bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Vitamin A fortification: Recent advances in encapsulation technologies
Authors: Maurya Vaibhav Kumar , Shakya Amita , Bashir Khalid , Kushwaha Satish Chand , McClements David Julian
Published: April 2022

Vitamin A is an essential micronutrient whose deficiency is still a major health concern in many regions of the world. It plays an essential role in human growth and development, immunity, and vision, but may also help prevent several other chronic diseases. The total amount of vitamin A in the human diet often falls below the recommended dietary allowance of approximately 900–1000 g/day for a healthy adult. Moreover, a significant proportion of vitamin A may be degraded during food processing, storage, and distribution, thereby reducing its bioactivity. Finally, the vitamin A in some foods has a relatively low bioavailability, which further reduces its efficacy. The World Health Organization has recommended fortification of foods and beverages as a safe and cost‐effective means of addressing vitamin A deficiency. However, there are several factors that must be overcome before effective fortified foods can be developed, including the low solubility, chemical stability, and bioavailability of this oil‐soluble vitamin. Consequently, strategies are required to evenly disperse the vitamin throughout food matrices, to inhibit its chemical degradation, to avoid any adverse interactions with any other food components, to ensure the food is palatable, and to increase its bioavailability. In this review article, we discuss the chemical, physical, and nutritional attributes of vitamin A, its main dietary sources, the factors contributing to its current deficiency, and various strategies to address these deficiencies, including diet diversification, biofortification, and food fortification.
Regional citrate versus heparin anticoagulation for continuous renal replacement therapy in critically ill patients: A meta‐analysis of randomized controlled trials
Authors: Li Rui , Gao Xiang , Zhou Tao , Li Yunjie , Wang Jianhui , Zhang Peirong
Published: April 2022

Introduction

This study aimed to compare the efficacy and safety of citrate and heparin in continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) for critically ill patients.

Methods

Searched in PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library databases.

Results

Analyses showed that there no difference existed in mortality, metabolic alkalosis, circuit loss, and the number of transfused between the two groups (RR = 0.95, p = 0.40; RR = 1.73, p = 0.40; RR = 0.64, p = 0.09; RR = 1.05, p = 0.70). The filter life of the citrate group was longer than the heparin group (MD = 16.98, p < 0.0001). The risk of bleeding and heparin‐induced thrombocytopenia was significantly lower in the citrate (RR = 0.32, p < 0.00001; RR = 0.55, p = 0.04). The citrate group was more susceptible to hypocalcemia (RR = 4.85, p = 0.0004).

Conclusion

Citrate anticoagulant therapy should have priority for CRRT in most critically ill patients.
A Phenological scale of statice
Authors: Buffon Paola Ana , Streck Nereu Augusto , Schwab Natalia Teixeira , Uhlmann Lilian Osmari , Tomiozzo Regina , Lima Elton Ferreira , Netto Jainara Fresinghelli , Guarienti Veronica Fuzer
Published: April 2022

Statice is an important cut flower belonging to the Plumbaginaceae family and which has good acceptance among producers and consumers. The construction of a phenological scale for statice that is easy, fast, and non‐destructive can contribute to the improvement of management practices, increase flower yield and quality, increase the knowledge on the plant and facilitate the communication between the scientific and technical personnel. Field and greenhouse experiments with seven sowing dates were carried out during 2019 and 2020 at the Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, in Santa Maria, RS, Brazil, with Assorted Seeds (mix) and two cultivars (QIS Purple and QIS Yellow) of statice to describe the main stages of plant development. The developmental cycle of statice was divided into three phases: germination, vegetative and reproductive. The germination phase includes the stages S0, S1, S2 and SE, the vegetative phase comprises the stages VC, V2, V8, V10, V20, V100 and Vn, and the reproductive phase has the stages R1, R1.1, R1.2, R1.n, R2, R2.1, R2.2, R2.n, R3, R3.1, R3.2, R3.n, R4, R4.1, R4.2, R4.n, R5, R5.1, R5.2, R5.n, R6, R6.1, R6.2, R6.n, R7, R7.1, R7.2, R7.n, R8, R8.1, R8.2, R8.n and R9. Part of the vegetative development overlaps the reproductive development to represent the appearance of new leaves as new floral stems develop. The phenological scale proposed for statice has practical applications and can be easily used in the field by scientists, teachers, students, consultants and farmers.
Forfeiting IP
Authors: Varadarajan Deepa
Published: April 2022

Can IP rights be lost? That is, once IP rights are acquired, what—if anything—must owners do to keep those rights or risk forfeiting them. The answer varies widely across the IP landscape and has important consequences for follow‐on innovation, competition, and the public domain. This article takes the first close look at forfeiture mechanisms throughout the five major IP regimes—utility patent, trade secret, copyright, design patent, and trademark. I demonstrate how IP forfeiture mechanisms (e.g., maintenance fees, monitoring obligations, and use requirements) have weakened or narrowed over time. Building on prior scholarship, I also delineate the important functions that IP forfeiture mechanisms serve. By forcing IP owners to decide if the cost and effort of maintaining IP rights are worthwhile, forfeiture mechanisms help eliminate low‐value IP rights and enlarge the public domain, benefiting follow‐on innovators and society at large. In addition, forfeiture mechanisms serve an important notice or signaling role by forcing owners to engage in acts that inform second comers about the existence and scope of IP rights. These functions are particularly important when it comes to functional or useful subject matter (e.g., innovations that make a product work). Given forfeiture's role and its problematic narrowing across the IP landscape, I suggest the need for reform—particularly in design patent and copyright law, two areas that increasingly cover functional subject matter but lack any forfeiture mechanism.
Strategies for optimizing urea removal to enable portable kidney dialysis: A reappraisal
Authors: Shao Guozheng , Himmelfarb Jonathan , Hinds Bruce J.
Published: April 2022

Background

Portable hemodialysis has the potential to improve health outcomes and quality of life for patients with kidney failure at reduced costs. Urea removal, required for dialysate regeneration, is a central function of any existing/potential portable dialysis device. Urea in the spent dialysate coexists with non‐urea uremic toxins, nutrients, and electrolytes, all of which will interfere with the urea removal efficiency, regardless of whether the underlying urea removal mechanism is based on urease conversion, direct urea adsorption, or oxidation. The aim of the current review is to identify the amount of the most prevalent chemicals being removed during a single dialysis session and evaluate the potential benefits of an urea‐selective membrane for portable dialysis.

Methods

We have performed a literature search using Web of Science and PubMed databases to find available articles reporting (or be able to calculate from blood plasma concentration) > 5 mg of individually quantified solutes removed during thrice‐weekly hemodialysis sessions. If multiple reports of the same solute were available, the reported values were averaged, and the geometric mean of standard deviations was taken. Further critical literature analysis of reported dialysate regeneration methods was performed using Web of Science and PubMed databases.

Results

On average, 46.0 g uremic retention solutes are removed in a single conventional dialysis session, out of which urea is only 23.6 g. For both urease‐ and sorbent‐based urea removal mechanisms, amino acids, with 7.7 g removal per session, could potentially interfere with urea removal efficiency. Additionally for the oxidation‐based urea removal system, plentiful nutrients such as glucose (24.0 g) will interfere with urea removal by competition. Using a nanofiltration membrane between dialysate and oxidation unit with a molecular weight cutoff (MWCO) of ~200 Da, 67.6 g of non‐electrolyte species will be removed in a single dialysis session, out of which 44.0 g are non‐urea molecules. If the membrane MWCO is further decreased to 120 Da, the mass of non‐electrolyte non‐urea species will drop to 9.3 g. Reverse osmosis membranes have been shown to be both effective at blocking the transport of non‐urea species (creatinine for example with ~90% rejection ratio), and permissive for urea transport (~20% rejection ratio), making them a promising urea selective membrane to increase the efficiency of the oxidative urea removal system.

Conclusions

Compiled are quantified solute removal amounts greater than 5 mg per session during conventional hemodialysis treatments, to act as a guide for portable dialysis system design. Analysis shows that multiple chemical species in the dialysate interfere with all proposed portable urea removal systems. This suggests the need for an additional protective dialysate loop coupled to urea removal system and an urea‐selective membrane.
Characterising academically At‐Risk students using vital birth records: A Population‐Based examination
Authors: Foust Regan , Prindle John , Putnam‐Hornstein Emily , McCroskey Jacquelyn
Published: April 2022

We applied a child‐focused, longitudinal approach to characterising academically at‐risk elementary school students using linked birth and educational records. Following a statewide cohort of children born in California in public school records through grade 5 (n = 722 072) to document identification as a homeless, foster and/or special education (i.e. academically at‐risk) student, we found that one in every six students were classified as academically at‐risk at least once during elementary school––two times annual counts. Strong associations between sociodemographic characteristics observable at birth and future adversities recorded in school records suggest these vulnerabilities should be considered together when providing supports.
The role of alcohol packaging as a health communications tool: An online cross‐sectional survey and experiment with young adult drinkers in the United Kingdom
Authors: Jones Daniel , Moodie Crawford , Purves Richard I. , Fitzgerald Niamh , Crockett Rachel
Published: April 2022

Introduction

Alcohol packaging is a potentially valuable means of communicating product and health‐related information, with growing academic and political interest in its role as a health communications vehicle.

Methods

An online cross‐sectional survey and experiment were conducted with a non‐probability sample of 18–35‐year‐old drinkers in the United Kingdom (n = 1360). The survey assessed exposure to, and engagement with, current messaging on packs, and support for displaying product and health‐related information. For the randomised experiment, participants were shown, and asked questions about, a vodka bottle with either no warnings (control), small text warnings, large text warnings or pictorial (image‐and‐text) warnings; the main binary outcome measures were negative product appeal and social acceptability, and positive cognitive and behavioural impact.

Results

Two‐fifths of the sample rarely or never saw on‐pack health‐related information, with almost three‐quarters rarely or never reading or looking closely at this. There was strong support for displaying a range of product and health‐related information (e.g. units, ingredients) on packs. Relative to the control, products with warnings were more likely to be perceived as unappealing and socially unacceptable, and to positively impact alcohol‐related cognitions and behaviours. For example, pictorial warnings were 10 times as likely to positively influence cognitions and behaviours (AOR = 10.01, 95% CI: 8.09, 17.46).

Discussion and Conclusions

Alcohol packaging could have an important role in delivering health messaging. Large pictorial or text warnings may help counteract the appeal and social acceptability of alcohol products and increase awareness of risks, potentially supporting a reduction in consumption and related harms.
Prioritizing phylogenetic diversity to protect functional diversity of reef corals
Authors: Ng Linus W. K. , Chisholm Chelsea , Carrasco Luis Roman , Darling Emily S. , Guilhaumon François , Mooers Arne Ø. , Tucker Caroline M. , Winter Marten , Huang Danwei
Published: April 2022

Aim

The ecosystem functions and services of coral reefs are critical for coastal communities worldwide. Due to conservation resource limitation, species need to be prioritized to protect desirable properties of biodiversity, such as functional diversity (FD), which has been associated with greater ecosystem functioning but is difficult to quantify directly. Selecting species to maximize phylogenetic diversity (PD) has been shown to indirectly capture FD in certain other taxa but not corals. Here, we test this hypothesis, the “phylogenetic gambit”, on corals within global marine protected areas (MPAs).

Location

Global coral reefs.

Methods

Based on the global distributions of reef corals, a complete species‐level phylogeny and trait data, we compared the FD of coral assemblages within MPAs when selected to maximize PD versus FD for assemblages selected randomly. The relationships between PD and FD were also tested as predictors of surrogacy. We then used coral FD and PD to perform spatial prioritization of reefs for protection and assessed the congruence between the two approaches.

Results

Selecting assemblages to maximize PD captured significantly more FD than a random subset of species for 83.1% of all selection scenarios across MPAs and would protect on average 18.7% more FD than random selection. Spatial prioritization analyses showed some mismatches between PD‐ and FD‐optimized planning units, particularly in the Tropical Western Atlantic, but the high degree of overlap between the optimizations for other reef regions lends further credence to the PD‐maximizing strategy in conserving coral FD.

Main Conclusions

A PD‐maximizing strategy generally protects greater FD of coral assemblages relative to random selection of species, suggesting that the “phylogenetic gambit” is valid for reef corals. There are risks, however, and the mismatches between PD‐maximized and FD‐maximized MPA networks highlight specific shortcomings of the PD‐maximization approach. Nevertheless, in data‐deficient circumstances, maximizing PD may provide a viable alternative.
Climate warming can reduce biocontrol efficacy and promote plant invasion due to both genetic and transient metabolomic changes
Authors: Sun Yan , Züst Tobias , Silvestro Daniele , Erb Matthias , Bossdorf Oliver , Mateo Pierre , Robert Christelle , Müller‐Schärer Heinz
Published: April 2022

Climate change may affect plant–herbivore interactions and their associated ecosystem functions. In an experimental evolution approach, we subjected replicated populations of the invasive Ambrosia artemisiifolia to a combination of simulated warming and herbivory by a potential biocontrol beetle. We tracked genomic and metabolomic changes across generations in field populations and assessed plant offspring phenotypes in a common environment. Using an integrated Bayesian model, we show that increased offspring biomass in response to warming arose through changes in the genetic composition of populations. In contrast, increased resistance to herbivory arose through a shift in plant metabolomic profiles without genetic changes, most likely by transgenerational induction of defences. Importantly, while increased resistance was costly at ambient temperatures, warming removed this constraint and favoured both vigorous and better defended plants under biocontrol. Climate warming may thus decrease biocontrol efficiency and promote Ambrosia invasion, with potentially serious economic and health consequences.
Children's opposition, marital and life satisfaction: the mediating role of parenting stress
Authors: Matalon Carmit , Turliuc Maria Nicoleta , Mairean Cornelia
Published: April 2022

Objective

The present study examines the association of children's oppositional behavior with marital and life satisfaction by examining the mediating role of parenting stress.

Background

Previous research indicates that parents of children who exhibit behavioral problems often experience parenting stress and lower marital and life satisfaction. However, few studies have addressed the underlying mechanisms, and even fewer have focused on the effects of children's nonclinical oppositional behaviors while obtaining data from both parents.

Method

Participants were 211 parent dyads (N = 422) of typically developing preschool children. Data on child's oppositional behavior, parenting stress, and marital and life satisfaction were obtained from both parents simultaneously and analyzed using the common fate mediation model.

Results

Parenting stress was found to fully mediate the associations between children's oppositional behavior and marital and life satisfaction, whereas marital satisfaction was found to partially mediate the association between parenting stress and life satisfaction.

Conclusions

Children's oppositional behaviors lead to lower marital and life satisfaction through a mechanism of parenting stress, and parenting stress negatively affects life satisfaction, both directly and indirectly, through marital satisfaction.

Implications

Therapeutic interventions for treating children's oppositional behaviors can usefully include a direct focus on reducing parenting stress and enhancing parents’ ability to cope with child‐related stress as a couple, thus improving parents’ satisfaction with their marital relationship and with life in general.
Age differences in the safety and effectiveness of the HEART Pathway accelerated diagnostic protocol for acute chest pain
Authors: Ashburn Nicklaus P. , Snavely Anna C. , Paradee Brennan E. , O'Neill James C. , Stopyra Jason P. , Mahler Simon A.
Published: April 2022

Background

The HEART Pathway is a validated protocol for risk stratifying emergency department (ED) patients with possible acute coronary syndrome (ACS). Its performance in different age groups is unknown. The objective of this study is to evaluate its safety and effectiveness among older adults.

Methods

A pre‐planned subgroup analysis of the HEART Pathway implementation study was conducted. This prospective interrupted time series accrued adult ED patients with possible ACS who were without ST‐elevation across three US sites from 11/2013–01/2016. After implementation, providers prospectively used the HEART Pathway to stratify patients as low‐risk or non‐low‐risk. Patients were classified as older adults (≥65 years), middle‐aged (46–64 years), and young (21–45 years). Primary safety and effectiveness outcomes were 30‐day death or MI and hospitalization at 30 days, determined from health records, insurance claims, and death index data. Fisher's exact test compared low‐risk proportions between groups. Sensitivity for 30‐day death or MI and adjusted odds ratios (aORs) for hospitalization and objective cardiac testing were calculated.

Results

The HEART Pathway implementation study accrued 8474 patients, of which 26.9% (2281/8474) were older adults, 45.5% (3862/8474) middle‐aged, and 27.5% (2331/8474) were young. The HEART Pathway identified 7.4% (97/1303) of older adults, 32.0% (683/2131) of middle‐aged, and 51.4% (681/1326) of young patients as low‐risk (p < 0.001). The HEART Pathway was 98.8% (95% CI 97.1–100) sensitive for 30‐day death or MI among older adults. Following implementation, the rate of 30‐day hospitalization was similar among older adults (aOR 1.25, 95% CI 1.00–1.55) and cardiac testing increased (aOR 1.25, 95% CI 1.04–1.51).

Conclusion

The HEART Pathway identified fewer older adults as low‐risk and did not decrease hospitalizations in this age group.
Predictive value of the second‐trimester fibronectin concentration for severe preeclampsia: A prospective nested case–control study in China
Authors: Li Wei , Lin Xiaowen , Chen Yuchen , Liu Kun , Yang Weibin , Zeng Sifan , Zhang Jing
Published: April 2022

Aim

To evaluate the value of the second‐trimester fibronectin concentration, alone and in combination with other markers (e.g., mean arterial pressure, inhibin A), in the identification of women who subsequently develop severe preeclampsia.

Methods

For this prospective nested case–control study, serum from pregnant women (gestational age 15–22 weeks) who underwent routine Down syndrome screening was analyzed. The women were tracked to delivery and assigned to the severe preeclampsia or control group, according to whether they developed severe preeclampsia. Each woman who later developed severe preeclampsia was paired with five healthy women with pregnancies of similar gestational age (± 1 week). Fibronectin, inhibin A, human chorionic gonadotropin, placental growth factor, cysteine, and homocysteine concentrations were measured in 44 cases in the severe preeclampsia group and 220 cases in the control group. The body mass index and mean arterial pressure were calculated. All results were compared between the two groups. Logistic regression analysis and receiver operating characteristic curve construction were conducted for markers differing significantly between two groups.

Results

The second‐trimester fibronectin value was positively correlated with severe preeclampsia and predicted 67.7% of severe preeclampsia cases. The combination of fibronectin, inhibin A, and mean arterial pressure predicted 76.7% of severe preeclampsia cases; predictive values for combinations of fibronectin with mean arterial pressure or inhibin A were 75.4% and 74.6%, respectively. Combination with these other markers increased the predictive value of fibronectin. In addition, fibronectin was more powerful for the late severe preeclampsia and severe preeclampsia without fetal growth restriction subgroups.

Conclusions

The second‐trimester fibronectin concentration can be used to predict severe preeclampsia.
Treatment of a cat with presumed Bartonella henselae‐associated immune‐mediated hemolytic anemia, fever, and lymphadenitis
Authors: Nivy Ran , Lavi‐Ginzberg Yael , de Sousa Keyla Carstens Marques , Golani Yael , Kuzi Sharon , Nachum‐Biala Yaarit , Harrus Shimon
Published: April 2022

A 2.5‐year‐old castrated male cat presented with fever and marked generalized lymphadenopathy of 4‐months duration, despite treatment with amoxicillin‐clavulanate/marbofloxacin. Abnormalities were not detected on complete blood count, serum chemistry, and FIV/FeLV test apart from a borderline, non‐regenerative anemia. Peripheral lymph node fine needle aspirations revealed a marked increase in the percentage of intermediate‐ and lymphoblastic‐lymphocytes in addition to reactive macrophages. Three weeks after presentation, the cat developed a severe, regenerative, immune‐mediated hemolytic anemia (IMHA) which responded to immunosuppressive therapy. Fever and lymphadenopathy persisted. Peripheral lymph nodes tested positive for Bartonella henselae DNA in real‐time PCR assay and sequencing. Treatment with pradofloxacin and doxycycline resulted in resolution of clinical signs, and negative PCR tests. Despite its reported low pathogenicity, B. henselae infection should also be considered in cats with protracted unexplained fever, lymphadenitis, and IMHA. Furthermore, a combination of pradofloxacin and doxycycline might be considered in cats with bartonellosis given its apparent clinical efficacy.
Task specialization and the Native‐Foreign Wage Gap
Authors: Storm Eduard
Published: April 2022

This study documents that worker‐level variation in tasks has played a key role in the widening of the German Native‐Foreign Wage Gap. I find idiosyncratic differences account for up to 34 per cent of the wage gap. Importantly, natives specialize in high‐paying interactive activities not only between, but also within occupations. In contrast, foreign workers specialize in low‐paying manual activities. This enhanced degree of task specialization accounts for 11 per cent of the gap among high‐wage earners and 25 per cent among low‐wage earner, thus offering new insight into sources for imperfect substitution of native and foreign workers and consequently small migration‐induced wage effects.
Designing for adaptation: Static and dynamic robustness in policy‐making
Authors: Howlett Michael , Ramesh M.
Published: April 2022

Policy tools are chosen and deployed in the expectation that they will continue to work effectively over extended periods of time. This is a tall expectation to meet, given that the nature of policy problems and their contexts change constantly. To continue to operate effectively in the face of these changes and respond to policy feedback from policy actors and outputs, policy mixes must be robust. This robustness is of two types: static robustness in which policy means adapt while policy goals remain unchanged, and dynamic robustness in which both goals and tools change. The first equates robustness with resilience—that is, the ability to bounce back to a previous state and attain original goals in altered contexts caused by some change in internal or external conditions. The second, however, is more complex as it can involve changes in aspects of policy goals as well as means in order to allow policies to adapt more broadly by altering their form in response to changing circumstances. This second type of “dynamic robustness” focuses attention on the need for agility and upon the requisites for the creation of policy designs which allow for substantive changes in form as well as state. The article lays out these concepts and their interrelationships and the kinds of procedural and other tools involved in achieving either. It illustrates their features and differences using examples from different sectoral cases.
Comprehensive risk assessments and anesthetic management for children with osteogenesis imperfecta: A retrospective review of 252 orthopedic procedures over 5 years
Authors: Liang Xiyun , Chen Peikai , Chen Chao , Che Wei , Yang Yue , Tan Zhijia , Li Hechun , Zhou Yapeng , Yin Shijie , To Michael Kai‐tsun , Niu Qiang
Published: April 2022

Background

Major anesthetic risks arise in orthopedic surgeries for children with osteogenesis imperfecta, a rare genetically inherited condition presenting diverse skeletal issues.

Aim

We aimed to investigate anesthetic risks, including difficult airway, hypo‐ and hyperthermia, blood loss, and pain, in connection with patient, anesthetic, and surgical factors.

Methods

Both descriptive and inferential statistics were employed to study the anesthetic risks and their predictors. Data of 252 surgeries for 132 Chinese osteogenesis imperfecta patients aged 18 or below were retrieved from the authors' hospital between 2015 and 2019.

Results

Two thirds of the cohort were Sillence type IV patients, with types I, III, and V accounting for 7.6%, 14.4%, and 11.4%, respectively. Video and direct laryngoscopy were used. No case of difficult airway was identified. Due to a careful management strategy, intraoperative temperature varied on average between −0.38°C and +0.89°C from the initial temperature. Fifty‐two and 18 cases of hyper‐ and hypothermia were encountered, respectively. The use of sevoflurane for maintenance resulted in a mean increase of +0.24°C [95% CI 0.05 ~ 0.42] in the maximum temperature. Massive blood losses (>20% of estimated total blood volume) were observed in 18.3% of the cases. Neither intraoperative temperature changes nor blood loss was found to be related to Sillence classification. Regional anesthesia techniques were applied to 72.6% of the cases. Ultrasound guidance was used per the judgment of anesthesiologists or when in case of difficult landmarks. The incidence of difficult regional anesthesia was low (4 out of 252). For postoperative analgesia, 154 neuraxial blocks (including 77 caudal and 77 lumbar epidural) and 29 peripheral nerve blocks were performed.

Conclusion

Anesthesia for children with osteogenesis imperfecta undergoing complex orthopedic procedures was challenging. Proper anesthesia planning was essential for both intraoperative management and postoperative analgesia. Age, surgical duration, and use of sevoflurane for maintenance impacted the intraoperative temperature most, and massive blood loss was not uncommon. The risks for airway or regional anesthesia difficulties were low. Pain scores could be controlled to be ≤3 via multiple techniques.
Risk ranking of food categories associated with Salmonella enterica contamination in the central region of Mexico
Authors: Godínez‐Oviedo Angélica , Sampedro Fernando , Bowman John P. , Garcés‐Vega Francisco J. , Hernández‐Iturriaga Montserrat
Published: April 2022

To prevent and control foodborne diseases, there is a fundamental need to identify the foods that are most likely to cause illness. The goal of this study was to rank 25 commonly consumed food products associated with Salmonella enterica contamination in the Central Region of Mexico. A multicriteria decision analysis (MCDA) framework was developed to obtain an S. enterica risk score for each food product based on four criteria: probability of exposure to S. enterica through domestic food consumption (Se); S. enterica growth potential during home storage (Sg); per capita consumption (Pcc); and food attribution of S. enterica outbreak (So). Risk scores were calculated by the equation Se*W1+Sg*W2+Pcc*W3+So*W4, where each criterion was assigned a normalized value (1–5) and the relative weights (W) were defined by 22 experts’ opinion. Se had the largest effect on the risk score being the criterion with the highest weight (35%; IC95% 20%–60%), followed by So (24%; 5%–50%), Sg (23%; 10%–40%), and Pcc (18%; 10%–35%). The results identified chicken (4.4 ± 0.6), pork (4.2 ± 0.6), and beef (4.2 ± 0.5) as the highest risk foods, followed by seed fruits (3.6 ± 0.5), tropical fruits (3.4 ± 0.4), and dried fruits and nuts (3.4 ± 0.5), while the food products with the lowest risk were yogurt (2.1 ± 0.3), chorizo (2.1 ± 0.4), and cream (2.0 ± 0.3). Approaches with expert‐based weighting and equal weighting showed good correlation (R2 = 0.96) and did not show significant differences among the ranking order in the top 20 tier. This study can help risk managers select interventions and develop targeted surveillance programs against S. enterica in high‐risk food products.
Economic integration, industrial structure, and catch‐up growth: Firm‐level evidence from Poland
Authors: Bastos Paulo , Lovo Stefania , Varela Gonzalo , Hagemejer Jan
Published: April 2022

We examine if and how deeper economic integration with high‐income nations impacts industrial performance. We exploit Poland's accession to the EU in 2004 as a source of variation in the degree of market integration with Germany. Using data on Polish manufacturing firms in the period 1995–2013, we find that EU accession was followed by significant within‐firm growth in output and productivity, notably in industries in which Germany was more specialized at the moment of accession. Increased flows of German investment to these sectors played an important role in shaping these effects.
Robust inactivation of Plasmodium falciparum in red blood cell concentrates using amustaline and glutathione pathogen reduction
Authors: Sow Cissé , Bouissou Amélie , Girard Yvette A. , Singh Gurvani B. , Bounaadja Lotfi , Payrat Jean‐Marc , Haas Delphine , Isola Hervé , Lanteri Marion C. , Bringmann Peter , Grellier Philippe
Published: April 2022

Background

Plasmodium falciparum is the parasite responsible for most malaria cases globally. The risk of transfusion‐transmitted malaria (TTM) is mitigated by donor deferrals and blood screening strategies, which adversely impact blood availability. Previous studies showed robust inactivation of P. falciparum using nucleic acid‐targeting pathogen reduction technologies (PRT) for the treatment of plasma and platelet components or whole blood (WB). The efficacy of the amustaline–glutathione (GSH) PRT to inactivate P. falciparum is here evaluated in red blood cells (RBC), as well the impact of PRT on parasite loads, stages, and strains.

Study Design and Methods

RBC units resuspended in AS‐1 or AS‐5 additive solutions were spiked with ring stage‐infected RBC and treated with the amustaline–GSH PRT. Parasite loads and viability were measured in samples at the time of contamination, and after treatment, using serial 10‐fold dilutions of the samples in RBC cultures maintained for up to 4 weeks.

Results

P. falciparum viability assays allow for the detection of very low levels of parasite. Initial parasite titer was >5.2 log10/ml in AS‐1/5 RBC. No infectious parasites were detected in amustaline–GSH‐treated samples after 4 weeks of culture. Amustaline–GSH inactivated high parasite loads regardless of parasite stages and strains. Amustaline readily penetrates the parasite, irreversibly blocks development, and leads to parasite death and expulsion from RBC.

Discussion

Amustaline–GSH PRT demonstrated robust efficacy to inactivate malaria parasites in RBC concentrates. This study completes the portfolio of studies demonstrating the efficacy of nucleic acid‐targeting PRTs to mitigate TTM risks as previously reported for platelet concentrates, plasma, and WB.
A palynological study of Dioscorea (Dioscoreaceae) in Korea
Authors: JEONG Dae-Hui , JO Hyeong-Jun , Kim Jae-Young , KWON Min-Ji , JEONG Seon , PARK Hong-Woo , CHUNG Youngjae , CHUNG Gyu-Young
Published: April 2022

A palynological study of genus Dioscorea L. in Korea was conducted to evaluate the taxonomic implications. As a result of confirming the palynological characteristics of seven taxa of Dioscorea L., including six that are distributed in Korea and D. tokoro found in Japan, sections or species were classified according to the characteristics, such as the number of apertures, the polar end shape, and exine sculpturing. Specifically, the exine sculptures of D. coreana and D. tokoro, erroneously known to be distributed in Korea, are distinguished. The change in the number of apertures is closely associated with microsporogenesis, and it can be presumed that disulcate pollen might have been derived from monosulcate pollen in Dioscorea.
Clematis pseudotubulosa (Ranunculaceae), a new species from Korea
Authors: PARK Beom Kyun , KIM Jin-Seok , CHUNG Gyu Young , KIM Jung-Hyun , SON Dong Chan , JANG Chang-Gee
Published: April 2022

Clematis pseudotubulosa (Ranunculaceae), a new species from Gyeonggi-do in the Republic of Korea, is described and illustrated. The new species is morphologically similar to C. takedana but differs in its leaves, which are always ternate with shallowly lobed leaflets (vs. 1-pinnate with deeply lobed three to five leaflets), and its oblong-shaped flower buds (vs. ovoid), larger flowers (vs. smaller flowers), and pantoporate pollen (vs. tricolpate). A detailed species description, geographical distribution, and an identification key for all species of Clematis that occur in Korea are also provided.
Taxonomic notes and distribution of Gueldenstaedtia (Chesneyinae, Fabaceae) in Mongolia
Authors: BAASANMUNKH Shukherdorj , OYUNTSETSEG Batlai , TSEGMED Zagarjav , ILLARIONOVA Irina D. , NYAMBAYAR Nyamjantsan , CHOI Hyeok Jae
Published: April 2022

The genus Gueldenstaedtia Fisch. is small genus of Fabaceae that includes four species worldwide. Among these, G. monophylla Fisch and G. verna (Georgi) Boriss. are currently recognized as occurring in Mongolia. Here, we present our findings on G. verna from our recent field surveys in eastern Mongolia in 2020. Gueldenstaedtia monophylla is mostly distributed in the western region, whereas G. verna occurs in eastern Mongolia. The regional conservation status of both species was assessed as near threatened based on criterion B in the country. We provided descriptions, grid distribution maps, taxonomic notes and photographic illustrations of the two species based on our newly collected samples.
Aster danyangensis, a replacement name for Aster altaicus var. uchiyamae (Asteraceae)
Authors: KIM Jae Young , JO Hyeong Jun , CHANG Kae Sun , SON Dong Chan , CHUNG Gyu Young
Published: April 2022

Aster altaicus var. uchiyamae, a Korean endemic plant, should be treated as a species rank because it is clearly distinguished from A. altaicus var. altaicus by the morphological characteristics of the plant habit, leaf width, and head size. Nevertheless, when A. altaicus var. uchiyamae was treated as a species rank, the epithet uchiyamae was unavailable in Aster owing to the earlier name A. uchiyamae, which was a replacement name for the illegitimate name A. depauperatus. Therefore, we propose A. danyangensis as a new replacement name for A. altaicus var. uchiyamae. The specific epithet danyangensis refers to the geographic location of Danyang-gun, where the species was discovered. We also designate the lectotype and isolectotype of A. danyangensis.
The complete chloroplast genome of Polygonatum falcatum (Asparagaceae)
Authors: CHOI Tae-Young , YUN Se-Hyun , LEE Soo-Rang
Published: April 2022

Polygonatum falcatum is a perennial herb distributed in East Asia. We determined the characteristics of the complete chloroplast genome in P. falcatum for the first time, with a de novo assembly strategy. The chloroplast genome was 154,579bp in length harboring 87 protein coding genes, 38 tRNA genes and eight rRNA genes. It exhibits typical quadripartite structure comprising a large single-copy (LSC) (83,528bp), a small single-copy (SSC) (18,457bp) and a pair of inverted repeats (IRs) (26,297bp). Phylogenetic analysis of 16 chloroplast genomes from Asparagaceae reveals that the genus Polygonatum is a monophyletic group and that P. falcatum is clustered together with the congener, P. odoratum.
Hypothyroidism confers tolerance to cerebral malaria
Authors: Rodriguez-Muñoz Diego , Sánchez Ángela , Pérez-Benavente Susana , Contreras-Jurado Constanza , Montero-Pedrazuela Ana , Toledo-Castillo Marta , Gutiérrez-Hernández María , Rodrigues-Díez Raquel , Folgueira Cintia , Briones Ana M. , Sabio Guadalupe , Monedero-Cobeta Ignacio , Chaves-Coira Irene , Castejón David , Fernández-Valle Encarnación , Regadera Javier , Bautista José M. , Aranda Ana , Alemany Susana
Published: April 2022

The modulation of the host’s metabolism to protect tissue from damage induces tolerance to infections increasing survival. Here, we examined the role of the thyroid hormones, key metabolic regulators, in the outcome of malaria. Hypothyroidism confers protection to experimental cerebral malaria by a disease tolerance mechanism. Hypothyroid mice display increased survival after infection with
Plasmodium berghei
ANKA, diminishing intracranial pressure and brain damage, without altering pathogen burden, blood-brain barrier disruption, or immune cell infiltration. This protection is reversed by treatment with a Sirtuin 1 inhibitor, while treatment of euthyroid mice with a Sirtuin 1 activator induces tolerance and reduces intracranial pressure and lethality. This indicates that thyroid hormones and Sirtuin 1 are previously unknown targets for cerebral malaria treatment, a major killer of children in endemic malaria areas.
On the nature of decoherence in quantum circuits: Revealing the structural motif of the surface radicals in α-Al2O3
Authors: Un Sun , de Graaf Sebastian , Bertet Patrice , Kubatkin Sergey , Danilov Andrey
Published: April 2022

Quantum information technology puts stringent demands on the quality of materials and interfaces in the pursuit of increased device coherence. Yet, little is known about the chemical structure and origins of paramagnetic impurities that produce flux/charge noise that causes decoherence of fragile quantum states and impedes the progress toward large-scale quantum computing. Here, we perform high magnetic field electron paramagnetic resonance (HFEPR) and hyperfine multispin spectroscopy on α-Al2O3, a common substrate for quantum devices. In its amorphous form, α-Al2O3is also unavoidably present in aluminum-based superconducting circuits and qubits. The detected paramagnetic centers are immanent to the surface and have a well-defined but highly complex structure that extends over multiple hydrogen, aluminum, and oxygen atoms. Modeling reveals that the radicals likely originate from well-known reactive oxygen chemistry common to many metal oxides. We discuss how EPR spectroscopy might benefit the search for surface passivation and decoherence mitigation strategies.
FGF21 modulates mitochondrial stress response in cardiomyocytes only under mild mitochondrial dysfunction
Authors: Croon Marijana , Szczepanowska Karolina , Popovic Milica , Lienkamp Christina , Senft Katharina , Brandscheid Christoph Paul , Bock Theresa , Gnatzy-Feik Leoni , Ashurov Artem , Acton Richard James , Kaul Harshita , Pujol Claire , Rosenkranz Stephan , Krüger Marcus , Trifunovic Aleksandra
Published: April 2022

The mitochondrial integrated stress response (mitoISR) has emerged as a major adaptive pathway to respiratory chain deficiency, but both the tissue specificity of its regulation, and how mitoISR adapts to different levels of mitochondrial dysfunction are largely unknown. Here, we report that diverse levels of mitochondrial cardiomyopathy activate mitoISR, including high production of FGF21, a cytokine with both paracrine and endocrine function, shown to be induced by respiratory chain dysfunction. Although being fully dispensable for the cell-autonomous and systemic responses to severe mitochondrial cardiomyopathy, in the conditions of mild-to-moderate cardiac OXPHOS dysfunction, FGF21 regulates a portion of mitoISR. In the absence of FGF21, a large part of the metabolic adaptation to mitochondrial dysfunction (one-carbon metabolism, transsulfuration, and serine and proline biosynthesis) is strongly blunted, independent of the primary mitoISR activator ATF4. Collectively, our work highlights the complexity of mitochondrial stress responses by revealing the importance of the tissue specificity and dose dependency of mitoISR.
ToxT Regulon Is Nonessential for Vibrio cholerae Colonization in Adult Mice
Authors: Shi Mengting , Zhao Feifei , Li Na , Wang Zhengjia , Yang Menghua
Published: April 2022

Vibrio cholerae
can inhabit both marine and freshwater ecosystems and can also enter and proliferate in the intestine of different animals which consume contaminated food or water. To successfully colonize the intestines of different hosts,
V. cholerae
coordinates its gene expression in response to different environments.
Reappraising the Value of HIV-1 Vaccine Correlates of Protection Analyses
Authors: Klasse P. J. , Moore John P.
Published: April 2022

With the much-debated exception of the modestly reduced acquisition reported for the RV144 efficacy trial, HIV-1 vaccines have not protected humans against infection, and a vaccine of similar design to that tested in RV144 was not protective in a later trial, HVTN 702.
Draft Genome Sequence of Paenibacillus sonchi IIRRBNF1, a Nitrogen-Fixing and Plant Growth-Promoting Bacterium Isolated from Rice Rhizosphere
Authors: Bandeppa Sonth , Phule Amol S. , Barbadikar Kalyani M. , Govindannagari Rajani , B Prasad Babu M. B. , Kavuru Venkat Prasad Babu , Mandal Pranab Kumar , Sundaram Raman Meenakshi , Chandran Latha P.
Published: April 2022

Paenibacillus sonchi
IIRRBNF1 is a rice-rhizospheric, endospore-forming, Gram-positive, plant growth-promoting rhizobacterium. Here, we report the draft genome sequence of
Paenibacillus sonchi
IIRRBNF1, which consists of an∼7.3-Mb (7,323,556-bp) genome with 6,271 coding sequences (CDSs), 13 rRNAs, and 67 tRNAs. The genome reveals the presence of a nitrogen-fixing gene cluster and genes associated with multiple plant growth-promoting traits.
Multiwalled Carbon Nanotubes Promote Bacterial Conjugative Plasmid Transfer
Authors: Weise Katrin , Winter Lena , Fischer Emily , Kneis David , de la Cruz Barron Magali , Kunze Steffen , Berendonk Thomas U. , Jungmann Dirk , Klümper Uli
Published: April 2022

In recent decades, the use of carbon nanoparticles, especially multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs), in a variety of products and engineering applications has been growing exponentially. As a result, MWCNT pollution into environmental compartments has been increasing.
Gut Microbiota and Metabolites in Atrial Fibrillation Patients and Their Changes after Catheter Ablation
Authors: Huang Kang , Wang Yuegang , Bai Yang , Luo Qiuyan , Lin Xuancai , Yang Qiuyu , Wang Shihao , Xin Hongjie
Published: April 2022

Gut microbiota and metabolites play a very important role in human health and can not only assess human health but also treat and prevent diseases. We analyzed the characteristics of the microbiota and metabolites in the human gut and found the effect of disease on gut microbiota and metabolites, which may be of important value in the pathogenesis of atrial fibrillation.
Comparison of Six Antifungal Susceptibilities of 11
Candida
Species Using the VITEK2 AST–YS08 Card and Broth Microdilution Method
Authors: Lee Hyeyoung , Choi Seong Hyouk , Oh Junsang , Koo Jehyun , Lee Hyun Ji , Cho Sung–Il , Shin Jeong Hwan , Lee Hae Kyung , Kim Soo–Young , Lee Chae Hoon , Kim Young Ree , Sohn Yong–Hak , Kim Woo Jin , Ryu Sook Won , Sung Gi–Ho , Kim Jayoung
Published: April 2022

The new Vitek 2 AST–YS08 (YS08) card has been updated to reflect the recently revised Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) guideline. In this study, antifungal drug susceptibility tests were performed using the YS08 card and compared with the CLSI broth microdilution (BMD) method.