bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Education and Income Show Heterogeneous Relationships to Lifespan Brain and Cognitive Differences Across European and US Cohorts
Authors: Walhovd Kristine B , Fjell Anders M , Wang Yunpeng , Amlien Inge K , Mowinckel Athanasia M , Lindenberger Ulman , Düzel Sandra , Bartrés-Faz David , Ebmeier Klaus P , Drevon Christian A , Baaré William F C , Ghisletta Paolo , Johansen Louise Baruël , Kievit Rogier A , Henson Richard N , Madsen Kathrine Skak , Nyberg Lars , R Harris Jennifer , Solé-Padullés Cristina , Pudas Sara , Sørensen Øystein , Westerhausen René , Zsoldos Enikő , Nawijn Laura , Lyngstad Torkild Hovde , Suri Sana , Penninx Brenda , Rogeberg Ole J , Brandmaier Andreas M
Published: July 2021

Higher socio-economic status (SES) has been proposed to have facilitating and protective effects on brain and cognition. We ask whether relationships between SES, brain volumes and cognitive ability differ across cohorts, by age and national origin. European and US cohorts covering the lifespan were studied (4–97 years, N = 500 000; 54 000 w/brain imaging). There was substantial heterogeneity across cohorts for all associations. Education was positively related to intracranial (ICV) and total gray matter (GM) volume. Income was related to ICV, but not GM. We did not observe reliable differences in associations as a function of age. SES was more strongly related to brain and cognition in US than European cohorts. Sample representativity varies, and this study cannot identify mechanisms underlying differences in associations across cohorts. Differences in neuroanatomical volumes partially explained SES–cognition relationships. SES was more strongly related to ICV than to GM, implying that SES–cognition relations in adulthood are less likely grounded in neuroprotective effects on GM volume in aging. The relatively stronger SES–ICV associations rather are compatible with SES–brain volume relationships being established early in life, as ICV stabilizes in childhood. The findings underscore that SES has no uniform association with, or impact on, brain and cognition.
Analytical Sensitivity and Specificity of Four Point of Care Rapid Antigen Diagnostic Tests for SARS-CoV-2 Using Real-Time Quantitative PCR, Quantitative Droplet Digital PCR, and a Mass Spectrometric Antigen Assay as Comparator Methods
Authors: Karon Brad S , Donato Leslie J , Bridgeman Amber R , Blommel Joseph H , Kipp Benjamin , Maus Anthony , Renuse Santosh , Kemp Jennifer , Madugundu Anil K , Vanderboom Patrick M , Chavan Sandip , Dasari Surendra , Singh Ravinder J , Grebe Stefan K , Pandey Akhilesh
Published: July 2021

Background

We evaluated the analytical sensitivity and specificity of 4 rapid antigen diagnostic tests (Ag RDTs) for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, using reverse transcription quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) as the reference method and further characterizing samples using droplet digital quantitative PCR (ddPCR) and a mass spectrometric antigen test.

Methods

Three hundred fifty (150 negative and 200 RT-qPCR positive) residual PBS samples were tested for antigen using the BD Veritor lateral flow (LF), ACON LF, ACON fluorescence immunoassay (FIA), and LumiraDx FIA. ddPCR was performed on RT-qPCR–positive samples to quantitate the viral load in copies/mL applied to each Ag RDT. Mass spectrometric antigen testing was performed on PBS samples to obtain a set of RT-qPCR–positive, antigen-positive samples for further analysis.

Results

All Ag RDTs had nearly 100% specificity compared to RT-qPCR. Overall analytical sensitivity varied from 66.5% to 88.3%. All methods detected antigen in samples with viral load >1 500 000 copies/mL RNA, and detected ≥75% of samples with viral load of 500 000 to 1 500 000 copies/mL. The BD Veritor LF detected only 25% of samples with viral load between 50 000 to 500 000 copies/mL, compared to 75% for the ACON LF device and >80% for LumiraDx and ACON FIA. The ACON FIA detected significantly more samples with viral load <50 000 copies/mL compared to the BD Veritor. Among samples with detectable antigen and viral load <50 000 copies/mL, sensitivity of the Ag RDT varied between 13.0% (BD Veritor) and 78.3% (ACON FIA).

Conclusions

Ag RDTs differ significantly in analytical sensitivity, particularly at viral load <500 000 copies/mL.
The Nationalisation of British History: Historians, Nationalism and the Myths of 1940
Authors: Edgerton David
Published: July 2021

Neither the idea that Britain ‘stood alone’ in 1940, nor that the British war was a ‘people’s war’, were at all common during the Second World War. If anything was thought to be ‘alone’, it was the empire, though the more common view was that the empire always had allies. ‘People’s war’ was a rare synonym for ‘total war’ and was sometimes used in an internationalist sense of a war of many peoples, and as the sort of war Britain should be, but was not, fighting. However, from 1945 a national ‘alone’ came into usage, for example by Churchill; but only from the 1960s was it a commonplace in history books. ‘People’s war’ became more widely used in histories written in the 1960s, which defined it in a national progressive sense, although the term did not become common until the 1990s. Both ideas were essentially the creations of historians, who nationalised the history of what was an imperial and internationalist war, often turning it into a radically different domestic story focused on a national Home Front (ignoring the many imperial home fronts), a story which marginalised the military, foreign and political history of the war, and indeed the social history of the military as well. Historians later assumed that ‘alone’ and ‘people’s war’ represented wartime nationalist ideologies, and wrote about them critically. Yet until recently they did not recognise that it was the very particular nature of the histories written in the 1960s which had generated these terms, and which embodied very particular analyses of British history and of the Second World War. The paper ends by arguing that much greater understanding is needed of the core assumptions which lie beneath the historiography of twentieth-century Britain.
Non-traditional implantable cardioverter-defibrillator configurations and insertion techniques: a review of contemporary options
Authors: Tonko Johanna B , Rinaldi Christopher A
Published: July 2021

Implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (ICDs) have revolutionized the treatment of acquired or inherited cardiac diseases associated with a high risk of sudden cardiac death due to ventricular tachyarrhythmias. Contemporary ICD devices offer reliable arrhythmia detection and discrimination algorithms and deliver highly efficient tachytherapies. Percutaneously inserted transvenous defibrillator coils with pectoral generator placement are the first-line approach in the majority of adults due to their extensively documented clinical benefit and efficiency with comparably low periprocedural implantation risks as well as the option of providing pain-free tachycardia treatment via anti-tachycardia pacing (ATP), concomitant bradycardiaprotection, and incorporation in a cardiac resynchronization therapy if indicated. Yet, expanding ICD indications particularly among younger and more complex patient groups as well as the increasingly evident long-term consequences and complications associated with intravascular lead placements promoted the development of alternative ICD configurations. Most established in daily clinical practice is the subcutaneous ICD but other innovative extravascular approaches like epicardial, pericardial, extra-pleural, and most recently substernal defibrillator coil placements have been introduced as well to overcome shortcomings associated with traditional devices and allow for individualized treatment strategies tailored to the patients characteristics and needs. The review aims to provide practical solutions for common complications encountered with transvenous ICD systems including restricted venous access, high defibrillation/fibrillation thresholds (DFTs), and recurrent device infections. We summarize the contemporary options for non-traditional extravascular ICD configurations outlining indications, advantages, and disadvantages.
Optimized workflows for high-frequency seismic interferometry using dense arrays
Authors: Xu Y , Lebedev S , Meier T , Bonadio R , Bean C J
Published: July 2021

High-frequency seismic surface waves sample the top few tens of meters to the top few kilometres of the subsurface. They can be used to determine 3-D distributions of shear-wave velocities and to map the depths of discontinuities (interfaces) within the crust. Passive seismic imaging, using ambient noise as the source of signal, can thus be an effective tool of exploration for mineral, geothermal and other resources, provided that sufficient high-frequency signal is available in the ambient noise wavefield and that accurate, high-frequency measurements can be performed on this signal. Ambient noise imaging using the ocean-generated noise at 5–30 s periods is now a standard method, but less signal is available at frequencies high enough for deposit-scale imaging (0.2–30 Hz), and few studies have reported successful measurements in broad frequency bands. Here, we develop a workflow for the measurement of high-frequency, surface wave phase velocities in very broad frequency ranges. Our workflow comprises (1) a new noise cross-correlation procedure that accounts for the non-stationary properties of the high-frequency noise sources, removes bandpass filtering, replaces temporal normalization with short time window stacking, and drops the explicit spectral normalization by adopting cross-coherence; (2) a new phase-velocity measurement method that extends the bandwidth of reliable measurements by exploiting the (resolved) 2π ambiguity of phase-velocity measurements and (3) interstation-distance-dependent quality control that uses the similarity of subgroups of dispersion curves to reject outliers and identify the frequency ranges with accurate measurements. The workflow is highly automated and applicable to large arrays. Applying our method to data from a large-N array that operated for one month near Marathon, Ontario, Canada, we use rectangular subarrays with 150-m station spacing and, typically, 1 hr of data and obtain Rayleigh-wave phase-velocity measurements in a 0.5–30 Hz frequency range, spanning over 5.9 octaves, twice the typical frequency range of 1.5–3 octaves in previous studies. Phase-velocity maps and the subregion-average 1-D velocity models they constrain show a high-velocity anomaly consistent with the known, west-dipping gabbro intrusions beneath the area. The new structural information can improve our understanding of the geometry of the gabbro intrusions, hosting the Cu-PGE Marathon deposit.
Radiation of sound waves from a coaxial duct with perforated screen
Authors: Tiryakioglu Burhan , Tiryakioglu Ayse
Published: July 2021

Radiation of sound waves by a coaxial rigid duct with perforated screen is investigated by using the Mode Matching technique in conjunction with the Jones’ Method. The geometry of the problem consists semi-infinite outer duct and infinite inner duct. It is assumed that the duct walls are fully rigid. The solution of current study contains an infinite sets of coefficients satisfying an infinite systems of linear algebraic equations. These systems are truncated at a certain number and then solved numerically. The effects of open and perforated case, frequency and porosity on the radiation phenomenon are shown graphically. In the present study, perforated screen makes the problem more interesting when it is compared with the unperforated screen. In this context, solution of the problem is compered numerically with similar studies, which are used different method to obtain Wiener–Hopf equation, existing in the literature. As a result, it is observed that in the absence of a perforated screen, there is a perfect agreement between the two results.
Origin, bifurcation structure and stability of localized states in Kerr dispersive optical cavities
Authors: Parra-Rivas P , Knobloch E , Gelens L , Gomila D
Published: July 2021

Localized coherent structures can form in externally driven dispersive optical cavities with a Kerr-type non-linearity. Such systems are described by the Lugiato–Lefever (LL) equation, which supports a large variety of dynamical states. Here, we review our current knowledge of the formation, stability and bifurcation structure of localized structures in the one-dimensional LL equation. We do so by focusing on two main regimes of operation: anomalous and normal second-order dispersion. In the anomalous regime, localized patterns are organized in a homoclinic snaking scenario, which is eventually destroyed, leading to a foliated snaking bifurcation structure. In the normal regime, localized structures undergo a different type of bifurcation structure, known as collapsed snaking. The effects of third-order dispersion and various dynamical regimes are also described.
The first-order theory of the computably enumerable equivalence relations in the uncountable setting
Authors: Andrews Uri , Lempp Steffen , Mustafa Manat , Schweber Noah D
Published: July 2021

We generalize the analysis of Andrews, Schweber and Sorbi of the first-order theory of the partial order of degrees of c.e. equivalence relations to higher computability theory, specifically to the setting of a regular cardinal.
The considerable impact of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic and COVID-19 on the UK National Mycology Reference Laboratory activities and workload
Authors: Borman Andrew M , Fraser Mark , Patterson Zoe , McLachlan Sue , Palmer Michael D , Mann Ciara , Oliver Debra , Brown Phillipa , Linton Christopher J , Dzietczyk Agnieszka , Hedley Michelle , Gough Martin , Johnson Elizabeth M
Published: July 2021

Starting late 2019, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has caused a devastating global pandemic of coronavirus-19 disease (COVID-19) with ∼179 million cases and ∼3.9 million deaths to date. COVID-19 ranges from asymptomatic infection to severe illness with acute respiratory distress requiring critical care in up to 40% of hospitalized patients. Numerous reports have identified COVID-19-associated pulmonary aspergillosis (CAPA) as an important infective complication of COVID-19. In the UK, the pandemic has had unprecedented impacts on the National Health Service (NHS'): each wave of infections required hospitals to reconfigure for large surges in patients requiring intensive care, to the detriment of most aspects of non-COVID care including planned operations, outpatient appointments, general practitioner consultations and referrals. The UK National Mycology Reference Laboratory (MRL) offers a comprehensive service for the diagnosis and management of fungal disease nationwide, with a test portfolio that includes: diagnosis of allergies to fungal and other respiratory allergens; diagnosis of superficial and invasive/systemic fungal infections using traditional mycological, serological and molecular approaches; identification and susceptibility testing of the causative fungi; therapeutic drug monitoring of patients receiving antifungal therapy. Here, we describe the impact of the first 14 months of the COVID-19 pandemic on MRL activities. Changes to MRL workload closely mirrored many of the NHS-wide challenges, with marked reductions in ‘elective’ mycological activities unrelated to the pandemic and dramatic surges in tests that contributed to the diagnosis and management of COVID-19-related secondary fungal infections, in particular CAPA and candidemia in COVID-19 patients in intensive care.

Lay summary

The COVID-19 pandemic has had an unprecedented impact on the UK National Health Service, with hospitals forced to repeatedly reconfigure to prepare for large surges in COVID-19 patients. Here we describe the impact of the first 14 months of the UK pandemic on the workload of the National Mycology Reference Laboratory.
Consistency testing for invariance of the speed of light at different redshifts: the newest results from strong lensing and Type Ia supernovae observations
Authors: Liu Tonghua , Cao Shuo , Biesiada Marek , Liu Yuting , Lian Yujie , Zhang Yilong
Published: July 2021

The invariance of the speed of light in the distant Universe has profound significance for fundamental physics. In this paper, we propose a new model-independent method to test the invariance of the speed of light c at different redshifts by combining the strong gravitational lensing (SGL) systems and the observations of Type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia). All the quantities used to test the deviation of c come from the direct observations, and the absolute magnitudes of SNe Ia need not to be calibrated. Our results show that the speed of light in the distant Universe is no obvious deviation from the constant value c0 within the uncertainty based on current observations. Moreover, we conclude that the currently compiled SGL and SNe Ia Pantheon samples may achieve much higher precision Δc/c ∼ 10−2 for the deviation of c than all previously considered approaches. The forthcoming data from the Legacy Survey of Space and Time and Wide-Field InfraRed Space Telescope will achieve more stringent testing for deviation of the SOL (at the level of Δc/c ∼ 10−3) by using our model-independent method. Finally, we discuss the potential ways in which our technique might be improved, focusing on the treatment of possible sources of systematic uncertainties.
Probing reionization and early cosmic enrichment with the Mg iiforest
Authors: Hennawi Joseph F , Davies Frederick B , Wang Feige , Oñorbe Jose
Published: July 2021

Because the same massive stars that reionized the intergalactic medium (IGM) inevitably exploded as supernovae that polluted the Universe with metals, the history of cosmic reionization and enrichment is intimately intertwined. While the overly sensitive Ly α transition completely saturates in a neutral IGM, strong low-ionization metal lines like the $\rm{Mg\, \small {II}}$ λ2796, λ2804 doublet will give rise to a detectable ‘metal-line forest’ if the metals produced during reionization ($Z\sim 10^{-3}\, \mathrm{Z}_{\odot }$) permeate the neutral IGM. We simulate the $\rm{Mg\,\small {II}}$ forest for the first time by combining a large hydrodynamical simulation with a seminumerical reionization topology, assuming a simple enrichment model where the IGM is uniformly suffused with metals. In contrast to the traditional approach of identifying discrete absorbers, we treat the absorption as a continuous random field and measure its two-point correlation function, leveraging techniques from precision cosmology. We show that a realistic mock data set of 10 James Webb Space Telescope spectra can simultaneously determine the Mg abundance, $[{\rm Mg}/{\rm H}]$, with a 1σ precision of 0.02 dex and measure the global neutral fraction $\langle x_{\rm{H\,\small {I}}}\rangle$ to 5 per cent for a Universe with $\langle x_{\rm{H\,\small {I}}}\rangle = 0.74$ and $[{\rm Mg}/ {\rm H}] = -3.7$. Alternatively, if the IGM is pristine, a null detection of the $\rm{Mg\,\small {II}}$ forest would set a stringent upper limit on the IGM metallicity of $[{\rm Mg}/ {\rm H}] \lt -4.4$ at 95 per cent credibility, assuming $\langle x_{\rm{H\,\small {I}}}\rangle \gt 0.5$ from another probe. Concentrations of metals in the circumgalactic environs of galaxies can significantly contaminate the IGM signal, but we demonstrate how these discrete absorbers can be easily identified and masked such that their impact on the correlation function is negligible. The $\rm{Mg\,\small {II}}$ forest thus has tremendous potential to precisely constrain the reionization and enrichment history of the Universe.
Photometric, polarimetric, and spectroscopic studies of the luminous, slow-decaying Type Ib SN 2012au
Authors: Pandey S B , Kumar Amit , Kumar Brajesh , Anupama G C , Srivastav S , Sahu D K , Vinko J , Aryan A , Pastorello A , Benetti S , Tomasella L , Singh Avinash , Moskvitin A S , Sokolov V V , Gupta R , Misra K , Ochner P , Valenti S
Published: July 2021

Optical, near-infrared (NIR) photometric and spectroscopic studies, along with the optical imaging polarimetric results for SN 2012au, are presented in this article to constrain the nature of the progenitor and other properties. Well-calibrated multiband optical photometric data (from –0.2 to +413 d since B-band maximum) were used to compute the bolometric light curve and to perform semi-analytical light-curve modelling using the minim code. A spin-down millisecond magnetar-powered model explains the observed photometric evolution of SN 2012au reasonably. Early-time imaging polarimetric follow-up observations (–2 to +31 d) and comparison with other similar cases indicate signatures of asphericity in the ejecta. Good spectral coverage of SN 2012au (from –5 to +391 d) allows us to trace the evolution of layers of SN ejecta in detail. SN 2012au exhibits higher line velocities in comparison with other SNe Ib. Late nebular phase spectra of SN 2012au indicate a Wolf–Rayet star as the possible progenitor for SN 2012au, with oxygen, He-core, and main-sequence masses of ∼1.62 ± 0.15 M⊙, ∼4–8 M⊙, and ∼17–25 M⊙, respectively. There is a clear absence of a first overtone of carbon monoxide (CO) features up to +319 d in the K-band region of the NIR spectra. Overall analysis suggests that SN 2012au is one of the most luminous slow-decaying Type Ib SNe, having comparatively higher ejecta mass (∼ 4.7–8.3 M⊙) and kinetic energy (∼ [4.8–5.4] × 1051 erg). Detailed modelling using mesa and the results obtained through stella and snec explosions also strongly support spin-down of a magnetar with mass of around 20 M⊙ and metallicity Z = 0.04 as a possible powering source of SN 2012au.
White dwarf planetary debris dependence on physical structure distributions within asteroid belts
Authors: McDonald Catriona H , Veras Dimitri
Published: July 2021

White dwarfs that exhibit transit signatures of planetary debris and accreted planetary material provide exceptional opportunities to probe the material composition and dynamical structure of planetary systems. Although previous theoretical work investigating the role of minor body disruption around white dwarfs has focused on spherical bodies, Solar system asteroids can be more accurately modelled as triaxial ellipsoids. Here, we present an analytical framework to identify the type of disruption (tidal fragmentation, total sublimation, or direct impact) experienced by triaxial asteroids approaching white dwarfs on extremely eccentric (e ∼ 1) orbits. This framework is then used to identify the outcomes for simplified Main belt analogues of 100 bodies across five different white dwarf temperatures. We also present an empirical relationship between cooling age and effective temperature for both DA and DB white dwarfs to identify the age of the white dwarfs considered here. We find that using a purely spherical shape model can underestimate the physical size and radial distance at which an asteroid is subjected to complete sublimation, and these differences increase with greater elongation of the body. Contrastingly, fragmentation always occurs in the largest semi-axis of a body and so can be modelled by a sphere of that radius. Both fragmentation and sublimation are greatly affected by the body’s material composition, and hence by the composition of their progenitor asteroid belts. The white dwarf temperature, and hence cooling age, can affect the expected debris distribution: higher temperatures sublimate large elongated asteroids, and cooler temperatures accommodate more direct impacts.
The PAU survey: estimating galaxy photometry with deep learning
Authors: Cabayol L , Eriksen M , Amara A , Carretero J , Casas R , Castander F J , De Vicente J , Fernández E , García-Bellido J , Gaztanaga E , Hildebrandt H , Miquel R , Padilla C , Sánchez E , Serrano S , Sevilla-Noarbe I , Tallada-Crespí P
Published: July 2021

With the dramatic rise in high-quality galaxy data expected from Euclid and Vera C. Rubin Observatory, there will be increasing demand for fast high-precision methods for measuring galaxy fluxes. These will be essential for inferring the redshifts of the galaxies. In this paper, we introduce Lumos, a deep learning method to measure photometry from galaxy images. Lumos builds on BKGnet, an algorithm to predict the background and its associated error, and predicts the background-subtracted flux probability density function. We have developed Lumos for data from the Physics of the Accelerating Universe Survey (PAUS), an imaging survey using a 40 narrow-band filter camera (PAUCam). PAUCam images are affected by scattered light, displaying a background noise pattern that can be predicted and corrected for. On average, Lumos increases the SNR of the observations by a factor of 2 compared to an aperture photometry algorithm. It also incorporates other advantages like robustness towards distorting artefacts, e.g. cosmic rays or scattered light, the ability of deblending and less sensitivity to uncertainties in the galaxy profile parameters used to infer the photometry. Indeed, the number of flagged photometry outlier observations is reduced from 10 to 2 per cent, comparing to aperture photometry. Furthermore, with Lumos photometry, the photo-z scatter is reduced by ≈10 per cent with the Deepz machine-learning photo-z code and the photo-z outlier rate by 20 per cent. The photo-z improvement is lower than expected from the SNR increment, however, currently the photometric calibration and outliers in the photometry seem to be its limiting factor.
Cosmic variation of proton-to-electron mass ratio with an interacting Higgs scalar field
Authors: Chakrabarti Soumya
Published: July 2021

We discuss that it is quite possible to realize the smooth transition of the universe between a matter/radiation-dominated deceleration and a dark-energy-dominated acceleration, even with a variation of proton-to-electron mass ratio μ. The variation is incorporated into the theory of gravity using a cosmological Higgs scalar field with a non-trivial and self-interaction potential, leading to a varying Higgs vacuum expectation value (VEV). This matches well with the data from molecular absorption spectra of a series of Quasars. In comparison with late-time cosmology, an observational consistency is reached using a Markov chain Monte Carlo simulation and JLA + OHD + BAO data sets. We find that the the pattern of variation is embedded within the evolving equation of state (EOS) of the scalar Dark Energy/Matter components, but leaves negligible trace on the effective EOS of the system. We discuss three cases of scalar extended theory of gravity, (a) a minimally coupled scalar, (b) a non-minimally coupled scalar, and (c) a generalized Brans–Dicke set-up. We also give a toy model of a unified cosmic history from inflation to the present era and discuss how the Higg VEV might have changed as a function of look-back time.
Quaternary Melanephelinites and Melilitites from Nowbaran (NW Urumieh-Dokhtar Magmatic Arc, Iran): Origin of Ultrabasic-Ultracalcic Melts in a Post-Collisional Setting
Authors: Lustrino Michele , Salari Giulia , Rahimzadeh Bahman , Fedele Lorenzo , Masoudi Fariborz , Agostini Samuele
Published: July 2021

The small Quaternary volcanic district of Nowbaran (NW Iran) belongs to the Urumieh-Dokhtar Magmatic Arc, a ∼1800-km long NW–SE striking Cenozoic belt characterized by the irregular but abundant presence of subduction-related igneous products. Nowbaran rocks are characterized by absence of feldspars coupled with abundance of clinopyroxene and olivine plus nepheline, melilite and other rarer phases. All the rocks show extremely low SiO2 (35.4–41.4 wt%), very high CaO (13.1–18.3 wt%) and low Al2O3 (8.6–11.6 wt%), leading to ultracalcic compositions (i.e. CaO/Al2O3 > 1). Other less peculiar, but still noteworthy, characteristics are the high MgO (8.7–13.3 wt%) and Mg# (0.70–0.75), coupled with a variable alkali content with sodic affinity (Na2O = 1.8–5.4 wt%; K2O = 0.2–2.3 wt%) and variably high LOI (1.9–10.4 wt%; average 4.4 wt%). Measured isotopic ratios (87Sr/86Sr = 0.7052–0.7056; 143Nd/144Nd = 0.51263–0.51266; 206Pb/204Pb = 18.54–18.66; 207Pb/204Pb = 15.66–15.68; 208Pb/204Pb = 38.66–38.79) show small variations and plot within the literature field for the Cenozoic volcanic rocks of western Iran but tend to be displaced towards slightly higher 207Pb/204Pb. Primitive mantle-normalized multielemental patterns are intermediate between typical subduction-related melts and nephelinitic/melilititic melts emplaced in intraplate tectonic settings. The enrichment in Th, coupled with high Ba/Nb and La/Nb, troughs at Ti in primitive mantle-normalized patterns, radiogenic 87Sr/86Sr and positive Δ7/4 anomalies (from +15.2 to +17.0) are consistent with the presence of (old) recycled crustal lithologies in the sources.

The origin of Nowbaran magmas cannot be related to partial melting of C–H-free peridotitic mantle, nor to digestion of limestones and marls by ‘normal’ basaltic melts. Rather, we favour an origin from carbonated lithologies. Carbonated eclogite-derived melts or supercritical fluids, derived from a subducted slab, reacting with peridotite matrix, could have produced peritectic orthopyroxene- and garnet-rich metasomes at the expenses of mantle olivine and clinopyroxene. The residual melt compositions could evolve towards SiO2-undersaturated, CaO- and MgO-rich and Al2O3-poor alkaline melts. During their percolation upwards, these melts can partially freeze reacting chromatographically with portions of the upper mantle wedge, but can also mix with melts from shallower carbonated peridotite. The T–P equilibration estimates for Nowbaran magmas based on recent models on ultrabasic melt compositions are compatible with provenance from the lithosphere-asthenosphere boundary at average temperature (∼1200°C ± 50°C). Mixing of melts derived from subduction-modified mantle sources with liquids devoid of any subduction imprint, passively upwelling from slab break-off tears could generate magmas with compositions recorded in Nowbaran.
DIRT/3D: 3D root phenotyping for field-grown maize (Zea mays)
Authors: Liu Suxing , Barrow Carlos Sherard , Hanlon Meredith , Lynch Jonathan P. , Bucksch Alexander
Published: July 2021

The development of crops with deeper roots holds substantial promise to mitigate the consequences of climate change. Deeper roots are an essential factor to improve water uptake as a way to enhance crop resilience to drought, to increase nitrogen capture, to reduce fertilizer inputs, and to increase carbon sequestration from the atmosphere to improve soil organic fertility. A major bottleneck to achieving these improvements is high-throughput phenotyping to quantify root phenotypes of field-grown roots. We address this bottleneck with Digital Imaging of Root Traits (DIRT)/3D, an image-based 3D root phenotyping platform, which measures 18 architecture traits from mature field-grown maize (Zea mays) root crowns (RCs) excavated with the Shovelomics technique. DIRT/3D reliably computed all 18 traits, including distance between whorls and the number, angles, and diameters of nodal roots, on a test panel of 12 contrasting maize genotypes. The computed results were validated through comparison with manual measurements. Overall, we observed a coefficient of determination of r2>0.84 and a high broad-sense heritability of Hmean2> 0.6 for all but one trait. The average values of the 18 traits and a developed descriptor to characterize complete root architecture distinguished all genotypes. DIRT/3D is a step toward automated quantification of highly occluded maize RCs. Therefore, DIRT/3D supports breeders and root biologists in improving carbon sequestration and food security in the face of the adverse effects of climate change.
Translation, Cross-Cultural Adaptation, and Psychometric Validation of the English Version of the Postural Awareness Scale
Authors: Colgan Dana Dharmakaya , Green Kaylie , Eddy Ashley , Brems Christiane , Sherman Karen J , Cramer Holger , Oken Barry , Christopher Michael
Published: July 2021

Purpose

The Postural Awareness Scale (PAS) was developed among a sample of German speakers to measure self-reported awareness of body posture. The first aim of this study was to conduct an English translation and cross-cultural adaptation of the PAS. The second aim was to assess psychometric properties of the English version of the PAS.

Methods

Forward and backward translations were conducted. The translated scale was then pretested in a small sample of English-speaking adults (n = 30), followed by cognitive interviews. Finally, consensus of the translated scale was achieved among an expert committee (n = 5), resulting in the Postural Awareness Scale-English Version (PAS-E). Psychometric properties of the PAS-E were investigated among a sample of individuals with chronic pain (n = 301) by evaluating factor structure, reliability, and construct validity. Analyses of variance were conducted to calculate differences in PAS-E scores between specific subgroups (pain conditions, sex, and history of mindfulness practice). Linear regression analyses investigated whether the scores on the PAS-E predicted levels of pain, stress, and mood.

Results

The results obtained from an exploratory factor analysis showed a two-factor solution and were supported by a confirmatory factor analysis. The scale demonstrated good internal consistency and satisfactory construct validity. No significant differences related to sex at birth or pain duration were found.

Conclusion

PAS-E demonstrated good psychometric properties, and therefore, can and should be used both for research and clinical practice.
Migration and indigenous health during COVID-19
Authors: Kahambing Jan Gresil
Published: July 2021

Indigenous communities during the pandemic are a precarious group. While they rely on the epistemological formation of their own knowledge systems, an integrated concept of indigenous health must include cooperation with other institutions and organizations. Drawing from grounded insights, this article highlights the crucial applicability of this idea to migrant indigenous groups during the pandemic.
Diversity of Botryosphaeriaceae Species Associated with Chinese Hickory Tree (Carya cathayensis) Trunk Cankers
Authors: Zhuang C. J. , Wang Q. W. , Wu Q. Q. , Qiu Z. L. , Xu B. C. , Zhang C. Q.
Published: July 2021

Tree trunk cankers represent serious fungal diseases that pose significant threats to Chinese hickory trees (Carya cathayensis). To characterize the pathogen diversity associated with this disease, tissues were collected between 2016 and 2018 from the primary Chinese hickory plantation regions. A total of 97 cultures were isolated from trees in six towns (Longgang, Qingliangfeng, Changhua, Tuankou, Taiyang Town, and Lin’an urban area) within the Linan district, where 60% of Chinese hickory tree yields originate. The isolated cultures caused cankers on Chinese hickory tree branches, but infections did not occur on fruits or leaves under tested conditions. Combined morphological observations and phylogenetic analysis of multiple genes (ITS, β-tubulin, and EF) indicated that five Botryosphaeriaceae species were recovered, including 89 isolates of Botryosphaeria dothidea, 4 isolates of Botryosphaeriaceae fabicerciana, 1 isolate of Botryosphaeriaceae qingyuanensis, 1 isolate of Botryosphaeriaceae corticis, and two isolates of Lasiodiplodia theobromae. B. dothidea was the most prevalent, and this is the first report of B. corticis, B. qingyuanensis, and L. theobromae infections in Chinese hickory trees. We investigated the mycelial growth, spore germination, and pathogenicity of these species at different temperatures. L. theobromae grew the fastest and B. cortices grew the slowest on potato dextrose agar. The optimum temperature of spore germination for all species was 30°C. L. theobromae was the most virulent species, followed by B. dothidea and B. qingyuanensis, then B. fabicerciana, and finally B. cortices. These new insights into fungal pathogen diversity provide critical new information to understand and manage tree trunk cankers of Chinese hickory.
Use of the Elimination Strategy in Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic: Health and Economic Impacts for New Zealand Relative to Other OECD Countries
Authors: Wilson Nick , Grout Leah , Summers Jennifer A , Nghiem Nhung , Baker Michael G
Published: July 2021

Background

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, some countries in the Asia-Pacific Region used very intensive control measures, and one of these, New Zealand (NZ), adopted a clear “elimination strategy”. We therefore aimed to compare key health and economic outcomes of NZ relative to OECD countries as of mid-June 2021.

Methods

This analysis compared health outcomes (cumulative death rates from COVID-19 and “excess death” rates) and economic measures (quarterly GDP and unemployment levels) across OECD countries.

Results

NZ had the lowest cumulative COVID-19 death rate in the OECD at 242 times lower than the 38-OECD-country average: 5·2 vs 1256 per million population. When considering “excess deaths”, NZ had the largest negative value in the OECD, equivalent to around 2000 fewer deaths than expected. When considering the average GDP change over the five quarters of 2020 to 2021-Q1, NZ was the sixth best performer (at 0·5% vs -0·3% for the OECD average). The increase in unemployment in NZ was also less than the OECD average (1·1 percentage points to a peak of 5·2%, vs 3·3 points to 8·6%, respectively).

Conclusions

New Zealand’s elimination strategy response to COVID-19 produced the best mortality protection outcomes in the OECD. In economic terms it also performed better than the OECD average in terms of adverse impacts on GDP and employment. Nevertheless, a fuller accounting of the benefits and costs needs to be done once the population is vaccinated and longer-term health and economic outcomes are considered.
Causes, Predictors, and Costs of Unplanned 30-Day Readmissions in Patients with Right Heart Failure
Authors: Amritphale Amod , Zaman Jesan , Awan Saad , Amritphale Nupur , Awan G. Mustafa , Chatterjee Suvo , Omar Bassam , Fonarow Gregg C.
Published: July 2021

OBJECTIVES

The aim of this study was to describe the frequency, causes, factors, and costs associated with right heart failure encounters.

BACKGROUND

Multiple studies have looked into heart failure readmissions but there is no study to our knowledge specifically analyzing patients with right heart failure.

METHODS

Patients with right heart failure diagnosis were identified using the 2017 Nationwide Readmission Database (NRD) and were evaluated for the rates, predictors, and costs of unplanned 30 days readmission. Weighted analysis was performed to obtain nationally representative data.

RESULTS

We identified 7142 patients with right heart failure of whom 21% had an unplanned readmission within 30 days of the index discharge. Patients with history of Coronary artery bypass grafting (p=0.033; OR 2.359; 95% CI 1.071 - 5.197), Chronic kidney disease (p<0.001; OR 1.607; 95% CI 1.402 - 1.843), atrial fibrillation (p=0.014; OR 1.417; 95% CI 1.072–1.873) had high odds of unplanned 30 day readmissions while obesity (p<0.001; OR 0.686; 95% CI 0.594 - 0.792) had negative odds of such readmissions.

CONCLUSIONS

Thirty-day unplanned readmissions remain a significant issue affecting over 1 in 5 patients with right heart failure. Early unplanned readmissions are associated with significant mortality and financial burden in these patients.
Trajectories of hospitalisation for patients infected with SARS-CoV-2 variant B.1.1.7 in Norway, December 2020 – April 2021
Authors: Whittaker Robert , Kristofferson Anja Bråthen , Seppälä Elina , Salamanca Beatriz Valcarcel , Veneti Lamprini , Storm Margrethe Larsdatter , Bøås Håkon , Aasand Nina , Naseer Umaer , Bragstad Karoline , Hungnes Olav , Kvåle Reidar , Golestani Karan , Feruglio Siri , Vold Line , Nygård Karin , Buanes Eirik Alnes
Published: July 2021

Background

The SARS-CoV-2 variant of concern (VOC) B.1.1.7 has spread worldwide and has been associated with increased risk of severe disease. Studies on patient trajectories and outcomes among hospitalised patients infected with B.1.1.7 are essential for hospital capacity planning.

Methods

Using linked individual-level data from national registries, we conducted a cohort study on cases of SARS-CoV-2 in Norway hospitalised between 21 December 2020 and 25 April 2021. We calculated adjusted hazard ratios using survival analysis to examine the association between B.1.1.7 and time from symptom onset to hospitalisation, and length of stay (LoS) in hospital and an intensive care unit compared to non-VOC. We calculated adjusted odds ratios using logistic regression to examine the association between B.1.1.7 and mortality (up to 30 days post discharge) compared to non-VOC.

Results

We included 946 B.1.1.7 patients and 157 non-VOC. The crude median time from symptom onset to hospitalisation was 8 days (IQR: 5–10) for B.1.1.7 and 8 days (IQR: 4–11) for non-VOC. The crude median LoS in hospital was 5.0 days (IQR: 2.6–10.0) for B.1.1.7 patients and 5.1 days (IQR: 2.5–9.9) for non-VOC. Fifty-four (6%) B.1.1.7 patients died, compared to 14 (9%) non-VOC. There was no difference in the unadjusted or adjusted estimates of our outcome measures for B.1.1.7 and non-VOC patients.

Conclusions

B.1.1.7 does not appear to influence hospitalised patient trajectories, compared to non-VOC. These findings, along with the success of ongoing vaccination programmes, are encouraging for ongoing capacity planning in the hospital sector.
Transmissibility of COVID-19 among Vaccinated Individuals: A Rapid Literature Review - Update #1
Authors: Egunsola Oluwaseun , Mastikhina Liza , Dowsett Laura , Farkas Brenlea , Hofmeister Mark , Saxinger Lynora , Clement Fiona
Published: July 2021

Objectives

This is an update of a previous report that examined literature published up to March 11th, 2021. Sixteen additional studies have been included in this update. The objective of this report is to identify comparative observational studies and randomized controlled trials (RCTs) evaluating the efficacy and effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccination in reducing forward transmission from vaccinated people, and studies examining the biological plausibility of vaccination-induced transmission reduction.

Method

A search of databases, MEDLINE, Embase, L-OVE and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials was conducted to identify RCTs or comparative observational studies evaluating the efficacy and effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccination in the prevention of transmission, asymptomatic infections and transmissibility of COVID-19 among vaccinated persons. An additional search of grey literature was conducted. This search is current to May 4th, 2021.

Results

In this update, 16 additional studies, including 9 human and 7 animal studies, were included. Therefore, this review examines a total of 33 included studies: 21 human studies and 12 preclinical animal studies. Evidence from two large household surveillance studies from the UK suggests that a single or full dose of AstraZeneca (AZ) and Pfizer-BioNtech (PfBnT) vaccines may prevent household transmission of COVID-19 after 14 days of vaccination by up to 54%. The AZ vaccine trials in the general population suggest that an initial low dose followed by a standard dose may provide up to 59% protection against asymptomatic or unknown infection, although efficacy against these outcomes was not demonstrated following two standard doses. PfBnT vaccine observational studies in the general population suggest up to 90% effectiveness against asymptomatic infection after seven or more days of full dose vaccination. Up to 75% effectiveness against asymptomatic infection was reported after full- dose in healthcare workers. Across RCTs examining asymptomatic infection in the general population, one dose of Moderna was shown to provide an efficacy of 61.4% against asymptomatic infection 21 days after the first dose; in another trial, the J&J vaccine had an efficacy of 74% 28 days after the first dose. Lastly, seven of eight studies found significantly increased cycle threshold, suggestive of lower viral load, in PfBnT or AZ vaccinated individuals compared with those who were unvaccinated.

Conclusion

The AZ and PfBnT vaccines may prevent household transmission of COVID-19 after 14 days of vaccination. More studies have found the vaccines to significantly reduce the risk of asymptomatic infection and significantly increase cycle threshold, suggestive of lower viral load. Further research is needed to evaluate post-vaccination infectivity and transmission of both the wild type COVID-19 virus and the variants of concern from other jurisdictions.
The diverse effects of phenotypic dominance on hybrid fitness
Authors: Schneemann Hilde , Munzur Aslı D. , Thompson Ken A. , Welch John J.
Published: July 2021

When divergent populations interbreed, their alleles are brought together in hybrids. These hybrids may express novel phenotypes, not previously exposed to selection. In the initial F1 cross, most divergent alleles are present as heterozygotes. Therefore, F1 fitness can be influenced by dominance effects that first appear together in the hybrids, and so could not have been selected to function well together. We present a systematic study of these F1 dominance effects by introducing variable phenotypic dominance into Fisher’s geometric model. We show that dominance often reduces hybrid fitness, which can lead to patterns of optimal outbreeding and a steady decline in F1 fitness at high levels of divergence. We also show that “lucky” beneficial effects sometimes arise by chance, which might be especially important when hybrids can access novel environments. We then explore the interaction of phenotypic dominance with uniparental inheritance, showing that dominance can lead to violations of Haldane’s Rule (reduced fitness of the heterogametic sex) while strengthening Darwin’s Corollary (fitness differences between cross directions). Taken together, our results show that dominance could play an important role in the outcomes of hybridisation after secondary contact, and thus to the maintenance or collapse of isolating barriers. Nevertheless, the telltale signs of dominance are relatively few and subtle. Results also suggest that dominance effects are smaller than the cost of segregation variance, implying that simple additive models may still give good predictions for later-generation recombinant hybrids, even when dominance qualitatively alters outcomes for the F1.
BBB damage in aging causes brain iron deposits via astrocyte-neuron crosstalk and Hepc/Fpn1 pathway
Authors: Mezzanotte Mariarosa , Ammirata Giorgia , Boido Marina , Stanga Serena , Roetto Antonella
Published: July 2021

During aging, iron accumulates in brain’s regions vulnerable to neurodegeneration: the cerebral cortex and the hippocampus. However, the mechanism of iron regulation in the brain remains scarce. Here, we demonstrated for the first time the involvement of the Hepcidin/Ferroportin1 pathway in brain iron metabolism during aging.

We demonstrated the alteration of BBB integrity, that leads to increased iron permeability and deregulation of iron homeostasis during aging. We found that brain iron overload drives Hepcidin upregulation and, consequently, the inhibition of the iron exporter Ferroportin1, neuroinflammation and oxidative stress. Moreover, both in the cerebral cortex and hippocampus Ferroportin1 colocalizes with astrocytes, while the iron storage protein ferritin light-chain with neurons. This differential distribution suggests that astrocytes mediate iron shuttling and neurons are unable to metabolize it. Furthermore, we observed NCOA4-dependent ferritinophagy of ferritin heavy-chain isoforms determining the increase of light-chain enriched ferritin heteropolymers that are more efficient as iron chelators. Altogether, these data highlight the involvement of the Hepcidin/Ferroportin1 axis and NCOA4 during mice aging as a response to a higher iron influx to the brain.