bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Ethik in der Medizin
Authors: Bubenzer Rainer H.
Published: July 2021

Eine Entscheidung des Bundesverfassungsgerichtes im Februar dieses Jahres bewertet das seit 2015 geltende Sterbehilfe-Verbot (§ 217 StGB) als verfassungswidrig und fordert den Gesetzgeber auf, ein Gesetz zur verfassungskonformen Regelung der assistierten Selbsttötung vorzulegen. Dabei wird in öffentlichen Debatten oft über Köpfe der Ärzte hinweg diskutiert, ohne zu berücksichtigen, wie diese selbst zu diesem Thema stehen. Deshalb – und ohne in den laufenden Gesetzgebungsprozess mit eigenen Vorschlägen eingreifen zu wollen – wurden die rund 3500 DGHO-Mitglieder nach ihren aktuellen Erfahrungen, Einschätzungen und Bewertungen von (ärztlich) assistiertem Suizid befragt, wie Prof. Lorenz Trümper, Göttingen, geschäftsführender Vorsitzender der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Hämatologie und Medizinische Onkologie (DGHO) auf einer Pressekonferenz berichtete.
Akute lymphatische Leukämie
Authors: Schmale Ine
Published: July 2021

Bei Kindern mit akuter myeloischer Leukämie (ALL) ist die Prognose insgesamt sehr gut, allerdings überleben bei Auftreten eines Krankheitsrückfalls nur etwa die Hälfte bzw. ein Drittel der pädiatrischen B-ALL- bzw. T-ALL-Patienten mehr als 5 Jahre. Tisagenlecleucel und Bortezomib sind in der Therapie der B-ALL bzw. T-ALL vielversprechende neue Therapieoptionen. Innovativ ist auch die Therapie mit Inotuzumab Ozogamicin bei erwachsenen ALL-Patienten.
How to Manage Complications Related to the Use of Intramedullary Screws in Metacarpal Fractures: Case Series
Authors: Camacho Eliana , Craviotto Matías , D'Oliveira Lucía
Published: July 2021

The use of intramedullary screws has been increasing among hand surgeons in cases of metacarpal fractures due to their low morbidity, and because they minimize incisions and dissection, and require less tissue manipulation and deperiostization. However, there are few published articles on the complications that arise from its use. Therefore, the purpose of the current study is to present a series of cases of complications following the use of intramedullary screws in metacarpal fractures that required surgical intervention, and to describe the surgical technique used to solve them .

Methods We performed a retrospective multicenter study in which we reviewed the clinical history, surgical descriptions and radiographs of the patients submitted to fixation of intramedullary compression screws for metacarpal fractures. We defined as complications infection, lesion to the extensor apparatus, bending of the implant, loss of reduction, hardware failure, malrotation, and non-union.

Results Out of a total of 45 patients, we reported 3 cases of complication: 1 patient with loss of reduction, and 2 patients with bending of the implant. In the three cases, the screw was removed without complications, and the focus of the fracture was stabilized.

Conclusion Intramedullary fixation with compression screws is increasingly being used for metacarpal fractures, with reports of low rates of complications. In the series of cases herein reported, the complications were solved without difficulty, and the patients showed a good recovery in hand function in the follow-up. Knowledge of the possible complications and their management enables us to provide more safety to the patient at the time of choosing this technique.
Studying spin–charge conversion using terahertz pulses
Authors: Cheng Liang , Li Ziqi , Zhao Daming , Chia Elbert E. M.
Published: July 2021

Spin–charge conversion is a spin–orbit coupling phenomena where electrical currents can generate transverse spin currents and vice versa. It is one of the central topics in spintronics and widely applied to manipulate the spin and charge degrees of freedom in materials. Previous research on spin–charge conversion was mainly carried out by transport measurements, which lies in the (quasi)equilibrium and DC/low-frequency limit. The recent development of THz emission spectroscopy applied to this field provides additional insights into the dynamics of the spin–charge conversion process, i.e., its ultrafast timescales. Here, the underlying physics and the latest progress of THz studies on spintronics are introduced. The technical details and some features of this technique are summarized, including spin current generation, signal detection, and data analysis. Finally, some possible developments are discussed as well as future research and applications.
Geological and Bioregional Assessments: assessing the prospectivity for tight, shale and deep-coal resources in the Cooper Basin, Beetaloo Subbasin and Isa Superbasin
Authors: Hall Lisa S. , Orr Meredith L. , Lech Megan E. , Lewis Steven , Bailey Adam H. E. , Owens Ryan , Bradshaw Barry E. , Bernardel George
Published: July 2021

The Geological and Bioregional Assessment Program is a series of independent scientific studies undertaken by Geoscience Australia and the CSIRO, supported by the Bureau of Meteorology, and managed by the Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment. The program consists of three stages across three regions with potential to deliver gas to the East Coast Gas Market. Stage 1 was a rapid regional prioritisation conducted by Geoscience Australia, to identify those sedimentary basins with the greatest potential to deliver shale and/or tight gas to the East Coast Gas Market within the next 5–10 years. This prioritisation process assessed 27 onshore eastern and northern Australian basins with shale and/or tight gas potential. Further screening reduced this to a shortlist of nine basins where exploration was underway. The shortlisted basins were ranked on a number of criteria. The Cooper Basin, the Beetaloo Subbasin and the Isa Superbasin were selected for more detailed assessment. Stage 2 of the program involved establishing a baseline understanding of the identified regions. Geoscience Australia produced regional geological evaluations and conceptualisations that informed the assessment of shale and/or tight gas prospectivity, ground- and surface-water impacts and hydraulic fracturing models. Geoscience Australia’s relative prospectivity assessments provide an indication of where viable petroleum plays are most likely to be present. These data indicate areal and stratigraphic constraints that support the program’s further work in Stage 3, on understanding likely development scenarios, impact assessments and causal pathways.
Tracking industry responsiveness to COVID-19 – what has happened and what lies ahead
Authors: Mitchell Joelle , O'Keeffe Derrick
Published: July 2021

This study will provide a longitudinal account of how the Australian offshore petroleum industry has responded to the COVID-19 pandemic, and how the response has evolved over time, and will provide a regulatory perspective on the future challenges arising from the changes that have occurred during the industry in response to the pandemic. Since March 2020, the National Offshore Safety and Environmental Management Authority has been actively collecting information about the approach taken by the offshore petroleum industry to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. The initial response focused on infectious disease control measures, identifying strategies to prevent disease transmission on offshore facilities and to respond should an outbreak occur offshore. The next phase considered the potential consequences of the infection control measures on facility safety and integrity, including the impact of reduced personnel on board on safety critical maintenance activities and emergency response capability, assurance of competence profile requirements being sustained on facilities, the long-term consequences of delayed routine maintenance, supply chain disruptions and access to specialist workforce. It became apparent that a rapid recovery to pre-COVID-19 conditions was unlikely, and the impacts would likely continue for some time; and psychosocial and fatigue risk management strategies were explored. Data collection methods included: surveys of operators, workplace inspections, review of documents and records, interviews with members of the workforce and participation in industry working groups.
Process safety challenges of CO2 sequestration
Authors: Smith Clinton
Published: July 2021

Sequestration of carbon dioxide (CO2) is an increasingly popular method of reducing the environmental impact of natural gas and blue hydrogen development projects. While the hazards associated with natural gas processing are well understood, high pressure CO2 presents unique challenges which must be overcome by designers to make sequestration a safe and practical option. Many of these hazards are ultimately due to the CO2 phase envelope. Compression of CO2 for injection into a reservoir can involve the creation of a dense phase fluid, which shares some of the properties of both liquid and gas. Upset conditions can also create either liquid or solid CO2. These can create unforeseen consequences such as potential blockage and overpressure of vent piping, condensation and freezing of free water and inaccurate level transmitter readings. Further, the partial pressures of CO2 involved mean that corrosion rates for any carbon steel exposed in the presence of free water may be as high as 1mm per week. These safety challenges and potential solutions to them will be explored in this study.
New insights into the deep-water Otway Basin – Part 2. Tectonostratigraphic framework revealed by new seismic data
Authors: Karvelas Alex , West Tekena , Nicholson Chris , Abbott Steve , Bernardel George , Mitchell Cameron , Nguyen Duy , Gunning Merrie-Ellen , Borissova Irina , Schenk Oliver
Published: July 2021

The inboard areas of the Otway Basin, particularly the Shipwreck Trough, are well explored and a petroleum-producing province. However, outboard in water depths greater than 500m, the basin is underexplored with distant well control and sparse 2D reflection seismic data coverage. The presence of a successful petroleum province onshore and in shallow waters raises the question as to whether these plays may extend further outboard into the deep-water areas. In the deep-water area, structural complexity and poor imaging of events in the legacy seismic data have resulted in interpretation uncertainty and consequentially a high-risk profile for explorers. The 2020 Otway Basin seismic program acquired over 7000-line km of 2D reflection seismic data across the deep-water Otway Basin. In addition, over 10000km of legacy 2D seismic data were reprocessed to improve the tie between the inboard wells and the new seismic grid. This new dataset provides the first clear insight into the structural and stratigraphic framework of this frontier area, including better imaging of the sedimentary section and the lower crust, increased structural resolution and improved calibration of the outboard seismic reflectors via ties to the inboard wells. Interpretation of the new data has led to an improved assessment of the structural elements and the extension of regional supersequences into the deep-water areas. These refinements have been used as input into petroleum systems modelling work and will provide a foundation for future work to understand petroleum prospectivity, including the distribution of source, reservoir and seal facies.
Integration of new interpretation, attribute analysis and inversion results for the Dampier Sub-basin, North West Shelf of Australia
Authors: Grahame Jarrad , Yao Jianfeng
Published: July 2021

The Davros-Typhon Multi-Client 3D surveys are located approximately 70km from the north-west coast of Australia, largely covering the NE trending Dampier Sub-basin and straddling the Rankin Trend within the Northern Carnarvon Basin. The basins within the North West Shelf formed as a result of seafloor spreading, associated with the breakup of the North West margin of East Gondwana. The combined, contiguous Davros-Typhon survey areas cover a number of significant discoveries and producing fields, which include both oil and gas accumulations. The key objective of the survey was to enhance the imaging of Triassic to Lower Cretaceous reservoir units and to develop a new interpretation framework, made possible by the modern broadband acquisition parameters and advanced processing techniques. Challenges associated with imaging and interpretation include the effects of high velocity carbonate overburden, steeply dipping structures, fault shadow and structural complexity at depth, which is critical for evaluation of reservoir targets. A major reprocessing effort was undertaken to further mitigate these issues, which included Davros and a number of adjacent existing 3D surveys, resulting in the Typhon Multi-Client 3D. CGG Multi-client and New Ventures geoscientists, in collaboration with CGG Seismic Imaging, have undertaken new interpretation and amplitude versus offset (AVO) inversion analysis using subsets of the Typhon 3D. The resulting volume-based attribute analysis and integration of new AVO inversion results demonstrates enhanced attribute quality for the reprocessed data and provides a platform for quantitative analysis over a large area of the Northern Carnarvon Basin.
Structural interpretation of the Beetaloo Sub-basin, NT from nonseismic geophysical data
Authors: Markov Jelena , Piane Claudio Delle , Swierczek Ernest , Foss Clive , Faiz Mohinudeen
Published: July 2021

The Beetaloo Sub-basin is known for its vast unconventional hydrocarbon resources even though it is relatively underexplored. There is reasonably good coverage of 2D seismic within the sub-basin which is used as the basis for most structural interpretations. However, seismic quality varies, and it is occasionally deteriorated by the presence of basalts from the Kalkarindji suite and the karstic nature of the Gum Ridge formation. Aeromagnetic data, constrained by petrophysical logs are used, to map faults in the basalts of the Kalkarindji suite and their lateral extent to the South and the East of the sub-basin. The same structural elements are identified in the full tensor gravity gradiometry data. The top of this unit is observed in the electrical conductivity profiles, derived from Tempest data, in the NW part of the eastern sub-basin.
Permian source rocks of the onshore and nearshore Carnarvon Basin
Authors: Thomas Charmaine M.
Published: July 2021

A new sampling program of Permian potential source rocks was undertaken to improve knowledge of the Permian petroleum prospectivity in new parts of the Southern Carnarvon and inboard Northern Carnarvon Basins. Presented here are new Rock-Eval data from previously unsampled wells, drillholes and outcrop and new infill sampling between existing data points. Kerogen assemblages of selected intervals were also determined from palynofacies analysis or organic petrography, which suggests the good Permian source rocks are generally dominated by gas-prone kerogens. Possibly terrestrial-derived oil-prone kerogen can also be frequently found in thin intervals of the upper Permian and more rarely in lower Permian in the onshore northern Carnarvon Basin.
Differences in Functional Improvement Based on History of Substance Abuse and Pain Severity following Spinal Cord Injury
Authors: Harper Alexandra E. , Krause James S. , Terhorst Lauren , Leland Natalie E.
Published: July 2021

Background: This study explored the relationship between history of substance abuse and pain severity during inpatient rehabilitation following traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI). Methods: Secondary analysis of a prospective longitudinal study. An adjusted general linear model was used to examine differences in functional improvement based on history of substance abuse and pain severity. Results: Over 50% of the sample had a history of substance abuse, and 94% reported moderate or severe pain. There was a significant interaction between the history of substance abuse and pain severity ( p = 0.01, partial η2 = 0.012). A difference in functional improvement was found among individuals who reported low pain; those with a history of substance abuse achieved less functional improvement than those without a history of substance abuse, M = 5.32, SE = 1.95, 95% CI 0.64–10.01. Conclusions: A history of substance abuse and post-injury pain are prevalent among individuals with SCI in rehabilitation, and there may be a meaningful relationship between these two patient characteristics and functional improvement. The results provide potential new insights into the characteristics of vulnerable subpopulations during SCI rehabilitation. Furthering our understanding of these results warrants future investigation to prevent and minimize poor outcomes among vulnerable SCI patients.
Trends in Cannabis-Related Attitudes and Behaviors among Cannabis-Using Adolescent and Young Adult Outpatients following Medical Cannabis Legalization in Massachusetts
Authors: O'Connell Maddie , Levy Sharon , Shrier Lydia A. , Harris Sion K.
Published: July 2021

Background: Among youth already using cannabis, legalization of medical cannabis may influence cannabis-related attitudes and behaviors, including increasing access through use of someone else's medical cannabis (diversion). Objective: To examine cannabis-related attitudes and behaviors (including diverted cannabis use) in cannabis-using youth in the four years following medical cannabis legalization. Additionally, we investigated characteristics of youth who used vs. did not use diverted medical cannabis. Methods: Data were collected in Boston from 2013 (when medical cannabis legislation took effect in Massachusetts) through 2016 (when recreational cannabis use became legal in Massachusetts). Cannabis-using youth (age 13–24) presenting to an outpatient adolescent substance use treatment program (ASUTP) or recruited for an adolescent medicine clinic study (AMCS) completed a confidential survey on demographic characteristics and cannabis use behaviors and attitudes. We used multiple logistic regression to analyze changes in attitudes and behaviors over three years versus the reference year (2013), controlling for demographics. We used chi-square to compare characteristics of youth reporting use of diverted medical cannabis versus those not. Results: The sample included 273 cannabis-using youth (ASUTP n = 203, AMCS n = 70; 2013 n = 67, 2014 n = 67, 2015 n = 77, 2016 n = 62). Mean ± SD age was 18.2 ± 2.5 years, 32% were female, 58% were White non-Hispanic, and 70% had college-graduate parents. In 2013, most youth reported that cannabis was easy to obtain (97.9%), and that occasional cannabis use had “no” or “slight” risk of harm (89.4%), with little change across years. In 2016, 44% of youth reported using someone else's medical cannabis, versus 15% in 2013 (aOR 4.66, 95% CI 1.81, 11.95). Youth using diverted medical cannabis had higher likelihood of reporting riding with a driver, or driving themselves, after cannabis use (both p < .01). Conclusion: Among at-risk youth in Massachusetts, use of diverted medical cannabis increased after medical cannabis legalization, and those using diverted medical cannabis reported higher risk for cannabis-related traffic injury.
Possible dimensionality transition behavior in localized plasmon resonances of confinement-controlled graphene devices
Authors: Morimoto Takahiro , Ikuta Yoshiue , Okazaki Toshiya
Published: July 2021

We investigated the dimensionality transition behavior of graphene localized plasmon resonances in confinement-controlled graphene devices. We first demonstrated a possibility of dimensionality transition, based on the devices carrier-density dependence, from a two-dimensional plasmon resonance to a one-dimensional plasmon one. We fabricated optical transparent devices and electrical transport devices on the same optical transparent wafer. These devices allow detailed control and analysis between carrier density and plasmon resonance peak positions. The carrier density from

n
4

(two-dimensional) to constant (one-dimensional) is consistent with the theoretical predictions based on the Dirac Fermion carriers in linear-band structure materials.
Seasonal dynamicity of environmental variables and water quality index in the lower stretch of the River Ganga
Authors: Kumar Chakresh , Ghosh Anwesha , Yash  , Debnath Manojit , Bhadury Punyasloke
Published: July 2021

Rapid human pressure in semi-urban and urban areas along with increasing industrial activities has resulted in release of untreated sewage and other forms of pollutants into major rivers globally including in the Ganga. In this study, nine sites represented by 59 stations along the lower stretch of the River Ganga were monitored seasonally to understand the effect of monsoonal precipitation on environmental variables and Water Quality Index (WQI). Sampling was undertaken in pre-monsoon, monsoon and post-monsoon seasons (2019). In situ surface water temperature, dissolved oxygen, pH, total dissolved solids (TDS) and electrical conductivity (EC) were measured along with dissolved nutrients and Chlorophyll-a. Both pH and DO were strongly influenced by monsoon and affected WQI. TDS was higher in point source (PS) stations during pre-monsoon (113–538 ppm) compared to surface water (SW) stations (113–248 ppm) with strong influence of monsoon (PS-27.4-310.3 ppm; SW-27-68.9 ppm). Dissolved nutrients including nitrate and o-phosphate concentration showed significant seasonal variation and influenced monsoonal precipitation. In PS stations across studied seasons dissolved nitrate concentration varied from 26.33–646 μM while in SW the range was from 21.22–148.06 μM. In the studied sites, higher concentration of dissolved nutrients in PS stations reflected the release of untreated municipal and industrial sewage directly into the river. The effect of precipitation and resulting environmental variables was clearly evident on biological variable (concentration of Chl-a) with observed values in PS stations (0–21 mg l−1) which were lesser compared to SW stations (0–89.3 mg l−1) during monsoon. Non-metric multidimensional scaling revealed three distinct clusters with greater overlap between PS and SW stations in monsoon. The WQI values (14–52) determined for lower stretch of Ganga revealed very poor water quality in majority stations and monsoonal precipitation did not have any influence on the observed trends.
Financial implications of mobile phone-based personal carbon trading: a case study of Safaricom
Authors: Al-Guthmy Fahd Mohamed Omar , Yan Wanglin
Published: July 2021

Personal carbon trading (PCT) has garnered significant interest in the literature as an alternative policy instrument to the largely unpopular carbon tax. However, it has been hindered by the cost and administrative complexity concerns as a result of covering potentially millions of emitters. This work expands on a prior study which presented a mobile phone-based PCT scheme for personal road transport in Kenya. In that study, the system design and operation was extensively developed, and distributional impact was assessed using sample data of motorists to identify equity issues. In this extension, I justify the scheme further by assessing the cost concerns using a case study approach of the mobile service provider, Safaricom. Data from the sample survey is revisited and combined with Safaricom’s financial reports to simulate the potential cost of the scheme. Results revealed running costs of less than £80 000 annually, several times lower than estimates that relied on the chip card system. Policymakers and researchers are encouraged to build on this scheme’s viability as a globally-inclusive variant of PCT.
Comparison of intradialytic blood pressure metrics as predictors of all-cause mortality
Authors: Kim Ka Young , Park Hae Sang , Kim Jin Sun , Ahn Shin Young , Ko Gang Jee , Kwon Young Joo , Kim Ji Eun
Published: July 2021

Background

Intradialytic hypotension (IDH) has been reported to be an important prognostic factor in hemodialysis patients. However, a standard definition of IDH has not yet been determined.

Methods

We retrospectively analyzed blood pressure (BP) metrics obtained during serial dialysis sessions over a 90-day period from a single dialysis center from 2016 to 2017. The mean values and the frequency of specific values of BP were analyzed as predictors of 3-year mortality.

Results

A total of 430 patients who underwent maintenance dialysis were included. The mean age was 63.3 ± 12.4 years and 58.6% were male. A low minimum systolic blood pressure (SBP) <110 mmHg during dialysis was significantly associated with increased all-cause mortality. The frequency of a minimum SBP <100 mmHg was the most significant predictor of 3-year mortality, with an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.722. Furthermore, the frequency of a minimum SBP <100 mmHg significantly increased the predictability of mortality when combined with the presence of other clinical factors including age, body mass index and vascular access type (AUC 0.786 vs. 0.835; p = 0.005).

Conclusion

Among the various intradialytic BP metrics, the frequency of a minimum SBP <100 mmHg is the most significant factor related to all-cause mortality. The guidelines for the management of blood pressure in dialysis patients should consider including a minimum SBP <100 mmHg as a definition for IDH.
Packing a punch: understanding how flavours are produced in lager fermentations
Authors: Lin Claire Lin , García-Caro Roberto de la Cerda , Zhang Penghan , Carlin Silvia , Gottlieb Andrea , Petersen Mikael Agerlin , Vrhovsek Urska , Bond Ursula
Published: July 2021

Beer is one of the most popular beverages in the world and it has an irreplaceable place in culture. Although invented later than ale, lager beers dominate the current market. Many factors relating to the appearance (colour, clarity and foam stability) and sensory characters (flavour, taste and aroma) of beer, and other psychological determinants affect consumers’ perception of the product and defines its drinkability. This review takes a wholistic approach to scrutinise flavour generation in the brewing process, focusing particularly on the contribution of the raw ingredients and the yeasts to the final flavour profiles of lager beers. In addition, we examine current developments to improve lager beer flavour profiles for the modern consumers.
When you come to a fork in the road – take it!
Authors: Murawski Steve
Published: July 2021

The title of this “Food for Thought” article comes from a quote variously attributed, but mostly to the baseball player-philosopher Yogi Berra. I suppose the intent of the quote to be at once both funny and philosophical. We are all confronted with hard professional choices during our careers. Which fork in the road to take is ultimately determined by balancing our current situations (their positive and negative attributes) with an uncertain possibility to achieve more rewarding career and personal goals down a different path. I have been fortunate to have not one but three distinct careers in marine science—as a fishery stock assessment scientist, an agency senior science administrator, and as an academic. All of the choices I have made (both opportunities accepted and those declined) have presented professional challenges to get out of my comfort zone and take advantage of tremendous opportunities to learn new things and to grow professionally and personally. Over the course of my career, I have witnessed fisheries management and science maturing into an enormous enterprise so critical to the sustainability of our oceans. We have discovered much about the limits of human exploitation and the intricacies of how marine ecosystems respond to the human hand. Attitudes have matured regarding the process of fisheries management and the critical roles that fishers, regulators, scientists, and non-governmental organizations play in balancing ecology and economy. The most important lessons I have learned are those for working effectively in groups (active listening, authenticity vs. authority of leadership, openness) and understanding that successful teamwork requires establishing a stimulating and energetic environment for creative thinking and doing.
Binding patterns of RNA-binding proteins to repeat-derived RNA sequences reveal putative functional RNA elements
Authors: Onoguchi Masahiro , Zeng Chao , Matsumaru Ayako , Hamada Michiaki
Published: July 2021

Recent reports have revealed that repeat-derived sequences embedded in introns or long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are targets of RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) and contribute to biological processes such as RNA splicing or transcriptional regulation. These findings suggest that repeat-derived RNAs are important as scaffolds of RBPs and functional elements. However, the overall functional sequences of the repeat-derived RNAs are not fully understood. Here, we show the putative functional repeat-derived RNAs by analyzing the binding patterns of RBPs based on ENCODE eCLIP data. We mapped all eCLIP reads to repeat sequences and observed that 10.75 % and 7.04 % of reads on average were enriched (at least 2-fold over control) in the repeats in K562 and HepG2 cells, respectively. Using these data, we predicted functional RNA elements on the sense and antisense strands of long interspersed element 1 (LINE1) sequences. Furthermore, we found several new sets of RBPs on fragments derived from other transposable element (TE) families. Some of these fragments show specific and stable secondary structures and are found to be inserted into the introns of genes or lncRNAs. These results suggest that the repeat-derived RNA sequences are strong candidates for the functional RNA elements of endogenous noncoding RNAs.
Area bound for surfaces in generic gravitational field
Authors: Izumi Keisuke , Tomikawa Yoshimune , Shiromizu Tetsuya , Yoshino Hirotaka
Published: July 2021

We define an attractive gravity probe surface (AGPS) as a compact 2-surface $S_\alpha$ with positive mean curvature $k$ satisfying $r^a D_a k / k^2 \ge \alpha$ (for a constant $\alpha>-1/2$) in the local inverse mean curvature flow, where $r^a D_a k$ is the derivative of $k$ in the outward unit normal direction. For asymptotically flat spaces, any AGPS is proved to satisfy the areal inequality $A_\alpha \le 4\pi [ ( 3+4\alpha)/(1+2\alpha) ]^2(Gm)^2$, where $A_{\alpha}$ is the area of $S_\alpha$ and $m$ is the Arnowitt–Deser–Misner mass. Equality is realized when the space is isometric to the $t=$ constant hypersurface of the Schwarzschild spacetime and $S_\alpha$ is an $r=\mathrm{constant}$ surface with $r^a D_a k / k^2 = \alpha$. We adapt the two methods of the inverse mean curvature flow and the conformal flow. Therefore, our result is applicable to the case where $S_\alpha$ has multiple components. For anti-de Sitter (AdS) spaces, a similar inequality is derived, but the proof is performed only by using the inverse mean curvature flow. We also discuss the cases with asymptotically locally AdS spaces.
Joint Action of Pb1 and Pb2 Provides Dominant Complementary Resistance Against New Races of Peronospora belbahrii (Basil Downy Mildew)
Authors: Ben-Naim Yariv , Weitman Michal
Published: July 2021

Sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum, 2n = 4x = 48) is susceptible to downy mildew caused by Peronospora belbahrii. The Pb1 gene exhibits complete resistance to the disease. However, Pb1 became prone to disease because of occurrence of new virulent races. Here, we show that Zambian accession PI 500950 (Ocimum americanum var. pilosum) is highly resistant to the new races. From an interspecies backcross between PI 500950 and the susceptible ‘Sweet basil’ we obtained, by embryo rescue, a population of 131 BC1F1 plants. This population segregated 73 resistant (58) and susceptible (1:1; P = 0.22) plants, suggesting that resistance is controlled by one incompletely dominant gene called Pb2. To determine whether allelic relationship exists between Pb1 and Pb2, we used two differential races: race 0, which is avirulent to both PI 500945 (Pb1) and PI 500950 (Pb2), and race 1, which is virulent to PI 500945 but avirulent to PI 500950. F1 plants obtained from ‘12-4-6’ (BC6F3 derived from PI 500945) and ‘56’ (BC3F3 derived from PI 500950) showed resistant superiority to both races through dominant complementary interaction. F2 plants segregated to race 0 as follows: 12:3:1 (immune/incomplete resistant/susceptible) as opposed to 9:3:4 to race 1, indicating that Pb1 and Pb2 are not alleles. Because joint action is contributed in F1 plants and in advanced [BC3F3(56) × BC6F3(12-4-6) F4] populations that carry both genes, it can be assumed that both accessions carry two unlinked genes but share a common signal transduction pathway, which leads to dominant complementation superiority of the resistance against different races of basil downy mildew.
Mesorhizobium microcysteis sp. nov., isolated from a culture of Microcystis aeruginosa
Authors: Jung Jaejoon , Seo Ye Lin , Kim Kyeong Ryeol , Park Hye Yoon , Jeon Che Ok
Published: July 2021

Strain MaA-C15T, a Gram-stain-negative, non-spore-forming and strictly aerobic bacterium, was isolated from a xenic culture of

Microcystis aeruginosa

in the Republic of Korea. Cells were motile rods showing positive reactions in catalase and oxidase tests. Growth was observed between 15 and 37 °C (optimum, 30 °C), between pH 6.0 and pH 11.0 (optimum, pH 7.5) and in the presence of 0–2.0 % (w/v) NaCl (optimum, 0 %). Strain MaA-C15T contained C16 : 0, 11-methyl-C18 : 1
 ω7c, cyclo-C19 : 0
 ω8c and summed feature 8 (C18 : 1
 ω6c and/or C18 : 1
 ω7c) as the major cellular fatty acids and ubiquinone-10 as the sole respiratory quinone. Phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylmonomethylethanolamine, an unidentified aminophospholipid, an unidentified glycolipid and three unidentified phospholipids were detected as the major polar lipids. The G+C content of the genomic DNA was 64.1 mol%. Phylogenetic and phylogenomic analyses based on 16S rRNA gene and genome sequences revealed that strain MaA-C15T formed a phyletic lineage with

Mesorhizobium sediminum

YIM M12096T within the family

Phyllobacteriaceae

. Strain MaA-C15T was most closely related to

Mesorhizobium albiziae

DSM 21822T with a 98.2 % 16S rRNA sequence similarity. Average nucleotide identity and in silico DNA–DNA hybridization values between strain MaA-C15T and

M. albiziae

DSM 21822T were 75.4 and 20.1 %, respectively. Based on the results of phenotypic, chemotaxonomic and molecular analyses, strain MaA-C15T represents a novel species of the genus

Mesorhizobium

, for which the name Mesorhizobium microcysteis sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is MaA-C15T (=KACC 21226T=JCM 33503T).
Doctors’ and Nurses’ Social Media Ads Reduced Holiday Travel and COVID-19 infections: A cluster randomized controlled trial in 13 States
Authors: Breza Emily , Stanford Fatima Cody , Alsan Marcela , Alsan Burak , Banerjee Abhijit , Chandrasekhar Arun G. , Eichmeyer Sarah , Glushko Traci , Goldsmith-Pinkham Paul , Holland Kelly , Hoppe Emily , Karnani Mohit , Liegl Sarah , Loisel Tristan , Ogbu-Nwobodo Lucy , Olken Benjamin A. , Torres Carlos , Vautrey Pierre-Luc , Warner Erica , Wootton Susan , Duflo Esther
Published: July 2021

During the COVID-19 epidemic, many health professionals started using mass communication on social media to relay critical information and persuade individuals to adopt preventative health behaviors. Our group of clinicians and nurses developed and recorded short video messages to encourage viewers to stay home for the Thanksgiving and Christmas Holidays. We then conducted a two-stage clustered randomized controlled trial in 820 counties (covering 13 States) in the United States of a large-scale Facebook ad campaign disseminating these messages. In the first level of randomization, we randomly divided the counties into two groups: high intensity and low intensity. In the second level, we randomly assigned zip codes to either treatment or control such that 75% of zip codes in high intensity counties received the treatment, while 25% of zip codes in low intensity counties received the treatment. In each treated zip code, we sent the ad to as many Facebook subscribers as possible (11,954,109 users received at least one ad at Thanksgiving and 23,302,290 users received at least one ad at Christmas). The first primary outcome was aggregate holiday travel, measured using mobile phone location data, available at the county level: we find that average distance travelled in high-intensity counties decreased by −0.993 percentage points (95% CI −1.616, −0.371,p-value 0.002) the three days before each holiday. The second primary outcome was COVID-19 infection at the zip-code level: COVID-19 infections recorded in the two-week period starting five days post-holiday declined by 3.5 percent (adjusted 95% CI [-6.2 percent, −0.7 percent],p-value 0.013) in intervention zip codes compared to control zip codes.

One sentence summary

In a large scale clustered randomized controlled trial, short messages recorded by health professionals before the winter holidays in the United States and sent as ads to social media users led to a significant reduction in holiday travel, and to a decrease in subsequent COVID-19 infection at the population level.
Structural disconnectome mapping of cognitive function in post-stroke patients
Authors: Kolskår Knut K. , Ulrichsen Kristine M. , Richard Genevieve , Dørum Erlend S. , de Schotten Michel Thiebaut , Rokicki Jaroslav , Monereo-Sánchez Jennifer , Engvig Andreas , Hansen Hege Ihle , Nordvik Jan Egil , Westlye Lars T. , Alnæs Dag
Published: July 2021

Sequalae following stroke represents a significant challenge in current rehabilitation. The location and size of focal lesions are only moderately predictive of the diverse cognitive outcome after stroke. One explanation building on recent work on brain networks proposes that the cognitive consequences of focal lesions are caused by damages to anatomically distributed brain networks supporting cognition rather than specific lesion locations. To investigate the association between post-stroke structural disconnectivity and cognitive performance, we estimated individual level whole-brain disconnectivity probability maps based on lesion maps from 102 stroke patients using normative data from healthy controls. Cognitive performance was assessed in the whole sample using Montreal Cognitive Assessment, and a more comprehensive computerized test protocol was performed on a subset (n=82). Multivariate analysis using Partial Least Squares on the disconnectome maps revealed that higher disconnectivity in right insular and frontal operculum, superior temporal gyrus and putamen was associated with poorer MoCA performance, indicating that lesions in regions connected with these brain regions are more likely to cause cognitive impairment. Furthermore, our results indicated that disconnectivity within these clusters was associated with poorer performance across multiple cognitive domains. These findings demonstrate that the extent and distribution of structural disconnectivity following stroke are sensitive to cognitive deficits and may provide important clinical information predicting post stroke cognitive sequalae.
Safeguarding Adolescent Mental Health in India (SAMA): study protocol for co-design and feasibility study of a school systems intervention targeting adolescent anxiety and depression in India
Authors: Hugh-Jones S. , Naidu J. , Al-Janabi H. , Bhola P. , Cook P. , Fazel M. , Hudson K. , Khandeparkar P. , Mirzoev T. , Venkataraman S. , West R. , Mallikarjun P.
Published: July 2021

Introduction

Symptoms of anxiety and depression in Indian adolescents are common. Schools can be opportune sites for delivery of mental health interventions. India, however, is without a whole-school mental health approach. This article describes the study design for the Safeguarding Adolescent Mental Health in India (SAMA) project. The aim of SAMA is to co-design and feasibility test a suite of multi-component interventions across the intersecting systems of adolescents, schools, families and their local communities in India.

Methods and analysis

Our project will co-design and feasibility test four interventions to run in parallel in eight schools (three assigned to waitlist) in Bengaluru and Kolar in Karnataka, India. The primary aim is to reduce the prevalence of adolescent anxiety and depression. Co-design of interventions will build on existing evidence and resources. Interventions for adolescents at school will be universal, incorporating curriculum and social components. Interventions for parents and teachers will target mental health literacy, and also for teachers, training in positive behaviour practices. Intervention in the school community will target school climate to improve student mental health literacy and care. Intervention for the wider community will be via adolescent-led films and social media. We will generate intervention cost estimates, test outcome measures and identify pathways to increase policy action on the evidence.

Ethics and dissemination

Ethical approval has been granted by the National Institute of Mental Health Neurosciences Research Ethics Committee (NIMHANS/26th IEC (Behv Sc Div / 2020/2021)) and the University of Leeds School of Psychology Research Ethics Committee (PSYC-221). Certain data will be available on a data sharing site. Findings will be disseminated via peer-reviewed journals and conferences.

Article Summary

Strengths and Limitations

A key strength of this study is its focus on depression and anxiety prevention, both of which are the common adolescent mental health problems in India.

The study utilises a public mental health systems approach, which adopts a ‘person-in-context’ perspective and recognises multiple determinants of mental health.

Extensive co-design of interventions will promote cultural relevance and acceptability by key stakeholders, including adolescents, teachers, parents and school communities.

The Covid-19 pandemic makes this research more pertinent but may affect recruitment of the schools / adolescents or may lead to participation bias if the study processes are conducted online by excluding those with limited access or who lack technical skills.

The opt-in approach to consent may lead to participation bias.
Spatial frequency discrimination in patients with schizophrenia spectrum and bipolar disorders: Evidence of early visual processing deficits and associations with intellectual abilities
Authors: Løchen Aili R. , Kolskår Knut K. , de Lange Ann-Marie G. , Sneve Markus H. , Haatveit Beathe , Lagerberg Trine V. , Ueland Torill , Melle Ingrid , Andreassen Ole A. , Westlye Lars T. , Alnæs Dag
Published: July 2021

Objective

Low-level sensory disruption is hypothesized as a precursor to clinical and cognitive symptoms in severe mental disorders. We compared visual discrimination performance in patients with schizophrenia spectrum disorder or bipolar disorder with healthy controls, and investigated associations with clinical symptoms and IQ.

Methods

Patients with schizophrenia spectrum disorder (n=32), bipolar disorder (n=55) and healthy controls (n=152) completed a computerized visual discrimination task. Participants responded whether the latter of two consecutive grids had higher or lower spatial frequency, and discrimination thresholds were estimated using an adaptive maximum likelihood procedure. Case-control differences in threshold were assessed using linear regression, F-test and post-hoc pair-wise comparisons. Linear models were used to test for associations between visual discrimination threshold and psychotic symptoms derived from the PANSS and IQ assessed using the Matrix Reasoning and Vocabulary subtests from the Wechsler Abbreviated Scale of Intelligence (WASI).

Results

Robust regression revealed a significant main effect of diagnosis on discrimination threshold (robust F=6.76, p=.001). Post-hoc comparisons revealed that patients with a schizophrenia spectrum disorder (mean=14%, SD=0.08) had higher thresholds compared to healthy controls (mean=10.8%, SD = 0.07, β = 0.35, t=3.4, p=0.002), as did patients with bipolar disorder (12.23%, SD=0.07, β= 0.21, t=2.42, p=0.04). There was no significant difference between bipolar disorder and schizophrenia (β=-0.14, t=-1.2, p=0.45). Linear models revealed negative associations between IQ and threshold across all participants when controlling for diagnostic group (β = -0.3, t=-3.43, p=0.0007). This association was found within healthy controls (t=-3.72, p=.0003) and patients with bipolar disorder (t=-2.53, p=.015), and no significant group by IQ interaction on threshold (F=0.044, p=.97). There were no significant associations between PANSS domain scores and discrimination threshold.

Conclusion

Patients with schizophrenia spectrum or bipolar disorders exhibited higher visual discrimination thresholds than healthy controls, supporting early visual deficits among patients with severe mental illness. Discrimination threshold was negatively associated with IQ among healthy controls and bipolar disorder patients. These findings elucidate perception-related disease mechanisms in severe mental illness, which warrants replication in independent samples.
The acceptance of covid-19 vaccines in Sub-Saharan Africa: Evidence from 6 national phone surveys
Authors: Kanyanda Shelton , Markhof Yannick , Wollburg Philip , Zezza Alberto
Published: July 2021

Introduction
Recent debates surrounding the lagging covid-19 vaccination campaigns in low-income countries center around vaccine supply and financing. Yet, relatively little is known about attitudes towards covid-19 vaccines in these countries and in Africa in particular. In this paper, we provide cross-country comparable estimates of the willingness to accept a covid-19 vaccine in six Sub-Saharan African countries.

Methods
We use data from six national high-frequency phone surveys from countries representing 38% of the Sub-Saharan African population (Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, Malawi, Mali, Nigeria, and Uganda). Samples are drawn from large, nationally representative sampling frames providing a rich set of demographic and socio-economic characteristics by which we disaggregate our analysis. Using a set of re-calibrated survey weights, our analysis adjusts for the selection biases common in remote surveys.

Results
Acceptance rates in the six Sub-Saharan African countries studied are generally high, with at least four in five people willing to be vaccinated in all but one country. Vaccine acceptance ranges from nearly universal in Ethiopia (97.9%, 97.2% to 98.6%) to below what would likely be required for herd immunity in Mali (64.5%, 61.3% to 67.8%). We find little evidence for systematic differences in vaccine hesitancy by sex or age but some clusters of hesitancy in urban areas, among the better educated, and in richer households. Safety concerns about the vaccine in general and its side effects emerge as the primary reservations toward a covid-19 vaccine across countries.

Conclusions
Our findings suggest that limited supply, not inadequate demand, likely presents the key bottleneck to reaching high covid-19 vaccine coverage in Sub-Saharan Africa. To turn intent into effective demand, targeted communication campaigns bolstering confidence in the safety of approved vaccines and reducing concerns about side effects will be crucial to safeguard the swift progression of vaccine rollout in one of the world's poorest regions.