bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
o2geosocial: Reconstructing who-infected-whom from routinely collected surveillance data
Authors: Robert Alexis , Funk Sebastian , Kucharski Adam J
Published: June 2021

Reconstructing the history of individual transmission events between cases is key to understanding what factors facilitate the spread of an infectious disease. Since conducting extended contact-tracing investigations can be logistically challenging and costly, statistical inference methods have been developed to reconstruct transmission trees from onset dates and genetic sequences. However, these methods are not as effective if the mutation rate of the virus is very slow, or if sequencing data is sparse.

We developed the packageo2geosocialto combine variables from routinely collected surveillance data with a simple transmission process model. The model reconstructs transmission trees when full genetic sequences are unavailable, or uninformative. Our model incorporates the reported age-group, onset date, location and genotype of infected cases to infer probabilistic transmission trees. The package also includes functions to summarise and visualise the inferred cluster size distribution.

The results generated byo2geosocialcan highlight regions where importations repeatedly caused large outbreaks, which may indicate a higher regional susceptibility to infections. It can also be used to generate the individual number of secondary transmissions, and show the features associated with individuals involved in high transmission events.

The package is available for download from the Comprehensive R Archive Network (CRAN) and GitHub.
Worldviews of science teachers in educational-technological context as a key factor in digitalization of teaching practices
Authors: Tsybulsky Dina , Muchnik-Rozanov Yulia
Published: June 2021

Background:This research deals with science teachers' worldviews in the educational-technological context. Obtaining a deeper insight into teachers' discourse regarding school digitalization and understanding teachers' worldviews in the educational-technological context may be viewed as crucially important since the latter tends to play a central role in the process of digitalization of teaching practices.

Methods:This study addresses the following questions: (1) Was there a difference between the teachers regarding their foci of attention expressed via personal pronouns? (2) Was there a difference between the teachers in terms of the quality and degree of their emotional immersion in the discussed topic expressed through the use of emotion words? (3) What are the semantic fields of the word clusters that include the lexemes technology and digital, and do they implicitly convey differences in teachers' understanding of school digitalization? The data were extracted by means of in-depth interviews with 38 Israeli science teachers. The linguistic analysis was employed to examine teachers' language behavior.

Results:The results point out the differences in teachers' worldviews, manifested through language behavior. In particular, the differences between the three groups of teachers (outside observers, circumspect participants, and conscientious participants) were found regarding their foci of attention, the level of emotional immersion, and their implicitly conveyed understanding of the digitalization of teaching practices.

Conclusions:The teachers' worldviews are the key element for understanding what it means to be or not to be a teacher in a digital society. In addition, our study demonstrates that linguistic analysis in educational research is a promising methodological approach that can render an in-depth and comprehensive picture of the explored phenomenon.
Case Report: Postmortem bone histomorphometric analysis in a 38-year-old Japanese man with immobilization osteoporosis because of orthostatic hypotension related to amyloid light chain amyloidosis
Authors: Hatano Masaki , Kitajima Izuru , Nakamura Masaki , Isawa Kazuya , Suwabe Tatsuya , Hoshino Junichi , Kinowaki Keiichi , Ohashi Kenichi , Sawa Naoki , Yamamoto Seizo , Ubara Yoshifumi
Published: June 2021

We performed a postmortem bone histomorphometric analysis of iliac bone on a 38-year-old man who had been bedridden for the nine months before his death because of orthostatic hypotension and severe malnutrition related to amyloidκ-light-chain amyloidosis. Cancellous bone volume was greatly decreased, with a trabecular bone volume to total bone volume ratio of 6.77% (normal value, 19.56% ± 5.62%). Trabecular thinning was also apparent, with a trabecular thickness of 78.9 μm (normal value, 131.3 ± 28.1 μm), although the trabecula was still preserved. Cortical bone width was normal, although areas of porosity area were clear throughout the cortical bone. Our findings indicate that immobilization-related osteoporosis may be closely associated with loss of cancellous bone.
Determinants of regulatory compliance in health and social care services: a systematic review protocol
Authors: Dunbar Paul , Browne John P. , O'Connor Laura
Published: June 2021

Background: The delivery of high quality health and social care services is a fundamental goal for health systems worldwide. Identifying the determinants of quality is a complex task as there are a myriad of variables to choose from. Researchers in this field have assessed a range of organisational and environmental factors (for example: staff composition, facility ownership, facility size) for an association with various quality metrics. Less attention has been paid to the determinants of compliance with quality regulation. Identifying the determinants of compliance has the potential to improve regulatory processes and can inform quality improvement initiatives undertaken by service providers and policy makers. This protocol describes a systematic review which will review literature from a wide range of study designs and sources to develop an overview of the determinants of regulatory compliance in health and social care services.

Methods: A wide range of study designs and grey literature will be sought for this review. Searches will be conducted using PubMed, MEDLINE, PsycInfo, SocINDEX and CINAHL databases. The studies included in the review will be subject to quality appraisal with reference to the collection of tools available from the Joanna Briggs Institute. Data extraction will be informed by the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR). A narrative synthesis will be conducted on the barriers, facilitators and factors associated with compliance, with reference to the concepts mapped onto the CFIR. GRADE-CERQual will be used to grade the overall body of evidence.

Conclusion: The findings of this review will be useful to regulators to inform regulatory policy and practice. Service providers and policy makers may also use the findings to inform quality improvement initiatives aimed at improving compliance and quality across a range of health and social care services.
Gender Inequality in Research Productivity During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Cui Ruomeng , Ding Hao , Zhu Feng
Published: June 2021

Problem definition: We study the disproportionate impact of the lockdown as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak on female and male academic research productivity in social science. Academic/practical relevance: The lockdown has caused substantial disruptions to academic activities, requiring people to work from home. How this disruption affects productivity and the related gender equity is an important operations and societal question. Methodology: We collect data from the largest open-access preprint repository for social science on 41,858 research preprints in 18 disciplines produced by 76,832 authors across 25 countries over a span of two years. We use a difference-in-differences approach leveraging the exogenous pandemic shock. Results: Our results indicate that, in the 10 weeks after the lockdown in the United States, although total research productivity increased by 35%, female academics’ productivity dropped by 13.2% relative to that of male academics. We also show that this intensified productivity gap is more pronounced for assistant professors and for academics in top-ranked universities and is found in six other countries. Managerial implications: Our work points out the fairness issue in productivity caused by the lockdown, a finding that universities will find helpful when evaluating faculty productivity. It also helps organizations realize the potential unintended consequences that can arise from telecommuting.
Ideal or Idiosyncratic? How Women Manage Work-Family Role Conflict with Focal and Peripheral Role Senders
Authors: Thomason Bobbi
Published: June 2021

To provide insight into women’s approaches to managing the work-family interface, I introduce the concepts of focal and peripheral role senders and illuminate the importance of their interplay in the enactment of women’s domestic roles. At the core of my theoretical model is the process by which focal and peripheral role senders embrace or reject an ideal enactment of domestic roles and the women’s strategies women use to either acquiesce to ideal roles or acquire idiosyncratic roles. This paper examines the husband as the focal role sender, consistent with the literature’s focus and the pervasiveness of husbands in my data, and considers peripheral role senders, such as parents and in-laws, who also influence women’s role enactment, either by amplifying or muting the husband’s preferred role enactment. This research contributes to existing theory by introducing the importance of focal and peripheral role senders, illuminating how these multiple senders and their interaction influence women’s strategies to deal with role conflict, and documenting how women’s strategies subsequently influence their career trajectories.
Radial shearing speckle pattern interference system based on a spatial light modulator
Authors: Wu Shuangle , Li Chen , Xie Haotian , Yao Yanfeng , Wang Yonghong
Published: June 2021

We propose a new radial shearing speckle pattern interference system. The introduction of radial shearing and the four-step temporal phase shift are realized using a spatial light modulator to modulate the phase information of the light wavefront. The modulation mode of the spatial light modulator is controlled by programming, and thus the shearing information can be adjusted quickly and arbitrarily according to the actual measurement needs. The interference system no longer has the requirement of the defect direction in nondestructive testing and can simultaneously realize the accurate detection of defects in all directions. The basic principle of radial shearing speckle pattern interferometry and the introduction method of radial shearing are described, and the system feasibility and practicability are verified by experiments.
Real-time optical transponder prototype with autonegotiation protocol for software defined networks
Authors: Gouin Alexandre , Dupas Arnaud , Gifre Renom Lluis , Benabdallah Ahmed , Boitier Fabien , Layec Patricia
Published: June 2021

We present a prototype transponder with fast synchronized change of parameters in the case of traffic quality degradation thanks to link impairment detection and autonegotiation capabilities. This concept has been implemented and validated in real time using a field programmable gate array (FPGA) platform, a Raspberry Pi, and a commercial transponder. We introduce an autonegotiation protocol for local decision-making between two transponders. We measure the latency added by this protocol processing cores inside the FPGA. We then integrate this transponder prototype inside a network testbed, where we compare its performance in detecting and resolving a soft failure against a centralized software-defined network control and management plane. Our solution proves to be 2 times faster and shows less variability on average than a centralized one. This work is complementary to control plane decision-making and brings further flexibility with the idea in mind to promote wider use of reconfigurations toward close-to-zero-margin optical networks.
Barium nonlinear optical crystals for the mid-IR: characterization and some applications
Authors: Petrov Valentin , Badikov Valeriy V. , Badikov Dmitrii V. , Kato Kiyoshi , Shevyrdyaeva Galina S. , Miyata Kentaro , Mero Mark , Wang Li , Heiner Zsuzsanna , Panyutin Vladimir L.
Published: June 2021

The linear and nonlinear optical properties of

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are reviewed, highlighting their potential for frequency downconversion of powerful laser sources from the near- to the mid-IR. Examples of successful applications are summarized and briefly discussed.
Bi-layered composite gratings with high diffraction efficiency enabled by near-field coupling
Authors: Feng Chuhuan , Qiao Qifeng , Yu Hongbin , Zhou Guangya
Published: June 2021

In this paper, we present a design method for bi-layered composite gratings to achieve high diffraction efficiency. These composite gratings feature strong near-field coupling between their constituent dielectric subwavelength gratings, thus enabling high-efficiency first-order diffraction in the far-field. An intuitive explanation based on a wavevector matching condition for such high diffraction efficiency composite gratings is provided. According to theoretical analysis, a design strategy for the proposed composite gratings is developed and verified by numerical simulations with gratings working in both TE and TM modes. The proposed strategy could open door to develop bi-layered composite gratings for manipulating diffracted waves with high efficiency, thus may potentially enable new applications in photonic systems.
Efficient white upconversion luminescence in Yb3+/Eu3+ doubly-doped transparent glass ceramic
Authors: Li Jianfeng , Long Yi , Zhao Qichao , Zheng Shupei , Fang Zaijin , Guan Bai-Ou
Published: June 2021

Efficient white upconversion (UC) luminescence is obtained in Yb3+/Eu3+ doubly-doped optical glass ceramic (GC) for the first time. KYb3F10 nanocrystals are controllably precipitated from the amorphous networks via the inducing of Yb3+. Yb3+ ions are spontaneously confined within the compact fluoride crystal structures to produce efficient blue UC emissions of Yb3+-Yb3+ pairs. Eu3+ ions are easily incorporated into the KYb3F10 crystal lattices. Owing to the extremely short interionic distance in the crystal structures, intense green UC emissions apart from the red emissions of Eu3+ are observed, which are not obtained by the traditional Yb3+/Eu3+ doubly-doped GCs. As a result, white UC emissions are synthesized based on the three-primary-color principle and the emission intensities of GCs are dramatically enhanced as compared to glass. The designed GCs provide novel optical gain materials for the promising applications in three-dimensional display, solid-state lighting and tunable fiber lasers.
Multiple-view D2NNs array: realizing robust 3D object recognition
Authors: Shi Jiashuo , Zhou Liang , Liu Taige , Hu Chai , Liu Kewei , Luo Jun , Wang Haiwei , Xie Changsheng , Zhang Xinyu
Published: June 2021

As an optical-based classifier of the physical neural network, the independent diffractive deep neural network (

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array (r-MDA) framework is demonstrated to resist the redundant spatial features of invalid lightfields due to severe optical disturbances.
Numerical evaluation reveals the effect of branching morphology on vessel transport properties during angiogenesis
Authors: Mirzapour-Shafiyi Fatemeh , Kametani Yukinori , Hikita Takao , Hasegawa Yosuke , Nakayama Masanori
Published: June 2021

Blood flow governs transport of oxygen and nutrients into tissues. Hypoxic tissues secrete VEGFs to promote angiogenesis during development and in tissue homeostasis. In contrast, tumors enhance pathologic angiogenesis during growth and metastasis, suggesting suppression of tumor angiogenesis could limit tumor growth. In line with these observations, various factors have been identified to control vessel formation in the last decades. However, their impacts on the vascular transport properties of oxygen remain elusive. Here, we take a computational approach to examine the effects of vascular branching on blood flow in the growing vasculature. First of all, we reconstruct a 3D vascular model from the 2D confocal images of the growing vasculature at postnatal day 5 (P5) mouse retina, then simulate blood flow in the vasculatures, which are obtained from the gene targeting mouse models causing hypo- or hyper-branching vascular formation. Interestingly, hyper-branching morphology attenuates effective blood flow at the angiogenic front, likely promoting tissue hypoxia. In contrast, vascular hypo-branching enhances blood supply at the angiogenic front of the growing vasculature. Oxygen supply by newly formed blood vessels improves local hypoxia and decreases VEGF expression at the angiogenic front during angiogenesis. Consistent with the simulation results indicating improved blood flow in the hypo-branching vasculature, VEGF expression around the angiogenic front is reduced in those mouse retinas. Conversely, VEGF expression is enhanced in the angiogenic front of hyper-branching vasculature. Our results indicate the importance of detailed flow analysis in evaluating the vascular transport properties of branching morphology of the blood vessels.
Ten simple rules for making a vocabulary FAIR
Authors: Cox Simon J. D. , Gonzalez-Beltran Alejandra N. , Magagna Barbara , Marinescu Maria-Cristina
Published: June 2021

We present ten simple rules that support converting a legacy vocabulary—a list of terms available in a print-based glossary or in a table not accessible using web standards—into a FAIR vocabulary. Various pathways may be followed to publish the FAIR vocabulary, but we emphasise particularly the goal of providing a globally unique resolvable identifier for each term or concept. A standard representation of the concept should be returned when the individual web identifier is resolved, using SKOS or OWL serialised in an RDF-based representation for machine-interchange and in a web-page for human consumption. Guidelines for vocabulary and term metadata are provided, as well as development and maintenance considerations. The rules are arranged as a stepwise recipe for creating a FAIR vocabulary based on the legacy vocabulary. By following these rules you can achieve the outcome of converting a legacy vocabulary into a standalone FAIR vocabulary, which can be used for unambiguous data annotation. In turn, this increases data interoperability and enables data integration.
Human IgG and IgA responses to COVID-19 mRNA vaccines
Authors: Wisnewski Adam V. , Campillo Luna Julian , Redlich Carrie A.
Published: June 2021

SARS-CoV-2 spike antigen-specific IgG and IgA elicited by infection mediate viral neutralization and are likely an important component of natural immunity, however, limited information exists on vaccine induced responses. We measured COVID-19 mRNA vaccine induced IgG and IgA in serum serially, up to 145 days post vaccination in 4 subjects. Spike antigen-specific IgG levels rose exponentially and plateaued 21 days after the initial vaccine dose. After the second vaccine dose IgG levels increased further, reaching a maximum approximately 7–10 days later, and remained elevated (average of 58% peak levels) during the additional >100 day follow up period. COVID-19 mRNA vaccination elicited spike antigen-specific IgA with similar kinetics of induction and time to peak levels, but more rapid decline in serum levels following both the 1st and 2nd vaccine doses (<18% peak levels within 100 days of the 2nd shot). The data demonstrate COVID-19 mRNA vaccines effectively induce spike antigen specific IgG and IgA and highlight marked differences in their persistence in serum.
The conquest of the dark spaces: An experimental approach to lighting systems in Paleolithic caves
Authors: Medina-Alcaide Mª Ángeles , Garate Diego , Intxaurbe Iñaki , Sanchidrián José L. , Rivero Olivia , Ferrier Catherine , Mesa Mª Dolores , Pereña Jaime , Líbano Iñaki
Published: June 2021

Artificial lighting was a crucial physical resource for expanding complex social and economic behavior in Paleolithic groups. Furthermore, the control of fire allowed the development of the first symbolic behavior in deep caves, around 176 ky BP. These activities would increase during the Upper Paleolithic, when lighting residues proliferated at these sites. The physical peculiarities of Paleolithic lighting resources are very poorly understood, although this is a key aspect for the study of human activity within caves and other dark contexts. In this work, we characterize the main Paleolithic lighting systems (e.g., wooden torches, portable fat lamps, and fireplaces) through empirical observations and experimental archeology in an endokarstic context. Furthermore, each lighting system’s characteristic combustion residues were identified to achieve a better identification for the archaeological record. The experiments are based on an exhaustive review of archaeological information about this topic. Besides, we apply the estimated luminous data of a Paleolithic cave with Paleolithic art (Atxurra in northern Spain) in 3D through GIS technology to delve into the archeologic implications of illumination in Paleolithic underground activities.
Complex behavioral plasticity is not reduced in spiderlings with miniature brains
Authors: Quesada-Hidalgo Rosannette , Eberhard William G. , Barrantes Gilbert
Published: June 2021

The brains of smaller animals are smaller than those of their larger relatives, but it is not clear whether their adaptive behavioral flexibility is more limited. Previous interspecific comparisons found that aspects of web construction behavior of very small orb weaving spiders (0.005 mg) were no less precise than those of much larger related orb weavers (30 mg), but the behaviors tested were relatively simple. Here we perform a more sensitive intraspecific test involving the multiple behavioral adjustments of orb web designs made by Leucauge argyra to confinement in very small spaces. Web adjustments of spiderlings as small as ~0.1 mg were compared to previously published observations of ~80 mg conspecific adults. Spiderlings in constrained spaces made all of the complex adjustments made by adults in at least seven independent web design variables, and their adjustments were no less precise. Rough estimates based on previously published data on total brain volumes and the mean diameters of neuron cell bodies suggested that spiderlings and adult females of Leucauge may have similar numbers of neurons, due to spiderlings having smaller neurons and a greater percentage of body tissues dedicated to the brain. We speculate that this neural similarity may explain why L. argyra spiderlings showed no behavioral deficits compared with adults.
Does interviewer gender influence a mother’s response to household surveys about maternal and child health in traditional settings? A qualitative study in Bihar, India
Authors: Vollmer Nancy , Singh Mansha , Harshe Navika , Valadez Joseph J.
Published: June 2021

Background

Two probability surveys, conducted in the same districts of Bihar, India (Aurangabad and Gopalganj) at approximately the same time in 2016 using identical questionnaires and similar survey methods, produced significantly different responses for 37.2% (58/156) of the indicator comparisons. Interviewers for one survey were men while for the other they were women. Respondents were mothers of children aged 0–59 months living in a traditional rural setting. We examined the influence of interviewer gender on mothers’ survey responses and their implications for interpreting survey results.

Methods

We used qualitative methods including 10 focus group discussions (FGDs) and 33 in-depth interviews (IDIs) in the same locations as the 2016 surveys. FGD participants were purposefully selected mothers with children 0–59 months, husbands and other in-law family members. IDIs were carried out with frontline health-workers, enumerators and supervisors from the two previous household surveys.

Results

Findings revealed a preference for female interviewers for household surveys in study districts as they facilitated access to mothers and reduced their discomfort as survey participants. However, this gender preference was related to the survey question. Regardless of age, caste and educational level, most mothers were not permitted to communicate with men (aside from husbands) about female-specific health topics, including birth preparedness, delivery, menstrual cycles, contraception, breastfeeding, sexual behaviour, sexually transmitted disease, and domestic violence. Mothers in higher castes perceived these social restrictions more acutely than mothers in lower castes. There was no systematic direction of the resulting error. Mothers were willing to discuss child health issues with interviewers of either gender.

Conclusions

Interviewer gender is an important consideration when designing survey protocols for maternal and reproductive health studies and when selecting and training enumerators. Female interviewers are optimal for traditional settings in Bihar as they are more likely to obtain accurate data on sensitive topics and reduce the potential for non-sampling error due to their reduced social distance with maternal respondents.
One size fits all?: A simulation framework for face-mask fit on population-based faces
Authors: Solano Tomas , Mittal Rajat , Shoele Kourosh
Published: June 2021

The use of face masks by the general population during viral outbreaks such as the COVID-19 pandemic, although at times controversial, has been effective in slowing down the spread of the virus. The extent to which face masks mitigate the transmission is highly dependent on how well the mask fits each individual. The fit of simple cloth masks on the face, as well as the resulting perimeter leakage and face mask efficacy, are expected to be highly dependent on the type of mask and facial topology. However, this effect has, to date, not been adequately examined and quantified. Here, we propose a framework to study the efficacy of different mask designs based on a quasi-static mechanical model of the deployment of face masks onto a wide range of faces. To illustrate the capabilities of the proposed framework, we explore a simple rectangular cloth mask on a large virtual population of subjects generated from a 3D morphable face model. The effect of weight, age, gender, and height on the mask fit is studied. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommended homemade cloth mask design was used as a basis for comparison and was found not to be the most effective design for all subjects. We highlight the importance of designing masks accounting for the widely varying population of faces. Metrics based on aerodynamic principles were used to determine that thin, feminine, and young faces were shown to benefit from mask sizes smaller than that recommended by the CDC. Besides mask size, side-edge tuck-in, or pleating, of the masks as a design parameter was also studied and found to have the potential to cause a larger localized gap opening.
Descriptive analysis of surveillance data for Zika virus disease and Zika virus-associated neurological complications in Colombia, 2015–2017
Authors: Charniga Kelly , Cucunubá Zulma M. , Walteros Diana M. , Mercado Marcela , Prieto Franklyn , Ospina Martha , Nouvellet Pierre , Donnelly Christl A.
Published: June 2021

Zika virus (ZIKV) is a mosquito-borne pathogen that recently caused a major epidemic in the Americas. Although the majority of ZIKV infections are asymptomatic, the virus has been associated with birth defects in fetuses and newborns of infected mothers as well as neurological complications in adults. We performed a descriptive analysis on approximately 106,000 suspected and laboratory-confirmed cases of Zika virus disease (ZVD) that were reported during the 2015–2017 epidemic in Colombia. We also analyzed a dataset containing patients with neurological complications and recent febrile illness compatible with ZVD. Females had higher cumulative incidence of ZVD than males. Compared to the general population, cases were more likely to be reported in young adults (20 to 39 years of age). We estimated the cumulative incidence of ZVD in pregnant females at 3,120 reported cases per 100,000 population (95% CI: 3,077–3,164), which was considerably higher than the incidence in both males and non-pregnant females. ZVD cases were reported in all 32 departments. Four-hundred and eighteen patients suffered from ZIKV-associated neurological complications, of which 85% were diagnosed with Guillain-Barré syndrome. The median age of ZIKV cases with neurological complications was 12 years older than that of ZVD cases. ZIKV-associated neurological complications increased with age, and the highest incidence was reported among individuals aged 75 and older. Even though neurological complications and deaths due to ZIKV were rare in this epidemic, better risk communication is needed for people living in or traveling to ZIKV-affected areas.
Long-term woodland restoration on lowland farmland through passive rewilding
Authors: Broughton Richard K. , Bullock James M. , George Charles , Hill Ross A. , Hinsley Shelley A. , Maziarz Marta , Melin Markus , Mountford J. Owen , Sparks Tim H. , Pywell Richard F.
Published: June 2021

Natural succession of vegetation on abandoned farmland provides opportunities for passive rewilding to re-establish native woodlands, but in Western Europe the patterns and outcomes of vegetation colonisation are poorly known. We combine time series of field surveys and remote sensing (lidar and photogrammetry) to study woodland development on two farmland fields in England over 24 and 59 years respectively: the New Wilderness (2.1 ha) abandoned in 1996, and the Old Wilderness (3.9 ha) abandoned in 1961, both adjacent to ancient woodland. Woody vegetation colonisation of the New Wilderness was rapid, with 86% vegetation cover averaging 2.9 m tall after 23 years post-abandonment. The Old Wilderness had 100% woody cover averaging 13.1 m tall after 53 years, with an overstorey tree-canopy (≥ 8 m tall) covering 91%. By this stage, the structural characteristics of the Old Wilderness were approaching those of neighbouring ancient woodlands. The woody species composition of both Wildernesses differed from ancient woodland, being dominated by animal-dispersed pedunculate oakQuercus roburand berry-bearing shrubs. Tree colonisation was spatially clustered, with wind-dispersed common ashFraxinus excelsiormostly occurring near seed sources in adjacent woodland and hedgerows, and clusters of oaks probably resulting from acorn hoarding by birds and rodents. After 24 years the density of live trees in the New Wilderness was 132/ha (57% oak), with 390/ha (52% oak) in the Old Wilderness after 59 years; deadwood accounted for 8% of tree stems in the former and 14% in the latter. Passive rewilding of these ‘Wilderness’ sites shows that closed-canopy woodland readily re-established on abandoned farmland close to existing woodland, it was resilient to the presence of herbivores and variable weather, and approached the height structure of older woods within approximately 50 years. This study provides valuable long-term reference data in temperate Europe, helping to inform predictions of the potential outcomes of widespread abandonment of agricultural land in this region.
Complement factor H protects tumor cell-derived exosomes from complement-dependent lysis and phagocytosis
Authors: Bushey Ryan T. , Gottlin Elizabeth B. , Campa Michael J. , Patz Edward F.
Published: June 2021

Exosomes are a class of extracellular vesicles (EVs) that are mediators of normal intercellular communication, but exosomes are also used by tumor cells to promote oncogenesis and metastasis. Complement factor H (CFH) protects host cells from attack and destruction by the alternative pathway of complement-dependent cytotoxicity (CDC). Here we show that CFH can protect exosomes from complement-mediated lysis and phagocytosis. CFH was found to be associated with EVs from a variety of tumor cell lines as well as EVs isolated from the plasma of patients with metastatic non-small cell lung cancer. Higher levels of CFH-containing EVs correlated with higher metastatic potential of cell lines. GT103, a previously described antibody to CFH that preferentially causes CDC of tumor cells, was used to probe the susceptibility of tumor cell-derived exosomes to destruction. Exosomes were purified from EVs using CD63 beads. Incubation of GT103 with tumor cell-derived exosomes triggered exosome lysis primarily by the classical complement pathway as well as antibody-dependent exosome phagocytosis by macrophages. These results imply that GT103-mediated exosome destruction can be triggered by antibody Fc-C1q interaction (in the case of lysis), and antibody-Fc receptor interactions (in the case of phagocytosis). Thus, this work demonstrates CFH is expressed on tumor cell derived exosomes, can protect them from complement lysis and phagocytosis, and that an anti-CFH antibody can be used to target tumor-derived exosomes for exosome destruction via innate immune mechanisms. These findings suggest that a therapeutic CFH antibody has the potential to inhibit tumor progression and reduce metastasis promoted by exosomes.
An experimental characterization of workers’ behavior and accuracy in crowdsourced tasks
Authors: Christoforou Evgenia , Fernández Anta Antonio , Sánchez Angel
Published: June 2021

Crowdsourcing systems are evolving into a powerful tool of choice to deal with repetitive or lengthy human-based tasks. Prominent among those is Amazon Mechanical Turk, in which Human Intelligence Tasks, are posted by requesters, and afterwards selected and executed by subscribed (human) workers in the platform. Many times these HITs serve for research purposes. In this context, a very important question is how reliable the results obtained through these platforms are, in view of the limited control a requester has on the workers’ actions. Various control techniques are currently proposed but they are not free from shortcomings, and their use must be accompanied by a deeper understanding of the workers’ behavior. In this work, we attempt to interpret the workers’ behavior and reliability level in the absence of control techniques. To do so, we perform a series of experiments with 600 distinct MTurk workers, specifically designed to elicit the worker’s level of dedication to a task, according to the task’s nature and difficulty. We show that the time required by a worker to carry out a task correlates with its difficulty, and also with the quality of the outcome. We find that there are different types of workers. While some of them are willing to invest a significant amount of time to arrive at the correct answer, at the same time we observe a significant fraction of workers that reply with a wrong answer. For the latter, the difficulty of the task and the very short time they took to reply suggest that they, intentionally, did not even attempt to solve the task.
How trauma related to sex trafficking challenges parenting: Insights from Mexican and Central American survivors in the US
Authors: Marti Castaner Marti , Fowler Rachel , Landers Cassie , Cohen Lori , Orjuela Manuela
Published: June 2021

Sex trafficking, a form of human trafficking for the purpose of commercial sexual exploitation, with a global prevalence of 4.5 million, has pervasive effects in the mental and physical health of survivors. However, little is known about the experiences and needs of Latinx migrants (the majority of sex trafficking victims in the US) after trafficking, particularly regarding parenting. This QUAL-quant study examines how 14 survivors of sex trafficking (mean age = 30) from Mexico and Central America encounter and respond to parenting experiences after escaping sexual exploitation. Combining a bio-ecological model of parenting with Zimmerman’s framework on human trafficking we identified how trauma related to sex trafficking can challenge parenting and how relational and contextual pre and post trafficking factors (dis)enable women to respond to such challenges. Psychological consequences of daily victimization primarily manifested in three ways: overprotective parenting in a world perceived to be unsafe, emotional withdraw when struggling with stress and mental health symptoms, and challenges building confidence as mothers. These experiences were accentuated by pre-trafficking experiences of neglect and abuse, forced separation from their older children, poverty post-trafficking, and migration-related stressors. Yet, finding meaning in the birth of their child, having social support, and faith, also enable mothers to cope with such challenges. We conclude that motherhood after surviving sex trafficking presents new challenges and opportunities in the path to recovery from trauma. Interventions at the policy, community and individual level are needed to support survivors of sex trafficking as they enter motherhood.
Towards sustainable demersal fisheries: NepCon image acquisition system for automatic Nephrops norvegicus detection
Authors: Sokolova Maria , Thompson Fletcher , Mariani Patrizio , Krag Ludvig Ahm
Published: June 2021

Underwater video monitoring systems are being widely used in fisheries to investigate fish behavior in relation to fishing gear and fishing gear performance during fishing. Such systems can be useful to evaluate the catch composition as well. In demersal trawl fisheries, however, their applicability can be challenged by low light conditions, mobilized sediment and scattering in murky waters. In this study, we introduce a novel observation system (called NepCon) which aims at reducing current limitations by combining an optimized image acquisition setup and tailored image analyses software. The NepCon system includes a high-contrast background to enhance the visibility of the target objects, a compact camera and an artificial light source. The image analysis software includes a machine learning algorithm which is evaluated here to test automatic detection and count of Norway lobster (Nephrops norvegicus). NepCon is specifically designed for applications in demersal trawls and this first phase aims at increasing the accuracy ofN.norvegicusdetection at the data acquisition level. To find the best contrasting background for the purpose we compared the output of four image segmentation methods applied to static images ofN.norvegicusfixed in front of four test background colors. The background color with the best performance was then used to evaluate computer vision and deep learning approaches for automatic detection, tracking and counting ofN.norvegicusin the videos. In this initial phase we tested the system in an experimental setting to understand the feasibility of the system for future implementation in real demersal fishing conditions. TheN.norvegicusdirected trawl fishery typically has no assistance from underwater observation technology and therefore are largely conducted blindly. The demonstrated perception system achieves 76% accuracy (F-score) in automatic detection and count ofN.norvegicus, which provides a significant elevation of the current benchmark.
Aspirin using was associated with slower cognitive decline in patients with Alzheimer’s disease
Authors: Weng Jinyan , Zhao Guanan , Weng Liyan , Guan Jingjing ,   for the Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative
Published: June 2021

We aimed to examine whether the use of aspirin is associated with change in cognitive performance over time, and whether this association is modified by the cognitive stages. This study included a total of 1866 subjects, including 509 subjects with normal cognition (NC), 985 subjects with mild cognitive impairment (MCI), and 372 patients with Alzheimer’s disease (AD). In each group, we further categorized our subjects into two groups based on their aspirin using conditions: Aspirin users and non-aspirin users. Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) was the cognitive outcome. Linear mixed models were conducted to examine the longitudinal relationship between the use of aspirin and cognitive performance in each diagnostic group. In the cross-sectional analysis, there were no significant differences in MMSE scores between non-aspirin users and aspirin users in subjects with NC, subjects with MCI or patients with AD. In the longitudinal analysis, we detected an association of the baseline use of aspirin with cognitive decline (MMSE) over time in patients with AD, but not in the NC group or MCI group. Specifically, in AD patients, the use of aspirin at baseline was associated with slower cognitive decline over time. Our data may support an association between the use of aspirin and slower cognitive decline, while this association may be dependent on the clinical stages.
Morus alba: Host reaction for Meloidogyne javanica, biological nematicides assessment and study of these relationships with yield and quality of leaves, cocoon and health of the silkworm
Authors: da Silva Santino Aleandro , da Rosa Renata , Milanezi-Aguiar Rachel Colauto , Nascimento Cristianne Cordeiro , Machado Andressa Cristina Zamboni
Published: June 2021

Root-knot nematodes cause damage to several crops and the importance of each species can vary according with the crop and the agricultural region. In Brazil, Meloidogyne javanica is one of the most important nematode species parasitizing mulberry. To define management strategies, it is important to know if the crop species is damaged by the parasitism of the nematode and the best choices for control, as the use of nematicides. Biological nematicides have been extensively used in Brazil, but no information regarding its efficiency to control M. javanica in mulberry is available. Besides, it is not known if biological nematicides could improve the quality of leaves or if they alter the nutrient composition of leaves, which could interfere in the development of the silkworms that are feed with these leaves or in the quality of the silk produced. With the aim to address these questions, we propose a study that will start in the phenotyping of the main Brazilian mulberry cultivars to Meloidogyne species, passing through the test of efficiency of biological nematicides in the control of M. javanica in mulberry cultivar Miura, evaluation of the amount and quality of leaves produced and, using these leaves to feed silkworms, in the analyzes of the impact of these diet in the health of silkworms, and in the production and quality of the silk.
Effects of cat ownership on the gut microbiota of owners
Authors: Du Guankui , Huang Hairong , Zhu Qiwei , Ying Li
Published: June 2021

Pet ownership is an essential environmental exposure that might influence the health of the owner. This study’s primary objectives were to explore the effects of cat ownership on the gut microbial diversity and composition of owners. Raw data from the American Gut Project were obtained from the SRA database. A total of 214 Caucasian individuals (111 female) with cats and 214 individuals (111 female) without cats were used in the following analysis. OTU number showed significant alteration in the Cat group and Female_cat group, compared with that of the no cat (NC) group and Female_ NC group, respectively. Compared with the NC group, the microbial phylum Proteobacteria was significantly decreased in the Cat group. The microbial families Alcaligenaceae and Pasteurellaceae were significantly reduced, while Enterobacteriaceae and Pseudomonadaceae were significantly increased in the Cat group. Fifty metabolic pathways were predicted to be significantly changed in the Cat group. Twenty-one and 13 metabolic pathways were predicted to be significantly changed in the female_cat and male_cat groups, respectively. Moreover, the microbial phylum Cyanobacteria was significantly decreased, while the families Alcaligenaceae, Pseudomonadaceae and Enterobacteriaceae were significantly changed in the normal weight cat group. In addition, 41 and 7 metabolic pathways were predicted to be significantly changed in the normal-weight cat and overweight cat groups, respectively. Therefore, this study demonstrated that cat ownership could influence owners’ gut microbiota composition and function, especially in the female group and normal-weight group.
Clofarabine induces ERK/MSK/CREB activation through inhibiting CD99 on Ewing sarcoma cells
Authors: Sevim Handan , Çelik Haydar , Düşünceli Levent , Ceyhan Ceyda S. , Molotkova Anna , Nakazawa Kay , Graham Garrett T. , Petro Jeffrey R. , Toretsky Jeffrey A. , Üren Aykut
Published: June 2021

Clofarabine, an FDA approved purine analog, is used in the treatment of relapsed or refractory acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Clofarabine acts by inhibiting DNA synthesis. We demonstrated that clofarabine may have a novel function though inhibiting CD99, a transmembrane protein highly expressed on Ewing Sarcoma (ES) cells. CD99 is a validated target in ES whose inhibition may lead to a high therapeutic index for patients. Here we present additional data to support the hypothesis that clofarabine acts on CD99 and regulates key signaling pathways in ES. Cellular thermal shift assay indicated a direct interaction between clofarabine and CD99 in ES cell lysates. Clofarabine induced ES cell death does not require clofarabine’s conversion to its active form by deoxycytidine kinase. A phosphokinase array screen with clofarabine and a CD99 blocking antibody identified alterations in signaling pathways. CD99 inhibition with clofarabine in ES cells caused rapid and sustained phosphorylation of ERK, MSK, and CREB. However, activation of this pathway did not correlate with clofarabine induced ES cell death. In summary, we demonstrated that clofarabine may activate ERK, MSK, and CREB phosphorylation through CD99 within minutes, however this paradoxical activation and subsequent ES cell death requires additional investigation.
Quantitative assessment of the jawbone quality classification: A meta-analysis study
Authors: Shemtov-Yona Keren
Published: June 2021

Aim

Bone quality is evaluated using bone density for qualitative classification, a characteristic that may be delicate to evaluate. Contemporary implantology that relies on modern measurement techniques, needs a more quantitative estimate of the bone quality.

Materials and methods

PubMed and EMBASE databases were searched with no time restriction. Clinical and radiographic studies reporting on alveolar ridge dimensions and its parameters in different areas of the dentate and edentulous jaws were included. A meta-analysis was performed using random effect models to report a combined mean for alveolar ridge and its parameters. Meta regression statistical tests were performed in order to identify differences in those outcome parameters.

Results

30 studies were included. The majority of the selected studies (total of 27) used live human subjects and CBCT to analyze alveolar ridge dimensions and its parameters. Using the combined mean obtained from the meta-analysis, a typical portrait of the alveolar ridge was constructed, and a geometrically based quantitative bone classification proposed. The quantitative classification was found to match the existing qualitative classification.

Conclusion

A geometry-based analysis was constructed that yields valuable insights on the bone type based on its components and on the dynamics of the dentate / edentulous states.