bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The engineering face-lift of the 32m dish: technical upgrades of Ghana Radio Astronomy Observatory (GRAO)
Authors: Nsor J.A.K. , Ansah-Narh T. , Proven-Adzri E. , Koranteng-Acquah J. , Mornoh E.K.
Published: May 2024

Ghana's 32-meter radio telescope, inaugurated in August 2017, was once a redundant
telecommunications dish that underwent conversion. Prior to this transformation, feasibility
studies were conducted to assess the dish's structural integrity, technical compatibility, and
economic viability. These studies aimed to determine if the conversion project could be
technically achieved given the available technology, expertise, and resources. This paper delves
into the engineering considerations surrounding structural, mechanical, software, control and
monitoring, radio frequency, and timing frequency reference requirements that distinguish the
operation of a radio telescope from its former role as a satellite earth station. Significant
components such as the azimuth bearing, sub-reflector support, cable wrap, and electrical motors
underwent replacement. Additionally, a new C-band receiver, radio frequency controller, active
hydrogen maser timing frequency, and software were developed. Testing protocols to meet science
requirements for both single-dish observations and Very Long Baseline Interferometry (VLBI) are
also discussed. The conversion process proved to be lengthy and encountered numerous unforeseen
circumstances, yet it provided invaluable learning experiences for a developing country
like Ghana.
Lattice eigenfunction equations of KdV-type
*
Authors: Wu Xiaoyan , Zhang Cheng , Zhang Da-jun , Zhang Haifei
Published: May 2024

We develop lattice eigenfunction equations of the lattice KdV equation, which are equations obeyed by auxiliary functions, or eigenfunctions, of the Lax pair of the lattice KdV equation. These equations are three-dimensionally consistent quad-equations, that are closely related to lattice equations in the Adler-Bobenko-Suris (ABS) classification. The connection between the H3(δ), Q1(δ), Q2 and Q3(δ) equations in the ABS classification and the lattice eigenfunction equations is explicitly showed. In particular, we provide a natural interpretation of the δ term in those equations. This can be understood as ‘interactions’ between the eigenfunctions. Other integrable properties of the eigenfunction equations, such as exact solutions, discrete zero curvature conditions are also provided. We believe that the approach presented in this paper can be used as a means to search for integrable lattice equations.>
Designation of a maritime conservation area in the waters of Haruku-Sameth, Central Maluku Regency
Authors: Abrahamsz James , Makailipessy M M
Published: May 2024

Two traditional villages in the Central Maluku Regency are called Haruku-Samet. They have unique historical and ecological potential, as well as being locations for traditional ceremonies and historical maritime landmarks. The potential exists for development as a marine conservation area. The study’s objectives are to evaluate and identify the type of designated maritime conservation area. The study was carried out from April through October 2020. Data on the species and density of seagrass and mangroves, as well as the percentage of coral reef cover, were gathered by surveys and observations. Community organizations and fishermen participated in participatory mapping, interviews, and discussions to gather data on the potential and uses of coastal and marine resources. Mangrove, seagrass, and coral reef habitat distribution was determined by field surveys, with supported by an examination of Landsat 8 imagery. In compliance with the E-KKP3K Supplement Guidelines (Supplement 1), 20 assessment indicators are analyzed for the identification, inventory, and reserve of Maritime Conservation Areas. According to the results, the candidate for the traditional marine conservation area of the Haruku-Sameth villages was deemed highly suitable for development as a conservation area under the category of Maritime Conservation Area, specifically classified as a Maritime Indigenous Protection Area.
The Potency of Antibacterial Activity of Avicennia officinalis Leaf Extract Originating from Ambon Bay, Maluku, Indonesia
Authors: Bonan Dolok Sormin Raja , Nelce Mailoa Meigy , Nendissa Dessire M , Krisanta Enda Savitri Imelda , Nanlohy Esterlina E.E.M. , Matulessy Paul
Published: May 2024

Mangroves are known as perennial plants that thrive and adapt in tropical coastal areas affected by tidal cycles. Mangroves serve ecological functions such as protecting the coast from wind, currents, and sea waves. Besides its ecological functions, mangrove leaf known well has an activity as antibacterial. The objective of this study was to determine the yield, phytochemical component contained and antibacterial strength of Avicennia officinalis leaf extract, originating from Ambon Bay against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli. The result showed that Avicennia officinalis leave extracts methanol extract generated an inhibition zone 14.97±0.41 mm against Staphylococcus aureus and 12.01±0.06 mm against Escherichia coli. Methanol solvent exhibits the highest antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus, followed by ethyl acetate and n-hexane extracts. However, Escherichia coli showed more resistance to the Avicennia officinalis leaf extract.
Outer Space Treaty and Fundamental Principles
Authors: Aoki Setsuko
Published: May 2024

The Outer Space Treaty (OST) is the most important treaty relating to space activities. It reflected fundamental principles of international space law when it was adopted in 1966 and has been the basis of the subsequently developed rules and frameworks for space activities. This chapter analyses the implications of the major principles of the OST with some reference to subsequent developments of corresponding principles. These include: (i) the legal status of the exploration and use of outer space (balance of the common interests of all countries and the freedom of exploration and use as well as non-appropriation, including the issue of space resources exploitation); and (ii) peaceful uses of outer space. This involves the permissible scope of military uses in outer void space and on celestial bodies, which could depend on the interpretation of ‘peaceful’ equating with ‘non-military’ or ‘non-aggressive’ as well as the legal implication of ‘exclusively’.
Registration of Space Objects
Authors: Hofmann Mahulena
Published: May 2024

The registration of space objects is an important trust-building measure. The idea of registering spacecraft was inspired by the long-standing praxis of registration of ships and aircraft. The primary objective of the present international registration of space objects is their identification. In international and national space law, the registration of a space object is a significant fact which has important legal consequences. It creates a chain of attribution between the launching State, the space object, international responsibility for space activities and jurisdiction and control by the registering State. At the national level, the registration of a space object in the national registry is usually a public law act regulated by domestic legislation. The international and national registration of space objects are accompanied by several other regimes of registration such as those of radio stations on board space objects, effectuated by the International Telecommunication Union.
Type 1: Resisting Self-Erasure
Authors: Marchesi Ilaria
Published: May 2024

This chapter analyses the skoptic rhetoric of Martial’s epigrams to define the first type of “negative” woman in ethical, sociological, and most distinctively semiotic terms. It presents three pairs of poems containing examples of womanly resistance, measured in linguistic, legal, and grammatical terms. The analysis moves from an observation of the naming mechanisms at work in various epigrams, through a consideration of Martial’s use of legal terminology to define some women’s status, to soundings into the semiotic ambivalence that basic verbs such as facere and dare acquire when they become the prerogative of women. The focus on Martial’s insistent interconnection of grammatical predication and sexual predication suggests that the Epigrams’ moralizations rest on a shared cultural social grammatology.
Type 2: Dominating the Semiotic Field
Authors: Marchesi Ilaria
Published: May 2024

This chapter focuses on Martial’s treatment of women who reverse the identity-defining mechanics of language, by projecting on men material wealth, social standing, and ultimately semiotic identity. Dominant women enjoy a vast representation in the Epigrams. The argument first reviews cases in which, by exercising economic or sexual power, women are shown to control the lexicon “defining” men who enter their sphere of influence; secondly, it concentrates on cases in which the material apparatus of the theatre becomes the means for dominating women to “stage” the men with whom they interact; finally, it addresses Martial’s deployment of charged non-grammatical and “unnatural” formulations to account for the social reality of matrimonial mismatches. When women become the fulcrum of male social self- and relational definition, their anxiety-triggering presence points to the tacitly accepted and seldom acknowledged instability of all material markers of social standing.
O03 Genetic impacts on the skin methylome
Authors: Shore Christopher , Muñoz Sergio Villicaña , Deloukas Panos , Gunn David , Bataille Veronique , Bell Jordana
Published: May 2024

Introduction and aims

DNA methylation at CpG dinucleotides is a dynamic epigenetic mechanism that has been linked to numerous skin phenotypes and diseases. Previous studies in blood show that a substantial proportion of the human DNA methylome exhibits evidence for genetic influence, and that 15–17% of narrow-sense methylation heritability is explained by genetic variants, or methylation quantitative trait loci (meQTLs). However, no genome-wide meQTL studies have previously been performed in skin. The primary purpose of this work was to identify the genetic basis of DNA methylation levels in whole skin.

Methods

Utilizing a twin-based heritability model, we estimated DNA methylation heritability using 414 bulk skin tissue samples from healthy older female twins from the TwinsUK cohort, profiled using the Illumina Infinium HumanMethylation450 BeadChip (Illumina, San Diego, CA, USA). We then integrated genomic data for 394 of these twins to perform genome-wide meQTL analyses. Finally, we integrated these meQTL Results with skin eQTL Results from an overlapping sample (N = 664).

Results

Over 8.2% of measured CpG sites showed evidence for strong heritability (h2 > 0.4), with a mean additive heritability estimate of 11.07% across all tested sites. We identified 76 442 CpG sites (18.8% of measured CpG sites) associated with a meQTL in cis (< 1 MB variant-CpG distance) and 1438 (0.35%) in trans. Both CpG sites under meQTL effects, and genetic variants underlying these meQTL effects in skin, are enriched in regions previously identified from genome-wide and epigenome-wide association studies for skin-related phenotypes, including psoriasis, melanoma and vitiligo. Additionally, some meQTLs influence gene expression via mediation of expression quantitative trait loci effects in skin, including in genes linked to melanoma and psoriasis.

Conclusions

Our study is the first genome-wide DNA methylation heritability and meQTL analysis of whole skin, giving insights into the regulatory landscape of epigenomic variation in skin.
P10 Janus kinase inhibitors to restore skin barrier function in a mouse model of Harlequin ichthyosis
Authors: Giusto Elena , Jones Eleri , Enjalbert Florence , Ahmed Abubkr , Caley Matthew , Rognoni Emanuel , O’Toole Edel
Published: May 2024

Introduction and aims

The autosomal recessive congenital ichthyoses (ARCIs) are a group of chronic conditions where there is unmet therapeutic need. Harlequin ichthyosis (HI) is the most severe form of ARCI with aberrant differentiation of the epidermis leading to a severe barrier defect. It is caused by mutations in ABCA12, a lipid transporter involved in transport of glucosylceramides from the lamellar body to the lipid lamellae. Several Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitors inhibiting the JAK-signal transducer and activator of transcription pathway are now licensed for atopic dermatitis. Previous work from our group in an HI in vitro model showed that tofacitinib, a pan-JAK inhibitor, had a restorative effect on the lipid barrier.

Methods

Further selective JAKis were tested in three dimensional skin equivalents using ABCA12 CRISPR-Cas9 knockout and wildtype keratinocytes to identify the most promising JAKi for use in an HI murine model (ABCA12tm1c: Het Cre+). JAKi-A (5 mg kg−1) and vehicle (10% dimethylsulfoxide in corn oil) were tested on male and female HI-inducible and wildtype mice (N = 4). All mice were initially treated with 4-OH-Tamoxifen to induce the HI phenotype and after 1 day JAKi-A was administered via oral gavage for 9 days. All mice were killed, and skin was collected and processed for haematoxylin and eosin, Nile Red, ABCA12, glucosylceramide and immune cell marker staining.

Results

JAKi-A had a positive effect on HI epidermal morphology, showing a significantly reduced epidermal thickness in treated HI mice compared with controls. JAKi-A also had a positive effect on the epidermal barrier, restoring neutral and polar lipids compared with vehicle-treated mice as observed using Nile Red and glucosylceramide staining. Further analysis on immune cell infiltrates is in progress.

Conclusions

These Results suggest that JAKi-A restores the skin barrier in vivo and may be a promising treatment for severe ichthyosis.
P36 Environmental triggers of psoriasis and relationship to disease severity: insights from the mySkin study
Authors: Kroah-Hartman Madeline , Dooley Niamh , Mineur Maaike , Tan William , Pizzato Jade , Jackson-Duffy Freya , Powell Kingsley , Sewell Georgia , Lancelot Camille , Moorhead Lucy , McAteer Helen , Coker Bola , Weinman John , Barker Jonathan , Chapman Sarah , Norton Sam , Smith Cathrine , Mahil Satveer
Published: May 2024

Introduction and aims

Psoriasis is a common debilitating inflammatory skin condition with an established genetic basis. Despite a wealth of genetic research on psoriasis susceptibility, epidemiological studies characterizing environmental triggers of disease onset are limited. Our aim is to identify self-reported triggers of psoriasis onset, and investigate the relationship between triggers and subsequent disease severity.

Methods

Self-reported data from people with a clinician-confirmed diagnosis of psoriasis were collected through the online mySkin survey. mySkin was launched UK-wide in June 2023 and all surveys completed by 6 December 2023 were analysed. Measures of disease severity at the time of survey completion included Patient Global Assessment and Dermatology Life Quality Index. The association between triggers of psoriasis onset and disease severity was analysed using one-way Anova tests.

Results

Of 529 participants, 93.4% were of White ethnicity, 64.8% were female and their average age was 51.1 years. Overall, 49.9% reported a family history of psoriasis and 55% (n = 289) of participants reported at least 1 trigger of psoriasis onset. Of those who reported a trigger, the most commonly reported trigger was stress (n = 167, 57.8%), followed by infection (n = 85, 29.4%) and low mood (n = 23, 7.9%). For participants who selected multiple triggers, there was considerable coselection of stress, low mood, climate (pollution, weather) and lifestyle (weight gain, alcohol, smoking) factors. A greater proportion of participants with a family history of psoriasis reported climate and hormonal (pregnancy, childbirth, menopause) triggers of psoriasis onset, compared with those without a family history (73% vs. 26% and 69% vs. 31%, respectively). There was no significant association between triggers of psoriasis onset and disease severity (P = 0.76).

Conclusions

These self-reported data highlight the importance of stress in psoriasis onset. The co-occurrence of different triggers, including in those with vs. without a family history of psoriasis, underscores the complex aetiology of psoriasis. Further characterization of gene–environment interactions is warranted.
Increased risk of depression and anxiety in individuals with Darier disease
Authors: Curman Philip , Jebril William , Larsson Henrik , Bachar-Wikström Etty , Cederlöf Martin , Wikström Jakob D
Published: May 2024

Patients with Darier disease have an increased risk of depression and anxiety, which agrees with patterns of increased prescription of antidepressants and anxiolytics in people with the disease.
Supporting Meaningful Implementation and Evaluation of Strengths-Based Approaches in Adult Social Care: A Theory of Change for The Three Conversations
Authors: Stevens Madeleine , Clark Michael , Carlisle Jessica , Brimblecombe Nicola , MacGill Miranda
Published: May 2024

There is much policy support internationally for ‘strengths-based approaches’ which work collaboratively with people seeking support. Such approaches aim to recognise the strengths in individuals, those around them, and their communities, to support people to be independent and focus services and support where most needed. However, there is little evidence of how such approaches work in practice or whether they are effective. The Three Conversations (3Cs) is one such approach. Development of practice and future evaluation requires that these approaches are better understood and articulated. To address this challenge, we worked collaboratively with three UK local authorities to understand how 3Cs is operating in practice, and how its evaluation could be considered. We used interviews and workshops with staff, carers and people receiving services, data collected by sites, and wider consultation to develop a theory of change setting out how 3Cs is thought to best operate and be implemented. We identified potential benefits and pitfalls when implementing 3Cs, and barriers to successfully incorporating 3Cs as ‘business as usual’. The theory of change, presented in this article, can be used to support implementation of strengths and relationship-based practice and its meaningful evaluation, and has relevance beyond The Three Conversations.
Clinical Presentation, Antimicrobial Resistance, and Treatment Outcomes of Aeromonas Human Infections: A 14-Year Retrospective Study and Comparative Genomics of 2 Isolates From Fatal Cases
Authors: Pineda-Reyes Roberto , Neil Blake H , Orndorff Joseph , Williams-Bouyer Natalie , Netherland Michael , Hasan Nur A , Tahashilder Md Ibrahim , Sha Jian , Chopra Ashok K , Reynoso David
Published: May 2024

Background

Aeromonas virulence may not be entirely dependent on the host’s immune status. Pathophysiologic determinants of disease progression and severity remain unclear.

Methods

One hundred five patients with Aeromonas infections and 112 isolates were identified, their clinical presentations and outcomes were analyzed, and their antimicrobial resistance (AMR) patterns were assessed. Two isolates (A and B) from fatal cases of Aeromonas dhakensis bacteremia were characterized using whole-genome sequencing. Virulence factor- and AMR-encoding genes from these isolates were compared with a well-characterized diarrheal isolate A. dhakensis SSU and environmental isolate Aeromonas hydrophila American Type Culture Collection_7966T.

Results

Skin and soft tissue infections, traumatic wound infections, sepsis, burns, and intraabdominal infections were common. Diabetes, malignancy, and cirrhosis were frequent comorbidities. Male sex, age ≥ 65 years, hospitalization, burns, and intensive care admission were associated with complicated disease. High rates of AMR to carbapenems and piperacillin-tazobactam were found. Treatment failure was observed in 25.7% of cases. Septic shock and hospital-acquired infections were predictors of treatment failure. All 4 isolates harbored assorted broad-spectrum AMR genes including blaOXA, ampC, cphA, and efflux pumps. Only clinical isolates possessed both polar and lateral flagellar genes, genes for various surface adhesion proteins, type 3 and 6 secretion systems and their effectors, and toxin genes, including exotoxin A. Both isolates A and B were resistant to colistin and harbored the mobile colistin resistance-3 (mcr-3) gene.

Conclusions

Empirical therapy tailored to local antibiograms may facilitate favorable outcomes, while advanced diagnostic methods may aid in identifying correct Aeromonas spp. of significant clinical importance.
Inclusivity in Economics: The Role of Herstories in Economic Thought
Authors: Guizzo Danielle
Published: May 2024

The publication of Edith Kuiper’s book A Herstory of Economics (2022) brings non-traditional ideas to the core of historical discussions in economic thought. The volume sheds important light on neglected ‘herstories’ of economics, being one of the first to document the writings and ideas of excluded women economists. This review article offers a critical analysis of the book, building on three key themes that emerge from the processes of exclusion and production/circulation of ideas in economics: (i) the herstory of economics as a genre, and how it contributes to the dissemination of ideas from women economists; (ii) the conceptualisation of power in/outside economics and the barriers of exclusion that exist in the discipline; and (iii) the practices of diversification and inclusivity of women as economists. Through Kuiper’s historical analysis, I first discuss how the production of knowledge in economics has been built under exclusionary practices, namely epistemic, evaluative, and ideological. This is followed by the proposal of a three-fold alternative framework for an inclusive economics that builds on existing herstories, which includes elements of engaged pluralism; democracy of knowledge; and inclusivity as both a principle and a professional practice.
What is the history of communication?
Authors: Daros Otávio
Published: May 2024

Communication History is an expression that proves to be problematic in the light of theoretical and conceptual analysis, as this article clarifies and discusses, when examining the proclamations made by its main spokespersons. Both methodological and empirical works are taken into account, with the purpose of evaluating how this object of knowledge is defined and approached, comparing it with what is effectively presented in the investigations, published by scholars from different generations and contexts. It is argued that there is a tendency to confuse the subject with others, especially Media History. An important exception is the cultural historian Robert Darnton, although a careful examination of his historiographical project with an ethnographic bias ends up revealing that his proposal for communication tends to reorient the field under no less problematic parameters.
Catheter-based pulmonary vein isolation fails to prevent transient atrial arrhythmogenic changes related to acute obstructive respiratory events in a porcine model
Authors: Norup Hertel Julie , Isaksen Jonas L , Jerltorp Kezia , Dalgas Nissen Sarah , Hansen Malthe , Saljic Arnela , Linz Benedikt , Sattler Stefan , Ye Charles , Overgaard Larsen Jakob , Nørregaard Malene , Chaldoupi Sevasti-Maria , Gang Uffe , Manninger Martin , Jespersen Thomas , Linz Dominik
Published: May 2024

Aims

Pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) is the corner stone of modern rhythm control strategies in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). Sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) is prevalent in more than 50% of patients undergoing AF ablation, and studies have indicated a greater recurrence rate after PVI in patients with SDB. Herein, we study the effect of catheter-based PVI on AF in a pig model for SDB.

Methods and results

In 11 sedated spontaneously breathing pigs, obstructive apnoeas were simulated by 75 s of intermittent negative upper airway pressure (INAP) applied by a negative pressure device connected to the endotracheal tube. Intermittent negative upper airway pressures were performed before and after PVI. AF-inducibility and atrial effective refractory periods (aERPs) were determined before and during INAP by programmed atrial stimulation. Pulmonary vein isolation prolonged the aERP by 48 ± 27 ms in the right atrium (RA) (P < 0.0001) and by 40 ± 34 ms in the left atrium (LA) (P = 0.0004). Following PVI, AF-inducibility dropped from 28 ± 26% to 0% (P = 0.0009). Intermittent negative upper airway pressure was associated with a transient aERP-shortening (ΔaERP) in both atria, which was not prevented by PVI (INAP indued ΔaERP after PVI in the RA: −57 ± 34 ms, P = 0.0002; in the LA: −42 ± 24 ms, P < 0.0001). Intermittent negative upper airway pressure was associated with a transient increase in AF-inducibility (from 28 ± 26% to 69 ± 21%; P = 0.0008), which was not attenuated by PVI [INAP-associated AF-inducibility after PVI: 58 ± 33% (P = 0.5)].

Conclusion

Transient atrial arrhythmogenic changes related to acute obstructive respiratory events are not prevented by electrical isolation of the pulmonary veins, which partially explains the increased AF recurrence in patients with SDB after PVI procedures.
Endoscopic therapy of stoma closure site strictures in ileal pouches is safe and effective
Authors: Jabi Osama , Lan Nan , Pokala Akshay , Kiran Ravi P , Shen Bo
Published: May 2024

Background

Strictures are a common complication after ileal pouch surgery with the most common locations being at the anastomosis, pouch inlet, and stoma closure site. No previous literature has described endoscopic therapy of stoma site stricture. This study aimed to assess the safety and efficacy of endoscopic therapy in the treatment of stoma closure site strictures.

Method

Patients diagnosed with stoma closure site strictures following ileal pouch surgery who underwent endoscopic treatment at the Center for Colorectal Diseases, Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD), and Ileal Pouch between 2018 and 2022 were analysed. Primary outcomes (technical success and surgery-free survival) were compared between endoscopic balloon dilation (EBD) and stricturotomy and/or strictureplasty.

Results

A total of 30 consecutive eligible patients were analysed. Most patients were female (66.7%) and most patients were diagnosed with IBD (93.3%). Twenty patients (66.7%) had end-to-end anastomosis. A total of 52 procedures were performed, with EBD in 16 (30.8%) and stricturotomy and/or strictureplasty in 36 (69.2%). The mean stricture length was 1.7 ± 1.0 cm. Immediate technical success was achieved in 47 of 52 interventions (90.4%). During a mean follow-up of 12.7 ± 9.9 months, none of the patients underwent surgical intervention for the stricture. Fourteen (46.7%) required endoscopic re-intervention for their strictures with an interval between index and re-interventional pouchoscopy of 8.8 ± 6.3 months. Post-procedural complications were reported in 2 (6.7%) with bleeding and none with perforation. Upon follow-up, 20 (66.7%) patients reported improvement in their symptoms.

Conclusion

EBD and endoscopic stricturotomy and/or strictureplasty are safe and effective in treating stoma closure site strictures in patients with ileal pouches, providing symptomatic relief in most patients as well as avoiding surgery.
Estimating scale-specific and localized spatial patterns in allele frequency
Authors: Lasky Jesse R , Takou Margarita , Gamba Diana , Keitt Timothy H
Published: May 2024

Characterizing spatial patterns in allele frequencies is fundamental to evolutionary biology because these patterns contain evidence of underlying processes. However, the spatial scales at which gene flow, changing selection, and drift act are often unknown. Many of these processes can operate inconsistently across space, causing nonstationary patterns. We present a wavelet approach to characterize spatial pattern in allele frequency that helps solve these problems. We show how our approach can characterize spatial patterns in relatedness at multiple spatial scales, i.e. a multilocus wavelet genetic dissimilarity. We also develop wavelet tests of spatial differentiation in allele frequency and quantitative trait loci (QTL). With simulation, we illustrate these methods under different scenarios. We also apply our approach to natural populations of Arabidopsis thaliana to characterize population structure and identify locally adapted loci across scales. We find, for example, that Arabidopsis flowering time QTL show significantly elevated genetic differentiation at 300–1,300 km scales. Wavelet transforms of allele frequencies offer a flexible way to reveal geographic patterns and underlying evolutionary processes.
Hydric Environment and Chemical Composition Shape Non-avian Reptile Eggshell Absorption
Authors: Debruyn Gerben , Geltmeyer Jozefien , Schoolaert Ella , Nicolaï Michaël P J , Xie Wanjie , Wynant Maarten , Shawkey Matthew D , De Clerck Karen , D'Alba Liliana
Published: May 2024

Synopsis

The amniotic egg fulfils a critical role in reproduction by serving as an interface between the external environment and the embryo. Because non-avian reptiles are rarely incubated, they must be heated by, and absorb water from, the oviposition site for the developing embryo. The mechanisms by which they absorb sufficient, but not excess, water and how these mechanisms vary with local habitat is largely unknown, despite its significance to their evolution. Here, we first performed histology, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy and dynamic vapor sorption experiments to elucidate the mechanisms of eggshell absorption for 56 reptile species. Then, we used phylogenetic comparative analysis to test the hypothesis that the absorptive capacity of reptile eggshells increases with aridity of the environment. We found that water absorption increases in the presence of a superficial mucopolysaccharide layer and decreases with increased calcium content. We found that eggs from arid environments have highly absorbent eggshells, but only in species with weakly calcified shells. Our results suggest that reptile eggshells have over evolutionary time tuned absorptive capacity to environmental moisture level. Since these eggs often must sustain conflicting constraints, they may serve as inspirations for new biomimetic materials, such as water filtering membranes or humidity sensors.
Maternal Bacille Calmette-Guérin Scars and Mortality Risk for Male and Female Newborns: Observational Study From Guinea-Bissau
Authors: Schaltz-Buchholzer Frederik , Nielsen Sebastian , Sørensen Marcus Kjær , Gomes Gabriel Marciano , Hoff Simon , Toft Anna Memborg , Stjernholm Elise Brenno , Monteiro Ivan , Aaby Peter , Benn Christine Stabell
Published: May 2024

Background

Maternal priming with bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG) has been associated with reduced mortality in male offspring. We investigated this association in a cohort of healthy BCG-vaccinated neonates.

Methods

This observational study within a randomized controlled trial comparing different BCG strains was conducted in Guinea-Bissau from 2017 to 2020. As part of trial inclusion procedures, on the day of discharge from the maternity ward, maternal BCG scar status was evaluated by visual inspection, followed by offspring BCG and polio vaccination. Through mortality data collected at telephone interviews at 6 weeks and 6 months of age, we assessed all-cause mortality risk in Cox proportional hazards models adjusted for maternal schooling and BCG strain, providing adjusted mortality rate ratios (aMRRs).

Results

In total, 64% (11 070/17 275) of mothers had a BCG scar, which was not associated with admission risk, admission severity, or all-cause mortality for females and the overall sample. By 6 months of age, the mortality rate (MR) was 4.1 (200 deaths/4919 person-years) for the maternal BCG scar cohort and 5.2 (139/2661) for no maternal scar (aMRR, 0.86; 95% Confidence Interval [CI], .69–1.06). In males, 6-month MRs were 4.3 (109 deaths/2531 person-years) for maternal BCG scar vs 6.3 (87/1376) for no scar (aMRR, 0.74; 95% CI, .56–.99). In females, 6-month MRs were 3.8 (91 deaths/2388 person-years) vs 4.0 (52/1286), respectively (aMRR, 1.04; 95% CI, .74–1.47; for interaction with sex, P = .16).

Conclusions

While we cannot rule out an association in females, being born to a mother with a BCG scar reduced the risk of death during early infancy for BCG-vaccinated males, reproducing findings from previous studies.
Implementation of a health information technology safety classification system in the Veterans Health Administration’s Informatics Patient Safety Office
Authors: Kato Danielle , Lucas Joe , Sittig Dean F
Published: May 2024

Objective

Implement the 5-type health information technology (HIT) patient safety concern classification system for HIT patient safety issues reported to the Veterans Health Administration’s Informatics Patient Safety Office.

Materials and methods

A team of informatics safety analysts retrospectively classified 1 year of HIT patient safety issues by type of HIT patient safety concern using consensus discussions. The processes established during retrospective classification were then applied to incoming HIT safety issues moving forward.

Results

Of 140 issues retrospectively reviewed, 124 met the classification criteria. The majority were HIT failures (eg, software defects) (33.1%) or configuration and implementation problems (29.8%). Unmet user needs and external system interactions accounted for 20.2% and 10.5%, respectively. Absence of HIT safety features accounted for 2.4% of issues, and 4% did not have enough information to classify.

Conclusion

The 5-type HIT safety concern classification framework generated actionable categories helping organizations effectively respond to HIT patient safety risks.
A colony health and economic comparison between mite resistant and commercial honey bees (Hymenoptera: Apidae)
Authors: Avalos Arian , Walsh Elizabeth , Bixby Miriam , Card Andy , Card Wes
Published: May 2024

Honey bees (Apis mellifera L.) are the premier agricultural pollinators with direct ecological value and are key to some agro-economies. Major factors have negatively impacted honey bee health in the past 2 decades with Varroa (Varroa destructor Anderson and Trueman) infestation rising as a principal predictor of colony mortality. A key strategy deployed in Varroa management is breeding for resistant honey bee populations that can maintain comparable levels of productivity as nonresistant populations. In this study, we examine one such population, Hilo honey bees, within the context of a common garden contrast with a commercial population in a stationary honey production operation. We compare colony survival, health, yield, and profit outcomes to show how this specific breeding population retains a profit value in honey production operations while maintaining higher survival and lower Varroa infestation levels than the commercial population. This information can be used by commercial beekeepers to make best management practice decisions and inspire further work examining what trade-offs, if any, are present in this Varroa-resistant population.
A new pest suction machine to control Bemisia tabaci (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) in tomato greenhouses
Authors: Saito Chiharu , Makita Eiichi , Yamane Suguru , Urairi Chihiro , Hoshi Takayuki , Doi Makoto , Yoshizaki Suzuka , Hinomoto Norihide
Published: May 2024

The sweetpotato whitefly Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius) (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) is challenging to control using chemical pesticides owing to its resistance to many insecticides. Thus, there has been an increasing demand for alternative control measures. Thus, this study evaluated the efficacy of a newly designed pest suction machine to manage whiteflies on tomato plants (Solanum lycopersicum L.) (Solanales: Solanaceae) in greenhouses over 2 seasons. The suction machine comprised a battery-powered cart with a mounted suction unit, an ultrasonic device, and green lights. Ultrasonic irradiation provided non-contact vibration, facilitating the movement of adult whiteflies away from the plants, and green lights attracted them to the suction device. This combination effectively captured whitefly adults, even with a weak suction force, saving electricity consumption. The efficacy of suction machine was further evaluated by measuring the number of whitefly adults caught by the machine and the number of adults and nymphs remaining on the tomato leaves. The whitefly population was considerably lower in the treated blocks than in the non-treated blocks in the autumn trial. The machine reduced the density of whitefly adults without using chemical pesticides. Although a lot of optimizations would be required, suction control is an additional and alternative strategy that may be incorporated in the integrated pest management of whiteflies on greenhouse tomato plants.
Exploring market-available pheromone lures and traps for monitoring Anthonomus testaceosquamosus (Coleoptera: Curculionidae)
Authors: Ataide Livia M S , Greene A Daniel , Cloonan Kevin R , Gill Micah A , Vargas German , Tabanca Nurhayat , Reyes-Arauz Isamar , Velazquez-Hernandez Yisell , Revynthi Alexandra M
Published: May 2024

The hibiscus bud weevil (HBW), Anthonomus testaceosquamosus Linell (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), is a significant threat to tropical hibiscus (Hibiscus rosa-sinensis) in Florida, USA, since its invasion in 2017. As a regulated pest in the state, early detection is crucial. Based on the success of pheromone-based monitoring programs for other weevil pests, such as the boll weevil, cranberry weevil, and pepper weevil, this study explores the potential use of these pheromone lures for early detection of HBW. To account for differences in efficacy based on trap color, height, and design, different pheromone lure sizes (4 mm, 10 mm, full-size), trap types (Yellow sticky trap, Japanese beetle trap, Boll weevil trap), and heights (0 m, 1.1 m) were also tested in this study. In laboratory assays, males and females exhibited higher attraction to full-size cranberry weevil lure discs than other lure size-type combinations. In semi-field trials, yellow sticky traps baited with cranberry weevil lures captured more weevils than Japanese beetle or boll weevil traps baited with cranberry weevil lures, while trap height did not influence HBW capture. In semi-field, 4-choice bioassays, yellow sticky traps baited with cranberry weevil lures captured more HBW compared to yellow sticky traps baited with pepper weevil, boll weevil, or unbaited traps. Further research is required to thoroughly evaluate the cranberry weevil lure’s efficacy in capturing HBW. Our study suggests the potential for utilizing yellow sticky traps baited with lures for early HBW detection and highlights the importance of selecting the appropriate lure, trap type, and height for optimal efficacy.
Fertility decline in Aedes aegypti (Diptera: Culicidae) mosquitoes is associated with reduced maternal transcript deposition and does not depend on female age
Authors: David Olayinka G , Arce Andrea V , Costa-da-Silva Andre Luis , Bellantuono Anthony J , DeGennaro Matthew
Published: May 2024

Female mosquitoes undergo multiple rounds of reproduction known as gonotrophic cycles (GC). A gonotrophic cycle spans the period from blood meal intake to egg laying. Nutrients from vertebrate host blood are necessary for completing egg development. During oogenesis, a female prepackages mRNA into her oocytes, and these maternal transcripts drive the first 2 h of embryonic development prior to zygotic genome activation. In this study, we profiled transcriptional changes in 1–2 h of Aedes aegypti (Diptera: Culicidae) embryos across 2 GC. We found that homeotic genes which are regulators of embryogenesis are downregulated in embryos from the second gonotrophic cycle. Interestingly, embryos produced by Ae. aegypti females progressively reduced their ability to hatch as the number of GC increased. We show that this fertility decline is due to increased reproductive output and not the mosquitoes’ age. Moreover, we found a similar decline in fertility and fecundity across 3 GC in Aedes albopictus. Our results are useful for predicting mosquito population dynamics to inform vector control efforts.
Response of root production to different restoration measures in a degraded meadow
Authors: Cui Meng , Wu Hong-Hui , Jing Chang-Qing , Zhang Tao , Zhao Shi-Ying , Gao Ying-Zhi
Published: May 2024

Belowground parameters, e.g. root production and dynamics, play a pivotal role in evaluating the restoration degree of degraded grasslands. However, it remains unclear how roots respond to the combined restoration measures. To investigate root responses to different restoration treatments, a field experiment was conducted in a degraded Songnen meadow from 2013 to 2014. The treatments included: free grazing (FG), no ploughing (NP), only ploughing (OP), ploughing and fertilizer (PF), ploughing and mulching (PM), ploughing with fertilizer and mulching (PFM). Our results showed the seasonal dynamics pattern of roots was a unimodal pattern, which mainly was influenced by precipitation rather than restoration measures. The impacts of different restoration measures on root production were dependent on precipitation. In 2013, compared with FG, only PFM significantly increased root production by 242.34% (0–10 cm) and 90.8% (10–20 cm), which was mainly attributed to the increase of aboveground net primary production, soil moisture and root numbers. However, restoration measures had minor effects on root production in 2014. Root turnover ranged from 0.47 to 0.78 yr−1 and was not significantly changed by different restored measures. This is because the dominant annual species, Chloris virgata, exhibited relatively small changes in root turnover across different plots. Moreover, PFM improved soil conditions, leading to increased root lifespan and survival rate. Our results suggest that the combined measures are an effective way to accelerate belowground restoration in the degraded Songnen meadow.
Background: Armitage recollections
Authors: Farewell Vernon T
Published: May 2024

Background information is provided for Peter Armitage’s recollections of the early years of the Medical Research Council Statistical Research Unit.
Diffuse unilateral subacute neuroretinitis secondary to Toxocara spp. infection in a Venezuelan migrant
Authors: Norman Francesca F , López-Vélez Rogelio , Martin Oihane , Suarez de Figueroa Marta
Published: May 2024

A Venezuelan migrant presenting with sudden onset painful unilateral visual loss was diagnosed with diffuse unilateral subacute neuroretinitis (DUSN), probably secondary to Toxocara spp. infection. Parasitic eye infections may be difficult to diagnose and treat. The risk of acquiring zoonotic infections from domestic animals is highlighted.
In Situ Pulsed Hydrogen Implantation in Atom Probe Tomography
Authors: Maillet Jean-Baptiste , Da Costa Gerald , Klaes Benjamin , Bacchi Christian , Normand Antoine , Vaudaulon Charly , Vurpillot François
Published: May 2024

The investigation of hydrogen in atom probe tomography appears as a relevant challenge due to its low mass, high diffusion coefficient, and presence as a residual gas in vacuum chambers, resulting in multiple complications for atom probe studies. Different solutions were proposed in the literature like ex situ charging coupled with cryotransfer or H charging at high temperature in a separate chamber. Nevertheless, these solutions often faced challenges due to the complex control of specimen temperature during hydrogen charging and subsequent analysis. In this paper, we propose an alternative route for in situ H charging in atom probe derived from a method developed in field ion microscopy. By applying negative voltage nanosecond pulse on the specimen in an atom probe chamber under a low pressure of H2, it is demonstrated that a high dose of H can be implanted in the range 2–20 nm beneath the specimen surface. An atom probe chamber was modified to enable direct negative pulse application with controlled gas pressure, pulse repetition rate, and pulse amplitude. Through electrodynamical simulations, we show that the implantation energy falls within the range 100–1,000 eV and a theoretical depth of implantation was predicted and compared to experiments.
Discovering neutron stars with LISA via measurements of orbital eccentricity in galactic binaries
Authors: Moore Christopher J , Finch Eliot , Klein Antoine , Korol Valeriya , Pham Nhat , Robins Daniel
Published: May 2024

The Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA) will detect ∼104 Galactic binaries, the majority being double white dwarfs. However, approximately $1 \!-\! 5~{{\ \rm per\ cent}}$ of these systems will contain neutron stars which, if they can be correctly identified, will provide new opportunities for studying binary evolution pathways involving mass reversal and supernovae as well as being promising targets for multimessenger observations. Eccentricity, expected from neutron star natal kicks, will be a key identifying signature for binaries containing a neutron star. Eccentric binaries radiate at widely spaced frequency harmonics that must first be identified as originating from a single source and then analysed coherently. A multiharmonic heterodyning approach for this type of data analysis is used to perform Bayesian parameter estimation on a range of simulated eccentric LISA signals. This is used to: (i) investigate LISA’s ability to measure orbital eccentricity and to quantify the minimum detectable eccentricity; (ii) demonstrate how eccentricity and periastron precession help to break the mass degeneracy allowing the individual component masses to be inferred, potentially confirming the presence of a neutron star; (iii) investigate the possibility of source misidentification when the individual harmonics of an eccentric binary masquerade as separate circular binaries; and (iv) investigate the possibility of source reclassification, where parameter estimation results of multiple circular analyses are combined in post-processing to quickly infer the parameters of an eccentric source. The broader implications of this for the ongoing design of the LISA global fit are also discussed.
The PLETHORA Homolog in Marchantia polymorpha is Essential for Meristem Maintenance, Developmental Progression, and Redox Homeostasis
Authors: Fu Jing , Zhou Congye , Ma Fei , Zhao Jing , Yu Fei , Cui Hongchang
Published: May 2024

To adapt to a terrestrial habitat, the ancestors of land plants must have made several morphological and physiological modifications, such as a meristem allowing for three-dimensional growth, rhizoids for water and nutrient uptake, air pore complexes or stomata that permit air exchange, and a defense system to cope with oxidative stress that occurs frequently in a terrestrial habitat. To understand how the meristem was determined during land plant evolution, we characterized the function of the closest PLETHORA homolog in the liverwort Marchantia polymorpha, which we named MpPLT. Through a transgenic approach, we showed that MpPLT is expressed not only in the stem cells at the apical notch but also in the proliferation zone of the meristem, as well as in cells that form the air-pore complex and rhizoids. Using the CRISPR method we then created mutants for MpPLT and found that the mutants are not only defective in meristem maintenance but also compromised in air-pore complex and rhizoid development. Strikingly, at later developmental stages, numerous gemma-like structures were formed in Mpplt mutants, suggesting developmental arrest. Further experiments indicated that MpPLT promotes plant growth by regulating MpWOX, which shared a similar expression pattern to MpPLT, and genes involved in auxin and cytokinin signaling pathways. Through transcriptome analyses, we found that MpPLT also has a role in redox homeostasis and that this role is essential for plant growth. Taken together, these results suggest that MpPLT has a crucial role in liverwort growth and development and hence may have played a crucial role in early land plant evolution.