bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Method comparison of HPLC-ninhydrin-photometry and UHPLC-PITC-tandem mass spectrometry for serum amino acid analyses in patients with complex congenital heart disease and controls
Authors: Michel Miriam , Salvador Christina , Wiedemair Verena , Adam Mark Gordian , Laser Kai Thorsten , Dubowy Karl-Otto , Entenmann Andreas , Karall Daniela , Geiger Ralf , Zlamy Manuela , Scholl-Bürgi Sabine
Published: December 2020

Introduction

Metabolomics studies are not routine when quantifying amino acids (AA) in congenital heart disease (CHD).

Objectives

Comparative analysis of 24 AA in serum by traditional high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) based on ion exchange and ninhydrin derivatisation followed by photometry (PM) with ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography and phenylisothiocyanate derivatisation followed by tandem mass spectrometry (TMS); interpretation of findings in CHD patients and controls.

Methods

PM: Sample analysis as above (total run time, ~ 119 min).TMS: Sample analysis by AbsoluteIDQ® p180 kit assay (BIOCRATES Life Sciences AG, Innsbruck, Austria), which employs PITC derivatisation; separation of analytes on a Waters Acquity UHPLC BEH18 C18 reversed-phase column, using water and acetonitrile with 0.1% formic acid as the mobile phases; and quantification on a Triple-Stage Quadrupole tandem mass spectrometer (Thermo Fisher Scientific, Waltham, MA) with electrospray ionisation in the presence of internal standards (total run time, ~ 8 min). Calculation of coefficients of variation (CV) (for precision), intra- and interday accuracies, limits of detection (LOD), limits of quantification (LOQ), and mean concentrations.

Results

Both methods yielded acceptable results with regard to precision (CV < 10%PM, < 20%TMS), accuracies (< 10%PM, < 34%TMS), LOD, and LOQ. For both Fontan patients and controls AA concentrations differed significantly between methods, but patterns yielded overall were parallel.

Conclusion

Serum AA concentrations differ with analytical methods but both methods are suitable for AA pattern recognition.TMS is a time-saving alternative to traditionalPMunder physiological conditions as well as in patients with CHD.

Trial registration number

ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier NCT03886935, date of registration March 27th, 2019 (retrospectively registered).
Adapted single-cell consensus clustering (adaSC3)
Authors: Fuetterer Cornelia , Augustin Thomas , Fuchs Christiane
Published: December 2020

The analysis of single-cell RNA sequencing data is of great importance in health research. It challenges data scientists, but has enormous potential in the context of personalized medicine. The clustering of single cells aims to detect different subgroups of cell populations within a patient in a data-driven manner. Some comparison studies denote single-cell consensus clustering (SC3), proposed by Kiselev et al. (Nat Methods 14(5):483–486, 2017), as the best method for classifying single-cell RNA sequencing data. SC3 includes Laplacian eigenmaps and a principal component analysis (PCA). Our proposal of unsupervised adapted single-cell consensus clustering (adaSC3) suggests to replace the linear PCA by diffusion maps, a non-linear method that takes the transition of single cells into account. We investigate the performance of adaSC3 in terms of accuracy on the data sets of the original source of SC3 as well as in a simulation study. A comparison of adaSC3 with SC3 as well as with related algorithms based on further alternative dimension reduction techniques shows a quite convincing behavior of adaSC3.
The Nematodes Thelazia gulosa Railiet and Henry, 1910 and Thelazia skrjabini Erschov, 1928 as a Cause of Blindness in European Bison (Bison bonasus) in Poland
Authors: Demiaszkiewicz Aleksander W. , Moskwa Bożena , Gralak Aneta , Laskowski Zdzisław , Myczka Anna W. , Kołodziej-Sobocińska Marta , Kaczor Stanisław , Plis-Kuprianowicz Elwira , Krzysiak Michał , Filip-Hutsch Katarzyna
Published: December 2020

Purpose

The nematodes of the genus Thelazia are the cause of eye diseases of wild and domestic ruminants throughout the world. The aim of the study was to describe clinical cases of thelasiosis in European bison (Bison bonasus) in Poland, and provide morphometrical features of Thelazia gulosa Railiet and Henry, 1910 and Thelazia skrjabini Erschov, 1928 regarded as potentially useful for species differentiation

Methods

The conjunctival sacs, tear ducts, the surface of the cornea and nicitating membrane collected from bison were rinsed with saline solution. Any nematodes isolated from the sediment were subjected to morphometric analysis.

Results

Thirteen of the 16 examined European bison were infected with Thelazia nematodes, belonging to the species T. gulosa and T. skrjabini. The intensity of infection ranged from one to six (mean intensity 5), and four to 29 (mean intensity 14) nematodes T. skrjabini and T. gulosa respectively. Congestion of conjunctival sac, keratitis and corneal opacity, corneal ulceration and perforation as well as purulent eyeball inflammation were observed in infected animals.

Conclusions

Thelazia gulosa and T. skrjabini can be identified by morphometrical features. As thelasiosis might be a serious threat for protected population of European bison, further studies are needed of the epidemiology and pathology of this emerging parasitosis in Poland.
Genotypes of Giardia duodenalis in Household Dogs and Cats from Poland
Authors: Piekara-Stępińska Agnieszka , Piekarska Jolanta , Gorczykowski Michał , Bania Jacek
Published: December 2020

Background

Giardia duodenalis is a widespread protozoan parasite affecting humans and many species of animals, including dogs and cats. Due to its zoonotic potential, it is important to know the frequency of this parasite in companion animals. The aim of this study was to determine current epidemiological status of G. duodenalis in household dogs and cats.

Methods

In this study, 293 fecal samples from pet dogs and cats were collected from January 2017 to July 2019 and tested for G. duodenalis by PCR (using β-giardin gene). The animals were divided into groups depending on their age, breed and fecal consistency.

Results

The examination allowed for detection of G. duodenalis in 6.0% of canine and 3.9% of feline fecal samples. The highest frequency was revealed in young (under one-year old) dogs. Sequencing confirmed the presence of assemblages C and D in dogs and A and F in cats.

Conclusion

The study showed current frequency of G. duodenalis in dogs and cats and also revealed the occurrence of host-specific assemblages as well as zoonotic assemblage A.
Numerical Investigation on the Ultimate Strength of Box Beams with Impact Damage
Authors: Xu Wei , Soares C. Guedes
Published: December 2020

The objective of this paper is to study the residual ultimate strength of box beams with impact-induced damage, as a model of what may occur in ship hulls. The bottom and side plates of ship hulls can suffer denting or fracture damage due to grounding, collision and other contacts during the ship’s service life and these impact-induced damages could result in considerable strength degradation. Box beams are firstly subjected to impact loading and then four-point bending loading is imposed on the damaged structures to assess the residual strength using ANSYS/LS_DYNA. The ultimate moment and collapse modes are discussed considering the effect of impact location. The impact-induced deformation is introduced in the four-point bending simulation, and the impact-induced stress is included or not to determine the effect of residual stress and distortion after impact. It is shown that impact location has significant influence on the residual ultimate bending moment of the damaged box beam providing that the impact energy is kept constant. The collapse modes also change when the impactor strikes on different locations. Damaged hard corner and inclined neutral axes might explain the reduction of ultimate strength and diverse collapse modes. The residual stress in the box beam after impact may increase or decrease the ultimate strength depending on impact location.
A Global Decline in Adolescents’ Subjective Well-Being: a Comparative Study Exploring Patterns of Change in the Life Satisfaction of 15-Year-Old Students in 46 Countries
Authors: Marquez Jose , Long Emily
Published: December 2020

There is a growing body of research that demonstrates declines in subjective well-being and increases in mental health problems among children and young people in recent decades. However, there is little comparative research examining changes in adolescents’ life satisfaction (LS) across a large number of countries, and critically, how this differs across sociodemographic groups. This study addresses this question by investigating changes in the LS of 15-year-old students between 2015 and 2018, with particular attention given to differences by gender, socio-economic status, immigrant background and urbanity. Data for this study come from the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA). Due to the skewed nature of LS scale variables, the current study includes both mean levels of LS in a 0 to 10 scale, and the proportion of students reporting low LS (5 points or less). Linear regression models were used. Results demonstrate a global decline in mean levels of LS in 39 out of the 46 countries. In most countries, mean LS declined more among girls than among boys. Mean LS declined more, and the proportion of students reporting low LS increased more, among non-immigrant students and those of higher SES in the majority of countries. Findings regarding rural or urban communities were mixed. We advise that heterogeneity across all sociodemographic groups needs to be accounted for in public policy efforts to increase LS among young people.
Monte Carlo cubature construction
Authors: Hayakawa Satoshi
Published: December 2020

In numerical integration, cubature methods are effective, especially when the integrands can be well-approximated by known test functions, such as polynomials. However, the construction of cubature formulas has not generally been known, and existing examples only represent the particular domains of integrands, such as hypercubes and spheres. In this study, we show that cubature formulas can be constructed for probability measures provided that we have an i.i.d. sampler from the measure and the mean values of given test functions. Moreover, the proposed method also works as a means of data compression, even if sufficient prior information of the measure is not available.
Impact of Temperature and Time Interval Prior to Immature Testicular-Tissue Organotypic Culture on Cellular Niche
Authors: Salian Sujith Raj , Pandya Riddhi Kirit , Laxminarayana Sindhura Lakshmi Koulmane , Krishnamurthy Hanumantappa , Cheredath Aswathi , Tholeti Prathima , Uppangala Shubhashree , Kalthur Guruprasad , Majumdar Subeer , Schlatt Stefan , Adiga Satish Kumar
Published: December 2020

Cryopreservation of immature-testicular-tissue (ITT) prior to gonadotoxic treatment, while experimental, is the only recommended option for fertility preservation in prepubertal boys. The handling and manipulation of ITT before cryopreservation could influence the functionality of cells during fertility restoration, which this study explored by evaluating cellular niche and quality of mouse ITT subjected to various temperatures and time durations in vitro. ITT from 6-day-old mice were handled at ultraprofound-hypothermic, profound-hypothermic, and mild-warm-ischemic temperatures for varying time periods prior to 14-day organotypic culture. Viability, functionality, synaptonemal complex and chromatin remodeling markers were assessed. Results have shown that cell viability, testosterone level, and in vitro proliferation ability did not change when ITT were held at ultraprofound-hypothermic-temperature up to 24 h, whereas cell viability was significantly reduced (P < 0.01), when held at profound-hypothermic-temperature for 24 h before culture. Further, cell viability and testosterone levels in cultured cells from profound-hypothermic group were comparable to corresponding ultraprofound-hypothermic group but with moderate reduction in postmeiotic cells (P < 0.01). In conclusion, holding ITT at ultraprofound-hypothermic-temperature is most suitable for organotypic culture, whereas short-term exposure at profound-hypothermic-temperature may compromise postmeiotic germ cell yield post in vitro culture. This data, albeit in mouse model, will have immense value in human prepubertal fertility restoration research.
Unsupervised Machine Learning for Clustering in Political and Social Research
Authors: Waggoner Philip D.
Published: December 2020

In the age of data-driven problem-solving, applying sophisticated computational tools for explaining substantive phenomena is a valuable skill. Yet, application of methods assumes an understanding of the data, structure, and patterns that influence the broader research program. This Element offers researchers and teachers an introduction to clustering, which is a prominent class of unsupervised machine learning for exploring and understanding latent, non-random structure in data. A suite of widely used clustering techniques is covered in this Element, in addition to R code and real data to facilitate interaction with the concepts. Upon setting the stage for clustering, the following algorithms are detailed: agglomerative hierarchical clustering, k-means clustering, Gaussian mixture models, and at a higher-level, fuzzy C-means clustering, DBSCAN, and partitioning around medoids (k-medoids) clustering.
CHURCH-STATE SYMPHONIA: ITS HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT AND ITS APPLICATIONS BY THE RUSSIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH
Authors: Antonov Mikhail
Published: December 2020

This article analyzes the origins of the concept of symphonia, its historical development, and its utilization by the Russian Orthodox Church as a normative ideal for church-state relations. In various historical contexts, this concept has referred to different normative requirements; it relied on different paradigms in Byzantium and in medieval Russia and it acquired new meanings in Imperial Russia. The reinterpretations of this concept by the Russian Orthodox Church in order to legitimize its position in the political life of contemporary Russia take this concept far from its original meaning. Using methods from the history of concepts of, among others, Reinhart Koselleck and Quentin Skinner, the author considers how the semantic transformations of symphonia in modern contexts by the Russian Orthodox Church lead to a hollowing of this concept. This conception is hardly reconcilable with the normative logic of the actual Russian political and legal systems.
Low doses of eriocitrin attenuate metabolic impairment of glucose and lipids in ongoing obesogenic diet in mice
Authors: Ferreira P. S. , Manthey J. A. , Nery M. S. , Spolidorio L. C. , Cesar T. B.
Published: December 2020

Eriocitrin is a citrus flavonoid with a high capacity to reduce the oxidative stress related to metabolic disorders and obesity. We assessed the effects of low doses of eriocitrin on the oxidative stress, inflammation, and metabolism of glucose and lipids of high-fat diet (HFD)-fed obese mice. Fifty male C57BL/6J mice were randomly assigned into five groups (n10). The mice were fed an HFD (45 % kcal from fat, i.e. lard) for 4 weeks for obesity induction. After this period, the mice continued receiving the same HFD, but supplemented with eriocitrin at 10, 25 or 100 mg/kg body weight (bw) for an additional 4 weeks. Control groups were fed with standard diet (10 % kcal of fat, i.e. soy oil) or with HFD without eriocitrin, for eight consecutive weeks. At the end of the study, mice supplemented with eriocitrin showed lower levels of blood serum glucose and blood and liver triacylglycerols (P< 0⋅05). There was also improved levels of insulin, HOMA-IR, total-cholesterol, resistin and lipid peroxidation in the supplemented mice. It was concluded that the 25 mg dose of eriocitrin improved all the parameters studied and had positive effects on oxidative stress, systemic inflammation and metabolism of lipids and glucose in general.
Tibetan medicine with respect to increased attention to the east in Russian society: The second half of the nineteenth century to early twentieth century
Authors: Suvorov Valeriy V. , Kiselev Anton R. , Fedonnikov Alexander S.
Published: December 2020

Growing interest to Tibetan medicine among the Russian scientific community and popularisation of its practices in the Russian Empire metropolitan areas in the second half of the nineteenth century to early twentieth century concurred with on-going changes in perception of the Orient by Russian society, establishment of its positive image, increased interest to the elements of oriental culture and practices within the framework of the Silver Age values, and the development of the natural science and experimental medicine, both of which caused an improvement in the healthcare system in Russia. At the turn of the twentieth century, Russian society manifested an ambivalent attitude towards Tibetan medicine. On the one hand, there was an increasing interest to theoretical foundations, a desire for scientific understanding, and spread of the Tibetan medicine practical component in the sociocultural environment of the metropolitan society, previously unfamiliar with oriental traditions and beliefs. On the other hand, an issue of the possibilities and principles of Tibetan medical treatment had opposed Western scientific medicine, which produced many discussions and critical reviews. The controversy was repeatedly caused by the negative attitude towards principal metropolitan specialist in Tibetan medicine – Peter Badmaev and distrust to his activities, as opposed to the medical skills of actual lamas. Despite the fact that it was virtually impossible to integrate Tibetan medicine into the Russian healthcare system, interest in it became a factor of attraction to the East and the oriental culture in Russian society at the turn of the twentieth century.
A mathematical model explores the contributions of bending and stretching forces to shoot gravitropism in Arabidopsis
Authors: Tsugawa Satoru , Sano Tomohiko G. , Shima Hiroyuki , Morita Miyo Terao , Demura Taku
Published: December 2020

Plant shoot gravitropism is a complex phenomenon resulting from gravity sensing, curvature sensing (proprioception), the ability to uphold self-weight and growth. Although recent data analysis and modelling have revealed the detailed morphology of shoot bending, the relative contribution of bending force (derived from the gravi-proprioceptive response) and stretching force (derived from shoot axial growth) behind gravitropism remains poorly understood. To address this gap, we combined morphological data with a theoretical model to analyze shoot bending in wild-type and lazy1-like 1 mutant Arabidopsis thaliana. Using data from actual bending events, we searched for model parameters that minimized discrepancies between the data and mathematical model. The resulting model suggests that both the bending force and the stretching force differ significantly between the wild type and mutant. We discuss the implications of the mechanical forces associated with differential cell growth and present a plausible mechanical explanation of shoot gravitropism.
The Politics of Pandemic Othering: Putting COVID-19 in Global and Historical Context
Authors: Dionne Kim Yi , Turkmen Fulya Felicity
Published: December 2020

As COVID-19 began to spread around the world, so did reports of discrimination and violence against people from marginalized groups. We argue that in a global politics characterized by racialized inequality, pandemics such as COVID-19 exacerbate the marginalization of already oppressed groups. We review published research on previous pandemics to historicize pandemic othering and blame, and enumerate some of the consequences for politics, policy, and public health. Specifically, we draw on lessons from smallpox outbreaks, the third bubonic plague, the 1918 influenza pandemic, and more recent pandemics, such as HIV/AIDS, SARS, and Ebola. We also compile reports to document the discrimination and violence targeting marginalized groups early in the COVID-19 pandemic. This article lays bare the continuation of a long history of othering and blame during disease outbreaks and identifies needs for further inquiry to understand the persistence of these pandemic politics.
Brag-bar kinship system in synchronic and diachronic perspectives
Authors: Shuya Zhang , Jingming Fan
Published: December 2020

The Rgyalrong languages are a group of unwritten non-Tibetic languages spoken in north-western Sichuan Province, China. This paper provides an in-depth analysis of the Brag-bar (a dialect of Situ Rgyalrong) kinship terminology at the synchronic level, and then by using both internal reconstruction and comparative method, we attempt to explain the directionality of both formal and semantic changes in the Brag-bar terminology. Thus we demonstrate that the present kinship system of Brag-bar (Situ) originates from a system with Omaha skewing.
Role of patients’ organizations in Health Technology Assessment: a Habermasian system and lifeworld perspective
Authors: Milevska-Kostova Neda , Duddi Sita Ratna Devi , Cooper Richard J.
Published: December 2020

Patient and public involvement in Health Technology Assessment (HTA) is gaining increased interest among research and policy communities. Patients’ organizations represent an important link between individual patients and the health system. Social theories are increasingly being used to explain doctor–patient–system interactions, expanding understanding beyond the mere clinical perspective. In this sense, patient involvement in HTA can also be considered through the Habermas’s theory of communicative action. From a Habermasian perspective, HTA as part of the instrumental rationality contributes to an increased efficiency of resource use within the system; however, such rationalization threatens to colonize the lifeworld by making it “increasingly state administered with attenuated possibilities for communicative action as a result of the commercialization and rationalization in terms of immediate returns.” Using Habermasian system/lifeworld framework, this paper explores opportunities and obstacles to patient involvement in HTA, whereby trying to understand current and possible roles of patients’ organizations as a mediating force between HTA as a function of the system and the lifeworld represented by patients.
Are e-learning Webinars the future of medical education? An exploratory study of a disruptive innovation in the COVID-19 era
Authors: McMahon Colin J. , Tretter Justin T. , Faulkner Theresa , Krishna Kumar R. , Redington Andrew N. , Windram Jonathan D.
Published: December 2020

Objective:

This study investigated the impact of the Webinar on deep human learning of CHD.

Materials and methods:

This cross-sectional survey design study used an open and closed-ended questionnaire to assess the impact of the Webinar on deep learning of topical areas within the management of the post-operative tetralogy of Fallot patients. This was a quantitative research methodology using descriptive statistical analyses with a sequential explanatory design.

Results:

One thousand-three-hundred and seventy-four participants from 100 countries on 6 continents joined the Webinar, 557 (40%) of whom completed the questionnaire. Over 70% of participants reported that they “agreed” or “strongly agreed” that the Webinar format promoted deep learning for each of the topics compared to other standard learning methods (textbook and journal learning). Two-thirds expressed a preference for attending a Webinar rather than an international conference. Over 80% of participants highlighted significant barriers to attending conferences including cost (79%), distance to travel (49%), time commitment (51%), and family commitments (35%). Strengths of the Webinar included expertise, concise high-quality presentations often discussing contentious issues, and the platform quality. The main weakness was a limited time for questions. Just over 53% expressed a concern for the carbon footprint involved in attending conferences and preferred to attend a Webinar.

Conclusion:

E-learning Webinars represent a disruptive innovation, which promotes deep learning, greater multidisciplinary participation, and greater attendee satisfaction with fewer barriers to participation. Although Webinars will never fully replace conferences, a hybrid approach may reduce the need for conferencing, reduce carbon footprint. and promote a “sustainable academia”.
The different surgical impact of the superior cavoatrial incision in children and adults
Authors: Ait-Ali Lamia , Ravaglioli Antonio , Festa Pierluigi , Tamburrini Alessandro , Marrone Chiara , Cuman Magdalena , Farnetani Cecilia , Pak Vitali , Chiavarelli Mario , Federici Duccio
Published: December 2020

Introduction:

The single- and double-patch repairs are undoubtedly the most commonly used techniques for the surgical management of partial anomalous pulmonary venous connection associated with sinus venosus atrial septal defect. The aim of this study was to retrospectively compare early and long-term surgical outcomes in paediatric and adult patients, focusing in particular on the occurrence of ectopic atrial rhythm.

Material and methods:

Seventy patients (male: 38, 54.2%) underwent surgical repair for partial anomalous pulmonary venous connection with sinus venosus atrial septal defect. Forty-nine patients (70%) underwent surgical repair in paediatric age (<16 years old), while 21 of (30%) patients were operated in adulthood. Thirty patients (42.8%) underwent single-patch repair and 39 patients (55.7%) underwent double-patch repair. In only one patient, the Warden procedure was performed (1.4%). Median follow-up time was 52 months (IQ 15.1–113).

Results:

The type of surgical technique didn’t affect the incidence of ectopic atrial rhythm (26.6% in single-patch group and 25.6% in double-patch groups, p = 0.9). At long-term follow-up, ectopic atrial rhythm, as an expression of sinoatrial node disturbance, was however significantly more frequent in the paediatric population (28.8% paediatric group and 4.7% adult group, p = 0.02).

Conclusions:

The higher incidence of ectopic atrial rhythm in children is probably related to the closer position of the sinus node to the superior cavoatrial incision, which makes irreversible iatrogenic traumatism more likely to occur. Surgical techniques that avoid any manipulation on the superior cavoatrial junction should, therefore, be preferred for children undergoing partial anomalous pulmonary venous connection repair.
GPT-3: What’s it good for?
Authors: Dale Robert
Published: December 2020

GPT-3 made the mainstream media headlines this year, generating far more interest than we’d normally expect of a technical advance in NLP. People are fascinated by its ability to produce apparently novel text that reads as if it was written by a human. But what kind of practical applications can we expect to see, and can they be trusted?
The more that households prioritise healthy eating, the better they can afford to consume a sufficient quantity and variety of fruits and vegetables
Authors: Stewart Hayden , Hyman Jeffrey , Dong Diansheng , Carlson Andrea
Published: December 2020

Objective:

To examine the variety of fruits and vegetables lower income households in the USA can buy while meeting Federal dietary recommendations at different levels of expenditure.

Design:

Simulation techniques were used to create 3000 market baskets of fruits and vegetables. All baskets contained enough food for a four-person household to meet dietary recommendations for fruits and vegetables over 1 week. Each basket’s retail value was estimated along with the ability of a representative household to afford each basket with different levels of expenditure.

Setting:

We used data from the US Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Fruit and Vegetable Prices data product which reports a US household’s costs to buy each of 157 different fruit and vegetable products per edible cup equivalent.

Participants:

We consider the situation facing a lower income household that receives maximum benefits through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). These benefits are enough for the household to obtain a nutritious and palatable diet without spending any of its own money on food if it approximately follows USDA’s Thrifty Food Plan.

Results:

Households receiving maximum SNAP benefits can buy a sufficient variety and quantity of fruits and vegetables if they allocate about 40 % of those benefits to these two food groups. However, if households spend less than that amount, the variety of products they can buy while still satisfying recommendations drops off quickly.

Conclusion:

Households that move fruits and vegetables to the centre of their budgets can better afford to meet Federal dietary guidelines.
Exploring healthcare professionals’ views of the acceptability of delivering interventions to promote healthy infant feeding practices within primary care: a qualitative interview study
Authors: Toomey Elaine , Flannery Caragh , Matvienko-Sikar Karen , Olander Ellinor K , Hayes Catherine , Heffernan Tony , Hennessy Marita , McHugh Sheena , Queally Michelle , Kearney Patricia M , Byrne Molly , Heary Caroline
Published: December 2020

Objective:

Early-life nutrition plays a key role in establishing healthy lifestyles and preventing chronic disease. This study aimed to (1) explore healthcare professionals’ (HCP) opinions on the acceptability of and factors influencing the delivery of interventions to promote healthy infant feeding behaviours within primary care and (2) identify proposed barriers/enablers to delivering such interventions during vaccination visits, to inform the development of a childhood obesity prevention intervention.

Design:

A qualitative study design was employed using semi-structured telephone interviews. Data were analysed using qualitative content analysis; findings were also mapped to the Theoretical Framework of Acceptability (TFA).

Setting:

Primary care in Ireland

Participants:

Twenty-one primary care-based HCP: five practice nurses, seven general practitioners, three public health nurses, three community dietitians and three community medical officers.

Results:

The acceptability of delivering interventions to promote healthy infant feeding within primary care is influenced by the availability of resources, HCP’s roles and priorities, and factors relating to communication and relationships between HCP and parents. Proposed barriers and enablers to delivering interventions within vaccination visits include time constraintsv. opportunistic access, existing relationships and trust between parents and practice nurses, and potential communication issues. Barriers/enablers mapped to TFA constructs of Affective Attitude, Perceived Effectiveness and Self-Efficacy.

Conclusions:

This study provides a valuable insight into HCP perspectives of delivering prevention-focused infant feeding interventions within primary care settings. While promising, factors such as coordination and clarity of HCP roles and resource allocation need to be addressed to ensure acceptability of interventions to HCP involved in delivery.
Seven-year trends in the availability, sugar content and serve size of single-serve non-alcoholic beverages in New Zealand: 2013–2019
Authors: Gontijo de Castro Teresa , Eyles Helen , Ni Mhurchu Cliona , Young Leanne , Mackay Sally
Published: December 2020

Objective:

To assess trends in relative availability, sugar content and serve size of ready-to-drink non-alcoholic beverages available for sale in supermarkets from 2013 to 2019.

Design:

Repeat cross-sectional surveys. Data on single-serve beverages to be consumed in one sitting were obtained from an updated brand-specific food composition database. Trends in beverages availability and proportions with serve size ≤ 250 ml were assessed by χ2 tests. Sugar content trends were examined using linear regressions. The proportion of beverages exceeding the sugar threshold of the United Kingdom Soft Drinks Industry Levy (SDIL) was assessed.

Setting:

New Zealand.

Results:

From 2013 to 2019, there was (i) an increase in the availability of sugar-free/low-sugar beverages (n 25 (8·4 %) to n 75 (19·1 %); P < 0·001) and craft sugar-sweetened soft drinks (n 11 (3·7 %) to n 36 (9·2 %); P < 0·001), and a decrease in availability of fruit/vegetable juices/drinks (n 94 (31·8 %) to n 75 (19·4 %); P < 0·001); (ii) small decreases in sugar content (mean g/100 ml) of sugar-sweetened soft drinks (3·03; 95 % CI 3·77, 2·29); fruit/vegetable juices/drinks (1·08; 95 % CI 2·14, 0·01) and energy drinks (0·98; 95 % CI 1·63, 0·32) and (iii) slight reduction in the proportion of beverages with serve size ≤ 250 ml (21·6 to 18·9 %; P < 0·001). In 2019, most beverages were sugar-sweetened or had naturally occurring sugars (79·1 %) and serve size > 250 ml (81·1 %) and most sugar-sweetened beverages exceeded the SDIL lower benchmark (72·9 %).

Conclusions:

Most single-serve beverages available for sale in 2019 were sugary drinks with high sugar content and large serve sizes; therefore, changes made across the years were not meaningful for population’s health.
Contexts of State Violence: Jewish Expulsions in the Holy Roman Empire
Authors: Doten-Snitker Kerice
Published: December 2020

Policies excluding ethnoracial and religious minorities reinforce the power of political elites. This study addresses an extreme case of exclusion: urban expulsions of Jews in the medieval western Holy Roman Empire. Expulsions were official edicts proclaimed by Christian princes, lords, or town councils, whomever ruled a territory. Changing religious and political culture, in the form of new value on community righteousness and the beginning of territorialization, provided incentives for polities to expel their Jewish residents. Using a new database of Jewish settlement and city development in the Western Holy Roman Empire 1000–1520 CE, I show that the relational structure of political power between Christian elites could insulate or expose Jewish communities to political contests of the time. Jews were derided, lesser members of Christian society, but in spite of increasing focus on Christian piety and legislating community purity, most cities did not expel their Jewish residents. City rulers that did expel were attempting to solve challenges for sovereignty through their policies toward Jews.
From Anthropocene to Noosphere: The Great Acceleration
Authors: Shoshitaishvili Boris
Published: December 2020

The complex set of human‐driven global, social, technological, and environmental changes intensifying dramatically since 1950 has been identified as the “Great Acceleration.” This period of time represents a radical shift in our collective relationship to each other as well as to the Earth system as a whole. In this article I consider two major paradigms now taking shape to offer different perspectives on the Great Acceleration: The Anthropocene and the Noosphere. I explore the scientific‐intellectual traditions from which each paradigm derives and contrast their nearly opposite normative evaluations of global transformation. The Anthropocene has emerged as the paradigm of rupture, materiality, and warning; the Noosphere as the paradigm of development, mind/culture, and hope. I also highlight preliminary attempts at bringing the two divergent paradigms closer together into a more unified and balanced vision of planetary change.
Particulate Backscattering in the Global Ocean: A Comparison of Independent Assessments
Authors: Bisson K. M. , Boss E. , Werdell P. J. , Ibrahim A. , Behrenfeld M. J.
Published: December 2020

How well do we know the particulate backscattering coefficient (bbp) in the global ocean? Satellite lidar bbp has never been validated globally and few studies have compared lidar bbp to bbp derived from reflectances (via ocean color) or in situ observations. Here, we validate lidar bbp with autonomous biogeochemical Argo floats using a decorrelation analysis to identify relevant spatiotemporal matchup scales inspired by geographical variability in the Rossby radius of deformation. We compare lidar, float, and ocean color bbp at the same locations and times to assess performance. Lidar bbp outperforms ocean color, with a median percent error of 18% compared to 24% in the best case and a relative bias of −11% compared to −21%, respectively. Phytoplankton carbon calculated from ocean color and lidar exhibits basin‐scale differences that can reach ±50%.
Do CMIP6 Climate Models Simulate Global or Regional Compound Events Skillfully?
Authors: Ridder Nina N. , Pitman Andrew J. , Ukkola Anna M.
Published: December 2020

Compound events have the potential to cause high socioeconomic and environmental losses. We examine the ability of the sixth phase of the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP6) models to capture two bivariate compound events: the co‐occurrence of heavy rain and strong wind, and heat waves and meteorological drought. We evaluate the models over North America, Europe, Eurasia, and Australia using observations and reanalysis data set spanning 1980–2014. Some of the CMIP6 models capture the return periods of both bivariate compound events over North America, Europe, and Eurasia surprisingly well but perform less well over Australia. For heavy rain and strong wind, this poor performance was particularly clear in northern Australia which suggests limits in simulating tropical and extratropical cyclones, local convection, and mesoscale convective systems. We did not find higher model resolution improved performance in any region. Overall, our results show some CMIP6 models can be used to examine compound events, particularly over North America, Europe, and Eurasia.
Energy Imbalance and Evapotranspiration Hysteresis Under an Advective Environment: Evidence From Lysimeter, Eddy Covariance, and Energy Balance Modeling
Authors: Dhungel Ramesh , Aiken Robert , Evett Steven R. , Colaizzi Paul D. , Marek Gary , Moorhead Jerry E. , Baumhardt R. Louis , Brauer David , Kutikoff Seth , Lin Xiaomao
Published: December 2020

Surface energy imbalance problems have been underexplored especially under advective environments. Here, we present a novel analysis of surface energy fluxes from three distinct approaches—weighing lysimeter, eddy covariance (EC), and surface energy balance modeling for the 2014 sorghum and 2016 corn crop seasons in Bushland, Texas. Our results suggest that energy imbalance problems in the EC system were evidently associated with two opposite evapotranspiration (ET) hysteresis patterns with respect to net radiation and water vapor pressure deficit (VPD). The lysimeter ET had the smallest ET hysteresis while the eddy covariance ET results indicated the strongest hysteresis with respect to net radiation. Conversely, the lysimeter ET hysteresis related to water VPD was stronger than that of the eddy covariance method. This study provides understanding of ET hysteresis patterns, energy imbalance, and advective conditions associated with turbulent flux dynamics for both diel and crop growing seasonal timescales in Bushland, Texas.
Sub‐Seasonal Tree‐Ring Reconstructions for More Comprehensive Climate Records in U.S. West Coast Watersheds
Authors: Wise Erika K.
Published: December 2020

Tree‐ring records of preinstrumental hydroclimate, which contribute needed context for understanding recent drought and flood events, typically provide one value per year that represents the entire year or one particular season. This may introduce a seasonal bias to the records or omit seasonally variable moisture. Here, I use tree‐ring records to reconstruct precipitation and runoff in 28 U.S. West Coast watersheds for running 1, 3, 6, and 12‐month intervals. When compared on a yearly basis, the Monthly and Four‐Season models have higher overall skill and better extreme capture in most basins than the Cool‐Warm and Annual models. The Monthly and Four‐Season versions also decrease model error in years with more intense precipitation and retain more variability in the preinstrumental period. Improved capture of year‐round moisture can provide a more complete representation of the preinstrumental past and strengthen capacity to study shorter‐duration and season‐specific events like atmospheric rivers.
The genie in the bottle-magnified calcium signaling in dorsolateral prefrontal cortex
Authors: Arnsten Amy F. T. , Datta Dibyadeep , Wang Min
Published: December 2020

Neurons in the association cortices are particularly vulnerable in cognitive disorders such as schizophrenia and Alzheimer’s disease, while those in primary visual cortex remain relatively resilient. This review proposes that the special molecular mechanisms needed for higher cognitive operations confer vulnerability to dysfunction, atrophy, and neurodegeneration when regulation is lost due to genetic and/or environmental insults. Accumulating data suggest that higher cortical circuits rely on magnified levels of calcium (from NMDAR, calcium channels, and/or internal release from the smooth endoplasmic reticulum) near the postsynaptic density to promote the persistent firing needed to maintain, manipulate, and store information without “bottom-up” sensory stimulation. For example, dendritic spines in the primate dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC) express the molecular machinery for feedforward, cAMP–PKA–calcium signaling. PKA can drive internal calcium release and promote calcium flow through NMDAR and calcium channels, while in turn, calcium activates adenylyl cyclases to produce more cAMP–PKA signaling. Excessive levels of cAMP–calcium signaling can have a number of detrimental effects: for example, opening nearby K+channels to weaken synaptic efficacy and reduce neuronal firing, and over a longer timeframe, driving calcium overload of mitochondria to induce inflammation and dendritic atrophy. Thus, calcium–cAMP signaling must be tightly regulated, e.g., by agents that catabolize cAMP or inhibit its production (PDE4, mGluR3), and by proteins that bind calcium in the cytosol (calbindin). Many genetic or inflammatory insults early in life weaken the regulation of calcium–cAMP signaling and are associated with increased risk of schizophrenia (e.g.,GRM3). Age-related loss of regulatory proteins which result in elevated calcium–cAMP signaling over a long lifespan can additionally drive tau phosphorylation, amyloid pathology, and neurodegeneration, especially when protective calcium binding proteins are lost from the cytosol. Thus, the “genie” we need for our remarkable cognitive abilities may make us vulnerable to cognitive disorders when we lose essential regulation.
Metabolic modeling predicts specific gut bacteria as key determinants for Candida albicans colonization levels
Authors: Mirhakkak Mohammad H , Schäuble Sascha , Klassert Tilman E , Brunke Sascha , Brandt Philipp , Loos Daniel , Uribe Ruben V , Senne de Oliveira Lino Felipe , Ni Yueqiong , Vylkova Slavena , Slevogt Hortense , Hube Bernhard , Weiss Glen J , Sommer Morten O A , Panagiotou Gianni
Published: December 2020

Candida albicans is a leading cause of life-threatening hospital-acquired infections and can lead to Candidemia with sepsis-like symptoms and high mortality rates. We reconstructed a genome-scale C. albicans metabolic model to investigate bacterial-fungal metabolic interactions in the gut as determinants of fungal abundance. We optimized the predictive capacity of our model using wild type and mutant C. albicans growth data and used it for in silico metabolic interaction predictions. Our analysis of more than 900 paired fungal–bacterial metabolic models predicted key gut bacterial species modulating C. albicans colonization levels. Among the studied microbes, Alistipes putredinis was predicted to negatively affect C. albicans levels. We confirmed these findings by metagenomic sequencing of stool samples from 24 human subjects and by fungal growth experiments in bacterial spent media. Furthermore, our pairwise simulations guided us to specific metabolites with promoting or inhibitory effect to the fungus when exposed in defined media under carbon and nitrogen limitation. Our study demonstrates that in silico metabolic prediction can lead to the identification of gut microbiome features that can significantly affect potentially harmful levels of C. albicans.
Studying pre-treatment and ketamine-induced changes in white matter microstructure in the context of ketamine’s antidepressant effects
Authors: Sydnor Valerie J. , Lyall Amanda E. , Cetin-Karayumak Suheyla , Cheung Joey C. , Felicione Julia M. , Akeju Oluwaseun , Shenton Martha E. , Deckersbach Thilo , Ionescu Dawn F. , Pasternak Ofer , Cusin Cristina , Kubicki Marek
Published: December 2020

Ketamine is increasingly being used as a therapeutic for treatment-resistant depression (TRD), yet the effects of ketamine on the human brain remain largely unknown. This pilot study employed diffusion magnetic resonance imaging (dMRI) to examine relationships between ketamine treatment and white matter (WM) microstructure, with the aim of increasing the current understanding of ketamine’s neural mechanisms of action in humans. Longitudinal dMRI data were acquired from 13 individuals with TRD two hours prior to (pre-infusion), and four hours following (post-infusion), an intravenous ketamine infusion. Free-water imaging was employed to quantify cerebrospinal fluid-corrected mean fractional anisotropy (FA) in 15 WM bundles pre- and post-infusion. Analyses revealed that higher pre-infusion FA in the left cingulum bundle and the left superior longitudinal fasciculus was associated with greater depression symptom improvement 24 h post-ketamine. Moreover, four hours after intravenous administration of ketamine, FA rapidly increased in numerous WM bundles in the brain; this increase was significantly associated with 24 h symptom improvement in select bundles. Overall, the results of this preliminary study suggest that WM properties, as measured by dMRI, may have a potential impact on clinical improvement following ketamine. Ketamine administration additionally appears to be associated with rapid WM diffusivity changes, suggestive of rapid changes in WM microstructure. This study thus points to pre-treatment WM structure as a potential factor associated with ketamine’s clinical efficacy, and to post-treatment microstructural changes as a candidate neuroimaging marker of ketamine’s cellular mechanisms.
Correction: ATRIP protects progenitor cells against DNA damage in vivo
Authors: Matos-Rodrigues Gabriel E. , Grigaravicius Paulius , Lopez Bernard S. , Hofmann Thomas G. , Frappart Pierre-Olivier , Martins Rodrigo A. P.
Published: December 2020

A Correction to this paper has been published: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41419-020-03227-w
CASK modulates the assembly and function of the Mint1/Munc18-1 complex to regulate insulin secretion
Authors: Zhang Zhe , Li Wei , Yang Guang , Lu Xuefeng , Qi Xin , Wang Shuting , Cao Can , Zhang Peng , Ren Jinqi , Zhao Jiaxu , Zhang Junyi , Hong Sheng , Tan Yan , Burchfield James , Yu Yang , Xu Tao , Yao Xuebiao , James David , Feng Wei , Chen Zhengjun
Published: December 2020

Calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein serine kinase (CASK) is a key player in vesicle transport and release in neurons. However, its precise role, particularly in nonneuronal systems, is incompletely understood. We report that CASK functions as an important regulator of insulin secretion. CASK depletion in mouse islets/β cells substantially reduces insulin secretion and vesicle docking/fusion. CASK forms a ternary complex with Mint1 and Munc18-1, and this event is regulated by glucose stimulation in β cells. The crystal structure of the CASK/Mint1 complex demonstrates that Mint1 exhibits a unique “whip”-like structure that wraps tightly around the CASK-CaMK domain, which contains dual hydrophobic interaction sites. When triggered by CASK binding, Mint1 modulates the assembly of the complex. Further investigation revealed that CASK-Mint1 binding is critical for ternary complex formation, thereby controlling Munc18-1 membrane localization and insulin secretion. Our work illustrates the distinctive molecular basis underlying CASK/Mint1/Munc18-1 complex formation and reveals the importance of the CASK-Mint1-Munc18 signaling axis in insulin secretion.