bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Complex optical/UV and X-ray variability in Seyfert 1 galaxy Mrk 509
Authors: Kumari Neeraj , Pal Main , Naik Sachindra , Jana Arghajit , Jaisawal Gaurava K. , Kushwaha Pankaj
Published: September 2021

We performed a detailed spectral and timing analysis of a Seyfert 1 galaxy Mrk 509 using data from theNeil Gehrels Swiftobservatory that spanned over$\sim$13 years between 2006 and 2019. To study the variability properties from the optical/UV to X-ray emission, we used a total of 275 pointed observations in this work. The average spectrum over the entire duration exhibits a strong soft X-ray excess above the power law continuum. The soft X-ray excess is well described by two thermal components with temperatures of kT$_{\rm BB1}\sim$120 eV and kT$_{\rm BB2}\sim$460 eV. The warm thermal component is likely due to the presence of an optically thick and warm Comptonizing plasma in the inner accretion disk. The fractional variability amplitude is found to be decreasing with increasing wavelength, i.e., from the soft X-ray to UV/optical emission. However, the hard X-ray (2–8 keV) emission shows very low variability. The strength of the correlation within the UV and the optical bands (0.95–0.99) is found to be stronger than the correlation between the UV/optical and X-ray bands (0.40–0.53). These results clearly suggest that the emitting regions of the X-ray and UV/optical emission are likely distinct or partly interacting. Having removed the slow variations in the light curves, we find that the lag spectrum is well described by the 4/3 rule for the standard Shakura–Sunyaev accretion disk when we omit X-ray lags. All these results suggest that the real disk is complex, and the UV emission is likely reprocessed in the accretion disk to give X-ray and optical emission.
Ovigeny strategy of the parasitic wasp Cosmocomoidea annulicornis (Hymenoptera: Mymaridae): effect of female age, feeding and host availability on reproductive traits
Authors: Manzano Carolina , Virla Eduardo G. , Coll Araoz Maria V. , Luft-Albarracin Erica
Published: September 2021

The reproductive traits of the mymarid wasp Cosmocomoidea annulicornis (Ogloblin) (Hymenoptera: Mymaridae) attacking eggs of the sharpshooter Tapajosa rubromarginata (Signoret) (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae) were evaluated under laboratory conditions. Bioassays were carried out to estimate the realized fecundity and egg load of females. The ovigeny index was calculated and different biological traits, such as body size, oöcyte length, gaster length and wing length, were analysed to assess significant associations between these traits and the species fitness. In addition, the effect of host availability and feeding on longevity and potential fecundity throughout life and the effect of female age on egg maturation dynamics were assessed. The results showed that C. annulicornis is a strongly synovigenic species. A positive correlation was found between fecundity and longevity of the females and between body size and oöcyte length. Contrary to expected, body size was not related to fecundity and longevity. Females lived significantly longer in the presence of hosts and honey than when they were host-deprived and honey-fed or both host and honey deprived. Host availability had a significant effect on the amount of eggs laid by C. annulicornis females. Female age was negatively associated with oöcyte length. Furthermore, females were able to mature additional eggs as they aged, nevertheless, when host-deprived, senescent females presented significantly less mature eggs than younger ones, suggesting a possible egg oosorption. These results might contribute to a better understanding of the reproductive potential of this species as a biocontrol agent.
Staple Products, Linkages, and Development: Evidence from Argentina
Authors: Droller Federico , Fiszbein Martin
Published: September 2021

We investigate how historical patterns of primary production influenced development across local economies in Argentina. Our identification strategy exploits exogenous variation in the composition of primary production induced by climatic features. We find that locations specializing in ranching had weaker linkages with other activities, higher concentration in land ownership, lower population density, and less immigration than cereal-producing areas. Over time, ranching localities continued to exhibit lower population density, and they experienced relatively sluggish industrialization. Ultimately, ranching specialization had large negative effects on long-run levels of income per capita and human capital.
First rDNA sequence data forHaplosplanchnus pachysomus(Digenea: Haplosplanchnidae) exMugil cephalusfrom the Black Sea, and molecular evidence for cryptic species withinHaplosplanchnus pachysomus(Digenea: Haplosplanchnidae) in Palaearctic and Indo-West Pacific regions
Authors: Atopkin D.M. , Pronkina N.V. , Belousova Yu.V. , Plaksina M.P. , Vodiasova E.A.
Published: September 2021

Adult trematodes, morphologically similar toHaplosplanchnus pachysomus(Eysenhardt, 1829), were extracted from the intestine ofMugil cephalusLinnaeus, 1758, collected in the Black Sea basin. Morphological, morphometric and 28S ribosomal DNA (rDNA) partial sequence data were obtained for these trematodes following comparative analysis with previous data on this species. Worms from this study were morphologically identical to all previously reportedH.pachysomusspecimens from different locations. The results of the morphometric analysis indicated general similarity betweenH.pachysomusfrom the Black Sea and trematodes from Vietnam and Australia. Trematodes from the Black Sea and specimens from Spain were identical based on 28S rDNA partial sequences; however, these sequences differed from that ofH.pachysomusfrom Vietnam and Australia by eight fixed substitutions. Overall, our results indicate thatH.pachysomusfrom Spain and the Black Sea and from Vietnam and Australia can presently be considered as two cryptic species, one in Palaearctic and one in Indo-West Pacific regions. Our results provide a molecular base for includingHaplosplanchnus puriiin the genusProvitellotremaor to considerH.purii,P.crenimugilisandH.pachysomuswithin the same genus.
Apocalyptic and the Passions: Overcoming a False Dichotomy in Pauline Studies
Authors: Longarino Joseph
Published: September 2021

This article deals with how to conceive of sin in Romans 5–8. Currently there are two main views concerning the understanding of sin in these chapters. The apocalyptic school describes sin as a power extrinsic to the person. The moral philosophical interpretation, by contrast, contends that sin is a representation of action or the passions. While these schools are usually opposed to each other, this article proposes that the major concerns of the apocalyptic school – to understand sin as a reality that is universally determinative, that precedes human action and exceeds human strength, and from which only God can deliver humanity – are compatible with the interpretation of sin as action in some passages and as the passions in others. There may therefore be space for further collaboration between two views that are often opposed.
The Text of Eph 5.22 and the Start of the Ephesian Household Code
Authors: Gurry Peter J.
Published: September 2021

The widespread disagreement about where the Ephesian household code begins is largely based on an equally widespread agreement that the original text of Eph 5.22 has no verb. This article addresses the former by challenging the latter. Treating the textual problem as a choice between three rather than two readings means that ὑποτασσέσθωσαν emerges as the reading that is best attested, the more difficult, and the one that best explains the others. The result is a smooth flow throughout this section of Ephesians.
The Anonymous Source for Marcion's Gospel in British Library, Add. 17215: An Identification and Analysis
Authors: Forness Philip Michael
Published: September 2021

For over a century, studies on Marcion have cited a quotation attributed to him in a fragmentary Syriac manuscript: London, British Library, Add. 17215 (fols. 30–3). An English translation of the relevant passage appeared in 1893, but no subsequent study has returned to the Syriac text itself. While this text has hitherto been cited as an anonymous Syriac source, this article identifies it as a letter by Jacob of Serugh (d. 520/1) and offers preliminary remarks on the implications of this identification for future research on Marcion's Gospel and his thought.
Spicing Wine at theSymposion:Fact or Fiction? Some Critical Thoughts on Material Aspects of Commensality in the Early Iron Age and Archaic Mediterranean World
Authors: Villing Alexandra
Published: September 2021

Interpretations of metal graters and pottery tripod bowls asLeitfossilsof a trans-Mediterranean ‘orientalizing’ culture of spiced-wine consumption have of late become a staple of scholarship on sympotic banqueting, shaping our perception of ancient wine-drinking and its role in cross-cultural interaction in the first half of the first millennium BC. Yet a closer look at the evidence for spiced wine and the use of graters casts serious doubt on assumptions of a widespread practice of adding ‘spices’ to wine during the Greeksymposionand of the use of graters or tripod grinding bowls for such a purpose in the Mediterranean and Near Eastern world. A more plausible scenario, it is argued, arises from the well-attested association of graters with cheese and other primarily culinary commodities. It sees the grater’s prime function and symbolic significance shift from a use in Early Iron Age ‘Homeric’ hospitality to becoming a tool in the increasingly complex cuisines associated with the Archaic and Classical banquet – an indicator of evolving Mediterranean commensality with no less of an international horizon, but a commensality that involved interaction and shared consumption beyond the narrowly sympotic.
Adaptive-observer-based robust control for a time-delayed teleoperation system with scaled four-channel architecture
Authors: Chan Linping , Huang Qingqing , Wang Ping
Published: September 2021

This article presents an innovative adaptive-observer-based scaled four-channel (4-CH) control approach applying damping injection for nonlinear teleoperation systems, which unify the study of robotic dynamic uncertainties, operator/environment force acquirements and asymmetric time-varying delays in the same framework. First, a scaled 4-CH scheme with damping injection is developed to handle time-varying delay while guaranteeing the passivity of communication channels. Then, the improved extended active observer (IEAOB) is deployed to derive the operator/environment force while addressing the issues of measurement noise and model uncertainties. Furthermore, the system stability is analyzed by choosing Lyapunov functional. Finally, the proposed method is validated through simulation.
Effect of a Supervised Stretching Program on Neck, Shoulder, and Trunk Range of Motion in Older Women
Authors: Webber Sandra C. , Porter Michelle M.
Published: September 2021

Upper body and neck range of motion (ROM) are important for safe walking and driving. The purpose of this study was to determine whether stretching would improve neck, trunk, and shoulder ROM. Forty-eight community-dwelling women (75 ± 3 years of age) were randomly allocated to intervention (upper body stretching, n = 15) and control conditions (lower body power training, n = 33). All participants exercised in supervised 45-minute sessions twice weekly for 12 weeks. Testing of upper body ROM included a cervical ROM, device-based measurement and field tests of the neck, trunk, and shoulder ranges. Shoulder ROM was the only movement that improved in the intervention group beyond levels seen in control participants (33% increase, p < 0.01). Neck and trunk ROM did not change in response to a specific stretching program. Older adults with ROM limitations may need to explore other exercise options or focus on compensatory strategies for safe community mobility.
The Rise of the Anti-Abortion Movement in North Dakota and the Defeat of the 1972 Initiative to Liberalize State Abortion Laws
Authors: BAUROTH NICHOLAS
Published: September 2021

The 1972 abortion-initiative campaign in North Dakota provides an example where elites on one side of an issue were able to provide cues and get supporters to participate in an election while the other side was unable to do so. North Dakota Right to Life through the formation of branch chapters and its work with the Catholic churches became the focus of the anti-initiative campaign. Flush with resources, the NDRL made sure that its supporters turned out to such an extent that initiative voters outnumbered presidential voters in most counties. While the pro-initiative elements proved effective at getting the question on the ballot, they were unable to get their message out, let alone galvanize supporters. The result was confusion among potential supports and lower turnout rates in the most populous counties.
Community-based culinary and nutrition education intervention promotes fruit and vegetable consumption
Authors: Metcalfe Jessica Jarick , Prescott Melissa Pflugh , Schumacher Melissa , Kownacki Caitlin , McCaffrey Jennifer
Published: September 2021

Objective:

The main objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of the Market to MyPlate (M2MP) program on fruit and vegetable consumption and cooking behaviours. Secondary objectives were to examine factors that affected participant retention and program completion, and analyse program feedback provided by participants.

Design:

This study conducted a mixed methods evaluation embedded within a cluster randomised controlled trial of the M2MP intervention. Adult participants completed a pre- and post-program survey reporting on their fruit and vegetable consumption and cooking behaviours. A subsample participated in structured interviews, providing feedback about M2MP and the impact of the program.

Setting:

Seven weekly classes took place in community centres and extension offices in central Illinois.

Participants:

120 adults and their families participated. Class cohorts were randomly assigned to one of three treatment groups: (1) nutrition education and cooking classes with produce allocations (PAE,n39); (2) nutrition education and cooking classes only (EO,n36) or (3) control group (n45).

Results:

Compared to control, PAE participants reported larger increases from pre- to post-intervention in fruit (P= 0·001) and vegetable consumption (P= 0·002), with no differences in cooking frequency. Interview analyses identified key themes in behaviour changes due to M2MP, including reported increases in dietary variety, cooking self-efficacy and children’s participation in cooking.

Conclusions:

PAE participants who received an intervention that directly increased their access to fresh produce (via produce allocations) increased their reported fruit and vegetable consumption. Though participants’ cooking frequency did not change, interviewees reported increased variety, cooking confidence and family participation in cooking.
Plant-based dietary patterns are associated with lower body weight, BMI and waist circumference in older Australian women
Authors: Ferguson Jessica JA , Oldmeadow Christopher , Mishra Gita D , Garg Manohar L
Published: September 2021

Objective:

To investigate the association between plant-based diets (PBD) and overweight/obesity compared to regular meat eaters in older women.

Design:

Cross-sectional analysis.

Setting:

1946–1951 birth cohort of the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women’s Health (ALSWH). PBD were categorised as vegan, lacto-ovo vegetarian, pesco-vegetarian, semi-vegetarian and regular meat eaters. Outcomes included body weight (BW), BMI and waist circumference (WC).

Participants:

Women who completed Survey 7 (n 9102) with complete FFQ data.

Results:

Compared to regular meat eaters, BW, BMI and WC were significantly lower in pesco-vegetarians (−10·2 kg (95 % CI −5·1, −15·2); −3·8 kg/m2 (95 % CI −2·0, −5·6); −8·4 cm (95 % CI −3·9, −12·9)) and BW and BMI lower in lacto-ovo vegetarians (−7·4 kg (95 % CI −1·2, −13·6); −2·9 kg/m2 (95 % CI −0·6, −5·1)). In regular meat eaters, individuals consuming meat daily or multiple times/d had significantly higher BW, BMI and WC compared to those consuming meat >2 times/week but 1 but ≤2 times/week (6·8 kg (95 % CI 1·8, 11·8); 2·1 kg/m2 (95 % CI 0·3, 4·0) and 6·0 cm (95 % CI 1·7, 10·4)). This association was dose-dependent such that for every increase in category of weekly meat intake (i.e. >1 time/week but ≤2 times/week; >2 times/week but less than daily, and daily or multiple times/d), an associated 2·6 kg (95 % CI 1·8, 3·4) increase in BW, 0·9 kg/m2 (95 % CI 0·6, 1·2) increase in BMI and 2·3 cm (95 % CI 1·6, 3·0) increase in WC was reported.

Conclusions:

BW, BMI and WC are lower in women following PBD and positively associated with increasing meat consumption. Results were robust to adjustment for confounders including physical activity levels, smoking status, habitual alcohol intake, use of supplements, and hormone replacement therapy.
Automated Confluence Measurement Method for Mesenchymal Stem Cell from Brightfield Microscopic Images
Authors: Wang Zenan , Zhan Rucai , Hu Ying
Published: September 2021

Cell confluence is an important metric in cell culture, as proper timing is essential to maintain cell phenotype and culture quality. To estimate cell confluence, transparent cells are observed under a phase-contrast or differential interference contrast microscope by a biologist, whose estimations are error-prone and subjective. To overcome the necessity of using the phase-contrast microscope and reducing intra- and inter-observer errors, we have proposed an algorithm that automatically measures cell confluence by using a commonly used brightfield microscope. The proposed method consists of a transport-of-intensity equation-based brightfield microscopic image processing, an image reconstruction method, and an adaptive image segmentation method based on edge detection, entropy filtering, and range filtering. Experimental results have shown that our method has outperformed several popular algorithms, with an F-score of 0.84 ± 0.07, in images with various cell confluence values. The proposed algorithm is robust and accurate enough to perform confluence measurement with various lighting conditions under a low-cost brightfield microscope, making it simple and cost-effective to use for a fully automated cell culture process.
Capturing Centimeter-Scale Local Variations in Paper Pore Space via μ-CT: A Benchmark Study Using Calendered Paper
Authors: Neumann Matthias , Machado Charry Eduardo , Baikova Ekaterina , Hilger André , Hirn Ulrich , Schennach Robert , Manke Ingo , Schmidt Volker , Zojer Karin
Published: September 2021

A two-step framework to analyze local microstructure variations of paper sheets based on 3D image data is presented. First, a multi-stage workflow efficiently acquires a large set of highly resolved tomographic image data, which enables—in combination with statistical image analysis—the quantification of local variations and pairwise correlations of morphological microstructure characteristics on length scales ranging from micrometers to centimeters. Secondly, the microstructure is analyzed in terms of the local behavior of porosity, thickness, and further descriptors related to transportation paths. The power of the presented framework is demonstrated, showing that it allows one (i) to quantitatively reveal the difference in terms of local structural variations between a model paper before and after unidirectional compression via hard-nip calendering and that (ii) the field of view which is required to reliably compute the probability distributions of the considered local microstructure characteristics is at least 20 mm. The results elucidate structural differences related to local densification. In particular, it is shown how calendering transforms local variations in sheet thickness into marked local mass density variations. The obtained results are in line with experimental measurements of macroscopic properties (basis weight, Bekk smoothness parameters, thickness, and Gurley retention times).
Metaphors judges live by: ‘dirty minds’ and the ‘fear of contamination’ in the new criminal justice system in Mexico
Authors: Alfaro Altamirano Adriana
Published: September 2021

In this paper, I take George Lakoff and Mark Johnson's thesis that metaphors shape our reality to approach the judicial imagery of the new criminal justice system in Mexico (in effect since 2016). Based on twenty-nine in-depth interviews with judges and other members of the judiciary, I study what I call the ‘dirty minds’ metaphor, showing its presence in everyday judicial practice and analysing both its cognitive basis as well as its effects in how criminal judges understand their job. I argue that the such a metaphor, together with the ‘fear of contamination’ it raises as a result, is misleading and goes to the detriment of the judicial virtues that should populate the new system. The conclusions I offer are relevant beyond the national context, inter alia, because they concern a far-reaching paradigm of judgment.
Exotic Aesthetics: Representations of Blackness in Nineteenth-Century Russian Painting
Authors: Taroutina Maria
Published: September 2021

This article focuses on a series of both iconic and little-known paintings, examining the diverse ways in which some of Russia's most prominent nineteenth-century artists such as Karl Briullov, Vasilii Polenov, and Il΄ia Repin depicted Black subjects. Through a combination of close formal readings and broader analyses of the specific contexts in which these images were produced, the article probes a number of complex and interconnected topics such as Russian exceptionalism, imperialist aesthetics, and nationalist versus cosmopolitan pictorial sensibilities. The article likewise pays close attention to the conceptual and material continuities and discontinuities between the first and second halves of the nineteenth century and considers how these paintings might have contributed to the evolving Russian discourses on race, nationality, and empire in the “long” nineteenth century.
Race-ing the Russian Nineteenth Century
Authors: Bojanowska Edyta M.
Published: September 2021

The article offers a methodological reflection on the practical work of reading race in Russian literary texts, especially from the nineteenth century. It makes four key arguments. First, “racialization,” in the sense of an interactive process, is a more productive lens than an essentially static concept of race. Second, race is not only, and not always, a question of perception or meaning-making, but also ideology. Third, the concept of race typically engages notions of class, gender, and sexuality, an intersectionality that merits particular attention. Fourth, critiquing race can be productively furthered by paying attention to anxieties and insecurities that underlie racial hierarchies and biases, which can be revealed through readings against the grain. As we cast new light on Russia's engagement with race, it is essential that the culture of the Russian nineteen-century become part of this reappraisal.
Interprofessionalität lernen und leben
Authors: Caduff Uta , Bärlocher Andrea , Staudacher Diana
Published: September 2021

Zusammenfassung. Ein gemeinsames Bild der Patientensituation ist zentral für die Arbeit im interprofessionellen Team. Umso wichtiger ist es, bereits in der Ausbildung interprofessionelle Kompetenzen aufzubauen. Wie kann es gelingen, dass Studierende aus verschiedenen Berufsgruppen eine gemeinsame Sprache finden, um zusammen das Beste für Patient_innen zu bewirken? An dieser Frage setzt das Modul „Interprofessionelle Fallbesprechung“ an.
Wenn der Patient wie ein Mensch wirkt
Authors: Bachmann Monika
Published: September 2021

Zusammenfassung. Trainings mit computergestützten Modellen gelten in der Pflegeausbildung als wirksame Methode, um Wissen in professionelles Handeln umzusetzen. Je echter die Simulatoren, desto interessanter die Reaktionen der Studierenden. Diese Erfahrung macht man am Berner Bildungszentrum Pflege, wo eine von Hand angefertigte Maske eingesetzt wird, die auf dem Gesichtsabdruck einer real existierenden Person beruht.
Geochemical Constraints on the Structure of the Earth's Deep Mantle and the Origin of the LLSVPs
Authors: Gleeson Matthew , Soderman Caroline , Matthews Simon , Cottaar Sanne , Gibson Sally
Published: September 2021

Geophysical analysis of the Earth's lower mantle has revealed the presence of two superstructures characterized by low shear wave velocities on the core‐mantle boundary. These Large Low Shear Velocity Provinces (LLSVPs) play a crucial role in the dynamics of the lower mantle and act as the source region for deep‐seated mantle plumes. However, their origin, and the characteristics of the surrounding deep mantle, remain enigmatic. Mantle plumes located above the margins of the LLSVPs display evidence for the presence of this deep‐seated, thermally and/or chemically heterogeneous mantle material ascending into the melting region. As a result, analysis of the spatial geochemical heterogeneity in ocean island basalts provides constraints on the structure of the Earth's lower mantle and the origin of the LLSVPs. In this study, we focus on the Galápagos Archipelago in the eastern Pacific, where bilateral asymmetry in the radiogenic isotopic composition of erupted basalts has been linked to the presence of LLSVP material in the underlying plume. We show, using spatial variations in the major element contents of high‐MgO basalts, that the isotopically enriched south‐western region of the Galápagos mantle—assigned to melting of LLSVP material—displays no evidence for lithological heterogeneity in the mantle source. As such, it is unlikely that the Pacific LLSVP represents a pile of subducted oceanic crust. Clear evidence for a lithologically heterogeneous mantle source is, however, found in the north‐central Galápagos, indicating that a recycled crustal component is present near the eastern margin of the Pacific LLSVP, consistent with seismic observations.
Impact of Wettability and Gravity on Fluid Displacement and Trapping in Representative 2D Micromodels of Porous Media (2D Sand Analogs)
Authors: Golmohammadi Saeed , Ding Yi , Kuechler Matthias , Reuter Danny , Schlueter Steffen , Amro Mohd , Geistlinger Helmut
Published: September 2021

The combined effects of gravitational forces and wettability on displacement and trapping have not previously been investigated experimentally in realistic 2D porous media. Here we report the first use of representative 2D micromodels that accurately reproduce characteristic geometric, morphological, and topological properties of 3D sand packs. We use these representative micromodels to compare the wettability dependence of displacement front morphology and trapping processes using selected fluid pairs at capillary numbers between 10−6 and 10−5. The contact angles studied ranged from 30° (normal imbibition) to 150° (strong drainage). The impact of gravity was dramatic: In the horizontal flow case, only one finger developed, that is longitudinal displacement was always favored, whereas gravity created a more compact displacement front with broad lateral extension, and this lateral movement created loops, leading to by‐pass trapping. As a result, the trapping efficiency rose from 7% to 29%. We observed universal scaling of the cluster size distribution demonstrating that our micromodels are statistically representative. The universal 2D‐scaling exponent of 2.05 was obtained with an acceptable error smaller than 5%. Our experimental results obtained by fluorescence microscopy showed (a) precursor corner flow for weak imbibition at θ = 51°, that is above the critical contact angle of αc = 45° (Zhao et al., 2016, https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1603387113), and (b) a new wetting transition from corner flow to full duct flow under neutral wettability conditions, that is at θc ≈ 90°; and (c) above this second critical contact angle, that is under strong drainage conditions, we again observed corner flow (specifically, core‐annular flow).
Impact of pre-pregnancy body mass index and gestational weight gain on the risk of maternal and infant pregnancy complications in Korean women
Authors: Choi Hansol , Lim Joong-Yeon , Lim Nam-Kyoo , Ryu Hyun Mee , Kwak Dong Wook , Chung Jin Hoon , Park Hee Jin , Park Hyun-Young
Published: September 2021

Background/Objective

Healthy weight maintenance before and during pregnancy has a significant effect on pregnancy outcomes; however, there are no specific guidelines for gestational weight gain in pregnant Korean women. Therefore, we investigated the impact of pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI) and gestational weight gain on the risk of maternal and infant pregnancy complications in pregnant Korean women.

Methods

Study participants comprised 3454 singleton pregnant women from the Korean Pregnancy Outcome Study who had baseline examination and pregnancy outcome data. Maternal pre-pregnancy BMI and gestational weight gain were categorized according to the Asia-pacific regional guidelines and the Institute of Medicine recommendations, respectively. The primary outcome was any adverse outcomes, defined as the presence of one or more of the following: hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, gestational diabetes mellitus, peripartum depressive symptom, cesarean delivery, delivery complications, preterm birth, small or large weight infant, neonatal intensive care unit admission, or a congenital anomaly. Multiple logistic regression models were applied to examine the independent and combined impact of pre-pregnancy BMI and gestational weight gain on the risk of maternal and infant outcomes.

Results

Obesity before pregnancy significantly increased the risk of perinatal adverse outcomes by more than 2.5 times [odds ratio (OR): 2.512, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.817–3.473]. Compared to that in women with appropriate gestational weight gain, women with excessive weight gain had a 36.4% incremental increase in the risk of any adverse outcomes [OR: 1.364, 95% CI: 1.115–1.670]. Moreover, women who were overweight or obese before pregnancy and had excessive gestational weight gain had a three-fold increase in the risk of adverse outcomes [OR: 3.460, 95% CI: 2.210–5.417].

Conclusion

This study highlights the need for appropriate weight recommendations before and during pregnancy to prevent perinatal complications in Korean women of childbearing age.
Supervised exercise therapy compared with no exercise therapy to reverse debilitating effects of androgen deprivation therapy in patients with prostate cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Ussing Anja , Mikkelsen Marie-Louise Kirkegaard , Villumsen Brigitta Rasmussen , Wejlgaard Johnny , Bistrup Pernille Envold , Birkefoss Kirsten , Bandholm Thomas
Published: September 2021

Background

Androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) in patients with prostate cancer can have several debilitating side effects. Supervised exercise is recommended to ameliorate these negative effects.

Objective

To systematically evaluate the effect of supervised exercise therapy compared to no exercise therapy in patients with prostate cancer undergoing ADT, primarily according to the patient critical outcomes, ‘disease-specific quality of life’ and ‘walking performance’ measured at end of treatment.

Methods

We searched PubMed/Medline, Embase, Cochrane Library, Cinahl and Pedro, to identify randomised controlled trials (RCTs), which investigated the effect of supervised exercise therapy compared to no exercise therapy in patients with prostate cancer receiving ADT, last search: June 2021. Two independent reviewers extracted data, and assessed risk of bias using Cochrane Risk of Bias Tool and evaluated the certainty of evidence using the GRADE-method.

Results

Eigthteen RCTs (n = 1477) comprised patients with prostate cancer stages T1-T4 were included in the meta-analyses. Compared to no exercise therapy, supervised exercise therapy showed clinically relevant improvements in ‘disease-specific quality of life’ and ‘walking performance’. The standardised mean differences were 0.43 (95% confidence interval (CI): 0.29, 0.58) and −0.41 (95% CI: −0.60, −0.22), respectively. The overall certainty of evidence was moderate due to serious risk of bias.

Conclusions

Evidence of moderate quality shows that supervised exercise therapy probably is superior to no exercise therapy in improving ‘disease-specific quality of life’ and ‘walking performance’ in patients with prostate cancer undergoing ADT. The results apply to all patients receiving androgen deprivation therapy regardless of cancer stage. The results support a strong recommendation for supervised exercise therapy for managing side effects in this population.

Protocol registration

NKR-38-Focused-questions-PICOs-for-updating1.ashx (sst.dk)
Whole genome sequences reveal the Xanthomonas perforans population is shaped by the tomato production system
Authors: Klein-Gordon Jeannie M , Timilsina Sujan , Xing Yanru , Abrahamian Peter , Garrett Karen A , Jones Jeffrey B , Vallad Gary E , Goss Erica M
Published: September 2021

Modern agricultural practices increase the potential for plant pathogen spread, while the advent of affordable whole genome sequencing enables in-depth studies of pathogen movement. Population genomic studies may decipher pathogen movement and population structure as a result of complex agricultural production systems. We used whole genome sequences of 281 Xanthomonas perforans strains collected within one tomato production season across Florida and southern Georgia fields to test for population genetic structure associated with tomato production system variables. We identified six clusters of X. perforans from core gene SNPs that corresponded with phylogenetic lineages. Using whole genome SNPs, we found genetic structure among farms, transplant facilities, cultivars, seed producers, grower operations, regions, and counties. Overall, grower operations that produced their own transplants were associated with genetically distinct and less diverse populations of strains compared to grower operations that received transplants from multiple sources. The degree of genetic differentiation among components of Florida’s tomato production system varied between clusters, suggesting differential dispersal of the strains, such as through seed or contaminated transplants versus local movement within farms. Overall, we showed that the genetic variation of a bacterial plant pathogen is shaped by the structure of the plant production system.
Network analysis of depressive symptoms in Hong Kong residents during the COVID-19 pandemic
Authors: Cheung Teris , Jin Yu , Lam Simon , Su Zhaohui , Hall Brian J. , Xiang Yu-Tao ,   the International Research Collaboration on COVID-19, Suen Lorna Kwai Ping , Chan Shun , HO Hilda Sze Wing , Lam Kin Bong Hubert , Huang Emma Yun-zhi , Xiao Ying , Pereira-Ávila Fernanda Maria Vieira , Gir Elucir , Yildirim Menevse , Intepeler Seyda Seren , Lantta Tella , Lee Kyungmi , Shin Nayeon , Parial Laurence Lloyd , Rossing Tor Michael , Hon Ching Yuk , Tsang Merissa , Poeys Jessica P. Braz , Fong Tommy Kwan Hin
Published: September 2021

In network theory depression is conceptualized as a complex network of individual symptoms that influence each other, and central symptoms in the network have the greatest impact on other symptoms. Clinical features of depression are largely determined by sociocultural context. No previous study examined the network structure of depressive symptoms in Hong Kong residents. The aim of this study was to characterize the depressive symptom network structure in a community adult sample in Hong Kong during the COVID-19 pandemic. A total of 11,072 participants were recruited between 24 March and 20 April 2020. Depressive symptoms were measured using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9. The network structure of depressive symptoms was characterized, and indices of “strength”, “betweenness”, and “closeness” were used to identify symptoms central to the network. Network stability was examined using a case-dropping bootstrap procedure. Guilt, Sad Mood, and Energy symptoms had the highest centrality values. In contrast, Concentration, Suicide, and Sleep had lower centrality values. There were no significant differences in network global strength (p = 0.259), distribution of edge weights (p = 0.73) and individual edge weights (all p values > 0.05 after Holm–Bonferroni corrections) between males and females. Guilt, Sad Mood, and Energy symptoms were central in the depressive symptom network. These central symptoms may be targets for focused treatments and future psychological and neurobiological research to gain novel insight into depression.
Beneficial effects of running exercise on hippocampal microglia and neuroinflammation in chronic unpredictable stress-induced depression model rats
Authors: Xiao Kai , Luo Yanmin , Liang Xin , Tang Jing , Wang Jin , Xiao Qian , Qi Yingqiang , Li Yue , Zhu Peilin , Yang Hao , Xie Yuhan , Wu Hong , Tang Yong
Published: September 2021

Running exercise has been shown to relieve symptoms of depression, but the mechanisms underlying the antidepressant effects are unclear. Microglia and concomitant dysregulated neuroinflammation play a pivotal role in the pathogenesis of depression. However, the effects of running exercise on hippocampal neuroinflammation and the number and activation of microglia in depression have not been studied. In this study, rats were subjected to chronic unpredictable stress (CUS) for 5 weeks followed by treadmill running for 6 weeks. The depressive-like symptoms of the rats were assessed with a sucrose preference test (SPT). Immunohistochemistry and stereology were performed to quantify the total number of ionized calcium-binding adapter molecule 1 (Iba1)+ microglia, and immunofluorescence was used to quantify the density of Iba1+/cluster of differentiation 68 (CD68)+ in subregions of the hippocampus. The levels of proinflammatory cytokines in the hippocampus were measured by qRT-PCR and ELISA. The results showed that running exercise reversed the decreased sucrose preference of rats with CUS-induced depression. In addition, CUS increased the number of hippocampal microglia and microglial activation in rats, but running exercise attenuated the CUS-induced increases in the number of microglia in the hippocampus and microglial activation in the dentate gyrus (DG) of the hippocampus. Furthermore, CUS significantly increased the hippocampal levels of inflammatory factors, and the increases in inflammatory factors in the hippocampus were suppressed by running exercise. These results suggest that the antidepressant effects of exercise may be mediated by reducing the number of microglia and inhibiting microglial activation and neuroinflammation in the hippocampus.
Ca2+ channel blockade reduces cocaine’s vasoconstriction and neurotoxicity in the prefrontal cortex
Authors: Du Congwu , Park Kicheon , Allen Craig P. , Hu Xiu-Ti , Volkow Nora D. , Pan Yingtain
Published: September 2021

Cocaine profoundly affects both cerebral blood vessels and neuronal activity in the brain. The vasoconstrictive effects of cocaine, concurrently with its effects on neuronal [Ca2+]i accumulation are likely to jeopardize neuronal tissue that in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) could contribute to impaired self-regulation and compulsive cocaine consumption. Here we used optical imaging to study the cerebrovascular and neuronal effects of acute cocaine (1 mg/kg i.v.) and to examine whether selective blockade of L-type Ca2+ channels by Nifedipine (NIF) (0.5 mg/kg i.v.) would alleviate cocaine’s effects on hemodynamics (measured with cerebral blood volume, HbT), oxygenation (measured with oxygenated hemoglobin, HbO2) and neuronal [Ca2+]i, which were concomitantly measured in the PFC of naive rats. Our results show that in the PFC acute cocaine significantly reduced flow delivery (HbT), increased neuronal [Ca2+]i accumulation and profoundly reduced tissue oxygenation (HbO2) and these effects were significantly attenuated by NIF pretreatment. They also show that cocaine-induced vasoconstriction is distinct from its increase of neuronal [Ca2+]i accumulation though both of them contribute to hypoxemia and both effects were attenuated by NIF. These results provide evidence that blockade of voltage-gated L-type Ca2+ channels might be beneficial in preventing vasoconstriction and neurotoxic effects of cocaine and give support for further clinical investigations to determine their value in reducing cocaine’s neurotoxicity in cocaine use disorders.
An interpretable multiparametric radiomics model for the diagnosis of schizophrenia using magnetic resonance imaging of the corpus callosum
Authors: Bang Minji , Eom Jihwan , An Chansik , Kim Sooyon , Park Yae Won , Ahn Sung Soo , Kim Jinna , Lee Seung-Koo , Lee Sang-Hyuk
Published: September 2021

There is a growing need to develop novel strategies for the diagnosis of schizophrenia using neuroimaging biomarkers. We investigated the robustness of the diagnostic model for schizophrenia using radiomic features from T1-weighted and diffusion tensor images of the corpus callosum (CC). A total of 165 participants [86 schizophrenia and 79 healthy controls (HCs)] were allocated to training (N = 115) and test (N = 50) sets. Radiomic features of the CC subregions were extracted from T1-weighted, apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC), and fractional anisotropy (FA) images (N = 1605). Following feature selection, various combinations of classifiers were trained, and Bayesian optimization was adopted in the best performing classifier. Discrimination, calibration, and clinical utility of the model were assessed. An online calculator was constructed to offer the probability of having schizophrenia. SHapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP) was applied to explore the interpretability of the model. We identified 30 radiomic features to differentiate participants with schizophrenia from HCs. The Bayesian optimized model achieved the highest performance, with an area under the curve (AUC), accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity of 0.89 (95% confidence interval: 0.81–0.98), 80.0, 83.3, and 76.9%, respectively, in the test set. The final model offers clinical probability in an online calculator. The model explanation by SHAP suggested that second-order features from the posterior CC were highly associated with the risk of schizophrenia. The multiparametric radiomics model focusing on the CC shows its robustness for the diagnosis of schizophrenia. Radiomic features could be a potential source of biomarkers that support the biomarker-based diagnosis of schizophrenia and improve the understanding of its neurobiology.
Mitochondrial dysfunction induces radioresistance in colorectal cancer by activating [Ca2+]m-PDP1-PDH-histone acetylation retrograde signaling
Authors: Shi Yingying , Wang You , Jiang Huangang , Sun Xuehua , Xu Hui , Wei Xue , Wei Yan , Xiao Guohui , Song Zhiyin , Zhou Fuxiang
Published: September 2021

Mitochondrial retrograde signaling (mito-RTG) triggered by mitochondrial dysfunction plays a potential role in regulating tumor metabolic reprogramming and cellular sensitivity to radiation. Our previous studies showed phos-pyruvate dehydrogenase (p-PDH) and PDK1, which involved in aerobic glycolysis, were positively correlated with radioresistance, but how they initiate and work in the mito-RTG pathway is still unknown. Our further genomics analysis revealed that complex I components were widely downregulated in mitochondrial dysfunction model. In the present study, high expression of p-PDH was found in the complex I deficient cells and induced radioresistance. Mechanistically, complex I defects led to a decreased PDH both in cytoplasm and nucleus through [Ca2+]m-PDP1-PDH axis, and decreased PDH in nucleus promote DNA damage repair (DDR) response via reducing histone acetylation. Meanwhile, NDUFS1 (an important component of the complex I) overexpression could enhance the complex I activity, reverse glycolysis and resensitize cancer cells to radiation in vivo and in vitro. Furthermore, low NDUFS1 and PDH expression were validated to be correlated with poor tumor regression grading (TRG) in local advanced colorectal cancer (CRC) patients underwent neoadjuvant radiotherapy. Here, we propose that the [Ca2+]m-PDP1-PDH-histone acetylation retrograde signaling activated by mitochondrial complex I defects contribute to cancer cell radioresistance, which provides new insight in the understanding of the mito-RTG. For the first time, we reveal that NDUFS1 could be served as a promising predictor of radiosensitivity and modification of complex I function may improve clinical benefits of radiotherapy in CRC.
Inferring multilayer interactome networks shaping phenotypic plasticity and evolution
Authors: Yang Dengcheng , Jin Yi , He Xiaoqing , Dong Ang , Wang Jing , Wu Rongling
Published: September 2021

Phenotypic plasticity represents a capacity by which the organism changes its phenotypes in response to environmental stimuli. Despite its pivotal role in adaptive evolution, how phenotypic plasticity is genetically controlled remains elusive. Here, we develop a unified framework for coalescing all single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) from a genome-wide association study (GWAS) into a quantitative graph. This framework integrates functional genetic mapping, evolutionary game theory, and predator-prey theory to decompose the net genetic effect of each SNP into its independent and dependent components. The independent effect arises from the intrinsic capacity of a SNP, only expressed when it is in isolation, whereas the dependent effect results from the extrinsic influence of other SNPs. The dependent effect is conceptually beyond the traditional definition of epistasis by not only characterizing the strength of epistasis but also capturing the bi-causality of epistasis and the sign of the causality. We implement functional clustering and variable selection to infer multilayer, sparse, and multiplex interactome networks from any dimension of genetic data. We design and conduct two GWAS experiments usingStaphylococcus aureus, aimed to test the genetic mechanisms underlying the phenotypic plasticity of this species to vancomycin exposure andEscherichia colicoexistence. We reconstruct the two most comprehensive genetic networks for abiotic and biotic phenotypic plasticity. Pathway analysis shows that SNP-SNP epistasis for phenotypic plasticity can be annotated to protein-protein interactions through coding genes. Our model can unveil the regulatory mechanisms of significant loci and excavate missing heritability from some insignificant loci. Our multilayer genetic networks provide a systems tool for dissecting environment-induced evolution.
BMP8 and activated brown adipose tissue in human newborns
Authors: Urisarri Adela , González-García Ismael , Estévez-Salguero Ánxela , Pata María P. , Milbank Edward , López Noemi , Mandiá Natalia , Grijota-Martinez Carmen , Salgado Carlos A. , Nogueiras Rubén , Diéguez Carlos , Villarroya Francesc , Fernández-Real José-Manuel , Couce María L. , López Miguel
Published: September 2021

The classical dogma states that brown adipose tissue (BAT) plays a major role in the regulation of temperature in neonates. However, although BAT has been studied in infants for more than a century, the knowledge about its physiological features at this stage of life is rather limited. This has been mainly due to the lack of appropriate investigation methods, ethically suitable for neonates. Here, we have applied non-invasive infrared thermography (IRT) to investigate neonatal BAT activity. Our data show that BAT temperature correlates with body temperature and that mild cold stimulus promotes BAT activation in newborns. Notably, a single short-term cold stimulus during the first day of life improves the body temperature adaption to a subsequent cold event. Finally, we identify that bone morphogenic protein 8B (BMP8B) is associated with the BAT thermogenic response in neonates. Overall, our data uncover key features of the setup of BAT thermogenesis in newborns.