent homology method identifies the type and number of holes in the manifold thereby yielding functional information about the coding and dynamic properties of the underlying neural network. In this work we give examples of highly non-linear manifolds in which the persistent homology algorithm fails when it uses the Euclidean distance which does not always yield a good approximation of the true distance distribution of a point cloud sampled from a manifold. To deal with this issue we propose a simple strategy for the estimation of the geodesic distance which is a better approximation of the true distance distribution and can be used to successfully identify highly non-linear features with persistent homology. To document the utility of our method we model a circular manifold, based on orthogonal sinusoidal basis functions and compare how the chosen metric determines the performance of the persistent homology algorithm. Furthermore we discuss the robustness of our method across different manifold properties and point out strategies for interpreting its results as well as some possible pitfalls of its application. Finally we apply this analysis to neural data coming from the Visual Coding - Neuropixels dataset recorded in mouse visual cortex after stimulation with drifting gratings at the Allen Institute. We find that different manifolds with a non-trivial topology can be seen across regions and stimulus properties. Finally, we discuss what these manifolds say about visual computation and how they depend on stimulus parameters.
Dioxidomolybdenum(VI) complex featuring a 2,4-difluoro-substituted amine bis(phenolate) ligand
Authors: Bowen Christina L. , Wile Bradley M.
Published: May 2021

Synthetic complexes containing a cis-[MoO2]2+ core are well-established models for the molybdenum co-factor (Moco). Here we report the crystal structure of such a model complex bearing a tetradentate amine bis(phenolate) ligand with fluorine substituents on the phenolate rings, namely, [2,2′-({[2-(dimethylamino)ethyl]azanediyl}bis(methylene))bis(4,6-difluorophenolato)]dioxidomolybdenum(VI)), [Mo(C18H18F4N2O2)O2]. Distortion from idealized octahedral symmetry about the Mo center is evident in the large O=Mo=O angle [108.54 (4)°] and the small N–Mo–Ophenolate angles [79.79 (4), 81.21 (3), 77.83 (3), and 84.59 (3)°]. The dihedral angle between the phenolate rings is 60.06 (4)°, and π–π stacking is observed between aromatic rings related by inversion (1 − x, 1 − y, 1 − z). The lower data-collection temperature of 150 K vs room-temperature data collection reported previously [KOWXIF; Cao et al. (2014). Transit. Met. Chem.
39, 933–937] and larger 2θ range for data collection (5.8–66.6° versus 6–54.96°) led to a structure with lower R
1 and ωR
2 values (0.019 and 0.049 vs 0.0310 and 0.0566 for KOWXIF). Comparison of the metrical parameters with KOWXIF suggests that this dataset offers a more realistic depiction of bonding within the MoVI=O moiety.
Revenue diversification and financial sustainability of microfinance institutions
Authors: Githaiga Peter Nderitu
Published: May 2021

Purpose

This paper aims to investigate whether revenue diversification affects the financial sustainability of microfinance institutions (MFIs).

Design/methodology/approach

The study uses a worldwide panel data set of 443 MFIs in 108 countries for the period 2013–2018 and two-step system Generalized Method of Moments estimation model.

Findings

The study finds that revenue diversification has a significant and positive effect on the financial sustainability of MFIs.

Practical implications

The findings of this study actually offer important managerial and policy lessons on MFIs’ financial sustainability. Microfinance managers and policymakers should consider revenue diversification as a strategy through which MFIs can attain financial sustainability instead of overreliance on donations and government subsidies

Originality/value

Unlike previous studies that examined revenue diversification in the context of banking firms, this study contributes to literature by examining the impact of revenue diversification of the financial sustainability of MFIs.
Time domain finite element method for metamaterial-based low frequency near field systems
Authors: Gong Zhi , Yang Shiyou
Published: May 2021

Purpose

The purpose of this work is to develop a computational paradigm for performance analysis of low-frequency electromagnetic devices containing both magnetic metamaterials (MTMs) and natural media.

Design/methodology/approach

A time domain finite element method (TDFEM) is proposed. The electromagnetic properties of the MTMs are modeled by a nonstandard Lorentz model. The time domain governing equation is derived by converting the one from the frequency domain into the time domain based on the Laplace transform and convolution. The backward difference is used for the temporal discretization. An auxiliary variable is introduced to derive the recursive formula.

Findings

The numerical results show good agreements between the time domain solutions and the frequency domain solutions. The error convergence trajectory of the proposed TDFEM conforms to the first-order accuracy.

Originality/value

To the best knowledge of the authors, the presented work is the first one focusing on TDFEMs for low-frequency near fields computations of MTMs. Consequently, the proposed TDFEM greatly benefits the future explorations and performance evaluations of MTM-based near field devices and systems in low-frequency electrical and electronic engineering.
Are Japanese university students ready for remote language learning?
Authors: Hirata Yoko
Published: May 2021

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to assess Japanese university students’ readiness for taking e-learning language courses. The focus is placed on students’ self-analysis of their abilities to use their smart devices for remote language learning activities.

Design/methodology/approach

Japanese university students’ readiness for the shift towards remote learning has been measured by a self-reported online survey. The question items are based on three categories of Gay’s e-readiness models (2018). The survey was conducted before and after the fully online five-month English courses to examine to what extent students’ e-readiness had changed through the progress of the courses.

Findings

The results suggest that students have few difficulties using the university e-learning software provided. However, students reported limited enthusiasm and aptitude for the online English language learning components. These levels were approximately the same before and after the courses, with the exception of increased online learning confidence.

Originality/value

This study evaluates to what extent groups of Japanese university students’ e-readiness has changed over time. The survey looks at different perspectives including Web research, time management, enthusiasm for online language learning and their thoughts and opinions about interacting with their classmates. Although the sample size is small, the discussion considers the data in the context of the Japanese learning environment and existing e-readiness research, seeking to provide teaching insights for instructors and suggestions for further research.
A decision support healthcare system based on IoT and neural network technique
Authors: Fahmy Khadeja Al_Sayed , Yahya Ahmed , Zorkany M.
Published: May 2021

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to develop e-health and patient monitoring systems remotely to overcome the difficulty of patients going to hospitals especially in times of epidemics such as virus disease (COVID-19). Artificial intelligence (AI) technology will be combined Internet of Things (IoT) in this research to overcome these challenges. The research aims to select the most appropriate, best-hidden layers numbers and the activation function types for the neural network (NN). Then, define the patient data sent through protocols of the IoT. NN checks the patient’s medical sensors data to make the appropriate decision. Then it sends this diagnosis to the doctor. Using the proposed solution, the patients can diagnose and expect the disease automatically and help physicians to discover and analyze the disease remotely without the need for patients to go to the hospital.

Design/methodology/approach

AI technology will be combined with the IoT in this research. The research aims to select the most appropriate’ best-hidden layers numbers’ and the activation function types for the NN.

Findings

Decision support health-care system based on IoT and deep learning techniques was proposed. The authors checked out the ability to integrate the deep learning technique in the automatic diagnosis and IoT abilities for speeding message communication over the internet has been investigated in the proposed system. The authors have chosen the appropriate structure of the NN (best-hidden layers numbers and the activation function types) to build the e-health system is performed in this work. Also, depended on the data from expert physicians to learn the NN in the e-health system. In the verification mode, the overall evaluation of the proposed diagnosis health-care system gives reliability under different patient’s conditions. From evaluation and simulation results, it is clear that the double hidden layer of feed-forward NN and its neurons contain Tanh function preferable than other NN.

Originality/value

AI technology will be combined IoT in this research to overcome challenges. The research aims to select the most appropriate, best-hidden layers numbers and the activation function types for the NN.
A pediatric case of Stevens‐Johnson syndrome with acute liver failure, resulting in liver transplantation
Authors: Totsuka Michiru , Watanabe Tomoya , Takamura Naoko , Watanabe Yuko , Kumamoto Takafumi , Honda Yasushi , Yoneda Masato , Saito Satoru , Yamanaka Shoji , Aihara Michiko
Published: May 2021

Stevens–Johnson syndrome (SJS) and toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN) are fatal adverse skin reactions characterized by high fever, epidermal detachment, and mucositis. It is well known that SJS/TEN occasionally affects various organs, leading to permanent damage and death in some patients. Although acute liver dysfunction is a relatively common complication of SJS/TEN, severe acute liver dysfunction requiring liver transplantation is rare. We present the case of a 14‐year‐old girl with SJS complicated by severe and rapidly progressive liver dysfunction, specifically, acute liver failure (ALF) requiring liver transplantation. A lymphocyte transformation test showed positive results for acetaminophen and cefdinir. Furthermore, human leukocyte antigen (HLA) genotyping revealed the presence of the HLA‐A*02:06 genotype, which is reported to be strongly associated with acetaminophen‐related SJS/TEN with severe ocular complications. These results suggested that our patient may have presented with acetaminophen‐induced SJS complicated by ALF, but no ocular complications. This is the first report of a pediatric patient with SJS who required liver transplantation. In rare instances, severe liver dysfunction requiring liver transplantation should be considered as a possible complication of SJS/TEN.
Seismic velocity analysis in the presence of amplitude variations using local semblance
Authors: Khoshnavaz M. Javad , Siahkoohi Hamid Reza , Roshandel Kahoo Amin
Published: May 2021

Obtaining accurate velocity models plays a crucial role in many routine seismic imaging algorithms. Seismic velocity models are normally made through seismic velocity analysis workflows. The routine workflows are not capable of dealing with polarity variations across moveout curves. We address this limitation by proposing a straight‐forward and robust semblance‐based workflow, which is a modified version of the conventional semblance function. The coherency function applies semblance analysis on separate clusters of receivers followed by averaging the corresponding coherency measures from all the clusters. The proposed approach is suitable for any case of amplitude variations including attenuation and any class of amplitude‐versus‐offset effects. The ability of the proposed workflow is demonstrated to two synthetic data as well as two field‐recorded common‐midpoint gathers. We perform accuracy analysis by comparing the results from the proposed approach with the results achieved from conventional velocity analysis, and another semblance‐based algorithm that is developed to address the polarity variation task. We also studied noise sensitivity analysis by computing and comparing mathematical expectations between theory and practice.
Characterization of the immune hemocyte in larvae of Dorcus titanus castanicolor (Motschulsky, 1861) (Lucanidae, Coleoptera)
Authors: Cho Youngwoo , Cho Saeyoull
Published: May 2021

There are four types of hemocytes in the stag beetle hemolymph: granulocytes, prohemocytes, coagulocytes, and spherulocytes. Unusually, the size and shape of the hemocyte subtypes are similar. To identify the predominant immune hemocytes, we injected carboxylate‐modified polystyrene latex beads and E. coli particles into the hemocoel of stag beetles. In response to the pathogens, only granulocytes underwent morphological changes, including the extension of fan (or amoeba)‐like structures from their membrane, and had bacterial particles in their cytoplasm. At 6 h post‐injection, lysosomes in the cytoplasm of the granulocytes were activated to remove the pathogens. At 12 h post‐injection, more lysosomes were activated along with phagocytosis of the E. coli particles. At 24 h to 48 h post‐injection, the bacterial particles, including activated lysosomes, were gradually cleared from the cytoplasm. To confirm these results, we performed flow cytometry analysis. Consistent with our microscope observations, the granulocytes were activated after 6 h post‐infection, and lysosomes were mostly activated at 12 h. These results suggest that bacteria are actively engulfed between 6 and 12 h post‐infection by granulocytes. Granulocyte lysosomes were activated within 12 h to digest the bacteria, which were completely cleared by 48 h post‐infection.
“We live in the moment”—Experiences of people with Intellectual Disabilities and Clinicians of Computer‐Assisted Mindfulness and Relaxation
Authors: Clyne Colette , Jackman Catherine , Tully Michael , Coyle David , O’Reilly Gary
Published: May 2021

Accessible Summary

Sometimes people find it hard to notice what is going on in their mind, body and feelings. Mindfulness can help us with this. Some studies show that mindfulness might help people with intellectual disabilities.

We asked people to play a mindfulness computer game to see whether it helped them to notice their mind, bodies and feelings more easily. People who work with people with intellectual disabilities helped to play the game too.

We asked people what they thought about the game.

People seem to enjoy playing the game and said it helped them be more mindful.

We think that learning mindfulness in a computer game might be helpful for people with intellectual disabilities.

Background

This paper evaluates the user experience of a newly developed mindfulness and relaxation game designed to teach mindfulness skills to people with intellectual disabilities. Computer‐assisted mindfulness programs have gained considerable attention among researchers in both adult and child populations. However, less is known about the experiences of people with intellectual disabilities who engage in computerised mindfulness programs. The present study aimed to explore the experiences of adults with intellectual disabilities and clinicians in using a computerised mindfulness and relaxation game.

Method

Twelve adults (with a mild or moderate intellectual disability) and sixteen clinicians were individually interviewed. Thematic analysis was used to analyse and generate themes within the data.

Findings

Three main themes with a number of subthemes were generated for people with intellectual disabilities including the following: (1) The Process of Mindful Island; (2) Fostering Relationships Through the Computer; and (3) The Impact of the Game. Three themes from clinician interviews were also generated including the following: (1) A Good Concept but More to Do; (2) Uncertainties Around Players’ Understanding of Mindfulness; and (3) The Computer as a Tool to Build Relationships. The findings indicated that participants found the game an enjoyable experience and saw a number of benefits to engaging in it including perceived improved confidence and perceived reduction of worries.

Conclusions

Mindfulness can be adapted to computer‐assisted technology for use among people with intellectual disabilities and may foster a number of benefits.
Quality of life in craniopharyngioma: sorting out cause from association
Authors: Cheetham Tim , Wood Claire
Published: May 2021

This commentary is on the original article by Niel et al. on pages 984–990 of this issue.
Incremental value of live/real‐time three‐dimensional transthoracic echocardiography over the two‐dimensional technique in the assessment of left ventricular endocardial rupture with myocardial dissection and contained apical epicardial rupture following myocardial infarction
Authors: Martínez Hernández Carlos , Nanda Navin C. , Sánchez Puebla María del Carmen , Ruiz Rivera Antonio , Salgado Campos Jesús , Patiño Bernal Cinthia Lisset , Hernández Rendón Edgar , Ortega Romo Erik Eduardo , Castillo Romero Cesar , Camacho Montoya Juan Pablo , Elmarzouky Zeyad M. , Dulal Subash
Published: May 2021

We report the incremental value of live/real‐time three‐dimensional transthoracic echocardiography (3DTTE) over two‐dimensional transthoracic echocardiography (2DTTE) in making a definitive diagnosis of left ventricular endocardial rupture with myocardial dissection and contained apical epicardial rupture in an elderly male patient presenting with acute myocardial infarction. To the best of our knowledge, this has not been described previously.
Taste renaissance, tax reform, and industrial organization of the beer industry
Authors: Luckstead Jeff , Devadoss Stephen
Published: May 2021

We develop a theoretical model of the beer industry consisting of two segments: monopolistically competitive heterogeneous craft breweries that compete based on variety and quality and oligopolistically competitive macrobreweries that compete based on economies of scale. We also present empirical evidence that, in contrast to the practice in most manufacturing industries, smaller craft breweries pay more for higher quality inputs and charge higher prices. The model is simulated to analyze three counterfactual scenarios: the taste renaissance by expanding consumers' (i) taste for variety and (ii) preference for unique quality beer and (iii) the 2017 tax reform. The taste renaissance scenarios have similar directional effects on the monopolistic segment, but the impacts of an increase in the love‐of‐variety are much stronger than those of an increase in quality. In all three scenarios, the craft segment expands and the macrosegment contracts, but industry‐level sales rise and the aggregate price index declines, benefiting consumers.
Regular White People Things: The Presence of White Fragility in Interracial Families
Authors: Robinson‐Wood Tracy , Muse Chantal , Hewett Ruthann , Balogun‐Mwangi Oyenike , Elrahman Jaylan , Nordling Ava , Abdulkerim Noora , Matsumoto Atsushi
Published: May 2021

Objective

To better understand how biracial/multiracial millennials make meaning of their multiple identities and racial socialization messages within their interracial families.

Background

A small body of research suggests that the content of parents' race messages to their biracial/multiracial children may have profound social and psychological ramifications. Changing American demographics, including the growth of biracial/multiracial populations, have created a demand for careful examination of this group's racialized experiences.

Method

To examine the racial socialization experiences of biracial/multiracial participants (n = 30), this qualitative substudy used thematic analysis, an intersectional theoretical framework, and a phenomenological approach in analyzing open‐ended responses.

Results

We found that interracial families employed a number of racial socialization messages, including those that extol mainstream cultural values as well as communications that fuel race‐related stress and identity politics.

Conclusion

Findings highlight the prevalence of dominant Western cultural values and racial silence in the socialization messages within interracial families and the reality of racism and racial awareness among individuals identifying as biracial/multiracial.

Implications

The findings in this study suggest a need to examine racial socialization as a function of parents' salient identities, including gender, race, and immigration status.
Åkermanite glass microspheres: Preparation and perspectives of sinter‐crystallization
Authors: Dasan Arish , Talimian Ali , Kraxner Jozef , Galusek Dušan , Elsayed Hamada , Bernardo Enrico
Published: May 2021

Glass microspheres with the exact stoichiometry of åkermanite (Ca2MgSi2O7), one of the most promising modern bioceramics, were produced by the flame synthesis method. The distinctive high cooling rate was found to prevent the crystallization; the size of amorphous microbeads could be correlated with the size of partially crystallized precursor powders, deriving from conventional melt quenching and milling. The glass microspheres were characterized in terms of crystallization and sintering behavior, in the perspective of applications in additive manufacturing of åkermanite‐based scaffolds. The results showed that merwinite (Ca3MgSi2O8) is the primary product of glass devitrification; only in a second stage, merwinite reacts with the residual glass and yields åkermanite. The rapid crystallization, implying limited viscous flow sintering, was tested as an opportunity to create components with complex porosity distribution.
Gill surface area provides a clue for the respiratory basis of brain size in the blacktip shark (Carcharhinus limbatus)
Authors: Wong Serena , Bigman Jennifer S. , Yopak Kara E. , Dulvy Nicholas K.
Published: May 2021

Brain size varies dramatically, both within and across species, and this variation is often believed to be the result of trade‐offs between the cognitive benefits of having a large brain for a given body size and the energetic cost of sustaining neural tissue. One potential consequence of having a large brain is that organisms must also meet the associated high energetic demands. Thus, a key question is whether metabolic rate correlates with brain size. However, using metabolic rate to measure energetic demand yields a relatively instantaneous and dynamic measure of energy turnover, which is incompatible with the longer evolutionary timescale of changes in brain size within and across species. Morphological traits associated with oxygen consumption, specifically gill surface area, have been shown to be correlates of oxygen demand and energy use, and thus may serve as integrated correlates of these processes, allowing us to assess whether evolutionary changes in brain size correlate with changes in longer‐term oxygen demand and energy use. We tested how brain size relates to gill surface area in the blacktip shark Carcharhinus limbatus. First, we examined whether the allometric slope of brain mass (i.e., the rate that brain mass changes with body mass) is lower than the allometric slope of gill surface area across ontogeny. Second, we tested whether gill surface area explains variation in brain mass, after accounting for the effects of body mass on brain mass. We found that brain mass and gill surface area both had positive allometric slopes, with larger individuals having both larger brains and larger gill surface areas compared to smaller individuals. However, the allometric slope of brain mass was lower than the allometric slope of gill surface area, consistent with our prediction that the allometric slope of gill surface area could pose an upper limit to the allometric slope of brain mass. Finally, after accounting for body mass, individuals with larger brains tended to have larger gill surface areas. Together, our results provide clues as to how fishes may evolve and maintain large brains despite their high energetic cost, suggesting that C. limbatus individuals with a large gill surface area for their body mass may be able to support a higher energetic turnover, and, in turn, a larger brain for their body mass.
The Globalization of Penal Space in Nineteenth‐Century Malta
Authors: Palmer Russell
Published: May 2021

In the second half of the nineteenth century an unprecedented number of prisons were built across the Western‐influenced world. However, many more developed from repurposed and modified buildings. By applying space syntax analysis to examples from the then British colony of Malta, this article investigates the commonalities of penal space across a series of purpose‐built and refashioned prisons, taking into consideration key architectural phases resulting from remodelling. Rejecting the notion that Maltese developments are merely symptomatic of British colonialism, the spread of Western prisons is cast in terms of wider trends and the global spread of a particular type of penal space.
Targeted memory reactivation has a sleep stage‐specific delayed effect on dream content
Authors: Picard‐Deland Claudia , Nielsen Tore
Published: May 2021

Although new learning is known to reappear in later dream scenarios, the timing of such reappearances remains unclear. Sometimes, references to new learning occur relatively quickly, 1 day post‐learning (day‐residue effect); at other times there may be a substantive delay, 5–7 days, before such references appear (dream‐lag effect). We studied temporal delays in dream reactivation following the learning of a virtual reality (VR) flying task using 10‐day home sleep/dream logs, and how these might be influenced by targeted memory reactivation (TMR). Participants were exposed twice to a VR task in the sleep laboratory; once before and once after a 2‐hr opportunity to nap (n = 65) or to read (n = 32). Auditory cues associated with the VR task were replayed in either wake, rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, slow‐wave sleep (SWS) or were not replayed. Although we previously showed that TMR cueing did not have an immediate effect on dream content, in the present study we extend these results by showing that TMR in sleep has instead a delayed effect on task–dream reactivations: participants dreamed more about the task 1–2 days later when TMR was applied in REM sleep and 5–6 days later when it was applied in SWS sleep, compared to participants with no cueing. Findings may help explain the temporal relationships between dream and memory reactivations and clarify the occurrence of day‐residue and dream‐lag phenomena.
Calcifying epithelial odontogenic tumour series with unique clinical and histopathological features
Authors: Museedi Omar , Hameedi Ameer T. , Abdullah Bashar H. , Allawi Noor S. , Al‐Khaurri Luay E.
Published: May 2021

Background and aims

Calcifying epithelial odontogenic tumour (CEOT) is a benign odontogenic neoplasm of epithelial origin that secretes an amyloid‐like protein tending towards calcification. This study aims to describe a case series from Iraq of one of the rarest odontogenic tumours.

Materials and methods

Clinical and histopathological analysis of Calcifying epithelial odontogenic tumour cases that are archived at the oral pathology laboratory of the college of dentistry (Baghdad University) from 2000 to 2019.

Results

Six cases of CEOT were registered in the mentioned period. One of them was a peripheral variant, the rarest subtype. The mean age of cases was 30 years, with two patients less than 15 years old. Histopathological examination revealed a classical Pindborg in four cases, while the other two cases were a clear cell and non‐calcifying types.

Conclusions

The awareness of the wide range of differences in the clinical and pathological features of this tumour provides more information about its various features that would help achieve a higher level of accuracy in its diagnosis and evaluation.
Bilateral external iliac vein compression—An important consideration in implantation of leadless permanent pacemaker
Authors: Chau Elaine Mo‐Chee , Wong Rex Kim‐Ping
Published: May 2021

We report on an unusual case with asymptomatic bilateral external iliac vein non‐thrombotic obstruction causing difficulty in delivery of the leadless permanent pacemaker and discuss on the strategies to overcome the problem.