bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Dysglycaemia and South Asian ethnicity: a proteomic discovery and confirmation analysis highlights differences in ZAG
Authors: Pearsey Harriet M. , Henson Joseph , Sargeant Jack A. , Webb David , Gill Jason M. R. , Celis-Morales Carlos , Suzuki Toru , Waller Helen , Khunti Kamlesh , Ng Leong L. , Bowden-Davies Kelly A. , Cuthbertson Daniel J. , Jackson Andrew , Davies Melanie J. , Yates Thomas
Published: October 2020

Aims

To (1) explore and verify differences in the plasma proteome of white European (WE) and South Asian (SA) adults with normal glycaemic control (NGC) or non-diabetic hyperglycaemia (NDH) and to (2) validate these findings using a separate WE and SA cohort at a high risk of NDH.

Methods

Mass spectrometry analysis was performed on fasted samples from 72 WE or SA men with NGC or NDH. These results were verified using specific biochemical assays and validated by repeating the analysis in an additional cohort of 30 WE and 30 SA adults. Proteomic results were analysed using independent samples t test and univariate analysis. The targeted assay results were analysed using generalised linear models with adjustment for appropriate covariates including age, BMI, fasting plasma glucose, high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol, triglycerides and sex.

Results

Only zinc-alpha-2-glycoprotein (ZAG) significantly differed between both ethnicities and glycaemic control groups. ZAG-specific biochemical assays verified the lower circulating ZAG in SAs (41.09 versus 37.07 (mg L−1); p = 0.014), but not the difference between NGC and NDH groups (p = 0.539). Validation of the ethnicity difference in a separate cohort confirmed that, after adjustment for covariates, ZAG was lower in SAs (p = 0.018). There was no association between ZAG and glycaemic control in the validation cohort.

Conclusions

Our analyses identified that ZAG is lower in SAs compared to WEs, but its difference between glycaemic control statuses was uncertain. Further research is needed to establish whether lower ZAG in SAs is associated with, or prognostic of, health outcomes, particularly regarding the risk of dysglycaemia.
Quantifying gender norm resistance
Authors: Nielson Matthew G. , Martin Carol Lynn , Rogers Leoandra Onnie , Miller Cindy Faith , England Dawn
Published: October 2020

Introduction

Qualitative and mixed‐methods researchers have described the experience of gender norm resistance in adolescence and identified potential types of resistance including indirect resistance (motivated by a preference for gender‐atypicality) and direct resistance (motivated by dislike of gender norms and a desire to change them). Building on this work, we developed the Gender Norm Resistance measure to operationalize indirect and direct gender norm resistance. We explored how gender norm resistance aligns with and differs from other gender self‐concepts (e.g., felt pressure to conform to gender norms) and peer relations (e.g., contact with peers) and tested for gender differences.

Methods

Participants included 484 early adolescents (girls = 234; Mage = 11.44 years, SD = 0.56). Analyses included factor analyses (EFA, CFA) and bivariate correlations to gather validity evidence, and ANOVAs to determine mean level differences.

Results

Evidence that validated using the proposed measure as intended was found including confirmation of the two types of gender norm resistance (indirect and direct). Mean differences were found across participant gender as well as across types of gender norm resistance.

Conclusions

The findings highlight the strengths and weaknesses of the Gender Norm Resistance measure, the different ways adolescents experience indirect and direct gender norm resistance, and the limited role of felt pressure in gender norm resistance.
Playful Virtual Violence
Authors: Bareither Christoph
Published: October 2020

Violence in video games has been a controversial object of public discourse for several decades. The question of what kind of emotional experiences players enact when playing with representations of physical violence in games has been largely ignored however. Building upon an extensive ethnographic study of players' emotional practices in video games, including participant observation in online games, qualitative interviews, an analysis of YouTube videos and gaming magazines since the 1980s, this Element provides new insights into the complexity and diversity of player experiences and the pleasures of playful virtual violence. Instead of either defending or condemning the players, it contributes foundational, unprejudiced knowledge for a societal and academic debate on a critical aspect of video gaming. This title is also available as Open Access on Cambridge Core.
Multinational Corporations and the Politics of International Trade in Multidisciplinary Perspective
Authors: Ballor Grace A. , Yildirim Aydin B.
Published: October 2020

From the technical analyses of wide ranges of scholars to the public discourse backlashes against globalization, there is a huge volume of work historicizing, quantifying, and problematizing the complex role of multinational corporations (MNCs) in international trade. The body of literature is so large that most readers rely on disciplinary boundaries to narrow the catalog, causing them to miss out on important synergies across fields. By bringing the work of historians, lawyers, and political scientists working on MNCs and international trade into conversation, we offer an expanded perspective. Our collective contribution highlights the political dimensions of MNCs within the frameworks of global economic governance, in which corporations seek to influence trade policies amid rising protectionism and coordinate their activities within industry associations while regulators struggle to hold MNC parent companies accountable to international human rights violations across their value chains. Especially in this moment of re-evaluation — and possible de-globalization following the shock of COVID-19 — our multidisciplinary analysis explains how MNCs exerted political power over trade regimes in the past, by what means they seek to shape regulatory frameworks in the present, and what the possible futures might be for big business operations in a more or less global economy.
Epistemic Dependence and Oppression: A Telling Relationship
Authors: Sertler Ezgi
Published: October 2020

Epistemic dependence refers to our social mechanisms of reliance in practices of knowledge production. Epistemic oppression concerns persistent and unwarranted exclusions from those practices. This article examines the relationship between these two frameworks and demonstrates that attending to their relationship is a fruitful practice for applied epistemology. Paying attention to relations of epistemic dependence and how exclusive they are can help us track epistemically oppressive practices. In order to show this, I introduce a taxonomy of epistemic dependence (interpersonal – communal – structural). I argue that this particular taxonomy is useful for tracking epistemically oppressive practices in institutional contexts. This is because, first, the forms of epistemic dependence in this taxonomy yield, what I call,diagnostic questions.These are questions that help us track how relations of epistemic dependence could become exclusive and that thus help reveal epistemic oppression in institutional contexts. Second, the forms of epistemic dependence in the taxonomy are interrelated. Paying attention not just to each of three forms of epistemic dependence but also to the way in which they are interrelated is useful for illuminating epistemically oppressive practices. I conclude by demonstrating how the diagnostic questions can be used in analyses of concrete institutional practices in asylum law and higher education.
Impact of California’s mandate for antimicrobial stewardship programs on rates of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and Clostridioides difficile infection in acute-care hospitals
Authors: Garcia Reeves Alessandra B. , Stearns Sally C. , Trogdon Justin G. , Lewis James W. , Weber David J. , Weinberger Morris
Published: October 2020

Objective:

To estimate the impact of California’s antimicrobial stewardship program (ASP) mandate on methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) rates in acute-care hospitals.

Population:

Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS)–certified acute-care hospitals in the United States.

Data Sources:

2013–2017 data from the CMS Hospital Compare, Provider of Service File and Medicare Cost Reports.

Methods:

Difference-in-difference model with hospital fixed effects to compare California with all other states before and after the ASP mandate. We considered were standardized infection ratios (SIRs) for MRSA and CDI as the outcomes. We analyzed the following time-variant covariates: medical school affiliation, bed count, quality accreditation, number of changes in ownership, compliance with CMS requirements, % intensive care unit beds, average length of stay, patient safety index, and 30-day readmission rate.

Results:

In 2013, California hospitals had an average MRSA SIR of 0.79 versus 0.94 in other states, and an average CDI SIR of 1.01 versus 0.77 in other states. California hospitals had increases (P < .05) of 23%, 30%, and 20% in their MRSA SIRs in 2015, 2016, and 2017, respectively. California hospitals were associated with a 20% (P < .001) decrease in the CDI SIR only in 2017.

Conclusions:

The mandate was associated with a decrease in CDI SIR and an increase in MRSA SIR.
Carbon stocks and the use of shade trees in different coffee growing systems in the Peruvian Amazon
Authors: Solis R. , Vallejos-Torres G. , Arévalo L. , Marín-Díaz J. , Ñique-Alvarez M. , Engedal T. , Bruun T.B.
Published: October 2020

Agroforestry systems can play an important role in mitigating the effects of climate change given their capacity to increase tree diversity and to store more carbon than conventional farming. This study aims at assessing carbon stocks and the use of shade trees in different coffee growing systems in the Northeast Peruvian Amazon. Carbon stocks in trees were estimated by field-based measurements and allometric equations. Carbon stocks in dead wood, litter and soil (upper 60 cm) were determined using field sampling and laboratory analysis. The diversity analysis drew on the Shannon–Weiner diversity index, and focus groups were used to obtain information about the local use of shade trees. The total carbon stock in the polyculture-shaded coffee system was 189 t C/ha, while the Inga-shaded and unshaded systems totalled 146 and 113 t C/ha, respectively. The soil compartment contributed the largest carbon stock in the coffee growing systems and contained 67, 82 and 96% of the total carbon stock in the polyculture-shaded, Inga-shaded and unshaded coffee systems, respectively. The Shannon–Weiner index and tree species richness values were highest for the polyculture-shaded coffee system, with a total of 18 tree species identified as important sources of fodder, food, wood, firewood and medicine. Therefore, coffee agroforestry systems play a significant role in carbon storage, while promoting conservation of useful trees in agricultural landscapes in the Peruvian Amazon.
A rise in facial nerve palsies during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic
Authors: Zammit M , Markey A , Webb C
Published: October 2020

Objective

An increase in spontaneous lower motor neuron facial nerve (VIIth cranial nerve) palsies was seen during the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 outbreak in our emergency clinic. This led us to perform a single-centre cohort review.

Methods

A retrospective review was conducted of VIIth cranial nerve palsies from January to June 2020 and the findings were compared to those cases reviewed in the previous year. The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 incidence of the cohort was compared with that of the Liverpool population.

Results

Our VIIth cranial nerve palsy incidence in the 2020 period was 3.5 per cent (30 out of 852), 2.7 higher than last year's rate of 1.3 per cent (14 out of 1081), which was a statistically significant difference (p < 0.01). Two of the 17 patients in our cohort tested positive for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (11.8 per cent), contrasting with Liverpool's severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 incidence (0.5 per cent).

Conclusion

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 may be responsible for an increased number of facial nerve palsies; it is important for clinicians to be aware that this may being an initial presentation of the disease.
UN Peacekeeping and Peacebuilding: Progress and Paradox in Local Ownership
Authors: Campbell Susanna P.
Published: October 2020

UN peace operations have increasingly focused on the importance of “local ownership.” The logic is simple. For peace operations to succeed in helping war-torn states to create accountable, democratic institutions grounded in the rule of law, peace operations need to internalize democratic principles by making UN missions accountable to different domestic constituencies—crossing ethnic, religious, racial, social, and gender lines—within the war-torn country. As part of a special issue on “The United Nations at Seventy-Five: Looking Back to Look Forward,” this essay argues that while there is widespread consensus among UN member states and UN bureaucrats that local ownership is necessary, UN peace operations have faced significant obstacles to creating true local ownership. These obstacles include the UN's focus on host-government ownership; the challenge of creating trust with different domestic constituencies that represent diverse perspectives; the supply-driven nature of UN intervention; and the mismatch between the UN's ideal post-conflict state and the preferences of post-conflict societies. To make UN peace operations more responsive to post-conflict societies, UN staff often have to bend or break rules established only to hold them accountable to their member states.
Introduction: Looking Back to Look Forward
Authors: Karns Margaret P.
Published: October 2020

The seventy-fifth anniversary of the founding of the United Nations in 1945 invites us to look back at the achievement of creating this new organization even before the guns had fallen silent in World War II. It also prompts us to ask: Where is the organization today? How well has it fulfilled and is it still fulfilling the high ideals of its Charter? Even more importantly, how confident can we be that what has grown into the complex UN system will not just survive but also provide its member states and the peoples of the world with the organizational structures, resources, and tools needed to address twenty-first century challenges?
Application of a Premelting Model to the Lithosphere‐Asthenosphere Boundary
Authors: Yamauchi Hatsuki , Takei Yasuko
Published: October 2020

A seismic discontinuity known as the G‐discontinuity, which has been prevailingly detected in the oceanic mantle, is considered to provide evidence of a sharp lithosphere‐asthenosphere boundary (LAB). We investigate whether this sharp LAB is explained by grain boundary premelting, which causes a solid‐state weakening of rock from just below the solidus temperature. We use an experimentally derived mechanical model describing the effect of premelting and calculate vertical profiles of and for various sets of oceanic geotherm and solidus values. Based on the realistic volatile distribution and solidus profile obtained from a model of fractional decompression melting, we show that even when the oceanic upper mantle is melt free, geotherm sufficiently approaches the solidus at various plate ages, resulting in a steep reduction in due to the anelastic effect of premelting. A small amount of volatile adsorbed to grain boundary plays an important role in this result. The predicted seismic discontinuity sharpness (mostly 15 km) is consistent with seismological observations (≤15 km), predicted discontinuity depth (along 1300°C isotherm) is deeper than observations (along 1100°C isotherm), and predicted velocity reduction amplitude (1%–2%) is considerably smaller than observations (≥5%). Because the predicted velocity reduction amplitude is subject to uncertainty resulted from the limited experimental data, further study is needed for the mechanical effect of premelting. We further discuss a discrepancy of seismological results from receiver function and SS precursor studies and from surface wave studies, making it difficult to explain both data consistently.
Photonuclear Reactions in Lightning: 2. Comparison Between Observation and Simulation Model
Authors: Wada Y. , Enoto T. , Nakazawa K. , Yuasa T. , Furuta Y. , Odaka H. , Makishima K. , Tsuchiya H.
Published: October 2020

During a winter thunderstorm on 6 February 2017 in Japan, photonuclear reactions such as 14N(γ, n)13N were triggered by a downward terrestrial gamma‐ray flash (TGF), as reported by Enoto et al. (2017, https://doi.org/10.1038/nature24630). In the present paper, we compare the observation with a simulation model of downward TGFs and subsequent photonuclear reactions constructed by the first paper of the series and Wada, Enoto, Nakazawa, et al. (2019, https://doi.org/10.1103/physrevlett.123.061103). The observation and model consist of three components: annihilation gamma rays from positrons produced by β+‐decay nuclei, deexcitation gamma rays originating from neutron captures, and radiation doses by TGF photons. Each component of the observation is reproduced by the simulation model, and we constrain a relation between the number of avalanche electrons and their production altitude of the downward TGF. The constraints by three components match within an order of magnitude. The downward TGF is estimated to comprise (0.5–2.5) × 1019 avalanche electrons above 1 MeV produced at an altitude of 1.4–2.7 km. Despite differences in altitude, direction, and season, downward TGFs in winter thunderstorms are thought to have the same mechanism of electron acceleration and multiplication in lightning as TGFs observed by in‐orbit satellites.
Properties of Water Ice and Dust Particles in the Atmosphere of Mars During the 2018 Global Dust Storm as Inferred From the Atmospheric Chemistry Suite
Authors: Luginin M. , Fedorova A. , Ignatiev N. , Trokhimovskiy A. , Shakun A. , Grigoriev A. , Patrakeev A. , Montmessin F. , Korablev O.
Published: October 2020

The properties of Martian aerosols are an integral part of the planetary climatology. Global dust storms (GDS) significantly alter spatial and vertical distributions of dust and water ice aerosols and their microphysical properties. We explored the 2018/Martian year 34 GDS with the Atmospheric Chemistry Suite instrument onboard the ESA‐Roscosmos Trace Gas Orbiter mission. Solar occultation observations of thermal infrared and near infrared channels in the 0.7–6 μm spectral range with >103 signal‐to‐noise ratio are used to constrain the vertical dependence and the temporal evolution of the particle properties of water ice and dust (effective radius, effective variance, number density, and mass loading) before the 2018 GDS and during its onset and decay phases. In most of the observations, the particle size of dust and water ice decreases with altitude. The effective radius of dust and water ice particles ranges in 0.1−3.5 μm and 0.1–5.5 μm, respectively. The largest aerosol particles (> 2.5 μm for dust and > 3.5 μm for water ice) are present below 10 km before the onset and during the GDS decay phase. During the peak of the GDS, dust reached altitudes of 85 km; the most frequently observed effective radius is 1–2 μm with 0.1–1 cm−3 number density and 0.1 effective variance. Detached layers of water ice composed of 0.1–1 μm particles are systematically observed at 50–100 km during this period. Below, at 0–50 km, we see the dust mixed with the main water ice layer comprising 1–4 μm particles.
Function Space Optimization: A Symbolic Regression Method for Estimating Parameter Transfer Functions for Hydrological Models
Authors: Feigl M. , Herrnegger M. , Klotz D. , Schulz K.
Published: October 2020

Estimating parameters for distributed hydrological models is a challenging and long studied task. Parameter transfer functions, which define model parameters as functions of geophysical properties of a catchment, might improve the calibration procedure, increase process realism, and can enable prediction in ungauged areas. We present the function space optimization (FSO), a symbolic regression method for estimating parameter transfer functions for distributed hydrological models. FSO is based on the idea of transferring the search for mathematical expressions into a continuous vector space that can be used for optimization. This is accomplished by using a text generating neural network with a variational autoencoder architecture that can learn to compress the information of mathematical functions. To evaluate the performance of FSO, we conducted a case study using a parsimonious hydrological model and synthetic discharge data. The case study consisted of two FSO applications: single‐criteria FSO, where only discharge was used for optimization, and multicriteria FSO, where additional spatiotemporal observations of model states were used for transfer function estimation. The results show that FSO is able to estimate transfer functions correctly or approximate them sufficiently. We observed a reduced fit of the parameter density functions resulting from the inferred transfer functions for less sensitive model parameters. For those it was sufficient to estimate functions resulting in parameter distributions with approximately the same mean parameter values as the real transfer functions. The results of the multicriteria FSO showed that using multiple spatiotemporal observations for optimization increased the quality of estimation considerably.
Color-related chlorophyll and carotenoid concentrations of Chinese kale can be altered through CRISPR/Cas9 targeted editing of the carotenoid isomerase gene BoaCRTISO
Authors: Sun Bo , Jiang Min , Zheng Hao , Jian Yue , Huang Wen-Li , Yuan Qiao , Zheng Ai-Hong , Chen Qing , Zhang Yun-Ting , Lin Yuan-Xiu , Wang Yan , Wang Xiao-Rong , Wang Qiao-Mei , Zhang Fen , Tang Hao-Ru
Published: October 2020

The carotenoid isomerase gene (BoaCRTISO) of Chinese kale was targeted and edited using the CRISPR/Cas9 system in the present study. The results showed a high mutation rate (81.25%), and 13 crtiso mutants were obtained. Only two types of mutations, insertions and replacements, were found. Both the total and individual carotenoid and chlorophyll concentrations of the biallelic and homozygous mutants were reduced, and the total levels declined by 11.89–36.33%. The color of the biallelic and homozygous mutants changed from green to yellow, likely reflecting a reduction in the color-masking effect of chlorophyll on carotenoids. The expression levels of most carotenoid and chlorophyll biosynthesis-related genes, including CRTISO, were notably lower in the mutants than in the WT plants. In addition, the functional differences between members of this gene family were discussed. In summary, these findings indicate that CRISPR/Cas9 is a promising technique for the quality improvement of Chinese kale and other Brassica vegetables.
Enrichment of beneficial cucumber rhizosphere microbes mediated by organic acid secretion
Authors: Wen Tao , Yuan Jun , He Xiaoming , Lin Yue , Huang Qiwei , Shen Qirong
Published: October 2020

Resistant cultivars have played important roles in controlling Fusarium wilt disease, but the roles of rhizosphere interactions among different levels of resistant cultivars are still unknown. Here, two phenotypes of cucumber, one resistant and one with increased susceptibility toFusarium oxysporumf.sp.cucumerinum(Foc), were grown in the soil and hydroponically, and then 16S rRNA gene sequencing and nontargeted metabolomics techniques were used to investigate rhizosphere microflora and root exudate profiles. Relatively high microbial community evenness for the Foc-susceptible cultivar was detected, and the relative abundances ofComamonadaceaeandXanthomonadaceaewere higher for the Foc-susceptible cultivar than for the other cultivar. FishTaco analysis revealed that specific functional traits, such as protein synthesis and secretion, bacterial chemotaxis, and small organic acid metabolism pathways, were significantly upregulated in the rhizobacterial community of the Foc-susceptible cultivar. A machine-learning approach in conjunction with FishTaco plus metabolic pathway analysis revealed that four organic acids (citric acid, pyruvate acid, succinic acid, and fumarate) were released at higher abundance by the Foc-susceptible cultivar compared with the resistant cultivar, which may be responsible for the recruitment ofComamonadaceae, a potential beneficial microbial group. Further validation demonstrated thatComamonadaceaecan be “cultured” by these organic acids. Together, compared with the resistant cultivar, the susceptible cucumber tends to assemble beneficial microbes by secreting more organic acids.
AUREA maintains the balance between chlorophyll synthesis and adventitious root formation in tomato
Authors: Wu Junqing , Cheng Jie , Xu Chunmiao , Qi Shilian , Sun Wenru , Wu Shuang
Published: October 2020

Flooding tolerance is an important trait for tomato breeding. In this study, we obtained a recessive mutant exhibiting highly enhanced submergence resistance. Phenotypical analyses showed that this resistant to flooding (rf) mutant displays slightly chlorotic leaves and spontaneous initiation of adventitious roots (ARs) on stems. The mutation was mapped to the phytochromobilin synthase gene AUREA (AU), in which a single amino acid substitution from asparagine to tyrosine occurred. In addition to the classic function of AU in phytochrome and chlorophyll biogenesis in leaves, we uncovered its novel role in mediating AR formation on stems. We further observed temporal coincidence of the two phenotypes in the rf mutant: chlorosis and spontaneous AR formation and revealed that AU functions by maintaining heme homeostasis. Interestingly, our grafting results suggest that heme might play roles in AR initiation via long-distance transport from leaves to stems. Our results present genetic evidence for the involvement of the AU–heme oxygenase-1–heme pathway in AR initiation in tomato. As fruit production and yield in the rf mutant are minimally impacted, the mutation identified in this study may provide a target for biotechnological renovation of tomato germplasm in future breeding.
Abnormal visual representations associated with confusion of perceived facial expression in schizophrenia with social anxiety disorder
Authors: Faghel-Soubeyrand Simon , Lecomte Tania , Bravo M. Archibaldo , Lepage Martin , Potvin Stéphane , Abdel-Baki Amal , Villeneuve Marie , Gosselin Frédéric
Published: October 2020

Deficits in social functioning are especially severe amongst schizophrenia individuals with the prevalent comorbidity of social anxiety disorder (SZ&SAD). Yet, the mechanisms underlying the recognition of facial expression of emotions—a hallmark of social cognition—are practically unexplored in SZ&SAD. Here, we aim to reveal the visual representations SZ&SAD (n = 16) and controls (n = 14) rely on for facial expression recognition. We ran a total of 30,000 trials of a facial expression categorization task with Bubbles, a data-driven technique. Results showed that SZ&SAD’s ability to categorize facial expression was impared compared to controls. More severe negative symptoms (flat affect, apathy, reduced social drive) was associated with more impaired emotion recognition ability, and with more biases in attributing neutral affect to faces. Higher social anxiety symptoms, on the other hand, was found to enhance the reaction speed to neutral and angry faces. Most importantly, Bubbles showed that these abnormalities could be explained by inefficient visual representations of emotions: compared to controls, SZ&SAD subjects relied less on fine facial cues (high spatial frequencies) and more on coarse facial cues (low spatial frequencies). SZ&SAD participants also never relied on the eye regions (only on the mouth) to categorize facial expressions. We discuss how possible interactions between early (low sensitivity to coarse information) and late stages of the visual system (overreliance on these coarse features) might disrupt SZ&SAD’s recognition of facial expressions. Our findings offer perceptual mechanisms through which comorbid SZ&SAD impairs crucial aspects of social cognition, as well as functional psychopathology.
#Healthy: smart digital food safety and nutrition communication strategies—a critical commentary
Authors: Schiro Julie L. , Shan Liran Christine , Tatlow-Golden Mimi , Li Chenguang , Wall Patrick
Published: October 2020

This paper explores how food safety and nutrition organisations can harness the power of search engines, games, apps, social media, and digital analytics tools to craft broad-reaching and engaging digital communications. We start with search engines, showing how organisations can identify popular food safety and nutrition queries, facilitating the creation of timely and in-demand content. To ensure this content is discoverable by search engines, we cover several non-technical aspects of search engine optimisation (SEO). We next explore the potential of games, apps, social media, and going viral for reaching and engaging the public, and how digital data-based tools can be used to optimise communications. Throughout, we draw on examples not only from Europe and North America, but also China. While we are enthusiastic about the benefits of digital communications, we recognise that they are not without their drawbacks and challenges. To help organisations evaluate whether a given digital approach is appropriate for their objectives, we end each section with a discussion of limitations. We conclude with a discussion of General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the practical, philosophical, and policy challenges associated with communicating food safety and nutrition information digitally.
Vaccination with the recombinant major outer membrane protein elicits long-term protection in mice against vaginal shedding and infertility following a Chlamydia muridarum genital challenge
Authors: Pal Sukumar , Cruz-Fisher Maria I. , Cheng Chunmei , Carmichael Jennifer R. , Tifrea Delia F. , Tatarenkova Olga , de la Maza Luis M.
Published: October 2020

Implementation of a vaccine is likely the best approach to curtailChlamydia trachomatisinfections. The aim of this study was to determine the ability of a vaccine formulated with the recombinant major outer membrane protein (MOMP) and Th1 and Th2 adjuvants, delivered by combinations of systemic and mucosal routes, to elicit long-term protection in mice against a genital challenge withChlamydia muridarum. As a negative control, mice were vaccinated with the recombinantNeisseria gonorrhoeaeporinB, and the positive control group was immunized withC. muridarumlive elementary bodies (EB). The four vaccines formulated with MOMP, as determined by the titers of IgG and neutralizing antibodies in serum, proliferative responses of T-cells stimulated with EB and levels of IFN-γ in the supernatants, elicited robust humoral and cellular immune responses over a 6-month period. Groups of mice were challenged genitally at 60, 120, or 180 days postimmunization. Based on the number of mice with positive vaginal cultures, number of positive cultures, length of time of shedding, and number of inclusion forming units recovered, MOMP vaccinated groups were significantly protected. To assess fertility, when the vaginal cultures became negative, female mice were caged with male mice and the outcome of the pregnancy evaluated. As determined by the number of pregnant mice and the number of embryos, two of the vaccine formulations protected mice up to 180 days postimmunization. To our knowledge this is the first subunit of Chlamydia vaccine that has elicited in mice significant long-term protection against a genital challenge.
Developing the hydrological dependency structure between streamgage and reservoir networks
Authors: Mukhopadhyay Sudarshana , Sankarasubramanian A. , Awasthi Chandramauli
Published: October 2020

Reliable operation of physical infrastructures such as reservoirs, dikes, nuclear power plants positioned along a river network depends on monitoring riverine conditions and infrastructure interdependency with the river network, especially during hydrologic extremes. Developing this cascading interdependency between the riverine conditions and infrastructures for a large watershed is challenging, as conventional tools (e.g., watershed delineation) do not provide the relative topographic information on infrastructures along the river network. Here, we present a generic geo-processing tool that systematically combines three geospatial layers: topographic information from the National Hydrographic Dataset (NHDPlusV2), streamgages from the USGS National Water Information System, and reservoirs from the National Inventory of Dams, to develop the interdependency between reservoirs and streamgages along the river network for upper and lower Colorado River Basin (CRB) resulting in River and Infrastructure Connectivity Network (RICON) that shows the said interdependency as a concise edge list for the CRB. Another contribution of this study is an algorithm for developing the cascading interdependency between infrastructure and riverine networks to support their management and operation.
Development of a downstream process for the production of an inactivated whole hepatitis C virus vaccine
Authors: Lothert Keven , Offersgaard Anna F. , Pihl Anne F. , Mathiesen Christian K. , Jensen Tanja B. , Alzua Garazi Peña , Fahnøe Ulrik , Bukh Jens , Gottwein Judith M. , Wolff Michael W.
Published: October 2020

There is a large unmet need for a prophylactic hepatitis C virus (HCV) vaccine to control the ongoing epidemic with this deadly pathogen. Many antiviral vaccines employ whole viruses as antigens. For HCV, this approach became feasible following the development of infectious cell culture systems for virus production. However, the lack of efficient downstream processes (DSP) for HCV purification poses a roadblock for the development of a whole virus vaccine. Using cell culture-derived genotype 1a HCV we developed a scalable and efficient DSP train, employing commonly used clarification and ultrafiltration techniques, followed by two membrane-based chromatography steps. For virus capture, steric exclusion chromatography using cellulose membranes was established, resulting in a virtually complete virus recovery with > 99% protein and 84% DNA depletion. Virus polishing was achieved by sulphated cellulose membrane adsorbers with ~ 50% virus recovery and > 99% protein and 90% DNA depletion. Additional nuclease digestion resulted in 99% overall DNA depletion with final DNA concentrations of 2 ng/mL. Process results were comparable for cell culture-derived HCV of another major genotype (5a). This study provides proof-of-concept for establishment of an efficient and economically attractive DSP with potential application for production of an inactivated whole virus vaccine against HCV for human use.
Modelling the effects of CO2 on C3 and C4 grass competition during the mid-Pleistocene transition in South Africa
Authors: Ecker Michaela , Kelley Douglas , Sato Hiromitsu
Published: October 2020

Palaeoenvironmental reconstructions of the interior of South Africa show a wetter environment than today and a non-analogous vegetation structure in the Early Pleistocene. This includes the presence of grasses following both C3 and C4 photosynthetic pathways, whereas C3 grasses decline after the mid-Pleistocene transition (MPT, c. 1.2–0.8 Ma). However, the local terrestrial proxy record cannot distinguish between the potential drivers of these vegetation changes. In this study we show that low glacial CO2 levels, similar to those at the MPT, lead to the local decline of C3 grasses under conditions of decreased water availability, using a vegetation model (LPX) driven by Atmosphere–Ocean coupled General Climate Model climate reconstructions. We modelled vegetation for glacial climates under different levels of CO2 and fire regimes and find evidence that a combination of low CO2 and changed seasonality is driving the changes in grass cover, whereas fire has little influence on the ratio of C3:C4 grasses. Our results suggest the prevalence of a less vegetated landscape with limited, seasonal water availability, which could potentially explain the much sparser mid-Pleistocene archaeological record in the southern Kalahari.
Candida albicans cell wall as a target of action for the protein–carbohydrate fraction from coelomic fluid of Dendrobaena veneta
Authors: Fiołka Marta J. , Mieszawska Sylwia , Czaplewska Paulina , Szymańska Aneta , Stępnik Katarzyna , Sofińska-Chmiel Weronika , Buchwald Tomasz , Lewtak Kinga
Published: October 2020

The protein–polysaccharide fraction (AAF) isolated from the coelomic fluid of the earthworm Dendrobaena veneta destroys C. albicans cells by changing their morphology, disrupting cell division, and leading to cell death. Morphological changes in C. albicans cells induced by treatment with AAF were documented using DIC, SEM, and AFM. Congo Red staining showed that the fungal wall structure was changed after incubation with AAF. The effect on C. albicans cell walls was shown by AFM analysis of the surface roughness of fungal cell walls and changes in the wall thickness were visualized using Cryo-SEM. The FTIR analysis of C. albicans cells incubated with AAF indicated attachment of protein or peptide compounds to the fungal walls. The intact LC–ESI–MS analysis allowed accurate determination of the masses of molecules present in AAF. As shown by the chromatographic study, the fraction does not cross biological membranes. The Cryo-TEM analysis of AAF demonstrated the ability of smaller subunits to combine into larger agglomerates. AAF is thermally stable, which was confirmed by Raman spectroscopy. AAF can be considered as a potential antifungal antibiotic with activity against clinical C. albicans strains.
Observed and projected changes in the climate based decay hazard of timber in the United Kingdom
Authors: Curling S. F. , Ormondroyd G. A.
Published: October 2020

Current climate projections suggest that the UK will experience warmer and wetter winters and warmer and dryer summers. This change in the climate could affect the incidence or severity of microbiological attack on exposed timber and have significant impact on buildings and construction. One method of assessing the geographical climate based hazard is to use the Scheffer Climate index, which relates temperature and rain variables. There was a considerable increase in the Scheffer climate indices for various locations of the UK from 1990 to 2019. The highest index values are seen in the Northern and western areas of the United Kingdom, but increases are seen across the country. The paper also uses representative concentration pathway (RCP) scenarios to project future climate decay indices for the United Kingdom until the end of the twenty-first century. The projections show an increase in the Scheffer index even in the lowest RCP scenario, with indices in all regions of the UK increasing to indicate very high hazard of decay. The major implication is that to ensure serviceability of wood and wooden structures exposed to the environment the use of good design, durable woods and properly treated or modified woods will be paramount.
Lactobacillus reuteri DSM 17938 and ATCC PTA 5289 ameliorates chemotherapy-induced oral mucositis
Authors: Gupta Nitasha , Ferreira Joao , Hong Catherine Hsu Ling , Tan Kai Soo
Published: October 2020

Oral mucositis (OM) is a common complication of cancer therapy, however OM management remains unsatisfactory. There is a growing interest in the therapeutic potential of probiotics in OM due to positive findings of its use in intestinal mucositis. This study aimed to determine the efficacy and safety of the probiotic combination Lactobacillus reuteri DSM 17938 and ATCC PTA 5289 strains in chemotherapy-induced OM. Mice were divided into 4 groups. PBS/water and PBS/LR groups comprised of mice injected with PBS intraperitoneally (i.p.), and were given water or the mixture of L. reuteri (LR) DSM 17938 and ATCC PTA 5289 in water respectively. The 5-FU/water and 5-FU/LR groups comprised of mice injected with 5-FU i.p., and were given water or L. reuteri DSM 17938 and ATCC PTA 5289 in water respectively. Histopathological analysis revealed that the oral epithelia of the 5-FU/water and 5-FU/LR groups were thinner compared to PBS/water and PBS/LR groups. However, epithelial damage was significantly reduced in the 5-FU/LR compared to 5-FU/water group. Additionally, the 5-FU/LR group showed reduced oxidative stress and inflammation in the oral mucosa. We further showed that L. reuteri reduced oxidative stress through the nuclear factor E2-related factor-2 (Nrf-2) signalling. There was no evidence of translocation of L. reuteri systemically. This study demonstrated for the first time that L. reuteri protected oral mucosa against damage induced by chemotherapy.
Characteristics of pachychoroid neovasculopathy
Authors: Tagawa Miho , Ooto Sotaro , Yamashiro Kenji , Tamura Hiroshi , Oishi Akio , Miyata Manabu , Hata Masayuki , Yoshikawa Munemitsu , Yoshimura Nagahisa , Tsujikawa Akitaka
Published: October 2020

Recently, several research groups have reported a newly recognized clinical entity of choroidal neovascularization, termed pachychoroid neovasculopathy. However, its characteristics have yet to be well described. The purpose of this study was to investigate the clinical and genetic characteristics of pachychoroid neovasculopathy regardless of treatment modality. This study included 99 eyes of 99 patients with treatment-naïve pachychoroid neovasculopathy. Mean initial best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) was 0.20 ± 0.32 logMAR, and did not change (P = 0.725) during follow-up period (mean ± SD, 37.0 ± 17.6 months). Subretinal hemorrhage (SRH) (≥ 4 disc areas in size) occurred in 20 eyes (20.2%) during follow-up. Age, initial BCVA, central retinal thickness, SRH (≥ 4 disc areas in size) and treatment (aflibercept monotherapy) were significantly associated with the final BCVA (P = 0.024, < 0.001, 0.031, < 0.001, and 0.029, respectively). Multiple regression analysis showed initial BCVA and presence of SRH to be significant predictors of final BCVA (bothP < 0.001). Polypoidal lesions were more common in the SRH group than in the non-SRH group (85.0% vs 48.1%,P = 0.004). There was no significant difference in the frequency of the risk allele inARMS2A69S,CFHI62V,CFHY402H between these groups (P = 0.42, 0.77, and 0.85, respectively). SRH (29.1% vs 9.1%,P = 0.014) and choroidal vascular hyperpermiability (65.5% vs 43.2%,P = 0.027) were seen more frequently in the polypoidal lesion (+) group than in the polypoidal lesion (−) group. There was considerable variation in lesion size and visual function in patients with pachychoroid neovasculopathy, and initial BCVA and presence of SRH at the initial visit or during the follow-up period were significant predictors of final BCVA.
Edge-guided second-order total generalized variation for Gaussian noise removal from depth map
Authors: Li Shuaihao , Zhang Bin , Yang Xinfeng , Zhu Weiping
Published: October 2020

Total generalized variation models have recently demonstrated high-quality denoising capacity for single image. In this paper, we present an accurate denoising method for depth map. Our method uses a weighted second-order total generalized variational model for Gaussian noise removal. By fusing an edge indicator function into the regularization term of the second-order total generalized variational model to guide the diffusion of gradients, our method aims to use the first or second derivative to enhance the intensity of the diffusion tensor. We use the first-order primal–dual algorithm to minimize the proposed energy function and achieve high-quality denoising and edge preserving result for depth maps with high -intensity noise. Extensive quantitative and qualitative evaluations in comparison to bench-mark datasets show that the proposed method provides significant higher accuracy and visual improvements than many state-of-the-art denoising algorithms.
Non-muscle invasive bladder cancer tissues have increased base excision repair capacity
Authors: Somuncu Berna , Keskin Selcuk , Antmen Fatma Merve , Saglican Yesim , Ekmekcioglu Aysegul , Ertuzun Tugce , Tuna Mustafa Bilal , Obek Can , Wilson David M. , Ince Umit , Kural Ali Riza , Muftuoglu Meltem
Published: October 2020

The molecular mechanisms underlying the development and progression of bladder cancer (BC) are complex and have not been fully elucidated. Alterations in base excision repair (BER) capacity, one of several DNA repair mechanisms assigned to preserving genome integrity, have been reported to influence cancer susceptibility, recurrence, and progression, as well as responses to chemotherapy and radiotherapy. We report herein that non-muscle invasive BC (NMIBC) tissues exhibit increased uracil incision, abasic endonuclease and gap-filling activities, as well as total BER capacity in comparison to normal bladder tissue from the same patient (p < 0.05). No significant difference was detected in 8-oxoG incision activity between cancer and normal tissues. NMIBC tissues have elevated protein levels of uracil DNA glycosylase, 8-oxoguanine DNA glycosylase, AP endonuclease 1 and DNA polymerase β protein. Moreover, the fold increase in total BER and the individual BER enzyme activities were greater in high-grade tissues than in low-grade NMIBC tissues. These findings suggest that enhanced BER activity may play a role in the etiology of NMIBC and that BER proteins could serve as biomarkers in disease prognosis, progression or response to genotoxic therapeutics, such as Bacillus Calmette–Guérin.
Higher groundwater levels in western Europe characterize warm periods in the Common Era
Authors: Tegel Willy , Seim Andrea , Skiadaresis Georgios , Ljungqvist Fredrik Charpentier , Kahle Hans-Peter , Land Alexander , Muigg Bernhard , Nicolussi Kurt , Büntgen Ulf
Published: October 2020

Hydroclimate, the interplay of moisture supply and evaporative demand, is essential for ecological and agricultural systems. The understanding of long-term hydroclimate changes is, however, limited because instrumental measurements are inadequate in length to capture the full range of precipitation and temperature variability and by the uneven distribution of high-resolution proxy records in space and time. Here, we present a tree-ring-based reconstruction of interannual to centennial-scale groundwater level (GWL) fluctuations for south-western Germany and north-eastern France. Continuously covering the period of 265–2017 CE, our new record from the Upper Rhine Valley shows that the warm periods during late Roman, medieval and recent times were characterized by higher GWLs. Lower GWLs were found during the cold periods of the Late Antique Little Ice Age (LALIA; 536 to ~ 660 CE) and the Little Ice Age (LIA; between medieval and recent warming). The reconstructed GWL fluctuations are in agreement with multidecadal North Atlantic climate variability derived from independent proxies. Warm and wet hydroclimate conditions are found during warm states of the Atlantic Ocean and positive phases of the North Atlantic Oscillation on decadal scales.