bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Pharmacologic and Acute Management of Spinal Cord Injury in Adults and Children
Authors: Thomas Ajay X. , Riviello James J. , Davila-Williams Daniel , Thomas Sruthi P. , Erklauer Jennifer C. , Bauer David F. , Cokley Jon A.
Published: June 2022

Purpose of Review

This review provides guidance for acute spinal cord injury (SCI) management through an analytical assessment of the most recent evidence on therapies available for treating SCI, including newer therapies under investigation. We present an approach to the SCI patient starting at presentation to acute rehabilitation and prognostication, with additional emphasis on the pediatric population when evidence is available.

Recent Findings

Further studies since the Surgical Timing in Acute Spinal Cord Injury Study (STASCIS) demonstrated a potential functional outcome benefit with ultra-early surgical intervention ≤ 8 h post-SCI. Subsequent analysis of the National Acute Spinal Cord Injury Study (NASCIS) II and NASCIS III trials have demonstrated potentially serious complications from intravenous methylprednisolone with limited benefit. Newer therapies actively being studied have demonstrated limited or no benefit in preclinical and clinical trials with insufficient evidence to support use in acute SCI treatment.

Care for SCI patients requires a multi-disciplinary team. Immediate evaluation and management are focused on preventing additional injury and restoring perfusion to the affected cord. Rapid assessment and intervention involve focused neurological examination, targeted imaging, and surgical intervention when indicated. There are currently no evidence-based recommendations for pathomechanistically targeted therapies.
Leadership practices contributing to STEM education success at three rural Australian schools
Authors: Murphy Steve
Published: June 2022

The limited research into leading STEM education in rural schools internationally tends to adopt a deficit view, with a focus on the poor achievement and aspirations of rural students, difficulties recruiting and retaining STEM teachers, and issues of isolation and under-resourcing. Counter to this trend, this paper reports on research investigating leadership practices shaping STEM education at three high STEM-performing rural schools. High-performing rural schools in Victoria, Australia were identified through analysis of state-wide final year enrolment and achievement data in STEM related senior subjects. Three rural schools with relatively high STEM subject enrolments and achievement levels were selected for in-depth study. The theory of Practice Architectures guided thematic analysis of interviews with principals, middle leaders, and teachers, facilitating a description of the ways that leadership practices interacted with the Practice Architectures evident at each school, which, in turn, enabled and constrained practices that contributed to each school’s STEM education success. Five leadership practices were identified as contributing to STEM education success at all three schools: leveraging community relationships, utilising local resources to enrich STEM learning, empowering STEM teaching staff, promoting the value of STEM education, and supporting STEM pathways. In detailing these leadership practices, this paper provides guidance to rural education leaders and policy makers seeking to improve STEM education in rural schools.
The good jobs-high innovation virtuous circle
Authors: Pianta Mario , Reljic Jelena
Published: June 2022

The existence of a virtuous circle between industries’ employment quality, their ability to introduce new products, increase labour productivity and pay higher wages is explored in this article, developing an alternative explanation to mainstream views on labour flexibility and lower wages as drivers of competitiveness. Building on a novel conceptual framework relying on evolutionary and institutional perspectives, we develop a simultaneous four-equation model that relates these four dimensions. The model is tested empirically for manufacturing and service industries of major European economies. We empirically identify mutually reinforcing relationships, where higher employment quality (with a lower presence of non-standard work) complements technological activities, leading to more product innovations that increase productivity growth. In turn, the latter allows wage increases that contribute to higher employment quality. These combined moves towards higher-quality labour and higher-quality capital are at the root of what we define as the good jobs-high innovation virtuous circle.
Management of Cyberbullying: A Qualitative Exploratory Case Study of a Nigerian University
Authors: Ifon John C.
Published: June 2022

Cyberbullying problem has become a global concern in universities. In Nigerian universities, the concern appears to be blamed on the lack of cyberbullying prevention and management strategies. The purpose of this qualitative exploratory case study was to explore the policy decision makers’ recommendations for the development of cyberbullying management strategies for the staff and students of a Nigerian university. The three theories used to guide the study were Glasser’s (1998) choice theory, Bandura’s (1986) theory of moral disengagement, and Bronfenbrenner’s (1977) social ecological theory. Data for the study were obtained from three sources: interviews, documents, and archival records of the university. Seven participants, all members of the Committee of Provosts, Deans, and Directors (COPD), were used for the study. The constant comparative method was used to analyze the data. Three major themes emerged as findings in the study: cyberbullying awareness, cyberbullying situation in the university, and the university cyberbullying management policy. These findings may help to make university policy makers aware of the significance of cyberbullying policy in Nigerian universities. The findings may also help to make the university management leadership consider the development of research-based cyberbullying awareness raising training programs and cyberbullying management policy for the staff and students.
Influence of the PHY domain on the ms-photoconversion dynamics of a knotless phytochrome
Authors: Fischer Tobias , Köhler Lisa , Ott Tanja , Song Chen , Wachtveitl Josef , Slavov Chavdar
Published: June 2022

The ability of some knotless phytochromes to photoconvert without the PHY domain allows evaluation of the distinct effect of the PHY domain on their photodynamics. Here, we compare the ms dynamics of the single GAF domain (g1) and the GAF-PHY (g1g2) construct of the knotless phytochrome All2699 from cyanobacterium Nostoc punctiforme. While the spectral signatures and occurrence of the intermediates are mostly unchanged by the domain composition, the presence of the PHY domain slows down the early forward and reverse dynamics involving chromophore and protein binding pocket relaxation. We assign this effect to a more restricted binding pocket imprinted by the PHY domain. The photoproduct formation is also slowed down by the presence of the PHY domain but to a lesser extent than the early dynamics. This indicates a rate limiting step within the GAF and not the PHY domain. We further identify a pH dependence of the biphasic photoproduct formation hinting towards a pKa dependent tuning mechanism. Our findings add to the understanding of the role of the individual domains in the photocycle dynamics and provide a basis for engineering of phytochromes towards biotechnological applications.

Graphical abstract
A geometrical framework for quantum incompatibility resources
Authors: Zhang Xiaolin , Qu Rui , Chang Zehong , Quan Quan , Gao Hong , Li Fuli , Zhang Pei
Published: June 2022

Quantum incompatibility is a fundamental property in quantum physics and is considered as a resource in quantum information processing tasks. Here, we construct a framework based on the incompatibility witness originated from quantum state discrimination. In this framework, we discuss the geometrical properties of the witnesses with noisy mutually unbiased bases and construct a quantifier of quantum incompatibility associated with geometrical information. Furthermore, we explore the incompatibility of a pair of positive operator valued measurements, which only depends on the information of measurements, and discuss the incompatibility of measurements which can be discriminated by mutually unbiased bases. Finally, if we take a resource-theory perspective, the new-defined quantifier can characterize the resource of incompatibility. This geometrical framework gives the evidence that vectors can be utilized to describe resourceful incompatibility and make a step to explore geometrical features of quantum resources.
Using Real-Time Dashboards to Monitor the Impact of Disruptive Events on Real Estate Market. Case of COVID-19 Pandemic in Australia
Authors: Soundararaj Balamurugan , Pettit Christopher , Lock Oliver
Published: June 2022

Real estate markets are complex both in terms of structure and dynamics: they are both influenced by and influence almost all aspects of the economy and are equally vulnerable to the shocks experienced by the broader economy. Therefore, understanding the extent and nature of the impact of large-scale disruptive events such as natural disasters and economic financial downturns on the real estate market is crucial to policy makers and market stakeholders. In addition to anticipating and preparing for long-term effects, it has become imperative for stakeholders to monitor and manage the short-term effects as well due to the emergence of ‘PropTech’ and ‘platform real estate’. In this work, we explore the use of online, real-time dashboards which have been used extensively in the context of urban management, policymaking, citizen engagement and disaster response as an appropriate tool for the purpose of monitoring real estate markets. We describe the process of designing, building, and maintaining an operational dashboard for monitoring the residential real estate market in Australia during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. We detail the techniques and methods used in creating the dashboard and critically evaluate their feasibility and usefulness. Finally, we identify the major challenges in the process, such as the spatial and temporal availability and veracity of the real estate market data, and we identify possible avenues for consistent, high-quality data; methodology; and outputs for further research.
An innervated skin 3D in vitro model for dermatological research
Authors: Rousi Emma , Malheiro Afonso , Harichandan Abhishek , Mohren Ronny , Lourenço Ana Filipa , Mota Carlos , Cillero-Pastor Berta , Wieringa Paul , Moroni Lorenzo
Published: June 2022

A 3D in vitro model of innervated skin would be a useful tool in dermatological research to study the effect of different chemicals and compounds on the sensory properties of skin. Current innervated skin models are limited in composition and often composed of ex vivo skin explants and/or animal-derived material. In this study, our aim was to develop a human innervated skin model with a better biomimicry composition for in vitro research. Fibrin hydrogel and aligned electrospun fibers of poly(ethylene oxide terephthalate)/poly(butylene terephthalate) (PEOT/PBT) were used as a scaffold to generate the 3D in vitro model. The skin component was made of primary human keratinocytes and primary human fibroblasts, while the neuronal component was composed of iPSC-derived sensory neurons. Our results showed that the dermal component consisted of fibroblasts and synthesized collagen. The epidermal component was characterized by the expression of keratins 10 and 14, and involucrin. Finally, sensory neurons extended axons throughout the scaffold and reached the epidermis. Treating the model with a capsaicin solution for 30 min, which was performed as a proof of concept test for sensitization studies, resulted into partial depletion of substance P and tubulin β3. This model could be used for studying skin-neuron interactions and cutaneous toxicity.
An Improved Whale Optimization Algorithm Based on Nonlinear Parameters and Feedback Mechanism
Authors: Sun Guanglei , Shang Youlin , Yuan Kehong , Gao Huimin
Published: June 2022

Whale optimization algorithm, as a relatively novel swarm-based intelligence optimization algorithm, has been extensively utilized in numerous scientific and engineering fields. The intent of this work was to devise a modified WOA based on multi-strategy, named MSWOA, to address somewhat deficiencies of the original WOA, such as converging slowly, stagnating at local minima and poor stability. First, a tent map function is adopted to optimize the distribution of the initial population in problem domain. Second, new iteration-based update strategies of convergence factor and inertia weight are constructed to regulate the balance between global and local search capabilities and improve the optimization ability. Additionally, an optimal feedback strategy is presented in the search for prey stage to enhance the global search ability. Numerical experimental results based on 24 test benchmark functions reveal that the proposed MSWOA significantly improves the standard WOA in terms of solution accuracy and convergence speed, and outperforms the comparison algorithms. Furthermore, the results show that the inertia weight strategy has the greatest effect on the performance of basic WOA performance, followed by the convergence factor, and then the optimal feedback strategy.
Indigenization and the Long-Term Formation of Human Capital in Africa: The Airline Industry in East Africa Since 1946
Authors: Nthenya Nahashon Nzioka , Donzé Pierre-Yves
Published: June 2022

This paper examines the Africanization of human resources in East Africa during the latter part of the twentieth century. Focusing on the case of the East African Airways Corporation (EAAC) and later Kenya Airways, we analyze the long-term development of staffing policy in these companies and the impact of the changing political and managerial environment (colonial rule, joint ownership by three independent states, Kenyan state-owned enterprise, private enterprise with foreign ownership). This research shows that post-independence Africanization was hampered by a lack of specific local expertise. The EAAC solved this difficulty by cooperating with foreign organizations that provided adequate training for African pilots, engineers, and managers. However, indigenization was also used in a less meritocratic way and promoted clientelism.
Mindful, mindless, or misunderstood? A critical perspective of the mindfulness concept
Authors: Kelly B. D.
Published: June 2022

Mindfulness is everywhere, but the term is often used mindlessly. This article discusses the growth of mindfulness-based interventions in many countries over the past fifty years and, more recently, the emergence of the idea of ‘McMindfulness’, with particular emphasis on the concept of ‘spiritual bypassing’. Critical discourse is a valuable resource in any discipline. Proportionate, mindful incorporation of reasoned critiques strengthens mindfulness, rather than undermining it. Misunderstandings and misinterpretations of mindfulness highlight a need to counter the notions that mindfulness involves avoiding difficult issues in our lives or simply accepting social problems that need to be addressed. The opposite is true: mindfulness of reality inevitably generates insights about change. Before we change the world, we need to see it. Mindfulness practice is opting in, not opting out.
Representaciones de “las yucatecas”: Ficciones fundacionales en el periódico peninsular el Museo Yucateco, 1841–1842
Authors: España Paredes Romina A.
Published: June 2022

Este artículo tiene como objetivo analizar las representaciones discursivas de “las yucatecas” presentes en el periódico literario el Museo Yucateco (1841–1842), como parte de las ficciones fundacionales de la identidad yucateca que fueron configuradas por la élite criolla de Yucatán, cuanto esta entidad era independiente de la nación mexicana a mediados del siglo XIX. Se observará que esta construcción de la identidad regional se basa en un discurso nacionalista apropiado por la ideología regionalista y que posee en una estructura patriarcal de carácter binario, la cual imagina las identidades políticas de modo iconizado (lo público y lo privado) y modela el poder del sujeto masculino sobre el femenino como parte de su búsqueda de una hegemonía política y simbólica.
“The Fate of the Nation”: Population Politics in a Changing Soviet Union (1964–1991)
Authors: Lovett Jessica
Published: June 2022

This article shows how the Soviet government perceived higher birth rates in Central Asia as a threat to national identity and the stability of the USSR. The issue of demographic change was complex, and concerns about differential fertility between republics were not informed solely by prejudice. Rather, prejudice and racism mingled with practical concerns about labor surpluses and shortages. The Central Asian Republics had low labor mobility because people were unwilling to leave their cultural community, had a low level of Russian, and tended to not to be trained in the kind of heavy industries that required workers elsewhere in the Soviet Union. I argue that rather than aiming to change these factors, the government misdiagnosed economic problems as demographic ones. They placed primary emphasis on changing patterns of reproduction to remedy the situation by changing the population itself, portraying Slavs and Central Asians as distinct groups who had a predetermined role and place in life. In doing so, Moscow elites failed to address the structural and operational issues of Soviet socialism and inflamed tensions with local leaders who saw demographic campaigns as an attack on their culture.
The politics of accountability in Supreme Court nominations: voter recall and assessment of senator votes on nominees
Authors: Bass Leeann , Cameron Charles M. , Kastellec Jonathan P.
Published: June 2022

While longstanding theories of political behavior argue that voters do not possess sufficient political knowledge to hold their elected representatives accountable, recent revisionist studies challenge this view, arguing that voters can both follow how their representatives vote and use that information intelligently. We apply the revisionist account to the study of Supreme Court nominations in the modern era. Using survey data on the nominations of Clarence Thomas, Sonia Sotomayor, and Elena Kagan, we ask whether voters can and do hold senators accountable for their votes on Supreme Court nominees. While our results for Thomas are ambiguous, we find strong evidence for accountability in the cases of Sotomayor and Kagan. In particular, we show that voters on average can correctly recall the votes of their senators on these nominees, and that correct recall is correlated with higher levels of education and political knowledge. We then show that voters are more likely to both approve of and vote to re-elect their senator if he or she casts a vote on Sotomayor and Kagan that is in line with voters’ preferences. Finally, we show this effect is quite sizable, as it rivals the effect of agreement on other high-profile roll call votes. These results have important implications for both the broader study of representation and for understanding the current politics of Supreme Court nominations.
Removal of the block to self-fertilization by low-calcium artificial seawater in the ascidian Ciona intestinalis
Authors: Hashimoto Shizuya , Kinjo Keita , Saito Takako , Sawada Hitoshi
Published: June 2022

Ascidians (Urochordate) are hermaphroditic marine invertebrates that release sperm and eggs to the surrounding seawater. However, several ascidians, including Ciona intestinalis and Halocynthia roretzi, show strict self-sterility due to a self/nonself-recognition mechanism in the interaction between sperm and the vitelline coat (VC) of the eggs. We have previously reported that sperm intracellular Ca2+ level drastically increased immediately after sperm binding to the VC of self eggs but not nonself eggs in C. intestinalis type A, which was potently inhibited by lowering the external Ca2+ concentration, suggesting that sperm Ca2+ influx occurs after sperm self-recognition on the VC. Here, we investigated whether self-sterility was abolished by lowering the external Ca2+ concentration in C. intestinalis. The results showed that the block to self-fertilization was removed by low-Ca2+ (∼1 mM) seawater without decreasing the fertilization rate. Such an effect was not observed with Mg2+ or K+. These results led us to conclude that a low-Ca2+ environment is sufficient to block the self-recognition signal upon fertilization. As low-Ca2+ seawater showed no effect on H. roretzi self-sterility, we propose that the mechanism of self-sterility in Ciona must be distinctive from that in Halocynthia.
Classification of Teleseismic Shear Wave Splitting Measurements: A Convolutional Neural Network Approach
Authors: Zhang Yanwei , Gao Stephen S.
Published: June 2022

Shear wave splitting (SWS) analysis is widely used to provide critical constraints on crustal and mantle structure and dynamic models. In order to obtain reliable splitting measurements, an essential step is to visually verify all the measurements to reject problematic measurements, a task that is increasingly time consuming due to the exponential increase in the amount of data. In this study, we utilized a convolutional neural network (CNN) based method to automatically select reliable SWS measurements. The CNN was trained by human‐verified teleseismic SWS measurements and tested using synthetic SWS measurements. Application of the trained CNN to broadband seismic data recorded in south central Alaska reveals that CNN classifies 97.0% of human selected measurements as acceptable, and revealed ∼30% additional measurements. To our knowledge, this is the first study to systematically explore the potential of a machine‐learning based technique to assist with SWS analysis.
Vadose Zone Thickness Limits Pore‐Fluid Pressure Rise in a Large, Slow‐Moving Earthflow
Authors: Murphy C. R. , Finnegan N. J. , Oberle F. K. J.
Published: June 2022

The rate and timing of hydrologically forced landslides is a complex function of precipitation patterns, material properties, topography, and groundwater hydrology. In the simplest form, however, slopes fail when subsurface pore pressure grows large enough to exceed the Mohr‐Coulomb failure criterion. The capacity for pore pressure rise in a landslide is determined in part by the thickness of the unsaturated zone above the water table, which itself is set by weathering patterns that should have predictable patterns across different lithologies. To investigate how this structure affects landslide behavior, we exploit a multi‐year record of precipitation, pore pressure, and velocity from Oak Ridge earthflow, a slow‐moving landslide set in Franciscan mélange, northern California, USA. In conjunction with electrical resistivity tomography and hydraulic conductivity measurements, these data show that Oak Ridge has a thin weathered profile that is comparable in thickness to other mélange landslides in California. We propose that due to the inherently thin vadose zone, mélange landscapes experience an unusually high water table that frequently brings them close to movement; however, the capacity to increase stress is limited by the small amount of dynamic storage available. Instead, excess pore pressure is shed via springs and saturation overland flow once the water table reaches the surface. Linkages between weathering patterns, hydrology, and deformation can explain behavior patterns exhibited by Franciscan mélange earthflows across a large precipitation gradient.
Representing the Dynamic Response of Vegetation to Nitrogen Limitation via Biological Nitrogen Fixation in the CLASSIC Land Model
Authors: Kou‐Giesbrecht Sian , Arora Vivek K.
Published: June 2022

Despite its pivotal feedback to carbon cycling, representing the dynamic response of vegetation to nitrogen limitation is a key challenge for simulating the terrestrial carbon sink with land models. Here, we explore a representation of this dynamic response of vegetation to nitrogen limitation with a novel representation of biological nitrogen fixation and nitrogen cycling in the Canadian Land Surface Scheme Including Biogeochemical Cycles. First, we assess how incorporating the dynamic response of vegetation to nitrogen limitation via biological nitrogen fixation influences the response to CO2 and nitrogen fertilization experiments, comparing simulations against observation‐based estimates from meta‐analyses. This evaluates whether the underlying mechanisms are realistically represented. Second, we assess how incorporating the dynamic response of vegetation to nitrogen limitation via biological nitrogen fixation affects simulated terrestrial carbon sequestration over the 20th and early 21st century, examining the effects of global change drivers (CO2, nitrogen deposition, climate, and land‐use change) acting both individually and concurrently. Including nitrogen cycling reduces the terrestrial carbon sink driven by elevated CO2 over the historical period. Representing the dynamic response of vegetation to nitrogen limitation via biological nitrogen fixation increases the estimate of the present‐day terrestrial carbon sink by 0.2 Pg C yr−1 (because elevated CO2 intensifies nitrogen limitation, which drives the upregulation of biological nitrogen fixation, alleviating nitrogen limitation). Our results highlight the importance of the dynamic response of vegetation to nitrogen limitation for realistically projecting the future terrestrial carbon sink under global change with land models.
Alpha Transmitter Signals Observed by the Van Allen Probes: Ducted Versus Nonducted Propagation
Authors: Němec F. , Santolík O. , Hospodarsky G. B. , Kurth W. S.
Published: June 2022

The interaction of very low frequency transmitter signals with radiation belt electrons depends ultimately on their wave normal angles. In the equatorial interaction region, these can be either low (ducted propagation) or comparatively large (nonducted propagation). Experimentally distinguishing the two modes is complicated, as multicomponent spacecraft data typically do not extend to high enough frequencies with a sufficient frequency resolution. One exception that we exploit are 11.9 kHz signals from Alpha transmitters detectable by the Van Allen Probes spacecraft. We use multicomponent burst mode measurements to distinguish between the ducted and nonducted modes of propagation and to evaluate their relative importance. While the ducted waves are detected less often, they tend to have larger Poynting fluxes. The total power propagating in the two modes is thus comparable. Magnetic local time and in‐situ density fluctuations are main parameters controlling the relative fraction of ducted waves.
Observations of Blue Corona Discharges in Thunderclouds
Authors: Husbjerg Lasse Skaaning , Neubert Torsten , Chanrion Olivier , Dimitriadou Krystallia , Li Dongshuai , Stendel Martin , Kaas Eigil , Østgaard Nikolai , Reglero Victor
Published: June 2022

Blue electric streamer discharges in the upper reaches of thunderclouds are observed as flashes of 337.0 nm (blue) with faint or no emissions of 777.4 nm (red). Analyzing 3 years of measurements by the Atmosphere‐Space Interactions Monitor on the International Space Station, we find that their distribution in rise time falls into two categories. One with fast rise times of 30 μs or less that are relatively unaffected by cloud scattering and emanate from within ∼2 km of the cloud tops, and another with longer rise times from deeper within the clouds. 50% of cells generating shallow events are associated with overshooting tops compared to 34% of cells generating deeper events. The median Convective Available Potential Energy of the cells is ∼70% higher for the shallow events and ∼38% higher for the deeper events than for lightning cells, suggesting the discharges are favored by strongly convective environments.
Nonlinear Interaction Between H+ Band and He+ Band EMIC Waves: Van Allen Probe Observations and Hybrid Simulations
Authors: Deng Dan , Yuan Zhigang , Xue Zuxiang , Huang Shiyong , Huang Zheng , Yu Xiongdong
Published: June 2022

Nonlinear theory has predicted that wave‐wave coupling from different band electromagnetic ion cyclotron (EMIC) waves can occur in multiple‐ion plasmas. However, no direct observational evidence has been reported yet. Here we present multiple substructures on the frequency spectrum of EMIC waves with observations of Van Allen Probes. Some substructures are demonstrated to be excited by nonlinear interactions between preexisting H+ band and He+ band EMIC waves through the bicoherence analysis. Additionally, hybrid simulation displays that a new wave is motivated at sum frequencies after two independent pump waves of different band EMIC waves are injected, implying that the nonlinear wave‐wave interactions could drive EMIC waves with higher wavenumbers. Therefore, this letter provides the first observational evidence of wave‐wave coupling between H+ band and He+ band EMIC waves.
Addiction of Merkel cell carcinoma to MUC1-C identifies a potential new target for treatment
Authors: Morimoto Yoshihiro , Fushimi Atsushi , Yamashita Nami , Hagiwara Masayuki , Bhattacharya Atrayee , Cheng Jingwei , Frost Thomas C. , Ahmad Rehan , Daimon Tatsuaki , Huang Lei , Hata Tsuyoshi , Takahashi Hidekazu , Yamamoto Masaaki , Suzuki Yozo , DeCaprio James A. , Kufe Donald
Published: June 2022

Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) is an aggressive malignancy with neuroendocrine (NE) features, limited treatment options, and a lack of druggable targets. There is no reported involvement of the MUC1-C oncogenic protein in MCC progression. We show here that MUC1-C is broadly expressed in MCCs and at higher levels in Merkel cell polyomavirus (MCPyV)-positive (MCCP) relative to MCPyV-negative (MCCN) tumors. Our results further demonstrate that MUC1-C is expressed in MCCP, as well as MCCN, cell lines and regulates common sets of signaling pathways related to RNA synthesis, processing, and transport in both subtypes. Mechanistically, MUC1-C (i) interacts with MYCL, which drives MCC progression, (ii) is necessary for expression of the OCT4, SOX2, KLF4, MYC, and NANOG pluripotency factors, and (iii) induces the NEUROD1, BRN2 and ATOH1 NE lineage dictating transcription factors. We show that MUC1-C is also necessary for MCCP and MCCN cell survival by suppressing DNA replication stress, the p53 pathway, and apoptosis. In concert with these results, targeting MUC1-C genetically and pharmacologically inhibits MCC self-renewal capacity and tumorigenicity. These findings demonstrate that MCCP and MCCN cells are addicted to MUC1-C and identify MUC1-C as a potential target for MCC treatment.
The effects of early life adversity on children’s mental health and cognitive functioning
Authors: Wade Mark , Wright Liam , Finegold Katherine E.
Published: June 2022

Emerging evidence suggests that partially distinct mechanisms may underlie the association between different dimensions of early life adversity (ELA) and psychopathology in children and adolescents. While there is minimal evidence that different types of ELA are associated with specific psychopathology outcomes, there are partially unique cognitive and socioemotional consequences of specific dimensions of ELA that increase transdiagnostic risk of mental health problems across the internalizing and externalizing spectra. The current review provides an overview of recent findings examining the cognitive (e.g., language, executive function), socioemotional (e.g., attention bias, emotion regulation), and mental health correlates of ELA along the dimensions of threat/harshness, deprivation, and unpredictability. We underscore similarities and differences in the mechanisms connecting different dimensions of ELA to particular mental health outcomes, and identify gaps and future directions that may help to clarify inconsistencies in the literature. This review focuses on childhood and adolescence, periods of exquisite neurobiological change and sensitivity to the environment. The utility of dimensional models of ELA in better understanding the mechanistic pathways towards the expression of psychopathology is discussed, with the review supporting the value of such models in better understanding the developmental sequelae associated with ELA. Integration of dimensional models of ELA with existing models focused on psychiatric classification and biobehavioral mechanisms may advance our understanding of the etiology, phenomenology, and treatment of mental health difficulties in children and youth.
Fc receptors and the diversity of antibody responses to HIV infection and vaccination
Authors: Lin Li-Yun , Carapito Raphael , Su Bin , Moog Christiane
Published: June 2022

The development of an effective vaccine against HIV is desperately needed. The successive failures of HIV vaccine efficacy trials in recent decades have shown the difficulty of inducing an appropriate protective immune response to fight HIV. Different correlates of antibody parameters associated with a decreased risk of HIV-1 acquisition have been identified. However, these parameters are difficult to reproduce and improve, possibly because they have an intricate and combined action. Here, we describe the numerous antibody (Ab) functions associated with HIV-1 protection and report the interrelated parameters regulating their complex functions. Indeed, besides neutralizing and Fc-mediated activity, additional factors such as Ab type, concentration and kinetics of induction, and Fc-receptor expression and binding capacity also influence the protective effect conferred by Abs. As these parameters were described to be associated with ethnicity, age and sex, these additional factors must be considered for the development of an effective immune response. Therefore, future vaccine designs need to consider these multifaceted Ab functions together with the demographic attributes of the patient populations.
Derivation and validation of sex-specific continuous metabolic syndrome scores for the Mexican adult population
Authors: Pérez-Castro Eduardo , Godínez-Jaimes Flaviano , Vázquez-Medina Martín Uriel , Ocharan-Hernández María Esther , Vargas-De-León Cruz
Published: June 2022

Traditionally the diagnosis of Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is binary (present/absent). The goal of this work is to propose a sex-specific continuous score to measure the severity of MetS in Mexican adults using waist circumference and body mass index as adiposity measures. MetSx-WC and MetSx-BMI indexes by sex were derived by confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) using data for 6567 adult participants of the National Health and Nutrition Survey 2018. The overall fit of the two proposed CFA models was excellent. We then validated these scores using a community-based health study of 862 university participants and determined that the reliability and strength of agreement between the MetSx-WC and MetSx-BMI scores were excellent. The ROC analysis of the resulting indexes indicates that they have excellent ability to discriminate a MetS classification according to the different criteria. The correlations of MetSx scores and surrogate markers of insulin resistance and obesity ranged from weak to strong. Subsequently, a retrospective study of 310 hospitalized patients with COVID-19 was used to determined that MetSx-BMI score was associated with the mortality of patients with COVID-19. The proposed indices provide a continuous measure in the identification of MetS risk in Mexican adults.
NCAPH is a prognostic biomarker and associated with immune infiltrates in lung adenocarcinoma
Authors: Li Chao , Meng Jun , Zhang Tongtong
Published: June 2022

Non-SMC condensin I complex subunit H (NCAPH) plays a regulatory role in various cancers. However, its role in prognosis and immune infiltrates in lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) remains unclear. This study examined the expression of NCAPH in tumor tissues and its association with immune infiltrates and prognostic roles in LUAD patients. Patients characteristics were obtained from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). Integrated analysis of TCGA showed that NCAPH was overexpressed across cancers, including LUAD. NCAPH expression was verified by quantitative polymerase chain reaction and western blotting in 20 LUAD matched tissues. High NCAPH expression was significantly related to T, N, M, pathologic stage, primary therapy outcome and smoking status according to the Wilcoxon rank sum test. Cox and Kaplan–Meier analyses showed that the NCAPH-high group was associated with shorter OS. The PFI and DSS in the NCAPH-high group were significantly decreased. Multivariate analysis showed that NCAPH was an independent predictive factor for poor prognosis. Gene set enrichment analysis demonstrated that the G2/M checkpoint, ncRNA metabolic, memory B cells, KRAS, E2F targets and MIER1 process were significantly associated with NCAPH expression. Single-sample Gene Set Enrichment Analysis indicated that NCAPH expression was associated with levels of Th2 and mast cells. The impact of NCAPH on malignant phenotypes was evaluated by MTT, transwell, cell cycle and apoptosis assays in vitro. The malignant phenotype of LUAD cells was inhibited if NCAPH was knocked down. In conclusion, this research indicates that NCAPH could be a potential factor for predicting prognosis and a new biomarker in LUAD.
Changes in circumpapillary retinal nerve fiber layer thickness after vitrectomy for rhegmatogenous retinal detachment
Authors: Hwang Young Hoon , Byun Zee Yoon , Hwang Daniel Duck-Jin
Published: June 2022

The study aimed to evaluate the long-term changes in circumpapillary retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness after vitrectomy for rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD) repair. A total of 33 eyes of 33 patients were enrolled. By using optical coherence tomography, the circumpapillary RNFL thickness was measured before surgery and 1, 3, 6 months and 1, 2, 3 years after surgery and compared with the preoperative value. The effect of duration, location, and extent of RRD on RNFL thickness change was evaluated. There was a significant increase of circumpapillary RNFL thickness at the 1-month, 3-month [except in the nasal superior sector (P = 0.627)], and only in the nasal inferior sector at 6-month (P = 0.010) follow-up compared with the baseline value (all Ps < 0.05). No significant differences were observed 1, 2, and 3 years after the surgery (P > 0.05). The duration, location, and extent of detachment did not reveal significant correlations with RNFL parameters (P > 0.05). Circumpapillary RNFL thickness in eyes with RRD after vitrectomy demonstrated a transient increase during the early postoperative period. This increase was not associated with duration, location, and extent of RRD. At 3 years following surgery, no RNFL thinning or thickening was observed.
A machine learning approach to economic complexity based on matrix completion
Authors: Gnecco Giorgio , Nutarelli Federico , Riccaboni Massimo
Published: June 2022

This work applies Matrix Completion (MC) – a class of machine-learning methods commonly used in recommendation systems – to analyze economic complexity. In this paper MC is applied to reconstruct the Revealed Comparative Advantage (RCA) matrix, whose elements express the relative advantage of countries in given classes of products, as evidenced by yearly trade flows. A high-accuracy binary classifier is derived from the MC application to discriminate between elements of the RCA matrix that are, respectively, higher/lower than one. We introduce a novel Matrix cOmpletion iNdex of Economic complexitY (MONEY) based on MC and related to the degree of predictability of the RCA entries of different countries (the lower the predictability, the higher the complexity). Differently from previously-developed economic complexity indices, MONEY takes into account several singular vectors of the matrix reconstructed by MC. In contrast, other indices are based only on one/two eigenvectors of a suitable symmetric matrix derived from the RCA matrix. Finally, MC is compared with state-of-the-art economic complexity indices, showing that the MC-based classifier achieves better performance than previous methods based on the application of machine learning to economic complexity.
Potential of mealworms used in polyhydroxyalkanoate/bioplastic recovery as red hybrid tilapia (Oreochromis sp.) feed ingredient
Authors: Zainab-L Idris , Ng Wing‐Keong , Sudesh Kumar
Published: June 2022

Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) are bio-based polymers produced in bacterial cells to replace some petrochemical plastics. It has always been a challenge to commercialise PHA due in part to the costly recovery processes of the PHA granules from the bacterial cells. The biological approach of using mealworms, Tenebrio molitor, for the recovery of PHA from the bacterial cells is a newly established method that is at the scale-up stage. On the other hand, the aquaculture feed industry needs a low-cost mealworm meal as a protein source. We aimed at studying the nutritional value of the mealworms (which are by-products) used for the poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) (PHB) (the most common type of PHA) recovery from the bacterial and examining the effect of the mealworms on the growth performance, and feed utilization efficiency of red hybrid tilapia (Oreochromis sp.). The cells were fed to the mealworms to digest the proteinaceous cellular materials and excrete the PHB granules in the form of fecal pellets. The resulting mealworms were used as fishmeal replacement to formulate five isonitrogenous (35% crude protein) and isolipidic (8% lipid) diets at mealworm meal (MwM) inclusion levels of 0% (MwM0/control diet), 25% (MwM25), 50% (MwM50), 75% (MwM75) or 100% (MwM100). The results showed good nutritive value mealworms [high protein (75%), low-lipid (10%)] and up to 75% MwM inclusion diet was good in supplying satisfactory nutrients and energy to the red hybrid tilapia. This approach is beneficial in a way that minimal cost was involved in recovering kilograms of PHB and the proteins, lipids, and minerals from the bacterial cells do not end up as wastes but in turn, are used as nutrition by the larvae.
Pressure-induced high-spin/low-spin disproportionated state in the Mott insulator FeBO3
Authors: Xu Weiming , Dong Weiwei , Layek Samar , Shulman Mark , Glazyrin Konstantin , Bykova Elena , Bykov Maxim , Hanfland Michael , Pasternak Moshe P. , Leonov Ivan , Greenberg Eran , Rozenberg Gregory Kh.
Published: June 2022

The pressure-induced Mott insulator-to-metal transitions are often accompanied by a collapse of magnetic interactions associated with delocalization of 3delectrons and high-spin to low-spin (HS-LS) state transition. Here, we address a long-standing controversy regarding the high-pressure behavior of an archetypal Mott insulator FeBO3and show the insufficiency of a standard theoretical approach assuming a conventional HS-LS transition for the description of the electronic properties of the Mott insulators at high pressures. Using high-resolution x-ray diffraction measurements supplemented by Mössbauer spectroscopy up to pressures ~ 150 GPa, we document an unusual electronic state characterized by a “mixed” HS/LS state with a stable abundance ratio realized in the$$R\overline{3 }c$$R3¯ccrystal structure with a single Fe site within a wide pressure range of ~ 50–106 GPa. Our results imply an unconventional cooperative (and probably dynamical) nature of the ordering of the HS/LS Fe sites randomly distributed over the lattice, resulting in frustration of magnetic moments.
The enigmatic 1693 AD tsunami in the eastern Mediterranean Sea: new insights on the triggering mechanisms and propagation dynamics
Authors: Scicchitano Giovanni , Gambino Salvatore , Scardino Giovanni , Barreca Giovanni , Gross Felix , Mastronuzzi Giuseppe , Monaco Carmelo
Published: June 2022

The disastrous earthquake of 1693 AD caused over 60,000 causalities and the total destruction of several villages and towns in south-eastern Sicily. Immediately after the earthquake, a tsunami struck the Ionian coasts of Sicily and the Messina Strait and was probably recorded even in the Aeolian Islands and Malta. Over the last few decades, the event has been much debated regarding the location of the seismogenic source and the possible cause of the associated tsunami. The marine event has been related to both a submarine landslide and a coseismic displacement at the seafloor. To better define the most reliable sources and dynamics of the tsunami, we couple high-resolution marine seismic survey data with hydrodynamic modelling to simulate various scenarios of tsunami generation and propagation. Results from the simulations are compared with geomorphological evidence of past tsunami impacts, described in previous work along the coast of south-eastern Sicily, and within historical chronicles and reports. The most reliable scenario considers the 1693 event composed by two different tsunami waves: a first wave generated by the coseismic fault displacement at the seafloor and a second wave generated by a submarine landslide, triggered by the earthquake shaking. Tsunami modelling shows that a simultaneous movement between fault displacement and submarine mass movement could determine a destructive interference on the tsunami waves, resulting in a reduction in wave height. For this reason, the second tsunami wave probably occurred with a maximum delay of few minutes after the one generated by the earthquake and induced a greater flooding. The double-source model could explain the observation because in the course of other destructive earthquakes in south-eastern Sicily, such as that of 1169 AD, the associated tsunami caused less damages. This implies the need to better map, define and assess the hazard responsible for this type of tsunami events.
Impact of sucroferric oxyhydroxide on the oral and intestinal microbiome in hemodialysis patients
Authors: Abdelbary Mohamed M. H. , Kuppe Christoph , Michael Sareh Said-Yekta , Krüger Thilo , Floege Jürgen , Conrads Georg
Published: June 2022

Hyperphosphatemia is a consequence of chronic kidney disease associated with mineral/bone impairment, increased cardiovascular events and mortality. Therapeutically, most dialysis patients have to take phosphate binders. Here, we investigated effects of the Fe(3+)-based phosphate binder sucroferric oxyhydroxide (SFOH) on the oral and gastrointestinal microbiome of 11 hemodialysis patients. Saliva, dental plaque and stool were collected at baseline, one and four weeks of SFOH intake and subjected to 16S rRNA gene (V3-V4 region) directed Illumina MiSeq-based analysis. Total Fe, Fe(2+) and Fe(3+) were determined in stool and saliva. Overall, the microbiome did not change significantly. However, some patient-, sample- and taxon-specific differences were noted, which allowed patients to be divided into those with a shift in their microbiome (6/11) and those without a shift (5/11). Total Fe and Fe(2+) were highest after one week of SFOH, particularly in patients who exhibited a shift in microbiome composition. Eight bacterial taxa showed significant unidirectional changes during treatment. In-depth microbiome analysis revealed that taxa that significantly benefited from iron plethora had no iron-binding siderophores or alternatives, which was in contrast to taxa that significantly declined under iron plethora. Patients with microbiome-shift were significantly younger and had higher serum phosphate concentrations. In conclusion, this study sheds light on the impact of iron on the microbiome of hemodialysis patients.