bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A new near-infrared fluorescent probe for sensing extreme acidity and bioimaging in lysosome
Authors: Liu Qiuchen , Liu Chang , Cai Songtao , He Song , Zhao Liancheng , Zeng Xianshun , Zhou Jin , Gong Jin
Published: January 2022

Since the intracellular pH plays an important role in the physiological and pathological processes, however, the probes that can be used for monitoring pH fluctuation under extreme acidic conditions are currently rare, so it is necessary to construct fluorescent probes for sensing pH less than 4. In this work, we developed a new near-infrared (NIR) fluorescent probe Cy-SNN for sensing pH fluctuation under extremely acidic conditions. For the preparation of this probe, benzothiozolium moiety was chosen as lysosomal targeting unit and NIR fluorophore, and barbituric acid moiety was fused in the polymethine chain of probe to introduce protonation center. Surprisingly, on the basis of the balance of quaternary ammonium salts and free amines, the pka value of Cy-SNN was calculated as low as 2.96, implying that Cy-SNN can be used in acidic conditions with pH < 4. Moreover, Cy-SNN exhibited highly selective response to H+ over diverse analytes in real-time with dependable reversibility. Importantly, Cy-SNN can be used to specifically target lysosome, providing potential tools for monitoring the function of lysosome in autophagy process.
Creating custom-designed patterns of nanoscale graphene quantum dots
Authors: Yang Qian , Zhang Yu , Fu Zhong-Qiu , Chen Yulong , Di Zengfeng , He Lin
Published: January 2022

Graphene quantum dots (GQDs) have attracted extensive attention over the years because of their importance both in fundamental science and potential applications. However, fabricating patterns of the GQDs is still of great challenge in experiment. Here, we demonstrate a technique to create patterned nanometer-sized GQDs with nanoscale precision in their sites. By applying a voltage pulse from a scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) tip, we successfully create stationary nanoscale circular p–n junctions, i.e. GQDs, in a continuous graphene sheet on hydrogen terminated germanium (110) surface. With accurately tuning the coordinates of the STM tip, the designed patterns of the GQDs are successfully generated. Spatial-resolved measurements indicate that the patterns of the GQDs strongly affect the local electronic properties and two-dimensional distributions of local density of states in graphene.
Preparation and characterization of Portland cement clinker from sulfuric acid leaching residue of coal fly ash
Authors: Zhao Aichun , Liu Yujin , Zhang Ting-an , He Xin , Ye Xin , Zeng Miao
Published: January 2022

This work reported a process for the preparation of Portland cement clinker from sulfuric acid leaching residue of coal fly ash. Aluminum and iron in fly ash were effectively leached by sulfuric acid leaching, and the silica was all concentrated in the acid leaching residue. The chemical analysis showed that the content of SiO2 in the leaching residue was 79.1% and the leaching residue contained a small amount of Al2O3, CaO and Fe2O3, which could replace clay as the raw material for the preparation of Portland cement clinker. The effects of main process conditions on the quality of prepared cement clinker were studied. The results showed that the burnability of the raw material with clinker rate value KH = 0.92, SM = 2.1, IM = 1.2 and leaching residue content of 26.98% was excellent and good. The mineralogical analysis and microscopic examination showed that the good quality clinker was obtained under the conditions of sintering temperature of 1450 °C and holding time of 60 min, and the tricalcium silicate phase was well developed. Based on this study, acid leaching residue of coal fly ash was viable as an effective, alternative raw material in Portland cement production.
The influence of carbon potential after gas-carbonitriding on the microstructure and fatigue behavior of low alloyed steel
Authors: Ghanem Abdelkarim , Terres Mohamedali
Published: January 2022

In this paper, the effects of gas-carbonitriding time on fatigue limit improvement of low alloy steel specimens were investigated by experimental tests of three points fatigue flexion. Besides, metallurgical evaluations and micro-Vickers hardness tests were performed employing metallographic techniques, optical, scanning electron microscopy and x-ray diffraction techniques. Test findings showed that this amount remarkably improved the components fatigue resistance. The fatigue life of carbonitrided specimens was prolonged between 16%, for CN11 (i.e. austenization-870°/7 h, atmosphere with 1% carbon potential, quenching-oil medium and tempering-200 °C/1 h), and 32%, for CN21(i.e. austenization-870°/8 h, atmosphere with 1, 2% carbon potential, quenching-oil medium and tempering-200 °C/1 h), compared to the untreated state. It is obvious, from the fractography analysis, utilizing (SEM), that fatigue cracks appeared first at the carbonitrided specimens surface.
The effect of surface morphology on the peel performance of UV-induced adhesion-reducing adhesives
Authors: Wu Xing , Ren Fengmei , Ma Haihong , Zhou Zhengfa , Xu Weibing
Published: January 2022

In this paper, end-hydroxy fumaryl chloride-diol copolyesters (EHFDCP) with different double bond contents were prepared by the reaction of fumaryl chloride and diols. The molecular weight of the target hydroxy polyesters was controlled to be essentially the same, EHFDCP prepared from 1,8-octanediol, 1,5-pentanediol and ethylene glycol named EHFDCP-1, EHFDCP-2 and EHFDCP-3, respectively. The UV-induced adhesion-reducing adhesives (ARA) were prepared with EHFDCP, isophorone diisocyanate (IPDI), chain extender and photoinitiator. The ARA-1, ARA-2 and ARA-3 were produced by EHFDCP-1, EHFDCP-2 and EHFDCP-3, respectively. After UV curing, all the surfaces of ARA-1, ARA-2, and ARA-3 had a high number of concave and convex areas, which helped to reduce the contact area between the adhesive and the substrate surface. The surface roughness of ARA-2 is the highest and the adhesion reduction effect is the most significant. The higher surface roughness of ARA-2 came from moderate double bond content and crosslinking density. With the increasing photoinitiator content, the 180° peel strength after UV curing decreased. The 180° peel strength of ARA-2 was reduced to 0.16 N/25 mm at 4 wt% of photoinitiator content, and it also had a high initial 180° peel strength of 18.55 N/25 mm due to the absence of small molecule polyfunctional monomers.
Cell encapsulation in alginate-based microgels using droplet microfluidics; a review on gelation methods and applications
Authors: Mohajeri Mohammad , Eskandari Mahnaz , Ghazali Zahra Sadat , Ghazali Hanieh Sadat
Published: January 2022

Cell encapsulation within the microspheres using a semi-permeable polymer allows the two-way transfer of molecules such as oxygen, nutrients, and growth factors. The main advantages of cell encapsulation technology include controlling the problems involved in transplanting rejection in tissue engineering applications and reducing the long-term need for immunosuppressive drugs following organ transplantation to eliminate the side effects. Cell-laden microgels can also be used in 3D cell cultures, wound healing, and cancerous clusters for drug testing. Since cell encapsulation is used for different purposes, several techniques have been developed to encapsulate cells. Droplet-based microfluidics is one of the most valuable techniques in cell encapsulating. This study aimed to review the geometries and the mechanisms proposed in microfluidic systems to precisely control cell-laden microgels production with different biopolymers. We also focused on alginate gelation techniques due to their essential role in cell encapsulation applications. Finally, some applications of these microgels and researches will be explored.
Unravelling the bending stability of flexible quantum-dot light-emitting diodes
Authors: Wang Rujing , Yuan Qilin , Kang Zhihui , Wang Rong , Zhang Dandan , Ji Wenyu
Published: January 2022

The bending stability is still the central obstacle to the practical applications of flexible quantum-dot light-emitting diodes (QLED). Here, we examine the influence of every functional layer, including electrodes, charge injection/transport layers, and emission layer, on the photoelectrical properties of the QLEDs during the bending fatigue test. It is demonstrated that the bottom substrate and top metal electrode play a critical role in determining the bending stability of flexible QLEDs. The bending stability of the QLED can be improved obviously by controlling the elastic modulus and surface roughness of the substrate with a poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS) modifying layer inserted between PET/ITO/Ag/ITO and ZnO electron-transport layer. The PEDOT:PSS layer not only reduces the surface roughness, but also causes the neutral mechanical plane of the PET/ITO/Ag/ITO multilayer to move towards the surface of the substrate. The twofold effect of this PEDOT:PSS modifying layer improves the bending stability of the device. Moreover, the device efficiency is also enhanced from 17.9 to 20.4 cd A−1 with the insertion of PEDOT:PSS layer.
A spiking neuron implemented in VLSI
Authors: Stoliar P , Akita I , Schneegans O , Hioki M , Rozenberg M J
Published: January 2022

A VLSI implementation of a Silicon-Controlled Rectifier (SCR)-based Neuron that has the functionality of the leaky-integrate and fire model (LIF) of spiking neurons is introduced. The silicon-controlled rectifier is not straightforward to efficiently migrate to VLSI. Therefore, we propose a MOS transistor-based circuit that provides the same functionality as the SCR. The results of this work are based on Spice simulation using open libraries and on VLSI layout and post layout simulations for a 65 nm CMOS process.
How sticky are our proteins? Quantifying hydrophobicity of the human proteome
Authors: van Gils Juami Hermine Mariama , Gogishvili Dea , van Eck Jan , Bouwmeester Robbin , van Dijk Erik , Abeln Sanne
Published: January 2022

Proteins tend to bury hydrophobic residues inside their core during the folding process to provide stability to the protein structure and to prevent aggregation. Nevertheless, proteins do expose some ‘sticky’ hydrophobic residues to the solvent. These residues can play an important functional role, e.g. in protein–protein and membrane interactions. Here, we first investigate how hydrophobic protein surfaces are by providing three measures for surface hydrophobicity: the total hydrophobic surface area, the relative hydrophobic surface area and—using our MolPatch method—the largest hydrophobic patch. Secondly, we analyze how difficult it is to predict these measures from sequence: by adapting solvent accessibility predictions from NetSurfP2.0, we obtain well-performing prediction methods for the THSA and RHSA, while predicting LHP is more challenging. Finally, we analyze implications of exposed hydrophobic surfaces: we show that hydrophobic proteins typically have low expression, suggesting cells avoid an overabundance of sticky proteins.

Availability and implementation

The data underlying this article are available in GitHub at https://github.com/ibivu/hydrophobic_patches.

Supplementary information

Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics Advances online.
Struct-f4: a Rcpp package for ancestry profile and population structure inference from f4-statistics
Authors: Librado Pablo , Orlando Ludovic
Published: January 2022

Visualization and inference of population structure is increasingly important for fundamental and applied research. Here, we present Struct-f4, providing automated solutions to characterize and summarize the genetic ancestry profile of individuals, assess their genetic affinities, identify admixture sources and quantify admixture levels.

Availability and implementation

Struct-f4 is written in Rcpp and relies on f4-statistics and Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) optimization. It is freely available under GNU General Public License in Bitbucket (https://bitbucket.org/plibradosanz/structf4/).

Supplementary information

Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
The Impact of Internship Experience on Schooling and Labour Market Outcomes
Authors: Neyt Brecht , Verhaest Dieter , Navarini Lorenzo , Baert Stijn
Published: January 2022

We examine the impact of internship experience during secondary education on students’ schooling and early labour market outcomes by analysing unique, longitudinal data from Belgium. To control for unobservable differences between students with and students without internship experience, we estimate a dynamic discrete choice model. In line with literature on vocational education, we find that internship experience has a positive effect on one’s employment chances up to 5 years after graduation. This positive effect is mainly explained by a positive direct employment effect. Although we also find a positive indirect employment effect through a higher chance to obtain a secondary education qualification, this is largely compensated by negative indirect effects through lower tertiary education attainment. (JEL codes: I21, I26, J21, and J24)
Farewell from the CKJ Editor-in-Chief: key kidney topics from 2014 to 2021
Authors: Ortiz Alberto , Vinck Caroline
Published: January 2022

The year 2021 was the last full year of Alberto Ortiz’s editorship at Clinical Kidney Journal (CKJ). On May 2022, Maria José Soler will start her term as the Editor-in-Chief. Over these years, CKJ obtained its first journal impact factor and has consolidated its position among the top journals in the field, consistently ranking among the top 25% (first quartile) journals in Urology and Nephrology. The 2020 journal impact factor rose to 4.45, becoming the top open access journal in Nephrology and the ninth ranked Nephrology journal overall. We now review the recent history of the journal and the most highly cited topics which include the epidemiology of kidney disease, chronic kidney disease topics, such as the assessment and treatment of chronic kidney disease, onconephrology, cardionephrology, glomerular disease, transplantation and coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).
Cliques in geometric inhomogeneous random graphs
Authors: Michielan Riccardo , Stegehuis Clara
Published: January 2022

Many real-world networks were found to be highly clustered and contain a large amount of small cliques. We here investigate the number of cliques of any size $k$ contained in a geometric inhomogeneous random graph: a scale-free network model containing geometry. The interplay between scale-freeness and geometry ensures that connections are likely to form between either high-degree vertices, or between close by vertices. At the same time, it is rare for a vertex to have a high degree, and most vertices are not close to one another. This trade-off makes cliques more likely to appear between specific vertices. In this article, we formalize this trade-off and prove that there exists a typical type of clique in terms of the degrees and the positions of the vertices that span the clique. Moreover, we show that the asymptotic number of cliques as well as the typical clique type undergoes a phase transition, in which only $k$ and the degree-exponent $\tau$ are involved. Interestingly, this phase transition shows that for small values of $\tau$, the underlying geometry of the model is irrelevant: the number of cliques scales the same as in a non-geometric network model.
An empirical comparison of connectivity-based distances on a graph and their computational scalability
Authors: Miasnikof Pierre , Shestopaloff Alexander Y , Pitsoulis Leonidas , Ponomarenko Alexander
Published: January 2022

In this study, we compare distance measures with respect to their ability to capture vertex community structure and the scalability of their computation. Our goal is to find a distance measure which can be used in an aggregate pairwise minimization clustering scheme. The minimization should lead to subsets of vertices with high induced subgraph density. Our definition of distance is rooted in the notion that vertices sharing more connections are closer to each other than vertices which share fewer connections. This definition differs from that of the geodesic distance typically used in graphs. It is based on neighbourhood overlap, not shortest path. We compare four distance measures from the literature and evaluate their accuracy in reflecting intra-cluster density, when aggregated (averaged) at the cluster level. Our tests are conducted on synthetic graphs, where clusters and intra-cluster densities are known in advance. We find that amplified commute, Otsuka–Ochiai and Jaccard distances display a consistent inverse relation to intra-cluster density. We also conclude that the computation of amplified commute distance does not scale as well to large graphs as that of the other two distances.
A pragmatic lab-based tool for risk assessment in cardiac critical care: data from the Critical Care Cardiology Trials Network (CCCTN) Registry
Authors: Patel Siddharth M , Jentzer Jacob C , Alviar Carlos L , Baird-Zars Vivian M , Barsness Gregory W , Berg David D , Bohula Erin A , Daniels Lori B , DeFilippis Andrew P , Keeley Ellen C , Kontos Michael C , Lawler Patrick R , Miller P Elliott , Park Jeong-Gun , Roswell Robert O , Solomon Michael A , van Diepen Sean , Katz Jason N , Morrow David A ,   the CCCTN Investigators
Published: January 2022

Aims

Contemporary cardiac intensive care unit (CICU) outcomes remain highly heterogeneous. As such, a risk-stratification tool using readily available lab data at time of CICU admission may help inform clinical decision-making.

Methods and results

The primary derivation cohort included 4352 consecutive CICU admissions across 25 tertiary care CICUs included in the Critical Care Cardiology Trials Network (CCCTN) Registry. Candidate lab indicators were assessed using multivariable logistic regression. An integer risk score incorporating the top independent lab indicators associated with in-hospital mortality was developed. External validation was performed in a separate CICU cohort of 9716 patients from the Mayo Clinic (Rochester, MN, USA). On multivariable analysis, lower pH [odds ratio (OR) 1.96, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.72–2.24], higher lactate (OR 1.40, 95% CI 1.22–1.62), lower estimated glomerular filtration rate (OR 1.26, 95% CI 1.10–1.45), and lower platelets (OR 1.18, 95% CI 1.05–1.32) were the top four independent lab indicators associated with higher in-hospital mortality. Incorporated into the CCCTN Lab-Based Risk Score, these four lab indicators identified a 20-fold gradient in mortality risk with very good discrimination (C-index 0.82, 95% CI 0.80–0.84) in the derivation cohort. Validation of the risk score in a separate cohort of 3888 patients from the Registry demonstrated good performance (C-index of 0.82; 95% CI 0.80–0.84). Performance remained consistent in the external validation cohort (C-index 0.79, 95% CI 0.77–0.80). Calibration was very good in both validation cohorts (r = 0.99).

Conclusion

A simple integer risk score utilizing readily available lab indicators at time of CICU admission may accurately stratify in-hospital mortality risk.
The role of cardiovascular magnetic resonance in the evaluation of acute myocarditis and inflammatory cardiomyopathies in clinical practice — a comprehensive review
Authors: Ismail Tevfik F , Hua Alina , Plein Sven , D’Cruz David P , Fernando Michelle M A , Friedrich Matthias G , Zellweger Michael J , Giorgetti Assuero , Caobelli Federico , Haaf Philip
Published: January 2022

Inflammatory cardiomyopathy (I-CMP) is defined as myocarditis in association with cardiac dysfunction and/or ventricular remodelling. It is characterized by inflammatory cell infiltration into the myocardium and has heterogeneous infectious and non-infectious aetiologies. A complex interplay of genetic, autoimmune, and environmental factors contributes to the substantial risk of deteriorating cardiac function, acute heart failure, and arrhythmia as well as chronic dilated cardiomyopathy and its sequelae. Multi-parametric cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging is sensitive to many tissue changes that occur during myocardial inflammation, regardless of its aetiology. In this review, we summarize the various aetiologies of I-CMP and illustrate how CMR contributes to non-invasive diagnosis.
Coronary protection for the small left coronary sinus during transcatheter aortic valve replacement: a case report
Authors: Yang Chen , Song Guangyuan , Niu Guannan , Wu Yongjian
Published: January 2022

Background

Coronary obstruction (CO) is an infrequent but life-threatening complication during transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR).

Case summary

We report the case of a patient who accepted TAVR with high anatomical risks of CO due to the small congenital left coronary sinus, which was treated with preliminary coronary protection. This case highlighted the importance of computed tomography angiography (CTA) evaluation, 3D-printing stimulation, predilation as a reference sign, and pre-emptive chimney stenting technology to successfully anticipate and prevent CO during TAVR. At the 3rd month follow-up, CTA evaluation and 3D-printing simulation identified the chimney stenting of the left main coronary arterial patency.

Discussion

A ‘four-step assessment’ method also proposes a new clinical procedure on how to perform TAVR in patients with high risks of CO.
The Genome of the Poecilogonous Annelid Streblospio benedicti
Authors: Zakas Christina , Harry Nathan D , Scholl Elizabeth H , Rockman Matthew V
Published: January 2022

Streblospio benedicti is a common marine annelid that has become an important model for developmental evolution. It is the only known example of poecilogony (where two distinct developmental modes occur within a single species) that is due to a heritable difference in egg size. The dimorphic developmental programs and life-histories exhibited in this species depend on differences within the genome, making it an optimal model for understanding the genomic basis of developmental divergence. Studies using S. benedicti have begun to uncover the genetic and genomic principles that underlie developmental uncoupling, but until now they have been limited by the lack of availability of genomic tools. Here, we present an annotated chromosomal-level genome assembly of S. benedicti generated from a combination of Illumina reads, Nanopore long reads, Chicago and Hi-C chromatin interaction sequencing, and a genetic map from experimental crosses. At 701.4 Mb, the S. benedicti genome is the largest annelid genome to date that has been assembled to chromosomal scaffolds. The complete genome of S. benedicti is valuable for functional genomic analyses of development and evolution, as well as phylogenetic comparison within the annelida and the Lophotrochozoa. Despite having two developmental modes, there is no evidence of genome duplication or substantial gene number expansions. Instead, lineage-specific repeats account for much of the expansion of this genome compared with other annelids.
The Right to a Fair Online Hearing
Authors: Kamber Krešimir
Published: January 2022

With the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic, the courts almost invariably (although to different degrees) started closing doors to physical presence and a new interest in remote forms of the administration of justice—notably online hearings—has emerged from the margins of legal research and practice. This article focuses on online hearings as the most critical aspect of the remote administration of justice, which still remains, theoretically and empirically, a largely unexplored area of legal process. It discusses the conceptual problems of online hearings from the perspective of European human rights law, notably Article 6 (the right to a fair trial) of the European Convention on Human Rights. On the basis of this assessment, the article identifies the limits to the use of online hearings flowing from the perspective of the right to a fair trial. It also cautions against any injudicious attempts to turn the pandemic-related extraordinary mode of functioning of court hearings into a new ordinary state of affairs and proposes ways in which the associated risks could be averted.
The protein level of the tumour-promoting factor SET is regulated by cell density
Authors: Kohyanagi Naoki , Kitamura Nao , Tanaka Keiko , Mizuno Takuya , Fujiwara Nobuyuki , Ohama Takashi , Sato Koichi
Published: January 2022

SET/I2PP2A is a multifunctional protein that acts as an intrinsic inhibitor of the tumour suppressor protein phosphatase 2A and as a histone chaperone. Increased SET levels have been observed in various cancers; however, the underlying molecular mechanisms remain unclear. In this study, we found that SET protein accumulates with the increasing density of cultured cells. This phenomenon was observed not only in cancer cell lines but also in non-cancer cell lines. The mRNA levels of SET were not affected by the cell density. Proteasome inhibition decreased SET levels, whereas autophagy inhibition led to SET accumulation, indicating the involvement of autophagy. The mRNA and protein expression of SETBP1, which stabilizes the SET protein, increased with cell density. The decrease in SET level due to the loss of SETBP1 was more pronounced in wild-type cells than that in autophagy-deficient cells. These results have revealed a mechanism underlying the regulation of SET level, wherein increased cell density induces SETBP1 expression and protects SET from autophagy.
Straining the Spaghetti Bowl: Re-Evaluating the Regulation of Preferential Rules of Origin
Authors: Delev Christian
Published: January 2022

Preferential rules of origin (PROOs) are a hallmark of the modern Regional Trade Agreement network. However, the ever-rising use of PROOs has revealed their dual economic function: to prevent trade deflection from occurring, and to export domestic State protectionism to the regional level. This paper challenges existing scholarship and reassesses the WTO disciplines applicable to PROOs. Using the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement as a case-study, it examines the ways in which PROOs have obstructed trade liberalization at the regional level in favour of embedding protectionism in certain sectors. The disciplines under Article III:4 GATT, Annex II of the Agreement on Rules of Origin, and the Trade Facilitation Agreement are then shown to limit Members’ discretion in adopting PROOs. Finally, the internal and external conditions of Article XXIV GATT further restrain the extent to which Members may lawfully export their domestic protectionism through Regional Trade Agreements. Crucially, violations of the restraints under Article XXIV GATT are unlikely to be justified based on Article XX(d) GATT.
Mechanisms of coexistence in a diverse Neotropical mammalian carnivore community
Authors: Zuercher Gerald L , Owen Robert D , Torres Julio , Gipson Philip S
Published: January 2022

Mammalian carnivore diversity within the Reserva Natural del Bosque Mbaracayú in eastern Paraguay is represented by five families (Canidae, Mephitidae, Mustelidae, Procyonidae, and Felidae) and includes large-bodied, apex predators, several omnivores, and numerous mesocarnivores. The competitive exclusion principle argues that sustained spatial and temporal coexistence of two or more species with identical ecological requirements is unsustainable. The Reserve is a mosaic of habitats that has become isolated due to extensive deforestation of the surrounding Upper Paraná Atlantic Forest. Nevertheless, it is remarkable in that 16 mammalian carnivore species are documented as coexisting within the Reserve. We sought to determine the extent to which this diverse community is mitigating competition through the partitioning of available niche space by assessing dietary ecology of mammalian carnivores present, including diet breadths and dietary overlap, and by examining spatial patterns within the reserve. Feces were collected from all 16 mammalian carnivore species from seven areas within the reserve and specific identifications were confirmed by molecular analyses. Diet breadth, B^, standardized diet breadth, B^A, and Pianka’s Index for dietary overlap, O^, were calculated. A Chi-square goodness-of-fit test was performed to test for randomness of samples associated with survey areas. Diet analyses indicated a spectrum from dietary generalists to specialists. Species segregated into six dietary guilds, defined as groups of species with O^ > 0.5. Four guilds included only one species each (Neotropical otter, crab-eating fox, jaguar, and puma). The low dietary overlap between jaguar and puma contrasts with studies conducted elsewhere. One guild consisted of four highly omnivorous species (maned wolf, Molina’s hog-nosed skunk, crab-eating raccoon, and South American coati). The sixth guild included eight species which mostly consumed small vertebrates, primarily mammals as well as birds and reptiles (bush dog, two mustelines, five small felids). The mustelines (tayra and lesser grison) had extremely high dietary overlap. Although they did not segregate spatially, they are known to occupy distinct niches in vertically stratified forests. The five small felids also showed extremely high dietary overlap. Three of them were found to segregate spatially within the Reserve and two did not, although one (jaguarundi) is known to segregate temporally, being more active diurnally. The exceptionally rich community of mammalian carnivore species at the Reserva Natural del Bosque Mbaracayú appeared to avoid unsustainable competition by a variety of mechanisms, some utilizing different food items, or, in the case of high dietary overlap, utilizing spatial or temporal resources differently.
Comparing predictions of IUCN Red List categories from machine learning and other methods for bats
Authors: Wieringa Jamin G
Published: January 2022

Consisting of over 1,400 species, bats are the second most diverse group of mammals. Many species are currently threatened, while another ~244 species are currently listed as Data Deficient by International Union for Conservation Science (IUCN) Global Red List. IUCN assessments can be vital for early conservation intervention and would be aided by a rapid preliminary tool to determine priority for further research and full IUCN Red List assessments. While some tools currently exist to generate extinction risk predictions for bats, they generally require difficult to obtain data, such as phylogenies and trait data. New approaches exist that utilize machine learning algorithms, such as random forest and neural networks, and can accomplish the same task using easier to obtain occurrence-derived data. Here, I fit models that can predict a species’ potential IUCN Red List category using prior assignments (critically endangered, endangered, vulnerable, near threatened, and least concern) grouped into binary categories of “Not Threatened” and “Threatened” as training data and applied the best approach to some Data Deficient bat species. These classifications can be used to prioritize investments in conservation for these species. Methods used included index-based approaches (ConR and rCat) and machine learning (IUC-NN and random forest). The best performing model used a random forest algorithm and could accurately predict IUCN binary categories (“Threatened” and “Not Threatened”) 86.9% of the time. While the overall accuracy is similar to the other approaches used here, it vastly outperforms when looking at other metrics like false-negative rate (incorrectly listing a “Threatened” species as “Not threatened”). As a result, this approach could be used as a first step to predict possible IUCN categories for bats that could be used to prioritize conservation research and is not a replacement for full IUCN Global Red List assessment into extinction risk categories.
Intervention of cGAS‒STING signaling in sterile inflammatory diseases
Authors: Hong Ze , Mei Jiahao , Guo Hanli , Zhu Juanjuan , Wang Chen
Published: January 2022

Sterile inflammation characterized by unresolved chronic inflammation is well established to promote the progression of multiple autoimmune diseases, metabolic disorders, neurodegenerative diseases, and cardiovascular diseases, collectively termed ‘sterile inflammatory diseases’. By recognizing host-derived DNA, cyclic guanosine monophosphate–adenosine monophosphate synthase (cGAS) activates endoplasmic reticulum-associated stimulator of interferon genes (STING), which leads to the induction of type I interferons and inflammatory cytokines or immunogenic cell death that promotes sterile inflammation. Additionally, the DNA/cGAS-independent mode of STING activation has also been characterized in the progression of several sterile inflammatory diseases. This review focuses on the molecular mechanism of cGAS-dependent and cGAS-independent STING signaling under various disease conditions, particularly highlighting the diverse initiators upon this signaling pathway. We also summarize recent advances in the discovery of antagonists targeting cGAS and STING and the evaluation of their efficiencies in preclinical models. Finally, we discuss potential differences in the clinical applications of the specific antagonists, which may shed light on the precision therapeutic interventions.
‘When creativity gets you fired—why professionals tasked with innovation employ subversion when facing competing institutional demands in hybrid organizations’
Authors: Vogelgsang Lukas
Published: January 2022

How can professionals tasked with innovation navigate institutional complexity in hybrid organizations without contesting the various institutionalized expectations about what constitutes appropriate and beneficial new ideas? This article investigates this question through an ethnographic study of pharmaceutical professionals tasked with research and development at an internationally operating life science company producing pharmaceutical innovations. There, pharmaceutical professionals must address and satisfy three institutional demands to project legitimacy of their new ideas: (1) scientific validity expected by leading members of their profession; (2) commercial value demanded by management; and (3) legal responsibility enforced by state agencies. Facing the challenge of creating legitimate novelty opposite these competing institutional demands, the pharmaceutical professionals initially design new ideas to primarily meet the jurisdictional control exerted by key opinion leaders in the field of clinical pharmacology. Yet, the resultant scientifically tailored designs regularly conflict with the institutional demands enforced by other powerful institutional referents within their organization. To resolve this issue, the professionals utilize a strategy of subversion to undermine the power and authority of these powerful referents by employing tactics of withdraw, manipulation, collusion, and ambushing. Based on these findings, the present study contributes to institutional theory and to literature on creativity and innovation management by theorizing subversive ingenuity as a distinct strategy professionals employ to navigate competing institutional demands during innovation processes in hybrid organizations.
Knowledge legitimacy battles in nursing, quality in care, and nursing professionalization
Authors: Ernst Jette , Tatli Ahu
Published: January 2022

The article explores the shifting value of nursing work in the context of knowledge legitimacy battles, policy, and nursing professionalization. We unpack the battle for legitimacy between two approaches to nursing, that is, caring and curing that are associated with traditional and scientific knowledge, respectively, based on an ethnographic study of day-to-day nursing in a new acute care hospital department. The article offers an expansion to the study of professional work and professionalization by using concepts from Bourdieu as a toolkit to bridge structural and subjective dimensions of professional practice when we connect nurses’ local experiences of work to macro-level political agendas and nursing professionalization struggles. Our study shows that curing is becoming a nursing domain, and scientific evidence-based knowledge is seen as more legitimate in relation to care quality and nursing professionalization in the healthcare field. We discuss under-recognized consequences of the knowledge legitimacy battles for the organization of care, including nurses’ bodywork.
Excluding Livestock Livelihoods in Refugee Responses: A Risk to Public Health
Authors: Braam Dorien H
Published: January 2022

The Syrian civil war caused a near total collapse of its health and veterinary infrastructure, affecting vaccinations, quarantine and border control. While outbreaks of zoonoses—diseases transmissible between animals and humans—in neighbouring countries are attributed to irregular cross-border movements, little remains known about the impact of conflict and displacement on livestock, and zoonotic disease risks in refugee and host populations. This case study investigates the role of livestock and zoonotic disease dynamics in the Syrian refugee context in Jordan, to inform policies and procedures for better inclusion of livestock in refugee responses. Key informant interviews were conducted with humanitarian, animal and public health experts, and household interviews with Jordanian and Syrian livestock keepers in Mafraq Governorate. Respondents attributed zoonotic disease outbreaks to cross-border smuggling of livestock, with no reports of refugees bringing animals into Jordan. While Syrian respondents diversify their livelihoods through animal husbandry, high-level political and practical barriers affect refugees’ access to livestock assistance, increasing zoonotic disease risks. To support animal and human health, stakeholders need to address structural inequalities through inclusive policies and support to both refugees and host populations.
Laparoscopic-assisted modified Kugel herniorrhaphy for obturator hernia: a case report
Authors: Yamagishi Shunsuke , Aramaki Osamu , Yoshida Nao , Mitsuka Yusuke , Kawai Takaharu , Yamazaki Shintaro , Kang Woodae , Nakayama Hisashi , Moriguchi Masamichi , Higaki Tokio , Kochi Mitsugu , Okamura Yukiyasu
Published: January 2022

Obturator hernia (OH) is a relatively rare disease and there are various surgical procedures for treating it. We report the case of a patient with an OH who underwent laparoscopic-assisted modified Kugel herniorrhaphy. The patient was a 74-year-old woman admitted to our hospital with nausea and abdominal distension. A diagnosis of intestinal obstruction was made because abdominal computed tomography revealed incarcerated right OH. No apparent strangulation findings were observed, and reduction was performed under ultrasound guidance. Laparoscopic-assisted modified Kugel herniorrhaphy for OH was performed. There were no signs of the bowel necrosis. Pneumoperitoneum was temporarily discontinued, and the OH was repaired by the modified Kugel herniorrhaphy. Laparoscopy confirmed that the direct Kugel patch was placed at the appropriate position. Laparoscopic-assisted modified Kugel herniorrhaphy is considered to be safe and useful for patients with OH and is considered as one of the treatment options.
Contagions, Congregations, and Constitutional Law: Reciprocity and Religious Freedom in the 1918 and 2020 Pandemics
Authors: Earley Brady
Published: January 2022

This article undertakes a comparison of legal restrictions on religious gatherings in the USA during the 1918 Spanish Flu pandemic and the COVID-19 pandemic. After contextualizing each pandemic within its legal, political, and social culture, the analysis distills prevailing principles between the two health crises and their approach to religious liberty. Evidence suggests that courts in both periods relied on proportionality and equality to resolve disputes between government bans on worship services and conscientious objectors. However, the experience of multiple local governments in 1918 and other nations in 2020 models a better way. Instead of using proportionality or equality, these state officials relied on reciprocity between government and religious groups. Their approach tended to produce fewer bans, lower case counts, and greater trust during the pandemic and offers a useful precedent for current US lawmakers managing the religious freedom concerns of COVID-19.
Optimism Bias in the Design of Phase III Randomized Control Trials Evaluating PD-1/PD-L1 Targeting Monoclonal Antibodies
Authors: Al-Showbaki Laith , Almugbel Fahad A , Alqaisi Husam A , Amir Eitan , Chen Eric X
Published: January 2022

Background

Many randomized control trials (RCTs) evaluating programmed death receptor-1 (PD-1)/programmed death ligand-1 (PD-L1) targeting monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) have been completed or are in progress. We examined hypothesized hazard ratios (HHRs) and observed hazard ratios (OHRs) from published RCTs evaluating these mAbs.

Methods

Publications of RCTs evaluating at least one PD-1/PD-L1 targeting mAbs approved by the US Food and Drug Administration were identified through PubMed searches. The primary reports of RCTs were retrieved. Two investigators extracted HHR, OHR for the primary endpoint among other data elements independently. The differences (∆HR) in HHR and OHR were analyzed statistically. A separate search was conducted for secondary reports after longer follow-ups, the updated OHR was extracted.

Results

Forty-nine RCTs enrolling 36 867 patients were included. The mean HHR and OHR were 0.672 and 0.738 respectively. The mean ∆HR was 0.067 (range: –0.300 to 0.895; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.003-0.130). HHR was met or exceeded in 22 (45%) RCTs. OHR was ≥ 1.0 in 6 RCTs (12%). PD-L1 expression was not associated with the magnitude of effect. Of 18 RCTs with follow-up reports, the magnitude of benefit decreased in 8 RCTs with extended follow-ups.

Conclusion

The majority of published RCTs evaluating PD-1/PD-L1 targeting mAbs did not achieve their hypothesized magnitude of benefit. The optimism bias requires attention from the cancer clinical research community given the number of these agents in development and the intense interest in evaluating these agents in a variety of disease settings.
What can the UK learn from the impact of migrant populations on national life expectancy?
Authors: Hiam Lucinda , Zhang Claire X , Burns Rachel , Darlington-Pollock Frances , Wallace Matthew , McKee Martin
Published: January 2022

Improvements in life expectancy at birth in the UK had stalled prior to 2020 and have fallen during the COVID-19 pandemic. The stagnation took place at a time of relatively high net migration, yet we know that migrants to Australia, the USA and some Nordic countries have positively impacted national life expectancy trends, outperforming native-born populations in terms of life expectancy. It is important to ascertain whether migrants have contributed positively to life expectancy in the UK, concealing worsening trends in the UK-born population, or whether relying on national life expectancy calculations alone may have masked excess mortality in migrant populations. We need a better understanding of the role and contribution of migrant populations to national life expectancy trends in the UK.
Why LGBTQ Adults Keep Ambivalent Ties with Parents: Theorizing “Solidarity Rationales”
Authors: Bosley-Smith Emma , Reczek Rin
Published: January 2022

Many LGBTQ adults have ongoing relationships with their parents that are ambivalent, typified by both solidarity (e.g., frequent contact, emotional or financial exchange) as well as conflict (e.g., parents’ heterosexism and cissexism). Yet, why LGBTQ people remain in—rather than end—their ambivalent intergenerational ties is under explored. We analyze qualitative in-depth interview data with 76 LGBTQ adults to answer this question. We find that LGBTQ adult children deploy narratives that privilege intergenerational solidarity over strain—what we call “solidarity rationales”— to explain why they remain in their ambivalent intergenerational ties. Four solidarity rationales were identified: 1) closeness and love, 2) parental growth, 3) the unique parent-child role, and 4) the importance of parental resources. Identifying LGBTQ adults’ solidarity rationales pulls back the curtain on the compulsory social forces driving persistent intergenerational relationships. This study also advances our thinking about how socially marginalized people cope with complex social ties that include interpersonal discrimination and stigma.
Potato Virus Y Strain N-Wi Offers Cross-Protection in Potato Against Strain NTN-NW by Superior Competition
Authors: Xu Liping , Zhang Wei , Gao Yanling , Meng Fanjuan , Nie Xianzhou , Bai Yanju
Published: January 2022

Potato virus Y (PVY) is one of the most economically important pathogens of potato. PVY exhibits different phenotypes in dissimilar potato cultivars. Previously, we observed that two recombinant isolates, PVYN-Wi-HLJ-BDH-2 (BDH) and PVYNTN-NW(SYR-II)-INM-W-369-12 (369), exhibited different virulence levels in potato cultivar Kexin 13 despite high genome sequence identity. Indeed, 369 induced severe necrosis and plant death in severe cases in Kexin 13 and severe mosaic in cultivar Yanshu 8, whereas BDH caused mainly mosaic symptoms on the plants of both cultivars. We hypothesized that preinfection of plants with BDH could cross-protect them from 369 infection, and not vice versa. Challenge inoculation, either by mechanical wounding or through grafting, with 369 on plants that were preinfected with BDH did not augment the symptom expression in both cultivars. Reverse transcription quantitative PCR analysis showed that, after challenge inoculation with 369, the titer of the isolate on BDH-preinfected plants remained at a low level (about 3 × 104 copy/µl) during the tested time course (0 h to 30 days). In contrast, in plants that were preinoculated with buffer (mock) and challenge inoculated with 369, the titer of 369 increased continuously until reaching its highest level of about 2 × 107 (Yanshu 8) and about 4 × 108 (Kexin 13) during the time course. Surprisingly, in plants that were preinfected with 369 and challenge inoculated with BDH, the accumulation of BDH reached nearly the same level as that in plants that were preinoculated with buffer and challenge inoculated with BDH. Taken together, these results suggest that PVYN-Wi mediated cross-protection against PVYNTN-NW(SYR-II) by superior competition and better fitness.