bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
How Mothers of Adults With Profound Intellectual Disabilities Experience Their Everyday Life? A Qualitative Retrospective Study From Poland
Authors: Aksamit Diana , Wehmeyer Michael
Published: July 2021

Introduction

Little is known about the experiences of mothers who care for adult children with profound intellectual disabilities (ID). The aim of this study was to explore these experiences from their perspective. Parenting adult children with profound ID presents a type of maternal experience that differs from that commonly experienced by other mothers.

Methods

Researchers conducted narrative interviews with 34 Polish mothers with adult children with profound ID. A narrative interview was used, a process that resembles an in‐depth, free‐flow conversation. Through follow‐up questions, researchers encouraged the interviewees to share stories of their personal experiences of motherhood. The information was shared during the participant interviews using analytical methods, based on theoretical and methodological concepts developed within the biographical sociology framework outlined by Fritz Schütze. The respondents were asked to share their thoughts about their experiences as mothers from past, present, and future perspectives.

Implications

Gaining a better understanding of and uncovering details about the motherhood experiences of women with adult children with profound disabilities are important so as to better understand ways to better support mothers in such situations. It is especially important to know about the ways in which these women perceive their experiences and to understand the social context that impacts their experiences and perceptions.
Rate and fate of dissolved organic carbon release by seaweeds: A missing link in the coastal ocean carbon cycle
Authors: Paine Ellie R. , Schmid Matthias , Boyd Philip W. , Diaz‐Pulido Guillermo , Hurd Catriona L.
Published: July 2021

Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) release by seaweeds (marine macroalgae) is a critical component of the coastal ocean biogeochemical carbon cycle but is an aspect of seaweed carbon physiology that we know relatively little about. Seaweed‐derived DOC is found throughout coastal ecosystems and supports multiple food web linkages. Here, we discuss the mechanisms of DOC release by seaweeds and group them into passive (leakage, requires no energy) and active release (exudation, requires energy) with particular focus on the photosynthetic “overflow” hypothesis. The release of DOC from seaweeds was first studied in the 1960s, but subsequent studies use a range of units hindering evaluation: we convert published values to a common unit (μmol C · g DW−1· h−1) allowing comparisons between seaweed phyla, functional groups, biogeographic region, and an assessment of the environmental regulation of DOC production. The range of DOC release rates by seaweeds from each phylum under ambient environmental conditions was 0–266.44 μmol C · g DW−1· h−1(Chlorophyta), 0–89.92 μmol C · g DW−1· h−1(Ochrophyta), and 0–41.28 μmol C · g DW−1· h−1(Rhodophyta). DOC release rates increased under environmental factors such as desiccation, high irradiance, non‐optimal temperatures, altered salinity, and elevated dissolved carbon dioxide (CO2) concentrations. Importantly, DOC release was highest by seaweeds that were desiccated (<90 times greater DOC release compared to ambient). We discuss the impact of future ocean scenarios (ocean acidification, seawater warming, altered irradiance) on DOC release rates by seaweeds, the role of seaweed‐derived DOC in carbon sequestration models, and how they inform future research directions.
When will taxonomic saturation be achieved? A case study in Nunduva and Kyrtuthrix (Rivulariaceae, Cyanobacteria)
Authors: Johansen Jeffrey R. , González‐Resendiz Laura , Escobar‐Sánchez Viviana , Segal‐Kischinevzky Claudia , Martínez‐Yerena José , Hernández‐Sánchez Joaquín , Hernández‐Pérez Gabriela , León‐Tejera Hilda
Published: July 2021

A number of heterocytous, mat‐forming, tapering cyanobacteria in Rivulariaceae have recently been observed in both the Atlantic and Pacific coasts in the rocky intertidal and supratidal zones. These belong to the genera Nunduva, Kyrtuthrix, and Phyllonema and have been the subject of several recent studies. Herein, two new species of Nunduva (N. komarkovae and N. sanagustinensis) and two new species of Kyrtuthrix (K. munecosensis and K. totonaca) are characterized and described from the coasts of Mexico. Genetic separation based on the 16S‐23S ITS region was pronounced (>10% in all comparisons). Morphological differences between all existing species in these two genera were also observed, but the group is morphologically complex, and these taxa are considered pseudocryptic. Nunduva and Kyrtuthrix remain morphologically and phylogenetically separate even with the addition of new species. However, how long will this remain the case? Many new genera and species of cyanobacteria have recently been described. Will the taxonomy of cyanobacteria eventually become saturated? Will we start to see multiple populations for the same cryptic species, or will future taxonomists collapse multiple species into fewer species, or multiple genera into single genera. The description of even more Nunduva and Kyrtuthrix species causes us to pause and evaluate the future of cyanobacterial taxonomy. These same questions are faced by algal taxonomists studying other phyla, and the resolution may ultimately be similar.
Capturing single‐copy nuclear genes, organellar genomes, and nuclear ribosomal DNA from deep genome skimming data for plant phylogenetics: A case study in Vitaceae
Authors: Liu Bin‐Bin , Ma Zhi‐Yao , Ren Chen , Hodel Richard G. J. , Sun Miao , Liu Xiu‐Qun , Liu Guang‐Ning , Hong De‐Yuan , Zimmer Elizabeth A. , Wen Jun
Published: July 2021

With the decreasing cost and availability of many newly developed bioinformatics pipelines, next‐generation sequencing (NGS) has revolutionized plant systematics in recent years. Genome skimming has been widely used to obtain high‐copy fractions of the genomes, including plastomes, mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA), and nuclear ribosomal DNA (nrDNA). In this study, through simulations, we evaluated the optimal (minimum) sequencing depth and performance for recovering single‐copy nuclear genes (SCNs) from genome skimming data, by subsampling genome resequencing data and generating 10 data sets with different sequencing coverage in silico. We tested the performance of four data sets (plastome, nrDNA, mtDNA, and SCNs) obtained from genome skimming based on phylogenetic analyses of the Vitis clade at the genus level and Vitaceae at the family level, respectively. Our results showed that optimal minimum sequencing depth for high‐quality SCNs assembly via genome skimming was about 10× coverage. Without the steps of synthesizing baits and enrichment experiments, coupled with incredibly low sequencing costs, we showcase that deep genome skimming (DGS) is as effective for capturing large data sets of SCNs as the widely used Hyb‐Seq approach, in addition to capturing plastomes, mtDNA, and entire nrDNA repeats. DGS may serve as an efficient and economical alternative and may be superior to the popular target enrichment/Hyb‐Seq approach.
Meet the need – the role of vocational education and training for the youth labour market
Authors: Bolli Thomas , Oswald‐Egg Maria Esther , Rageth Ladina
Published: July 2021

To combat negative trends in the youth labour market, policymakers around the world support vocational education and training (VET) programmes. This paper investigates how enrolment rates in upper‐secondary education programmes – general education, school‐based VET and dual VET – affect ten youth labour market indicators on integration and job quality. We run first‐difference generalized method of moments regressions on panel data of 36 countries for 2004 through 2014. We complement the existing literature by dealing with unobserved heterogeneity across time and reverse causality and by analysing non‐linear effects that might arise due to general equilibrium effects. Our findings show that school‐based VET and dual VET have different effects: school‐based VET's effect on the labour market depends on the outcome indicator and country, whereas dual VET overall improves both labour market integration and job quality. Depending on the labour market indicator, we find evidence for both linear and non‐linear effects. In educational reforms, policymakers should therefore consider the non‐linear and heterogeneous effects of VET.
Genomic introgression from a distant congener in the Levant fritillary butterfly, Melitaea acentria
Authors: Pazhenkova Elena A. , Lukhtanov Vladimir A.
Published: July 2021

Introgressive hybridization is more common in nature than previously thought, and its role and creative power in evolution is hotly discussed but not completely understood. Introgression occurs more frequently in sympatry between recently diverged taxa, or when the speciation process has not yet been completed. However, there are relatively few documented cases of hybridization that erodes reproductive barriers between distantly related species. Here, we use whole genome and mitochondrial data to examine how introgression from a distant congener affects pattern of genetic differentiation in the Levant fritillary butterfly Melitaea acentria. We show that this local taxon has evolved as a peripatric geographic isolate of the widespread Melitaea persea, and that there has been significant unidirectional gene flow from the sympatric, nonclosely related Melitaea didyma to M. acentria. We found direct evidence of ongoing sporadic hybridization between M. didyma and M. acentria, which are separated by at least 5 million years of independent evolution. Elevated differentiation and lower level of introgression on the sex Z chromosome compared to autosomes suggest that the Z chromosome has accumulated loci acting as intrinsic postzygotic barriers. Our results show that introgression from M. didyma has been an additional source of nucleotide diversity in the M. acentria population, providing material for drift and selection.
Strategies to combat the problem of yam anthracnose disease: Status and prospects
Authors: Ntui Valentine Otang , Uyoh Edak Aniedi , Ita Effiom Eyo , Markson Aniedi‐Abasi Akpan , Tripathi Jaindra Nath , Okon Nkese Ime , Akpan Mfon Okon , Phillip Julius Oyohosuho , Brisibe Ebiamadon Andi , Ene‐Obong Ene‐Obong Effiom , Tripathi Leena
Published: July 2021

Yam (Dioscorea spp.) anthracnose, caused by Colletotrichum alatae, is the most devastating fungal disease of yam in West Africa, leading to 50%–90% of tuber yield losses in severe cases. In some instances, plants die without producing any tubers or each shoot may produce several small tubers before it dies if the disease strikes early. C. alatae affects all parts of the yam plant at all stages of development, including leaves, stems, tubers, and seeds of yams, and it is highly prevalent in the yam belt region and other yam‐producing countries in the world. Traditional methods adopted by farmers to control the disease have not been very successful. Fungicides have also failed to provide long‐lasting control. Although conventional breeding and genomics‐assisted breeding have been used to develop some level of resistance to anthracnose in Dioscorea alata, the appearance of new and more virulent strains makes the development of improved varieties with broad‐spectrum and durable resistance critical. These shortcomings, coupled with interspecific incompatibility, dioecy, polyploidy, poor flowering, and the long breeding cycle of the crop, have prompted researchers to explore biotechnological techniques to complement conventional breeding to speed up crop improvement. Modern biotechnological tools have the potential of producing fungus‐resistant cultivars, thereby bypassing the natural bottlenecks of traditional breeding. This article reviews the existing biotechnological strategies and proposes several approaches that could be adopted to develop anthracnose‐resistant yam varieties for improved food security in West Africa.
Reflections on the changing landscape of apologetics
Authors: Pickering David
Published: July 2021

This essay investigates one aspect of the relationship between contemporary apologetics and cultural studies. It begins with a consideration of Avery Dulles’ famous History of Apologetics. While noting the many virtues of Dulles’ work, it critiques his lack of attention to the role of imagination, emotion, narrative, and personal testimony. The essay argues that Dulles’ work shows how constricted the study of apologetics has often been in comparison with its practice. The essay goes on to note recent developments in research into apologetics which have begun to apply recent philosophical and theological interest in narrative, imagination, and the emotions to this field. It explores the increasingly sophisticated conceptual apparatus available for this task, in particular the concepts of the Social Imaginary and the Overton Window. Finally, the essay attempts a dialogue with certain aspects of secular advocacy, in relation to the role of emotion in the public square. It concludes that the use of conceptual resources from other disciplines, and engagement in dialogue with secular advocacy, may be of benefit to apologetics.
Open to Debate: Reducing Polarization by Approaching Political Argument as Negotiation
Authors: Iwry Jonathan
Published: July 2021

One of the most prominent features of political polarization is the decline in civility and quality of political discourse. Those with opposing political viewpoints often refuse to engage in dialogue, and their limited attempts often end in unproductive conflict. In this article, I examine the commonalities between political arguments and negotiations to consider how the principles of negotiation theory can usefully be applied to improve the quality of political discourse. I survey existing research on political and moral psychology to analyze the competitive dynamics and emotions underlying the use of reason in political contexts. I propose a model of political arguments in which stated positions function as proxies for personal, moral, and tribal interests, and offer specific examples of prescriptive strategies for how negotiation theory can foster constructive dialogue. My core contention is that most political arguments reflect a zero‐sum dynamic that inflames unproductive competitive instincts, whereas an interest‐based approach moves beyond political positioning to allow for more substantive reflection and mutual understanding. Effective argumentation requires parties to view rational dialogue as consistent with their mutual interests, using shared curiosity, trust in good faith, and other cooperative principles as procedural ground rules. It also requires parties to address the social and emotional dynamics influencing their shared use of reason, working to replace adversarial tension with a personal inclination toward fair‐mindedness and reciprocity.
Telediagnosis of oral lesions using smartphone photography
Authors: Fonseca Bruna Basso , Perdoncini Nicole Nichele , da Silva Victor Cordeiro , Gueiros Luiz Alcino Monteiro , Carrard Vinicius Coelho , Lemos Celso Augusto , Schussel Juliana Lucena , Amenábar José Miguel , Torres‐Pereira Cassius Carvalho
Published: July 2021

Objective

The objective of this observational study was to evaluate telediagnosis of oral lesions using smartphone photography.

Materials and Methods

Individuals with visible oral lesions composed a convenience sample. The lesions were photographed using a smartphone camera and emailed along with clinical information to three evaluators, who formulated up to two diagnostic hypotheses for each case. A total of 235 photographs from 113 clinical cases were obtained. The evaluators answered questions regarding referral decisions, requests for additional tests, diagnostic difficulties, and image quality. The diagnostic hypotheses were compared to the gold standard by means of percent agreement and kappa coefficient. Consensual face‐to‐face diagnoses of three specialists—when only a clinical diagnosis was necessary—or histopathological results—when a biopsy was necessary—were considered the gold standard.

Results

The telediagnosis was similar to the gold standard in 76% of the cases, and kappa coefficients showed almost perfect agreement (k = 0.817–0.903). The evaluators considered that referrals could have been avoided on an average of 35,4% of the cases.

Conclusion

Diagnosis of oral lesions using images taken with a smartphone showed almost perfect agreement and diagnostic accuracy comparable to face‐to‐face diagnosis.
Biallelic TRAF3IP2 variants causing chronic mucocutaneous candidiasis in a child harboring a STAT1 variant
Authors: Blanco Lobo Pilar , Lei Wei‐Te , Pelham Simon J. , Guisado Hernández Paloma , Villaoslada Isabel , de Felipe Beatriz , Lucena José Manuel , Casanova Jean‐Laurent , Olbrich Peter , Puel Anne , Neth Olaf
Published: July 2021

Background

Inherited chronic mucocutaneous candidiasis (CMC) is often caused by inborn errors of immunity, impairing the response to, or the production of IL‐17A and IL‐17F. About half of the cases carry STAT1 gain‐of‐function (GOF) mutations. Only few patients have been reported with mutations of TRAF3IP2, a gene encoding the adaptor ACT1 essential for IL‐17 receptor(R) signaling. We investigated a 10‐year‐old girl with CMC, carrying a heterozygous variant of STAT1 and compound heterozygous variants of TRAF3IP2.

Methods

By flow cytometry, STAT1 levels and phosphorylation (CD14+) as well as IL‐17A, IL‐22, IFN‐γ, and IL‐4 production (memory CD4+ T cells) were determined. ACT1 expression and binding to IL‐17RA were assessed by Western blot and co‐immunoprecipitation in HEK‐293T cells transfected with plasmids encoding wild‐type or mutant HA‐tagged ACT1 and Flag‐IL‐17RA. We evaluated IL‐17A responses by measuring luciferase induction under a NF‐κB‐driven reporter system in HEK‐293T cells and Gro‐α secretion in fibroblasts.

Results

A STAT1 variant (c.1363G>A/p.V455I) was identified by next‐generation sequencing and classified as likely non‐pathogenic as functional testing revealed normal STAT1 expression and phosphorylation upon IFN‐γ. We also found compound heterozygous variants (c.1325A>G/p.D451G and c.1335delA/p.K454fs11*) of TRAF3IP2. By overexpression, despite normal protein expression, and impaired (K454fs11*) or normal (D451G) interaction with IL‐17RA, both mutant alleles resulted in impaired NF‐κB activation. Patient's fibroblasts displayed abolished GRO‐α secretion upon IL‐17A stimulation. Finally, ex vivo CD4+ T cells showed increased IL‐17A, IL‐22, and IL‐4 and normal low IFN‐γ expression upon stimulation.

Conclusion

We identify novel compound heterozygous variants of TRAFP3IP2 causing autosomal recessive ACT1 deficiency in a child with CMC and provide a review of the current literature.
A shifting landscape: Practice patterns and outcomes of cystic fibrosis and non‐cystic fibrosis pediatric lung transplantation
Authors: Nelson Jennifer S. , Maul Timothy M. , Aughtman Shelby L. , Hurtado Christopher G. , Wearden Peter D.
Published: July 2021

Background

New drugs may further decrease the need for lung transplant (LTx) in pediatric patients with cystic fibrosis (CF), but few studies highlight pediatric non‐CF LTx characteristics and outcomes.

Methods

The ISHLT registry was used to report morbidity, graft failure, and survival for primary pediatric (<18 years) LTx performed 1990–2017. Recipient/donor characteristics and long‐term outcomes were analyzed for CF and non‐CF recipients. Survival was assessed using Kaplan–Meier curves.

Results

Of 2232 primary LTx, (43% in males), 918 (41%) were performed for non‐CF indications; most commonly pulmonary hypertension (43%). Non‐CF patients were younger (median age 11 vs. 15, p < .001), and more frequently on inotropes and/or extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (15% vs. 2.4%, p < .001) at transplant, compared to CF recipients. In‐hospital major complications more commonly affected CF LTx recipients (57% vs. 48%, p = .003), but 30‐day mortality was higher in the non‐CF group (9% non‐CF vs. 5% CF, p < .001). One‐, five‐, and ten‐year mortality was 18%, 50%, and 65% for CF recipients, respectively, and 21%, 45%, and 58% for non‐CF recipients (p = .01 at 10 years). Five‐year survival was significantly better for non‐CF females versus CF females (56% vs. 48%, p = .013), but was similar between groups for males (55% vs. 54%, p = .305). While age was a late outcomes risk factor, pulmonary hypertension and later transplants eras were protective.

Conclusions

Early mortality is higher and late mortality is lower in non‐CF LTx. Current non‐CF LTx outcomes leave room for improvement. Further study is needed to evaluate the effects of center volume and pediatric‐specific experience on outcomes.
Exploring the Open COVID Pledge in the fight against COVID‐19: a semantic analysis of the Manifesto, the pledgors and the featured patents
Authors: Antonelli Ginevra Assia , Leone Maria Isabella , Ricci Riccardo
Published: July 2021

Coronavirus disease‐19 (COVID‐19) has stimulated urgent innovative responses to tackle the current crisis and unveil new trajectories enabling recovery as early as possible. In the quest for solutions to the pandemic, organizations have been forced to join efforts with an unprecedented number of different stakeholders, including competitors, rising new appropriation‐related challenges. To ease these issues and facilitate collaborative efforts, some initiatives have come into being to encourage the release of Intellectual Property (IP) rights to unlock new possibilities from their use and possibly foster the collective innovation process. The Open COVID Pledge (OCP) stands out as the most visible project that has gained momentum at the international level, as it has increasingly involved well‐known top‐patenting companies, willing to publicly commit to making their IP relevant to COVID‐19 freely available. Drawing from all the available information (the World Wide Web, the participating companies' press releases and official websites, and the documents of pledged patents), we propose a research design, applying a semantic method to allow an augmented understanding of the main characteristics of this pledge. Our findings point out that the OCP has got a great media resonance on the overall web, also thanks to the commitment of large top‐patenting pledgors; results also show that while the official communications of the participant companies resemble very much the general OCP Manifesto of providing free access to their patent portfolio, the semantic analysis of the pledged patents unveils details on available technologies that mostly refer to the real‐time search and analysis of information and devices for the detection of the diffusion of the virus. Overall, this analysis contributes to providing contextual information on the available IP, towards the desired direction of putting the pledge to work and have an impact on follow‐on innovation, which represents the underlying rationale of the initiative in the fight against COVID‐19.
Elizabeth I, Thomas Tallis and Judith: music, resistance and the iconography of power
Authors: Natour Elisabeth Charlotte
Published: July 2021

Abstract

The use of biblical analogies hailing Elizabeth by comparing her to biblical figures has long been recognized as important for the establishment of her rule. Elizabeth was compared to the apocryphal heroine Judith throughout her reign in a positive way. Yet in the wake and aftermath of the Northern Rising, the Papal Bull and the Ridolfi plot the comparison was challenged, as were Elizabethan politics, by another Judith appearing on stage, Mary Stuart. By reading the famous motet, Spem in alium, composed by the Elizabethan court musician Thomas Tallis as a work that makes use of both Protestant and Catholic appropriations of the biblical heroine, the Essay shows the possibilities of musical communication covering a middle ground in this pivotal period of the reign. By commissioning the piece, one of the most eminent Catholic nobles, Henry Fitzalan, twelfth earl of Arundel, used a musically couched reading of the biblical story of Judith to negotiate his personal relationship with the queen after having been implicated in the Ridolfi plot. As such the motet allows new insights in the communicative interactions of Catholics and Protestants and shows the heuristic value of musical sources for understanding Elizabethan politics.
PHILOSOPHICAL DEBATES ABOUT DERRIDA AND THE DEATH PENALTY: STATE OF THE QUESTION
Authors: Lawlor Leonard
Published: July 2021

In this essay, I examine Derrida’s deconstruction (or critique) of the death penalty in his first set of lectures (The Death Penalty, Volume 1). The essay has two parts. First, I reconstruct this deconstruction. I show that the deconstruction depends on the difference between the calculable instant and the incalculable instant. Then, in the second part I show how this difference is based on the deconstruction of temporalization Derrida produced in his 1967Voice and Phenomenon. The deconstruction of temporalization shows that the calculated instant is impossible, and the future, including the instant of my death, remains incalculable. In the essay’s conclusion, I show that the pardon from the death penalty is only a gift of time, only more time or extra time. The pardon can pardon someone from the condemnation to death, but it cannot pardon anyone from the condemnation to die. The pardon can give only a finite survival.
Prophylactic plasma: Can we finally let go?
Authors: Juffermans Nicole P. , Muller Marcella M.
Published: July 2021

See article on page 2025–2034, in this issue
How do I think about blood donor eligibility criteria for medical conditions?
Authors: Goldman Mindy
Published: July 2021

Every blood center must determine blood donor eligibility criteria for donors with medical conditions, often based on very limited published data and variable practice. This manuscript briefly outlines possible impacts of donor medical conditions on donor and recipient safety and product quality, and describes the multidisciplinary approach used in Canada to think about donor criteria issues. Many years of experience are distilled into practical considerations in determining criteria, possible sources of information, and factors for successful change implementation, to hopefully assist medical and technical staff engaged in decision‐making around donor eligibility.
Removal of Zirconium (Zr) from Aqueous Solution by Polymer Enhanced Ultrafiltration
Authors: Dündar O. A , Arar Ö.
Published: July 2021

Although the world output of zirconium has been declining, increasing zirconium consumption cannot compete with this situation. For this reason, removal and recovery of zirconium become important. This work is focused on the removal of Zirconium (as ZrO22+) ions from an aqueous solution using polymer-enhanced ultrafiltration (PEUF) techniques with water-soluble Poly (sodium-p-styrene sulfonate, SSS) sorbent. The negatively charged sulfonic acid groups in the polymer interact with positively charged ZrO22+ cation thereby enabling the efficient removal of ZrO22+through ultrafiltration. The effect of polymer: zirconium mole ratio, initial solution pH, and the presence of interfering ions on the removal of zirconium was investigated. The obtained results demonstrated that ZrO22+ can be removed from the aqueous solution by the PEUF technique with more than 99% efficiency at pH ≥ 2 using polymer: Zr molar ratio of 5:1. The presence of interfering ions did not affect the percent removal of ZrO22+.
Gateway and Barriers of Forward Osmosis – A Mini Review
Authors: PravinKumar A. , Ashok Kumar S. , Srinivasan G.
Published: July 2021

Forward Osmosis (FO) is a technique that requires less power consumption compared to other membrane techniques. FO is significant for its fouling resistance rate, energy consumption, high recovery rate, water flux and scourable. The FO membrane is fabricated by successive steps namely phase inversion via immersion precipitation followed by interfacial polymerization under suitable parameters. The application of FO in various fields can be enhanced by overcoming the limitations. This study shows the approaches of membrane fabrication for FO technique, applications, advancement in the current industries with limitations and overcoming solutions.
The Potential Role of Membrane Technology in the Removal of Microplastics from Wastewater
Authors: Adewuyi Adewale , Campbell Abisola Joan , Adeyemi Olalere G.
Published: July 2021

The presence of microplastics in water is a serious environmental problem. Although several approaches have been employed to tackle the problem, the use of membrane technology in addressing this problem remains encouraging but with limitation such as fouling and chemical instability which can be circumvented. This review identifies the presence of microplastics in water and the role of membrane technology in tackling the removal of microplastics in water. The study revealed the presence of microplastics in different water sources as well as the negative impact of microplastics on aquatic animals. Unfortunately, lack of proper management of plastic wastes has led to an increase in the presence of microplastics in the environment. Despite the profound performance by membrane technology towards the removal of microplastics in water, there is need to further improve on the limitations exhibited by this technology. However, there is no doubt that membrane technology remains an outstanding technology for the removal microplastics in water.
Membrane Fouling – The Enemy of Forward Osmosis
Authors: Chang Z. H. , Teow Y. H. , Yeap S. P. , Sum J. Y.
Published: July 2021

Forward osmosis (FO) is an osmotically driven membrane separation process. It is potentially applied in various industries for nutrient recovery and water reclamation. Although FO showed a lesser fouling tendency than other pressure-driven membrane processes, the solutes in the feed solution would still deposit on the membrane surface, forming a fouling layer that resists water permeation. For that reason, fouling mitigation is a trending issue in the FO process. A better understanding of the fouling mechanism is required before opting for the appropriate strategy to mitigate it. This article describes the fouling mechanism based on different foulant presented in the feed, followed by a method in relieving fouling in the FO process.
Birational boundedness of low-dimensional elliptic Calabi–Yau varieties with a section
Authors: Di Cerbo Gabriele , Svaldi Roberto
Published: July 2021

We prove that there are finitely many families, up to isomorphism in codimension one, of elliptic Calabi–Yau manifolds$Y\rightarrow X$with a rational section, provided that$\dim (Y)\leq 5$and$Y$is not of product type. As a consequence, we obtain that there are finitely many possibilities for the Hodge diamond of such manifolds. The result follows from log birational boundedness of Kawamata log terminal pairs$(X, \Delta )$with$K_X+\Delta$numerically trivial and not of product type, in dimension at most four.
COVID‐19 vulnerabilities are intensified by declining human serum albumin levels
Authors: Johnson Andrew S. , Winlow William
Published: July 2021

What is the topic of this review?

Human serum albumin (HSA) a common factor in COVID‐19 vulnerabilities.

What advances does it highlight?

Understanding of HSA capacity, and systemic vulnerabilities to COVID‐19. Raising HSA in COVID‐19 patients may alleviate systemic injury caused by diminished native HSA binding. A change in fluid therapy administration into the portal system of the liver is proposed to safely raise HSA levels.

The specific nature of the vulnerabilities to COVID‐19 are an intrinsic part of COVID‐19 infection in many patients. This paper proposes that vulnerabilities to COVID‐19 may be intensified by a decrease in human serum albumin (HSA) as a ligand carrier for nutrients. A mechanism for COVID‐19 vulnerabilities is evident from consideration of ligand carriers such as HSA as intermediaries. We hypothesise that low levels of pool HSA binding, caused for whatever reason, affect the performance of albumin as a carrier protein reducing the availability of nutrients. Hypoalbuminaemia (low HSA) has been implicated as an indicator of COVID‐19 and long‐COVID‐19. The levels of HSA directly affect the immune system and vulnerabilities to age, diabetes and obesity in COVID‐19. Any slight reduction in available HSA has profound effects on ligand concentrations in the small capillaries where damage occurs in COVID‐19. The clinical implication is that attempts should be made to return HSA to clinical levels to compensate for the additional ligands caused by infection (SARS‐CoV‐2 virions, antibodies and cellular breakdown products). Therapeutic albumin is usually given peripherally, and usual preparations are unbound to ligands, but we suggest that a clinical trial of HSA therapy via the hepatic portal vein should be considered.
Boiling Heat Transfer Characteristics of Rotary Hollow Cylinders With In-Line and Staggered Multiple Arrays of Water Jets
Authors: Jahedi Mohammad , Moshfegh Bahram
Published: July 2021

Transient heat transfer studies of quenching rotary hollow cylinders with in-line and staggered multiple arrays of jets have been carried out experimentally. The study involves three hollow cylinders (Do/d = 12–24) with rotation speed 10–50 rpm, quenched by subcooled water jets (ΔTsub = 50–80 K) with jet flow rate 2.7–10.9 L/min. The increase in area-averaged and maximum heat flux over quenching surface (Af) has been observed in the studied multiple arrays with constant Qtotal compared to previous studies. Investigation of radial temperature distribution at stagnation point of jet reveals that the footprint of configuration of 4-row array is highlighted in radial distances near the outer surface and vanishes further down toward the inner surface. The influence of the main quenching parameters on local average surface heat flux at stagnation point is addressed in all the boiling regimes where the result indicates jet flow rate provides strongest effect in all the boiling regimes. Effectiveness of magnitude of maximum heat flux in the boiling curve for the studied parameters is reported. The result of spatial and temporal heat flux by radial conduction in the solid presents projection depth of cyclic variation of surface heat flux in the radial axis as it disappears near inner surface of hollow cylinder. In addition, correlations are proposed for area-averaged Nusselt number as well as average and maximum local heat flux at stagnation point of jet for the in-line and staggered multiple arrays.
Development and Functional Testing of an Unloading Concept for Knee Osteoarthritis Patients: A Pilot Study
Authors: Stoltze Jonas S. , Pallari Jari , Eskandari Behrokh , Oliveira Anderson S. C. , Pirscoveanu Cristina I. , Rasmussen John , Andersen Michael S.
Published: July 2021

This paper presents a knee brace design that applies an extension moment to unload the muscles in stance phase during gait, and thereby the knee, as alternative to conventional valgus braces for knee osteoarthritis patients. The concept was tested on one healthy subject during normal gait with a prototype, which was designed to activate and deactivate in order to apply the extension moment in the stance phase only and hereby avoid any interference during the swing phase. Electromyography measurements and musculoskeletal models were used to evaluate the brace effects on muscle activation and knee compressive forces, respectively. Simulations predicted an ideal reduction of up to 36%, whereas experimental tests revealed a reduction of up to 24% with the current prototype. The prototype brace also reduced the knee joint force impulse up to 9% and electromyography (EMG) peak signal of the vasti muscles with up to 19%. Due to these reductions on a healthy subject, this bracing approach seems promising for reducing knee loads during normal gait. However, further clinical experiments on knee osteoarthritis patients are required to evaluate the effect on both pain and disease progression.
Vocal fold dynamics in a synthetic self-oscillating model: Contact pressure and dissipated-energy dose
Authors: Motie-Shirazi Mohsen , Zañartu Matías , Peterson Sean D. , Erath Byron D.
Published: July 2021

The energy dissipated during vocal fold (VF) contact is a predictor of phonotrauma. Difficulty measuring contact pressure has forced prior energy dissipation estimates to rely upon generalized approximations of the contact dynamics. To address this shortcoming, contact pressure was measured in a self-oscillating synthetic VF model with high spatiotemporal resolution using a hemilaryngeal configuration. The approach yields a temporal resolution of less than 0.26 ms and a spatial resolution of 0.254 mm in the inferior-superior direction. The average contact pressure was found to be 32% of the peak contact pressure, 60% higher than the ratio estimated in prior studies. It was found that 52% of the total power was dissipated due to collision. The power dissipated during contact was an order of magnitude higher than the power dissipated due to internal friction during the non-contact phase of oscillation. Both the contact pressure magnitude and dissipated power were found to be maximums at the mid anterior-posterior position, supporting the idea that collision is responsible for the formation of benign lesions, which normally appear at the middle third of the VF.
The performance of time reversal in elastic chaotic cavities as a function of volume and geometric shape of the cavity
Authors: Simpson Paige E. , Anderson Brian E.
Published: July 2021

Time reversal is used as an energy-focusing technique in nondestructive evaluation applications. Here, it is often of interest to evaluate small samples or samples that do not lend themselves to the bonding of transducers to their surfaces. A reverberant cavity, called a chaotic cavity, attached to the sample of interest provides space for the attachment of transducers as well as an added reverberant environment, which reverberation is critical to the quality of time reversal focusing. The goal of this research is to explore the dependence of the quality of the time reversal focusing on the size and geometric shape of the chaotic cavity used. An optimal chaotic cavity will produce the largest focusing amplitude, best spatial resolution, and linear focusing of the time reversed signal. Ultrasonic elastic-wave experiments are performed on a rectangular, cylindrical, and three-dimensional Sinai billiard prism samples, and experiments are repeated each time these samples are successively cut down to smaller volumes. As the size of the cavity decreases, the peak amplitude may increase or decrease depending on the normalization scheme employed. The higher the degree of ergodicity of the cavity, the higher the amplitude and quality focusing achieved.
Mental Health in Times of the COVID-19 Pandemic: Exploring the Impact on Well-Being Across the Athlete-Collegiate Career
Authors: Schary David P. , Lundqvist Carolina
Published: July 2021

In reaction to the COVID-19 pandemic, restrictive policies altered student-athletes’ academic and athletic life. Sparse research has investigated the pandemic’s effect on student-athlete mental health in terms of both negative (e.g., depression, anxiety) and positive (e.g., well-being, quality of life) dimensions. This study explored the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on well-being and quality of life among National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I student-athletes at different stages of their collegiate career. Ninety-nine student-athletes (Mage = 19.7 years, SD = 1.5) completed assessments on their mental health. Regression analysis revealed experiences directly related to COVID-19 did not affect general well-being or quality of life, but anxiety, depression, and significant insomnia did. Social well-being was lower for student-athletes closer to graduation (e.g., juniors, seniors), independent of reported anxiety and depression levels. These findings highlight the importance of psychosocial support, particularly in times of crisis, and indicate that tailored support might be beneficial at later stages of the collegiate years.
Serratus Anterior Fatigue Reduces Scapular Posterior Tilt and External Rotation During Arm Elevation
Authors: Harrison Nathan , Garrett W. Zach , Timmons Mark K.
Published: July 2021

Context: Fatigue of the scapular stabilizing muscles resulting from repeated arm motion has been reported to alter scapular kinematics, which could result in shoulder pathology, especially impingement. Objective: This study aimed to examine the effects of fatigue of the serratus anterior muscle on scapular kinematics, specifically, decrease scapular posterior tilt and upward scapular rotation during arm elevation. Design: Repeated measures. Setting: Laboratory. Participants: Thirty participants were included in the investigation. Interventions: Scapular kinematics and shoulder strength were measured before and immediately following a serratus anterior fatigue protocol. Main Outcome: Scapular 3-dimensional position during arm elevation. Results: No difference in upward rotation of the scapula between prefatigue and postfatigue conditions (ascending: P = .188; descending: P = .798). Scapular posterior tilt decreased during arm elevation following the fatigue protocol between 60° and 90° and 90° and 120° of arm elevation during the ascent (P = .004) and the descent (P = .013). Fatigue by arm elevation angle interaction was found for clavicular elevation during the ascent (P = .050) between 90° and 120° of arm elevation. Scapular internal rotation increased during the ascent (P = .027). There was no difference in clavicular protraction between the prefatigue and postfatigue conditions (ascending: P ≤ .001; descending: P ≤ .001). Conclusion: Fatigue of the serratus anterior decreases posterior scapular tilt and greater clavicular elevation and scapular internal rotation at higher arm elevation angles. These findings are consistent with the scapular kinematic patterns associated with shoulder pain. Improving serratus anterior endurance might delay the changes in scapular kinematics associated with repeated arm motion and shoulder injury mechanisms.
Conformation-modulated three-dimensional electrocatalysts for high-performance fuel cell electrodes
Authors: Kim Jong Min , Jo Ahrae , Lee Kyung Ah , Han Hyeuk Jin , Kim Ye Ji , Kim Ho Young , Lee Gyu Rac , Kim Minjoon , Park Yemin , Kang Yun Sik , Jung Juhae , Chae Keun Hwa , Lee Eoyoon , Ham Hyung Chul , Ju Hyunchul , Jung Yeon Sik , Kim Jin Young
Published: July 2021

3D customized Pt nanoarchitecture realizes large surface area and porosity for excellent performance and durability in fuel cells.
FUS-ALS mutants alter FMRP phase separation equilibrium and impair protein translation
Authors: Birsa Nicol , Ule Agnieszka M. , Garone Maria Giovanna , Tsang Brian , Mattedi Francesca , Chong P. Andrew , Humphrey Jack , Jarvis Seth , Pisiren Melis , Wilkins Oscar G. , Nosella Micheal L. , Devoy Anny , Bodo Cristian , de la Fuente Rafaela Fernandez , Fisher Elizabeth M. C. , Rosa Alessandro , Viero Gabriella , Forman-Kay Julie D. , Schiavo Giampietro , Fratta Pietro
Published: July 2021

Cytoplasmic mislocalization of FUS-ALS mutants determines aberrant FMRP condensates and protein synthesis repression.
Erythropoietin promotes abdominal aortic aneurysms in mice through angiogenesis and inflammatory infiltration
Authors: Zhang Meng , Sui Wenhai , Cheng Cheng , Xue Fei , Tian Zhenyu , Cheng Jing , Zhang Jie , Zhang Tao , Zhang Jianlin , Wang Weiwei , Xiong Wenjing , Hao Panpan , Ma Jing , Xu Xingli , Wang Shuangxi , Sun Shangwen , Zhang Meng , Zhang Yun , Zhang Cheng
Published: July 2021

Erythropoietin dose-dependently induces abdominal aortic aneurysm in mice via JAK2/STAT5 signaling, even without angiotensin II infusion.
Introducing a one-queue model to the paediatric emergency department
Authors: Greenbury Charles , Asim Lalarukh , Baynes Hannah , Mitchell Rachael Claire
Published: July 2021

Introduction of ‘One Queue’ to our paediatric emergency department (PED)—changing to a single-stream triage destination in PED to improve patient flow, clinician experience and team cohesion.
Improving triage for children with comorbidity using the ED-PEWS: an observational study
Authors: Zachariasse Joany M , Espina Pinky Rose , Borensztajn Dorine M , Nieboer Daan , Maconochie Ian K , Steyerberg Ewout W , van der Lei Johan , Greber-Platzer Susanne , Moll Henriette A
Published: July 2021

Objective

To assess the value of the Emergency Department–Pediatric Early Warning Score (ED-PEWS) for triage of children with comorbidity.

Design

Secondary analysis of a prospective cohort.

Setting and patients

53 829 consecutive ED visits of children <16 years in three European hospitals (Netherlands, UK and Austria) participating in the TrIAGE (Triage Improvements Across General Emergency departments) project in different periods (2012–2015).

Intervention

ED-PEWS, a score consisting of age and six physiological parameters.

Main outcome measure

A three-category reference standard as proxy for true patient urgency. We assessed discrimination and calibration of the ED-PEWS for children with comorbidity (complex and non-complex) and without comorbidity. In addition, we evaluated the value of adding the ED-PEWS to the routinely used Manchester Triage System (MTS).

Results

5053 (9%) children had underlying non-complex morbidity and 5537 (10%) had complex comorbidity. The c-statistic for identification of high-urgency patients was 0.86 (95% prediction interval 0.84–0.88) for children without comorbidity, 0.87 (0.82–0.92) for non-complex and 0.86 (0.84–0.88) for complex comorbidity. For high and intermediate urgency, the c-statistic was 0.63 (0.62–0.63), 0.63 (0.61–0.65) and 0.63 (0.55–0.73) respectively. Sensitivity was slightly higher for children with comorbidity (0.73–0.75 vs 0.70) at the cost of a lower specificity (0.86–0.87 vs 0.92). Calibration was largely similar. Adding the ED-PEWS to the MTS for children with comorbidity improved performance, except in the setting with few high-urgency patients.

Conclusions

The ED-PEWS has a similar performance in children with and without comorbidity. Adding the ED-PEWS to the MTS for children with comorbidity improves triage, except in the setting with few high-urgency patients.
Young woman diagnosed with paraganglioma in primary care
Authors: Reus Xisco , Vicens Caterina , García-Serra Cristina
Published: July 2021

A 15-year-old young woman was referred to the emergency room for admission by her general practitioner after receiving the results of urinary metanephrines and catecholamines requested to study the tachycardia, sweating and headaches that she had been presenting progressively last year. Imaging tests showed a large right supraumbilical para-aortic paraganglioma that was successfully removed with surgery after previous medical preparation with adrenergic blockers. Genetic testing showed a heterozygous mutation of the gene succinate dehydrogenase-B. The classic triad of symptoms in these disorders consists of headaches, sweating and tachycardia, usually accompanied by hypertension. We wanted to present this case, a challenging diagnosis of paraganglioma in primary care.