bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Computational Compensatory Mutation Discovery Approach: Predicting a PARP1 Variant Rescue Mutation
Authors: Ravishankar Krithika , Jiang Xianli , Leddin Emmett M. , Morcos Faruck , Cisneros G. Andrés
Published: November 2021

The prediction of protein mutations that affect function may be exploited for multiple uses. In the context of disease variants, the prediction of compensatory mutations that reestablish functional phenotypes could aid in the development of genetic therapies. In this work, we present an integrated approach that combines coevolutionary analysis and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations to discover functional compensatory mutations. This approach is employed to investigate possible rescue mutations of a poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase 1 (PARP1) variant, PARP1 V762A, associated with lung cancer and follicular lymphoma. MD simulations show PARP1 V762A exhibits noticeable changes in structural and dynamical behavior compared with wild type PARP1. Our integrated approach predicts A755E as a possible compensatory mutation based on coevolutionary information, and molecular simulations indicate that the PARP1 A755E/V762A double mutant exhibits similar structural and dynamical behavior to WT PARP1. Our methodology can be broadly applied to a large number of systems where single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) have been identified as connected to disease and can shed light on the biophysical effects of such changes as well as provide a way to discover potential mutants that could restore wild type-like functionality. This can in turn be further utilized in the design of molecular therapeutics that aim to mimic such compensatory effect.

Significance Statement

Discovering protein mutations with desired phenotypes can be challenging due to its combinatorial nature. Herein we employ a methodology combining gene SNP association to disease, direct coupling analysis and molecular dynamics simulations to systematically predict rescue mutations. Our workflow identifies A755E as a potential rescue for the PARP1 V762A mutation, which has been associated with cancer. This methodology is general and can be applied broadly.
Evolution of immune genes in island birds: reduction in population sizes can explain island syndrome
Authors: Barthe Mathilde , Doutrelant Claire , Covas Rita , Melo Martim , Illera Juan Carlos , Tilak Marie-Ka , Colombier Constance , Leroy Thibault , Loiseau Claire , Nabholz Benoit
Published: November 2021

Abstract

Shared ecological conditions encountered by species that colonize islands often lead to the evolution of convergent phenotypes, commonly referred to as “island syndrome”. Reduced immune functions have been previously proposed to be part of this syndrome, as a consequence of the reduced diversity of pathogens on island ecosystems. According to this hypothesis, immune genes are expected to exhibit genomic signatures of relaxed selection pressure in island species. In this study, we used comparative genomic methods to study immune genes in island species (N = 20) and their mainland relatives (N = 14). We gathered public data as well as generated new data on innate (TLR: Toll-Like Receptors, BD: Beta Defensins) and acquired immune genes (MHC: Major Histocompatibility Complex classes I and II), but also on hundreds of genes with various immune functions. As a control, we used a set of 97 genes, not known to be involved in immune functions based on the literature, to account for the increased drift effects of the lower effective population sizes in island species. We used synonymous and non-synonymous variants to estimate the selection pressure acting on immune genes. We found that BDs and TLRs have higher ratios of non-synonymous over synonymous polymorphisms (Pn/Ps) than randomly selected control genes, suggesting that they evolve under a different selection regime. However, simulations show that this is unlikely to be explained by ongoing positive selection or balancing selection. For the MHC genes, which evolve under balancing selection, we used simulations to estimate the impact of population size variation. We found a significant effect of drift on immune genes of island species leading to a reduction in genetic diversity and efficacy of selection. However, the intensity of relaxed selection was not significantly different from control genes, except for MHC class II genes. These genes exhibit a significantly higher level of non-synonymous loss of polymorphism than expected assuming only drift and evolution under frequency dependent selection, possibly due to a reduction of extracellular parasite communities on islands. Overall, our results showed that demographic effects lead to a decrease in the immune functions of island species, but the relaxed selection that is expected to be caused by a reduced parasite pressure may only occur in some categories of immune genes.
Artificial Intelligence Guided Conformational Mining of Intrinsically Disordered Proteins
Authors: Gupta Aayush , Dey Souvik , Zhou Huan-Xiang
Published: November 2021

Artificial intelligence recently achieved the breakthrough of predicting the three-dimensional structures of proteins. The next frontier is presented by intrinsically disordered proteins (IDPs), which, representing 30% to 50% of proteomes, readily access vast conformational space. Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations are promising in sampling IDP conformations, but only at extremely high computational cost. Here, we developed generative autoencoders that learn from short MD simulations and generate full conformational ensembles. An encoder represents IDP conformations as vectors in a reduced-dimensional latent space. The mean vector and covariance matrix of the training dataset are calculated to define a multivariate Gaussian distribution, from which vectors are sampled and fed to a decoder to generate new conformations. The ensembles of generated conformations cover those sampled by long MD simulations and are validated by small-angle X-ray scattering profile and NMR chemical shifts. This work illustrates the vast potential of artificial intelligence in conformational mining of IDPs.
Mitotic Outcomes in Fibrous Environments
Authors: Jana Aniket , Zhang Haonan , Wang Ji , Kapania Rakesh , Gov Nir , DeLuca Jennifer , Nain Amrinder S.
Published: November 2021

During mitosis, cells round up and generate outward forces to create space and orient the mitotic spindles. Here, using suspended ECM-mimicking nanofiber networks, we recapitulate in vivo adhesion organization and confinement to interrogate mitotic outcomes for various interphase cell shapes. Elongated cells attached to single fibers through two focal adhesion clusters (FACs) at their extremities result in perfect spherical mitotic cell bodies that undergo large 3D displacement while being held by retraction fibers. Increasing the number of parallel fibers increases cellular extremity FACs and retraction fiber-driven stability, leading to reduced 3D cell-body movement, metaphase plate rotations, and significantly faster division times. Interestingly, interphase kite shapes on a crosshatch pattern of four fibers undergo mitosis resembling single-fiber outcomes due to rounded bodies being primarily held in position by retraction fibers from two perpendicular suspended fibers. We develop a cortex-astral microtubule analytical friction and force model to capture retraction-fiber-driven stability of the metaphase plate rotations. We report that reduced orientational stability results in increased monopolar mitotic defects. In the case of cells attached to two parallel fibers, rounded mitotic cells can get confined between the suspended fibers, allowing estimation of the mitotic forces through measurement of the outward deflection of the fibers. Interestingly, confinement causes rotated mitotic spindles similar to those reported in dense tissues. Overall, we establish dynamics of mitosis in fibrous environments governed by fiber arrangement and architecture-driven differences in interphase cell shapes, adhesion geometries, and varying levels of mechanical confinement.
A portable and high-integrated 3D microfluidic chip for bacterial quantification and antibiotic susceptibility testing
Authors: Wu Wenshuai , Cai Gaozhe , Liu Yang
Published: November 2021

On-site single-cell antibiotic susceptibility testing (sc-AST) provides unprecedented technical potential to improve the treatment of bacterial infections and study heterogeneous resistance to antibiotics. Herein, we developed a portable and high-integrated 3D polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) chip to perform fast and on-site bacteria quantification and sc-AST. The 3D arrangement of the chambers significantly improved the integration of reaction units (∼10000/cm2) and widened the dynamic range to 5 orders of magnitude. A capillary valve-based flow distributor was adopted for flow equidistribution in 64 parallel channels and uniform sample loading in as short as 2 s. The degassed PDMS enabled this device to independently dispense the sample into 3D chamber array with almost 100% efficiency. The quantification of Escherichia coli (E. coli) strains with various activity was accomplished in 0.5-2 h, shortened by 20 h in comparison to the traditional plate counting. The functionality of our platform was demonstrated with several effective antibiotics by determining minimum inhibitory concentrations at single-cell level. Furthermore, we utilized the lyophilization of test reagents and needle-mediated reagents rehydration to realize one-step on-site sc-AST. The results indicate that the proposed sc-AST platform is portable, highly sensitive, fast, accurate and user-friendly, thus it has the potential to facilitate precise therapy in time and monitor the treatment. Meanwhile, it could serve as an approach for investigating the mechanisms of heteroresistance at single-cell resolution.
Long-lasting and responsive DNA/enzyme-based programs in serum-supplemented extracellular media
Authors: Galas Jean-Christophe , Estevez-Torres André , Van Der Hofstadt Marc
Published: November 2021

DNA molecular programs are emerging as promising pharmaceutical approaches due to their versatility for biomolecular sensing and actuation. However, the implementation of DNA programs has been mainly limited to serum-deprived in vitro assays due to the fast deterioration of the DNA reaction networks by the nucleases present in the serum. Here, we show that DNA/enzyme programs are functional in serum for 24h but are latter disrupted by nucleases that give rise to parasitic amplification. To overcome this, we implement 3-letter code networks that suppress autocatalytic parasites while still conserving the functionality of DNA/enzyme programs for at least 3 days in the presence of 10% serum. In addition, we define a new buffer that further increases the biocompatibility and conserves responsiveness to changes in molecular composition across time. Finally, we demonstrate how serum-supplemented extracellular DNA molecular programs remain responsive to molecular inputs in the presence of living cells, having responses 6-fold faster than cellular division rate and are sustainable for at least 3 cellular divisions. This demonstrates the possibility of implementing in situ biomolecular characterization tools for serum-demanding in vitro models. We foresee that the coupling of chemical reactivity to our DNA programs by aptamers or oligonucleotide conjugations will allow the implementation of extracellular synthetic biology tools, which will offer new biomolecular pharmaceutical approaches and the emergence of complex and autonomous in vitro models.
TheBacillusphage SPβ and its relatives: A temperate phage model system reveals new strains, species, prophage integration loci, conserved proteins and lysogeny management components
Authors: Kohm Katharina , Floccari Valentina A. , Lutz Veronika T. , Nordmann Birthe , Mittelstädt Carolin , Poehlein Anja , Dragoš Anna , Commichau Fabian M. , Hertel Robert
Published: November 2021

TheBacillusphage SPβ has been known for about 50 years, but only a few strains are avalible. We isolated four new wild type strains of theSPbetaspecies. Phage vB_BsuS-Goe14 introduces its prophage into thespoVKlocus, previously not observed to be used by SPβ-like phages. We could also reveal the SPβ-like phage genome replication strategy, the genome packaging mode, and the phage genome opening point. We extracted 55 SPβ-like prophages from publicBacillusgenomes, thereby discovering three more integration loci and one additional type of integrase. The identified prophages resembled four new species clusters and three species orphans in the genusSpbetavirus. The determined core proteome of all SPβ-like prophages consists of 38 proteins. The integration cassette proved to be not conserved even though present in all strains. It consists of distinct integrases. Analysis of SPβ transcriptomes revealed three conserved genes,yopQ,yopR, andyokI, to be transcribed from a dormant prophage. WhileyopQandyokIcould be deleted from the prophage without activating the prophage, damaging ofyopRled to a clear-plaque phenotype. Under the applied laboratory conditions, theyokImutant showed an elevated virion release implying the YokI protein being a component of the arbitrium system.
The factors influencing the innovative performance of leaders in nurses’ professional: a developing country perspective
Authors: Abed Shaymaa Najm , Abdulmuhsin Amir A. , Alkhwaldi Abeer F.
Published: November 2021

Purpose

The health-care services in Iraq currently face many challenges. The most noted is the lack of effective nursing leaders to meet the growing needs of the health-care services. Effective nursing leadership is critical to the health-care system, affecting work performance, quality of care and staff satisfaction. The literature suggests that nursing leaders in Iraq are not adequately trained to provide leadership to improve the nursing profession and have limited involvement in decision-making. The purpose of this study is to explore the views of nurses on what they believe constitutes effective leadership in Iraq.

Design/methodology/approach

A qualitative methods approach is used involving 20 semi-structured interviews of senior nurses. The sample of nurses came from two large general hospitals in Iraq. The qualitative data was thematically analyzed and interpreted.

Findings

The study results indicated that there were factors that influence the performance of nurse leader, namely, excessive workload, personal relationship with nursing staff, professional recognition of nursing and selection criteria of leaders. Test results show that there were significant differences in views of the nurses toward nurse leaders’ performance. This research concludes that the nurse leader performance in developing countries is affected by excessive workload, personal relationship with nursing staff, professional recognition of nursing and selection criteria of leaders.

Originality/value

The relevance of the study stems from the scarcity of research on the leader performance in developing countries, while studies on the factors influencing the innovative performance of leaders in nurses’ professional are significantly limited. This study is one of the earliest studies that investigate these factors influencing the nurse leader’s performance.
Funding issues and development of digital libraries in Nigeria
Authors: Abdussalam Titilola Aminat Bayero , Adewara Janet Oluseyi , Abdulraheem Jamiu Wankasi , Oyedokun Tunde Toyese , Balogun Tawakalitu Raufu
Published: November 2021

Purpose

Funding issues is observed to be the major stumbling block for the development of digital libraries in Nigeria. Hence, this paper aims to explore issues in obtaining and allocating funds for digital library development.

Design/methodology/approach

The review is an explorative report of the state of affairs of digital library development in Nigeria with the associated fundraising issues.

Findings

Digital library initiatives are coincidental development with transformational change in the technology-driven world of global information distribution. The desire of the information users to have better-unrestricted access to information becomes the hallmark of digital content development and web-based information services. The goal of making information accessible globally to large and diverse information users was achievable with the development of a digital library that provides enhanced information services, improves access and usability of digital information resources.

Originality/value

The library of the future has already materialized in form of digital library services, but the cost of developing a digital library is not foreseeable cheap, and if Nigerian libraries are to achieve digital library service goal, alternative sources of finance need to be sought after through fundraising scheme from friends of the library, rental services, consultation fees and collaboration effort on library consortia as well as advocacy for open access initiatives.
Improving services in a hybrid academic library system
Authors: Oyelude Adetoun A. , Ola Christopher Olumuyiwa , Adeniran Ezekiel Adelere
Published: November 2021

Purpose

This paper aims to describe a hybrid academic library system and to draw up a model of this system suggesting strategies and scenarios for achieving optimum performance of the system in a technology changing world.

Design/methodology/approach

The mixture of traditional or manual ways of carrying out library operations with new, modern, automated systems often brings about several problems. The problems are ones that can be tackled within the framework of having appropriate systems dynamics routines applied and also making use of personnel skilled in strategic management of hybrid library systems.

Findings

A system dynamics model for the management of the system is developed around the issues of personnel management, collection management, capacity building and provision of access to research materials, information technology infrastructure, forming of consortia and security in the system.

Originality/value

Recommendations are made as to which strategy/scenario or combinations of scenarios will provide lasting solutions to the problems recurring or likely to reoccur in a hybrid academic library system.
Update on trichoscopy: Integration of the terminology by systematic approach and a proposal of a diagnostic flowchart
Authors: Kinoshita‐Ise Misaki , Sachdeva Muskaan
Published: November 2021

Trichoscopy represents a non‐invasive diagnostic modality widely used in daily practice. Despite the common perception that this technique has been fairly established, some key issues remain to be addressed. Complexity and inconsistency in terminology in past literature are likely to confuse investigators when they are recording, reporting, and retrieving the findings. In addition, a diagnostic algorithm adopting sufficiently integrated and updated findings is not readily available. By adopting a systematic review approach, this review attempted to redefine major trichoscopic findings and integrate their synonyms individually into the most frequently used terms besides identifying and discussing terms which potentially cause confusion. The findings are categorized into five subgroups: hair shaft, follicular, perifollicular, scalp findings, and hair distribution pattern abnormalities. The calculation of sensitivities and positive predictive values of such redefined findings was conducted by reviewing the descriptions in the past literature on major hair diseases, including alopecia areata, androgenetic alopecia/female pattern hair loss, telogen effluvium, trichotillomania, lichen planopilaris, frontal fibrosing alopecia, central centrifugal cicatricial alopecia, discoid lupus erythematosus, folliculitis decalvans, tinea capitis, and dissecting cellulitis, to confirm the diagnostically meaningful findings for representative diseases. This attempt redefined, for instance, yellow dots, short vellus hairs, exclamation mark hairs, black dots, and broken hairs as the findings of diagnostic significance for alopecia areata and hair diameter diversity, peripilar sign, and focal atrichia for androgenetic alopecia/female pattern hair loss. An updated diagnostic flowchart is proposed with the instructions to maximize its usefulness. Current limitations and future perspectives of trichoscopy as well as other emerging non‐invasive diagnostic modalities for hair diseases are also discussed.
Root traits reveal safety and efficiency differences in grasses and shrubs exposed to different fire regimes
Authors: O'Keefe Kimberly , Bachle Seton , Keen Rachel , Tooley E. Greg , Nippert Jesse B.
Published: November 2021

Roots are key components of terrestrial ecosystems, yet little is known about how root structure and function vary across a broad range of species, functional groups and ecological gradients in situ.

We assessed how woody and grass root anatomical traits vary among soil depths and different fire frequencies to better understand the water‐use strategies exhibited by these two functional groups in tallgrass prairie experiencing woody encroachment. Specifically, we asked: (a) Do root anatomical traits differ with fire frequency or soil depth?; (b) Do relationships between anatomical traits that confer hydraulic safety versus efficiency vary by fire frequency or soil depth?; (c) Is root anatomy associated with integrative root traits (e.g. root diameter, specific root length (SRL) and root biomass)?; and (d) When scaled by root biomass, do root water‐use traits impact the capacity for water uptake?

We collected grass and woody roots from 10, 30 and 50 cm deep soil in areas burned every 1, 4 and 20 years. We then measured xylem conduit diameter, conduit cell wall thickness, conduit number, conduit mechanical safety (t/b), stele area, endoderm thickness, hydraulic diameter, theoretical hydraulic conductivity and root‐system theoretical hydraulic conductance.

We observed: (a) Woody roots had high hydraulic conductance in shallow soils and greater mechanical strength in deeper soils, which may provide a competitive advantage in less frequently burned, more diverse plant communities; (b) shallow grass roots had unique trait combinations at the anatomical and root‐system levels (thinner, more numerous conduits and higher root‐system hydraulic conductance compared to deeper roots) that likely allow these plants to rapidly use water but tolerate dry soils under multiple fire regimes; and (c) hydraulic safety versus efficiency trade‐offs translate between different hierarchical scales (i.e. from anatomical to integrative root traits).

These results provide anatomical evidence to explain water‐use dynamics in tallgrass prairie and also provide novel insight regarding functional strategies that may facilitate the conversion from grassland to shrubland in less frequently burned tallgrass prairie. Future work should investigate these dynamics in situ, as they may explain current and future patterns of woody‐grass coexistence in tallgrass prairies.

A freePlain Language Summarycan be found within the Supporting Information of this article.
Subtidal benthic communities in Minamata Bay, Japan, approximately 30 years after mercury pollution remediation involving dredging disturbance
Authors: Yoshino Kenji , Yamada Katsumasa , Tanaka Masaatsu , Tada Yuya , Kanaya Gen , Henmi Yasuhisa , Yamamoto Megumi
Published: November 2021

Approximately 30 years after mercury pollution remediation finished in Minamata Bay, we report here the present state of the subtidal benthic communities in Minamata Bay. The benthos was sampled at stations in Minamata Bay five times between July 2018 and 2019, capturing seasonal variations. Sediment characteristics were relatively stable across seasons. Sediments contained >80% silt–clay and had total organic carbon (TOC), total nitrogen (TN), and residual total Hg content (THg) approximately 20 mg/g, 2.0 mg/g, and 2.5 mg/kg (dry‐weight basis), respectively, with a C/N ratio of ~11. THg was positively correlated with TOC, whereas TOC was negatively correlated with the C/N ratio, suggesting that TOC is a proxy for sediment microalgal matter (i.e., settling phytoplankton and/or microphytobenthos), a potential food for macrobenthos. Macrobenthos abundance was very low (approximately 100 individuals/m2) and the maximum effective number of species was three in all seasons. We detected effects of THg on species richness and composition of the community, but not on total macrobenthos abundance, biomass, species diversity, or relative species abundance. The TOC gradient was significantly related to both species composition and relative abundance of the community. However, the total variation explained by both TOC and THg for community composition was low (10% at most). These results suggests that other environmental factors, such as the alteration of hydrodynamic and physicochemical regimes caused by the reclamation for pollution mitigation, may also have had a long‐lasting effect on community assembly and the present poor macrofauna levels in Minamata Bay.
The tetrameric assembly of 2‐aminomuconic 6‐semialdehyde dehydrogenase is a functional requirement of cofactor NAD+ binding
Authors: Shi Qiuli , Chen Yanjuan , Li Xinxin , Dong Hui , Chen Cheng , Zhong Zhihui , Yang Cheng , Liu Guangfeng , Su Dan
Published: November 2021

The bacterium Pseudomonas sp. AP‐3 is able to use the environmental pollutant 2‐aminophenol as its sole source of carbon, nitrogen, and energy. Eight genes (amnA, B, C, D, E, F, G, and H) encoding 2‐aminophenol metabolizing enzymes are clustered into a single operon. 2‐Aminomuconic 6‐semialdehyde dehydrogenase (AmnC), a member of the aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) superfamily, is responsible for oxidizing 2‐aminomuconic 6‐semialdehyde to 2‐aminomuconate. In contrast to many other members of the ALDH superfamily, the structural basis of the catalytic activity of AmnC remains elusive. Here, we present the crystal structure of AmnC, which displays a homotetrameric quaternary assembly that is directly involved in its enzymatic activity. The tetrameric state of AmnC in solution was also presented using small‐angle X‐ray scattering. The tetramerization of AmnC is mediated by the assembly of a protruding hydrophobic beta‐strand motif and residues V121 and S123 located in the NAD+‐binding domain of each subunit. Dimeric mutants of AmnC dramatically lose NAD+ binding affinity and failed to oxidize the substrate analogue 2‐hydroxymuconate‐6‐semialdehyde to α‐hydroxymuconic acid, indicating that tetrameric assembly of AmnC is functional requirement.
Hospital resource allocation decisions when market prices exceed Medicare prices
Authors: Wang Yang , Anderson Gerard
Published: November 2021

Objective

To examine nonprofit hospitals' financial and spending allocations when the private sector payment rate is higher than the Medicare's payment rate.

Data Sources

Hospital financial data for 2014–2018 from Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services Hospital Cost Reports, hospital characteristics from the American Hospital Association (AHA) Annual Survey.

Study Design

Hospital and year level fixed effects regressions modeling each hospital's (1) operating net income per discharge equivalent (DE); (2) administrative cost per DE; (3) patient care cost per DE; (4) registered nurse per bed; charity care cost per DE; and (5) provision of unprofitable services as a function of the private sector to Medicare payment ratio (PMR).

Data Collection/Extraction Methods

Hospital/year‐level data from hospital cost reports merged with AHA data. Samples included general short‐term hospitals with nonprofit ownership, excluding critical access hospitals.

Principal Findings

The final sample included a total of 8862 hospital‐year observations, with a mean PMR of 1.62. Nonprofit hospitals having a 0.1 higher PMR were associated with $257 (95% CI: $181–$334) increase in operating net income per DE; $66 (95% CI: $32–$99) increase in administrative cost per DE; $170 (95% CI: $120–$220) increase in patient care cost per DE; and $18 (95% CI: $10–$25) increase in charity care cost per DE. We found hospitals hired 0.86 (95% CI: −0.08 to 1.81) more registered nurses per 100 beds, but no evidence on providing more beds for unprofitable services, such as obstetric care, burn care, alcohol/drug abuse treatment, or psychiatric care.

Conclusions

Higher private sector prices led primarily to greater surplus and administrative cost for nonprofit hospitals and smaller increases in spending on services that will directly benefit patients.
A preliminary study on the distribution of necrophagous flies on Hainan Island, China
Authors: Song Tao , Zhang Peng , Tang Ke , Deng Jianqiang , Li Jianbo
Published: November 2021

To date, there have been no studies on necrophagous fly populations on Hainan Island in China. Thus, we investigated the species composition of necrophagous flies as well as their geographic distribution on Hainan Island for the first time. Ten sites in different climatic regions across the island were sampled for 7 days per location from November 1, 2018 to February 28, 2019 and from July 1, 2019 to October 31, 2019. Bottle traps made of 1.5 L soft plastic bottles were used to trap necrophagous flies. The collected individuals were identified to species. The specimens represented 5 families and 28 species. Chrysomya megacephala (Fabricius, 1794) was the most dominant species, followed by Chrysomya rufifacies (Macquart, 1843), Hemipyrellia ligurriens (Wiedemann, 1830), Boettcherisca peregrine (Robineau‐Desvoidy, 1830), Parasarcophaga dux (Thomson, 1868), Parasarcophaga misera (Walker, 1849), Synthesiomyia nudiseta (Wulp, 1883), and Ophyra chalcogaster (Wiedemann, 1924). The largest collection of flies was obtained in the semiarid region. Species richness was highest in the subhumid region and was higher in summer than in winter, but there were exceptions, such as L. hainanensis (Fan,1965), Boettcherisca formosensis (Lopes, 1961), and Muscina stabulans (Fallen, 1817). Fannia pusio (Wiedemann, 1830), and Boettcherisca formosensis (Lopes, 1961) were newly recorded species on Hainan Island. Of the necrophagous flies collected during the study, we propose several predominant species based on the criteria of distribution, occurrence frequency, and resource preference. Our results not only investigate necrophagous flies on Hainan Island but also accumulate data for criminal investigations in the region.
Syndromic surveillance to detect disease outbreaks using time between emergency department presentations
Authors: Boyle Justin , Sparks Ross
Published: November 2021

Objective

Early warning of disease outbreaks is paramount for health jurisdictions. The objective of the present study was to develop syndromic surveillance monitoring plans from routinely collected ED data with application to detecting disease outbreaks.

Methods

The study involved secondary data analysis of ED presentations to major public hospitals in Queensland and South Australia spanning 2017–2020. Monitoring plans were developed for all major Queensland and South Australian public hospitals using an adaptation of Exponentially Weighted Moving Averages – a process control method used in detecting anomalies in industrial production processes. The methods rely on setting a threshold (control limit) relating to the time between an event of interest (e.g. flu outbreak) using ED presentations as a signal to monitor. An outbreak is flagged as this time gets significantly smaller, and each event offers a decision point on whether an outbreak has occurred. The models incorporate differing levels of temporal memory to cover outbreaks of different sizes.

Results

The novel approach to real‐time outbreak detection indicates outbreaks for individual hospitals coinciding with the first wave of the COVID‐19 outbreak in Queensland and South Australia as well as the large 2017 and 2019 influenza seasons.

Conclusion

Outbreak detection models demonstrate the ability to quickly flag an outbreak based on clinician‐assigned ED diagnoses. An implemented syndromic surveillance approach can pick up geographic outbreaks quickly so they can be contained. Such capability can help with surveillance related to the current COVID‐19 pandemic and potential future pandemics.
Banishing justice: Extradition limits in the United States
Authors: Bierie David M. , Budd Kristen M.
Published: November 2021

Arrest warrants are an important and pervasive aspect of crime and justice in the United States. There are nearly three million arrest warrants active on any given day, of which several hundred thousand were issued for serious violent crimes (SVCs) such as aggravated assault, robbery, forcible sexual assault, and homicide. In more than a third of those SVC warrants, however, extradition is conditionally waived such that an offender can avoid arrest by leaving town; they can elect banishment over prosecution. Studying extradition limits among these serious offenses presents an opportunity to illuminate both a challenge to public safety and justice, as well as forces underlying discretionary decision making by police. To that end, we study all arrest warrants issued in the United States for SVCs between 2017 and 2019. We model banishment rates at the county‐level within a multivariate negative binomial framework. Analyses showed banishment varied as a function of policing capacity, firearm use in crimes, racial composition, and voting behavior during the 2016 presidential election.
Development and validation of a postnatal risk score that identifies children with prenatal alcohol exposure
Authors: Bernes Gemma A. , Courchesne‐Krak Natasia S. , Hyland Matthew T. , Villodas Miguel T. , Coles Claire D. , Kable Julie A. , May Philip A. , Kalberg Wendy O. , Sowell Elizabeth R. , Wozniak Jeffrey R. , Jones Kenneth L. , Riley Edward P. , Mattson Sarah N. ,   the CIFASD
Published: November 2021

Background

This study aimed to develop an efficient and easily calculable risk score that can be used to identify an individual's risk of having been exposed to alcohol prenatally.

Methods

Data for this study were collected as part of the Collaborative Initiative on Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders, Phases 2 and 3. Two cohorts (ages 5 to 17 years) completed a comprehensive neurobehavioral battery and a standard dysmorphology exam: a development cohort (DC; n = 325) and a comparative cohort (CC; n = 523). Both cohorts included two groups: those with histories of heavy prenatal alcohol exposure (AE‐DC, n = 121; AE‐CC, n = 177) and a control group that included subjects with minimal or no prenatal alcohol exposure (CON‐DC, n = 204; CON‐CC, n = 346). Behavioral assessments and physical exam data were combined using regression techniques to derive a risk score indicating the likelihood of prenatal alcohol exposure. Subjects were then divided into two subgroups: (1) low risk and (2) high risk. Chi‐square (χ2) determined classification accuracy and ROC curves were produced to assess the predictive accuracy. Correlations between risk scores and intelligence quotient and executive function scores were calculated.

Results

Subjects were accurately classified in the DC (χ2 = 78.61, p < 0.001) and CC (χ2 = 86.63, p < 0.001). The classification model also performed well in the DC (ROC = 0.835 [SE = 0.024, p < 0.001]) and CC (ROC = 0.786 [SE = 0.021, p < 0.001]). In the AE‐CC and CON‐CC, there were modest but significant associations between the risk score and executive function (AE‐CC: r = −0.20, p = 0.034; CON‐CC: r = −0.28, p < 0.001) and intelligence quotient (AE‐CC: r = −0.20, p = 0.034; CON‐CC: r = −0.28, p < 0.001).

Conclusion(s)

The risk score significantly distinguished alcohol‐exposed from control subjects and correlated with important cognitive outcomes. It has significant clinical potential and could be easily deployed in clinical settings.
Multimodal MRI data fusion reveals distinct structural, functional and neurochemical correlates of heavy cannabis use
Authors: Hirjak Dusan , Schmitgen Mike M. , Werler Florian , Wittemann Miriam , Kubera Katharina M. , Wolf Nadine D. , Sambataro Fabio , Calhoun Vince D. , Reith Wolfgang , Wolf Robert Christian
Published: November 2021

Heavy cannabis use (HCU) is frequently associated with a plethora of cognitive, psychopathological and sensorimotor phenomena. Although HCU is frequent, specific patterns of abnormal brain structure and function underlying HCU in individuals presenting without cannabis‐use disorder or other current and life‐time major mental disorders are unclear at present. This multimodal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) study examined resting‐state functional MRI (rs‐fMRI) and structural MRI (sMRI) data from 24 persons with HCU and 16 controls. Parallel independent component analysis (p‐ICA) was used to examine covarying components among grey matter volume (GMV) maps computed from sMRI and intrinsic neural activity (INA), as derived from amplitude of low‐frequency fluctuations (ALFF) maps computed from rs‐fMRI data. Further, we used JuSpace toolbox for cross‐modal correlations between MRI‐based modalities with nuclear imaging derived estimates, to examine specific neurotransmitter system changes underlying HCU. We identified two transmodal components, which significantly differed between the HCU and controls (GMV: p = 0.01, ALFF p = 0.03, respectively). The GMV component comprised predominantly cerebello‐temporo‐thalamic regions, whereas the INA component included fronto‐parietal regions. Across HCU, loading parameters of both components were significantly associated with distinct HCU behavior. Finally, significant associations between GMV and the serotonergic system as well as between INA and the serotonergic, dopaminergic and μ‐opioid receptor system were detected. This study provides novel multimodal neuromechanistic insights into HCU suggesting co‐altered structure/function‐interactions in neural systems subserving cognitive and sensorimotor functions.
Using virtual microscopy for the development of sampling strategies in quantitative histology and design‐based stereology
Authors: Kolinko Yaroslav , Malečková Anna , Kochová Petra , Grajciarová Martina , Blassová Tereza , Kural Tomáš , Trailin Andriy , Červenková Lenka , Havránková Jiřina , Vištejnová Lucie , Tonarová Pavla , Moulisová Vladimíra , Jiřík Miroslav , Zavaďáková Anna , Tichánek Filip , Liška Václav , Králíčková Milena , Witter Kirsti , Tonar Zbyněk
Published: November 2021

Only a fraction of specimens under study are usually selected for quantification in histology. Multilevel sampling or tissue probes, slides and fields of view (FOVs) in the regions of interest (ROIs) are required. In general, all parts of the organs under study should be given the same probability to be taken into account; that is, the sampling should be unbiased on all levels. The objective of our study was to provide an overview of the use of virtual microscopy in the context of developing sampling strategies of FOVs for stereological quantification. We elaborated this idea on 18 examples from multiple fields of histology, including quantification of extracellular matrix and muscle tissue, quantification of organ and tumour microvessels and tumour‐infiltrating lymphocytes, assessing osseointegration of bone implants, healing of intestine anastomoses and osteochondral defects, counting brain neurons, counting nuclei in vitro cell cultures and others. We provided practical implications for the most common situations, such as exhaustive sampling of ROIs, sampling ROIs of different sizes, sampling the same ROIs for multiple histological methods, sampling more ROIs with variable intensities or using various objectives, multistage sampling and virtual sampling. Recommendations were provided for pilot studies on systematic uniform random sampling of FOVs as a part of optimizing the efficiency of histological quantification to prevent over‐ or undersampling. We critically discussed the pros and cons of using virtual sections for sampling FOVs from whole scanned sections. Our review demonstrated that whole slide scans of histological sections facilitate the design of sampling strategies for quantitative histology.
Antimicrobial silver dressings: a review of emerging issues for modern wound care
Authors: May Andrew , Kopecki Zlatko , Carney Bernard , Cowin Allison
Published: November 2021

Skin is an important barrier to pathogenic microorganisms and plays a critical role in a ctivation of innate immune responses. When the skin barrier is breached following wounding or burn injury, pathogens can invade and complicate healing with infection resulting in delayed healing and symptomatic scarring. Wound infection is a significant problem after burn injury and in patients with chronic wounds. Antimicrobial silver has had a significant role in wound antisepsis throughout history and, given the rise in community acquired antibiotic resistance, silver dressings are now commonly used to combat wound infection. The multi‐modal mechanism of action, low potential for toxicity and formation of microbial resistance makes silver dressings suitable tools against a wide array of clinically important microbes. There are, however, a number of issues with silver dressings including a conflicting evidence base, the important environmental consideration of nanoparticle manufacture, and the significant cost of these products. One solution may be to adopt an ‘opened‐but‐unused’ means of wound care whereby bulk dressing materials are used piecemeal and stored in between dressing changes to increase the cost‐effectiveness and reduced wastage. There is, however, little literature on this topic and so in vitro and clinical research must be performed to consider the efficacy of active ingredient dressings in wound care including silver dressings once opened and stored.
Daily analysis of autonomy support and well‐being in patient–caregiver dyads facing haematopoietic cell transplantation
Authors: Kroemeke Aleksandra , Sobczyk‐Kruszelnicka Małgorzata
Published: November 2021

Objectives

Caregivers may restore patient self‐determination in disease by supporting their autonomy, and thus enhance their well‐being. In this study, we investigated the between‐ and within‐person effects of recipient‐reported and provider‐reported autonomy support on patient daily biopsychosocial well‐being in patient–caregiver dyads following haematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT).

Design

A dyadic daily‐diary study conducted for 28 days after patients’ hospital discharge following HCT.

Methods

Patients and their caregivers (N = 200) participated in a 28‐day daily‐diary study. They completed measures of daily autonomy support reception (patients) and provision (caregivers), subjective physical health, affect (positive/negative), and relationship satisfaction.

Results

The patient’s feeling of being supported in their autonomy was associated with their better positive affect and relationship satisfaction, both overall (between‐person effect) and daily (within‐person effect). Caregiver‐reported overall and daily support of patient autonomy did not predict patient daily biopsychosocial well‐being.

Conclusions

These findings extended the evidence that autonomy support reported by patients facing HCT may have both accumulative and acute beneficial effects on their psychological and social well‐being.
Special health care needs during childhood and academic achievement in secondary school
Authors: Van Zwieten Anita , Teixeira‐Pinto Armando , Lah Suncica , Nassar Natasha , Craig Jonathan C. , Wong Germaine
Published: November 2021

Background

Secondary education has lifelong implications for wellbeing. We evaluated associations between the duration and timing of special health care needs (SHCN) across childhood and academic achievement in secondary school.

Methods

Cohort design. The structured modelling approach was used to evaluate life‐course models for associations between the duration and timing of SHCN (measured using a two‐item SHCN screener across ages 4–5, 6–7, 8–9 and 10–11 years) and Grade 7 (median age 12.5 years) reading and numeracy achievement. Linear regressions were fitted for each life‐course model: four critical period models (each including SHCN exposure in one period), one sensitive period model (including SHCN exposure in all periods) and two strict accumulation models (including the duration of SHCN exposure in linear form then categorical form). Interactions of SHCN with child sex and family socio‐economic status (SES) were examined.

Results

Of 3734 children, 1845 were female. The number of children with SHCN was 434 (11.7%), 458 (12.9%), 534 (14.7%), 551 (15.4%) at 4–5, 6–7, 8–9 and 10–11 years respectively. For both outcomes, the linear strict accumulation model fitted best, and interactions of SHCN with sex and SES were non‐significant. The average decrease in school achievement z score (95% confidence interval) per period of having SHCN was 0.04 (−0.07 to −0.02) for reading and 0.08 (−0.11 to −0.05) for numeracy.

Conclusions

A longer duration of SHCN from age 4–11 years has small‐sized cumulative associations with poorer Grade 7 reading and numeracy achievement. Each period of SHCN between 4 and 5 and 10–11 years was associated with nearly 0.05 and 0.1 of a standard deviation reduction in Grade 7 reading and numeracy scores respectively, and these associations did not appear to differ across sex or SES. These findings suggest that children with persistent SHCN are at risk of academic deficits and should receive focused interventions.
The social and physical environmental factors associated with the play of children living with life threatening/limiting conditions: A Q methodology study
Authors: Jasem Zainab A. , Lambrick Danielle , Randall Duncan C. , Darlington Anne‐Sophie
Published: November 2021

Background

Living with a life threatening/limiting condition changes and challenges children's play. The environment is known to support participation in play, yet there is a lack of evidence highlighting its specific factors contributing to children's play. In this study, we investigated the perspectives of children living with life threatening/limiting conditions with regard to the environmental factors that are related to their engagement in play whilst receiving inpatient healthcare.

Methods

Twenty‐seven children took part in this study. Participants were aged between 5 and 11 years, diagnosed with life threatening/limiting conditions and were receiving care at either a children's hospital or hospice in either Kuwait or the United Kingdom. Children were asked to rank‐order a Q set according to their perceived importance. The used Q set composed of social and physical environmental factors. The data were analysed using factor analysis and content analysis.

Findings

Two shared viewpoints were identified, which represented children from both countries. For Factor 1, the children's need for social connectivity guided their answers regarding the environmental factors. For Factor 2, although children considered being surrounded by others important, their selections of the play conditions directed their play. For both factors, children had relatively little concern for outdoor and the type of play to engage in, with the exception of arts and crafts play activities, which were deemed important.

Conclusions

Play settings are important to support rich, social play experiences and opportunities that match children's play preferences. Children living with life threatening/limiting conditions in Kuwait and the United Kingdom have relatively similar play needs.