bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Machine learning algorithms are comparable to conventional regression models in predicting distant metastasis of follicular thyroid carcinoma
Authors: Mao Yaqian , Lan Huiyu , Lin Wei , Liang Jixing , Huang Huibin , Li Liantao , Wen Junping , Chen Gang
Published: February 2022

Objective

Distant metastasis often indicates a poor prognosis, so early screening and diagnosis play a significant role. Our study aims to construct and verify a predictive model based on machine learning (ML) algorithms that can estimate the risk of distant metastasis of newly diagnosed follicular thyroid carcinoma (FTC).

Design

This was a retrospective study based on the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database from 2004 to 2015.

Patients

A total of 5809 FTC patients were included in the data analysis. Among them, there were 214 (3.68%) cases with distant metastasis.

Method

Univariate and multivariate logistic regression (LR) analyses were used to determine independent risk factors. Seven commonly used ML algorithms were applied for predictive model construction. We used the area under the receiver‐operating characteristic (AUROC) curve to select the best ML algorithm. The optimal model was trained through 10‐fold cross‐validation and visualized by SHapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP). Finally, we compared it with the traditional LR method.

Results

In terms of predicting distant metastasis, the AUROCs of the seven ML algorithms were 0.746–0.836 in the test set. Among them, the Extreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost) had the best prediction performance, with an AUROC of 0.836 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.775–0.897). After 10‐fold cross‐validation, its predictive power could reach the best [AUROC: 0.855 (95% CI: 0.803–0.906)], which was slightly higher than the classic binary LR model [AUROC: 0.845 (95% CI: 0.818–0.873)].

Conclusions

The XGBoost approach was comparable to the conventional LR method for predicting the risk of distant metastasis for FTC.
Substance of choice, impact of heroin or opium on treatment retention in a multicentre randomised controlled trial in Iran
Authors: Song Michael Jae , Westenberg Jean Nicolas , Kianpoor Kiana , Nikoo Mohammadali , Kazemi Alireza , Schuetz Christian , Jang Kerry , Gholami Ali , Akhondzadeh Shahin , Krausz Michael
Published: February 2022

Introduction

In the Middle East and Asia, illicit opioid use exists across a spectrum between heroin and opium. The impact of primary opioid of choice on opioid agonist treatment retention has not been well evaluated previously, especially for opium tincture, an increasingly popular form of opioid agonist treatment in Iran. This study investigates the relationship between primary opioid of choice, namely heroin or opium, and retention in opium tincture and methadone treatment.

Methods

Participants with opioid use disorder (n = 204) were randomised to receive opium tincture or methadone. All participants were categorised as mainly using opium or heroin. Bivariate analyses between treatment retention and primary opioid of choice (P < 0.05) and logistic regression were conducted.

Results

Among the 191 participants included in this analysis, heroin was the primary substance of choice for 135 participants (70.7%) and opium for 56 (29.3%). Bivariate analysis showed that the opium group was more likely to be satisfied with family situation, employed and retained in treatment than the heroin group while less likely to experience incarceration and use multiple substances. When adjusting for covariates, primary opioid of choice was not significantly associated with retention in either methadone or opium tincture treatment arm.

Discussion and Conclusions

Positive factors, such as employment, housing and family support, seem to collectively explain the higher retention in treatment among those who primarily use opium compared to those who use heroin. To optimise retention in opioid agonist treatment, biopsychosocial care models should be further evaluated to improve psychosocial functioning.
Effects of ancient allochthonous and contemporary autochthonous organic carbon on the growth and reproduction of lake zooplankton
Authors: Zhao Zifan , Gan Yingxin , He Hu , Zhou Libin , Li Kuanyi , Liu Zhengwen , Wu Qinglong , Su Yaling
Published: February 2022

Carbon with a radiocarbon age above 200 years before present (bp) generally is referred to as ancient carbon. Ancient organic carbon (OC) stored in glaciers, permafrost and unperturbed soil has been released with increasing temperatures resulting from climate warming and anthropogenic activities. Evidence suggests that ancient terrestrial OC can be incorporated by heterotrophic bacteria and consumers in many aquatic systems. However, it remains unknown whether ancient terrestrial OC promotes growth and reproduction of consumers.

Ancient dissolved organic carbon (DOC) was extracted from frozen soils in the catchments of Lakes Tsochuolong (−216.9‰, 1,960 years bp) and Zhangnaitso (−384.1‰, 3,895 years bp) on the Tibetan Plateau, and was further degraded by heterotrophic bacteria. Degraded ancient DOC (containing bacteria) and Auxenochlorella (−161.6‰) were used exclusively or in combination as food (total 6 mg C/L) for Daphnia magna (D. magna) to compare their body length, mortality rate and offspring production. The mixed diets consisted of ancient DOC converted by bacteria at 4 mg C/L and Auxenochlorella at 2 mg C/L.

The radiocarbon isotope (∆14C) value of D. magna fed on mixed diets was −293.0‰ for Lake Tsochuolong (group CA) and −265.9‰ for Lake Zhangnaitso (group CB), which was depleted than those fed exclusively on Auxenochlorella (−187.3‰, group 6C). This result suggests that 14C‐depleted DOC can be assimilated by zooplankton. Daphnia magna in group CB had the highest intrinsic rate of population increase (0.33/day) and number of neonates per individual (15.97/ind). The higher growth rate and offspring production in group CB than in CA (0.21/day and 7.68/ind) probably were because D. magna utilised more Auxenochlorella and phosphorus from diets in CB. However, there was no significant difference in the two indicators between CA and 6C (0.24/day and 12.30/ind) or between CB and 6C. Daphnia magna fed exclusively on degraded DOC plus bacteria had the lowest growth rate and offspring production.

The results demonstrate that in the presence of algae with high nutritional value, degraded ancient DOC could support the growth and reproduction of zooplankton. Our findings extend the understanding of carbon sources and carbon cycling in food webs in lakes, particularly in high‐altitude and polar lakes in the context of climatic and environmental changes.
The relationship between temperament, polygenic score for intelligence and cognition: A population‐based study of middle‐aged adults
Authors: Tölli Pekka , Keltikangas‐Järvinen Liisa , Lehtimäki Terho , Ravaja Niklas , Hintsanen Mirka , Ahola‐Olli Ari , Pahkala Katja , Kähönen Mika , Hutri‐Kähönen Nina , Laitinen Tomi T. , Tossavainen Päivi , Taittonen Leena , Dobewall Henrik , Jokinen Eero , Raitakari Olli , Cloninger C. Robert , Rovio Suvi , Saarinen Aino
Published: February 2022

We investigated whether temperament modifies an association between polygenic intelligence potential and cognitive test performance in midlife. The participants (n = 1647, born between 1962 and 1977) were derived from the Young Finns Study. Temperament was assessed with Temperament and Character Inventory over a 15‐year follow‐up (1997, 2001, 2007, 2012). Polygenic intelligence potential was assessed with a polygenic score for intelligence. Cognitive performance (visual memory, reaction time, sustained attention, spatial working memory) was assessed with CANTAB in midlife. The PGSI was significantly associated with the overall cognitive performance and performance in visual memory, sustained attention and working memory tests but not reaction time test. Temperament did not correlate with polygenic score for intelligence and did not modify an association between the polygenic score and cognitive performance, either. High persistence was associated with higher visual memory (B = 0.092; FDR‐adj.p = 0.007) and low harm avoidance with higher overall cognitive performance, specifically better reaction time (B = −0.102; FDR‐adj;p = 0.007). The subscales of harm avoidance had different associations with cognitive performance: higher “anticipatory worry,” higher “fatigability,” and lower “shyness with strangers” were associated with lower cognitive performance, while the role of “fear of uncertainty” was subtest‐related. In conclusion, temperament does not help or hinder one from realizing their genetic potential for intelligence. The overall modest relationships between temperament and cognitive performance advise caution if utilizing temperament‐related information e.g. in working‐life recruitments. Cognitive abilities may be influenced by temperament variables, such as the drive for achievement and anxiety about test performance, but they involve distinct systems of learning and memory.
National policy piloting as steering at a distance: The perspective of local implementers
Authors: Ettelt Stefanie , Williams Lorraine , Mays Nicholas
Published: February 2022

This article contributes to the literature on tools of governance by examining the role of national policy pilots from the perspective of local implementers, using interviews with directors of adult social services in elected local government in England. Previous research in the same settings has shown that local actors often find the experience of participating in national policy pilots frustrating. This article attempts to explain why local authorities volunteer for such schemes. Drawing on the literature on the varieties of experimentalism and Anglo‐Governmentality, the article explores the ambiguous role of piloting in multilevel governance and reflects on its implications for policy implementation and local service development. Findings suggest that participating in national pilots provides local authorities with access to ideas and resources, and with a mandate for change, which motivates them to voluntarily subjugate themselves to being “steered at a distance” as they align themselves with central government's policy goals.
Temporary labour migration in Asia: The transnationality‐precarity nexus
Authors: Piper Nicola
Published: February 2022

Much of intra‐Asian labour migration is regulated on the basis of governing tools that aim at managing cross‐border movement of workers on a strictly temporary, employer‐tied basis. The key elements involved in the operationalization of strictly temporary migration are recruitment, remittances and return; these three ‘Rs’ are also central to global policy discussions around the migration‐development nexus. The core premise of this paper is that this strict framework results in a particular form of migrant precarity which in turn shapes migrant transnationality, leaving migrants with severely circumscribed labour agency. This leads to the argument that temporary migration paradigm as practiced in much of Asia constitutes involuntary transnationalism. The paper ends by arguing that based on proactive migrant rights activism, the involuntary character of transnationalism is being challenged by bringing a different set of ‘Rs’ into the discussion derived from global social policy and global justice perspectives: regulation, redistribution and rights.
Heavy metal-induced selection and proliferation of antibiotic resistance: A review
Authors: Vats Prakriti , Kaur Ujjwal Jit , Rishi Praveen
Published: February 2022

Antibiotic resistance is recognized as a global threat to public health. The selection and evolution of antibiotic resistance in clinical pathogens were believed to be majorly driven by the imprudent use of antibiotics. However, concerns regarding the same, through selection pressure by a multitude of other antimicrobial agents, such as heavy metals, are also growing. Heavy metal contamination co-selects antibiotic and metal resistance through numerous mechanisms, such as co-resistance and cross-resistance. Here, we have reviewed the role of heavy metals as antimicrobial resistance driving agents and the underlying concept and mechanisms of co-selection, while also highlighting the scarcity of studies explicitly inspecting the process of co-selection in clinical settings. Prospective strategies to manage heavy metal-induced antibiotic resistance have also been deliberated, underlining the need to find specific inhibitors so that alternate medicinal combinations can be added to the existing therapeutic armamentarium.
The context, contribution and consequences of addressing the COVID‐19 pandemic: A qualitative exploration of executive nurses' perspectives
Authors: Riddell Kathryn , Bignell Laura , Bourne Debra , Boyd Leanne , Crowe Shane , Cucanic Sinéad , Flynn Maria , Gillan Kate , Heinjus Denise , Mathieson Jac , Nankervis Katrina , Reed Fiona , Townsend Linda , Twomey Bernadette , Weir‐Phyland Janet , Bagot Kathleen
Published: February 2022

Aims

To explore (1) the context in which nursing executives were working, (2) nursing's contribution to the healthcare response and (3) the impact from delivering healthcare in response to the pandemic.

Design

Retrospective, constructivist qualitative study.

Methods

Individual interviews using a semi‐structured interview guide were conducted between 12 February and 29 March 2021. Participants were purposively sampled from the Victorian Metropolitan Executive Directors of Nursing and Midwifery Group, based in Melbourne, Victoria the epi‐centre of COVID‐19 in Australia during 2020. All members were invited; 14/16 executive‐level nurse leaders were participated. Individual interviews were recorded with participant consent, transcribed and analysed using thematic analysis.

Results

Four inter‐related themes (with sub‐themes) were identified: (1) rapid, relentless action required (preparation insufficient, extensive information and communication flow, expanded working relationships, constant change, organizational barriers removed); (2) multi‐faceted contribution (leadership activities, flexible work approach, knowledge development and dissemination, new models of care, workforce numbers); (3) unintended consequences (negative experiences, mix of emotions, difficult conditions, negative outcomes for executives and workforce) and (4) silver linings (expanded ways of working, new opportunities, strengthened clinical practice, deepened working relationships).

Conclusion

Responding to the COIVD‐19 health crisis required substantial effort, but historical and industrial limits on nursing practice were removed. With minimal information and constantly changing circumstances, nursing executives spearheaded change with leadership skills including a flexible approach, courageous decision‐making and taking calculated risks. Opportunities for innovative work practices were taken, with nursing leading policy development and delivery of care models in new and established healthcare settings, supporting patient and staff safety.

Impact

Nursing comprises the majority of the healthcare workforce, placing executive nurse leaders in a key role for healthcare responses to the COVID‐19 pandemic. Nursing's contribution was multi‐faceted, and advantages gained for nursing practice must be maintained and leveraged. Recommendations for how nursing can contribute to current and future widespread health emergencies are provided.
Seven‐action approaches for the management of hypertension in Asia – The HOPE Asia network
Authors: Kario Kazuomi , Chia Yook‐Chin , Siddique Saulat , Turana Yuda , Li Yan , Chen Chen‐Huan , Nailes Jennifer , Huynh Minh Van , Buranakitjaroen Peera , Cheng Hao‐Min , Fujiwara Takeshi , Hoshide Satoshi , Nagai Michiaki , Park Sungha , Shin Jinho , Sison Jorge , Soenarta Arieska Ann , Sogunuru Guru Prasad , Sukonthasarn Apichard , Tay Jam Chin , Teo Boon Wee , Tsoi Kelvin , Verma Narsingh , Wang Tzung‐Dau , Zhang Yuqing , Wang Ji‐Guang
Published: February 2022

Asia is a large continent and there is significant diversity between countries and regions. Over the last 30 years, absolute blood pressure (BP) levels in Asia have increased to a greater extent than those in other regions. In diverse Asia‐Pacific populations, for choosing an Asia‐specific approach to hypertension management is important to prevent target organ damage and cardiovascular diseases. In this consensus document of HOPE Asia Network, we introduce seven action approaches for management of hypertension in Asia.
Role of vasorin, an anti‐apoptotic, anti‐TGF‐β and hypoxia‐induced glycoprotein in the trabecular meshwork cells and glaucoma
Authors: Choi Jin A. , Maddala Rupalatha , Karnam Shruthi , Skiba Nikolai P. , Vann Robin , Challa Pratap , Rao Ponugoti Vasantha
Published: February 2022

Glaucoma, one of the leading causes of irreversible blindness, is commonly associated with elevated intraocular pressure due to impaired aqueous humour (AH) drainage through the trabecular meshwork. The aetiological mechanisms contributing to impaired AH outflow, however, are poorly understood. Here, we identified the secreted form of vasorin, a transmembrane glycoprotein, as a common constituent of human AH by mass spectrometry and immunoblotting analysis. ELISA assay revealed a significant but marginal decrease in vasorin levels in the AH of primary open‐angle glaucoma patients compared to non‐glaucoma cataract patients. Human trabecular meshwork (HTM) cells were confirmed to express vasorin, which has been shown to possess anti‐apoptotic and anti‐TGF‐β activities. Treatment of HTM cells with vasorin induced actin stress fibres and focal adhesions and suppressed TGF‐β2‐induced SMAD2/3 activation in HTM cells. Additionally, cobalt chloride‐induced hypoxia stimulated a robust elevation in vasorin expression, and vasorin suppressed TNF‐α‐induced cell death in HTM cells. Taken together, these findings reveal the importance of vasorin in maintenance of cell survival, inhibition of TGF‐β induced biological responses in TM cells, and the decreasing trend in vasorin levels in the AH of glaucoma patients suggests a plausible role for vasorin in the pathobiology of ocular hypertension and glaucoma.
Associations between self‐reported periodontal disease and nutrient intakes and nutrient‐based dietary patterns in the UK Biobank
Authors: Watson Sinead , Woodside Jayne V. , Winning Lewis , Wright David M. , Srinivasan Murali , McKenna Gerald
Published: February 2022

Aim

To examine the cross‐sectional associations between single nutrient intakes and posteriori nutrient‐based dietary patterns and periodontal disease risk in a subset of the UK Biobank cohort.

Materials and Methods

Dietary data were collected by 24‐h dietary recall on up to five separate occasions over 16 months. A touchscreen questionnaire was used to collect oral health information. Participants were considered at high risk of periodontal disease if they reported having painful gums and/or bleeding gums and/or loose teeth. Principal component analysis identified four nutrient‐based dietary patterns from 20 nutrients. Logistic regression was used to estimate the odds ratio of periodontal disease risk for single nutrients and nutrient‐based dietary patterns.

Results

A total of 9476 participants (mean age 56.2 years [SD 8.0]) were included in the analysis. Higher intakes of vitamin B6, B12, C, and E, folate, iron, potassium, magnesium, polyunsaturated fatty acids, and total sugar were associated with a lower risk of periodontal disease. Higher intake of saturated fat was associated with an increased risk. A dietary pattern characterized by high micronutrients and fibre intake was associated with low risk of periodontal disease.

Conclusion

Within this sample of middle‐aged and older adults, a “high micronutrient and fibre” dietary pattern was associated with reduced risk of periodontal disease.
No evidence of Borrelia in cutaneous infiltrates of B‐cell lymphomas with a highly sensitive, semi‐nested real‐time polymerase chain reaction targeting the 5S‐23S intergenic spacer region
Authors: Papadopoulou K. , Falk T.M. , Metze D. , Böer‐Auer A.
Published: February 2022

Background

The role of Borrelia in the development of skin lymphomas has been under discussion for decades. A similar association has been shown for Helicobacter pylori and gastric lymphomas (MALT type). Nevertheless, few molecular studies investigated Borrelia in skin lymphomas and the results are controversial.

Methods

We analysed 46 formalin‐fixed, paraffin‐embedded skin specimens of clincopathologically confirmed B‐cell lymphomas (15 marginal zone lymphomas; 20 follicular lymphomas; three diffuse large B‐cell lymphomas; eight secondary cutaneous infiltrates) taken from 36 patients from Northern Germany, an endemic area for Borrelia. Fifteen pseudolymphomatous lesions of cutaneous Borreliosis served as the control. Both groups were examined with a real‐time (rt) PCR and a semi‐nested PCR targeting the 5S‐23S intergenic spacer region (IGS). A multiplex PCR was used to investigate B‐cell clonality in all lymphomatous infiltrates (Biomed Primers).

Results

With both assays no Borrelia burgdorferi‐specific DNA was identified in any of the B‐cell lymphomas, while all 15 Borreliosis specimens gave a positive PCR result in the semi‐nested PCR protocol, 12 were also positive in the rt PCR (P < 0.01). All B‐cell lymphomas showed monoclonal IgH‐Rearrangement. Analysis of cutaneous B‐cell lymphomas from available studies including ours (n = 334) reveals an odds ratio <1.

Conclusion

While some previous studies suggested an association between B. burgdorferi and the development of cutaneous B‐cell lymphomas in endemic areas, we were unable to confirm this in our patients, despite a highly sensitive Borrelia PCR assay. Our results including meta‐analysis of previous studies question the need for antibiotic therapy in patients with cutaneous B‐cell lymphomas.
Effects of nursing interventions to improve inpatients' sleep in intensive and non‐intensive care units: Findings from an umbrella review
Authors: Bellon Filip , Beti‐Abad Aintzane , Pastells‐Peiró Roland , Casado‐Ramirez Elvira , Moreno‐Casbas Teresa , Gea‐Sánchez Montserrat , Abad‐Corpa Eva
Published: February 2022

Aim

This review aimed to synthesise the available reviews on the effects of nursing interventions on sleep quality among patients hospitalised in intensive care and non‐intensive care units.

Background

Poor sleep quality is a common fact in hospitalised patients. Nurses can contribute to the improvement of patients' sleep quality and duration.

Design

A review of intervention reviews was carried out and reported following the PRISMA guidelines and checklist.

Methods

We systematically searched for reviews published from January 2009 to December 2019 in PubMed, CINAHL Plus, Scopus, Institute for Scientific Information Web of Science, Joanna Briggs Database of Systematic Reviews and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials databases. Searches were repeated at 24 November 2020 to include the most recent evidence. A narrative synthesis of the results was conducted.

Results

Nine reviews (representing 109 original papers) met the selection criteria and were included for critical appraisal. Overall, nursing interventions and sleep quality were poorly defined. We grouped the interventions into 3 categories (environmental, barrier and internal interventions) to provide a more comprehensive overview and examine effects of nursing interventions on inpatients sleep quality. Inconsistent results were obtained and low quality of the original articles was reported, making it difficult to establish absolute conclusions.

Conclusion

The impact of environmental changes on patients’ sleep was positive but inconclusive, while use of earplugs and eye masks, music and acupuncture generally showed positive results with moderate quality of evidence, and no harmful effects were reported.
Pathological observations of a long spinal cord lesion in a patient with multiple sclerosis
Authors: Yabata Hiroyuki , Saito Yufuko , Fukuoka Takaaki , Akagi Akio , Riku Yuichi , Sone Jun , Miyahara Hiroaki , Doyu Manabu , Yoshida Mari , Iwasaki Yasushi
Published: February 2022

We report an autopsy case of multiple sclerosis (MS) manifesting as a long spinal cord lesion. The patient was a Japanese woman. At the age of 59 years, she presented with a one‐month history of progressive paraplegia, dysesthesia in the lower extremities, and urinary retention. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed a long, hyperintense lesion on T2‐weighted images that extended from the inferior portion of the medulla oblongata to the cervical segments of the spinal cord and an isolated lesion at the T6 level. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) examination revealed the presence of oligoclonal bands and increased myelin basic protein levels (999 pg/mL). Serum antibody against aquaporin 4 (AQP4) was undetectable in this patient. She was diagnosed as having atypical MS and experienced symptom improvement following immunotherapy with corticosteroids and plasma exchange. She died of pneumonia and renal failure at the age of 62 years. Postmortem examination revealed a long demyelinating lesion that extended from the inferior portion of the medulla oblongata to the sacral segments of the spinal cord. The lesion was comprised of numerous demyelinating plaques with inflammatory cell infiltration. A long spinal cord lesion is usually indicative of neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD), and there are limited reports of postmortem observations of long spinal cord lesions among patients with anti‐AQP4 antibody‐seronegative MS. Our findings suggest that the pathomechanisms of such long spinal cord lesion formation differ between anti‐AQP4 antibody‐seronegative MS and NMOSD.
Branching’s sweet spot: strigolactone signaling mediates sucrose effects on bud outgrowth
Authors: Finlayson Scott A.
Published: February 2022

This article is a Commentary on Patil et al. (2022), 234: 122–136.
Ammonium transporter 1 increases rice resistance to sheath blight by promoting nitrogen assimilation and ethylene signalling
Authors: Wu Xian Xin , Yuan De Peng , Chen Huan , Kumar Vikranth , Kang Seong Min , Jia Baolei , Xuan Yuan Hu
Published: February 2022

Sheath blight (ShB) significantly threatens rice yield production. However, the underlying mechanism of ShB defence in rice remains largely unknown. Here, we identified a highly ShB‐susceptible mutant Ds‐m which contained a mutation at the ammonium transporter 1;1 (AMT1;1) D358N. AMT1;1 D358N interacts with AMT1;1, AMT1;2 and AMT1;3 to inhibit the ammonium transport activity. The AMT1 RNAi was more susceptible and similar to the AMT1;1 D358N mutant; however, plants with higher NH4+ uptake activity were less susceptible to ShB. Glutamine synthetase 1;1 (GS1;1) mutant gs1;1 and overexpressors (GS1;1 OXs) were more and less susceptible to ShB respectively. Furthermore, AMT1;1 overexpressor (AMT1;1 OX)/gs1;1 and gs1;1 exhibited a similar response to ShB, suggesting that ammonium assimilation rather than accumulation controls the ShB defence. Genetic and physiological assays further demonstrated that plants with higher amino acid or chlorophyll content promoted rice resistance to ShB. Interestingly, the expression of ethylene‐related genes was higher in AMT1;1 OX and lower in RNAi mutants than in wild‐type. Also, ethylene signalling positively regulated rice resistance to ShB and NH4+ uptake, suggesting that ethylene signalling acts downstream of AMT and also NH4+ uptake is under feedback control. Taken together, our data demonstrated that the AMT1 promotes rice resistance to ShB via the regulation of diverse metabolic and signalling pathways.
Objects, affects, aesthetics: New materialisms and religious studies
Authors: Mosurinjohn Sharday Catherine
Published: February 2022

This article provides a picture for religious studies scholars of the overlaps and differences between three recent theories of material religion which concern human perception, perceptible things, and the sometimes imperceptible forces that configure humans and things. The theories of note are: affect studies (an approach to the visceral forces that drive relations between beings); object‐oriented ontology (a contentious movement in speculative realist philosophy); and everyday aesthetics (a subfield of philosophical aesthetics i.e. equally fragmented but less fractious). Although they all share interest in the interplay of material and experience, affect studies, everyday aesthetics, and object‐oriented inquiry overlap with each other in ways that are rarely, if ever, explicitly addressed. For this reason, scholars of lived, embodied, and material religion should know about them, how they differ, and when to use one or the other. In religious studies, I suggest we should think of them as three methodological responses to a desire the field has to think about material religion. Importantly, they are not three equal choices. I argue that everyday aesthetics is not only the most interesting but the most useful option, and I illustrate its potential uses.
Why Are There Two Versions of Meno’s Paradox?
Authors: Shepardson Douglas A.
Published: February 2022

This article seeks to answer why there are two different versions of Meno’s Paradox. I argue that the dilemma contained in Socrates’ version is a pre‐existing puzzle, familiar to both Meno and Socrates before their discussion. The two versions of the paradox are thus different because Meno’s version is a mistaken attempt to remember the puzzle contained in Socrates’ version. Although Meno’s version is a mistaken attempt to state Socrates’ version, it is a philosophically richer puzzle that makes three interesting points about inquiry and recognition. After arguing that Socrates’ version is unsound and that Meno’s version is an attempt to recollect or remember Socrates’ version, I analyze Meno’s version in detail. In closing, I consider the relationship between the notion of recognition, which figures prominently in Meno’s version, and the theory of recollection, suggesting that the latter may have arisen as an attempt to explain the origin of moral intuitions.
Better than ‘normal’: Describing the distribution of and outliers in RBC usage
Authors: Murphy Colin , Silva de Leonardi Noah
Published: February 2022

Background/Case Studies

Optimizing a hospital blood inventory requires understanding the distribution of blood usage at the institution. Standard methods for describing red blood cell (RBC) usage like mean and standard deviation assume a normal distribution. Other distributions may fit the distribution of daily RBC usage better and provide more accurate insights into blood usage and in6ventory management.

Study Design/Methods

RBC usage data from 2014 through 2020 were queried from the laboratory information system. Theoretical distributions were fit against this empirical distribution of daily RBC usage. Goodness‐of‐fit was assessed visually using Pearson/Cullen and Frey plots as well as quantitatively using Kolomogorov‐Smirnov (K‐S) distance and the Akaike Information Criterion (AIC).

Results/Findings

241,957 units of RBCs were transfused over 2557 days in the study period. The log‐normal and gamma distributions had superior K‐S distances and AICs for daily RBC usage. The top percentile of days for RBC usage was significantly more likely to have at least one ultramassively transfused patient (p < .001, Fisher's Exact Test).

Conclusions

The log‐normal and gamma distributions better describe the right‐skewed and entirely positive empirical distribution of daily RBC usage as compared to the normal distribution. This should broadly inform inventory management efforts and future descriptions of RBC usage at the institutional level.
A Fast Screening and Recombinant Method Based on Short-Time Pulse Discharge and Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy for Decommissioned Power Batteries
Authors: Fan Luo , Haihong Huang , Haixin Wang
Published: February 2022

Aiming at the problems of low screening efficiency, high energy consumption and low grouping rate of decommissioned power batteries at this stage, a fast screening and recombinant method based on short-time pulse discharge and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) for decommissioned power batteries is proposed. More than 200 decommissioned lithium iron phosphate power batteries of the same type and different batches were tested and analyzed by short-time pulse discharge and EIS. Then, the obtained pulse voltage difference, DC internal resistance, EIS curve shape characteristics and EIS equivalent circuit model parameters are used as screening indexes, and a mathematical model is established to realize the rapid and effective sorting and reorganization of decommissioned power batteries. The experimental results show that this method has low energy consumption, the average test time of single cell is less than 20 min, and the consistency index is good after grouping, so it has great practical value in engineering.
Imaging findings of a tall cell variant of papillary breast carcinoma
Authors: Pang Maohua , Yuan Mingyuan , Yu Min
Published: February 2022

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On the spurious resonance modes of time domain integral equations for analyzing acoustic scattering from penetrable objects
Authors: Chen Rui , Shi Yifei , Sayed Sadeed Bin , Lu Mingyu , Bagci Hakan
Published: February 2022

The interior resonance problem of time domain integral equations (TDIEs) formulated to analyze acoustic field interactions on penetrable objects is investigated. Two types of TDIEs are considered: The first equation, which is termed the time domain potential integral equation (TDPIE), suffers from the interior resonance problem, i.e., its solution is replete with spurious modes that are excited at the resonance frequencies of the acoustic cavity in the shape of the scatterer. Numerical experiments demonstrate that, unlike the frequency-domain integral equations, the amplitude of these modes in the time domain could be suppressed to a level that does not significantly affect the solution. This is achieved by increasing the numerical solution accuracy through the use of a higher-order discretization in space and the band limited approximate prolate spheroidal wave function with high interpolation accuracy as basis function in time. The second equation is obtained by linearly combining TDPIE with its normal derivative. The solution of this equation, which is termed the time domain combined potential integral equation (TDCPIE), does not involve any spurious interior resonance modes but it is not as accurate as the TDPIE solution at non-resonance frequencies. In addition, TDCPIE's discretization calls for treatment of hypersingular integrals.
Deep neural architectures for dialect classification with single frequency filtering and zero-time windowing feature representations
Authors: Kethireddy Rashmi , Kadiri Sudarsana Reddy , Gangashetty Suryakanth V.
Published: February 2022

The goal of this study is to investigate advanced signal processing approaches [single frequency filtering (SFF) and zero-time windowing (ZTW)] with modern deep neural networks (DNNs) [convolution neural networks (CNNs), temporal convolution neural networks (TCN), time-delay neural network (TDNN), and emphasized channel attention, propagation and aggregation in TDNN (ECAPA–TDNN)] for dialect classification of major dialects of English. Previous studies indicated that SFF and ZTW methods provide higher spectro-temporal resolution. To capture the intrinsic variations in articulations among dialects, four feature representations [spectrogram (SPEC), cepstral coefficients, mel filter-bank energies, and mel–frequency cepstral coefficients (MFCCs)] are derived from SFF and ZTW methods. Experiments with and without data augmentation using CNN classifiers revealed that the proposed features performed better than baseline short-time Fourier transform (STFT)–based features on the UT-Podcast database [Hansen, J. H., and Liu, G. (2016). “Unsupervised accent classification for deep data fusion of accent and language information,” Speech Commun. 78, 19–33]. Even without data augmentation, all the proposed features showed an approximate improvement of 15%–20% (relative) over best baseline (SPEC–STFT) feature. TCN, TDNN, and ECAPA-TDNN classifiers that capture wider temporal context further improved the performance for many of the proposed and baseline features. Among all the baseline and proposed features, the best performance is achieved with single frequency filtered cepstral coefficients for TCN (81.30%), TDNN (81.53%), and ECAPA-TDNN (85.48%). An investigation of data-driven filters, instead of fixed mel-scale, improved the performance by 2.8% and 1.4% (relatively) for SPEC–STFT and SPEC–SFF, and nearly equal for SPEC–ZTW. To assist related work, we have made the code available ([Kethireddy, R., and Kadiri, S. R. (2022). “Deep neural architectures for dialect classification with single frequency filtering and zero-time windowing feature representations,” https://github.com/r39ashmi/e2e_dialect (Last viewed 21 December 2021)].).
Tracking transients in steelpan strikes using surveillance technology
Authors: Hawley Scott H. , Morrison Andrew C. , Morgan Grant S.
Published: February 2022

This paper presents advancements in tracking features in high-speed videos of Caribbean steelpans illuminated by electronic speckle pattern interferometry, made possible by incorporating robust computer vision libraries for object detection and image segmentation, and cleaning of the training dataset. Besides increasing the accuracy of fringe counts by 10% or more compared to previous work, this paper introduces a segmentation-regression map for the entire drum surface yielding interference fringe counts comparable to those obtained via object detection. Once trained, this model can count fringes for musical instruments not part of the training set, including those with non-elliptical antinode shapes.
Impact of Long-Haul Travel to International Competition on Sleep and Recovery in Elite Male and Female Soccer Athletes
Authors: Biggins Michelle , Purtill Helen , Fowler Peter , O’Sullivan Kieran , Cahalan Roisin
Published: February 2022

Purpose: To investigate the impact of eastward travel across 7 time zones on sleep, jet lag, and recovery in elite soccer athletes. Methods: Twenty-one male and 20 female athletes (21.5 [1.7] y) traveled from Ireland to Taiwan to represent their national team at the World University Games 2017. Daily monitoring via actigraphy and subjective sleep and well-being measures were obtained for 1 week in Ireland (baseline), and for the duration of an international soccer tournament (days 1–5 [precompetition] and days 6–18 [competition]). Results: Sleep duration (P = .028) and time in bed (P = .006) were significantly lower at precompetition compared with baseline. Sleep quality (P < .001) was significantly decreased in precompetition compared with baseline and competition. Subjective jet lag symptoms continued for up to 13 days posttravel. Athletes reported significantly greater fatigue during precompetition compared with competition (P = .005); however, there were no significant differences for recovery (P = .35) and readiness to train (P = .35). Sleep hygiene changed significantly during precompetition and competition compared with baseline in relation to reduced electronic device use (P = .005) and reduced caffeine intake (P < .001). Females reported significantly greater presleep tension–anxiety compared with males at all timepoints (P = .02). Conclusion: Long-haul eastward travel across 7 time zones has a significant impact on sleep duration and quality, likely related to changes in sleep patterns and jet lag. Athletes report changes in sleep hygiene posttravel; however, sleep remained negatively impacted for up to 5 days. Despite significant sleep disturbance and jet lag symptoms, young healthy athletes appear to recover well from long-haul travel; however, it is unknown if this interferes with training and competition performance.
Mapping the biogenesis of forward programmed megakaryocytes from induced pluripotent stem cells
Authors: Lawrence Moyra , Shahsavari Arash , Bornelöv Susanne , Moreau Thomas , McDonald Rebecca , Vallance Thomas M. , Kania Katarzyna , Paramor Maike , Baye James , Perrin Marion , Steindel Maike , Jimenez-Gomez Paula , Penfold Christopher , Mohorianu Irina , Ghevaert Cedric
Published: February 2022

Platelet deficiency, known as thrombocytopenia, can cause hemorrhage and is treated with platelet transfusions. We developed a system for the production of platelet precursor cells, megakaryocytes, from pluripotent stem cells. These cultures can be maintained for >100 days, implying culture renewal by megakaryocyte progenitors (MKPs). However, it is unclear whether the MKP state in vitro mirrors the state in vivo, and MKPs cannot be purified using conventional surface markers. We performed single-cell RNA sequencing throughout in vitro differentiation and mapped each state to its equivalent in vivo. This enabled the identification of five surface markers that reproducibly purify MKPs, allowing us insight into their transcriptional and epigenetic profiles. Last, we performed culture optimization, increasing MKP production. Together, this study has mapped parallels between the MKP states in vivo and in vitro and allowed the purification of MKPs, accelerating the progress of in vitro–derived transfusion products toward the clinic.
ATP-responsive biomolecular condensates tune bacterial kinase signaling
Authors: Saurabh Saumya , Chong Trisha N. , Bayas Camille , Dahlberg Peter D. , Cartwright Heather N. , Moerner W. E. , Shapiro Lucy
Published: February 2022

Biomolecular condensates formed via liquid-liquid phase separation enable spatial and temporal organization of enzyme activity. Phase separation in many eukaryotic condensates has been shown to be responsive to intracellular adenosine triphosphate (ATP) levels, although the consequences of these mechanisms for enzymes sequestered within the condensates are unknown. Here, we show that ATP depletion promotes phase separation in bacterial condensates composed of intrinsically disordered proteins. Enhanced phase separation promotes the sequestration and activity of a client kinase enabling robust signaling and maintenance of viability under the stress posed by nutrient scarcity. We propose that a diverse repertoire of condensates can serve as control knobs to tune enzyme sequestration and reactivity in response to the metabolic state of bacterial cells.
Carbon nanotube supported oriented metal organic framework membrane for effective ethylene/ethane separation
Authors: Wei Ruicong , Liu Xiaowei , Zhou Zongyao , Chen Cailing , Yuan Youyou , Li Zhen , Li Xiang , Dong Xinglong , Lu Dongwei , Han Yu , Lai Zhiping
Published: February 2022

Zeolitic imidazolate framework 8 (ZIF-8) is effective for C
3
H
6
/C
3
H
8
separation because of the “sieving effect” of a six-membered (6-M) window. Here, we demonstrate that ZIF-8 is a versatile material that could effectively separate C
2
H
4
from C
2
H
6
via its 4-M window along the <100> direction. We established a facile and environmentally friendly carbon nanotube (CNT)–induced oriented membrane (CNT-OM) approach to fabricate a {100}-oriented ZIF-8 membrane (100-M). In this approach, 2-methyimidazole was anchored onto the CNT surface followed by 3-hour in situ growth in aqueous solution at room temperature. The obtained 100-M, whose 4-M window is aligned along the transport pathway, showed ~3 times higher C
2
H
4
/C
2
H
6
selectivity than a randomly oriented membrane. Thus, this work demonstrates that the membrane orientation plays an important role in tuning selectivity toward different gas pairs. Furthermore, 100-M exhibited excellent mechanical stability that could sustain the separation performance after bending at a curvature of ~109 m
−1
.
Translating science to medicine: The case for physician-scientists
Authors: Utz Paul J. , Jain Mukesh K. , Cheung Vivian G. , Kobilka Brian K. , Lefkowitz Robert , Yamada Tadataka , Dzau Victor J.
Published: February 2022

As the number of physician-scientists continues to decline, action must be taken to support them as they embark on their careers.
Spatial transcriptomics of dorsal root ganglia identifies molecular signatures of human nociceptors
Authors: Tavares-Ferreira Diana , Shiers Stephanie , Ray Pradipta R. , Wangzhou Andi , Jeevakumar Vivekanand , Sankaranarayanan Ishwarya , Cervantes Anna M. , Reese Jeffrey C. , Chamessian Alexander , Copits Bryan A. , Dougherty Patrick M. , Gereau Robert W. , Burton Michael D. , Dussor Gregory , Price Theodore J.
Published: February 2022

Nociceptors are specialized sensory neurons that detect damaging or potentially damaging stimuli and are found in the dorsal root ganglia (DRG) and trigeminal ganglia. These neurons are critical for the generation of neuronal signals that ultimately create the perception of pain. Nociceptors are also primary targets for treating acute and chronic pain. Single-cell transcriptomics on mouse nociceptors has transformed our understanding of pain mechanisms. We sought to generate equivalent information for human nociceptors with the goal of identifying transcriptomic signatures of nociceptors, identifying species differences and potential drug targets. We used spatial transcriptomics to molecularly characterize transcriptomes of single DRG neurons from eight organ donors. We identified 12 clusters of human sensory neurons, 5 of which are C nociceptors, as well as 1 C low-threshold mechanoreceptors (LTMRs), 1 Aβ nociceptor, 2 Aδ, 2 Aβ, and 1 proprioceptor subtypes. By focusing on expression profiles for ion channels, G protein–coupled receptors (GPCRs), and other pharmacological targets, we provided a rich map of potential drug targets in the human DRG with direct comparison to mouse sensory neuron transcriptomes. We also compared human DRG neuronal subtypes to nonhuman primates showing conserved patterns of gene expression among many cell types but divergence among specific nociceptor subsets. Last, we identified sex differences in human DRG subpopulation transcriptomes, including a marked increase in calcitonin-related polypeptide alpha (CALCA) expression in female pruritogen receptor–enriched nociceptors. This comprehensive spatial characterization of human nociceptors might open the door to development of better treatments for acute and chronic pain disorders.
Contribution of Uremia to
Ureaplasma
-Induced Hyperammonemia
Authors: Fleming Derek , Cunningham Scott A. , Patel Robin
Published: February 2022

Ureaplasma
-induced hyperammonemia is a deadly complication affecting around 4% of lung transplant recipients and, to a lesser extent, other solid organ transplant patients. Understanding the underlying mechanisms will inform patient management, potentially decreasing mortality and morbidity. Here, it is shown that uremia is a plausible contributing factor to the pathophysiology of the condition.
High-Throughput Time-Lapse Fluorescence Microscopy Screening for Heterogeneously Expressed Genes in Bacillus subtilis
Authors: Mortier Julien , Van Riet Stefanie , Senovilla Herrero Diana , Vanoirbeek Kristof , Aertsen Abram
Published: February 2022

Differential gene expression among isogenic siblings often leads to phenotypic heterogeneity and the emergence of complex social behavior and functional capacities within clonal bacterial populations. Despite the importance of such features for both the fundamental understanding and synthetic engineering of bacterial behavior, approaches to systematically map such population heterogeneity are scarce.
A Bacterial Genome and Culture Collection of Gut Microbial in Weanling Piglet
Authors: Dong Bo , Lin Xiaoqian , Jing Xiaohuan , Hu Tongyuan , Zhou Jianwei , Chen Jianwei , Xiao Liang , Wang Bo , Chen Zhuang , Liu Jing , Hu Yiyin , Liu Guilin , Liu Shanshan , Liu Junnian , Wei Wenkang , Zou Yuanqiang
Published: February 2022

The microorganism communities resided in mammalian gastrointestinal tract impacted the health and disease of the host. Our study complements metagenomic analysis with culture-based approach to establish a bacteria and genome collection and comprehensively investigate the microbiome composition and function of the gut of weanling piglets. We provide a valuable resource for further study of gut microbiota of weanling piglet and development of probiotics for prevention of disease.