bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Establishing an institutional reverse total shoulder arthroplasty registry
Authors: Kriechling Philipp , Waltenspül Manuel , Bouaicha Samy , Wieser Karl
Published: September 2021

Background

The number of implanted reverse total shoulder arthroplasties (RTSA) is increasing worldwide. To improve patient care, institutional and national arthroplasty registries are being established worldwide to record outcome data. This article aims to describe the setup of an RTSA database in a high-volume university orthopedic hospital.

Methods

All patients who received an RTSA at the authors’ tertiary referral hospital have been followed and individual datasets have been systematically recorded in a REDCap database since 2005. The data are captured longitudinally as a primary preoperative survey and as a regular or irregular postoperative follow-up. All baseline demographic data, patient history, surgical details, arthroplasty details, adverse events, and radiographic and clinical outcome scores (Constant–Murley score, Subjective Shoulder Value, range of motion) are recorded.

Results

A total of 1433 RTSA were implanted between January 2005 and December 2020. Of these, 1184 (83%) were primary implantations and 249 (17%) were secondary cases. The cohort had a mean age of 70 ± 10 years, was 39% male, and was classified ASA II in 59%. The lost to follow-up rate was 18% after 2 years, 22% after 5 years, and 53% after 10 years. The overall complication rate with 2 years minimum follow-up was 18% (156/854 shoulders) with reintervention in 10% (82/854 shoulders).

Conclusion

A well-managed institutional arthroplasty registry, including structured clinical and radiological follow-up assessments, offers the opportunity for high-quality long-term patient and arthroplasty outcome analysis. Such data are not only helpful for analyzing patient outcome and implant survival, but will be increasingly important to justify our daily clinical practice against different stakeholders in the various health care systems.
The Jejunojejunostomy: an Achilles Heel of the Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass Construction
Authors: Hedberg Suzanne , Xiao Yao , Klasson Adam , Maleckas Almantas , Wirén Mikael , Thorell Anders , Laurenius Anna , Engström My , Olbers Torsten
Published: September 2021

Background

Laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) has for long been the gold standard technique in bariatric surgery, especially in the Scandinavian countries. In a tertiary hospital setting, we observed an increasing number of patients with postprandial abdominal pain and nausea, often associated with complex hypoglycemia.

Objectives

The present study aimed to characterize the clinical patterns, patient characteristics, and clinical outcomes after surgical revision of dysfunctional RYGB at Sahlgrenska University Hospital in Gothenburg, Sweden.

Methods

This cohort study included patients with RYGB who underwent revision of the jejunojejunostomy (JJ) after 2013. Information was obtained by reviewing medical records and performing complementary interviews.

Results

Laparoscopic revisional surgery was performed in 115 cases with either adhesiolysis or total revision of the JJ (mean age 41 years, range 19–67 years; 90% women). The median time to assessment after the last revision was 33 months (range 12–75 months). Forty-four (38%) patients reported that they were symptom-free long-term after the intervention, and 32 (28%) patients experienced an improvement in the symptoms that were the indication for revision. However, 31 (27%) patients reported no long-term improvement, and half of them (n = 16) subsequently had a reversal of the anatomy. Eight (7%) patients were lost to follow-up.

Conclusions

Dysfunction of the JJ appears to be a relatively common cause of postprandial pain and nausea after ante-colic/ante-gastric RYGB. Most patients with symptoms of dysfunction experienced partial or total relief following revisional surgery, but a substantial minority had persistent problems, with one in five eventually undergoing reversal of the anatomy.

Graphical Abstract
Robot-assisted pancreatic surgery—optimized operating procedures: set-up, port placement, surgical steps
Authors: Felsenstein Matthäus , Hillebrandt Karl H. , Timmermann Lea , Feist Mathilde , Benzing Christian , Schmelzle Moritz , Pratschke Johann , Malinka Thomas
Published: September 2021

Even in most complex surgical settings, recent advances in minimal-invasive technologies have made the application of robotic-assisted devices more viable. Due to ever increasing experience and expertise, many large international centers now offer robotic-assisted pancreatic surgery as a preferred alternative. In general however, pancreatic operations are still associated with high morbidity and mortality, while robotic-assisted techniques still require significant learning curves. As a prospective post-marketing trial, we have established optimized operating procedures at our clinic. This manuscript intends to publicize our standardized methodology, including pre-operative preparation, surgical set-up as well as the surgeons’ step-by-step actions when using pancreatic-assisted robotic surgery. This manuscript is based on our institutional experience as a high-volume pancreas operating center. We introduce novel concepts that should standardize, facilitate and economize the surgical steps in all types of robotic-assisted pancreatic surgery. The “One Fits All” principle enables single port placement irrespective of the pancreatic procedure, while the “Reversed 6-to-6 Approach” offers an optimized manual for pancreatic surgeons using the robotic console. Novel and standardized surgical concepts could guide new centers to establish a robust, efficient and safe robotic-assisted pancreatic surgery program.
On a Class of Integral Systems
Authors: Derkach Volodymyr , Strelnikov Dmytro , Winkler Henrik
Published: September 2021

We study spectral problems for two-dimensional integral system with two given non-decreasing functions R, W on an interval [0, b) which is a generalization of the Krein string. Associated to this system are the maximal linear relation $$T_{\max }$$

T
max

and the minimal linear relation $$T_{\min }$$

T
min

in the space $$L^2(dW)$$

L
2

(
d
W
)

which are connected by $$T_{\max }=T_{\min }^*$$

T
max

=

T

min

∗

. It is shown that the limit point condition at b for this system is equivalent to the strong limit point condition for the linear relation $$T_{\max }$$

T
max

. In the limit circle case the Evans–Everitt condition is proved to hold on a subspace $$T_N^*$$

T
N
∗

of $$T_{\max }$$

T
max

characterized by the Neumann boundary condition at b. The notion of the principal Titchmarsh–Weyl coefficient of this integral system is introduced. Boundary triple for the linear relation $$T_{\max }$$

T
max

in the limit point case (and for $$T_{N}^*$$

T

N

∗

in the limit circle case) is constructed and it is shown that the corresponding Weyl function coincides with the principal Titchmarsh–Weyl coefficient of the integral system. The notion of the dual integral system is introduced by reversing the order of R and W and the formula relating the principal Titchmarsh–Weyl coefficients of the direct and the dual integral systems is proved. For every integral system with the principal Titchmarsh–Weyl coefficients q a canonical system is constructed so that its Titchmarsh–Weyl coefficient Q is the unwrapping transform of q: $$Q(z)=z q(z^2)$$

Q

(
z
)

=
z
q

(

z
2

)

.
Sex Differences in Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy: Interaction With Genetics and Environment
Authors: Butters Alexandra , Lakdawala Neal K. , Ingles Jodie
Published: September 2021

Purpose of Review

We explore the sex-specific interaction of genetics and the environment on the clinical course and outcomes of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM).

Recent Findings

Women account for approximately one-third of patients in specialist HCM centres and reported in observational studies. As a result, evidence informing clinical guideline recommendations is based predominantly on risk factors and outcomes seen in men. However, disease progression appears to be different between the sexes. Women present at a more advanced stage of disease, are older at diagnosis, have higher symptom burden, carry greater risk for heart failure and are at greater risk of mortality compared to men. Women are more likely to be gene-positive, while men are more likely to be gene-negative. The risk of sudden cardiac death and access to specialised care do not differ between the sexes.

Reporting sex-disaggregated results is essential to identify the mechanisms leading to sex differences in HCM.
Nested hollow architectures of nitrogen-doped carbon-decorated Fe, Co, Ni-based phosphides for boosting water and urea electrolysis
Authors: Zhang Jie , Huang Shoushuang , Ning Ping , Xin Peijun , Chen Zhiwen , Wang Qing , Uvdal Kajsa , Hu Zhangjun
Published: September 2021

Tailoring the nanostructure/morphology and chemical composition is important to regulate the electronic configuration of electrocatalysts and thus enhance their performance for water and urea electrolysis. Herein, the nitrogen-doped carbon-decorated tricomponent metal phosphides of FeP4 nanotube@Ni-Co-P nanocage (NC-FNCP) with unique nested hollow architectures are fabricated by a self-sacrifice template strategy. Benefiting from the multi-component synergy, the modification of nitrogen-doped carbon, and the modulation of nested porous hollow morphology, NC-FNCP facilitates rapid electron/mass transport in water and urea electrolysis. NC-FNCP-based anode shows low potentials of 248 mV and 1.37 V (vs. reversible hydrogen electrode) to attain 10 mA/cm2 for oxygen evolution reaction (OER) and urea oxidation reaction (UOR), respectively. In addition, the overall urea electrolysis drives 10 mA/cm2 at a comparatively low voltage of 1.52 V (vs. RHE) that is 110 mV lower than that of overall water electrolysis, as well as exhibits excellent stability over 20 h. This work strategizes a multi-shell-structured electrocatalyst with multi-compositions and explores its applications in a sustainable combination of hydrogen production and sewage remediation.
40 Years Anniversary of Cardiac 123I-mIBG Imaging: State of the Heart
Authors: Verschure D. O. , Nakajima K. , Jacobson A. F. , Verberne H. J.
Published: September 2021

Purpose of Review

This narrative review reflects on the body of evidence on cardiac 123I-mIBG imaging that has accumulated since the introduction in the late 1970s and focusses on to what extent cardiac 123I-mIBG imaging has fulfilled its potential in cardiology especially.

Recent Findings

In contrast to the linear relationship between 123I-mIBG-derived parameters and overall prognosis in heart failure, there seems a “bell-shape” curve for 123I-mIBG-derived parameters and arrhythmic events. In addition, there is a potential clinical role for cardiac 123I-mIBG in optimizing patient selection for expensive devices (i.e., ICD and CRT). This needs of course to be established in future trials.

Cardiac 123I-mIBG imaging is, despite the numerous of studies, sometimes mistakenly seen as a nice to have technique rather than a must have imaging modality. Although cardiac 123I-mIBG imaging has grown and matured over the years, its full clinical potential has still not been tested to the maximum.
Family screening in patients with isolated bicuspid aortic valve
Authors: Cozijnsen L. , Braam R. L. , Bakker-de Boo M. , Otten A. M. , Post J. G. , Schermer T. , Bouma B. J. , Mulder B. J. M.
Published: September 2021

Aim

To determine the prevalence of undiagnosed bicuspid aortic valve (BAV) and isolated aortic dilatation in first-degree relatives (FDRs) of patients with isolated BAV and to explore the recurrence risk of BAV in different subgroups of probands with BAV. Recent American College of Cardiology (ACC)/American Heart Association (AHA) Guidelines recommend family screening in patients with associated aortopathy only.

Methods

During follow-up visits, patients with isolated BAV received a printed invitation for their FDRs advising cardiac screening.

Results

From 2012–2019, 257 FDRs of 118 adult BAV patients were screened, among whom 63 (53%) index patients had undergone aortic valve surgery (AVS), including concomitant aortic replacement in 25 (21%). Of the non-operated index patients, 31 (26%) had aortic dilatation (> 40 mm). Mean age of the FDRs was 48 years (range 4–83) and 42% were male. The FDR group comprised 20 parents, 103 siblings and 134 offspring. Among these FDRs, 12 (4.7%) had a previously undiagnosed BAV and 23 (8.9%) had an isolated aortic dilatation. FDRs of the probands with previous AVS (n = 147) had a risk ratio for BAV of 2.25 (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.62–8.10). FDRs of the probands with BAV and repaired or unrepaired aortic dilatation (n = 127) had a risk ratio for BAV of 0.51 (95% CI 0.16–1.66).

Conclusion

Screening FDRs of patients with isolated BAV resulted in a reasonable yield of 14% new cases of BAV or isolated aortic dilatation. A trend towards an increased risk of BAV in FDRs was observed in the probands with previous AVS, whereas this risk seemed to be diminished in the probands with associated aortic dilatation. This latter finding does not support the restrictive ACC/AHA recommendation.
Is a spatial investigation possible without long-distance refit/conjoin? Application to the MIS 11 lithic assemblage of levels E and J from La Cansaladeta site (Tarragona, Spain)
Authors: Yeşilova Görkem Cenk , Ollé Andreu , Vergès Josep Maria
Published: September 2021

In this manuscript, we present the first systematic refitting results of the small-scale Middle Pleistocene (MIS11) rock shelter site of La Cansaladeta. The lithic materials that have been recovered from the archaeological levels E and J were the main study materials. These levels were investigated regarding spatial pattern analysis and analyzed with auxiliary methods such as quantitative density mapping demonstration and technological analysis of the lithic clusters. Thus, the spatial patterns of the two levels were compared and discussed, in terms of connections, clusters, and movement of the lithic elements. Undoubtedly, the well preservation of the archaeological levels offered a great opportunity for the interpretation of the spatial patterns in a high-resolution perspective. La Cansaladeta has not been paid attention adequately so far may be due to the small dimension of the excavation surface or to the scarcity of faunal record. Our results show that small-scale sites without long-distance refit/conjoin connections can provide significant spatial information. Indeed, if the sites have very well-preserved archaeological levels, the absence of long connections can be supported by the auxiliary methods.
Cellular mechanosignaling in pulmonary arterial hypertension
Authors: Wang Ariel , Valdez-Jasso Daniela
Published: September 2021

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a vasculopathy characterized by sustained elevated pulmonary arterial pressures in which the pulmonary vasculature undergoes significant structural and functional remodeling. To better understand disease mechanisms, in this review article we highlight recent insights into the regulation of pulmonary arterial cells by mechanical cues associated with PAH. Specifically, the mechanobiology of pulmonary arterial endothelial cells (PAECs), smooth muscle cells (PASMCs) and adventitial fibroblasts (PAAFs) has been investigated in vivo, in vitro, and in silico. Increased pulmonary arterial pressure increases vessel wall stress and strain and endothelial fluid shear stress. These mechanical cues promote vasoconstriction and fibrosis that contribute further to hypertension and alter the mechanical milieu and regulation of pulmonary arterial cells.
The future of farming: Who will produce our food?
Authors: Giller Ken E. , Delaune Thomas , Silva João Vasco , Descheemaeker Katrien , van de Ven Gerrie , Schut Antonius G.T. , van Wijk Mark , Hammond James , Hochman Zvi , Taulya Godfrey , Chikowo Regis , Narayanan Sudha , Kishore Avinash , Bresciani Fabrizio , Teixeira Heitor Mancini , Andersson Jens A. , van Ittersum Martin K.
Published: September 2021

Achieving SDG2 (zero hunger) in a situation of rapid global population growth requires a continued focus on food production. Farming not merely needs to sustainably produce nutritious diets, but should also provide livelihoods for farmers, while retaining natural ecosystems and services. Rather than focusing on production principles, this article explores the interrelations between farms and farming systems in the global food system. Evaluating farming systems around the world, we reveal a bewildering diversity. While family farms predominate, these range in size from less than 0.1 ha to more than 10,000 ha, and from hand hoe use to machine-based cultivation, enabling one person to plant more than 500 ha in a day. Yet, farming in different parts of the world is highly interdependent, not least because prices paid for farm produce are largely determined by global markets. Furthermore, the economic viability of farming is a problem, globally. We highlight trends in major regions of the world and explore possible trajectories for the future and ask: Who are the farmers of the future? Changing patterns of land ownership, rental and exchange mean that the concept of ‘what is a farm’ becomes increasingly fluid. Next to declining employment and rural depopulation, we also foresee more environmentally-friendly, less external input dependent, regionalised production systems. This may require the reversal of a global trend towards increasing specialisation to a recoupling of arable and livestock farming, not least for the resilience it provides. It might also require a slow-down or reversal of the widespread trend of scale enlargement in agriculture. Next to this trend of scale enlargement, small farms persist in Asia: consolidation of farms proceeds at a snail’s pace in South-east Asia and 70% of farms in India are ‘ultra-small’ – less than 0.05 ha. Also in Africa, where we find smallholder farms are much smaller than often assumed (< 1 ha), farming households are often food insecure. A raft of pro-poor policies and investments are needed to stimulate small-scale agriculture as part of a broader focus on rural development to address persistent poverty and hunger. Smallholder farms will remain an important source of food and income, and a social safety net in absence of alternative livelihood security. But with limited possibilities for smallholders to ‘step-up’, the agricultural engine of growth appears to be broken. Smallholder agriculture cannot deliver the rate of economic growth currently assumed by many policy initiatives in Africa.
Women’s empowerment and gender equality in agricultural value chains: evidence from four countries in Asia and Africa
Authors: Quisumbing Agnes , Heckert Jessica , Faas Simone , Ramani Gayathri , Raghunathan Kalyani , Malapit Hazel ,   The pro-WEAI for Market Inclusion Study Team, Malapit Hazel , Heckert Jessica , Eissler Sarah , Faas Simone , Martinez Elena , Myers Emily , Pereira Audrey , Quisumbing Agnes , Ragasa Catherine , Raghunathan Kalyani , Rubin Deborah , Seymour Greg
Published: September 2021

Women play important roles at different nodes of both agricultural and off-farm value chains, but in many countries their contributions are either underestimated or limited by prevailing societal norms or gender-specific barriers. We use primary data collected in Asia (Bangladesh, Philippines) and Africa (Benin, Malawi) to examine the relationships between women’s empowerment, gender equality, and participation in a variety of local agricultural value chains that comprise the food system. We find that the value chain and the specific node of engagement matter, as do other individual and household characteristics, but in different ways depending on country context. Entrepreneurship—often engaged in by wealthier households with greater ability to take risks—is not necessarily empowering for women; nor is household wealth, as proxied by their asset ownership. Increased involvement in the market is not necessarily correlated with greater gender equality. Education is positively correlated with higher empowerment of both men and women, but the strength of this association varies. Training and extension services are generally positively associated with empowerment but could also exacerbate the inequality in empowerment between men and women in the same household. All in all, culture and context determine whether participation in value chains—and which node of the value chain—is empowering. In designing food systems interventions, care should be taken to consider the social and cultural contexts in which these food systems operate, so that interventions do not exacerbate existing gender inequalities.
Spatial components dependence for bidimensional time-constant AR(1) model with $$\alpha $$-stable noise and triangular coefficients matrix
Authors: Grzesiek Aleksandra
Published: September 2021

In this paper, we examine the bidimensional time-constant autoregressive model of order 1 with$$\alpha $$α-stable noise. We focus on the case of the triangular coefficients matrix for which one of the spatial components of the model simplifies to the one-dimensional autoregressive time series. We study the asymptotic behaviour of the cross-codifference and the cross-covariation applied to describe the dependence in time between the spatial components of the model. As a result, we formulate the theorem about the asymptotic relation between both measures, which is consistent with the result that is correct for the case of the non-triangular coefficients matrix.
Improvement of preconditioned bi-Lanczos-type algorithms with residual norm minimization for the stable solution of systems of linear equations
Authors: Itoh Shoji
Published: September 2021

In this paper, improved algorithms are proposed for preconditioned bi-Lanczos-type methods with residual norm minimization for the stable solution of systems of linear equations. In particular, preconditioned algorithms pertaining to the bi-conjugate gradient stabilized method (BiCGStab) and the generalized product-type method based on the BiCG (GPBiCG) have been improved. These algorithms are more stable compared to conventional alternatives. Further, a stopping criterion changeover is proposed for use with these improved algorithms. This results in higher accuracy (lower true relative error) compared to the case where no changeover is done. Numerical results confirm the improvements with respect to the preconditioned BiCGStab, the preconditioned GPBiCG, and stopping criterion changeover. These improvements could potentially be applied to other preconditioned algorithms based on bi-Lanczos-type methods.
Are lipid nanoparticles really superior? A holistic proof of concept study
Authors: Wiemann Sabrina , Keck Cornelia M.
Published: September 2021

Lipid nanoparticles are a successful carrier system for dermal drug delivery. They possess various beneficial properties, i.e., increased chemical stability for chemically labile compounds, increased dermal penetration of active compounds, or skin carrying properties after dermal application due to the formation of a so-called “invisible patch.” Despite manifold studies showing these properties individually, a study that investigates if one lipid nanoparticle formulation can really combine all the above-mentioned benefits at once is not yet available. In the present study, lipid nanoparticles (NLC) were produced and characterized regarding their physico-chemical properties. The chemical stability of the incorporated active ingredient (AI) was determined, as well as the dermal penetration efficacy of the AI, and the skin carrying properties of the NLC after dermal penetration. The properties of the NLC were compared to classical formulations, i.e., AI dissolved in pure oil, an o/w cream base and a nanoemulsion. All formulations contained similar lipids and emulsifiers, which allowed for a direct comparison of the different properties. NLC were shown to provide most efficient chemical stabilization and most efficient dermal penetration for the AI. The formation of the invisible patch was shown for the NLC but not for the other formulations. Skin hydration and skin carrying properties were also most pronounced for the NLC. Results provide evidence that NLC can combine all beneficial effects that were previously described in one formulation. Thus, providing evidence that NLC are a holistically superior formulation principle when compared to other formulation principles.

Graphical abstract
Game Theory
Authors: Maschler Michael , Solan Eilon , Zamir Shmuel
Published: September 2021

Now in its second edition, this popular textbook on game theory is unrivalled in the breadth of its coverage, the thoroughness of technical explanations and the number of worked examples included. Covering non-cooperative and cooperative games, this introduction to game theory includes advanced chapters on auctions, games with incomplete information, games with vector payoffs, stable matchings and the bargaining set. This edition contains new material on stochastic games, rationalizability, and the continuity of the set of equilibrium points with respect to the data of the game. The material is presented clearly and every concept is illustrated with concrete examples from a range of disciplines. With numerous exercises, and the addition of a solution manual for instructors with this edition, the book is an extensive guide to game theory for undergraduate through graduate courses in economics, mathematics, computer science, engineering and life sciences, and will also serve as useful reference for researchers.
Soliton Decomposition of the Box-Ball System
Authors: Ferrari Pablo A. , Nguyen Chi , Rolla Leonardo T. , Wang Minmin
Published: September 2021

The box-ball system (BBS) was introduced by Takahashi and Satsuma as a discrete counterpart of the Korteweg-de Vries equation. Both systems exhibit solitons whose shape and speed are conserved after collision with other solitons. We introduce a slot decomposition of ball configurations, each component being an infinite vector describing the number of sizeksolitons in eachk-slot. The dynamics of the components is linear: thekth component moves rigidly at speedk. Let$\zeta $be a translation-invariant family of independent random vectors under a summability condition and$\eta $be the ball configuration with components$\zeta $. We show that the law of$\eta $is translation invariant and invariant for the BBS. This recipe allows us to construct a large family of invariant measures, including product measures and stationary Markov chains with ball density less than$\frac {1}{2}$. We also show that starting BBS with an ergodic measure, the position of a taggedk-soliton at timet, divided bytconverges as$t\to \infty $to an effective speed$v_k$. The vector of speeds satisfies a system of linear equations related with the generalised Gibbs ensemble of conservative laws.
The place of Africa in international relations: the centrality of the margins in Global IR
Authors: Raineri Luca , Baldaro Edoardo
Published: September 2021

The Global IR research agenda lays emphasis on the marginalised, non-Western forms of power and knowledge that underpin today's international system. Focusing on Africa, this article questions two fundamental assumptions of this approach, arguing that they err by excess of realism – in two different ways. First, the claim that Africa is marginal to international relations (IR) thinking holds true only as long as one makes the whole of IR discipline coincide with the Realist school. Second, the Global IR commitment to better appreciate ‘non-Western’ contributions is ontologically realist, because it fails to recognise that the West and the non-West are dialectically constitutive of one another. To demonstrate this, the article first shows that Africa has moved from the periphery to the core of IR scholarship: in the post-paradigmatic phase, Africa is no longer a mere provider of deviant cases, but a laboratory for theory-building of general validity. In the second part, the Sahel provides a case for unsettling reified conceptions of Africa's conceptual and geographical boundaries through the dialectical articulation of the inside/outside dichotomy. Questioning the ‘place’ of Africa in IR – both as identity and function – thus paves the way to a ‘less realist’ approach to Global IR.
Unity in fragility: nonviolence and COVID-19
Authors: Baldoli Roberto , Radaelli Claudio M.
Published: September 2021

The COVID-19 pandemic witnessed extreme forms of biopolitics, as well as the urgency to reconsider our relationship with the planet. Although biopolitics draws attention to the technologies of domination by public authorities, we cast the concepts ofbiosand politics in the wider framework of nonviolence. In this framework, bios is the set of practices (praxis) of ordinary citizens. And politics is power created by harm reduction, or actions in daily life that testimony the desire not to harm others or the planet. We leverage nonviolence at three levels, scaling up from the individual to social behaviour and to the planet. The first level concerns nonviolence as self-sufferance and as praxis to claim back the sovereignty of the body. In the second level, nonviolence is collective mobilization – building social capital, self-governance, and solidarity. The third level provides the vision of a diverse ecological citizenship with a sustainable relationship between human beings and the planet.
The effects of habitat type and pathogen infection on tick host-seeking behaviour
Authors: Richardson Elise A. , Taylor Caitlin E. , Jabot Brittney , Martin Estelle , Keiser Carl N.
Published: September 2021

Tick-borne pathogens pose a significant risk to livestock, wildlife and public health. Host-seeking behaviours may depend on a combination of infection status and environmental factors. Here, we assessed the effects of habitat type and pathogen infection on host-seeking behaviour (questing) in the lone star tick, Amblyomma americanum. Ticks were collected using a tick drag from two different habitat types: xeric hammock and successional hardwood forests. Using a standardized assay, we recorded the likelihood of questing for each tick, the average height quested and total time spent questing and then tested each tick for the presence of Rickettsia spp. and Ehrlichia spp. using conventional polymerase chain reaction. We did not detect Ehrlichia in any ticks, although 30% tested positive for Rickettsia amblyommatis, a member of the Rickettsia spotted fever group. Ticks infected with R. amblyommatis spent less time questing compared to uninfected ticks, with infected ticks spending 85 s on average questing and uninfected ticks spending 112 s. Additionally, ticks collected from xeric hammock habitats spent over twice as long questing compared to ticks from successional hardwood forests. Ticks from xeric hammock spent 151 s on average questing while ticks from successional hardwood forest spent only 58 s during a 10-min observation period. These results demonstrate that habitat type and infection status can influence tick host-seeking behaviours, which can play a pivotal role in disease dynamics.
Transnational Diffusion of Health Policy Ideas in Uruguay in the Early Twentieth Century
Authors: ROSSEL CECILIA , MONESTIER FELIPE
Published: September 2021

This article analyzes how policy ideas already adopted in Europe, particularly in France, were taken into consideration for the design of Uruguay’s National Public Assistance (NPA) policy. Established in 1910, the NPA was a pioneering government social policy for the time and for the region.

Some have argued that the design of the NPA law followed the secular and republican model instituted in France at the end of the nineteenth century when France established the Assistance Publique, particularly regarding the extent of public assistance to the poor, the role of the state in the provision of health care (as opposed to charity-based provision) and the centralization of health-care services (as opposed to a decentralized health-care system).

We analyze how these revolutionary ideas were discussed by the technicians and politicians who participated in the process that culminated in the approval of the law in Uruguay discussed these revolutionary ideas. We explore the factors that motivated the creation of the commission that developed the law. We also review available documentation on the drafting of the bill and the parliamentary debate that culminated in its approval. We find that the design of the NPA included many ideas diffused mainly from France. The French model was not simply emulated, however. Rather, the authors of the NPA thoroughly analyzed and considered the features and main consequences of the Assistance Publique, suggesting that diffusion in this case was more a process of learning than of simple mimicry.
Sports participation, activity, and obesity in children who have undergone the Fontan procedure
Authors: Baleilevuka-Hart Marica E. , Khader Ayesha , Gonzalez De Alba Cesar E , Holmes Kathryn W. , Huang Jennifer H.
Published: September 2021

Background:

Children with CHD are at risk for obesity and low levels of activity. These factors are associated with an increased risk of poor outcome. Participation in organised sports is an important avenue for children to maintain physical activity, though the relationship between sports participation and obesity has not been examined in the Fontan population.

Methods:

We performed a cross-sectional study of children aged 8–18 who had been evaluated between January 1, 2015 and October 1, 2019 at the Doernbecher Children’s Hospital outpatient paediatric cardiology clinic and had previously undergone a Fontan. Patients were excluded if they were unable to ambulate independently or if they had undergone a heart transplant. Patient characteristics were recorded from the electronic medical record. Parents were interviewed via a telephone survey and asked to describe their child’s activity levels and sports participation.

Results:

Our final cohort included 40 individuals, 74% were male. The overall prevalence of obesity (CDC BMI >95% for sex/age) in the cohort (23%) was significantly higher in non-athletes (33%) than athletes (0) (p = 0.02). There was no difference in cardiac complications or comorbidities between athletes and non-athletes. Athletes were more likely to meet daily activity recommendations (p = 0.05).

Conclusion:

Fontan patients who do not participate in sports are significantly more likely to be obese and less likely to be active than those who do. This is the first study to demonstrate the association between competitive sports participation and decreased likelihood of obesity in the Fontan population.
Reduced N‐Limitation and Increased In‐Stream Productivity of Autotrophic Biofilms 5 and 15 Years After Severe Wildfire
Authors: Rhea Allison E. , Covino Tim P. , Rhoades Charles C.
Published: September 2021

The ecosystem services provided by forests are under threat as wildfire frequency and severity increase throughout the western US. Severe wildfire can change physical environments and biogeochemical processes in watersheds with lasting effects on watershed nutrient cycling. For example, nitrate‐nitrogen (NO3‐N) export often increases following wildfire and can remain elevated for decades in severely burned watersheds. In this study, we investigated the effects of wildfire on stream biotic processing and watershed nutrient balance following two wildfires that burned along the Colorado Front Range. We evaluated stream water chemistry, nutrient limitation, benthic biomass, and stream metabolism along stream reaches within three burned and three unburned watersheds from July 26 to August 16, 2017. Although the two high‐severity wildfires occurred 5 and 15 years prior to the study, the streams draining burned watersheds still had 23‐times higher NO3‐N concentrations than unburned watersheds, a trend that is consistent across seasons and throughout the 15‐year post‐fire record. Autotrophic nitrogen (N) limitation was reduced in the nitrate‐rich burned streams. Consequently, autotrophic biomass and primary productivity were 2.5 and 20‐times greater, respectively, in burned relative to unburned streams. Together, these data suggest that N supply from burned uplands exceeded the increase in stream N demand and was the primary cause of chronic, elevated NO3‐N export from these severely burned watersheds. Accordingly, aquatic ecosystems within or downstream of burned watersheds may be susceptible to eutrophication and harmful algal blooms until vegetation recovery and plant nutrient demand reduce N supply to streams.
Watershed Sediment Yield Following the 2018 Carr Fire, Whiskeytown National Recreation Area, Northern California
Authors: East Amy E. , Logan Joshua B. , Dartnell Peter , Lieber‐Kotz Oren , Cavagnaro David B. , McCoy Scott W. , Lindsay Donald N.
Published: September 2021

Wildfire risk has increased in recent decades over many regions, due to warming climate and other factors. Increased sediment export from recently burned landscapes can jeopardize downstream infrastructure and water resources, but physical landscape response to fire has not been quantified for some at‐risk areas, including much of northern California, USA. We measured sediment yield from three watersheds (13–29 km2) that drain to Whiskeytown Lake, California, within the area burned by the 2018 Carr Fire. Structure‐from‐Motion photogrammetry on aerial images combined with sonar bathymetric mapping of submerged areas indicated first‐year post‐fire sediment yields of 4,080 ± 598 t/km2 (Brandy Creek), 2,700 ± 527 t/km2 (Boulder Creek), and 305 ± 58.0 t/km2 (Whiskey Creek)—some of the first post‐fire yields measured in northern California and 64, 42, and 4.8 times greater than pre‐fire yields, respectively. These were measured during a wet year and resulted largely from rilling erosion and fluvial sediment transport, without post‐fire debris flows. Rilling preferentially developed in contact with dirt roads, aided by thin soils and exposed bedrock, and on slopes vegetated by chaparral pre‐fire. The second post‐fire year (a dry year) was characterized by fluvial reworking and delta progradation of the first‐year deposits and relatively little new sediment export. First‐year sedimentation of 111,000 m3 represented minor loss of storage capacity in Whiskeytown Lake but would be detrimental to smaller reservoirs; in general, increased sediment yields from western US watersheds as fire and extreme rainfall increase will likely pose risks to water quality and storage.
Year‐Round Measurements of Dissolved Black Carbon in Coastal Southeast Asia Aerosols: Rethinking Its Atmospheric Deposition in the Ocean
Authors: Geng Xiaofei , Zhong Guangcai , Liu Junwen , Sun Yue , Yi Xin , Bong Chui Wei , Zakaria Mohamad Pauzi , Gustafsson Örjan , Ouyang Yan , Zhang Gan
Published: September 2021

Dissolved black carbon (DBC) is an important recalcitrant fraction of marine dissolved organic matter. Riverine discharge is the largest known source of oceanic DBC; however, the significance of atmospheric deposition as a source of oceanic DBC remains poorly understood. In this study, year‐round aerosol sampling was carried out at a rural coastal site in Southeast Asia for DBC analysis using the benzene polycarboxylic acid (BPCA) method. The results revealed the uncertainty of an earlier estimate of the atmospheric deposition flux of DBC to the global ocean (FDBC), which assumed a linear correlation between DBC and water‐soluble organic carbon (WSOC). The correlation between DBC and WSOC depended on the sources of carbonaceous aerosols. The DBC/WSOC ratios were higher for the biomass burning aerosols. DBC was linearly correlated with black carbon (BC) for biomass or fossil fuel combustion aerosols. However, the DBC/BC ratios were higher for biomass burning aerosols (0.41 ± 0.22), whereas lower for fossil fuel combustion aerosols (0.04 ± 0.03). FDBC was revisited based on the relationship between DBC and BC. FDBC is primarily contributed by biomass burning aerosols and maybe previously underestimated. In this study, the DBC in aerosols had less condensed aromatic structures than the DBC present in the major rivers of the world, as shown by the BPCA compositions. This indicated that oceanic DBC sourced from atmospheric deposition was less likely to be removed by photodegradation and sedimentation, as compared to the DBC sourced from riverine discharge.
Metallographic Cooling Rate and Petrogenesis of the Recently Found Huoyanshan Iron Meteorite Shower
Authors: Wang Nian , Wang Guiqin , Zhang Ting , Gu Lixin , Zhang Chi , Hu Sen , Miao Bingkui , Lin Yangting
Published: September 2021

The Huoyanshan iron meteorite shower, recently found in the Gobi Desert of Hami, Xinjiang, China, has very high Ni (21.1 wt%) content and low Au (2.0 ppm), Ir (0.02 ppm), Ge (1.7 ppm), and Ga (1.1 ppm) contents, and was classified into IAB‐sLH subgroup. The iron has a finest octahedrite structure of Widmanstätten pattern (the intergrowth of kamacite [α] and taenite [γ]) with plessite matrix, and euhedral schreibersite (Sch) crystals exclusively enclosed in kamacite bands. The textural features suggest the following formation process: γ→γ + Sch→γ + Sch + α, and then γ→α2 + γ. The metallographic cooling rate of Huoyanshan iron was determined to be 3–50°C/Myr using both the taenite Ni profile‐matching and taenite central Ni content methods, with the bandwidths corrected for crystallographic orientation by electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD). The cooling rate of Huoyanshan is consistent with other sLH irons and confirms the slow cooling history of the IAB low‐Au subgroups. These slow cooling rates require immediate re‐accretion with a thick brecciated fragments layer in the parent body after the impact melting event. The depleted but unfractionated Re, Os, Ir, Ru, and Pt and the enriched Pd and Au abundances of Huoyanshan iron and other sLH subgroup irons show complementary feature to that of refractory metal nuggets in Ca‐, Al‐rich inclusions (CAIs), which could be explained by extracting the metallic Fe‐Ni with HSE predominantly remained in CAIs from a CAI‐bearing asteroid. The very high Ni content of sLH subgroup and its Mo isotope evidence (Worsham et al., 2017, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.epsl.2017.02.044) suggest it has an oxidized parent body with non‐carbonaceous chondrite‐like precursor composition. We propose that the sLH subgroup was produced by impact melting of a LL like and CAI‐bearing asteroid, followed by fast burying of thick and porous silicate breccia.
Decreasing Groundwater Supply Can Exacerbate Lake Warming and Trigger Algal Blooms
Authors: Safaie Ammar , Litchman Elena , Phanikumar Mantha S.
Published: September 2021

As groundwater depletion becomes a global phenomenon, inland lake ecosystems are being impacted by decreasing groundwater supply. While the current trend of rapid surface warming of inland lakes continues, the deep waters can resist changes, depending on the nature of surface water — groundwater interactions. However, the effects of these interactions on lake processes are not fully understood. Here we investigate the role of groundwater on coupled biophysical processes in a deep, dimictic, groundwater‐fed lake using mechanistic models combined with data from field observations. Although excess nutrient inputs are the most commonly cited reason for algal blooms, here we show that algal blooms in inland lakes can also appear due to a decreasing groundwater supply while all other factors remain the same. Results indicate that decreasing groundwater supply to lakes leads to elevated hypolimnetic temperatures, enhanced algal growth rates and algal blooms, and oxygen depletion, thus exacerbating the negative effects of surface warming. Our work suggests that globally declining groundwater supplies may have a significant negative effect on water quality of inland lakes by accelerating water column warming and stimulating algal growth, especially when the groundwater contribution to the lake system is significant compared to riverine discharge. The work provides insights for management efforts to improve the resilience of groundwater‐dependent ecosystems in the face of external stressors.
Porphyromonas gingivalis infection promotes mitochondrial dysfunction through Drp1-dependent mitochondrial fission in endothelial cells
Authors: Xu Tong , Dong Qin , Luo Yuxiao , Liu Yanqing , Gao Liang , Pan Yaping , Zhang Dongmei
Published: September 2021

Porphyromonas gingivalis (P. gingivalis), a key pathogen in periodontitis, has been shown to accelerate the progression of atherosclerosis (AS). However, the definite mechanisms remain elusive. Emerging evidence supports an association between mitochondrial dysfunction and AS. In our study, the impact of P. gingivalis on mitochondrial dysfunction and the potential mechanism were investigated. The mitochondrial morphology of EA.hy926 cells infected with P. gingivalis was assessed by transmission electron microscopy, mitochondrial staining, and quantitative analysis of the mitochondrial network. Fluorescence staining and flow cytometry analysis were performed to determine mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (mtROS) and mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) levels. Cellular ATP production was examined by a luminescence assay kit. The expression of key fusion and fission proteins was evaluated by western blot and immunofluorescence. Mdivi-1, a specific Drp1 inhibitor, was used to elucidate the role of Drp1 in mitochondrial dysfunction. Our findings showed that P. gingivalis infection induced mitochondrial fragmentation, increased the mtROS levels, and decreased the MMP and ATP concentration in vascular endothelial cells. We observed upregulation of Drp1 (Ser616) phosphorylation and translocation of Drp1 to mitochondria. Mdivi-1 blocked the mitochondrial fragmentation and dysfunction induced by P. gingivalis. Collectively, these results revealed that P. gingivalis infection promoted mitochondrial fragmentation and dysfunction, which was dependent on Drp1. Mitochondrial dysfunction may represent the mechanism by which P. gingivalis exacerbates atherosclerotic lesions.
miR-98-5p plays a critical role in depression and antidepressant effect of ketamine
Authors: Huang Chaoli , Wang Yuanyuan , Wu Zifeng , Xu Jiali , Zhou Ling , Wang Di , Yang Ling , Zhu Bin , Chen Guiquan , Liu Cunming , Yang Chun
Published: September 2021

Ketamine has been demonstrated to be a rapid-onset and long-lasting antidepressant, but its underlying molecular mechanisms remain unclear. Recent studies have emerged microRNAs as important modulators for depression treatment. In this study, we report that miR-98-5p is downregulated in the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus of mice subjected to chronic social stress, while overexpressing it by its agonist alleviates depression-like behaviors. More importantly, we demonstrate that miR-98-5p is upregulated by ketamine administration, while inhibition of it by its antagonist blocks the antidepressant effect of ketamine. Our data implicate a novel molecular mechanism underlying the antidepressant effect of ketamine, and that therapeutic strategies targeting miR-98-5p could exert beneficial effects for depression treatment.