bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Assessment method of the sea turtle-nesting habitat of small reef islands
Authors: Garcin Manuel , Vende-Leclerc Myriam , Read Tyffen , Oremus Marc , Bourgogne Hugo
Published: June 2022

The coral islets in the lagoon of New Caledonia are a major breeding and nesting site for various species. Many species reproduce and nest there, whether they are Chelonians (green turtles and loggerhead turtles), offshore seabirds (Procellariidae: shearwaters, petrels …) or more coastal (Laridae: terns, ospreys …) or sqamata (sea krait: Laticauda saintgironsi and Laticauda laticaudata). These species are dependent on the persistence of the islets in which they find the necessary conditions for nesting. Previous research has shown that these islets can evolve very rapidly at a yearly to decadal timescale. These geomorphological evolutions lead to surface area variations as well as geomorphological, topographical and land cover changes. These changes may lead to an evolution of the sea turtle nesting habitat: reduction of suitable areas for nesting and changes of the accessibility to the nesting sites. The goal of our work is to propose a method that allows to determine, map and quantify the more or less favourable character of the islets coasts to the nesting of sea turtles. Using several parameters, an indicator of the nesting attractiveness of coast is constructed and mapped. This method was applied to 13 coral islets in the southern lagoon of New Caledonia. Comparison of the results with the location of sea turtle nests acquired during the 2020 campaign attest the relevance of the method.
Variables in early algebra: exploring didactic potentials in programming activities
Authors: Kilhamn C. , Bråting K. , Helenius O. , Mason J.
Published: June 2022

In this paper we consider implications of the current world-wide inclusion of computational thinking in relation to children’s development of algebraic thinking. Little is known about how newly developed visual programming environments such as Scratch could enhance early algebra learning. The study is based on examples of programming activities used by mathematics teachers in Sweden, teaching students aged 10–12 years during the first two years of implementing programming in the mathematics curriculum. Informed by Chevallard’s praxeology in terms of praxis and logos, we describe, unpack, discuss and expand these activities. Core issues related to algebra found in the three activities are as follows: making implicit variables explicit; using a counter variable; and identifying parameters as a specific type of variable. Our findings show that, in addition to already identified uses of variables in early algebra, programming activities in the early years bring in new aspects and new ways of treating variables that could, potentially, enhance students’ understanding of variables and generalization, provided that programming praxis is embedded in an appropriate algebra logos.
The use of cultural contexts for patterning tasks: supporting young diverse students to identify structures and generalise
Authors: Hunter Jodie , Miller Jodie
Published: June 2022

A key aspect of young children’s development of algebraic reasoning is the process of visualising and identifying structures to both abstract and generalise. There has been a growing body of research focused on how students form generalisations, this article adds to the existing body of research by examining how young culturally diverse students identify mathematical structures in contextual growing patterns and the teaching and learning actions that assist them to generalise. Data were collected from one classroom of 29 Year Two (6 years old) students in a low socio-economic school in New Zealand. Results from the analysis of lessons related to two tasks showed that the contextual tasks led students to notice different mathematical structures. Specific pedagogical actions were used to facilitate students’ engagement with the growing patterns. These included positioning students to engage with different representations (pictorial and numerical, tabular, and natural language) to represent thinking, the use of classroom discussions, noticing and responding to student thinking, and pressing students to find far terms. The findings highlight that both the contextual patterning tasks and teacher actions supported the young students to develop a range of sophisticated generalisations related to the underlying mathematical structure and functional relationships of the growing patterns.
Distribution of E- and N-cadherin in subgroups of non-functioning pituitary neuroendocrine tumours
Authors: Øystese Kristin Astrid B. , Casar-Borota Olivera , Berg-Johnsen Jon , Berg Jens Petter , Bollerslev Jens
Published: June 2022

Purpose

Clinically non-functioning pituitary neuroendocrine tumours (NF-PitNETs) present a varying degree of aggressiveness, and reliable prognostic markers are lacking. We aimed to characterise the distribution of E- and N-cadherin in corticotroph, PIT1 and null-cell NF-PitNETs, and link it to the course of the tumours.

Methods

The distribution of E- and N-cadherin was investigated by immunohistochemistry in a retrospective cohort of 30 tumours of the less common NF-PitNETs (corticotroph (N = 18), PIT1 (N = 8) and null-cell PitNETs (N = 4)). Immunoreactive scores (IRS) were compared to previously presented cohorts of gonadotroph NF-PitNETs (N = 105) and corticotroph functioning PitNETs (N = 17).

Results

We found a low IRS for the extra-cellular domain of E-cadherin (median 0 (IQR 0–0, N = 135)), a medium to high IRS for the intra-cellular domain of E-cadherin (median 6 (IQR 4–9)) and a high IRS for N-cadherin (median 12 (IQR 10.5–12)) throughout the cohort of NF-PitNETs. The corticotroph NF-PitNETs presented a higher IRS for both the extra- and intra-cellular domain of E-cadherin (median 0 (IQR 0–1) and median 9 (IQR 6–12), respectively) than the gonadotroph NF-PitNETs (p < 0.001 for both comparisons). Presence of nuclear E-cadherin was associated with a weaker staining for the intra-cellular domain of E-cadherin (median 4 (IQR 0.5–6) and median 9 (IQR 9–12), for tumours with and without nuclear E-cadherin, respectively), and with a lower rate of re-intervention (p = 0.03).

Conclusions

Considering our results and the benign course of NF-PitNETs, we suggest that a high N-cadherin and downregulation of membranous E-cadherin are not associated with a more aggressive tumour behaviour in these subgroups of NF-PitNETs.
Nubian Agricultural Practices, Crops and Foods: Changes in Living Memory on Ernetta Island, Northern Sudan
Authors: Ryan Philippa , Kordofani Maha , Saad Mohamed , Hassan Mohammed , Dalton Matthew , Cartwright Caroline , Spencer Neal
Published: June 2022

Agricultural practices in northern Sudan have been changing rapidly but remain little documented. In this paper we aim to investigate changes to crops grown in living memory and their uses through interviews with Nubian farmers on the island of Ernetta. By exploring cultivation and crop processing practices, together with associated material culture and foodstuffs, we also seek to explore how agricultural and food heritage are connected, and to better understand reasons for crop changes. Several cereals and pulses that were previously important subsistence crops are now grown as comparatively minor crops. The replacement of thesagia(waterwheel) by diesel pump irrigation, the introduction of commercial crops, and the reduction of the annual flood have led to fundamentally new cropping patterns within household farms. At the same time, each species has its own narrative and timing of change. Shifts in crops grown are paralleled by transitions in foodways, associated material culture, and land use. The project is timely, as much of the information about past crop uses resides in the memories of elderly farmers. The findings highlight the broader global need to document endangered memories of cropping patterns, traditional ecological and food knowledge, including local terms for foods and crops.
Kompetenzorientierung im Sport: eine Taxonomie für den Sportunterricht
Authors: Töpfer Clemens , Hapke Julia , Liebl Sebastian , Sygusch Ralf
Published: June 2022

Die Kompetenzorientierung im Sportunterricht wurde in den vergangenen Jahren durch unterschiedliche Modellierungsansätze angeregt, um zu klären, was Kompetenzen von Schüler*innen im Fach Sport auszeichnet. Wissen und Können haben sich diesbezüglich als zentrales Begriffspaar für Kompetenz etabliert. Die vorhandenen Konzeptionen für den Sportunterricht bleiben insgesamt jedoch weitgehend abstrakt darin, wie dieses Wissen und Können sowie deren Interaktionen in einem kompetenzorientierten und Erziehenden Sportunterricht operationalisiert werden können. Der vorliegende Beitrag verfolgt das Ziel, Wissen und Können vor dem Hintergrund der Handlungsfähigkeit als Bildungsauftrag des Faches Sport zu operationalisieren und deren Interaktion in einer dreidimensionalen Taxonomie abzubilden. Als Ausgangspunkte greifen wir vorhandene bildungswissenschaftliche Ansprüche zur Modellierung von Kompetenzen auf. Weitere Orientierungspunkte sind sportdidaktische Kenntnisse zu Anforderungssituationen in der Sport- und Bewegungskultur, zur Handlungsfähigkeit im Erziehenden Sportunterricht, zum Wissen als ein Kernbestandteil eines kompetenten sportbezogenen Handelns sowie zu ausgewählten Kompetenzmodellen im Fach Sport. In Anlehnung an kognitionspsychologisch ausgerichtete Modelle untergliedert sich die Taxonomie in drei Dimensionen. DieDimension der Themenskizziert, welche Wissensinhalte bezugnehmend zu Bewegungsfeldern und pädagogischen Perspektiven im Fach Sport bedeutsam sind. DieDimension der Aktivitätenumfasst sechs Aktivitäten, die übergreifend in die Bereiche Wissenserwerb, Wissensnutzung und Wissensschaffung eingebettet sind. DieDimension der Anforderungsniveausbeschreibt drei Niveaustufen, welche kompetenzorientierte Lernziele, Lernaufgaben und Leistungsaufgaben hinsichtlich ihrer Komplexität untergliedern. Die vorliegende Taxonomie bietet Ansätze zur Operationalisierung von Kompetenzen im Sport. Sie dient damit als Orientierungsraster für die methodisch-didaktische Konzeption sowie die empirische Analyse von kompetenzorientierten Lehr-Lern-Prozessen und deren Wirkungen im Erziehenden Sportunterricht.
Should We Use a Total Score, Two Subscale Scores, or Six Subscale Scores for the Self-Compassion Scale? A Multi-faceted Assessment Beyond Model Fit Indices
Authors: Buz José , Crego Antonio , Yela José R. , Sánchez-Zaballos Elena , Ayuso Antonio
Published: June 2022

Objectives

The aim of this study was to conduct a multi-faceted assessment of the psychometric properties of the Self-Compassion Scale (SCS). In addition to the goodness-of-fit, we aimed to assess the strength and replicability of three factorial solutions, and the quality and effectiveness of the three scoring schemes of the scale (i.e., total scale score, two subscale scores, and six subscale scores).

Methods

Participants were 1508 Spanish-speaking community-dwelling adults (M = 34.94 years, SD = 15.02). Data were examined by means of a conjoint strategy using Rasch modeling, non-linear factor analysis, exploratory bifactor analysis, and parallel analysis. A procedure for selecting the optimal set of items that must be used to compute individual’s scores was used.

Results

The unidimensional solution showed a marginal model fit (RMSR = .089), and both the bifactor two-group and bifactor six-group solutions showed a good fit (RMSR = .043 and .019, respectively). However, only the unidimensional and the bifactor two-factor solutions showed interpretable and replicable factor structures, and high-quality and effective scores to be used for measurement purposes. Subscale scores derived from the six primary factors did not show adequate psychometric properties. It was observed that the information provided by 10 items was redundant and had already been provided by the other 16 items.

Conclusions

Good model fit is neither sufficient nor necessary to justify the use of a scoring scheme. Goodness-of-fit statistics should be complemented by an assessment of the metric properties of the resulting scores when proposing SCS scoring schemes.
High-Temperature Residual Compressive Strength in Concretes Bearing Construction and Demolition Waste (CDW): An Experimental Study
Authors: Maciá María Eugenia , Castillo Ángel , Martinez Isabel , Rubiano Francisco José
Published: June 2022

The steady rise in the amount of waste generated daily worldwide and its concomitant stockpiling poses significant environmental issues. In an attempt to alleviate that problem while reducing the consumption of natural resources and contributing to a more sustainable construction industry, concrete technology research has focused on replacing natural aggregate with different types of waste. Little is known about the behaviour of such waste materials at high temperatures, however. The present study consequently aimed to analyse the effect of high temperatures on compressive strength in recycled aggregate-bearing concretes. Masonry, mixed and concrete waste products, jointly known as construction and demolition waste, CDW, were used as partial replacements for the natural material at ratios of 20% or 30%. The specimens were subsequently tested for compressive strength at 20 °C and after exposure to temperatures of 350 °C and 500 °C. The findings showed that at 350 °C compressive strength declined by 21% in materials containing 20% masonry waste, while the decline in materials bearing mixed recycled and recycled concrete waste ranged from 0 to 5%. The concrete with 30% masonry waste in lieu of natural aggregate exhibited a 32% loss in strength at 500 °C, whereas the loss in the other materials studied under the same conditions did not exceed 9.5%. The highest performance under heat stress was observed for concretes bearing 20% mixed recycled aggregate.
Association of Maternal Versus Fetal Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome Status with Poor Pregnancy Outcomes
Authors: Underhill L. A. , Barbarita C. , Collis S. , Tucker R. , Lechner B. E.
Published: June 2022

The majority of research papers published on obstetrical outcomes in Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS) have focused on the contribution of maternal EDS to the risk of poor pregnancy outcomes. The purpose of our study was to further clarify the fetal versus maternal contribution of EDS to poor pregnancy outcomes. A web-based, anonymous questionnaire was developed to collect pregnancy histories of families with a member with EDS. The survey was disseminated via social media through the Ehlers Danlos National Foundation. Population descriptors (age, gender, EDS diagnosis, age of diagnosis) and pregnancy descriptors (number of pregnancies, live births, and birth complications) were collected. To identify fetal and maternal contribution of EDS to poor pregnancy outcomes, three groups were compared based on maternal or infant diagnosis (EDS versus non-EDS). The rate of birth complications, treatment for preterm birth, and occurrence of preterm birth, as well as gestational age at preterm birth, were different depending on maternal/ infant EDS status, and these differences were significant when comparing infant EDS status but not when comparing maternal EDS status. The occurrence of PPROM is increased in the non-EDS mother/EDS infant group compared to both EDS mother/non-EDS infant and EDS mother/EDS infant groups (38.9%, 12.5%, 14.8%,p = 0.025). This study identifies that poor outcomes in EDS pregnancies differ depending on the maternal and the fetal EDS status. These insights into maternal and fetal association with certain poor pregnancy outcomes in pregnancies complicated by EDS can further guide physicians in educating, managing, and treating these women during pregnancy.
Sociodemographic and Psychological Predictors of Resilience Among Frontline Nurses Fighting the COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Zhang Yan , Xiong Yang , Zhang Lei , Jiang Xiaofeng , Zhuang Xiaoqian , Meng Lingyao , Peng Lingli , Wu Jing
Published: June 2022

Objective:

According to a WHO report, the number of patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has reached 456,797,217 worldwide as of 15 March, 2022. In Wuhan, China, large teams of health-care personnel were dispatched to respond to the COVID-19 emergency. This study aimed to determine the sociodemographic and psychological predictors of resilience among frontline nurses fighting the current pandemic.

Methods:

A total of 143 nurses were recruited from February 15 to February 20, 2020, to participate in this study. The 10-item Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale and the 21-item Depression Anxiety Stress Scale were used to estimate the participants’ resilience and mental wellbeing.

Results:

Results showed that the nurses displayed a moderate resilience level. Their median depression, anxiety, and stress scores were 1, 2, and 3, respectively, which were negatively correlated with resilience. Female gender, being dispatched to Wuhan, and depression levels were the significant predictors of resilience.

Conclusions:

The results suggest that particular attention should be given to nurses who were dispatched to Wuhan and who exhibited depression symptoms, and appropriate measures should be taken to boost their resilience.
Did COVID-19 Change Emergency Department Admissions?
Authors: Kaze Edeline , Vanderoost Jef , Sabbe Marc
Published: June 2022

Objective:

This study aimed to describe the impact of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic on emergency department (ED) admissions for urgent diagnoses.

Methods:

From January 1, 2019, until December 31, 2020, patients older than 18 years who attended the ED at University Hospital of Leuven (UZ Leuven, Belgium) were included. Urgent diagnoses selected in the First Hour Quintet were collected. The periods of the pandemic waves in 2020 were analyzed and compared with the same time period in 2019.

Results:

During the first wave of the pandemic, 16 075 patients attended the ED compared with 16 893 patients during the comparison period in 2019. The proportion of patients having one of the diagnoses of the First Hour Quintet was similar between the periods (4.4% vs 4.5%). During the second wave, 14 739 patients attended the ED compared with 18 704 patients during the same period in 2019; 5.6% of patients had a diagnosis of the First Hour Quintet compared with 4.3% of patients in the comparison period.

Conclusion:

This study showed a decrease in the number of patients attending the ED during the COVID-19 pandemic. Further studies are needed to determine for which conditions patients visited the ED less.
What Happened to the “New Middle Class”? The 2016 BORP (Brazil’s Once-Rising Poor) Survey
Authors: Junge Benjamin , Mitchell Sean T. , Klein Charles H. , De Micheli David
Published: June 2022

This research note provides a detailed account of the development and implementation of a household survey conducted in 2016 as part of a larger investigation into the lifeways and political subjectivities of Brazil’s “once-rising poor,” the demographic sector comprising poor and working-class people who experienced various forms of socioeconomic mobility in the early twenty-first century. After reflecting on the challenges of maintaining a critical perspective on class labels and relations that were intensely contested at the time, the article introduces the survey sample (n = 1,204), highlighting variables captured. It then establishes the demographic profile, mobility experiences, political values, attitudes, and behaviors of the sample. The portrait that emerges for this sector is one of economic precarity, heterogeneous experiences of socioeconomic mobility (and nonmobility) over the past two decades, and significant alienation from formal politics.
Is an elevated family-genetic risk for major psychiatric disorders specific to creative occupations?
Authors: Kendler Kenneth S. , Ohlsson Henrik , Sundquist Jan , Sundquist Kristina
Published: June 2022

Background

Despite a large descriptive literature linking creativity and risk for psychiatric illness, the magnitude and specificity of this relationship remain controversial.

Methods

We examined, in 1 137 354 native Swedes with one of 59 3-digit official and objective occupational codes in managerial and educated classes, their familial genetic risk score (FGRS) for ten major disorders, calculated from 1st through 5th degree relatives. Mean FGRS across disorders were calculated, in 3- and 4-digit occupational groups, and then controlled for those whose disorder onset preceded occupational choice. Using sequential analyses, p values were evaluated using Bonferroni correction.

Results

3-digit professions considered to reflect creativity (e.g. ‘artists’ and ‘authors’) were among those with statistically significant elevations of FGRS. Among more specific 4-digit codes, visual artists, actors, and authors stood out with elevated genetic risks, highest for major depression (MD), anxiety disorders (AD) and OCD, more modest for bipolar disorders (BD) and schizophrenia and, for authors, for drug and alcohol use disorders. However, equal or greater elevations in FGRS across disorders were seen for religious (e.g. ministers), helping (e.g. psychologists, social workers), and teaching/academic occupations (e.g. professors). The potential pathway from FGRS → Disorder → Occupation accounts for a modest proportion of the signal, largely for MD and AD risk.

Conclusions

While traditional creative occupations were associated with elevated genetic risk for a range of psychiatric disorders, this association was not unique, as similar, or greater elevations were seen for religious, helping and teaching professions and was stronger for internalizing than psychotic disorders.
Care chronicles: needing, seeking and getting self-funded social care as biographical disruptions among older people and their families
Authors: Heavey Emily , Baxter Kate , Birks Yvonne
Published: June 2022

Social care to assist with the activities of daily living is a necessity for many older people; while informal care provided by family members can be a first step to meeting care needs, formal care provided by professionals is often needed or preferred by older people and their families. In England, the number of older people paying for formal care is set to rise, driven by an ageing population and the limited resources of local authorities. Little is known about how older people and their families experience the potentially disruptive processes of deciding upon, searching for and implementing such care, including the financial implications. This paper explores accounts of seeking self-funded social care in England, told by older people and their families in 39 qualitative interviews. These accounts, which we call ‘care chronicles’, include stories about the emergence of care needs and informal care-giving, the search for formal care, including interacting with new systems and agencies, and getting formal (paid) care, either as the recipient or an involved family member. Stories are analysed through the lens of biographical disruption, and analysis demonstrates that such disruptions can occur for older people and their families across the entirety of the care chronicle. Needing, seeking and getting care all have the potential to cause practical and symbolic disruptions; moreover, these disruptions can be cumulative and cyclical, as attempts to resolve or minimise one disruption can lead to new ones. While the concept of biographical disruption is a mainstay in medical sociology, it is less frequently applied to issues relating to social care, and most often takes embodiment as a key focus. This study is novel in its application of the concept to experiences of seeking self-funded care, and in its introduction of the concept of ‘care chronicles’, which invite a longer and broader view of biographical disruptions in the lives of older people with care needs and their families.
The Church's Promotion of Public Health in the Southern Part of the Nineteenth-Century Austro-Hungarian Empire
Authors: Gabrić Branka , Damjanović Barišić Darija
Published: June 2022

Then part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, the kingdom of Slavonia was characterized in the nineteenth century by constant political and administrative changes. After its liberation from Ottoman conquests, the rural area of the kingdom, already underpopulated, was left with damaged and poor infrastructure. In such circumstances, and as the most educated figures within their communities, Catholic bishops from the diocese of Đakovo and Srijem oversaw the reorganization and reform of local society, providing the foundations for further social development. They renewed and modernized local infrastructure and the production of basic goods, while also providing access to clean water and introducing hygiene measures in cemeteries to prevent the spread of infectious diseases. In addition, they played a crucial role in the opening of hospitals and schools in the region. In such work, one can detect elements of the approach later known as public health.
‘It is well with the child’: Changing Views on Protestant Missionary Children's Health, 1870s–1930s
Authors: Morrison Hugh
Published: June 2022

Esme Cleall observes that for nineteenth-century British missionary families ill-health was constructed as being ‘reflexive of and contributory to a specifically missionary identity’. This article argues that while this was a persistent theme, a new and significantly different discourse emerged emphasizing missionary families’ health. Children were central to this discursive shift. The article focuses on missionary children's health, using selected Anglo-American cases. There was an uneasy overlap of religiously motivated rhetoric that still expected illness and death to be part of missionary childhood experience, and a professionalized discourse that redefined missionary families as sites of health and well-being. This culminated in medical and academic literature within religious and missionary circles that constructed missionaries’ children as a new category. Thus churches responded both to the development of the medical profession and to the development of modern child-centred thinking and practices, in the process developing a new missiological or theological response to childhood.
‘Alleviating the Sum of Human Suffering’: The Origins, Attributes and Appeal of Hospital Sunday, 1859–1914
Authors: Ottewill Roger
Published: June 2022

In many communities, from the mid-Victorian era until well into the twentieth century, one Sunday every year was dedicated to the work of local hospitals and dispensaries. Originating in Birmingham and designated Hospital Sunday, it enabled congregations to remember their responsibilities towards the sick and it raised much-needed funds for what was essentially voluntary provision, prior to the establishment of the National Health Service. In so doing, they were demonstrating their commitment to philanthropy and (for many) the tenets of the social gospel. Hospital Sunday also symbolized an element of interdenominational cooperation, with most denominations participating, at a time when relations between the established church and the Free Churches on other issues could sometimes be fraught. Moreover, it facilitated the engagement of churches with charitable organizations, such as friendly societies. This article aims to explore the origins of Hospital Sunday, to analyse its key attributes, to assess its appeal and to highlight some of the issues which arose during the Victorian and Edwardian eras.
Treatment-emergent zentrale Schlafapnoe erkennen und behandeln
Authors: Hutter Tabea , Horvath Christian , Hefti Jacqueline Pichler , Brill Anne-Kathrin
Published: June 2022

Zusammenfassung. Bei der Treatment-Emergent Central Sleep Apnea (TECSA) entwickeln betroffene Personen mit obstruktiver Schlafapnoe unter Therapie mit einer Überdruckventilation neu eine zentrale Schlafapnoe (AHI zentral ≥5/h), die nicht durch andere Ursachen erklärt werden kann. Die Pathophysiologie der TECSA ist unvollständig geklärt. Eine zentrale Rolle scheint das PaCO2 und die damit verbundene Apnoeschwelle einzunehmen. Die Häufigkeit der TECSA variiert (1,8–20%), in etwa 2/3 der Fälle ist es unter Fortführung der Therapie selbstlimitierend. Bei Persistenz oder neuem Auftreten im späteren Verlauf der Überdrucktherapie sind weitere Abklärungen (z.B. Echokardiografie, neurologische Untersuchung, Medikamentenanamnese) angezeigt. Effektive Therapiemöglichkeiten beinhalten unter anderem eine Umstellung der Beatmungstherapie (adaptive Servoventilation oder Bilevel-Ventilation mit Back-up-Frequenz) oder eine zusätzliche nächtliche Sauerstoffsupplementation; dies sind meist Einzelfallentscheidungen.
Impact of BCR::ABL1 transcript type on RT-qPCR amplification performance and molecular response to therapy
Authors: Salmon Matthew , White Helen E. , Zizkova Hana , Gottschalk Andrea , Motlova Eliska , Cerveira Nuno , Colomer Dolors , Coriu Daniel , Franke Georg N. , Gottardi Enrico , Izzo Barbara , Jurcek Tomas , Lion Thomas , Schäfer Vivien , Venturi Claudia , Vigneri Paolo , Zawada Magdalena , Zuna Jan , Hovorkova Lenka , Koblihova Jitka , Klamova Hana , Markova Marketa Stastna , Srbova Dana , Benesova Adela , Polivkova Vaclava , Zackova Daniela , Mayer Jiri , Roeder Ingo , Glauche Ingmar , Ernst Thomas , Hochhaus Andreas , Polakova Katerina Machova , Cross Nicholas C. P.
Published: June 2022

Several studies have reported that chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML) patients expressing e14a2BCR::ABL1have a faster molecular response to therapy compared to patients expressing e13a2. To explore the reason for this difference we undertook a detailed technical comparison of the commonly used Europe Against Cancer (EAC)BCR::ABL1reverse transcriptase quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) assay in European Treatment and Outcome Study (EUTOS) reference laboratories (n = 10). We found the amplification ratio of the e13a2 amplicon was 38% greater than e14a2 (p = 0.015), and the amplification efficiency was 2% greater (P = 0.17). This subtle difference led to measurable transcript-type dependent variation in estimates of residual disease which could be corrected by (i) taking the qPCR amplification efficiency into account, (ii) using alternative RT-qPCR approaches or (iii) droplet digital PCR (ddPCR), a technique which is relatively insensitive to differences in amplification kinetics. In CML patients, higher levels ofBCR::ABL1/GUSBwere identified at diagnosis for patients expressing e13a2 (n = 67) compared to e14a2 (n = 78) when analysed by RT-qPCR (P = 0.0005) but not ddPCR (P = 0.5). These data indicate that widely used RT-qPCR assays result in subtly different estimates of disease depending onBCR::ABL1transcript type; these differences are small but may need to be considered for optimal patient management.
Histone H3K27 demethylase UTX compromises articular chondrocyte anabolism and aggravates osteoarthritic degeneration
Authors: Lian Wei-Shiung , Wu Re-Wen , Ko Jih-Yang , Chen Yu-Shan , Wang Shao-Yu , Yu Chun-Ping , Jahr Holger , Wang Feng-Sheng
Published: June 2022

Epigenome alteration in chondrocytes correlates with osteoarthritis (OA) development. H3K27me3 demethylase UTX regulates tissue homeostasis and deterioration, while its role was not yet studied in articulating joint tissue in situ. We now uncovered that increased UTX and H3K27me3 expression in articular chondrocytes positively correlated with human knee OA. Forced UTX expression upregulated the H3K27me3 enrichment at transcription factor Sox9 promoter, inhibiting key extracellular matrix molecules collagen II, aggrecan, and glycosaminoglycan in articular chondrocytes. Utx overexpression in knee joints aggravated the signs of OA, including articular cartilage damage, synovitis, osteophyte formation, and subchondral bone loss in mice. Chondrocyte-specific Utx knockout mice developed thicker articular cartilage than wild-type mice and showed few gonarthrotic symptoms during destabilized medial meniscus- and collagenase-induced joint injury. In vitro, Utx loss changed H3K27me3-binding epigenomic landscapes, which contributed to mitochondrial activity, cellular senescence, and cartilage development. Insulin-like growth factor 2 (Igf2) and polycomb repressive complex 2 (PRC2) core components Eed and Suz12 were, among others, functional target genes of Utx. Specifically, Utx deletion promoted Tfam transcription, mitochondrial respiration, ATP production and Igf2 transcription but inhibited Eed and Suz12 expression. Igf2 blockade or forced Eed or Suz12 expression increased H3K27 trimethylation and H3K27me3 enrichment at Sox9 promoter, compromising Utx loss-induced extracellular matrix overproduction. Taken together, UTX repressed articular chondrocytic activity, accelerating cartilage loss during OA. Utx loss promoted cartilage integrity through epigenetic stimulation of mitochondrial biogenesis and Igf2 transcription. This study highlighted a novel noncanonical role of Utx, in concert with PRC2 core components, in controlling H3K27 trimethylation and articular chondrocyte anabolism and OA development.
Cost increase in the electricity supply to achieve carbon neutrality in China
Authors: Zhuo Zhenyu , Du Ershun , Zhang Ning , Nielsen Chris P. , Lu Xi , Xiao Jinyu , Wu Jiawei , Kang Chongqing
Published: June 2022

The Chinese government has set long-term carbon neutrality and renewable energy (RE) development goals for the power sector. Despite a precipitous decline in the costs of RE technologies, the external costs of renewable intermittency and the massive investments in new RE capacities would increase electricity costs. Here, we develop a power system expansion model to comprehensively evaluate changes in the electricity supply costs over a 30-year transition to carbon neutrality. RE supply curves, operating security constraints, and the characteristics of various generation units are modelled in detail to assess the cost variations accurately. According to our results, approximately 5.8 TW of wind and solar photovoltaic capacity would be required to achieve carbon neutrality in the power system by 2050. The electricity supply costs would increase by 9.6 CNY¢/kWh. The major cost shift would result from the substantial investments in RE capacities, flexible generation resources, and network expansion.
Altered predictive control during memory suppression in PTSD
Authors: Leone Giovanni , Postel Charlotte , Mary Alison , Fraisse Florence , Vallée Thomas , Viader Fausto , de La Sayette Vincent , Peschanski Denis , Dayan Jaques , Eustache Francis , Gagnepain Pierre
Published: June 2022

Aberrant predictions of future threat lead to maladaptive avoidance in individuals with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). How this disruption in prediction influences the control of memory states orchestrated by the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex is unknown. We combined computational modeling and brain connectivity analyses to reveal how individuals exposed and nonexposed to the 2015 Paris terrorist attacks formed and controlled beliefs about future intrusive re-experiencing implemented in the laboratory during a memory suppression task. Exposed individuals with PTSD used beliefs excessively to control hippocampal activity during the task. When this predictive control failed, the prediction-error associated with unwanted intrusions was poorly downregulated by reactive mechanisms. This imbalance was linked to higher severity of avoidance symptoms, but not to general disturbances such as anxiety or negative affect. Conversely, trauma-exposed participants without PTSD and nonexposed individuals were able to optimally balance predictive and reactive control during the memory suppression task. These findings highlight a potential pathological mechanism occurring in individuals with PTSD rooted in the relationship between the brain’s predictive and control mechanisms.
Taf2 mediates DNA binding of Taf14
Authors: Klein Brianna J. , Feigerle Jordan T. , Zhang Jibo , Ebmeier Christopher C. , Fan Lixin , Singh Rohit K. , Wang Wesley W. , Schmitt Lauren R. , Lee Thomas , Hansen Kirk C. , Liu Wenshe R. , Wang Yun-Xing , Strahl Brian D. , Anthony Weil P. , Kutateladze Tatiana G.
Published: June 2022

The assembly and function of the yeast general transcription factor TFIID complex requires specific contacts between its Taf14 and Taf2 subunits, however, the mechanism underlying these contacts remains unclear. Here, we determined the molecular and structural basis by which the YEATS and ET domains of Taf14 bind to the C-terminal tail of Taf2 and identified a unique DNA-binding activity of the linker region connecting the two domains. We show that in the absence of ligands the linker region of Taf14 is occluded by the surrounding domains, and therefore the DNA binding function of Taf14 is autoinhibited. Binding of Taf2 promotes a conformational rearrangement in Taf14, resulting in a release of the linker for the engagement with DNA and the nucleosome. Genetic in vivo data indicate that the association of Taf14 with both Taf2 and DNA is essential for transcriptional regulation. Our findings provide a basis for deciphering the role of individual TFIID subunits in mediating gene transcription.
Optomechanical crystal with bound states in the continuum
Authors: Liu Shengyan , Tong Hao , Fang Kejie
Published: June 2022

Chipscale micro- and nano-optomechanical systems, hinging on the intangible radiation-pressure force, have shown their unique strength in sensing, signal transduction, and exploration of quantum physics with mechanical resonators. Optomechanical crystals, as one of the leading device platforms, enable simultaneous molding of the band structure of optical photons and microwave phonons with strong optomechanical coupling. Here, we demonstrate a new breed of optomechanical crystals in two-dimensional slab-on-substrate structures empowered by mechanical bound states in the continuum (BICs) at 8 GHz. We show symmetry-induced BIC emergence with optomechanical couplings up to g/2π ≈ 2.5 MHz per unit cell, on par with low-dimensional optomechanical crystals. Our work paves the way towards exploration of photon-phonon interaction beyond suspended microcavities, which might lead to new applications of optomechanics from phonon sensing to quantum transduction.
The structure of EXTL3 helps to explain the different roles of bi-domain exostosins in heparan sulfate synthesis
Authors: Wilson L. F. L. , Dendooven T. , Hardwick S. W. , Echevarría-Poza A. , Tryfona T. , Krogh K. B. R. M. , Chirgadze D. Y. , Luisi B. F. , Logan D. T. , Mani K. , Dupree P.
Published: June 2022

Heparan sulfate is a highly modified O-linked glycan that performs diverse physiological roles in animal tissues. Though quickly modified, it is initially synthesised as a polysaccharide of alternating β-d-glucuronosyl and N-acetyl-α-d-glucosaminyl residues by exostosins. These enzymes generally possess two glycosyltransferase domains (GT47 and GT64)—each thought to add one type of monosaccharide unit to the backbone. Although previous structures of murine exostosin-like 2 (EXTL2) provide insight into the GT64 domain, the rest of the bi-domain architecture is yet to be characterised; hence, how the two domains co-operate is unknown. Here, we report the structure of human exostosin-like 3 (EXTL3) in apo and UDP-bound forms. We explain the ineffectiveness of EXTL3’s GT47 domain to transfer β-d-glucuronosyl units, and we observe that, in general, the bi-domain architecture would preclude a processive mechanism of backbone extension. We therefore propose that heparan sulfate backbone polymerisation occurs by a simple dissociative mechanism.
Functional and phylogenetic analyses of camel rumen microbiota associated with different lignocellulosic substrates
Authors: Gharechahi Javad , Sarikhan Sajjad , Han Jian-Lin , Ding Xue-Zhi , Salekdeh Ghasem Hosseini
Published: June 2022

Rumen microbiota facilitates nutrition through digestion of recalcitrant lignocellulosic substrates into energy-accessible nutrients and essential metabolites. Despite the high similarity in rumen microbiome structure, there might be distinct functional capabilities that enable different ruminant species to thrive on various lignocellulosic substrates as feed. Here, we applied genome-centric metagenomics to explore phylogenetic diversity, lignocellulose-degrading potential and fermentation metabolism of biofilm-forming microbiota colonizing 11 different plant substrates in the camel rumen. Diversity analysis revealed significant variations in the community of rumen microbiota colonizing different substrates in accordance with their varied physicochemical properties. Metagenome reconstruction recovered genome sequences of 590 bacterial isolates and one archaeal lineage belonging to 20 microbial phyla. A comparison to publicly available reference genomes and rumen metagenome-assembled genomes revealed that most isolates belonged to new species with no well-characterized representatives. We found that certain low abundant taxa, including members of Verrucomicrobiota, Planctomycetota and Fibrobacterota, possessed a disproportionately large number of carbohydrate active enzymes per Mb of genome, implying their high metabolic potential to contribute to the rumen function. In conclusion, we provided a detailed picture of the diversity and functional significance of rumen microbiota colonizing feeds of varying lignocellulose composition in the camel rumen. A detailed analysis of 591 metagenome-assembled genomes revealed a network of interconnected microbiota and highlighted the key roles of certain taxonomic clades in rumen function, including those with minimal genomes (e.g., Patescibacteria). The existence of a diverse array of gene clusters encoding for secondary metabolites unveiled the specific functions of these biomolecules in shaping community structure of rumen microbiota.
Continuous Bose–Einstein condensation
Authors: Chen Chun-Chia , González Escudero Rodrigo , Minář Jiří , Pasquiou Benjamin , Bennetts Shayne , Schreck Florian
Published: June 2022

Bose–Einstein condensates (BECs) are macroscopic coherent matter waves that have revolutionized quantum science and atomic physics. They are important to quantum simulation1 and sensing2,3, for example, underlying atom interferometers in space4 and ambitious tests of Einstein’s equivalence principle5,6. A long-standing constraint for quantum gas devices has been the need to execute cooling stages time-sequentially, restricting these devices to pulsed operation. Here we demonstrate continuous Bose–Einstein condensation by creating a continuous-wave (CW) condensate of strontium atoms that lasts indefinitely. The coherent matter wave is sustained by amplification through Bose-stimulated gain of atoms from a thermal bath. By steadily replenishing this bath while achieving 1,000 times higher phase-space densities than previous works7,8, we maintain the conditions for condensation. Our experiment is the matter wave analogue of a CW optical laser with fully reflective cavity mirrors. This proof-of-principle demonstration provides a new, hitherto missing piece of atom optics, enabling the construction of continuous coherent-matter-wave devices.
Nanoscale imaging of phonon dynamics by electron microscopy
Authors: Gadre Chaitanya A. , Yan Xingxu , Song Qichen , Li Jie , Gu Lei , Huyan Huaixun , Aoki Toshihiro , Lee Sheng-Wei , Chen Gang , Wu Ruqian , Pan Xiaoqing
Published: June 2022

Spatially resolved vibrational mapping of nanostructures is indispensable to the development and understanding of thermal nanodevices1, modulation of thermal transport2 and novel nanostructured thermoelectric materials3–5. Through the engineering of complex structures, such as alloys, nanostructures and superlattice interfaces, one can significantly alter the propagation of phonons and suppress material thermal conductivity while maintaining electrical conductivity2. There have been no correlative experiments that spatially track the modulation of phonon properties in and around nanostructures due to spatial resolution limitations of conventional optical phonon detection techniques. Here we demonstrate two-dimensional spatial mapping of phonons in a single silicon–germanium (SiGe) quantum dot (QD) using monochromated electron energy loss spectroscopy in the transmission electron microscope. Tracking the variation of the Si optical mode in and around the QD, we observe the nanoscale modification of the composition-induced red shift. We observe non-equilibrium phonons that only exist near the interface and, furthermore, develop a novel technique to differentially map phonon momenta, providing direct evidence that the interplay between diffuse and specular reflection largely depends on the detailed atomistic structure: a major advancement in the field. Our work unveils the non-equilibrium phonon dynamics at nanoscale interfaces and can be used to study actual nanodevices and aid in the understanding of heat dissipation near nanoscale hotspots, which is crucial for future high-performance nanoelectronics.
Core control principles of the eukaryotic cell cycle
Authors: Basu Souradeep , Greenwood Jessica , Jones Andrew W. , Nurse Paul
Published: June 2022

Cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs) lie at the heart of eukaryotic cell cycle control, with different cyclin–CDK complexes initiating DNA replication (S-CDKs) and mitosis (M-CDKs)1,2. However, the principles on which cyclin–CDK complexes organize the temporal order of cell cycle events are contentious3. One model proposes that S-CDKs and M-CDKs are functionally specialized, with substantially different substrate specificities to execute different cell cycle events4–6. A second model proposes that S-CDKs and M-CDKs are redundant with each other, with both acting as sources of overall CDK activity7,8. In this model, increasing CDK activity, rather than CDK substrate specificity, orders cell cycle events9,10. Here we reconcile these two views of core cell cycle control. Using phosphoproteomic assays of in vivo CDK activity in fission yeast, we find that S-CDK and M-CDK substrate specificities are remarkably similar, showing that S-CDKs and M-CDKs are not completely specialized for S phase and mitosis alone. Normally, S-CDK cannot drive mitosis but can do so when protein phosphatase 1 is removed from the centrosome. Thus, increasing S-CDK activity in vivo is sufficient to overcome substrate specificity differences between S-CDK and M-CDK, and allows S-CDK to carry out M-CDK function. Therefore, we unite the two opposing views of cell cycle control, showing that the core cell cycle engine is largely based on a quantitative increase in CDK activity through the cell cycle, combined with minor and surmountable qualitative differences in catalytic specialization of S-CDKs and M-CDKs.
Thermal enhancement in Falkner–Skan flow of the nanofluid by considering molecular diameter and freezing temperature
Authors: Adnan  , Murtaza Rashid , Hussain Iftikhar , Rehman Ziaur , Khan Ilyas , Andualem Mulugeta
Published: June 2022

The analysis of nanofluids heat transfer over a wedge is very important due to their wider applications in applied thermal engineering, chemical engineering and biomedical engineering etc. Therefore, aim of the study is to explore the heat transport in nanofluid over a wedge (Falkner Skan flow) under viscous dissipation and thermal radiation over a wedge. The proper model formulation is carried out via similarity relations and empirical correlations of the nanofluids. After successful model transformation, numerical scheme (RK technique along with shooting technique) applied and furnished the results over the desired domain under varying effects of preemenant flow parameters. The results revealed that the velocity rises for opposing ($$\gamma <0$$

γ
<
0

) and assisting ($$\gamma >0$$

γ
>
0

) flows against $$\lambda$$
λ
and significant contribution of Ec and imposed thermal radiations (Rd number) observed in thermal performance of the nanofluid. The temperature declines by strengthen $$\lambda$$
λ
and optimum decrement is noted for opposing flow. Finally, a comparison is provided for various values of $$\lambda$$
λ
($$\lambda =\mathrm{0,0.014}, 0.04, 0.09, 0.1429, 0.2, \mathrm{0.333,0.5}$$

λ
=

0
,
0.014

,
0.04
,
0.09
,
0.1429
,
0.2
,

0.333
,
0.5

) with previously published work under certain restrictions and found an excellent agreement.