bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Defining the Yangtze–Cathaysia suture zone in South China using ambient noise tomography
Authors: Ma Junwei , Guo Zhen , Huang Jingqiu , Fu Yuanyuan V , Barnard Alex
Published: March 2023

The South China Craton formed after collision between the Yangtze and Cathaysia Blocks. The suture zone between these two blocks is the crux of understanding the geological evolution of South China. Due to the relative paucity of high-resolution subsurface data, the location of the suture zone in the southwestern region remains uncertain. To find the suture zone, we created a high-resolution model of the crust and upper mantle structure using 27 months of continuous waveform data acquired from 457 stations in South China. The model uses extracted phase velocity dispersion curves of Rayleigh waves at 4–40 s from ambient noise cross-correlation functions, to perform a direct inversion for an azimuthal anisotropic VSV model. In the crust a prominent belt of strong azimuthal anisotropy exists between the Yangtze and Cathaysia Blocks. The fast polarization axes in this belt correspond to the NE-trending orogen between the two blocks. In the deeper crust of the Cathaysia Block we image multiple areas of diffuse low-velocity anomalies. As defined by the margins of the strongly anisotropic belt, the Yangtze–Cathaysia suture zone is delineated by lines that traverse: Shaoxing–Jiangshan–Pingxiang–Longsheng–Hechi and Shitai–Jiujiang–Yueyang–Dayong–Jishou. Further analysis of the seismic data links deep low velocities with widespread Late Mesozoic magmatism in the Cathaysia Block. The deep low velocities are likely a result of dehydration of the subducting Pacific Plate causing mantle upwelling and underplating.
Inequitable access to sport in juvenile justice across the USA: findings from a national survey
Authors: McDonough Kalyn , Knight Erin K
Published: March 2023

The USA incarcerates more young people than any other industrialized nation in the world, and black youth are much more likely to be incarcerated than white youth. Young people who interface with the criminal justice system are at higher risk for poor health upon release and the justice system is believed to be a contributor to racial health disparities. Sport participation during incarceration has the potential to improve health and health equity, but the evidence on the health benefits of youth sport participation has almost exclusively focused on school and community settings in the USA with little attention to non-traditional settings, such as the justice system. Given the poor health consequences of incarceration, the potential of sport to improve health, and the lack of research on this phenomenon in the USA, our objective was to describe the landscape of sport programming in juvenile correctional facilities and provide a baseline understanding upon which future research can build. Through a cross-sectional survey of all long-term secure juvenile correctional facilities in the USA (n = 211), we found 55.1% operate a sport program. Among facilities with programs, there was a range of sport program offerings. Gender disparities in access to various types of programs exist, with girls generally having less opportunity than boys. Most facilities reported a purpose of positive youth development in the operation of their programs. These findings have important implications for health promotion and the further integration of sport and juvenile justice as part of a public health agenda.
Prioritizing well-being in K-12 education: lessons from a multiple case study of Canadian school districts
Authors: Montemurro Genevieve , Cherkowski Sabre , Sulz Lauren , Loland Darlene , Saville Elizabeth , Storey Kate E
Published: March 2023

Increasingly, school districts are looking for insights on how to embed a well-being focus across school communities. Well-being in K-12 education is proven to support positive mental health, improve academic performance and contribute to positive outcomes for students and staff. How districts transition to deeply integrate well-being into existing priorities and practices is not well understood. Insights on such shifts can help inform widespread change in education. In 2020, six Canadian school districts participated in case study research to examine how and why districts were able to shift their culture to one that prioritizes well-being. Fifty-five school community members participated in individual semi-structured interviews to explore their perception of well-being in their school communities. Analysis identified six themes: well-being is wholistic and requires balance, student and staff well-being are interconnected, organizational leadership sustains implementation, connection and voice as a catalyst to well-being, building capacity to support well-being action, and charting and re-charting a course. Findings increase our understanding of system-level change, and provide insights to support well-being in education.
C
0-hybrid high-order methods for biharmonic problems
Authors: Dong Zhaonan , Ern Alexandre
Published: March 2023

We devise and analyze $C^0$-conforming hybrid high-order (HHO) methods to approximate biharmonic problems with either clamped or simply supported boundary conditions. $C^0$-conforming HHO methods hinge on cell unknowns that are $C^0$-conforming polynomials of order $(k+2)$ approximating the solution in the mesh cells and on face unknowns, which are polynomials of order $k\ge 0$ approximating the normal derivative of the solution on the mesh skeleton. Such methods deliver $O(h^{k+1})$$H^2$-error estimates for smooth solutions. An important novelty in the error analysis is to lower the minimal regularity requirement on the exact solution. The technique to achieve this has a broader applicability than just $C^0$-conforming HHO methods, and to illustrate this point, we outline the error analysis for the well-known $C^0$-conforming interior penalty discontinuous Galerkin methods as well. The present technique does not require a $C^1$-smoother to evaluate the right-hand side in case of rough loads; loads in $W^{-1,q}$, $q>\frac {2d}{d+2}$, are covered, but not in $H^{-2}$. Finally, numerical results including comparisons to various existing methods showcase the efficiency of the proposed $C^0$-conforming HHO methods.
Categories for Grassmannian Cluster Algebras of Infinite Rank
Authors: August Jenny , Cheung Man-Wai , Faber Eleonore , Gratz Sira , Schroll Sibylle
Published: March 2023

We construct Grassmannian categories of infinite rank, providing an infinite analogue of the Grassmannian cluster categories introduced by Jensen, King, and Su. Each Grassmannian category of infinite rank is given as the category of graded maximal Cohen–Macaulay modules over a certain hypersurface singularity. We show that generically free modules of rank $1$ in a Grassmannian category of infinite rank are in bijection with the Plücker coordinates in an appropriate Grassmannian cluster algebra of infinite rank. Moreover, this bijection is structure preserving, as it relates rigidity in the category to compatibility of Plücker coordinates. Along the way, we develop a combinatorial formula to compute the dimension of the $\textrm {Ext}^{1}$-spaces between any two generically free modules of rank $1$ in the Grassmannian category of infinite rank.
Anticancer potential of fermented milk with autochthonous lactic acid bacteria
Authors: Mahmoudi Mandana , Khomeiri Morteza , Saeidi Mohsen , Davoodi Homa , Memarian Ali
Published: March 2023

Aims

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of fermented milk supernatants of autochthonous lactic acid bacteria, including Lactobacillus helveticus KMCH1 (ON561781), Lactococcus lactis KMCM3 (ON561782), and Lactiplantibacillus plantarum KMJC4 (ON615217), on human colon cancer (HT-29) and normal mouse fibroblast (L929) cells in vitro.

Methods and Results

Proteolytic activity, 3-(4,5-dimethyl-2-thiazolyl)-2,5-diphenyl-2H-tetrazolium bromide test, evaluation of apoptosis induction, and cell cycle arrest by flow cytometry were the assays performed in this study. The measurement of proteolytic activity of three types of fermented milk supernatant using an orthophthalaldehyde reagent showed that the fermented milk supernatant of L. helveticus KMCH1 included the highest proteolysis. Three types of fermented milk supernatant showed anticancer effects on HT-29 cell in a time- and concentration-based manner (at a concentration of 16 mg ml−1 for 72 h of incubation), while the effect of three types of supernatant on inhibition of L929 cell was 3%–10%. Besides, three types of supernatant inhibited HT-29 cell proliferation by inducing apoptosis and cell cycle arrest in the S phase.

Conclusions

Autochthonous lactic acid bacteria strains were able to produce bioactive peptides with anticancer effects in fermented milk. Inhibition of HT-29 cell proliferation was dependent on peptide concentration.
Evaluation of oxidized beta-carotene on sow and piglet immune systems, sow reproductive performance, and piglet growth
Authors: Elefson Sarah K , Ross Jason W , Rademacher Christopher J , Greiner Laura L
Published: March 2023

This study aimed to determine if supplementation of oxidized-beta carotene (OxC-Beta) improved sow reproductive performance, litter growth performance, vitamin A status, and ability to alter immune cells abundance in sows and piglets, subsequent litter performance, and nursery growth performance. On approximately day 60 of gestation and through the lactation period, 194 sows (blocked by parity) were assigned to a common gestation diet or the common diet supplemented with 80 ppm oxidized beta-carotene (OxC-Beta, Aviagen, Ottawa, ON, Canada). A subset of sows (N = 54 per treatment) were sampled for blood and body weight recorded at the beginning of the study, farrowing, and weaning. A blood sample was taken from a subset of piglets at birth and weaning, and all piglet weights were recorded. Blood was analyzed for vitamin A as retinol concentrations and immunoglobulin G (IgG) and immunoglobulin M (IgG) levels were assessed from the sow’s blood. Twelve pigs (N = 6 per treatment) were euthanized at birth and weaning. The livers were collected and analyzed for the Kupffer cell phagocytic activity through flow cytometry. Whole blood was analyzed via flow cytometry for cluster of differentiation (CD335, CD8, and CD4). Colostrum during farrowing and milk at weaning were analyzed for IgG and IgA concentrations. Data were analyzed via SAS 9.4 using MIXED and frequency procedures where appropriate. No differences (P > 0.05) between dietary treatments were observed in sow reproductive performance, feed intake, wean to estrus interval, or piglet growth performance. No differences (P > 0.05) were observed in the plasma or liver for vitamin A. No differences (P > 0.05) were observed in the composition of the colostrum or milk. No immunological differences (P > 0.05) were observed in the piglets’ liver and blood or sow antibodies in colostrum and milk. The supplementation of OxC-Beta did (P < 0.05) decrease IgM and tended (P < 0.10) to decrease IgG in sow plasma. No differences (P > 0.05) were observed in the reproductive performance of subsequent litter information from the sows. Gilt litter weaning weight and feed intake were reduced (P < 0.05) compared to sow performance. In conclusion, the supplementation of OxC-Beta at 80 ppm from day 60 of gestation through lactation does not affect the reproductive performance of sows, litter growth performance, vitamin A status, piglet immune status, and antibodies or composition in colostrum and milk.
Curcumin Protects Human Dermal Fibroblasts Exposed to Hydrogen Peroxide by Regulating Autophagy Level and Reactive Oxygen Species Generation
Authors: Pan Tianyun , Zhang Shuxian , Fei Huanhuan , Hu Yun
Published: March 2023

Curcumin is getting more and more attention in wound healing and scar prevention because of its wide range of pharmacological effects, such as anti-inflammation, antioxidant, and anti-fibrosis. The activity of fibroblasts suffering from oxidative stress is reduced, affecting wound repair. In this study, we investigated whether curcumin treatment (10 μM, 24 hours) had protective effects on human dermal fibroblasts (HDFs) exposed to hydrogen peroxide (H2O2, 300 μM, 12 hours). We found that curcumin alleviated H2O2-induced accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS, the fold change relative to the untreated control was 1.75 [SD ± 0.21] vs 5.23 [SD ± 0.51], P < .001) and improved the expression and activities of antioxidant enzymes superoxide dismutase 1 (66.61 U [SD ± 7.47] vs 46.39 U [SD ± 6.82]/106 cells, P < .05) and catalase (9.77 U [SD ± 1.82] vs 4.61 U [SD ± 0.94]/106 cells, P < .01), accompanied with increased cell proliferation and migration but decreased senescence. In addition, we found that curcumin reduced the inhibition of autophagy by H2O2, as manifested in the increased autophagic vacuoles (P < .05) and higher expression of autophagy-related proteins including phosphoinositide-3-kinase class III (P < .001), light chain 3 form II (P < .001), and Beclin1 (P < .01). However, intracellular redox status deteriorated again and curcumin’s protection effects were partially canceled after autophagy was inhibited by 3-methyladenine pretreatment. These data suggest that rescue of HDFs from oxidative damage by curcumin may related to the regulation of autophagy levels and ROS generation.
Multicentre Analysis of Cost, Uptake and Safety of Canadian Multidisciplinary Pancreatic Cyst Guidelines
Authors: Verhoeff Kevin , Webb Alexandria N , Krys Daniel , Anderson Danielle , Bigam David L , Fung Christopher I
Published: March 2023

Background

Pancreatic cystic lesions (PCLs) are common, with several guidelines providing surveillance recommendations. The Canadian Association of Radiologists published surveillance guidelines (CARGs) intended to provide simplified, cost-effective and safe recommendations. This study aimed to evaluate cost savings of CARGs compared to other North American guidelines including American Gastroenterology Association guidelines (AGAG) and American College of Radiology guidelines (ACRG), and to evaluate CARG safety and uptake.

Methods

This is a multicentre retrospective study evaluating adults with PCL from a single health zone. MRIs completed from September 2018–2019, one year after local CARG guideline implementation, were reviewed to identify PCLs. All imaging following 3–4 years of CARG implementation was reviewed to evaluate true costs, missed malignancy and guideline uptake. Modelling, including MRI and consultation, predicted and compared costs associated with surveillance based on CARGs, AGAGs and ACRGs.

Results

6698 abdominal MRIs were reviewed with 1001 (14.9%) identifying PCL. Application of CARGs over 3.1 years demonstrated a >70% cost reduction compared to other guidelines. Similarly, the modelled cost of surveillance for 10-years for each guideline was $516,183, $1,908,425 and $1,924,607 for CARGs, AGAGs and ACRGs respectively. Of patients suggested to not require further surveillance per CARGs, approximately 1% develop malignancy with fewer being candidates for surgical resection. Overall, 44.8% of initial PCL reports provided CARG recommendations while 54.3% of PCLs were followed as per CARGs.

Conclusions

CARGs are safe and offer substantial cost and opportunity savings for PCL surveillance. These findings support Canada-wide implementation with close monitoring of consultation requirements and missed diagnoses.
Translation-invariant functional clustering on COVID-19 deaths adjusted on population risk factors
Authors: Cheam Amay , Fredette Marc , Marbac Matthieu , Navarro Fabien
Published: March 2023

This paper focuses on clustering the COVID-19 death rates reported in Europe and the United States. Several methods have been developed to cluster such functional data. However, these methods are not translation-invariant (TI) and thus cannot handle different times of arrivals of the disease, nor can they consider external covariates and so are unable to adjust for the population risk factors of each region. We propose a novel three steps clustering method to circumvent these issues. First, feature extraction is performed by TI wavelet decomposition, which permits to deal with the different onsets. Then, single-index regression is used to neutralize disparities caused by population risk factors. Finally, a nonparametric mixture is fitted on the regression residuals to achieve the region clustering.
The evolving Japanese encephalitis situation in Australia and implications for travel medicine
Authors: McGuinness Sarah L , Lau Colleen L , Leder Karin
Published: March 2023

The recent emergence of Japanese encephalitis in south-eastern Australia highlights the changing epidemiology of this important disease and the need for integrated surveillance to inform risk-based discussions and vaccination advice for travellers and endemic populations.
An Assessment of Gender Equity and Parity Among “Nontraditional” Pathology Awards
Authors: Jacobs Jeremy W , Adkins Brian D , Allen Elizabeth S , Parra-Herran Carlos , Stephens Laura D , Woo Jennifer S , Booth Garrett S
Published: March 2023

Objective

The aim of this study was to assess the gender composition of nontraditional pathology recognition award recipients.

Methods

Cross-sectional analysis of American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP) Top Five 40 Under Forty and The Pathologist Power List award recipients’ gender. Gender was independently analyzed by 2 authors using pronouns. Two analyses were performed: difference in gender parity and difference in gender equity for award recipients.

Results

From 2014 through 2022, 618 total awards were conferred. Significantly more men than women received an award overall (57.1% vs 42.9%; P < .001). Compared with population benchmarks, awards conferred to US-based nontrainee pathology physicians (men 56.2%, women 43.8%; P = .091) and US-based pathology physician trainees (men 60.5%, women 39.5%; P = .15) are equitable. Conversely, gender inequities exist among awards conferred to US-based nonphysician laboratory professionals (men 51.7%, women 48.3%; P < .001).

Conclusion

The Pathologist Power List and Top Five ASCP 40 Under Forty awards have not completely achieved gender parity, and gender inequities remain among subgroups.
Repeating periodic eruptions of the supernova impostor SN 2000ch
Authors: Aghakhanloo Mojgan , Smith Nathan , Milne Peter , Andrews Jennifer E , Filippenko Alexei V , Jencson Jacob E , Sand David J , Van Dyk Schuyler D , Wyatt Samuel , Zheng WeiKang
Published: March 2023

We analyse photometric observations of the supernova (SN) impostor SN 2000ch in NGC 3432 covering the time since its discovery. This source was previously observed to have four outbursts in 2000–2010. Observations now reveal at least three additional outbursts in 2004–2007, and 16 outbursts in 2010–2022. Outburst light curves are irregular and multipeaked, exhibiting a wide variety of peak magnitude, duration, and shape. The outbursts after 2008 repeat with a period of 200.7 ± 2 d, while the outburst in 2000 seems to match with a shorter period. The next outburst should occur around January/February 2023. We propose that these periodic eruptions arise from violent interaction around times of periastron in an eccentric binary system, similar to the periastron encounters of η Carinae leading up to its Great Eruption, and resembling the erratic pre-SN eruptions of SN 2009ip. We attribute the irregularity of the eruptions to the interplay between the orbit and the variability of the luminous blue variable (LBV) primary star, wherein each successive periastron pass may have a different intensity or duration due to the changing radius and mass-loss rate of the LBV-like primary. Such outbursts may occasionally be weak or undetectable if the LBV is relatively quiescent at periastron but can be much more extreme when the LBV is active. The observed change in orbital period may be a consequence of mass lost in outbursts. Given the similarity to the progenitor of SN 2009ip, SN 2000ch deserves continued attention in the event it is headed for a stellar merger or an SN-like explosion.
Constraining exotic compact stars composed of bosonic and fermionic dark matter with gravitational wave events
Authors: Wystub Stephan , Dengler Yannick , Christian Jan-Erik , Schaffner-Bielich Jürgen
Published: March 2023

We investigate neutron star–black hole (NS–BH) merger candidates as a test for compact exotic objects. Using the events GW190814, GW200105, and GW200115 measured by the LIGO-Virgo collaboration, which represent a broad profile of the masses in the NS mass spectrum; we demonstrate the constraining power for the parameter spaces of compact stars consisting of dark matter for future measurements. We consider three possible cases of dark matter stars: self-interacting, purely bosonic or fermionic dark matter stars, stars consisting of a mixture of interacting bosonic and fermionic matter as well as the limiting case of self-bound stars. We find that the scale of those hypothetical objects are dominated by the one of the strong interaction. The presence of fermionic dark matter requires a dark matter particle of the GeV mass scale, while the bosonic dark matter particle mass can be arbitrarily large or small. In the limiting case of a self-bound constant speed of sound parametrization, we find that the vacuum energy of those configurations has to be similar to the one of QCD.
Chemical abundances in Seyfert galaxies – X. Sulphur abundance estimates
Authors: Dors Oli L , Valerdi M , Riffel R A , Riffel R , Cardaci M V , Hägele G F , Armah Mark , Revalski M , Flury S R , Freitas-Lemes P , Amôres E B , Krabbe A C , Binette L , Feltre A , Storchi-Bergmann T
Published: March 2023

For the first time, the sulphur abundance relative to hydrogen (S/H) in the narrow-line regions of a sample of Seyfert 2 nuclei (Sy 2s) has been derived via direct estimation of the electron temperature. Narrow emission-line intensities from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) Data Release 17 (DR17) [in the wavelength range 3000 < λ(Å) < 9100] and from the literature for a sample of 45 nearby (z < 0.08) Sy 2s were considered. Our direct estimates indicate that Sy 2s have similar temperatures in the gas region where most of the $\rm S\rm ^{+}$ ions are located in comparison with that of star-forming regions (SFs). However, Sy 2s present higher temperature values (${\sim} 10\, 000$ K) in the region where most of the $\rm S\rm ^{2+}$ ions are located relative to that of SFs. We derive the total sulphur abundance in the range of $6.2 \: \lesssim 12+\log (\rm S/H) \: \lesssim \: 7.5$, corresponding to 0.1–1.8 times the solar value. These sulphur abundance values are lower by ∼0.4 dex than those derived in SFs with similar metallicity, indicating a distinct chemical enrichment of the interstellar medium (ISM) for these object classes. The sulphur abundance relative to oxygen (S/O) values for our Sy 2 sample present an abrupt (∼0.5 dex) decrease with increasing oxygen abundance relative to hydrogen (O/H) for the high-metallicity regime [$\rm 12+\log (O/H) \: \gtrsim 8.7)$], what is not seen for the SFs. However, when our Sy 2 estimates are combined with those from a large sample of SFs, we did not find any dependence between S/O and O/H.
A precise blue-optical transmission spectrum from the ground: evidence for haze in the atmosphere of WASP-74b
Authors: Spyratos Petros , Nikolov Nikolay K , Constantinou Savvas , Southworth John , Madhusudhan Nikku , Sedaghati Elyar , Ehrenreich David , Mancini Luigi
Published: March 2023

We report transmission spectroscopy of the bloated hot Jupiter WASP-74b in the wavelength range from 4000 to 6200 Å. We observe two transit events with the Very Large Telescope (VLT) Focal Reducer and Spectrograph and present a new method to measure the exoplanet transit depth as a function of wavelength. The new method removes the need for a reference star in correcting the spectroscopic light curves for the impact of atmospheric extinction. It also provides improved precision, compared to other techniques, reaching an average transit depth uncertainty of 211 ppm for a solar-type star of V = 9.8 mag and over wavelength bins of 80 Å. The VLT transmission spectrum is analysed both individually and in combination with published data from Hubble Space Telescope and Spitzer. The spectrum is found to exhibit a mostly featureless slope and equilibrium chemistry retrievals with platon favour hazes in the upper atmosphere of the exoplanet. Free chemistry retrievals with aura further support the presence of hazes. While additional constraints are possible depending on the choice of atmospheric model, they are not robust and may be influenced by residual systematics in the data sets. Our results demonstrate the utility of new techniques in the analysis of optical, ground-based spectroscopic data and can be highly complementary to follow-up observations in the infrared with JWST.
Modelling of the processes of dunes formation on the surface of comet 67P/Churyumov–Gerasimenko
Authors: Wesołowski Marcin
Published: March 2023

The paper discusses selected mechanisms that can significantly contribute to the formation of dune structures on the surface of comets. In these considerations, mechanisms related to the dynamics of dust on the surface of the nucleus were taken into account. In the first step, the maximum dimensions of particles that can be entrained into the cometary atmosphere as a result of local sublimation of water ice have been determined. Then, three processes related to the movement of dust on the surface of the comet nucleus were considered, such as dust migration, a landslide that can turn into a local avalanche, and fluidization of unstable dust. The thermodynamic process responsible for initiating these mechanisms is ice sublimation. These mechanisms cause the dust to move by liquefaction of the given layer. Due to the complex and regular structure of a cometary nucleus, moving dust can suddenly stop flowing. For individual mechanisms responsible for the formation of dune structures, the maximum angular width for a given particle, particle mobility coefficient, and static fluidization pressure were determined. It should be noted that in those parts of the comet nucleus that are illuminated by the Sun, these mechanisms can occur almost simultaneously, leading to the formation of dune structures by piling up particles.
A better way to define dark matter haloes
Authors: García Rafael , Salazar Edgar , Rozo Eduardo , Adhikari Susmita , Aung Han , Diemer Benedikt , Nagai Daisuke , Wolfe Brandon
Published: March 2023

Dark matter haloes have long been recognized as one of the fundamental building blocks of large-scale structure formation models. Despite their importance – or perhaps because of it! – halo definitions continue to evolve towards more physically motivated criteria. Here, we propose a new definition that is physically motivated, effectively unique, and parameter-free: ‘A dark matter halo is comprised of the collection of particles orbiting in their own self-generated potential’. This definition is enabled by the fact that, even with as few as ≈300 particles per halo, nearly every particle in the vicinity of a halo can be uniquely classified as either orbiting or infalling based on its dynamical history. For brevity, we refer to haloes selected in this way as physical haloes. We demonstrate that (1) the mass function of physical haloes is Press–Schechter, provided the critical threshold for collapse is allowed to vary slowly with peak height; and (2) the peak-background split prediction of the clustering amplitude of physical haloes is statistically consistent with the simulation data, with accuracy no worse than ≈5 per cent.
Phase II multicenter trial combining nivolumab and radiosurgery for NSCLC and RCC brain metastases
Authors: Wong Philip , Masucci Laura , Florescu Marie , Plourde Marc-Emile , Panet-Raymond Valerie , Pavic Michel , Owen Scott , Masson-Coté Laurence , Ménard Cynthia , Routy Bertrand , Tehfe Mustapha , Nelson Kristoff , Guilbert Francois , Boucher Olivier , Keshavarzi Sareh , Blais Normand , Roberge David
Published: March 2023

Background

Anti-PD-1 has activity in brain metastases (BM). This phase II open labeled non-randomized single arm trial examined the safety and efficacy of combining nivolumab with radiosurgery (SRS) in the treatment of patients with BM from non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and renal cell carcinoma (RCC).

Methods

This was a multicenter trial (NCT02978404) in which patients diagnosed with NSCLC or RCC, having ≤ 10 cc of un-irradiated BM and no prior immunotherapy were eligible. Nivolumab (240 mg or 480 mg IV) was administered for up to 2 years until progression. SRS (15–21 Gy) to all un-irradiated BM was delivered within 14 days after the first dose of nivolumab. The primary endpoint was intracranial progression free survival (iPFS).

Results

Twenty-six patients (22 NSCLC and 4 RCC) were enrolled between August 2017 and January 2020. A median of 3 (1–9) BM were treated with SRS. Median follow-up was 16.0 months (0.43–25.9 months). Two patients developed nivolumab and SRS related grade 3 fatigue. One-year iPFS and OS were 45.2% (95% CI 29.3–69.6%) and 61.3% (95% CI 45.1–83.3%), respectively. Overall response (partial or complete) of SRS treated BM was attained in 14 out of the 20 patients with ≥1 evaluable follow-up MRI. Mean FACT-Br total scores were 90.2 at baseline and improved to 146.2 within 2–4 months (P = .0007).

Conclusions

The adverse event profile and FACT-Br assessments suggested that SRS during nivolumab was well tolerated. Upfront SRS with the initiation of anti-PD-1 prolonged the 1-year iPFS and achieved high intracranial control. This combined approach merits validation randomized studies.
cis-Golgi phosphate transporters harboring an EXS domain are essential for plant growth and development
Authors: Hsieh Yi-Fang , Suslov Dmitry , Espen Luca , Schiavone Marion , Rautengarten Carsten , Griess-Osowski Annika , Voiniciuc Catalin , Poirier Yves
Published: March 2023

Cell wall synthesis and protein glycosylation require the import of nucleotide diphosphate–sugar conjugates into the Golgi that must be counterbalanced by phosphate (Pi) export. Numerous Golgi nucleotide-sugar transporters have been characterized, but transporters mediating Golgi Pi export remain poorly understood. We used plant and yeast genetics to characterize the role of 2 Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) proteins possessing an EXS domain, namely ERD1A and ERD1B, in Golgi Pi homeostasis. ERD1A and ERD1B localized in cis-Golgi and were broadly expressed in vegetative and reproductive tissues. We identified ERD1 putative orthologs in algae, bryophytes, and vascular plants. Expressing ERD1A and ERD1B in yeast complemented the erd1 mutant phenotype of cellular Pi loss via exocytosis associated with reduced Golgi Pi export. The Arabidopsis erd1a mutant had a similar phenotype of apoplastic Pi loss dependent on exocytosis. ERD1A overexpression in Nicotiana benthamiana and Arabidopsis led to partial mislocalization of ERD1A to the plasma membrane and specific Pi export to the apoplastic space. Arabidopsis erd1a had defects in cell wall biosynthesis, which were associated with reduced shoot development, hypocotyl growth, cell wall extensibility, root elongation, pollen germination, pollen tube elongation, and fertility. We identified ERD1 proteins as Golgi Pi exporters that are essential for optimal plant growth and fertility.
Evolution-inspired engineering of anthracycline methyltransferases
Authors: Dinis Pedro , Tirkkonen Heli , Wandi Benjamin Nji , Siitonen Vilja , Niemi Jarmo , Grocholski Thadée , Metsä-Ketelä Mikko
Published: March 2023

Streptomyces soil bacteria produce hundreds of anthracycline anticancer agents with a relatively conserved set of genes. This diversity depends on the rapid evolution of biosynthetic enzymes to acquire novel functionalities. Previous work has identified S-adenosyl-l-methionine-dependent methyltransferase-like proteins that catalyze 4-O-methylation, 10-decarboxylation, or 10-hydroxylation, with additional differences in substrate specificities. Here we focused on four protein regions to generate chimeric enzymes using sequences from four distinct subfamilies to elucidate their influence in catalysis. Combined with structural studies we managed to depict factors that influence gain-of-hydroxylation, loss-of-methylation, and substrate selection. The engineering expanded the catalytic repertoire to include novel 9,10-elimination activity, and 4-O-methylation and 10-decarboxylation of unnatural substrates. The work provides an instructive account on how the rise of diversity of microbial natural products may occur through subtle changes in biosynthetic enzymes.
Genetic predisposition to female infertility in relation to epithelial ovarian and endometrial cancers
Authors: Fan Zhipeng , Song Hongfei , Yuan Rongli , Peng Yangzhi , Jiang Yong
Published: March 2023

Background

The associations between female infertility and epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) or endometrial cancer (EC) have been reported in observational studies, but its causal relationship remains unknown. We intended to assess the causal effect of female infertility on EOCs and ECs using a two-sample Mendelian Randomization (MR) approach.

Methods

Large pooled genome-wide association study (GWAS) datasets for female infertility (6481 cases and 68 969 controls), EOC (25 509 cases and 40 941 controls), and EC (12 906 cases and 108 979 controls) were derived from public GWAS databases and published studies. The Inverse Variance Weighted method, Weighted Median method, MR-Egger regression, and MR-Pleiotropy Residual Sum and Outlier test were adopted for MR analyses.

Results

Our results suggested that genetically predicted infertility was positively associated with the risk of EOC (OR = 1.117, 95% CI = 1.003–1.245, P = .045), but did not find a causal relationship between infertility and EC (OR = 1.081, 95% CI = 0.954–1.224, P = .223). As to the reverse direction, our study did not obtain evidence from genetics that EOCs (OR = 0.974, 95% CI = 0.825–1.150, P = .755) and ECs (OR = 1.039, 95% CI = 0.917–1.177, P = .548) were associated with an increased risk of infertility.

Conclusions

This large MR analysis supported a causal association between female infertility and increased risk of EOCs, but did not find a causal relationship between infertility and ECs.
Relationships Between Burnout and Resilience: Experiences of Physical Therapists and Occupational Therapists During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Roundy Preston E , Stearns Zachary R , Willis Michael W , Blevins Joshua J , Linton Travis A , Medlin Thomas R , Winger Joseph G , Dorfman Caroline S , Shelby Rebecca A
Published: March 2023

Objective

Research on burnout among physical therapists and occupational therapists in the context of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is limited. Resilience may be important for reducing burnout and promoting well-being among rehabilitation specialists, especially during periods of elevated occupational demand and stress. The purpose of this study was to investigate experiences of burnout, COVID-19 pandemic–related distress, and resilience among physical therapists and occupational therapists during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods

Physical therapists and occupational therapists working in a university-affiliated health system were invited to complete an online survey assessing burnout, COVID-19 pandemic–related distress, state- and trait-like resilience, physical activity, sleep disturbance, and financial concerns. Multiple linear regressions were used to examine variables associated with burnout as well as the contribution of specific aspects of resilience to burnout.

Results

Greater COVID-19 pandemic–related distress was associated with greater emotional exhaustion and depersonalization, whereas state-like resilience at work was associated with lower emotional exhaustion, greater personal accomplishment, and lower depersonalization. Analyses examining the impact of specific components of resilience at work suggested that several components are associated with less burnout, with finding one’s calling being particularly relevant for all 3 domains of burnout.

Conclusion

Symptoms of burnout were reported by many physical therapists and occupational therapists. COVID-19–related distress and state-like resilience at work, particularly the perception of finding one’s calling, emerged as consistently being associated with burnout in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Impact

These findings can inform the development of interventions to reduce burnout among physical therapists and occupational therapists amid the continuing COVID-19 pandemic.
SPACs
Authors: Gahng Minmo , Ritter Jay R , Zhang Donghang
Published: March 2023

Going public by merging with a Special Purpose Acquisition Company (SPAC) is much more expensive than conducting a traditional IPO. We rationalize why some companies merge with a SPAC by listing the potential benefits. We analyze the agency problems that certain SPAC features address. SPAC IPO investors and deal sponsors have earned remarkably high annualized average returns, although we warn that recent deals are likely to disappoint. Public investors in the merged companies have earned very low market-adjusted returns on an equally weighted basis, although high redemptions on the worst deals have limited the amount of money that they lost.

Authors have furnished an Internet Appendix, which is available on the Oxford University Press Web site next to the link to the final published paper online.
The Variance Risk Premium in Equilibrium Models
Authors: Bekaert Geert , Engstrom Eric , Ermolov Andrey
Published: March 2023

The equity variance risk premium is the expected compensation earned for selling variance risk in equity markets. The variance risk premium is positive and shows only moderate persistence. High variance risk premiums coincide with the left tail of the consumption growth distribution shifting down. These facts, together with risk-neutral skewness being substantially more negative than physical return skewness, refute the bulk of the extant consumption-based asset pricing models. We introduce a tractable habit model that does fit the data. In the model, the variance risk premium depends positively (or negatively) on “bad” (or “good”) consumption growth uncertainty.
Everything but the Marriage Certificate: Unmarried Partners in Norwegian Immigration Regulation
Authors: Staver Anne Balke , Eggebø Helga
Published: March 2023

Pandemic border closures separated previously transnational couples, including unmarried partners, revealing under-researched forms of transnational family life. From this point of departure, we reexamine Norwegian family immigration regulation for unmarried partners from the 1980s onwards. Societal norms around coupledom have shifted toward Giddens’s “pure relationship.” Yet, immigration regulations have focused on “problematic marriages,” such as forced marriages or marriages of convenience. While unmarried partners have a right to family reunification after two years’ cohabitation, this requires prior permission to live in the same country. We investigate three sites of contestation where appeals are made to intimacy norms: The Liberal party’s “love visa” proposal, sponsors’ statements in case files, and protests from same-sex couples. Even in “cohabitation land,” these appeals ultimately come up against immigration control. This investigation contributes to the literatures on the transformation of intimacy and family migration; in particular, immigration regulation for unmarried same- and opposite-sex partners.
LoRaD: Marginal likelihood estimation with haste (but no waste)
Authors: Wang Yu-Bo , Milkey Analisa , Li Aolan , Chen Ming-Hui , Kuo Lynn , Lewis Paul O
Published: March 2023

The Lowest Radial Distance (LoRaD) method is a modification of the recently introduced Partition-Weighted Kernel method for estimating the marginal likelihood of a model, a quantity important for Bayesian model selection. For analyses involving a fixed tree topology, LoRaD improves upon the Steppingstone or Thermodynamic Integration (Path Sampling) approaches now in common use in phylogenetics because it requires sampling only from the posterior distribution, avoiding the need to sample from a series of ad hoc power posterior distributions, and yet is more accurate than other fast methods such as the Generalized Harmonic Mean (GHM) method. We show that the method performs well in comparison to the Generalized Steppingstone method on an empirical fixed-topology example from molecular phylogenetics involving 180 parameters. The LoRaD method can also be used to obtain the marginal likelihood in the variable-topology case if at least one tree topology occurs with sufficient frequency in the posterior sample to allow accurate estimation of the marginal likelihood conditional on that topology. [Bayesian; marginal likelihood; phylogenetics.]
Fine particulate matter (PM2.5)-induced pulmonary oxidative stress contributes to changes in the plasma lipidome and liver transcriptome in mice
Authors: Kurlawala Zimple , Singh Parul , Hill Bradford G , Haberzettl Petra
Published: March 2023

Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) air pollution exposure increases the cardiovascular disease risk. Although the specific mechanisms remain elusive, it is thought that PM2.5-induced oxidative stress and endothelial dysfunction contribute to this pathogenesis. Our previous findings indicate that PM2.5 impairs vascular health via a circulating factor and that plasma lipid changes contribute to the observed vascular effects. In the current study, we extend on these findings by further characterizing PM2.5-induced changes in circulating lipids and examining whether the observed changes were accompanied by related alterations in the liver transcriptome. To address the role of pulmonary oxidative stress, we exposed wild-type (WT) mice and mice that overexpress extracellular superoxide dismutase (ecSOD-Tg) in the lungs to concentrated ambient PM2.5 (CAP, 9 days). We found that CAP decreased circulating complex lipids and increased free fatty acids and acylcarnitines in WT, but not ecSOD-Tg mice. These plasma lipid changes were accompanied by transcriptional changes in genes that regulate lipid metabolism (eg, upregulation of lipid biosynthesis, downregulation of mitochondrial/peroxisomal FA metabolism) in the liver. The CAP-induced changes in lipid homeostasis and liver transcriptome were accompanied by pulmonary but not hepatic oxidative stress and were largely absent in ecSOD-Tg mice. Our results suggest that PM2.5 impacts hepatic lipid metabolism; however, it remains unclear whether the transcriptional changes in the liver contribute to PM2.5-induced changes in plasma lipids. Regardless, PM2.5-induced changes in the plasma lipidome and hepatic transcriptome are, at least in part, mediated by pulmonary oxidative stress.
News from the Hague Conference on Private International Law (HCCH)
Authors:   Permanent Bureau of the Hague Conference on Private International Law (HCCH)
Published: March 2023

Over the past year, the HCCH, supported by its Permanent Bureau, has continued its work for the progressive unification of the rules of private international law (PIL). This annual contribution to the Uniform Law Review provides an overview of the activities of the HCCH from 1 November 2021 to 30 November 2022 and anticipates some upcoming events, encompassing the HCCH’s three main areas of work: international family and child protection law, transnational litigation and apostille, and international commercial, digital, and financial law.
First Vanilla planifolia High-Density Genetic Linkage Map Provides Quantitative Trait Loci for Resistance to Fusarium oxysporum
Authors: Favre Félicien , Jourda Cyril , Grisoni Michel , Chiroleu Frédéric , Dijoux Jean-Bernard , Jade Katia , Rivallan Ronan , Besse Pascale , Charron Carine
Published: March 2023

Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. radicis-vanillae (Forv), the causal agent of root and stem rot disease, is the main pathogen affecting vanilla production. Sources of resistance have been reported in Vanilla planifolia G. Jackson ex Andrews, the main cultivated vanilla species. In this study, we developed the first high-density genetic map in this species with 1,804 genotyping-by-sequencing (GBS)-generated single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers using 125 selfed progenies of the CR0040 traditional vanilla cultivar. Sixteen linkage groups (LG) were successfully constructed, with a mean of 113 SNPs and an average length of 207 cM per LG. The map had a high density with an average of 5.45 SNP every 10 cM and an average distance of 1.85 cM between adjacent markers. The first three LG were aligned against the first assembled chromosome of CR0040, and the other 13 LG were correctly associated with the other 13 assembled chromosomes. The population was challenged with the highly pathogenic Forv strain Fo072 using the root-dip inoculation method. Five traits were mapped, and 20 QTLs were associated with resistance to Fo072. Among the genes retrieved in the CR0040 physical regions associated with QTLs, genes potentially involved in biotic resistance mechanisms, coding for kinases, E3 ubiquitin ligases, pentatricopeptide repeat-containing proteins, and one leucine-rich repeat receptor underlying the qFo72_08.1 QTL have been highlighted. This study should provide useful resources for marker-assisted selection in V. planifolia.
Genome Sequence of the Cacao Pathogen Moniliophthora roreri Belonging to the Invasive A1B1 Mating Type: A Resource for Genomic Efforts in Cacao Pathology
Authors: Díaz-Valderrama Jorge R. , Rubio-Rojas Karol B. , Fernández Nadia B. , Kijpornyongpan Teeratas , Phillips-Mora Wilbert , Weil Clifford F. , Gribskov Michael , Aime M. Catherine
Published: March 2023

We sequenced the genome of the cacao pathogen Moniliophthora roreri MCA2952, which harbors mating type A1B1 and is the first instance of the fungus identified in Mexico. This draft genome consists of 59.68 Mb on 254 scaffolds; it is 95.8% complete based on the analysis of Benchmarking Universal Single-Copy Orthologs (BUSCO v.2 with the Basidiomycota odb9 database), and it is by far the most contiguous genome generated for the genus Moniliophthora.

[Formula: see text] Copyright © 2023 The Author(s). This is an open access article distributed under the CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 International license .