bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
To Make Negro Literature
Authors: McHenry Elizabeth
Published: September 2021

In To Make Negro Literature Elizabeth McHenry traces African American authorship in the decade following the 1896 legalization of segregation. She shifts critical focus from the published texts of acclaimed writers to unfamiliar practitioners whose works reflect the unsettledness of African American letters in this period. Analyzing literary projects that were unpublished, unsuccessful, or only partially achieved, McHenry recovers a hidden genealogy of Black literature as having emerged tentatively, laboriously, and unevenly. She locates this history in books sold by subscription, in lists and bibliographies of African American authors and books assembled at the turn of the century, in the act of ghostwriting, and in manuscripts submitted to publishers for consideration and the letters of introduction that accompanied them. By attending to these sites and prioritizing overlooked archives, McHenry reveals a radically different literary landscape, revising concepts of Black authorship and offering a fresh account of the development of “Negro literature” focused on the never published, the barely read, and the unconventional.
Becoming Palestine
Authors: Hochberg Gil Z.
Published: September 2021

In Becoming Palestine, Gil Z. Hochberg examines how contemporary Palestinian artists, filmmakers, dancers, and activists use the archive in order to radically imagine Palestine’s future. She shows how artists such as Jumana Manna, Kamal Aljafari, Larissa Sansour, Farah Saleh, Basel Abbas, and Ruanne Abou-Rahme reimagine the archive, approaching it not through the desire to unearth hidden knowledge, but to sever the identification of the archive with the past. In their use of archaeology, musical traditions, and archival film and cinematic footage, these artists imagine a Palestinian future unbounded from colonial space and time. By urging readers to think about archives as a break from history rather than as history’s repository, Hochberg presents a fundamental reconceptualization of the archive’s liberatory potential.
Gender Identity, Coworking Spouses, and Relative Income within Households
Authors: Zinovyeva Natalia , Tverdostup Maryna
Published: September 2021

Bertrand, Kamenica, and Pan (2015) document that in the United States there is a discontinuity to the right of 0.5 in the distribution of households according to the female share of total earnings, which they attribute to the existence of a gender identity norm. We provide an alternative explanation for this discontinuity. Using linked employer-employee data from Finland, we show that the discontinuity emerges as a result of equalization and convergence of earnings in coworking couples, and it is associated with an increase in the relative earnings of women, rather than a decrease as predicted by the norm. (JEL D12, J12, J16, J22, J31, Z13)
Temperature, Labor Reallocation, and Industrial Production: Evidence from India
Authors: Colmer Jonathan
Published: September 2021

To what degree can labor reallocation mitigate the economic consequences of weather-driven agricultural productivity shocks? I estimate that temperature-driven reductions in the demand for agricultural labor in India are associated with increases in nonagricultural employment. This suggests that the ability of nonagricultural sectors to absorb workers may play a key role in attenuating the economic consequences of agricultural productivity shocks. Exploiting firm-level variation in the propensity to absorb workers, I estimate relative expansions in manufacturing output in more flexible labor markets. Estimates suggest that, in the absence of labor reallocation, local economic losses could be up to 69 percent higher. (JEL J23, J43, L60, O13, O14, Q54, Q56)
Teaching Labor Laws: Evidence from a Randomized Control Trial in South Africa
Authors: Bertrand Marianne , Crépon Bruno
Published: September 2021

We assess whether imperfect knowledge of labor regulation hinders job creation at small and medium-sized firms. We partner with a labor law expert organization that provides information about labor regulation via newsletters and access to a specialized website. We randomly assign 1,800 firms to get access to this service for a 21-week period. Six months later, the average employment level at treatment firms was 12 percent higher than at control firms. The intervention decreased the perception that labor regulation is a constraint to hiring and increased optimal employment level. (JEL D22, D83, J63, L25, K31, O15)
Diversity, distribution, and threats of the Juglandaceae in Vietnam
Authors: Sam Hoang Van , Tung Do Quang , Jasińska Anna K. , Rion François , Tuyen Phung Thi , Bich Ngoc Duong Thi , Tam Do Thanh , Bétrisey Sébastien , Song Yi-Gang , Kozlowski Gregor
Published: September 2021

Vietnam is one of the main centers of generic diversity for Juglandaceae worldwide. In this study, we present for the first time a province-wide distribution of all 3 subfamilies, 7 genera, and 11 Vietnamese species, and give an update on the habitats of all Vietnamese Juglandaceae species, their uses, and current threats. Juglandaceae are found throughout Vietnam. However, most species occur predominantly in the northern part of the country between 600 and 1200 m. Some taxa range is found extensively from sea level up to 2,500 meters above sea level. According to the IUCN Red List, Rhoiptelea chiliantha, Carya sinensis, and Pterocarya tonkinensis are threatened while Engelhardia spicata, E. serrata, Alfaropsis roxburghiana, Pterocarya stenoptera are classified as least concerned. Carya tonkinensis is threatened locally, and Engelhardia spicata var. colebrookiana and Platycarya strobilacea merit “threatened” designation in Vietnam’s Red Data Book. The most frequent threats are logging, land-use change, and habitat destruction due to artificial wood plantations or road construction. Until now, no conservation measures have been applied for any of the species in Vietnam, although some species occur in national parks. Our study gives an important update on the current diversity and distribution of Juglandaceae in Vietnam.We point out the need for a correct assessment of the threat status of various species on a national and international scale to protect the rarest and most endangered of them. Further research, the use of various forms of protection of individual taxa and/or their habitats, and drawing the attention of an international group of researchers to the urgent need to work together to protect biodiversity in Vietnam hot spots are necessary.
Accessibility, inclusivity, and implementation of COVID-19 clinical management guidelines early in the pandemic: a global survey
Authors: Pilbeam Caitlin , Malden Deborah , Newell Katherine , Dagens Andrew , Kennon Kalynn , Michelen Melina , Gobat Nina , Sigfrid Louise
Published: September 2021

Background: With a rapidly changing evidence base, high-quality clinical management guidelines (CMGs) are key tools for aiding clinical decision making and increasing access to best available evidence-based care. A rapid review of COVID-19 CMGs found most lacked methodological rigour, overlooked at-risk populations, and varied in treatment recommendations. Furthermore, social science literature highlights the complexity of implementing guidelines in local contexts where they were not developed and the resulting potential to compound health inequities. This study aimed to evaluate access to, inclusivity of, and implementation of COVID-19 CMGs in different settings.

Methods: A cross-sectional survey of clinicians worldwide was conducted from 15th June to 20th July 2020, to explore access to and implementation of COVID-19 CMGs, and treatment and supportive care recommendations provided. Data on accessibility, inclusivity, and implementation of CMGs were analysed by geographic location.

Results: 76 clinicians from 27 countries responded: 82% from high-income countries, 17% from lower middle-income countries (LMICs). Most respondents reported access to COVID-19 CMGs and confidence in their implementation. However, many respondents, particularly from LMICs, reported barriers to implementation, including limited access to treatment and equipment. Only 20% of respondents reported having access to CMGs covering care for children, 25% for pregnant women, and 50% for older adults (>65 years). Identified themes were for CMGs to include recommendations for at-risk populations and settings, include supportive care guidance, and be updated as evidence emerges, and for clinicians to have training and access to recommended treatments to support implementation.

Conclusion: Our findings highlight important gaps in COVID-19 CMG development and implementation challenges during a pandemic, particularly affecting at-risk populations and lower resourced settings. This study identifies an urgent need for an improved CMG development framework that is inclusive and adaptable to emerging evidence and considers contextual implementation support, to improve access to evidence-based care globally.
INDIA GAS EXCHANGE TODAY’S REALITY AND PATH AHEAD
Authors: Patel C.S. Divyesh , Patel Naresh K.
Published: September 2021

This research aims to study structure, functioning and operational mechanism of India’s first gas exchange i.e. Indian Gas Exchange (IGX) which is a subsidiary of Indian Energy Exchange (IEX). Exploratory research is used to study and investigate conceptual framework and operational mechanism of IGX. The results of the study show that IEX has unveiled the nation’s first automated natural gas exchange trading platform called IGX for well organized and hefty Gas market and to stimulate gas trading in the country. IGX would lead India towards Gas Based Economy by designing and providing robust solution for natural gas trading and access. So far as price mechanism at IGX is concerned, it is dynamic and market driven which is based on Double-sided closed auction with uniform price mechanism. IGX plays an extremely important and fundamental role towards capitalizing a free market for gas. Clearing and Settlement system at IGX is structured and transparent. As IGX is purely electronic trading platform for natural gas which is considered as barometer of the India’s progressive policy as it integrates the entire energy value chain from gas production.
Iterative Prediction-and-Optimization for E-Logistics Distribution Network Design
Authors: Liu Junming , Chen Weiwei , Yang Jingyuan , Xiong Hui , Chen Can
Published: September 2021

The emergence of online retailers has brought new opportunities to the design of their distribution networks. Notably, for online retailers that do not operate offline stores, their target customers are more sensitive to the quality of logistic services, such as delivery speed and reliability. This paper is motivated by a leading online retailer for cosmetic products on Taobao.com that aimed to improve its logistics efficiency by redesigning its centralized distribution network into a multilevel one. The multilevel distribution network consists of a layer of primary facilities to hold stocks from suppliers and transshipment and a layer of secondary facilities to provide last-mile delivery. There are two major challenges of designing such a facility network. First, online customers can respond significantly to the change of logistics efficiency with the redesigned network, thereby rendering the network optimized under the original demand distribution suboptimal. Second, because online retailers have relatively small sales volumes and are very flexible in choosing facility locations, the facility candidate set can be large, causing the facility location optimization challenging to solve. To this end, we propose an iterative prediction-and-optimization strategy for distribution network design. Specifically, we first develop an artificial neural network (ANN) to predict customer demands, factoring in the logistic service quality given the network and the city-level purchasing power based on demographic statistics. Then, a mixed integer linear programming (MILP) model is formulated to choose facility locations with minimum transportation, facility setup, and package processing costs. We further develop an efficient two-stage heuristic for computing high-quality solutions to the MILP model, featuring an agglomerative hierarchical clustering algorithm and an expectation and maximization algorithm. Subsequently, the ANN demand predictor and two-stage heuristic are integrated for iterative network design. Finally, using a real-world data set, we validate the demand prediction accuracy and demonstrate the mutual interdependence between the demand and network design.

Summary of Contribution: We propose an iterative prediction-and-optimization algorithm for multilevel distribution network design for e-logistics and evaluate its operational value for online retailers. We address the issue of the interplay between distribution network design and the demand distribution using an iterative framework. Further, combining the idea in operational research and data mining, our paper provides an end-to-end solution that can provide accurate predictions of online sales distribution, subsequently solving large-scale optimization problems for distribution network design problems.
Leveling the Playing Field for Risk-Averse Agents in Security-Bid Auctions
Authors: Fioriti Andrés , Hernandez-Chanto Allan
Published: September 2021

We introduce risk-averse bidders in a security-bid auction to analyze how the security design affects bidders’ equilibrium behavior and, as a result, the revenue and efficiency of the auction. We show that steeper securities provide more insurance because they allow bidders to smooth payoffs across realizations. Such insurance levels the playing field for more-risk-averse bidders, inducing them to bid more aggressively. As a consequence, the auction’s allocative efficiency weakly increases when the seller switches from a flatter to a steeper security. Furthermore, we prove that when bidders are homogeneously and sufficiently risk averse, the only security that guarantees Pareto efficiency is the steepest, that is, a call option. We also determine the relationship between the security design and the auction format. In particular, we show that for convex and superconvex families of securities, the first-price auction yields higher expected revenues, provided a technical condition, whereas for subconvex families, the second price yields higher expected revenues, provided that bidders are moderately risk averse. Finally, we show that steeper securities also attract higher entry from an ex ante perspective, when entry is costly, and discuss the effects that the presence of risk aversion has on informal auctions.

This paper was accepted by Gustavo Manso, finance.
Institutional Disruptions and the Philanthropy of Multinational Firms
Authors: Ballesteros Luis , Magelssen Catherine
Published: September 2021

This paper studies philanthropy by multinational enterprises (MNEs) during institutional disruptions—the sudden and unexpected, temporary, and systemic breakdowns in market-oriented institutions. The central argument is that, under institutional disruptions, MNEs aim to restore factors that are essential for the market to function, such as infrastructure and labor markets, and the strength of the market restoration motive is positively associated with the economic importance of the affected country to the MNE. Analyses of donations from 2,000 MNEs headquartered in 63 countries in the aftermath of 265 major epidemics, natural disasters, and terrorist attacks affecting 129 countries suggest that the economic importance of the country to the firm strongly explains donations. Country market concentration, public aid, and the country’s regulatory quality moderate this effect. These associations are robust to a matching method; a vector of firm-, country-, and event-specific time-varying and -constant variables; and alternative motives, such as reputation, altruism, media salience, market standing, and poverty-gap avoidance. They offer evidence that company philanthropy in the aftermath of institutional disruptions may deviate from predicted behavior under stable conditions. Particularly, the findings contest the expectation that philanthropy rises in market competition. Monopolistic firms are comparatively large donors and may act as an economic stop-loss mechanism during large disruptions.
Chitosan-microencapsulated rhEGF in promoting wound healing
Authors: Tsai Hsin-Chung , Sheng Christine , Chang Le-Shin , Wen Zhi-Hong , Ho Ching-Yin , Chen Chuan-Mu
Published: September 2021

Aims:

Chitosan and epidermal growth factor (EGF) have been shown to improve wound healing. This study investigates the healing effects of a spray solution (NewEpi, JoyCom Bio-Chem Co. Ltd., Taiwan) containing recombinant human EGF (rhEGF) delivered via a newly patented technology—chitosan microencapsulated nanoparticles.

Methods:

On Wistar rats, two full-thickness wounds on the dorsum bilateral of the spine were created. The rats were randomised to the following treatment groups: hydrogel, wet dressing, foam, rhEGF spray and rhEGF spray+foam. Sterile dressings were applied and changed daily. A total of 2μg of rhEGF was administered in two sprays during each dressing change. All animals were euthanised on day 14. Tissue samples were taken from the wound bed, including an area of 2cm surrounding the wound margin for histological evaluations.

Results:

Wounds treated with the rhEGF spray achieved the greatest size reduction by day 14 compared with other types of conventional dressings. An overall significant difference in levels of collagen synthesis existed between groups (p<0.01). Pair-wise comparisons showed that the rhEGF spray treatment significantly promoted higher levels of mature Type I collagen than any other conventional dressings (p<0.01), whereas non-rhEGF treatments resulted in higher levels of Type III collagen. The regenerated tissue in rhEGF spray treatment groups was also in alignment with that of normal skin. Epidermis, dermis and hair follicles were easily observed in wounds treated with the rhEGF spray.

Conclusion:

The major challenge of topical application of rhEGF was overcome by using a new drug delivery technology: chitosan–rhEGF nanoparticles. The positive healing effects observed in this study suggest the therapeutic potentials of this novel rhEGF topical spray solution.
Health professionals' perceptions of maggot debridement therapy
Authors: Pajarillo Carmen , Sherman Ronald A , Sheridan Robert , Kazis Lewis E
Published: September 2021

Background:

Maggot debridement therapy (MDT), or the use of maggots in dead tissue removal, has been shown to be beneficial in wound healing. Yet MDT in the US is often only used once conventional debridement methods have failed.

Method:

In this study, nine health professionals, experienced in MDT, were interviewed in order to identify and analyse the perceived societal barriers to MDT acceptance and usage in the US.

Results:

Through qualitative analysis, using the grounded theory framework, this study found that among those interviewed, insurance reimbursement restrictions and stigmatisation of medicinal maggots were the factors driving resistance to MDT use.

Conclusion:

Specifically, the ‘yuck’ factor and the perception of MDT as an ‘ancient’ modality contributed towards MDT stigma; in addition, lack of outpatient insurance coverage deterred MDT use. These findings provide useful information regarding the perceptual and systemic barriers that prevent greater acceptance of MDT. Ultimately, these barriers must be understood if we are to facilitate MDT implementation and improve MDT usage in the future.
Intradermal methylene blue administration on the progression of burn injuries
Authors: Beldi Vinícius FM , Rosique Marina J , Tirapelli Luis Fernando , Moriguti Eny KU , Nunes Altacílio A , Farina Jayme A , Evora Paulo Roberto B
Published: September 2021

Objective:

A burn injury has two defined areas: central necrosis and an adjacent area of ischaemia, which may or may not progress to necrosis. The concentration of nitric oxide (NO) increases after burn injury and may originate from potent oxidising agents. Methylene blue (MB) may act as an antioxidant and is supposed to reduce burn progression. This investigation was carried out to evaluate the effects of intradermal MB on necrosis progression in burns.

Methods:

Full-thickness burn injuries were performed by applying a heated metal comb on the shaved back of male Wistar rats. The animals were divided into three groups: Control (C, n=7); MB (2mg/kg) one hour after burn injury (MB1h, n=11); and MB (2mg/kg) six hours after burn injury (MB6h, n=8). After seven days the lesions were photographed for visual assessment of burn necrosis; full-thickness cuts of lesions were dyed with Masson and Giemsa for microscopic histopathology; and tissue fragments of unburned interspaces were processed for chemiluminescence with nitrite/nitrate (NOX) and malondialdehyde (MDA) as oxidative stress markers.

Results:

No statistically significant differences between groups were observed during visual analysis and NOX dosage. However, in microscopic analysis, the MB1h and MB6h groups showed smaller areas of necrosis, less inflammatory infiltration, and a more significant extension of interspaces. Furthermore, the dosage of MDA revealed that the MB1h group showed lower values when compared with the control group (p=0.001).

Conclusions:

The study provided good evidence that MB intradermal injection can reduce necrosis progression in ischaemic perilesional areas and suggests an alternative to treating burns.
Brewing Characteristics of Saccharomyces cerevisiae HKFR18 Isolated from Kiwi Fruits (Actinidia chinensis)
Authors: Baek Sang Won , Kim Gye Won , Park Cheon-Seok , Son Jong-Youn , Shim Jae-Yong
Published: September 2021

The purpose of this study is to separate and identify a new yeast strain and to evaluate its brewing characteristics in three different types of alcohol fermentation as compared with a commercial yeast strain, S. cerevisiae. The yeast isolated from kiwi fruits (Actinidia chinensis) was identified as Saccharomyces cerevisiae and named S. cerevisiae HKFR18. The brewing characteristics were not significantly different between S. cerevisiae HKFR18 and commercial S. cerevisiae for all types of fermentation. The lactic acid and citric acid content in S. cerevisiae HKFR18 was significantly higher than commercial S. cerevisiae for simultaneous two-step fermentation with Nuruk and independent two-step fermentation, respectively. The acetic acid content in S. cerevisiae HKFR18 was 1.3 times lower than that in commercial S. cerevisiae for single-step fermentation. In S. cerevisiae HKFR18 and commercial S. cerevisiae, benzene ethanol, and 3-methyl-1-butanol were the major aromatic compounds for two-step fermentation, while benzene ethanol and isobutyl alcohol were the major aromatic compounds for single-step fermentation. These results suggest that the domestic S. cerevisiae HKFR18 from kiwi fruits can be a good alternative for commercial S. cerevisiae strains for various types of alcohol fermentation.
Effect of Supercooling Controlled by Step-cooling Algorithm on Freshness of Hairtail (Trichiurus lepturus)
Authors: Kim Jong Jin , Park Dong Hyeon , Kim Eun Jeong , Choi Mi-Jung
Published: September 2021

In this study, the effect of supercooling (-2°C) on the preservation quality of hairtail (Trichiurus lepturus) was evaluated during a storage period up to 12 days. Quality factors such as appearance, color, drip loss, water holding capacity (WHC), pH, trimethylamine (TMA), volatile basic nitrogen (VBN), and total viable count (TVC) of supercooled hairtail samples were evaluated and compared with those of refrigerated (3°C), and frozen (−18°C) samples. As a result, the values of drip loss, VBN, TMA, and TVC of the supercooled sample after 12 days were 2.32%, 9.45 mg/100 g, 2.60 mg/100 g, and 4.89 log CFU/mL, which are significantly lower than those of the refrigerated sample (p˂ 0.05). Compared to freezing for 12 days, there are no significant differences with drip loss, pH, VBN, and TMA (p˃0.05). The WHC of the supercooled samples during 12 days of storage period was significantly higher than that of the frozen sample (p˂ 0.05). Based on this study, it could be suggested that supercooling is effective to maintain fresh fish quality in accordance with minimizing microbial growth, and retarding deterioration.
Effect of Brine Treatment Conditions with Fermented Product and Drying Time on Quality Characteristics of Croceine Croaker Gulbi
Authors: Seo Ye-Seul , Lee Ho Woo , Kim Suk Jung , Woo Jae Geol , Yang Eun Ju
Published: September 2021

This study was carried out to analyze the quality characteristics of croceine croaker Gulbi according to brine treatment and drying time. To develop a brine agent for croceine croaker, the effect of fermented product (mixed soybean and anchovy) content (0, 0.5, 1, 3, 5%), and salinity (3, 5, 7, 9%) in brine agent on quality characteristics of croceine croaker Gulbi were investigated. The DPPH and ABTS radical scavenging activities of the brine agent and croceine croaker Gulbi increased according to the content of the fermented product. Also, the content of amino-type nitrogen increased, and VBN, TBARS, and acid values decreased according to the content of the fermented product. Because there was no significant difference in quality characteristics at contents above 1%, the content of fermented product for bine agent was selected as 1%. As the salinity of the brine agent increased, the content of amino-type nitrogen increased, while histamine, VBN, TBARS, and acid values decreased. As a result of salinity evaluation, 7% salinity with the best quality improvement effect was selected. This study further investigated the effects of drying time on the quality characteristics of croceine croaker Gulbi. Results indicated that the drying for 72 h have a significant quality advantage in croceine croaker Gulbi processing.
High sensitivity curvature sensor based on the long period fiber grating inscribed in the two-mode fiber
Authors: Liu Tiegen , Chen Anqi , Sang Mei , Zhang Jingchuan , Wang Shuang , Jiang Junfeng , Dong Jie
Published: September 2021

The optical fiber curvature sensor is an important device that is widely used in the field of medical instruments. In this paper, we proposed a high sensitivity curvature sensor based on a long period fiber grating (LPFG), which is inscribed in the two-mode fiber (TMF) by

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laser pulses. Unlike the traditional LPFG in the single-mode fiber, TMF-LPFG couples the high-order mode

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Development of point diffraction interferometer by a dimension-reduction-based phase-shifting algorithm
Authors: Feng Leijie , Du Hubing , Liu Chang , Han Jinlu , Zhang Gaopeng , Wang Feng , Zhao Zixin , Gao Fen
Published: September 2021

To avoid exhaustive calibration of the shifter device in point diffraction interferometers, we present a dimension-reduction-based method to reconstruct the phase map from more phase-shifting fringe patterns with three or more frames. The proposed method assumes that the intensity space can be described adequately by the sine and cosine of multiple phase shifts introduced, which are the basis of the intensity space. Then, low-dimensional approximations of high-dimensional intensity spaces are determined by the newly developed reduced basis decomposition technique. Finally, the phase is reconstructed using the low-dimensional surrogates of the intensity spaces without the knowledge of accurate phase steps. Numerical and experimental studies demonstrated that the proposed method outperforms the existing popular phase reconstruction techniques in terms of accuracy and efficiency. Moreover, the performance of the proposed method is not limited by variations in the background and modulation, unlike the existing phase-shifting-algorithm-based approaches.
Radiative transfer model for ground surface irradiance estimation: clear sky
Authors: Tapimo Romuald , Lazard Myriam , Lambou Ymeli Guillaume , Yemele David
Published: September 2021

In this work, a physical model based on the radiative transfer equation is presented to estimate the global solar irradiance on top of the Earth’s atmosphere surface. A link is established among the radiative transfer through the atmosphere, the geographic coordinates of a city (longitude, latitude), time of day, and date of the year. The discrete spherical harmonics method is applied to solve the radiative transfer equation. The city of Dschang in Cameroon is taken as an example of application of the model. This city is located at latitude 5°44′N and longitude 10°04′E. It is assumed that the atmosphere of the city is inhomogeneous and composed of non-polarizing Haze L aerosol particles in gamma distribution, while the ground surface diffuses radiation isotropically. The predictions are compared under clear sky conditions to some existing models of irradiance such as the Bird model and Davies and Hay model for a homogeneous atmosphere. Results demonstrate that the present investigation matches well with the Bird and the Davies and Hay models and is valuable for ground solar irradiance estimation. The effects of the inhomogeneity of the atmosphere on total insolation are also studied, and our results indicate that the inhomogeneity of the atmosphere reduces local insolation. The present study shows that the radiative transfer model is an efficient technique for estimating global solar radiation at any level of the stratified atmosphere and under different atmospheric conditions.
Giant terahertz polarization rotation in ultrathin films of aligned carbon nanotubes: publisher’s note
Authors: Baydin Andrey , Komatsu Natsumi , Tay Fuyang , Ghosh Saunab , Makihara Takuma , Noe G. Timothy , Kono Junichiro
Published: September 2021

This document reports a correction to the funding section of
Optica
8, 760 (2021)OPTIC82334-253610.1364/OPTICA.422826.
Quantitative blood flow estimation in vivo by optical speckle image velocimetry: publisher’s note
Authors: Qureshi Muhammad Mohsin , Liu Yan , Mac Khuong Duy , Kim Minsung , Safi Abdul Mohaimen , Chung Euiheon
Published: September 2021

This publisher’s note reports that corrections were made to the funding
and acknowledgments in Optica 8, 1092
(2021)OPTIC82334-253610.1364/OPTICA.422871.
A signature of Neanderthal introgression on molecular mechanisms of environmental responses
Authors: Findley Anthony S. , Zhang Xinjun , Boye Carly , Lin Yen Lung , Kalita Cynthia A. , Barreiro Luis , Lohmueller Kirk E. , Pique-Regi Roger , Luca Francesca
Published: September 2021

Ancient human migrations led to the settlement of population groups in varied environmental contexts worldwide. The extent to which adaptation to local environments has shaped human genetic diversity is a longstanding question in human evolution. Recent studies have suggested that introgression of archaic alleles in the genome of modern humans may have contributed to adaptation to environmental pressures such as pathogen exposure. Functional genomic studies have demonstrated that variation in gene expression across individuals and in response to environmental perturbations is a main mechanism underlying complex trait variation. We considered gene expression response to in vitro treatments as a molecular phenotype to identify genes and regulatory variants that may have played an important role in adaptations to local environments. We investigated if Neanderthal introgression in the human genome may contribute to the transcriptional response to environmental perturbations. To this end we used eQTLs for genes differentially expressed in a panel of 52 cellular environments, resulting from 5 cell types and 26 treatments, including hormones, vitamins, drugs, and environmental contaminants. We found that SNPs with introgressed Neanderthal alleles (N-SNPs) disrupt binding of transcription factors important for environmental responses, including ionizing radiation and hypoxia, and for glucose metabolism. We identified an enrichment for N-SNPs among eQTLs for genes differentially expressed in response to 8 treatments, including glucocorticoids, caffeine, and vitamin D. Using Massively Parallel Reporter Assays (MPRA) data, we validated the regulatory function of 21 introgressed Neanderthal variants in the human genome, corresponding to 8 eQTLs regulating 15 genes that respond to environmental perturbations. These findings expand the set of environments where archaic introgression may have contributed to adaptations to local environments in modern humans and provide experimental validation for the regulatory function of introgressed variants.
Schistosome infection in Senegal is associated with different spatial extents of risk and ecological drivers for Schistosoma haematobium and S. mansoni
Authors: Jones Isabel J. , Sokolow Susanne H. , Chamberlin Andrew J. , Lund Andrea J. , Jouanard Nicolas , Bandagny Lydie , Ndione Raphaël , Senghor Simon , Schacht Anne-Marie , Riveau Gilles , Hopkins Skylar R. , Rohr Jason R. , Remais Justin V. , Lafferty Kevin D. , Kuris Armand M. , Wood Chelsea L. , De Leo Giulio
Published: September 2021

Schistosome parasites infect more than 200 million people annually, mostly in sub-Saharan Africa, where people may be co-infected with more than one species of the parasite. Infection risk for any single species is determined, in part, by the distribution of its obligate intermediate host snail. As the World Health Organization reprioritizes snail control to reduce the global burden of schistosomiasis, there is renewed importance in knowing when and where to target those efforts, which could vary by schistosome species. This study estimates factors associated with schistosomiasis risk in 16 villages located in the Senegal River Basin, a region hyperendemic for Schistosoma haematobium and S. mansoni. We first analyzed the spatial distributions of the two schistosomes’ intermediate host snails (Bulinus spp. and Biomphalaria pfeifferi, respectively) at village water access sites. Then, we separately evaluated the relationships between human S. haematobium and S. mansoni infections and (i) the area of remotely-sensed snail habitat across spatial extents ranging from 1 to 120 m from shorelines, and (ii) water access site size and shape characteristics. We compared the influence of snail habitat across spatial extents because, while snail sampling is traditionally done near shorelines, we hypothesized that snails further from shore also contribute to infection risk. We found that, controlling for demographic variables, human risk for S. haematobium infection was positively correlated with snail habitat when snail habitat was measured over a much greater radius from shore (45 m to 120 m) than usual. S. haematobium risk was also associated with large, open water access sites. However, S. mansoni infection risk was associated with small, sheltered water access sites, and was not positively correlated with snail habitat at any spatial sampling radius. Our findings highlight the need to consider different ecological and environmental factors driving the transmission of each schistosome species in co-endemic landscapes.
Relationship between socio-demographics, body composition, emotional state, and social support on metabolic syndrome risk among adults in rural Mongolia
Authors: Kim Jin Hee , Kim Hyun Lye , Battushig Bolorchimeg , Yoo Jae Yong
Published: September 2021

Background

In Mongolia, where there is a large regional gap in the quality of healthcare services, metabolic syndrome (MetS) is steadily increasing. However, there are few studies on the risk level of MetS and affecting factors among adults living in rural Mongolia. This study aims to explore the relationship between socio-demographics, clinical characteristics, emotional state, and social support on the risk level of MetS prevalence among adults living in rural Mongolia.

Methods

In this cross-sectional study, 143 adults living in the soum area of Dondgovi aimag in Mongolia were recruited. Data collection was conducted from July 2 to 3, 2019. The self-reported questionnaires including socio-demographic, clinical characteristics and emotional status, anthropometric tests using the InBody, and blood sampling tests were conducted. The number of individual diagnostic criteria met was scored as a MetS risk score and classified into 6 groups, from the lowest score of 0 to the highest score of 5. The ordinal logistic regression analysis was used to identify the factors affecting the risk of MetS.

Results

The prevalence of MetS among adults living in rural Mongolia was 58.0%, and the mean MetS risk score was 2.70±1.34 points. In the ordinal logistic regression analysis, age, regular exercise of moderate intensity or higher, InBody score reflecting obesity or sarcopenia, and depression level were statistically significantly associated with the risk score for MetS.

Conclusions

Our study demonstrated that MetS risk levels among adults living in rural Mongolia with limited medical resources were strongly associated with demographic characteristics, body composition and emotional health condition, particularly depression.
Food insecurity status and determinants among Urban Productive Safety Net Program beneficiary households in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Authors: Derso Atimen , Bizuneh Hailemichael , Keleb Awoke , Ademas Ayechew , Adane Metadel
Published: September 2021

Background

Measuring household food insecurity in specific geographic areas provides vital information that enables appropriate and effective intervention measures to be taken. To that end, this study aimed to assess the prevalence of food insecurity and associated factors among Urban Productive Safety Net Program (UPSNP) beneficiary households in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia’s capital city.

Methods

A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 624 UPSNP beneficiary households in nine districts of Addis Ababa from June to July 2019. A multi-stage sampling method was used; study participants were selected using a simple random sampling technique after establishing the proportionally allocated sample size for 9 districts. Data were collected by trained personnel using a pretested, structured questionnaire. The outcome variable was food insecurity as measured by Household Food Insecurity Access Scale (HFIAS), a tool developed by the Food and Nutrition Technical Assistance Scale (FANTA) and validated for developing countries, including Ethiopia. A binary (crude odds ratio [COR]) and multivariable (adjusted odds ratio [AOR]) logistic regression analysis were employed at 95% CI (confidence interval). From the bivariate analysis, factors having ap-value<0.25 were included in the multivariable analysis. From the multivariable analysis, any variable atp-value < 0.05 at 95% CI was declared significantly associated with household food insecurity. Model fitness was also checked using the Hosmer-Lemeshow test withp-value>0.05.

Results

The prevalence of household food insecurity was 77.1% [95%CI:73.8–80.7] during the month prior to the survey. Illiteracy of household head [AOR: 2.56; 95%CI:1.08–6.07], family size of 4 or more [AOR: 1.87, 95%CI:1.08–3.23], high dependency ratio [AOR: 3.95; 95%CI:1.31–11.90], household lack of access to credit [AOR:2.85; 95%CI:1.25–6.49], low household income [AOR: 4.72; 95%CI:2.32–9.60] and medium household income [AOR: 9.78; 95%CI:4.29–22.35] were significantly associated with household food insecurity.

Conclusion

We found that three in four of Addis Ababa’s UPSNP beneficiary households were food-insecure. Implementation of measures to improve household income, minimize the dependency ratio of households, and arrange access to credit services are paramount ways to tackle food insecurity problems in Addis Ababa.
Implementation of artificial intelligence algorithms for melanoma screening in a primary care setting
Authors: Giavina-Bianchi Mara , de Sousa Raquel Machado , Paciello Vitor Zago de Almeida , Vitor William Gois , Okita Aline Lissa , Prôa Renata , Severino Gian Lucca dos Santos , Schinaid Anderson Alves , Espírito Santo Rafael , Machado Birajara Soares
Published: September 2021

Skin cancer is currently the most common type of cancer among Caucasians. The increase in life expectancy, along with new diagnostic tools and treatments for skin cancer, has resulted in unprecedented changes in patient care and has generated a great burden on healthcare systems. Early detection of skin tumors is expected to reduce this burden. Artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms that support skin cancer diagnoses have been shown to perform at least as well as dermatologists’ diagnoses. Recognizing the need for clinically and economically efficient means of diagnosing skin cancers at early stages in the primary care attention, we developed an efficient computer-aided diagnosis (CAD) system to be used by primary care physicians (PCP). Additionally, we developed a smartphone application with a protocol for data acquisition (i.e., photographs, demographic data and short clinical histories) and AI algorithms for clinical and dermoscopic image classification. For each lesion analyzed, a report is generated, showing the image of the suspected lesion and its respective Heat Map; the predicted probability of the suspected lesion being melanoma or malignant; the probable diagnosis based on that probability; and a suggestion on how the lesion should be managed. The accuracy of the dermoscopy model for melanoma was 89.3%, and for the clinical model, 84.7% with 0.91 and 0.89 sensitivity and 0.89 and 0.83 specificity, respectively. Both models achieved an area under the curve (AUC) above 0.9. Our CAD system can screen skin cancers to guide lesion management by PCPs, especially in the contexts where the access to the dermatologist can be difficult or time consuming. Its use can enable risk stratification of lesions and/or patients and dramatically improve timely access to specialist care for those requiring urgent attention.
Metformin and sodium dichloroacetate effects on proliferation, apoptosis, and metabolic activity tested alone and in combination in a canine prostate and a bladder cancer cell line
Authors: Klose Katharina , Packeiser Eva-Maria , Müller Petra , Granados-Soler José Luis , Schille Jan Torben , Goericke-Pesch Sandra , Kietzmann Manfred , Murua Escobar Hugo , Nolte Ingo
Published: September 2021

An important approach in tumor therapy is combining substances with different action mechanisms aiming to enhance the antineoplastic effect, decrease the therapeutic dosage, and avoid resistance mechanisms. Moreover, evaluating compounds already approved for the treatment of non-neoplastic diseases is promising for new antineoplastic therapies. Sodium dichloroacetate (DCA) reactivates oxidative phosphorylation in the cancer cell mitochondria, reducing apoptosis resistance in cancer cells. Furthermore, metformin inhibits the proliferation of tumor cells and CD133+ cancer -stem-like cells. In the present study, we evaluated the independent and synergistic effect of metformin and DCA on the metabolic activity, cell proliferation, and apoptosis of a canine prostate adenocarcinoma (Adcarc1258) and a transitional cell carcinoma cell line (TCC1506) in comparison to a primary canine fibroblast culture. Determining metformin uptake in tumor cells was performed by quantitative HPLC. Depending on the dosage, metformin as a single agent inhibited the metabolic activity and cell proliferation of the tumor cells, showing only minor effects on the fibroblasts. Furthermore, 1 mM metformin increased apoptosis over 96 h in the tumor cell lines but not in fibroblasts. Additionally, metformin uptake into the tumor cells in vitro was measurable by quantitative HPLC. Synergistic effects for the combination therapy were observed in both neoplastic cell lines as well as in the fibroblasts. Based on these results, metformin might be a promising therapeutic agent for canine urogenital tumors. Further studies on kinetics, toxicology, bioavailability, and application of metformin in dogs are necessary.
Learning curve for the laparoscopy-guided kidney biopsy procedure in small corpses of dogs and pigs
Authors: Maia Suellen Rodrigues , Mendes Pamela Almerinda , da Câmara Barros Felipe Farias Pereira , Ayer Ilan Munhoz , Ramos Salvador Boccaletti , Vacari Alessandra Marieeli , Lucera Tiago Machado Carneiro , Murakami Vanessa Yurika , de Carvalho Leonardo Lamarca , Bernardino Pedro Negri , Gouvêa Fernanda Nastri , Borin-Crivellenti Sofia , Crivellenti Leandro Zuccolotto
Published: September 2021

The use of renal biopsy through laparoscopy is increasingly present both in human and veterinary medicine. However, both techniques require skill and training to make the operator capable to do it. The learning curve allows the quantitative and qualitative assessment of the number of attempts and minimum time for the surgical procedure. The objective included establish the learning curve for laparoscopy-guided kidney biopsy procedures in dog and pig corpses. Six dogs and six pigs corpses weighing less than 10 kg were used for this study. All corpses underwent kidney biopsy performed through laparoscopy. Twenty-four operators, two per animal, performed 20 renal biopsies each (10 for each kidney), with 480 collection-procedures in total. Duration and difficulty of the procedure and the biopsy sample quality were evaluated and statistical analysis was performed using a mixed regression model with a random effect of individuals and multivariate analysis of data. There were 91.5% of the samples that were adequate for evaluation. There was no significant difference in the number of glomeruli or cortex percentage considering the attempts in either species, demonstrating the operator’s ability since first collection. Swine samples showed higher amounts of renal cortex than canine samples. The procedure duration was shorter as more attempts were performed in dogs and pigs. From the fourth repetition, the professional reached a plateau for the variable related to ‘collection’, and from the second, the professional presented uniform duration for ‘sample storage’. Operators of the swine model acquired more agility than the dog ones. The variable ‘difficulty’ decreased as more repetitions were performed, reaching a plateau in the sixth attempt. Seven renal biopsies laparoscopy-guided are required for an operator to be considered ‘capable’ to perform the procedure in the referred species included. The learning curve for image-guided kidney biopsy procedures improves the implementation of this technique and benefits patients that undergo this procedure.