bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Public Reason and Contemporary Political Theory
Authors: Wall Steven
Published: June 2022

The publication of John Rawls’s Political Liberalism put public reason squarely on the agenda of contemporary political theory. Ever since, it has been a central topic in the field. Although Rawls developed a distinctive account of public reason, his account is but one among many. Indeed, some commentators have insisted that public reason is a very old notion, one that can be found in the political writings of Hobbes, Locke, Rousseau, and Kant, for example. Public reason has a distinctive subject matter. It applies to the common good of a modern political society and the political institutions that serve that common good, and it contrasts with forms of reasoning that apply to less inclusive associations and communities that exist within a modern political society, such as churches, voluntary clubs, or professional associations. Public reason also contrasts with applications of reason that are not transparent and/or acceptable to adult citizens of modern political societies. The demands of transparency and acceptability have proven to be complex and contentious, and rival articulations of these notions have generated rival accounts of public reason. Public reason informs public political justification, and proponents of public reason often hold that public, political justification of at least the fundamental political arrangements of a political society is necessary for its political order to be legitimate. The reasons for insisting on public reason and the reasons for rejecting it are diverse. Common to all defenses of public reason is the thought that it represents a fitting response to the fact of intractable disagreement in modern political societies.
Colonial Korea
Authors: Kim Michael
Published: June 2022

Japan established a protectorate in 1905 and annexed Korea in 1910. The colonial occupation officially lasted thirty-five years, until the atomic bombs dropped on Nagasaki and Hiroshima precipitated the end of World War II on August 15, 1945. The Government-General of Korea administrated the colony’s affairs and enforced many laws and regulations from Japan. Yet the Japanese also made significant legal modifications that allowed for stricter censorship and control of the colony. In principle, the Government-General had absolute authority over Korea and was only accountable to the Japanese emperor rather than the Imperial Diet under the Meiji Constitution. However, in practice the Government-General was not completely independent because of the need to file reports and receive financial subsidies from the Imperial Diet.

The considerable autonomy of the Government-General to enact its own legal provisions may be important to keep in mind to understand how colonial Korea was an authoritarian system that operated separately from the Meiji Constitutional order. Korea underwent a major transition from an agrarian society to the beginnings of an industrial society during the colonial period. Many historical accounts tend to portray the colonial administration as an omnipotent force, but the Japanese faced considerable limitations and challenges in ruling the colony. Korea gradually became integrated into an autarkic economic block along with Manchuria that formed the basis for Japan’s East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere. However, political integration remained a controversial topic that was never resolved before 1945. The Japanese enforced numerous policies to mobilize the colonial population for World War II. Yet even as Koreans marched into the battlefront and served labor duty in the factories, basic political rights continued to be denied. Many of today’s tensions between Korea and Japan stem from the unresolved historical controversies from the colonial period.
Modern Swedish Economic History
Authors: Prado Svante , Molinder Jakob
Published: June 2022

The Swedish growth trajectory began in the mid-19th century as external demand for its staples added an important impetus to industrialization and structural transformation. Since then, GDP per capita has increased by a factor of 21, which means that GDP per capital has doubled 4.4 times. At the same time, the population has increased from about 3.5 million to 9.5 million. The manufacturing industry has been the outstanding force propelling the economy forward since the 1870s. It was early on based on the exploitation of the domestic supply of raw materials. From the 1890s, it was gradually producing products higher up in the value-added chain, manifested by the growth of the mechanical engineering industry and the emergence of the electro-mechanical industry. The share of manufacturing in employment terms peaked at about 35% in the 1960s but then declined to about 18% in the 2010s. Yet, the importance of it as a locomotive for economy-wide growth has not declined by nearly as much. Another principal characteristic of Swedish development is large public sector-spending, implying high taxes and ambitions welfare state arrangements. Much of the expansion in social spending occurred in the post-World War II decades by the emergence of the welfare state based on universal principles and income-related benefits. A third attribute of the Swedish economic history is far-reaching compression of incomes. Thanks to wide-spread unionization and centralized agreements between the major organizations in the labor markets, the road was paved for far-reaching compression of the wage structure, which occurred in brief episodes during the 1940s, the late 1960s, and the 1970s. The joint force of these compressions and the welfare state produced a remarkable flat income distribution by the early 1980s, testified by a Gini of about 0.2, perhaps unparalleled among developed countries. As in many other similar countries, the income distribution has widened since the early 1980s, and the other Nordic countries had lower Gini coefficients than Sweden by the mid-2010s. Migration has set a deep mark in Swedish society. Whereas the latter half of the 19th century witnessed a massive outflow of Swedes going to the United States, two different waves of immigration dominated population movements after World War II. The first wave comprised workers from Finland, former Yugoslavia, and South Europe seeking employment in the prospering labor markets of the post-World War II period. This wave ebbed out in the 1970s. The second one comprised mostly asylum seekers from conflict-ridden countries. It began in the 1980s, and it continues. Combined, these waves of immigrations have transformed the Swedish population from being very homogenous into a blend of different origins.
The Historical Evolution of Canadian Living Standards
Authors: Geloso Vincent
Published: June 2022

Canada is one of the richest countries in the world. It stands above most countries in the Americas. It is also noticeably poorer than its closest neighbor, the United States, despite considerable geographic similarity. These two facts have been true since as early as the 17th century. Why? An understanding of the historical path of Canada’s economic growth can be acquired by focusing on three important gaps in living standards within Canada: First Nations versus the rest of Canada, French Canadians versus English Canadians, and Atlantic Canada versus the rest of Canada. These three gaps allow an understanding of the crucial role of institutions in determining why Canada is rich on a global perspective and why it is poorer than the United States. However, explanations as to why Canada grew faster than Latin America are more speculative.
Women’s Participation in Violent Non-State Organizations
Authors: Loken Meredith , Matfess Hilary
Published: June 2022

Women are active participants in violent non-state actors/organizations (VNSAs). They engage in the front-line environment as armed fighters; participate off the front line as spies, recruiters, medics, and logisticians; and lead military units, hold political positions, and craft policy and outreach efforts. Women participate in VNSAs for a myriad of reasons and through a number of pathways: they join voluntarily as politicized recruits; are recruited through economic resources, potential for adventure, or other practical opportunities; may view VNSAs as a survival choice; or may be forcibly recruited. Women’s participation in VNSAs is significant both for the characteristics of political violence—as women often have unique discursive importance to organizational narratives and representations—and for conflict outcomes. VNSAs’ gender dynamics and the diverse experiences of women participants also shape post-conflict processes and durable peace efforts. The integration (or exclusion) of women from demobilization and reintegration programming, peace negotiations, and former-militant political parties affects the nature of the post-conflict political settlement.
The Formation and Success of Peace Agreements in Civil Wars
Authors: Uzonyi Gary
Published: June 2022

Peace agreements are becoming a more common outcome of civil wars in the post–Cold War era. Yet, scholars tend to view this outcome as less stable than military victory. For this reason, much research seeks to explain why some peace agreements remain robust while others fail. From this literature, it is clear that the reason why an agreement is formed greatly influences whether it will succeed. There are four key findings regarding whether an agreement succeeds. First, power-sharing, especially political power-sharing, helps increase the robustness of agreements. Second, provisions that allow for the reporting and verification of compliance with the agreement decrease chances the agreement will fail. Third, various actors—including elites, fighters, and the broader population—must be compensated to some degree to increase the chances that no group seeks to break the agreement in the future. Last, the sequence and steps through which the agreement is implemented help determine whether peace persists following the negotiated settlement.
United States Colored Troops
Authors: Pinheiro Holly
Published: June 2022

The United States Colored Troops (USCT) were a collection of racially segregated, as mandated by the US War Department, Black US Army military units that served during the Civil War and the Reconstruction era. Their collective military service is widely known for playing critical roles in ending slavery, protecting freedpeople, defeating the Confederate military, enforcing multiple US government policies, and reframing gender ideology while making explicit demands for more racially inclusive conceptions of citizenship. Black men, from a wide range of backgrounds and ages, comprised the 179,000 individuals that served in a USCT regiment. For instance, some soldiers were formerly bondsmen from Confederate states, while others (who were freeborn) came from free states and even internationally (including Canada).

USCT regiments were never solely male-exclusive domains. Numerous Black women supported the US war effort, in and outside of the military spaces, in many ways. For example, Susie King Taylor served as a laundress and nurse in the Thirty-Third United States Colored Infantry. Thus, Black women are important figures in understanding Black Civil War–era military service.

Ultimately, USCT regiments, and their supporters, fought for racial and social justice (during and long after USCT soldiering ended). Their service also provided avenues for prominent abolitionists, including Frederick Douglass, William Still, and Mary Ann Shadd Cary, who used Black military service to make clear demands for slavery and racial discrimination to end. Meanwhile, various Black communities (especially Black women) lobbied to protect their civil rights (while attempting to support USCT soldiers’ training). Additionally, the families of USCT soldiers vocalized to the Bureau of Pensions (a branch of the US government) to remember their collective wartime sacrifices through Civil War pensions. Their collective actions highlight that the history of USCT regiments requires an understanding of Black families and communities whose lived experiences remain relevant today.
The Chinese in Peru
Authors: Palma Patricia
Published: June 2022

The Chinese Peruvian community is one of the largest in the Americas. It was part of a more significant diasporic movement that started in the mid-19th century and involved millions of Chinese immigrants. Between 1847 and 1874, thousands of Chinese workers migrated to Peru under semi-slavery conditions (the coolie trade). After the 1874 Treaty of Peace, Peru and the Qing dynasty signed the Friendship, Commerce, and Navigation treaty. The coolie trade ended and thus started a stage of free migration, which became restricted in 1909 and ultimately prohibited in 1930. During the early 20th century, the Chinese faced xenophobia, violence, and restrictive immigration policies, much like they did in other Latin American and Caribbean countries. This large immigrant group sparked discussions about race, migration, and interracial families in the country. Despite their questioned role in society, the Chinese in Peru made significant contributions to Peruvian society and commerce: providing entertainment, medical services, food, and imported goods to Peruvian families. Thanks to interracial marriages and mestizaje, the Chinese community strengthened and expanded. Children born to Chinese fathers and mothers were known as Tusans, an active community that would bridge trade in the 21st century between Peru and the People’s Republic of China.
Pisco and Pisco Sour
Authors: Toro-Lira Guillermo L.
Published: June 2022

Pisco is a spirit made of grapes. It was first distilled over 400 years ago in the Spanish territory of the Viceroyalty of Peru in South America, near the port of Pisco, hence its name. The tropical region, combined with a cold Pacific Ocean current, and coastal desert environments, provided the climate and terroir conditions that resulted in a unique and highly versatile liquor. It is principally made from grapevines originally brought to Peru by Spanish conquistadors in the mid-16th century.

Pisco Sour, a pleasant mixed drink made with lime juice, simple syrup, egg whites, and bitters, is the most popular cocktail made from pisco. It was first popularized by an American expatriate in his bar located in downtown Lima in the beginning of the 20th century. Both pisco and Pisco Sour are widely consumed in the countries of Peru and Chile. Over the last couple of decades, significant efforts have been made to increase worldwide awareness and recognition for these drinks.
Digital Resources: Artificial Intelligence, Computational Approaches, and Geographical Text Analysis to Investigate Early Colonial Mexico
Authors: Murrieta-Flores Patricia , Jiménez-Badillo Diego , Martins Bruno
Published: June 2022

The application of digital technologies within interdisciplinary environments is enabling the development of more efficient methods and techniques for analyzing historical corpora at scales that were not feasible before. The project “Digging into Early Colonial Mexico” is an example of cooperation among archaeologists, historians, computer scientists, and geographers engaged in designing and implementing methods for text mining and large-scale analysis of primary and secondary historical sources, specifically the automated identification of vital analytical concepts linked to locational references, revealing the spatial and geographic context of the historical narrative. As a case study, the project focuses on the Relaciones Geográficas de la Nueva España (Geographic Reports of New Spain, or RGs). This is a corpus of textual and pictographic documents produced in 1577–1585 ce that provides one of the most complete and extensive accounts of Mexico and Guatemala’s history and the social situation at the time. The research team is developing valuable digital tools and datasets, including (a) a comprehensive historical gazetteer containing thousands of georeferenced toponyms integrated within a geographical information system (GIS); (b) two digital versions of the RGs corpus, one fully annotated and ready for information extraction, and another suitable for further experimentation with algorithms of machine learning (ML), natural language processing (NLP), and corpus linguistics (CL) analyses; and (c) software tools that support a research method called geographical text analysis (GTA). GTA applies natural language processing based on deep learning algorithms for named entity recognition, disambiguation, and classification to enable the parsing of texts and the automatic mark-up of words referring to place names that are later associated with analytical concepts through a technique called geographic collocation analysis. By leveraging the benefits of the GTA methodology and resources, the research team is in the process of investigating questions related to the landscape and territorial transformations experienced during the colonization of Mexico, as well as the discovery of social, economic, political, and religious patterns in the way of life of Indigenous and Spanish communities of New Spain toward the last quarter of the 16th century. All datasets and research products will be released under an open-access license for the free use of scholars engaged in Latin American studies or interested in computational approaches to history.
The Early History of Romance Palatalizations
Authors: Barbato Marcello
Published: June 2022

Strictly speaking, palatalization is a phonetic process of assimilation which can generate new palatal phonemes. However, in Romance linguistics, the term is traditionally used to describe any evolution (1) of velar stops preceding a front vowel, (2) of the palatal approximant (also known as “yod”) and clusters involving yod. Therefore, not only does “Romance palatalization” involve a segment which is already palatal, [j], but the result is also not always a palatal consonant: Sometimes it is a dental/alveolar (firstly an affricate, then in some cases a fricative).

The article proposes a two-phase chronology for the early Romance palatalization, with the first phase affecting /kj/, /tj/ and in some cases /k/ and /g/ before front vowels, while the second phase affects other clusters involving /j/. It also draws a distinction between the varieties which show palatalization of velar consonants before front vowels (western Romània, central Italy) and varieties which do not show it or only show it at a late stage (Sardinia, southern Italy, the Balkans).

The Romance data confirm some trends identified in typological literature and in some cases enable more precise descriptions. The consonants most susceptible to palatalization are: regarding the manner of articulation, stops (the most resistant are rhotics); regarding the place of articulation, velars (labials are the most resistant). Geminate segments are also more susceptible to palatalization.
Climate Adaptation and Public Health
Authors: Scales Sarah E. , Massi Julia , Horney Jennifer A.
Published: June 2022

Climate change is affecting every region of the world and is accelerating at an alarming rate. International efforts for mitigating climate change, like the Paris Agreement, through reductions in greenhouse gases are vital for slowing the global increase in temperatures. However, these mitigation measures will not have immediate impact, so urgent action is needed to address negative impacts currently posed by climate change. Adaptation measures are central to this response now, and will continue to be critical for protecting human health as temperatures rise and climate-related disasters increase in both frequency and severity. To maximize the effectiveness of adaptation measures, the health impacts of disasters should be well-characterized at the global, regional, national, and local levels. Surveillance and early warning systems are vital tools for early identification and warning of hazards and their potential impacts. Increasing global capacity to identify causes of morbidity and mortality directly and indirectly attributable to disasters are in line with the objectives of the Sustainable Development Goals and Bangkok Principles of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction. Both improving data collected in disaster settings and more effectively using that information in real time are central to reducing the human-health impacts of disasters. The human-health impacts of climate change and associated disasters are interrelated. Climate change and commensurate changes in environmental suitability, vector viability, and human migration strongly influence the prevalence and seasonality of infectious and communicable diseases. Both drought and flood contribute to food and water insecurity, leading to a higher prevalence of undernourishment and malnourishment, especially in children. Compromised nutritional status, in conjunction with resulting human migration, leave individuals immunocompromised and populations at a high risk for spread of infectious disease. Extreme heat exposure likewise compromises individuals’ ability to regulate their physiological response to external stressors. Disasters of all classifications can result in exposure to environmental hazards, decrease air quality, and negatively affect mental health. Accordingly, health adaptation measures to climate change must be equally interrelated, addressing needs across disciplines, at both individual and community levels, and incorporating the many facets of the health needs of affected populations.
CircAHNAK upregulates EIF2B5 expression to inhibit the progression of ovarian cancer by modulating the JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathway
Authors: He Si-Li , Zhao Xingping , Yi Shui-Jing
Published: June 2022

Recent studies highlighted non-coding RNAs as potential therapeutic targets in ovarian cancer. We aimed to investigate the roles of circAHNAK in ovarian cancer pathogenesis. Here, RNA immunoprecipitation, dual-luciferase reporter assay and RNA fluorescence in situ hybridization were adopted to determine circAHNAK, miR-28 or EIF2B5 interaction. CCK-8 assay was used to detect cell proliferation. Wound healing and Transwell assays were employed to assess cell migration and invasion, respectively. Flow cytometry was performed to measure cell apoptosis. The roles of circAHNAK on tumor growth in vivo were evaluated using subcutaneous xenograft model. The expression levels of circAHNAK, miR-28, EIF2B5, markers of EMT and JAK2/STAT3 pathway were measured by qRT-PCR, western blotting or immunohistochemistry staining. We reported that circAHNAK was decreased in ovarian cancer tissues. Forced expression of circAHNAK promoted apoptosis and inhibited cell proliferation, migration, invasion, EMT and JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathway. Mechanistically, circAHNAK acted as a miR-28 sponge. CircAHNAK deficiency resulted in the amassing of miR-28, which was elevated in ovarian cancer and promoted cancer cell malignancy. MiR-28 in turn inhibited EIF2B5 expression. Silence of EIF2B5 abolished the anticancer effects of miR-28 inhibitor. CircAHNAK overexpression retarded tumor growth in vivo, along with the decreased miR-28 and increased EIF2B, as well as EMT inhibition. In conclusion, circAHNAK targets miR-28 to upregulate EIF2B5 expression, thus inhibits progression of ovarian cancer by suppressing JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathway.
Minimally invasive mitral valve surgery after failed transcatheter mitral valve repair in an intermediate-risk cohort
Authors: Akansel Serdar , Kofler Markus , Van Praet Karel M , Unbehaun Axel , Sündermann Simon H , Jacobs Stephan , Falk Volkmar , Kempfert Jörg
Published: June 2022

OBJECTIVES

Although clinical experience with transcatheter mitral valve interventions is rapidly increasing, there is still a lack of evidence regarding surgical treatment options for the management of recurrent mitral regurgitation (MR). This study provides guidance for a minimally invasive surgical approach following failed transcatheter mitral valve repair, which is based on the underlying mitral valve (MV) pathology and the type of intervention.

METHODS

A total of 46 patients who underwent minimally invasive MV surgery due to recurrent or residual MR after transcatheter edge-to-edge repair or direct interventional annuloplasty between October 2014 and March 2021 were included.

RESULTS

The median age of the patients was 78 [interquartile range, 71–82] years and the EuroSCORE II was 4.41 [interquartile range, 2.66–6.55]. At the index procedure, edge-to-edge repair had been performed in 45 (97.8%) patients and direct annuloplasty in 1 patient. All patients with functional MR at the index procedure (n = 36) underwent MV replacement. Of the patients with degenerative MR (n = 10), 5 patients were eligible for MV repair after removal of the MitraClip. The 1-year survival following surgical treatment was 81.3% and 75.0% in patients with functional and degenerative MR, respectively. No residual MR greater than mild during follow-up was observed in patients who underwent MV repair.

CONCLUSIONS

Minimally invasive surgery following failed transcatheter mitral valve repair is feasible and safe, with promising midterm survival. The surgical management should be tailored to the underlying valve pathology at the index procedure, the extent of damage of the MV leaflets and the type of previous intervention.
Evidence of reduced academic performance among schoolchildren with helminth infection
Authors: Donkoh Emmanuel T , Berkoh Dorice , Fosu-Gyasi Samuel , Boadu Wina I Ofori , Raji Abdul S , Asamoah Samuel , Otabil Kenneth B , Otoo John E , Yeboah Michael T , Aganbire Benedicta A , Adobasom-Anane Austin G , Adams Simon K , Debrah Oksana ,   Screen and Treat Research Group, Boadu Kwame O , Amelor Dodzi , Obirikorang Christian , Nkrumah Kwame , Dassah Edward T , Afful Enoch , Ansah Barimah
Published: June 2022

Background

Soil-transmitted helminths (STHs) pose a formidable health risk to school-age children in resource-limited settings. Unfortunately, mass deworming campaigns have been derailed since the onset of the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic. The present study assessed the cross-sectional associations between STHs, nutritional status and academic performance of schoolchildren in the Banda District of Ghana.

Methods

Schoolchildren (5–16 y of age; n=275) were recruited through both school and household visits by community health workers using a multistage cluster sampling technique. In addition to school microscopy, anthropometric records were also taken.

Results

The prevalence of geohelminthiasis was 40.4% (95% confidence interval 34.6 to 46.2). STHs targeted for elimination by the World Health Organization and national programmes were detected among schoolchildren. Children with intestinal parasite infection (53.7 [standard deviation {SD} 11.5]) had lower mean academic scores compared with uninfected children (59.6 [SD 16.9]) (p=0.034). In multiple regression analysis, intestinal parasite infection status and z-scores for weight-for-age showed a collective significant effect on the academic score (F1117=8.169, p<0.001, R2=0.125).

Conclusions

Schoolchildren with STHs had poorer academic performance compared with uninfected children, despite their nutritional status. In addition to school feeding programmes, school-based mass drug administration campaigns may be critical for improving learning outcomes in young schoolchildren.
Synthetic oxepanoprolinamide iboxamycin is active against Listeria monocytogenes despite the intrinsic resistance mediated by VgaL/Lmo0919 ABCF ATPase
Authors: Brodiazhenko Tetiana , Turnbull Kathryn Jane , Wu Kelvin J Y , Takada Hiraku , Tresco Ben I C , Tenson Tanel , Myers Andrew G , Hauryliuk Vasili
Published: June 2022

Background

Listeriosis is a food-borne disease caused by the Gram-positive Bacillota (Firmicute) bacterium Listeria monocytogenes. Clinical L. monocytogenes isolates are often resistant to clinically used lincosamide clindamycin, thus excluding clindamycin as a viable treatment option.

Objectives

We have established newly developed lincosamide iboxamycin as a potential novel antilisterial agent.

Methods

We determined MICs of the lincosamides lincomycin, clindamycin and iboxamycin for L. monocytogenes, Enterococcus faecalis and Bacillus subtilis strains expressing synergetic antibiotic resistance determinants: ABCF ATPases that directly displace antibiotics from the ribosome and Cfr, a 23S rRNA methyltransferase that compromises antibiotic binding. For L. monocytogenes strains, either expressing VgaL/Lmo0919 or lacking the resistance factor, we performed time-kill kinetics and post-antibiotic effect assays.

Results

We show that the synthetic lincosamide iboxamycin is highly active against L. monocytogenes and can overcome the intrinsic lincosamide resistance mediated by VgaL/Lmo0919 ABCF ATPase. While iboxamycin is not bactericidal against L. monocytogenes, it displays a pronounced post-antibiotic effect, which is a valuable pharmacokinetic feature. We demonstrate that VmlR ABCF of B. subtilis grants significant (33-fold increase in MIC) protection from iboxamycin, while LsaA ABCF of E. faecalis grants an 8-fold protective effect. Furthermore, the VmlR-mediated iboxamycin resistance is cooperative with that mediated by the Cfr, resulting in up to a 512-fold increase in MIC.

Conclusions

While iboxamycin is a promising new antilisterial agent, our findings suggest that emergence and spread of ABCF ARE variants capable of defeating next-generation lincosamides in the clinic is possible and should be closely monitored.
Articulation of postsurgical patient discharges: coordinating care transitions from hospital to home
Authors: Abraham Joanna , Kandasamy Madhumitha , Huggins Ashley
Published: June 2022

Background

Cardiac surgery patients are at high risk for readmissions after hospital discharge- few of these readmissions are preventable by mitigating barriers underlying discharge care transitions. An in-depth evaluation of the nuances underpinning the discharge process and the use of tools to support the process, along with insights on patient and clinician experiences, can inform the design of evidence-based strategies to reduce preventable readmissions.

Objective

The study objectives are 3-fold: elucidate perceived factors affecting the postsurgical discharge care transitions of cardiac surgery patients going home; highlight differences among clinician and patient perceptions of the postsurgical discharge experiences, and ascertain the impact of these transitions on patient recovery at home.

Methods

We conducted a prospective multi-stakeholder study using mixed methods, including general observations, patient shadowing, chart reviews, clinician interviews, and follow-up telephone patient and caregiver surveys/interviews. We followed thematic and content analyses.

Findings

Participants included 49 patients, 6 caregivers, and 27 clinicians. We identified interdependencies between the predischarge preparation, discharge education, and postdischarge follow-up care phases that must be coordinated for effective discharge care transitions. We identified several factors that could lead to fragmented discharges, including limited preoperative preparation, ill-defined discharge education, and postoperative plans. To address these, clinicians often performed behind-the-scenes work, including offering informal preoperative preparation, tailoring discharge education, and personalizing postdischarge follow-up plans. As a result, majority of patients reported high satisfaction with care transitions and their positive impact on their home recovery.

Discussion and conclusions

Articulation work by clinicians (ie, behind the scenes work) is critical for ensuring safety, care continuity, and overall patient experience during care transitions. We discuss key evidence-based considerations for re-engineering postsurgical discharge workflows and re-designing discharge interventions.
Beta-Glucuronidase Activity: Another Source of Ethyl Glucuronide
Authors: Müller Alexander , Aboutara Nadine , Jungen Hilke , Szewczyk Anne , Piesch Melina , Iwersen-Bergmann Stefanie
Published: June 2022

Numerous classes of endogenous and xenobiotic compounds are conjugated to uridine-5′-diphospho (UDP)-alpha-D-glucuronic acid which is catalyzed by human UDP-Glucuronosyltransferases (UGTs). The resulting beta-D-glucuronides can be hydrolyzed to β-D-glucuronic acid and the corresponding aglycone in a configuration retaining manner by beta-glucuronidases (GUSBs), which are widely distributed in mammalians, microbiota, insects, molluscs, nematodes, fishes and plants. This study investigates GUSBs’ activity in the presence of ethanol (0–70% by volume) using different β-D-glucuronides (phenolphthalein-β-D-glucuronide, 4-nitrophenol-β-D-glucuronide, morphine-3-O-β-D-glucuronide, quercetin-3-O-β-D-glucuronide and 1-/2-propyl-β-D-glucuronide) as substrates. It was found that β-D-ethyl glucuronide (EtG), which is a minor UGT-derived metabolite of ethanol in man and one of the most frequently used biomarkers of alcohol consumption today, builds up from all investigated β-D-glucuronides by means of GUSBs in the presence of ethanol. The glucuronyl transfer reaction, which was neither detected in the absence of ethanol nor in absence of GUSBs, is minor at ethanol concentrations which are commonly observed in blood and tiβues after consumption of alcoholic beverages, but predominant at higher concentrations of ethanol. In spite of in vitro characteristics, our observations point to an additional biochemical path and another source of EtG, which should be further evaluated in the context of alcohol biomarker applications. The detection of EtG in several settings independent from of human UGT-metabolism (e.g. EtG post post-collection synthesis in E.coli coli-contaminated urine samples, EtG in wine and ethanolic herbal preparations) can be explained by the described mechanism.
Deciphering the function and evolution of the target of rapamycin signaling pathway in microalgae
Authors: Mallén-Ponce Manuel J , Pérez-Pérez María Esther , Crespo José L
Published: June 2022

Microalgae constitute a highly diverse group of photosynthetic microorganisms that are widely distributed on Earth. The rich diversity of microalgae arose from endosymbiotic events that took place early in the evolution of eukaryotes and gave rise to multiple lineages including green algae, the ancestors of land plants. In addition to their fundamental role as the primary source of marine and freshwater food chains, microalgae are essential producers of oxygen on the planet and a major biotechnological target for sustainable biofuel production and CO2 mitigation. Microalgae integrate light and nutrient signals to regulate cell growth. Recent studies identified the target of rapamycin (TOR) kinase as a central regulator of cell growth and a nutrient sensor in microalgae. TOR promotes protein synthesis and regulates processes that are induced under nutrient stress such as autophagy and the accumulation of triacylglycerol and starch. A detailed analysis of representative genomes from the entire microalgal lineage revealed that the highly conserved central components of the TOR pathway are likely to have been present in the last eukaryotic common ancestor, and the loss of specific TOR signaling elements at an early stage in the evolution of microalgae. Here we examine the evolutionary conservation of TOR signaling components in diverse microalgae and discuss recent progress of this signaling pathway in these organisms.
Gravitational torques dominate the dynamics of accreted gas at z > 2
Authors: Cadiou Corentin , Dubois Yohan , Pichon Christophe
Published: June 2022

Galaxies form from the accretion of cosmological infall of gas. In the high redshift Universe, most of this gas infall is expected to be dominated by cold filamentary flows which connect deep down inside haloes, and, hence, to the vicinity of galaxies. Such cold flows are important since they dominate the mass and angular momentum acquisition that can make up rotationally-supported discs at high-redshifts. We study the angular momentum acquisition of gas into galaxies, and in particular, the torques acting on the accretion flows, using hydrodynamical cosmological simulations of high-resolution zoomed-in haloes of a few $10^{11}\, \rm M_\odot$ at z = 2. Torques can be separated into those of gravitational origin, and hydrodynamical ones driven by pressure gradients. We find that coherent gravitational torques dominate over pressure torques in the cold phase, and are hence responsible for the spin-down and realignment of this gas. Pressure torques display small-scale fluctuations of significant amplitude, but with very little coherence on the relevant galaxy or halo-scale that would otherwise allow them to effectively re-orientate the gas flows. Dark matter torques dominate gravitational torques outside the galaxy, while within the galaxy, the baryonic component dominates. The circum-galactic medium emerges as the transition region for angular momentum re-orientation of the cold component towards the central galaxy’s mid-plane.
Accretion history of AGN: Estimating the host galaxy properties in X-ray luminous AGN from z = 0–3
Authors: Coleman Brandon , Kirkpatrick Allison , Cooke Kevin C , Glikman Eilat , La Massa Stephanie , Marchesi Stefano , Peca Alessandro , Treister Ezequiel , Auge Connor , Urry C Megan , Sanders Dave , Turner Tracey Jane , Ananna Tonima Tasnim
Published: June 2022

We aim to determine the intrinsic far-Infrared (far-IR) emission of X-ray-luminous quasars over cosmic time. Using a 16 deg2 region of the Stripe 82 field surveyed by XMM-Newton and Herschel Space Observatory, we identify 2905 X-ray luminous (LX > 1042 erg/s) active galactic nuclei (AGN) in the range z ≈ 0–3. The IR is necessary to constrain host galaxy properties such as star formation rate (SFR) and gas mass. However, only 10 per cent of our AGN are detected both in the X-ray and IR. Because 90 per cent of the sample is undetected in the far-IR by Herschel, we explore the mean IR emission of these undetected sources by stacking their Herschel/SPIRE images in bins of X-ray luminosity and redshift. We create stacked spectral energy distributions from the optical to the far-IR, and estimate the median SFR, dust mass, stellar mass, and infrared luminosity using a fitting routine. We find that the stacked sources on average have similar SFR/Lbol ratios as IR detected sources. The majority of our sources fall on or above the main sequence line suggesting that X-ray selection alone does not predict the location of a galaxy on the main sequence. We also find that the gas depletion time scales of our AGN are similar to those of dusty star forming galaxies. This suggests that X-ray selected AGN host high star formation and that there are no signs of declining star formation.
Analysis of queuosine and 2-thio tRNA modifications by high throughput sequencing
Authors: Katanski Christopher D , Watkins Christopher P , Zhang Wen , Reyer Matthew , Miller Samuel , Pan Tao
Published: June 2022

Queuosine (Q) is a conserved tRNA modification at the wobble anticodon position of tRNAs that read the codons of amino acids Tyr, His, Asn, and Asp. Q-modification in tRNA plays important roles in the regulation of translation efficiency and fidelity. Queuosine tRNA modification is synthesized de novo in bacteria, whereas in mammals the substrate for Q-modification in tRNA is queuine, the catabolic product of the Q-base of gut bacteria. This gut microbiome dependent tRNA modification may play pivotal roles in translational regulation in different cellular contexts, but extensive studies of Q-modification biology are hindered by the lack of high throughput sequencing methods for its detection and quantitation. Here, we describe a periodate-treatment method that enables single base resolution profiling of Q-modification in tRNAs by Nextgen sequencing from biological RNA samples. Periodate oxidizes the Q-base, which results in specific deletion signatures in the RNA-seq data. Unexpectedly, we found that periodate-treatment also enables the detection of several 2-thio-modifications including τm5s2U, mcm5s2U, cmnm5s2U, and s2C by sequencing in human and E. coli tRNA. We term this method periodate-dependent analysis of queuosine and sulfur modification sequencing (PAQS-seq). We assess Q- and 2-thio-modifications at the tRNA isodecoder level, and 2-thio modification changes in stress response. PAQS-seq should be widely applicable in the biological studies of Q- and 2-thio-modifications in mammalian and microbial tRNAs.
Luminal androgen receptor breast cancer subtype and investigation of the microenvironment and neoadjuvant chemotherapy response
Authors: Thompson Kevin J , Leon-Ferre Roberto A , Sinnwell Jason P , Zahrieh David M , Suman Vera J , Metzger Filho Otto , Asad Sarah , Stover Daniel G , Carey Lisa , Sikov William M , Ingle James N , Liu Minetta C , Carter Jodi M , Klee Eric W , Weinshilboum Richard M , Boughey Judy C , Wang Liewei , Couch Fergus J , Goetz Matthew P , Kalari Krishna R
Published: June 2022

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is the most aggressive breast cancer subtype with low overall survival rates and high molecular heterogeneity; therefore, few targeted therapies are available. The luminal androgen receptor (LAR) is the most consistently identified TNBC subtype, but the clinical utility has yet to be established. Here, we constructed a novel genomic classifier, LAR-Sig, that distinguishes the LAR subtype from other TNBC subtypes and provide evidence that it is a clinically distinct disease. A meta-analysis of seven TNBC datasets (n = 1086 samples) from neoadjuvant clinical trials demonstrated that LAR patients have significantly reduced response (pCR) rates than non-LAR TNBC patients (odds ratio = 2.11, 95% CI: 1.33, 2.89). Moreover, deconvolution of the tumor microenvironment confirmed an enrichment of luminal epithelium corresponding with a decrease in basal and myoepithelium in LAR TNBC tumors. Increased immunosuppression in LAR patients may lead to a decreased presence of cycling T-cells and plasma cells. While, an increased presence of myofibroblast-like cancer-associated cells may impede drug delivery and treatment. In summary, the lower levels of tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs), reduced immune activity in the micro-environment, and lower pCR rates after NAC, suggest that new therapeutic strategies for the LAR TNBC subtype need to be developed.
A degron system targeting endogenous PD-1 inhibits the growth of tumor cells in mice
Authors: Naruse Chie , Sugihara Kazushi , Miyazaki Tatsuhiko , Pan Xuchi , Sugiyama Fumihiro , Asano Masahide
Published: June 2022

Recently, targeted protein degradation systems have been developed using the ubiquitin-proteasome system. Here, we established Programmed cell death-1 (PD-1) knockdown mice as a model system for subjecting endogenous mouse proteins to the small molecule-assisted shutoff (SMASh) degron system. SMASh degron-tagged PD-1-mCherry in Jurkat cells and CD3+ splenocytes were degraded by the NS3/4A protease inhibitors, asunaprevir (ASV) or grazoprevir (GRV). Growth of MC-38 colon adenocarcinoma cells injected in Pdcd1-mCherry-SMASh homozygous knock-in (KI) mice was repressed by ASV or GRV. Moreover, growth of MC-38 cells was suppressed in wild-type mice transplanted with KI bone marrow cells after GRV treatment. This is the first study to use a degron tag targeting an endogenous mouse protein in vivo. Our experimental system using the SMASh degron may be employed for treating diseases and characterizing the cellular functions of essential proteins.
Phase I trial of sargramostim/pelareorep therapy in pediatric patients with recurrent or refractory high-grade brain tumors
Authors: Schuelke Matthew R , Gundelach Justin H , Coffey Matt , West Emma , Scott Karen , Johnson Derek R , Samson Adel , Melcher Alan , Vile Richard G , Bram Richard J
Published: June 2022

Background

Brain tumors are the leading cause of cancer death for pediatric patients. Pelareorep, an immunomodulatory oncolytic reovirus, has intravenous efficacy in preclinical glioma models when preconditioned with GM-CSF (sargramostim). We report a phase I trial with the primary goal of evaluating the safety of sargramostim/pelareorep in pediatric patients with recurrent or refractory high-grade brain tumors and a secondary goal of characterizing immunologic responses.

Methods

The trial was open to pediatric patients with recurrent or refractory high-grade brain tumors (3 + 3 cohort design). Each cycle included 3 days of subcutaneous sargramostim followed by 2 days of intravenous pelareorep. Laboratory studies and imaging were acquired upon recruitment and periodically thereafter.

Results

Six patients participated, including three glioblastoma, two diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma, and one medulloblastoma. Two pelareorep dose levels of 3 × 108 and 5 × 108 tissue culture infectious dose 50 (TCID50) were assessed. One patient experienced a dose limiting toxicity of persistent hyponatremia. Common low-grade (1 or 2) adverse events included transient fatigue, hypocalcemia, fever, flu-like symptoms, thrombocytopenia, and leukopenia. High-grade (3 or 4) adverse events included neutropenia, lymphopenia, leukopenia, hypophosphatemia, depressed level of consciousness, and confusion. All patients progressed on therapy after a median of 32.5 days and died a median of 108 days after recruitment. Imaging at progression did not show evidence of pseudoprogression or inflammation. Correlative assays revealed transient but consistent changes in immune cells across patients.

Conclusions

Sargramostim/pelareorep was administered to pediatric patients with recurrent or refractory high-grade brain tumors. Hyponatremia was the only dose limiting toxicity (DLT), though maximum tolerated dose (MTD) was not determined.
Energy landscape decomposition for cell differentiation with proliferation effect
Authors: Shi Jifan , Aihara Kazuyuki , Li Tiejun , Chen Luonan
Published: June 2022

Complex interactions between genes determine the development and differentiation of cells. We establish a landscape theory for cell differentiation with proliferation effect, in which the developmental process is modeled as a stochastic dynamical system with a birth-death term. We find that two different energy landscapes, denoted U and V, collectively contribute to the establishment of non-equilibrium steady differentiation. The potential U is known as the energy landscape leading to the steady distribution, whose metastable states stand for cell types, while V indicates the differentiation direction from pluripotent to differentiated cells. This interpretation of cell differentiation is different from the previous landscape theory without the proliferation effect. We propose feasible numerical methods and a mean-field approximation for constructing landscapes U and V. Successful applications to typical biological models demonstrate the energy landscape decomposition's validity and reveal biological insights into the considered processes.
Bioavailability of nanomaterials: bridging the gap between nanostructures and their bioactivity
Authors: Cao Mingjing , Chen Chunying
Published: June 2022

Instead of the nanostructure and biological activity, this perspective highlights the metabolic processes from biotransformation to bioavailability, to bridge the gap between the cradle (structure design) and endpoint (efficacy and/or safety) of nanomedicines.
US County-Level COVID-19 Vaccine Uptake and Rates of Omicron Cases and Deaths
Authors: McLaughlin John M , Wiemken Timothy L , Khan Farid , Jodar Luis
Published: June 2022

The population-level impact of vaccination on Omicron-related disease is not well described. We fit negative binomial models to estimate the relationship between US county-level vaccine coverage and rates of coronavirus disease 2019. Increased booster dose uptake was associated with lower rates of Omicron cases and deaths and is critical to combat future severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 waves.