bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Minutes and the Man: J.E.W. Flood and British Imperial Economic Policy at the Colonial Office in the Interwar Years
Authors: Olukoju Ayodeji
Published: June 2021

Archival sources, especially correspondence between officials, have been critical to the reconstruction of the history of colonial territories. Minutes, confidential comments that informed the decisions transmitted in official correspondence (known as dispatches), though important, are often neglected. This paper highlights the value of minutes and demonstrates their optimal utilization through the lens of the career of J.E.W. Flood, a prolific middle level career officer at the Colonial Office. His minutes on various issues across the interwar period shed light on the undercurrents and debates among officials at Whitehall that shaped aspects of British imperial economic policy during the period.
On Fine Wine Pricing across Different Trading Venues
Authors: Oleksy Paweł , Czupryna Marcin , Jakubczyk Michał
Published: June 2021

This article examines how selected attributes of Bordeaux fine wines (producer, vintage, quality, bottle size, case, flaws, and transaction volume) affect prices in three types of trading venues: auctions, electronic exchange, and the over-the-counter (OTC) market. The findings indicate a price differentiation across the venues. Wine aging leads to relatively higher prices at auctions than on the electronic exchange or the OTC. There is a nearly linear relationship between prices and wine ratings, the strongest of which is found in the case of auctions. The bottle size effect is mostly positive for supersized formats and is the strongest on an electronic exchange and the weakest at auctions. The transaction volume negatively affects wine prices in all the trading venues. The simulation results facilitate the construction of more realistic trading models and may help traders make more informed decisions on the choice of a trading venue, depending on the wine characteristics. (JEL Classifications: D40, G12, Q14, L66)
Vegetarians and different types of meat eaters among the Finnish adult population from 2007 to 2017
Authors: Lehto Elviira , Kaartinen Niina E. , Sääksjärvi Katri , Männistö Satu , Jallinoja Piia
Published: June 2021

From health and sustainability perspectives, reduction in the consumption of animal-based foods, especially red meat, is a key strategy. The present study examined the prevalence, sociodemographic and lifestyle factors, food consumption and food choice motives of vegetarians and consumers of low and high amounts of red and processed meat (RPM) among Finnish adults. We applied the data from three national health studies: FINRISK 2007 (n 4874), FINRISK 2012 (n 4812) and FinHealth 2017 (n 4442). Participants addressed their food consumption with a FFQ and answered other questionnaires about sociodemographic and lifestyle factors, as well as food choice motives. The prevalence of vegetarianism increased from 0·7 % in 2012 to 1·8 % in 2017, and median daily RPM consumption decreased from 128 g in 2007 to 119 g in 2012 and to 96 g in 2017. Vegetarians and members of the low-RPM group were more often women, younger and more highly educated than the high-RPM group, both in 2007 and 2017. Still, the importance of sex for the probability of a vegetarian diet decreased, while its importance for high-RPM consumption increased. Vegetarians consumed more fruit, vegetables, legumes, nuts and seeds than either the low- or high-RPM groups. The high-RPM group had the lowest scores in several aspects of healthy and sustainable diet, healthy food choice motives and healthy lifestyle. Vegetarians and groups differing in their RPM consumption levels might benefit from differing interventions and nutrition information taking into account their other dietary habits, food choice motives and lifestyle factors.
Selenium intake is not associated with the metabolic syndrome in Brazilian adolescents: an analysis of the Study of Cardiovascular Risk Factors in Adolescents
Authors: Retondario Anabelle , Souza Amanda de M. , Bricarello Liliana P. , Alves Mariane de A. , Fernandes Ricardo , Trindade Erasmo B.S. de M. , Zeni Lúcia A.Z.R. , Sichieri Rosely , Antunes José L.F. , Vasconcelos Francisco de A.G.
Published: June 2021

Se reduces cellular inflammation and lipid peroxides; therefore, its association with CVD and the metabolic syndrome (MetS) has been studied. We aimed to investigate the association between Se intake and the MetS and its parameters (high waist circumference, hyperglycaemia, high blood pressure, high TAG and low HDL-cholesterol) in Brazilian adolescents between 12 and 17 years old. This research is part of the Study of Cardiovascular Risks in Adolescents (ERICA), a Brazilian nationwide school-based study with regional and national relevance. We assessed: (1) socio-demographic data (sex, age, type of school and maternal education) using a self-administered questionnaire; (2) dietary intake using a 24-h recall applied for the whole sample and a second one applied to a subsample to allow within-person variability adjustment; (3) anthropometric data (weight, height, waist circumference) and blood pressure using standardised procedures; and (4) biochemical analyses (fasting glucose, TAG and HDL-cholesterol). Logistic regression was applied, basing the analysis on a theoretical model. Median Se intake was 98·3 µg/d. Hypertension and hyperglycaemia were more prevalent among boys, while a high waist circumference was more frequent in girls, and low HDL-cholesterol levels were higher among private school students. The prevalence of the MetS was 2·6 %. No association between the MetS and its parameters and Se intake was found. This lack of association could be due to an adequate Se intake in the studied population.
Sex influences the association between appendicular skeletal muscle mass to visceral fat area ratio and non-alcoholic steatohepatitis in patients with biopsy-proven non-alcoholic fatty liver disease
Authors: Li Gang , Rios Rafael S. , Wang Xin-Xin , Yu Yue , Zheng Kenneth I. , Huang Ou-Yang , Tang Liang-Jie , Ma Hong-Lei , Jin Yi , Targher Giovanni , Byrne Christopher D. , Pan Xiao-Yan , Zheng Ming-Hua
Published: June 2021

Sarcopenic obesity is regarded as a risk factor for the progression and development of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Since male sex is a risk factor for NAFLD and skeletal muscle mass markedly varies between the sexes, we examined whether sex influences the association between appendicular skeletal muscle mass to visceral fat area ratio (SVR), that is, an index of skeletal muscle mass combined with abdominal obesity, and the histological severity of NAFLD. The SVR was measured by bioelectrical impedance in a cohort of 613 (M/F = 443/170) Chinese middle-aged individuals with biopsy-proven NAFLD. Multivariable logistic regression and subgroup analyses were used to test the association between SVR and the severity of NAFLD (i.e. non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) or NASH with the presence of any stage of liver fibrosis). NASH was identified by a NAFLD activity score ≥5, with a minimum score of 1 for each of its categories. The presence of fibrosis was classified as having a histological stage ≥1. The SVR was inversely associated with NASH in men (adjusted OR 0·62; 95 % CI 0·42, 0·92,P= 0·017 for NASH, adjusted OR 0·65; 95 % CI 0·43, 0·99,P= 0·043 for NASH with the presence of fibrosis), but not in women (1·47 (95 % CI 0·76, 2·83),P= 0·25 for NASH, and 1·45 (95 % CI 0·74, 2·83),P= 0·28 for NASH with the presence of fibrosis). There was a significant interaction for sex and SVR (Pinteraction= 0·017 for NASH andPinteraction= 0·033 for NASH with the presence of fibrosis). Our findings show that lower skeletal muscle mass combined with abdominal obesity is strongly associated with the presence of NASH only in men.
Hot-Stove Effects: The Impact of CEO Past Corporate Experiences on Dividend Policy
Authors: Faulkner Matthew , García-Feijóo Luis
Published: June 2021

The personal traits of chief executive officers (CEOs) have been found to influence corporate policy decisions. We examine the impact of CEO past corporate distress experiences on payout policy. CEOs who have experienced a distress event in their career, while working in a non-CEO position at a different firm, subsequently alter corporate payout policy once in the CEO position. They are less likely to pay dividends and repurchase shares, pay out lower levels of dividends, and are less likely to increase dividends. They further exhibit preference toward repurchases. Overall, we report that experience-driven conservatism affects payout policy, a novel finding in the literature.
Undergraduate experience of ENT teaching during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic: a qualitative study
Authors: Walker M , Stapleton E
Published: June 2021

Background

Coronavirus disease 2019 has transformed medical education worldwide. Innovations in ENT teaching for medical students have focused on virtual learning, often replacing history-taking, patient examination and practical procedure observation. This qualitative study aimed to evaluate student experience and the impact of the altered learning environment.

Methods

Open-ended questionnaires were sent to students following ENT placements from March 2020 to March 2021. Responses were qualitatively analysed and coded using a grounded theory approach. Iterative cycles were used to develop codes via a constant comparison technique. Emerging categories from codes were refined to identify core themes.

Results

Core themes were explored, including: reduced clinical experience and patient contact compared with student expectations; challenges to learning opportunities in ENT; and the experience of different teaching methods, or preference for face-to-face teaching.

Conclusion

Medical students on ENT placement have expectations of patient contact for learning opportunities. ENT departments should ensure that patient contact and face-to-face learning opportunities are facilitated, while maintaining safety, including appropriate personal protective equipment provision.
Cleansing Macau's Image as the ‘Wickedest City in the World’: Eurasia,Long Way, and Luso-tropical film production in Macau in the 1950s
Authors: ALMEIDA LEITE ANA CATARINA
Published: June 2021

This article discusses the Eurasia Film Company (hereafter Eurasia), which was established in Macau in 1954; the making of its filmLong Way, released in 1955; and more generally the issue of film production in Macau in the 1950s. This was a period of crisis for Portugal: despite the beginning of decolonization in the post-war era, the regime's policy was to preserve the colonies. It appropriated ‘Luso-tropicalism’, a theory developed by Brazilian sociologist Gilberto Freyre, which argued that the Portuguese had created a harmonious hybrid civilization in the ‘tropics’ through biological and cultural miscegenation. Luso-tropicalism became a major propaganda tool used by Portugal to deflect decolonization. Eurasia, which had links to the colonial government, presented a Luso-tropical ideal not only in terms of the content of the filmLong Waywhich celebrated interracial love but also by its very nature—it was a Sino-Portuguese enterprise that also had Eurasians as shareholders—and in its production method. Its main objective was to propagate a positive image of Macau, in response to its pervasive negative portrayal in the international press and films, which often characterized it as a centre of vice.Long Wayspecifically responded to Hollywood and French films set in Macau by using similar elements, plot, and characterization, but it transformed Orientalist tales of crime, smuggling, and sin into a Luso-tropical story of refuge, order, and interracial love. Eurasia aimed to cleanse Macau's image and thereby justify Portuguese sovereignty in the territory in a period of crisis and uncertainty marked by decolonization, the Cold War, and tense Sino-Portuguese relations.
Long-term outcomes of psychological treatment for posttraumatic stress disorder: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Weber Maxi , Schumacher Sarah , Hannig Wiebke , Barth Jürgen , Lotzin Annett , Schäfer Ingo , Ehring Thomas , Kleim Birgit
Published: June 2021

Several types of psychological treatment for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are considered well established and effective, but evidence of their long-term efficacy is limited. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to investigate the long-term outcomes across psychological treatments for PTSD. MEDLINE, Cochrane Library, PTSDpubs, PsycINFO, PSYNDEX, and related articles were searched for randomized controlled trials with at least 12 months of follow-up. Twenty-two studies (N = 2638) met inclusion criteria, and 43 comparisons of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) were available at follow-up. Active treatments for PTSD yielded large effect sizes from pretest to follow-up and a small controlled effect size compared with non-directive control groups at follow-up. Trauma-focused treatment (TFT) and non-TFT showed large improvements from pretest to follow-up, and effect sizes did not significantly differ from each other. Active treatments for comorbid depressive symptoms revealed small to medium effect sizes at follow-up, and improved PTSD and depressive symptoms remained stable from treatment end to follow-up. Military personnel, low proportion of female patients, and self-rated PTSD measures were associated with decreased effect sizes for PTSD at follow-up. The findings suggest that CBT for PTSD is efficacious in the long term. Future studies are needed to determine the lasting efficacy of other psychological treatments and to confirm benefits beyond 12-month follow-up.
KLANG, BODY, RITUAL – A PORTRAIT OF PIERLUIGI BILLONE
Authors: Eduard Schick Tobias
Published: June 2021

There is a considerable imbalance between the presence of the music of Italian composer Pierluigi Billone in contemporary musical life and its presence in other media. The composer, now over 60 and based in Vienna since 2004, has appeared regularly on most of the major platforms for contemporary music, yet his music is only rarely reflected upon in print. This article attempts for the first time to illuminate some central aspects of his music, touching specifically on his understanding of Klang,1 on his structural and formal strategies and on the significance of the ritual and the corporeal in his oeuvre.
DOING L2 SPEECH RESEARCH ONLINE: WHY AND HOW TO COLLECT ONLINE RATINGS DATA
Authors: Nagle Charles L. , Rehman Ivana
Published: June 2021

Listener-based ratings have become a prominent means of defining second language (L2) users’ global speaking ability. In most cases, local listeners are recruited to evaluate speech samples in person. However, in many teaching and research contexts, recruiting local listeners may not be possible or advisable. The goal of this study was to hone a reliable method of recruiting listeners to evaluate L2 speech samples online through Amazon Mechanical Turk (AMT) using a blocked rating design. Three groups of listeners were recruited: local laboratory raters and two AMT groups, one inclusive of the dialects to which L2 speakers had been exposed and another inclusive of a variety of dialects. Reliability was assessed using intraclass correlation coefficients, Rasch models, and mixed-effects models. Results indicate that online ratings can be highly reliable as long as appropriate quality control measures are adopted. The method and results can guide future work with online samples.
An investigation of iconic language development in four datasets
Authors: SIDHU David M. , WILLIAMSON Jennifer , SLAVOVA Velina , PEXMAN Penny M.
Published: June 2021

Iconic words imitate their meanings. Previous work has demonstrated that iconic words are more common in infants’ early speech, and in adults’ child-directed speech (e.g., Perry et al., 2015; 2018). This is consistent with the proposal that iconicity provides a benefit to word learning. Here we explored iconicity in four diverse language development datasets: a production corpus for infants and preschoolers (MacWhinney, 2000), comprehension data for school-aged children to young adults (Dale & O'Rourke, 1981), word frequency norms from educational texts for school aged children to young adults (Zeno et al., 1995), and a database of parent-reported infant word production (Frank et al., 2017). In all four analyses, we found that iconic words were more common at younger ages. We also explored how this relationship differed by syntactic class, finding only modest evidence for differences. Overall, the results suggest that, beyond infancy, iconicity is an important factor in language acquisition.
Cross-linguistic influence in simultaneous and early sequential bilingual children: a meta-analysis
Authors: VAN DIJK Chantal , VAN WONDEREN Elise , KOUTAMANIS Elly , KOOTSTRA Gerrit Jan , DIJKSTRA Ton , UNSWORTH Sharon
Published: June 2021

Although cross-linguistic influence at the level of morphosyntax is one of the most intensively studied topics in child bilingualism, the circumstances under which it occurs remain unclear. In this meta-analysis, we measured the effect size of cross-linguistic influence and systematically assessed its predictors in 750 simultaneous and early sequential bilingual children in 17 unique language combinations across 26 experimental studies. We found a significant small to moderate average effect size of cross-linguistic influence, indicating that cross-linguistic influence is part and parcel of bilingual development. Language dominance, operationalized as societal language, was a significant predictor of cross-linguistic influence, whereas surface overlap, language domain and age were not. Perhaps an even more important finding was that definitions and operationalisations of cross-linguistic influence and its predictors varied considerably between studies. This could explain the absence of a comprehensive theory in the field. To solve this issue, we argue for a more uniform method of studying cross-linguistic influence.
Optimal transportation and stationary measures for iterated function systems
Authors: KLOECKNER BENOÎT R.
Published: June 2021

In this paper we show how ideas, methods and results from optimal transportation can be used to study various aspects of the stationary measures of Iterated Function Systems equipped with a probability distribution. We recover a classical existence and uniqueness result under a contraction-on-average assumption, prove generalised moment bounds from which tail estimates can be deduced, consider the convergence of the empirical measure of an associated Markov chain, and prove in many cases the Lipschitz continuity of the stationary measure when the system is perturbed, with as a consequence a “linear response formula” at almost every parameter of the perturbation.
Development and evaluation of an outbreak surveillance system integrating whole genome sequencing data for non-typhoidal Salmonella in London and South East of England, 2016–17
Authors: Paranthaman Karthik , Mook Piers , Curtis Daniele , Evans Edward-Wynne , Crawley-Boevey Emma , Dabke Girija , Carroll Kevin , McCormick Jacquelyn , Dallman Timothy J. , Crook Paul
Published: June 2021

An outbreak surveillance system for Salmonella integrating whole genome sequencing (WGS) and epidemiological data was developed in South East and London in 2016–17 to assess local WGS clusters for triage and investigation. Cases genetically linked within a 5 single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) single linkage cluster were assessed using a set of locally agreed thresholds based on time, person and place, for reporting to local health protection teams (HPTs). Between September 2016 and September 2017, 230 unique 5-SNP clusters (442 weekly reports) of non-typhoidal Salmonella 5-SNP WGS clusters were identified, of which 208 unique 5-SNP clusters (316 weekly reports) were not reported to the HPTs. In the remaining 22 unique clusters (126 weekly clusters) reported to HPTs, nine were known active outbreak investigations, seven were below locally agreed thresholds and six exceeded local thresholds. A common source or vehicle was identified in four of six clusters that exceeded locally agreed thresholds. This work demonstrates that a threshold-based surveillance system, taking into account time, place and genetic relatedness, is feasible and effective in directing the use of local public health resources for risk assessment and investigation of non-typhoidal Salmonella clusters.
Seroprevalence and risk factors of antibodies against Coxiella burnetii among dog owners in southwestern Québec, Canada
Authors: Duplaix L. , Turgeon P. , Lévesque B. , Rocheleau J.-P. , Leboeuf A. , Picard I. , Manguiat K. , Wood H. , Arsenault J.
Published: June 2021

Coxiella burnetii is a zoonotic agent responsible for human Q fever, a potentially severe disease that can lead to persistent infection. This cross-sectional study aimed to estimate the seroprevalence to C. burnetii antibodies and its association with potential risk factors in the human population of five regions of Québec, Canada. A serum bank comprising sera from 474 dog owners was screened by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay followed by confirmation of positive or equivocal sera by an indirect immunofluorescence assay. Observed seroprevalences of 1.2% (95% confidence interval (CI): 0.0–6.6), 2.6% (95% CI: 0.5–7.4) and 5.9% (95% CI: 3.4–9.6) were estimated in the regions of Montréal, Lanaudière and Montérégie, respectively, which all included at least 83 samples. Having lived or worked on a small ruminant farm (prevalence odds ratio (POR) = 5.4; 95% CI: 1.6–17.7) and being a veterinarian or veterinary student (POR = 6.1; 95% CI: 1.6–24.0) were significantly associated with C. burnetii seropositivity. Antibodies against C. burnetii were detected in the human population of Québec. Although seropositivity to this agent was associated with occupational contact with domestic animals, antibodies were also detected in people with no reported professional exposure. No associations with ruminant farm proximity were identified.
All that attaches to atrial septum is not myxoma: deception is everywhere!
Authors: Arvind Balaji , Gupta Saurabh Kumar , Arava Sudheer
Published: June 2021

Preterm neonates – especially those with prolonged duration of intensive care stay – are prone to develop fungal endocarditis. Majority of these children have a stormy course, however, a few may be relatively asymptomatic. Occasionally these vegetations may be large and pedunculated, originating from the atrial septum, mimicking a cardiac myxoma on echocardiography.
Additional costs of lactose-reduced diets: lactose-free dairy product substitutes are a cost-effective alternative for people with lactose intolerance
Authors: Taeger Mareike , Thiele Silke
Published: June 2021

Objective:

People with lactose intolerance have to limit their consumption of lactose-containing dairy products which are a main source of Ca. In particular, for low-income people it is of interest which alternative diet form rich in Ca leads to the lowest additional costs. This study aims to calculate the additional costs of lactose-reduced diets and to show which of different options represent the most cost-effective alternative within a lactose-reduced diet.

Design:

Using linear programming, food baskets with different lactose contents were calculated and were compared to a basic model, reflecting a normal diet without a limitation of lactose. By comparing the costs and the composition of the food baskets, recommendations for a lactose-reduced diet were derived.

Setting:

Germany.

Participants:

A consumer panel dataset representative for Germany is used for the calculations. Information on prices and nutrients is derived from the 9429 adult households without children, and information on consumed food quantities from the 3046 single households.

Results:

The minimum additional food costs depend on the severity of lactose intolerance and range from 0·2 % to 6·1 % per month. It was found that the greatest adjustments due to lactose reduction could be observed within the dairy product group. In this group, with a rising lactose limit, normal milk was increasingly replaced by lactose-free milk.

Conclusion:

It was shown that a lactose-reduced diet is generally associated with higher food costs. When suffering from lactose intolerance, switching to lactose-free milk seems to be the most cost-effective way to cover nutrient requirements.
Nutritional marketing of plant-based meat-analogue products: an exploratory study of front-of-pack and website claims in the USA
Authors: Lacy-Nichols Jennifer , Hattersley Libby , Scrinis Gyorgy
Published: June 2021

Objective:

To explore how some of the largest food companies involved in producing alternative proteins (AP) use health and nutrition claims to market their products.

Design:

We identified the largest food manufacturers, meat processors and AP companies selling plant-based AP products in the USA. Using publicly available data, we analysed the voluntary health and nutrition claims made on front-of-pack labels (FOPL) and company webpages. We also analysed company websites for further nutrition and health-related statements about their products or AP more generally. Claim classification was guided by the INFORMAS (International Network for Food and Obesity/Non-Communicable Diseases Research, Monitoring, and Action Support) taxonomy for health-related food labelling.

Setting:

USA.

Participants:

Not applicable.

Results:

1394 health and nutrition-related FOPL claims were identified on 216 products, including 685 nutrition claims and 709 ‘other health-related’ claims. No FOPL health claims were identified. Most nutrient claims were for nutrients associated with meat, with 94 % of products carrying a protein claim and 30 % carrying a cholesterol claim. 74 % of products carried a GMO-free claim, and 63 % carried a plant-based claim. On their websites, some companies expanded on these claims or discussed the health benefits of specific ingredients.

Conclusions:

Companies involved in this category appear to be using nutritional marketing primarily to position their products in relation to meat. There is a focus on nutrient and ingredient claims, with discussion of processing largely avoided. The findings highlight the challenges companies face in positioning AP products as healthy against the backdrop of debates about ultra-processed foods.
PUBLIC OPINIONS ABOUT PAYING COLLEGE ATHLETES AND ATHLETES PROTESTING DURING THE NATIONAL ANTHEM
Authors: Allison Rachel , Knoester Chris , Ridpath B. David
Published: June 2021

Drawing on insights from Critical Race Theory and framing theory, as well as previous research, this study ties together and analyzes public opinions about two racialized and politicized sports-related issues: (1) the financial compensation of college athletes, and (2) athlete protests during the national anthem. Consequently, we highlight racial/ethnic identities, racial attitudes, and political identities as predictors of these public opinions. Data for our analyses come from a nationally representative sample of U.S. adults who were surveyed just prior to the 2016 presidential election. Descriptive results suggest that well over half of U.S. adults opposed having the NCAA pay college athletes; also, about two-thirds of adults viewed athlete protests during the national anthem as unacceptable. Regression results reveal that Black and Latinx adults were more supportive of paying college athletes and athlete protests during the national anthem than White adults. Other people of color were also more likely than White adults to support paying college athletes. Racial attitudes such as a lack of recognition of racial/ethnic inequalities in education and support for Black Lives Matter also shaped public opinions about these issues in expected ways. Finally, we find that political identities were linked to public opinions about these issues even after accounting for racial/ethnic identities and racial attitudes. Overall, this study documents public opinions about these prominent sports-related issues just prior to the 2016 election of a President who particularly racialized and politicized sports issues. Even then, these sports-related issues had been similarly filtered through both a White racial frame that encourages colorblind racism and a counter frame that promotes antiracist activism. Altogether, the present study offers further evidence of how sports provide cultural terrain for individuals to enact and negotiate racialized and politicized views of sports and society and illustrates how these processes were reflected in public opinions in 2016.
Leptin and adiponectin concentrations in infants with low birth weight: relationship with maternal health and postnatal growth
Authors: Santana-Meneses Juliana Fernandez , Suano-Souza Fabíola I. , Franco Maria do Carmo , Fonseca Fernando L. , Strufaldi Maria Wany L.
Published: June 2021

Health in pregnancy and infancy can affect the risk of chronic non-communicable diseases. We aimed to describe leptin and adiponectin concentrations in low birth weight (LBW) infants and identify possible associations with maternal nutritional status, adequacy for gestational age, nutritional recovery, and current dietary intake. A cross-sectional study with LBW infants (9–12 months) including maternal background and pre-pregnancy nutritional condition was performed. From the Infants: anthropometry at birth and current was expressed as z-score (weight: WAZ, length, head circumference), nutritional recovery, dietary intake, leptin, and adiponectin blood concentrations. The mean age of the 54 infants was 10.0 ± 1.5 months, 32 (59.3%) were female, 36 (66.7%) preterm, 23 (42.6%) small for gestational age (SGA), and 25 pregnancies (46.3%) were twin. Almost all (98%) of the infants intake energy and protein above the recommendation, and 47 (87.6%) consumed ultra-processed foods. At the time of the assessment, 8 (14.8%) were overweight and 4 (7.4%) had short stature. SGA infants showed faster weight recovery (WAZ 1.54; 95% CI 1.17, 1.91;p= 0.001), higher leptin’s concentration (3.0 ng/ml (1.7, 3.0) versus 1.6 ng/ml (0.9, 2.6);p= 0.032)), and leptin/adiponectin ratio (0.13 ± 0.08 versus 0.07 ± 0.07;p= 0.018). The pre-gestational BMI was a modifier of the effect of WAZ on leptin levels (p= 0.027) in LBW infants. Higher pre-gestational BMI increased the effect of WAZ variation (birth and current) on leptin levels. Concluding, LBW infants showed early changes in leptin and adiponectin concentrations, influenced by maternal (pre-gestational BMI), intrauterine (gestational age adequacy – SGA), and postnatal weight gain. This combination of factors may increase the risk of NCD for this group of children.
Impact of a Mixed Ocean Layer and the Diurnal Cycle on Convective Aggregation
Authors: Tompkins Adrian M. , Semie Addisu G.
Published: June 2021

We investigate how ocean feedbacks and the diurnal cycle impact convective aggregation using a slab ocean coupled to a cloud resolving model. With a 20 m mixed layer ocean, aggregation occurs after 25 days. Thinner ocean layers slow the onset of clustering, with a 1 m ocean layer needing around 43 days. The delay is due to anomalous solar radiation in clear sky regions, causing a relative surface warming balanced by a matching cooling in cloudy areas. The resulting gradient in surface heat fluxes opposes low level convergence into convecting regions. On aggregation, the convective regions are surrounded by moist, clear sky regions with the hottest SSTs, toward which convection migrates, while a cold SST patch forms under dry suppressed regions due to enhanced latent heat fluxes and longwave radiation. The next experiment allows a diurnal cycle of 2.5°C in the domain mean SST. This causes convective rainfall to shift from a weak morning maximum to a sharper evening peak, reminiscent of undisturbed tropical observations. However, convection reverts to a weak early morning maximum once aggregation starts due to spatially heterogeneous radiative forcing. This implies thin mixed ocean layers are a necessary but non‐sufficient condition for an afternoon maximum of convection; limited spatial water vapor variability is also necessary. The imposition of the mean diurnal cycle has no statistically significant impact on the mean timing of clustering onset.
Recording Fidelity of Relative Paleointensity Characteristics in the North Pacific Ocean
Authors: Gai Congcong , Liu Yanguang , Shi Xuefa , Sun Chunqing , Jiang Xiaodong , Liu Jianxing , Zhong Yi , Liu Qingsong
Published: June 2021

North Pacific Ocean sediments are important archives of geomagnetic field and paleoenvironmental evolutions, yet late Quaternary sedimentary sequences in the North Pacific Ocean are less explored because of generally low sedimentation rates and the challenge of dating sediments deposited below the calcite compensation depth. Core NP02 sediments from the North Pacific Ocean contain three visible tephra layers, which are identified as the To‐Of, Spfa‐1, and Kt‐3 tephra, respectively. An age model for core NP02 is established based on tephra correlation and one radiocarbon date, which gives a mean sedimentation rate of ∼11.6 cm/kyr. Magnetic analyses suggest the dominance of two remanence carriers; detrital vortex state and biogenic single domain magnetite. Variable depth offsets between the relative paleointensity (RPI) signals carried by the two remanence carriers adds a negligible age error (<0.5 kyr) to the core NP02 RPI record. Pronounced RPI amplitude variations are observed, and the Rockall and Laschamp excursions are identified in the core NP02 RPI record based on the age model. The fidelity of the core NP02 RPI record is further verified by comparison with other RPI stacks and records, and we demonstrate that the RPI variations can assist in chronology refinement.
Methane-dependent selenate reduction by a bacterial consortium
Authors: Shi Ling-Dong , Lv Pan-Long , McIlroy Simon J , Wang Zhen , Dong Xiao-Li , Kouris Angela , Lai Chun-Yu , Tyson Gene W , Strous Marc , Zhao He-Ping
Published: June 2021

Methanotrophic microorganisms play a critical role in controlling the flux of methane from natural sediments into the atmosphere. Methanotrophs have been shown to couple the oxidation of methane to the reduction of diverse electron acceptors (e.g., oxygen, sulfate, nitrate, and metal oxides), either independently or in consortia with other microbial partners. Although several studies have reported the phenomenon of methane oxidation linked to selenate reduction, neither the microorganisms involved nor the underlying trophic interaction has been clearly identified. Here, we provide the first detailed evidence for interspecies electron transfer between bacterial populations in a bioreactor community where the reduction of selenate is linked to methane oxidation. Metagenomic and metaproteomic analyses of the community revealed a novel species of Methylocystis as the most abundant methanotroph, which actively expressed proteins for oxygen-dependent methane oxidation and fermentation pathways, but lacked the genetic potential for selenate reduction. Pseudoxanthomonas, Piscinibacter, and Rhodocyclaceae populations appeared to be responsible for the observed selenate reduction using proteins initially annotated as periplasmic nitrate reductases, with fermentation by-products released by the methanotrophs as electron donors. The ability for the annotated nitrate reductases to reduce selenate was confirmed by gene knockout studies in an isolate of Pseudoxanthomonas. Overall, this study provides novel insights into the metabolic flexibility of the aerobic methanotrophs that likely allows them to thrive across natural oxygen gradients, and highlights the potential role for similar microbial consortia in linking methane and other biogeochemical cycles in environments where oxygen is limited.
The long non-coding RNA βFaar regulates islet β-cell function and survival during obesity in mice
Authors: Zhang Fangfang , Yang Yue , Chen Xi , Liu Yue , Hu Qianxing , Huang Bin , Liu Yuhong , Pan Yi , Zhang Yanfeng , Liu Dechen , Liang Rui , Li Guoqing , Wei Qiong , Li Ling , Jin Liang
Published: June 2021

Despite obesity being a predisposing factor for pancreatic β-cell dysfunction and loss, the mechanisms underlying its negative effect on insulin-secreting cells remain poorly understood. In this study, we identify an islet-enriched long non-coding RNA (lncRNA), which we name β-cell function and apoptosis regulator (βFaar). βFaar is dramatically downregulated in the islets of the obese mice, and a low level of βFaar is necessary for the development of obesity-associated β-cell dysfunction and apoptosis. Mechanistically, βFaar promote the synthesis and secretion of insulin by upregulating islet-specific genes Ins2, NeuroD1, and Creb1 through sponging miR-138-5p. In addition, using quantitative mass spectrometry, we identify TRAF3IP2 and SMURF1 as interacting proteins that are specifically associated with βFaar. We demonstrate that SMURF1 ubiquitin ligase activity is essential for TRAF3IP2 ubiquitination and activation of NF-κB-mediate β-cell apoptosis. Our experiments provide direct evidence that dysregulated βFaar contributes to the development of obesity-induced β-cell injury and apoptosis.
Potent inhibitors of toxic alpha-synuclein identified via cellular time-resolved FRET biosensors
Authors: Braun Anthony R. , Liao Elly E. , Horvath Mian , Kalra Prakriti , Acosta Karen , Young Malaney C. , Kochen Noah Nathan , Lo Chih Hung , Brown Roland , Evans Michael D. , Pomerantz William C. K. , Rhoades Elizabeth , Luk Kelvin , Cornea Razvan L. , Thomas David D. , Sachs Jonathan N.
Published: June 2021

We have developed a high-throughput drug discovery platform, measuring fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) with fluorescent alpha-synuclein (αSN) biosensors, to detect spontaneous pre-fibrillar oligomers in living cells. Our two αSN FRET biosensors provide complementary insight into αSN oligomerization and conformation in order to improve the success of drug discovery campaigns for the treatment of Parkinson’s disease. We measure FRET by fluorescence lifetime, rather than traditional fluorescence intensity, providing a structural readout with greater resolution and precision. This facilitates identification of compounds that cause subtle but significant conformational changes in the ensemble of oligomeric states that are easily missed using intensity-based FRET. We screened a 1280-compound small-molecule library and identified 21 compounds that changed the lifetime by >5 SD. Two of these compounds have nanomolar potency in protecting SH-SY5Y cells from αSN-induced death, providing a nearly tenfold improvement over known inhibitors. We tested the efficacy of several compounds in a primary mouse neuron assay of αSN pathology (phosphorylation of mouse αSN pre-formed fibrils) and show rescue of pathology for two of them. These hits were further characterized with biophysical and biochemical assays to explore potential mechanisms of action. In vitro αSN oligomerization, single-molecule FRET, and protein-observed fluorine NMR experiments demonstrate that these compounds modulate αSN oligomers but not monomers. Subsequent aggregation assays further show that these compounds also deter or block αSN fibril assembly.
Overexpression of differentially expressed AhCytb6 gene during plant-microbe interaction improves tolerance to N2 deficit and salt stress in transgenic tobacco
Authors: Alexander Ankita , Singh Vijay K. , Mishra Avinash
Published: June 2021

Stenotrophomonas maltophilia has plant growth-promoting potential, and interaction with Arachis hypogaea changes host-plant physiology, biochemistry, and metabolomics, which provides tolerance under the N2 starvation conditions. About 226 suppression subtractive hybridization clones were obtained from plant-microbe interaction, of which, about 62% of gene sequences were uncharacterized, whereas 23% of sequences were involved in photosynthesis. An uncharacterized SSH clone, SM409 (full-length sequence showed resemblance with Cytb6), showed about 4-fold upregulation during the interaction was transformed to tobacco for functional validation. Overexpression of the AhCytb6 gene enhanced the seed germination efficiency and plant growth under N2 deficit and salt stress conditions compared to wild-type and vector control plants. Results confirmed that transgenic lines maintained high photosynthesis and protected plants from reactive oxygen species buildup during stress conditions. Microarray-based whole-transcript expression of host plants showed that out of 272,410 genes, 8704 and 24,409 genes were significantly (p < 0.05) differentially expressed (> 2 up or down-regulated) under N2 starvation and salt stress conditions, respectively. The differentially expressed genes belonged to different regulatory pathways. Overall, results suggested that overexpression of AhCytb6 regulates the expression of various genes to enhance plant growth under N2 deficit and abiotic stress conditions by modulating plant physiology.
Influence of competition and intraguild predation between two candidate biocontrol parasitoids on their potential impact against Harrisia cactus mealybug, Hypogeococcus sp. (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae)
Authors: Aguirre María B. , Bruzzone Octavio A. , Triapitsyn Serguei V. , Diaz-Soltero Hilda , Hight Stephen D. , Logarzo Guillermo A.
Published: June 2021

When two or more parasitoid species, particularly candidates for biocontrol, share the same target in the same temporal window, a complex of behaviors can occur among them. We studied the type of interactions (competition and intraguild predation) that existed between the nymphal parasitoids Anagyrus cachamai and A. lapachosus (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae), two candidate neoclassical biocontrol agents against the Puerto Rican cactus pest mealybug, Hypogeococcus sp. (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae). The surrogate native congener host in Argentina, the cactus mealybug Hypogeococcus sp., was studied to predict which species should be released; in the case that both should be released, in which order, and their potential impact on host suppression. In the laboratory we conducted experiments where different densities of the host mealybug were exposed to naive females of A. cachamai and A. lapachosus sequentially in both directions. Experiments were analyzed by combining a series of competitive behavioral and functional response models. A fully Bayesian approach was used to select the best explaining models and calculate their parameters. Intraguild predation existed between A. cachamai, the species that had the greatest ability to exploit the resource, and A. lapachosus, the strongest species in the interference competition. The role that intraguild predation played in suppression of Hypogeococcus sp. indicated that a multiple release strategy for the two biocontrol agents would produce better control than a single release; as for the release order, A. lapachosus should be released first.
A control framework to optimize public health policies in the course of the COVID-19 pandemic
Authors: Pataro Igor M. L. , Oliveira Juliane F. , Morato Marcelo M. , Amad Alan A. S. , Ramos Pablo I. P. , Pereira Felipe A. C. , Silva Mateus S. , Jorge Daniel C. P. , Andrade Roberto F. S. , Barreto Mauricio L. , Costa Marcus Americano da
Published: June 2021

The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic triggered substantial economic and social disruptions. Mitigation policies varied across countries based on resources, political conditions, and human behavior. In the absence of widespread vaccination able to induce herd immunity, strategies to coexist with the virus while minimizing risks of surges are paramount, which should work in parallel with reopening societies. To support these strategies, we present a predictive control system coupled with a nonlinear model able to optimize the level of policies to stop epidemic growth. We applied this system to study the unfolding of COVID-19 in Bahia, Brazil, also assessing the effects of varying population compliance. We show the importance of finely tuning the levels of enforced measures to achieve SARS-CoV-2 containment, with periodic interventions emerging as an optimal control strategy in the long-term.
The use of N-acetylcysteine in the prevention of hangover: a randomized trial
Authors: Coppersmith Veronica , Hudgins Sarah , Stoltzfus Jill , Stankewicz Holly
Published: June 2021

Hangovers resulting from alcohol intoxication can lead to adverse effects ranging from generalized discomfort and work-related absenteeism to emergency department visits from patients seeking symptomatic care. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of a low dose (600–1800 mg) of N-Acetylcysteine (NAC) vs placebo on mitigating hangover symptoms. This was a randomized, double-blinded, placebo controlled crossover study involving 49 volunteers who consumed beer to obtain a breath alcohol content (BrAC) of 0.1 g/210L. The participants met on two separate occasions at which time they were given either NAC or placebo capsules. Opposing treatments were administered during the second encounter. The morning after the participant’s intoxication and treatment, a Hangover Symptom Scale Questionnaire was administered to determine subjective changes in hangover symptoms. Data was analyzed by self-control, comparing the participant’s hangover symptom severity when using NAC compared to placebo. No significant difference was found in the general distribution of total hangover scores (P = .45) (NAC = 10; Placebo = 13). There was also no significant difference found in the general distribution of specific hangover symptoms. However, a significant difference was found in the general distribution of total hangover difference scores based on gender (P = .04) (Female − 3.5; Male 2), specifically for nausea (P = .05) and weakness (P = .03). Although no difference was found in the general hangover scale scores, the study was suggestive of gender specific susceptibility with female participants having improved hangover symptoms after NAC use.
Soluble cluster of differentiation 14 levels elevated in bile from gallbladder cancer cases from Shanghai, China
Authors: Brun Victoria L. , Corbel Amanda F. , Hsing Ann W. , Kemp Troy J. , Van Dyke Alison L. , Hildesheim Allan , Zhu Bin , Gao Yu-Tang , Pinto Ligia A. , Koshiol Jill
Published: June 2021

Elevated systemic levels of soluble cluster of differentiation 14 (sCD14) have been associated with gallbladder cancer (GBC), but the association with sCD14 levels within the gallbladder has not been investigated. Here, we evaluated sCD14 in the bile of 41 GBC cases and 117 gallstone controls with data on 65 bile inflammation markers. We examined the relationship between bile sCD14 levels and GBC using logistic regression and stratified the analysis by stage. We included GBC-associated inflammatory biomarkers in the model to evaluate the influence of local inflammation. Bile sCD14 levels (third versus first tertile) were associated with GBC (adjusted odds ratio [OR]: 3.0, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.2–8.0). The association was equally strong for stage I/II (OR: 3.3, 95% CI: 0.9–15.6) and stage III/IV (OR: 3.2, 95% CI: 1.0–12.4) cancers. Including the GBC-associated inflammatory markers in the model removed the association between bile sCD14 and GBC (OR: 1.0, 95% CI: 0.3–3.5). The findings suggest that immune activation within the gallbladder may be related to GBC development, and the effect of sCD14 is influenced by inflammation. Similar associations across tumor stages suggest that elevated bile sCD14 levels may reflect changes early in GBC pathogenesis. Associations between GBC and sCD14 levels in both bile and plasma suggest sCD14 could be a potential biomarker for GBC.