bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 Transmission in a Georgia School District—United States, December 2020–January 2021
Authors: Gettings Jenna R , Gold Jeremy A W , Kimball Anne , Forsberg Kaitlin , Scott Colleen , Uehara Anna , Tong Suxiang , Hast Marisa , Swanson Megan R , Morris Elana , Oraka Emeka , Almendares Olivia , Thomas Ebony S , Mehari Lemlem , McCloud Jazmyn , Roberts Gurleen , Crosby Deanna , Balajee Abirami , Burnett Eleanor , Chancey Rebecca J , Cook Peter , Donadel Morgane , Espinosa Catherine , Evans Mary E , Fleming-Dutra Katherine E , Forero Catalina , Kukielka Esther A , Li Yan , Marcet Paula L , Mitruka Kiren , Nakayama Jasmine Y , Nakazawa Yoshinori , O’Hegarty Michelle , Pratt Caroline , Rice Marion E , Rodriguez Stewart Roxana M , Sabogal Raquel , Sanchez Emanny , Velasco-Villa Andres , Weng Mark K , Zhang Jing , Rivera Grant , Parrott Tonia , Franklin Rachel , Memark Janet , Drenzek Cherie , Hall Aron J , Kirking Hannah L , Tate Jacqueline E , Vallabhaneni Snigdha
Published: April 2021

Background

To inform prevention strategies, we assessed the extent of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) transmission and settings in which transmission occurred in a Georgia public school district.

Methods

During 1 December 2020–22 January 2021, SARS-CoV-2–infected index cases and their close contacts in schools were identified by school and public health officials. For in-school contacts, we assessed symptoms and offered SARS-CoV-2 reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) testing; performed epidemiologic investigations and whole-genome sequencing to identify in-school transmission; and calculated secondary attack rate (SAR) by school setting (eg, sports, elementary school classroom), index case role (ie, staff, student), and index case symptomatic status.

Results

We identified 86 index cases and 1119 contacts, 688 (61.5%) of whom received testing. Fifty-nine of 679 (8.7%) contacts tested positive; 15 of 86 (17.4%) index cases resulted in ≥2 positive contacts. Among 55 persons testing positive with available symptom data, 31 (56.4%) were asymptomatic. Highest SARs were in indoor, high-contact sports settings (23.8% [95% confidence interval {CI}, 12.7%–33.3%]), staff meetings/lunches (18.2% [95% CI, 4.5%–31.8%]), and elementary school classrooms (9.5% [95% CI, 6.5%–12.5%]). The SAR was higher for staff (13.1% [95% CI, 9.0%–17.2%]) vs student index cases (5.8% [95% CI, 3.6%–8.0%]) and for symptomatic (10.9% [95% CI, 8.1%–13.9%]) vs asymptomatic index cases (3.0% [95% CI, 1.0%–5.5%]).

Conclusions

Indoor sports may pose a risk to the safe operation of in-person learning. Preventing infection in staff members, through measures that include coronavirus disease 2019 vaccination, is critical to reducing in-school transmission. Because many positive contacts were asymptomatic, contact tracing should be paired with testing, regardless of symptoms.
Hepatitis C Virus Direct-Acting Antiviral Treatment Adherence Patterns and Sustained Viral Response Among People Who Inject Drugs Treated in Opioid Agonist Therapy Programs
Authors: Heo Moonseong , Pericot-Valverde Irene , Rennert Lior , Akiyama Matthew J , Norton Brianna L , Gormley Mirinda , Agyemang Linda , Arnsten Julia H , Litwin Alain H
Published: April 2021

Background

Adequate medication adherence is critical for achieving sustained viral response (SVR) of hepatitis C virus (HCV) among people who inject drugs (PWID). However, it is less known which patterns of direct-acting antiviral (DAA) treatment adherence are associated with SVR in this population or what factors are associated with each pattern.

Methods

The randomized 3-arm PREVAIL study used electronic blister packs to obtain daily time frame adherence data in opiate agonist therapy program settings. Exact logistic regressions were applied to test the associations between SVR and 6 types of treatment adherence patterns.

Results

Of the 113 participants treated with combination DAAs, 109 (96.5%) achieved SVR. SVR was significantly associated with all pattern parameters except for number of switches between adherent and missed days: total adherent daily doses (exact adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 1.12; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.04–1.22), percent total doses (1.09; 1.03–1.16), days on treatment (1.16; 1.05–1.32), maximum consecutive adherent days (1.34; 1.06–2.04), and maximum consecutive nonadherent days (0.85; .74–.95 = 0.003). SVR was significantly associated with total adherent doses in the first 2 months of treatment, it was not in the last month. While alcohol intoxication was significantly associated with frequent switches, drug use was not associated with any adherence pattern.

Conclusions

Consistent maintenance of adequate total dose adherence over the entire course of HCV treatment is important in achieving SVR among PWID. Additional integrative addiction and medical care may be warranted for treating PWID who experience alcohol intoxication.
Rider Chicken Optimization Algorithm-Based Recurrent Neural Network for Big Data Classification in Spark Architecture
Authors: R Vinoth , J P Ananth
Published: April 2021

This paper proposes an effective classification method named Rider Chicken Optimization Algorithm-based Recurrent Neural Network (RCOA-based RNN) to perform big data classification in spark architecture. Initially, the input data are collected from the network by the master node and then forwarded to the slave node. These nodes are responsible for storing the data and performing computations. The features are effectively selected in the slave node using the proposed RCOA. The selected features are forwarded to the master node. The big data classification is achieved in the master node by using the RNN classifier, and the training of the classifier is done using the proposed RCOA algorithm, which is the integration of the Rider optimization algorithm (ROA) with the standard Chicken Swarm Optimization (CSO). The experimentation is done by using the Switzerland dataset, Cleveland dataset, Hungarian dataset and Skin disease dataset, in which the proposed RCOA-based RNN attained better performance based on the quantitative properties, such as sensitivity, accuracy and specificity with the values of 9.3E+01%, 9.4E+01% and 9.3E+01% using Hungarian dataset. The existing learning methods failed to address the complex classification problems at a reasonable time, which is overcome by the proposed method.
Testosterone levels in hair of free-ranging male northern fur seals (Callorhinus ursinus) in relation to sampling month, age class and spermatogenesis
Authors: Otsuki Mayuko , Horimoto Takanori , Kobayashi Motoki , Morita Yuka , Ijiri Shigeho , Mitani Yoko
Published: April 2021

Information about the reproductive status of free-ranging pinnipeds provides useful insight into their population dynamics, which is essential to their management and conservation. To determine the reproductive status of individual animals, blood sampling is often required despite being impractical to collect in open water. Hair as an endocrine marker has been used to less invasively assess the reproductive status of terrestrial animals. However, it is unknown whether pinniped reproductive status can be assessed from hair samples. Here, we examine testosterone levels in hair obtained from 57 male northern fur seals and used it to compare their age class and spermatogenesis during the non-breeding season off Hokkaido. We isolated testosterone from the samples using gas chromatography and measured testosterone levels using time-resolved fluoroimmunoassay. Testosterone levels in hair increased towards the breeding season. In May, testosterone levels were the highest in seals aged between 4 and 7 years, followed by those over the age of 8 years and under the age of 4 years. Spermatids, the final phase of spermatogenesis, were present in the seals sampled between April and June, even though testosterone levels were low in April. The seals with spermatids in May showed the highest testosterone levels. Our results demonstrate that seals with higher testosterone levels in May are likely to be mature males (≥4 years). Since hair can be collected using biopsy darts in the field, it will be possible to less invasively determine testosterone levels of male seals in the future.
Improving the design of an oxidative stress sensing biosensor in yeast
Authors: Dacquay Louis C , McMillen David R
Published: April 2021

Transcription factor (TF)-based biosensors have proven useful for increasing biomanufacturing yields, large-scale functional screening, and in environmental monitoring. Most yeast TF-based biosensors are built from natural promoters, resulting in large DNA parts retaining considerable homology to the host genome, which can complicate biological engineering efforts. There is a need to explore smaller, synthetic biosensors to expand the options for regulating gene expression in yeast. Here, we present a systematic approach to improving the design of an existing oxidative stress sensing biosensor in Saccharomyces cerevisiae based on the Yap1 transcription factor. Starting from a synthetic core promoter, we optimized the activity of a Yap1-dependent promoter through rational modification of a minimalist Yap1 upstream activating sequence. Our novel promoter achieves dynamic ranges of activation surpassing those of the previously engineered Yap1-dependent promoter, while reducing it to only 171 base pairs. We demonstrate that coupling the promoter to a positive-feedback-regulated TF further improves the biosensor by increasing its dynamic range of activation and reducing its limit of detection. We have illustrated the robustness and transferability of the biosensor by reproducing its activity in an unconventional probiotic yeast strain, Saccharomyces boulardii. Our findings can provide guidance in the general process of TF-based biosensor design.
Coupled effects of pressure and frequency on velocities of tight sandstones saturated with fluids: measurements and rock physics modelling
Authors: Han Xu , Wang Shangxu , Tang Genyang , Dong Chunhui , He Yanxiao , Liu Tao , Zhao Liming , Sun Chao
Published: April 2021

Elastic moduli and velocities of tight sandstones are strongly influenced by rock-frame heterogeneity, pore microstructure and fluid in addition to pressure and probing-wave frequency. The effects of pressure and frequency on the elastic moduli and velocities are different from those of conventional sandstones with high porosity and high permeability due to complexity of pore microstructure. To investigate these effects, we measured two tight sandstone samples for their velocities in the dry and fluid saturation conditions using the ultrasonic transmission technique and the low-frequency stress–strain method. The variations in the ultrasonic velocities with pressure see a transition from non-linear to linear increase for the dry samples, in contrast to a gradual increase for the fluid-saturated samples. The low frequency velocities of the saturated sample T1 and T2 directly show significant dispersion in a wide range of frequencies (1–100 Hz), and the magnitudes of the dispersion are suppressed by the pressure. The low-frequency velocities also increase with pressure, showing increasing trends bounded by the ultrasonic velocity–pressure curves for the dry and fluid saturation conditions. An elaborate rock physics model, considering a discrete aspect ratio spectrum and the simple squirt flow model, was constructed to account for the pressure and frequency dependence of the velocities. The predictions from the modified squirt flow model can fit well the measured velocities at varying pressures, both in the low-frequency range and the ultrasonic frequency range. The real measurements and the modelling results suggest that the pressure- and frequency-dependence cannot be modelled without considering such aspect ratio spectra. The effects of pressure and frequency are coupled in that they are interconnected by the microstructure of the pores. Changes in the pressure and fluid saturation (and thus wave frequency) both contribute to stiffening of the rock frame, and they both strongly depend on the presence of microcracks in the rock. Therefore, this rock physics model could be applied in extraction of pore microstructure and fluid properties provided elastic moduli or velocities can be estimated accurately.
Seismicity in far western Nepal reveals flats and ramps along the Main Himalayan Thrust
Authors: Laporte M , Bollinger L , Lyon-Caen H , Hoste-Colomer R , Duverger C , Letort J , Riesner M , Koirala B P , Bhattarai M , Kandel T , Timsina C , Adhikari L B
Published: April 2021

Unravelling relations between lateral variations of mid-crustal seismicity and the geometry of the Main Himalayan Thrust (MHT) system at depth is a key issue in seismotectonic studies of the Himalayan range. These relations can reveal along strike changes in the behaviour of the fault at depth related to fluids or the local ramp-flat geometry and more generally of the stress build-up along the fault. Some of these variations may control the rupture extension of intermediate, large or great earthquakes, the last of which dates back from 1505 CE in far western Nepal. The region is also associated to lateral spatio-temporal variations of the mid-crustal seismicity monitored by the Regional Seismic Network of Surkhet–Birendranagar. This network was supplemented between 2014 and 2016 by 15 temporary stations deployed above the main seismic clusters giving new potential to regional studies. Both absolute and relative locations together with focal mechanisms are determined to gain insight on the fault behaviour at depth. We find more than 4000 earthquakes within 5 and 20 km-depth clustered in three belts parallel to the front of the Himalayan range. Finest locations reveal close relationships between seismic clusters and fault segments at depth among which mid-crustal ramps and reactivated tectonic slivers. Our results support a geometry of the MHT involving several fault patches at depth separated by ramps and tear faults. This geometry most probably affects the pattern of the coseismic ruptures breaking partially or totally the locked fault zone as well as eventual along strike variations of seismic coupling during interseismic period.
Men’s willingness to support HPV vaccination and cervical cancer screening in Nigeria
Authors: Chigozie Nkwonta , Hilfinger Messiaa DeAnne K , Adebola Adegboyega , Ojiegbe Tochukwu
Published: April 2021

Cervical cancer is the second most common female cancer in Nigeria, even though it can be prevented by vaccination and screening. The uptake of these preventive services is extremely low due to lack of spousal support and cost. Human papilloma virus (HPV) vaccines and cervical screening require finance as health services are mostly paid out of pocket. This study explored Nigerian men’s willingness to encourage and pay for family member to obtain HPV vaccine and cervical screening. This is a cross-sectional study of 352 men aged 18–65 years living in 12 communities in the 6-geopolitical region. We found poor perception of HPV risk, and believed their family was not susceptible to cervical cancer. However, the majority (>80%) believed HPV vaccine and cervical screenings are important. Additionally, a good number (>58%) would encourage and pay for their family member to receive HPV vaccine and cervical screening. Residency, educational level and monthly income were significantly associated with willingness to encourage their family to receive HPV vaccine and cervical screening. Also, age group, marital status, residency, educational level and monthly income were significantly associated with the willingness to pay for HPV vaccine and cervical cancer screening. Majority were willing to encourage and pay for their family member to get vaccinated and receive cervical screening. This supports the findings that lack of male involvement may be an overlooked obstacle to cervical cancer prevention in developing countries.
Latino church-going parents’ insights on childhood obesity prevention
Authors: Wilmoth Summer , Perez Arely , He Meizi
Published: April 2021

Childhood obesity continues to be a priority health concern in the United States. Faith communities present a viable venue for health promotion programming. The majority of obesity prevention programming focuses on African American populations. Subsequently, insights for obesity prevention programming in Latino faith communities are lacking. This qualitative study aimed to gain insight into Latino church-going parents’ perspectives on childhood obesity and faith-based obesity prevention strategies. Participants were Latino church-going parents with children ages 10–18, recruited from predominantly Latino churches in south Texas, United States. Focus groups were conducted with a total of 56 Latino participants from nine churches. Discussions were audio-taped and transcribed verbatim. Inductive content analysis was performed and assisted by NVivo. Participants were aware of the obesity facing their congregations. Parents’ affirmation of the physical body being God’s Temple supported the development of obesity prevention programs in faith community settings. Participants suggested integration of spiritual and physical health promotion through health sermons, Bible study, Sunday school, nutrition classes and physical activities for both children and adults. In brief, Latino church-going parents were concerned about childhood obesity and perceived the need for developing obesity prevention programs integrating both faith and health promotion.
Reflection on modern methods: understanding bias and data analytical strategies through DAG-based data simulations
Authors: Duan Chongyang , Dragomir Anca D , Luta George , Breitling Lutz P
Published: April 2021

Directed acyclic graphs (DAGs) are increasingly used in epidemiology to identify and address different types of bias. The present work aims to demonstrate how DAG-based data simulation can be used to understand bias and compare data analytical strategies in an educational context. Examples based on classical confounding situations and an M-DAG are examined and used to introduce basic concepts and demonstrate some important features of regression analysis, as well as the harmful effect of adjusting for a collider variable. Other potential uses of DAG-based data simulation include systematic comparisons of data analytical strategies or the evaluation of the role of uncertainties in a hypothesized DAG structure, including other types of bias such as information bias. DAG-based data simulations, like those presented here, should facilitate the exploration of several key epidemiological concepts, DAG theory and data analysis. Some suggestions are also made on how to further expand the ideas from this study.
An Inverse Boundary Value Problem for a Semilinear Wave Equation on Lorentzian Manifolds
Authors: Hintz Peter , Uhlmann Gunther , Zhai Jian
Published: April 2021

We consider an inverse boundary value problem for a semilinear wave equation on a time-dependent Lorentzian manifold with time-like boundary. The time-dependent coefficients of the nonlinear terms can be recovered in the interior from the knowledge of the Neumann-to-Dirichlet map. Either distorted plane waves or Gaussian beams can be used to derive uniqueness.
Inequalities for the Radon Transform on Convex Sets
Authors: Giannopoulos Apostolos , Koldobsky Alexander , Zvavitch Artem
Published: April 2021

We prove an inequality that unifies previous works of the authors on the properties of the Radon transform on convex bodies including an extension of the Busemann–Petty problem and a slicing inequality for arbitrary functions. Let $K$ and $L$ be star bodies in ${\mathbb R}^n,$ let $0<k<n$ be an integer, and let $f,g$ be non-negative continuous functions on $K$ and $L$, respectively, so that $\|g\|_\infty =g(0)=1.$ Then $$\begin{align*} & \frac{\int_Kf}{\left(\int_L g\right)^{\frac{n-k}n}|K|^{\frac kn}} \le \frac n{n-k} \left(d_{\textrm{ovr}}(K,\mathcal{B}\mathcal{P}_k^n)\right)^k \max_{H} \frac{\int_{K\cap H} f}{\int_{L\cap H} g}, \end{align*}$$where $|K|$ stands for volume of proper dimension, $C$ is an absolute constant, the maximum is taken over all $(n-k)$-dimensional subspaces of ${\mathbb R}^n,$ and $d_{\textrm{ovr}}(K,\mathcal{B}\mathcal{P}_k^n)$ is the outer volume ratio distance from $K$ to the class of generalized $k$-intersection bodies in ${\mathbb R}^n.$ Another consequence of this result is a mean value inequality for the Radon transform. We also obtain a generalization of the isomorphic version of the Shephard problem.
Will Robots Automate Your Job Away? Full Employment, Basic Income and Economic Democracy
Authors: McGaughey Ewan
Published: April 2021

Will the internet, robotics and artificial intelligence mean a ‘jobless future’? A recent narrative, endorsed by tech-billionaires, says we face mass unemployment, and we need a basic income. In contrast, this article shows why the law can achieve full employment with fair incomes, and holidays with pay. Universal human rights, including the right to ‘share in scientific advancement and its benefits’, set the proper guiding principles. Three distinct views of the causes of unemployment are that it is a ‘natural’ phenomenon, that technology may propel it, or that it is social and legal choice: to let capital owners restrict investment in jobs. Only the third view has any credible evidence to support it. Technology may create redundancies, but unemployment is a purely social phenomenon. After World War Two, 42% of UK jobs were redundant but social policy maintained full employment. This said, transition to new technology, when markets are left alone, can be exceedingly slow: a staggering 88% of American horses lost their jobs after the Model T Ford, but only over 45 years. Both the global financial crisis from 2008 and the COVID-19 pandemic from 2020 illustrate the importance of social and legal policy, and suggest it is time to learn. Taking lessons from history, it is clear that unemployment is driven by inequality of wealth and of votes in the economy. To uphold human rights, governments should reprogramme the law, for full employment, fair incomes and more leisure, on a living planet. Robot owners will not automate your job away, if we defend economic democracy.
Point-of-care dashboards promote coproduction of healthcare services for patients with inflammatory bowel disease
Authors: Van Citters Aricca D , Holthoff Megan M , Kennedy Alice M , Melmed Gil Y , Oberai Ridhima , Siegel Corey A , Weaver Alandra , Nelson Eugene C
Published: April 2021

Background

Coproduction of healthcare services by patients and professionals is seen as an increasingly important mechanism to support person-centred care delivery. Coproduction invites a deeper understanding of what persons sometimes called ‘patients’ bring to development of a service. Yet, little is known about tools that may help elicit that information.

Objective

Our objective was to explore potential benefits and limitations of an electronic pre-visit survey (PVS) and dashboard by studying uptake and experiences within the inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) community.

Methods

We conducted a mixed-method evaluation of patients and clinicians using the IBD Qorus PVS and dashboard at 24 programmes participating in the IBD Qorus learning health system. We analysed (i) descriptive statistics and thematic analyses of 537 patient surveys, (ii) semi-structured interviews with seven patients and six care teams and (iii) usage data collected between 25 March 2019 and 26 April 2020.

Results

Nearly two-thirds (64%; n = 38) of clinicians enrolled ≥25 patients into IBD Qorus; 59% (n = 29) of clinicians received ≥25 electronic PVS, with 3834 PVS received during the study period. Post-visit evaluation surveys were completed by patients following 26% (n = 993) of PVS completions. Among patients who reported using the dashboard for 1 or more months (n = 537), two-thirds (65%, n = 344) used the dashboard at a clinic visit and one-third used it outside the clinic (33%, n = 176). Most patients who used the dashboard during a clinic visit said it was helpful in discussions with their clinician (82%), in talking about what matters most (76%) and in making healthcare decisions (71%). Patients using the dashboard during the clinic visit reported higher levels of shared decision-making than those who did not use the dashboard (82% vs. 65%, P < 0.001). This relationship remained significant after controlling for receipt of care at a clinic with the highest levels of patient-reported shared decision-making (odds ratio: 2.1; confidence interval: 1.3–3.3). Patients and clinicians found the greatest value in using the PVS and dashboard to share concerns and symptoms, prepare for a visit and support discussions during the visit. The lack of integration with existing electronic health records (EHRs) limited clinician usage of the PVS and dashboard.

Conclusions

The PVS and dashboard created a shared language, which supported coproduction and shared decision-making and facilitated a shared understanding of goals, concerns, symptoms and well-being. To support uptake, future systems should reduce implementation burden for healthcare professionals and integrate seamlessly with existing EHR systems and workflows.
From accreditation to quality improvement—The Danish National Quality Programme
Authors: Uggerby Christian , Kristensen Solvejg , Mackenhauer Julie , Knudsen Søren Valgreen , Bartels Paul , Johnsen Søren Paaske , Mainz Jan
Published: April 2021

The Danish government launched a new National Quality Programme (NQP) in healthcare in 2015. It has changed the focus from old public management in terms of accreditation, regulation, rules and standards to new public governance focusing on delivering high quality healthcare and outcomes of value for the patients, health professionals and the Danish healthcare system. The NQP aims to strengthen the focus on continuous quality improvement and the launch of the programme was accompanied by a decision to phase out accreditation of public hospitals. The NQP includes 1) eight specific national quality goals, 2) a national educational programme for quality management, and 3) establishment of quality improvement collaboratives. Since the establishment of the NQP the indicator results have improved in several important clinical areas. However, causal conclusions related to the effect of the NQP cannot yet be made. This perspective on quality paper aims to give a short introduction to the NQP and documented outcomes.
Protein binding of clindamycinin vivoby means of intravascular microdialysis in healthy volunteers
Authors: Wulkersdorfer Beatrix , Wicha Sebastian G , Kurdina Elizaveta , Carrion Carrera Stephan F , Matzneller Peter , Al Jalali Valentin , Vossen Matthias G , Riesenhuber Sonja , Lackner Edith , Dorn Christoph , Zeitlinger Markus
Published: April 2021

Objectives

The efficacy of an anti-infective drug is influenced by its protein binding (PB), since only the free fraction is active. We hypothesized that PB may vary in vitro and in vivo, and used clindamycin, a drug with high and concentration-dependent PB to investigate this hypothesis.

Methods

Six healthy volunteers received a single intravenous infusion of clindamycin 900 mg. Antibiotic plasma concentrations were obtained by blood sampling and unbound drug concentrations were determined by means of in vivo intravascular microdialysis (MD) or in vitro ultrafiltration (UF) for up to 8 h post dosing. Clindamycin was assayed in plasma and MD fluid using a validated HPLC-UV (ultraviolet) method. Non-linear mixed effects modelling in NONMEM® was used to quantify the PB in vivo and in vitro.

Results

C max was 14.95, 3.39 and 2.32 mg/L and AUC0–8h was 41.78, 5.80 and 6.14 mg·h/L for plasma, ultrafiltrate and microdialysate, respectively. Calculated ratio of AUCunbound/AUCtotal showed values of 13.9%±1.8% and 14.7%±3.1% for UF and microdialysate, respectively. Modelling confirmed non-linear, saturable PB for clindamycin with slightly different median (95% CI) dissociation constants (Kd) for the alpha-1 acid glycoprotein (AAG)–clindamycin complex of 1.16 mg/L (0.91–1.37) in vitro versus 0.85 mg/L (0.58–1.01) in vivo. Moreover, the estimated number of binding sites per AAG molecule was 2.07 (1.79–2.25) in vitro versus 1.66 in vivo (1.41–1.79).

Conclusions

Concentration-dependent PB was observed for both investigated methods with slightly lower levels of unbound drug fractions in vitro as compared with in vivo.
Do migrants affect the local product mix? An analysis of the effects and underlying mechanisms
Authors: Casabianca Elizabeth J , Lo Turco Alessia , Maggioni Daniela
Published: April 2021

We study the impact of immigration on the product mix of the receiving economy by combining information on the local presence of immigrants with a highly detailed definition of the set of goods produced by Italian provinces. For the period 2002–2011, we find that an increase in the share of migrants shifts the manufacturing output composition of host provinces in favour of less capital intensive products. This evidence is based on an IV strategy resting on the settlement of immigrants in the pre-sample period and is robust to several sensitivity checks. We shed light on two mechanisms potentially driving our result. On the one hand, we show that immigration reduces provinces’ dependence on imports of low capital intensity intermediate goods. On the other hand, immigration fosters relatively more the creation of new firms in local low capital intensity industries.
Digital Evidence in Domestic Core International Crimes Prosecutions
Authors: Aksamitowska Karolina
Published: April 2021

The conflicts in Syria and Iraq, being some of the most documented in history, have also led to one of the largest influxes of refugees to Europe in recent years. Many of the asylum seekers arriving in European cities identified themselves, or have been identified, as victims, witnesses or perpetrators of atrocities. Consequently, criminal investigations have been initiated by the local police with the aim of prosecuting those responsible for genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity committed in Syria and Iraq. With an increasing number of war crimes prosecutions in European domestic courts relating to the atrocities committed, documented and shared by returning fighters, domestic authorities are compelled to find ways to effectively collect, process, analyse and share the user-generated data. This article discusses the ways in which digital evidence related to the conflicts in Syria and Iraq, particularly online open source materials, are being litigated and judicially evaluated in the domestic jurisdictions of Germany, Finland, Sweden and the Netherlands. Finding parallels between these approaches, with the aim of distilling best practices in evidence collection, processing and analysis, should inform future prosecutions of international crimes in domestic jurisdictions worldwide.
Informing Women About Overdetection in Breast Cancer Screening: Two-Year Outcomes From a Randomized Trial
Authors: Hersch Jolyn , Barratt Alexandra , McGeechan Kevin , Jansen Jesse , Houssami Nehmat , Dhillon Haryana , Jacklyn Gemma , Irwig Les , McCaffery Kirsten
Published: April 2021

Background

Supporting well-informed decisions about breast cancer screening requires communicating that inconsequential disease may be detected, leading to overdiagnosis and overtreatment. Having previously shown that telling women about overdetection improved informed choice, we investigated effects on screening knowledge and participation over 2 years.

Methods

We conducted a community-based, parallel-group, randomized controlled trial in Australia. Participants were women aged 48-50 years, without personal or strong family history of breast cancer, who had not undergone mammography in the past 2 years. We randomly assigned 879 women to receive the intervention decision aid (evidence-based information on overdetection, breast cancer mortality reduction, and false-positives) or control decision aid (identical but without overdetection information). We interviewed 838 women postintervention and recontacted them for follow-up at 6 months and 1 and 2 years. Main outcomes for this report are screening knowledge and participation.

Results

We interviewed 790, 746, and 712 participants at 6 months, 1, and 2 years, respectively. The intervention group demonstrated superior knowledge throughout follow-up. After 2 years, conceptual knowledge was adequate in 123 (34.4%) of 358 women in the intervention group compared with 71 (20.1%) of 354 control participants(odds ratio = 2.04, 95% confidence interval = 1.46 to 2.85). Groups were similar in total screening participation (200 [55.1%] vs 204 [56.0%]; = 0.97, 95% confidence interval = 0.73 to 1.29).

Conclusions

A brief decision aid produced lasting improvement in women’s understanding of potential consequences of screening, including overdetection, without changing participation rates. These findings support the use of decision aids for breast cancer screening.
Attitudes, barriers, motivators and utilization of clinical research: a cross-sectional survey of hospital pharmacists
Authors: Jarab Anan , Al-Qerem Walid , Mukattash Tareq
Published: April 2021

Objectives

Research is crucial for improving patients’ healthcare. Although pharmacists’ important role in implementing research has been emphasized by different health organizations, pharmacist’s participation in research is still suboptimal. This study aims to evaluate hospital pharmacists and assistant pharmacists’ attitudes, barriers and motivators towards clinical research practice and research utilization in practice settings.

Methods

This cross-sectional study used an online-validated questionnaire which evaluated socio-demographics, attitudes, barriers and motivators which Jordanian hospital pharmacists and assistant pharmacists have to implement clinical research and extent of its utilization in practice settings. Analysis of Covariance was modelled to evaluate the differences in the factors’ scores between different groups. Multiple linear regressions were conducted to assess the effect of the attitudes and motivators scores on the research utility practice score.

Key findings

A total of 316 responses were collected. The means for attitudes, motivators, and research utilization scores were 3.84, 3.84 and 3.80, respectively. The most agreed motivator was the role of research in the enhancement of the service to patients (mean = 4.19). The most reported research barriers were lack of time and support (57.6% and 44.3%, respectively). Linear regression analysis showed that attitudes (regression coefficient (b) = 0.34, P < 0.01) and motivators (b = 0.18, P < 0.01) were significant predictors of the extent of research utilization.

Conclusion

Jordanian hospital pharmacists and assistant pharmacists had a positive attitude towards research and they are willing to participate in research but they are confronting several obstacles.
The vesicular trafficking system component MIN7 is required for minimizing Fusarium graminearum infection
Authors: Machado Wood Ana K , Panwar Vinay , Grimwade-Mann Mike , Ashfield Tom , Hammond-Kosack Kim E , Kanyuka Kostya
Published: April 2021

Plants have developed intricate defense mechanisms, referred to as innate immunity, to defend themselves against a wide range of pathogens. Plants often respond rapidly to pathogen attack by the synthesis and delivery to the primary infection sites of various antimicrobial compounds, proteins, and small RNA in membrane vesicles. Much of the evidence regarding the importance of vesicular trafficking in plant–pathogen interactions comes from studies involving model plants whereas this process is relatively understudied in crop plants. Here we assessed whether the vesicular trafficking system components previously implicated in immunity in Arabidopsis play a role in the interaction with Fusarium graminearum, a fungal pathogen well-known for its ability to cause Fusarium head blight disease in wheat. Among the analysed vesicular trafficking mutants, two independent T-DNA insertion mutants in the AtMin7 gene displayed a markedly enhanced susceptibility to F. graminearum. Earlier studies identified this gene, encoding an ARF-GEF protein, as a target for the HopM1 effector of the bacterial pathogen Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato, which destabilizes MIN7 leading to its degradation and weakening host defenses. To test whether this key vesicular trafficking component may also contribute to defense in crop plants, we identified the candidate TaMin7 genes in wheat and knocked-down their expression through virus-induced gene silencing. Wheat plants in which TaMin7 genes were silenced displayed significantly more Fusarium head blight disease. This suggests that disruption of MIN7 function in both model and crop plants compromises the trafficking of innate immunity signals or products resulting in hypersusceptibility to various pathogens.
A Penetrating Lumbar Spine Injury With Misleading Neurological Symptoms
Authors: Beucler Nathan , Haikal Christelle , Kaya Jean-Marc
Published: April 2021

Penetrating spinal injuries require specific neurosurgical attention. To date, there are no guidelines regarding emergency neurosurgical management of such injuries and the decision whether to operate is made individually, based on the neurological examination and the analysis of any imaging available. We report the case of a 22-year-old patient who sustained two gunshots in the thighs and one in the lumbar spine. Clinical examination revealed neurological deficit in both legs prevailing on the right side. Discussion between the radiologist and the neurosurgeon concluded to an injury to the left S1 nerve root within the spinal canal, and to the right sciatic nerve. Thus, there was no need for a decompressive laminectomy. In the light of the current literature, penetrating spinal injuries rarely require an extensive surgical exploration; indications for such a procedure include incomplete neurological deficit with persistent neurological compression, cerebrospinal fluid leakage, and obvious instability. Furthermore, penetrating spinal injuries are rarely encountered, even for military neurosurgeons. Their surgical management and especially the need for laminectomy, stabilization, and dural sac watertight closure are still a matter of debate. An expert consensus statement would give food to surgeons facing penetrating spinal injuries.
Investigating the role of magnetic fields in star formation using molecular line profiles
Authors: Yin Charles , Priestley Felix D , Wurster James
Published: April 2021

Determining the importance of magnetic fields in star-forming environments is hampered by the difficulty of accurately measuring both field strength and gas properties in molecular clouds. We post-process three-dimensional non-ideal magnetohydrodynamic simulations of pre-stellar cores with a time-dependent chemical network, and use radiative transfer modelling to calculate self-consistent molecular line profiles. Varying the initial mass-to-flux ratio from subcritical to supercritical results in significant changes to both the intensity and shape of several observationally important molecular lines. We identify the peak intensity ratio of N2H+ to CS lines, and the CS J = 2–1 blue-to-red peak intensity ratio, as promising diagnostics of the initial mass-to-flux ratio, with N2H+/CS values of >0.6 (<0.2) and CS blue/red values of <3 (>5) indicating subcritical (supercritical) collapse. These criteria suggest that, despite presently being magnetically supercritical, L1498 formed from subcritical initial conditions.
Substructures in the core of Abell 2319
Authors: Ichinohe Y , Simionescu A , Werner N , Markevitch M , Wang Q H S
Published: April 2021

We analysed the deep archival Chandra observations of the high-temperature galaxy cluster Abell 2319 to investigate the prominent cold front in its core. The main sharp arc of the front shows wiggles, or variations of the radius of the density jump along the arc. At the southern end of the arc is a feature that resembles a Kelvin–Helmholtz (KH) eddy, beyond which the sharp front dissolves. These features suggest that KH instabilities develop at the front. Under this assumption, we can place an upper limit on the ICM viscosity that is several times below the isotropic Spitzer value. Other features include a split of the cold front at its northern edge, which may be another KH eddy. There is a small pocket of hot, less-dense gas inside the cold front, which may indicate a ‘hole’ in the front’s magnetic insulation layer that lets the heat from the outer gas to penetrate inside the front. Finally, a large concave brightness feature south-west of the cluster core can be caused by the gas-dynamic instabilities. We speculate that it can also be an inner boundary of a giant AGN bubble, similar to that in Ophiuchus. If the latter interpretation is supported by better radio data, this could be a remnant of another extremely powerful AGN outburst.
Post-merger evolution of double helium white dwarfs and distribution of helium-rich hot subdwarfs
Authors: Yu Jinlong , Zhang Xianfei , Lü Guoliang
Published: April 2021

The mergers of double helium white dwarfs are believed to form isolated helium-rich hot subdwarfs. Observations show that helium-rich hot subdwarfs can be divided into two subgroups based on whether the surface is carbon-rich or carbon-normal. However, it is not clear whether this distribution directly comes from binary evolution. We adopt the binary population synthesis to obtain the population of single helium-rich hot subdwarfs according to the merger channel of double helium white dwarfs. We find that the merger channel can represent the two subgroups in the Teff−log g plane related to different masses of progenitor helium white dwarfs. For Z  = 0.02, the birth rate and local density of helium-rich hot subdwarf stars from the merger of two helium white dwarfs are $\sim 4.82 \times 10^{-3}\, \rm yr^{-1}$ and ∼ 290.0 $\rm kpc^{-3}$ at 13.7 Gyr in our Galaxy, respectively. The proportions of carbon-rich and carbon-normal helium-rich hot subdwarfs are 32 per cent and 68 per cent, respectively.
Dynamical masses and mass-to-light ratios of resolved massive star clusters – II. Results for 26 star clusters in the Magellanic Clouds
Authors: Song Ying-Yi , Mateo Mario , Bailey John I , Walker Matthew G , Roederer Ian U , Olszewski Edward W , Reiter Megan , Kremin Anthony
Published: April 2021

We present spectroscopy of individual stars in 26 Magellanic Cloud (MC) star clusters with the aim of estimating dynamical masses and V-band mass-to-light (M/LV) ratios over a wide range in age and metallicity. We obtained 3137 high-resolution stellar spectra with M2FS on the Magellan/Clay Telescope. Combined with 239 published spectroscopic results of comparable quality, we produced a final sample of 2787 stars with good quality spectra for kinematic analysis in the target clusters. Line-of-sight velocities measured from these spectra and stellar positions within each cluster were used in a customized expectation-maximization (EM) technique to estimate cluster membership probabilities. Using appropriate cluster structural parameters and corresponding single-mass dynamical models, this technique ultimately provides self-consistent total mass and M/LV estimates for each cluster. Mean metallicities for the clusters were also obtained and tied to a scale based on calcium IR triplet metallicities. We present trends of the cluster M/LV values with cluster age, mass, and metallicity, and find that our results run about 40 per cent on average lower than the predictions of a set of simple stellar population (SSP) models. Modified SSP models that account for internal and external dynamical effects greatly improve agreement with our results, as can models that adopt a strongly bottom-light IMF. To the extent that dynamical evolution must occur, a modified IMF is not required to match data and models. In contrast, a bottom-heavy IMF is ruled out for our cluster sample as this would lead to higher predicted M/LV values, significantly increasing the discrepancy with our observations.
Gauging the effect of supermassive black holes feedback on quasar host galaxies
Authors: de Oliveira B Dall’Agnol , Storchi-Bergmann T , Kraemer S B , Martín M Villar , Schnorr-Müller A , Schmitt H R , Ruschel-Dutra D , Crenshaw D M , Fischer T C
Published: April 2021

In order to gauge the role that active galactic nuclei play in the evolution of galaxies via the effect of kinetic feedback in nearby QSO 2’s (z ∼ 0.3), we observed eight such objects with bolometric luminosities $L_{bol} \sim 10^{46}\rm {erg\, s^{-1}}$ using Gemini Multi-Object Spectrograph-integral field units. The emission lines were fitted with at least two Gaussian curves, the broadest of which we attributed to gas kinetically disturbed by an outflow. We found that the maximum extent of the outflow ranges from ∼1 to 8 kpc, being ${\sim }\, 0.5\, {\pm }\, 0.3$ times the extent of the [$\mathrm{O\,{\small III}}$] ionized gas region. Our ‘default’ assumptions for the gas density (obtained from the [$\mathrm{S\,{\small II}}$] doublet) and outflow velocities resulted in peak mass outflow rates of $\dot{M}_{\mathrm{ out}}^{{\tt def}}\sim$ 3–30 $\rm {M_{\odot }}\, yr^{-1}$ and outflow power of $\dot{E}_{\mathrm{ out}}^{{\tt \mathrm{ def}}}\sim \, 10^{41}$–$10^{43}\, \mathrm{erg\, s^{-1}}$. The corresponding kinetic coupling efficiencies are $\varepsilon _f^{{\tt def}}=\dot{E}_{\mathrm{ out}}^{{\tt def}}/L_{\mathrm{ bol}}\, \sim 7\times 10^{-4}$–0.5 per cent, with the average efficiency being only 0.06 per cent (0.01 per cent median), implying little feedback powers from ionized gas outflows in the host galaxies. We investigated the effects of varying assumptions and calculations on $\dot{M}_{\mathrm{ out}}$ and $\dot{E}_{\mathrm{ out}}$ regarding the ionized gas densities, velocities, masses, and inclinations of the outflow relative to the plane of the sky, resulting in average uncertainties of 1 dex. In particular, we found that better indicators of the [$\mathrm{O\,{\small III}}$] emitting gas density than the default [$\mathrm{S\,{\small II}}$] line ratio, such as the [$\mathrm{Ar\,{\small IV}}$] λλ4711,40 line ratio, result in almost an order of magnitude decrease in the εf.
Intermittent mildly magnetized jets as the source of GRBs
Authors: Gottlieb Ore , Bromberg Omer , Levinson Amir , Nakar Ehud
Published: April 2021

Gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) are powered by relativistic jets that exhibit intermittency over a broad range of time-scales – from ∼ ms to seconds. Previous numerical studies have shown that hydrodynamic (i.e. unmagnetized) jets that are expelled from a variable engine are subject to strong mixing of jet and cocoon material, which strongly inhibits the GRB emission. In this paper, we conduct 3D RMHD simulations of mildly magnetized jets with power modulation over durations of 0.1 s and 1 s, and a steady magnetic field at injection. We find that when the jet magnetization at the launching site is σ ∼ 0.1, the initial magnetization is amplified by shocks formed in the flow to the point where it strongly suppresses baryon loading. We estimate that a significant contamination can be avoided if the magnetic energy at injection constitutes at least a few per cent of the jet energy. The variability time-scales of the jet after it breaks out of the star are then governed by the injection cycles rather than by the mixing process, suggesting that in practice jet injection should fluctuate on timescales as short as ∼10 ms in order to account for the observed light curves. Better stability is found for jets with shorter modulations. We conclude that for sufficiently hot jets, the Lorentz factor near the photosphere can be high enough to allow efficient photospheric emission. Our results imply that jets with 10−2 < σ < 1 injected by a variable engine with ∼10 ms duty cycle are plausible sources of long GRBs.