bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Evaluation of Water Resource Carrying Capacity Based on Fuzzy Matter-element Model
Authors: Wang Yumin , Ji Zixiang
Published: March 2021

Water resources carrying capacity (WRCC) is a significant foundation for scientific management of water resources that connected with development of water resources, population, society, and economy. With the rapid development of economy and society, the shortage of water quantity is becoming one of the most profound global issues. In this paper, to evaluate WRCC scientifically and reasonably, index system of WRCC was established and applied for assessing the WRCC of four cities in China by fuzzy matter element (FME) model comprehensively. The indices were weighted by entropy method. The WRCC of four cities of Beijing, Tianjin, Shanghai, and Chongqing are 2.620, 2.503, 2.590, and 2.457, respectively. The results indicated that the WRCC of four cities decreased in the order of Chongqing > Tianjin > Shanghai > Beijing. The method proposed can be applied to other evaluation issues, and the results can help managers realize the importance of water resources in developing the economy and society.
Simulation Analysis on Drainage Consolidation Characteristics of Hydraulic Fill Soft Soil
Authors: Yu Shengyou , Quan Xiaojuan , You Kaikai , Ding Jihui , Gan Yu
Published: March 2021

Based on the treatment of dredger fill soft soil foundation in Eastern Shantou, Guangdong Province, consolidation theory and numerical simulation based on composite consolidation coefficient are used to study the consolidation characteristics of dredger fill soft soil, and the results are compared with the field monitoring results. The calculation results show that the theoretical consolidation degree of the site is 93.4%, which is basically consistent with the final consolidation degree of field monitoring. In the first two stages of surcharge loading, field monitoring is faster than theoretical calculation. The field monitoring value of the final settlement is 1342 mm, which is about 10% less than the theoretical value. The final average consolidation degree of the two models is 97.9%, which is 4.7% more than the field monitoring value. The results show that the pore water pressure law is obvious, the dissipation rate is about 16% higher than the field monitoring value, and the consolidation effect is more obvious. The numerical simulation of the composite coefficient model has certain applicability and can be used to guide the design and construction of similar projects.
Experimental Study on On-line Monitoring Technology of Hydropower Station Induced Discharge
Authors: Qi Guihua , Yang Chunlin , Du Changqing
Published: March 2021

In this paper, the water level, tail water level and active power of hydropower generating units are collected and transmitted in real time by using the water level gauge, power collector and other measuring and sensing instruments. Using MATLAB least square fitting simulation algorithm, the three-dimensional surface function of hydraulic turbine characteristics is obtained, and the efficiency of turbine operating point is calculated based on this function. Through the calibration calculation of the background data center, the reference flow of the hydropower station can be obtained on-line in real time, and verified by the comparison test between the reference flow system of the hydropower station and the Nanrui fu911 ultrasonic flowmeter. The results show that the flow measurement data of hydropower station reference flow system and ultrasonic flowmeter have the same change trend, and the flow measurement data of hydropower station reference flow system meet the requirements of class I accuracy class < 9% specified in GB 50179-2015 “Specification for river flow measurement”, which provides an effective method for on-line monitoring of reference flow of hydropower station.
Ecological Development and Framework of Reverse Logistics System for Venous Industry Parks
Authors: Xun Wei , Cheng Guoping , Wang Chen
Published: March 2021

Eco-industrial park has become the trend of the development of industrial parks in the world, and the shortage of resources is also a common problem faced by all countries, Combining the development of ecological parks with resource recycling and reuse is a current international hot spot. China has been exploring for more than 20 years, but in the complex social and economic system, the system mechanism of circular economy is still being explored, in which the construction of reverse logistics system has become a breakthrough. With the rapid development of information technologies such as the Internet of Things and mobile Internet, the venous Industry as a new form of circular economy is facing major opportunities. This article combines objective optimization and spatial analysis technology to explore the structure and operational performance of the reverse logistics system in the venous Industry, and provides useful countermeasures for the development of circular economy.
Research on Anti-UV Aging of Asphalt Surface Layer Paved with Colored Epoxy Surface Material
Authors: Liu Shuxiang , Yang Jingli
Published: March 2021

The colored epoxy surface was one of the most popular preventive maintenance technologies in road engineering. And because of the molecular of epoxy materials, the UV-aging resistance of that was poor. In the paper the effect and mechanism of UV absorber on the UV-aging resistance of epoxy surface had been studied in different aspects. Tensile properties were used as performance index to evaluation the effects of ultraviolet light absorbers on the mechanical properties of the colored epoxy surface structure materials. The aging degree of epoxy material under the long-term sunlight exposure was simulated by UV-aging test and the mechanism of light absorbers of the surface structure materials was analysed by infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and scanning electron microscope (SEM). Finally, the wheel rutting test, trabecular bending test, freeze-thaw split test and indirect split test were conducted to evaluate the road performance of colored epoxy surface before and after added UV-light absorber. The test results showed that the optimal dosage of light absorber was 1%. The microscopic mechanism analysis showed that light absorber can effectively inhibit the decomposition of carbonyl groups, maintain the basic shape of the surface, and improve the aging resistance of the materials from the surface structure significantly. The road performances of the colored pavement with light absorber were significantly improved compared with that without adding light absorber. The intercept of fatigue curve of the one contained light absorber after UV aging was 2.6% higher and the gradient was 10.9% larger than those without light absorber. Light absorber improved the aging resistance of the epoxy surface pavement and other indexes of the road were all conformed to the specification.
Construction and Study of the Application of Novel Norfloxacin Fluorescent Probes
Authors: Lv Kuilin , Wan Detian , Wang Lei , Lv Yuguang
Published: March 2021

In this experiment, a fluorescent probe of tricyanohydrofuran-norfloxacin was successfully constructed. Fluorescence spectrophotometer was used to detect the fluorescence intensity of the system under the condition of the excitation wavelength was 362nm and the emission wavelength was 448nm. The optimal experimental conditions were optimized (the concentration of the complex, the amount of norfloxacin, pH, temperature and reaction time). The optimal concentration of the complex in the system is in the range of 1.0×10−3-3.5×10−4 mol·L−1, the dosage was 0.6mL, and optimal dosage of norfloxacin was 3.0 ml, the optimum pH of the system was 5.5, under this condition the fluorescence intensity of the system was the strongest. At the same time, the intramolecular charge transfer reaction mechanism of fluorescent probe was studied. And testing the content of norfloxacin capsules, the results were satisfactory. A new testing method of norfloxacin content successfully created.
Two-phase Solvothermal Synthesis of MoO2/RGO Nanocomposites for Lithium-Ion Battery Anodes
Authors: Geng Qin , Su Xintai , Dong Fan , Wang Zhiming
Published: March 2021

Nowadays, it is necessary to develop the lithium-ion battery with higher capacity, lighter weight and thinner volume. Transition metal oxide, as a promising anode materials, has drawn much attention, as a result of its large capacity and high economic value. However, poor cycle stability greatly limits its practical applications. In this paper, MoO2/RGO nanocomposites were synthesized by a two-phase solvothermal method by adjusting the pH value to 2.0. Affected by the size of nanoparticles, the nanocomposites with MoO2 nanoparticles (100 nm) uniformly anchored on the RGO nanosheets exhibit a more superior electrochemical performance with a high capacity of 765.1 mAh g−1 after 50 cycles, which is expected to be a promising anode material for lithium-ion batteries.
Effects of silicic acid rate and application method on plant growth, yield components and yield of Oryza sativa L. var. MR284
Authors: Najib M Y M , Hasnuri M H , Izham M N N M , Fadzli A R M N
Published: March 2021

Silicon is one of the beneficial elements to the rice plant for plant growth and the effects could be detected particularly under the biotic and abiotic stress conditions. Plants take up silicon in a form of monosilicic acid from various sources of silicon. A pot experiment was conducted under a greenhouse condition to study the uptake of silicon by local Malaysian rice variety MR284 in a form of silicic acid. The experiment was carried out under 2 x 4 factorial design consist of two methods of silicic acid application namely foliar spray and drench method and four silicic acid rate at 0, 0.02, 0.04 and 0.06 mol L−1-set up in Complete Randomized Design (CRD) with four replications. Parameters measured were plant growth, yield component and grain yield. Paddy with foliar spray application of silicic acid had a better performance than of paddy with drench method in term of yield increment. The application of silicic acid did not have significant effects on panicle length, plant height and thousand grain weight. The number of tillers and number of panicles had increased with an increasing silicic acid rate, while percentage of filled grain and grain yield decreased with the increasing of silicic acid rate. The findings suggest that the ideal amount of silicic acid for optimum effects on growth and yield of paddy can be used at 0.02 mol L−1 as foliar spray application.
The Marxan model for determining no-catch zones based on conservation targets in the north-eastern region of Simeulue District
Authors: Aulia F , Rusdi M , Deli A , Fuadi A , Irham M , Indra I
Published: March 2021

Aceh Governor’s Decree Number 523/1297/2018 concerning the Determination of Reserve Reservation for Aceh Waters allows Pinang, Siumat and Simanaha Islands (PISISI) in the northeast region of Simeulue Island to become one of the conservation zones that have a no-take zone. Therefore, it is necessary to have a scientific analysis of the management and zoning plan especially in determining the location of the core zone (no-take zone). Determination of the core zone is the most important part in planning to protect coastal areas as a form of sustainable management of fish resources and the environment. The purpose of this study is to determine the location of no-take zones based on conservation targets that have high biodiversity values in the PISISI area of Simeulue Island. Therefore, the Marxan model is used which is a design plan for the conservation zoning design. The analysis shows that there are eight areas that can be used as a no-catch area based on coastal habitats, biodiversity, and high conservation value. The model results indicate that no-take zones will be able to protect 80% of conservation targets. Simulation results also show that the area of the no-take zone is around 2,283.89 ha.
Maternal Urinary Organophosphate Esters and Alterations in Maternal and Neonatal Thyroid Hormones
Authors: Percy Zana , Vuong Ann M , Xu Yingying , Xie Changchun , Ospina Maria , Calafat Antonia M , Hoofnagle Andy , Lanphear Bruce P , Braun Joseph M , Cecil Kim M , Dietrich Kim N , Yolton Kimberly , Chen Aimin
Published: March 2021

Production of organophosphate esters (OPEs), which represent a major flame-retardant class present in consumer goods, has increased over the past 2 decades. Experimental studies suggest that OPEs may be associated with thyroid hormone disruption, but few human studies have examined this association. We quantified OPE metabolites in the urine of 298 pregnant women from Cincinnati, Ohio, in the Health Outcomes and Measures of the Environment Study (enrolled 2003–2006) at 3 time points (16 and 26 weeks’ gestation, and at delivery), and thyroid hormones in 16-week maternal and newborn cord sera. Urinary bis(1,3-dichloro-2-propyl)-phosphate concentrations were generally associated with decreased triiodothyronine and thyroxine levels and increased thyroid-stimulating hormone levels in maternal and newborn thyroid hormones in quartile dose–response analyses and multiple informant models. There was weaker evidence for thyroid hormone alterations in association with diphenyl-phosphate and di-n-butyl-phosphate. Bis-2-chloroethyl-phosphate was not associated with alterations in thyroid hormones in any analyses. We did not observe any evidence of effect modification by infant sex. These results suggest that gestational exposure to some OPEs may influence maternal and neonatal thyroid function, although replication in other cohorts is needed.
Beliefs, Facilitating Factors, and Barriers in Using Personal Dosimeter among Medical Radiation Workers in a Middle-Income Asian Setting
Authors: Mohd Ridzwan Siti Farizwana , Bhoo-Pathy Nirmala , Wee Lei Hum , Isahak Marzuki
Published: March 2021

This qualitative study explores the medical radiation workers’ (MRWs) beliefs with the support of the theory of planned behaviour’s constructs regarding the use of personal dosimeters in order to identify the facilitating factors and barriers to practising good personal dose monitoring. The exploration was conducted through semi-structured face-to-face interviews with 63 MRWs from the public, private, and university hospitals. Belief statements from the informants were organized under the behavioural, normative, and control belief, as guided by the theory. A thematic analysis found that a majority of informants acknowledged the benefits of using dosimeters. However, several factors influenced the actual usage. The informants were hesitant to use the dosimeter as the loss of the device involved an expensive penalty. They also mentioned that delayed dosimeter supplies due to late budget approval in the hospitals and some other reasons had got them disconnected from the monitoring system. The workers’ attitudes and social norms highly induced their dosimeter usage as well; some perceived themselves to be at low risk for high exposure to radiation, and forgetfulness was also mentioned as a reason for lack of adherence. Device physical factor influenced low dosimeter use too. This study highlighted some unique findings in Asian settings. A better understanding of the underlying reasons for the lack of dosimeter use will be useful in developing strategies to increase good practices in personal radiation monitoring.
Activating transcription factor 4-dependent lactate dehydrogenase activation as a protective response to amyloid beta toxicity
Authors: Niccoli Teresa , Kerr Fiona , Snoeren Inge , Fabian Daniel , Aleyakpo Benjamin , Ivanov Dobril , Sofola-Adesakin Oyinkan , Cryar Adam , Adcott Jennifer , Thornton Janet , Partridge Linda
Published: March 2021

Accumulation of amyloid beta peptides is thought to initiate the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease. However, the precise mechanisms mediating their neurotoxicity are unclear. Our microarray analyses show that, in Drosophila models of amyloid beta 42 toxicity, genes involved in the unfolded protein response and metabolic processes are upregulated in brain. Comparison with the brain transcriptome of early-stage Alzheimer's patients revealed a common transcriptional signature, but with generally opposing directions of gene expression changes between flies and humans. Among these differentially regulated genes, lactate dehydrogenase (Ldh) was up-regulated by the greatest degree in amyloid beta 42 flies and the human orthologues (LDHA and LDHB) were down-regulated in patients. Functional analyses revealed that either over-expression or inhibition of Ldh by RNA interference (RNAi) slightly exacerbated climbing defects in both healthy and amyloid beta 42-induced Drosophila. This suggests that metabolic responses to lactate dehydrogenase must be finely-tuned, and that its observed upregulation following amyloid beta 42 production could potentially represent a compensatory protection to maintain pathway homeostasis in this model, with further manipulation leading to detrimental effects. The increased Ldh expression in amyloid beta 42 flies was regulated partially by unfolded protein response signalling, as ATF4 RNAi diminished the transcriptional response and enhanced amyloid beta 42-induced climbing phenotypes. Further functional studies are required to determine whether Ldh upregulation provides compensatory neuroprotection against amyloid beta 42-induced loss of activating transcription factor 4 activity and endoplasmatic reticulum stress. Our study thus reveals dysregulation of lactate dehydrogenase signalling in Drosophila models and patients with Alzheimer's disease, which may lead to a detrimental loss of metabolic homeostasis. Importantly, we observed that down-regulation of ATF4-dependent endoplasmic reticulum-stress signalling in this context appears to prevent Ldh compensation and to exacerbate amyloid beta 42-dependent neuronal toxicity. Our findings, therefore, suggest caution in the use of therapeutic strategies focussed on down-regulation of this pathway for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease, since its natural response to the toxic peptide may induce beneficial neuroprotective effects.
Aligning industry interests with urban priorities to foster energy transitions: insights from two Chinese cities
Authors: Huang Ping , Yu Zhen
Published: March 2021

This article uses the Dimensions of Urban Energy Transitions (DUET) framework to analyse energy transitions in two Chinese cities at different development stages and provide insights into the mechanisms underlying decarbonised industrialisation. The results show that a ‘green’ coalition between industrial actors and local governments is critical to the initiation and scale-up of low-carbon innovations that provide strong endogenous incentives for proactive transitions. The study unveils the relevance of technology-specific characteristics and the potential countering effect of urban politics in shaping the outcomes of energy transitions, adding both nuance and depth to the DUET framework.
Ethnicity Influences Risk of Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD)-Associated Colon Cancer: A Cross-sectional Analysis of Dysplasia Prevalence and Risk Factors in Hispanics and Non-Hispanic Whites With IBD
Authors: Damas Oriana M , Raffa Gabriella , Estes Derek , Mills Grechen , Kerman David , Palacio Ana , Schwartz Seth J , Deshpande Amar R , Abreu Maria T
Published: March 2021

Background

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is an emerging disease in Hispanics. In this study, we examine the prevalence of IBD-related colon dysplasia (IBD-dys) in Hispanics versus non-Hispanic whites (NHWs) and compare differences in established clinical and environmental risk factors.

Methods

We performed a cross-sectional analysis on adult Hispanics and NHWs with IBD who met criteria for colorectal cancer surveillance and were followed at our center between 2008 and 2018. Clinical variables and IBD phenotype were recorded. Lifestyle IBD-dys risk factors were examined, including smoking and lack of physical activity. Using multivariable regression, we compared the prevalence of IBD-dys in Hispanics versus NHW, using relevant covariates. Receiver operating characteristic and area under the curve were performed to find the best fitting model.

Results

A total of 445 IBD patients were included (148 Hispanics and 297 NHWs). IBD phenotype was similar between groups, except that Hispanics had shorter disease duration, a lower frequency of Crohn’s disease-related complications, and lower reported use of steroids. Frequency of surveillance colonoscopies was similar between Hispanics and NHW. There were no differences in median body mass index between Hispanics and NHW [26.5 (IQR 6.0) vs 25.0 (IQR 6.0), P = 0.40]. Hispanics were less likely than NHW to consume alcohol but smoking history was similar between groups. Three out of 148 Hispanic patients had IBD-dys (2.02%) compared to 29 out of 297 NHWs (9.76%). Adjusting for disease duration, primary sclerosing cholangitis, family history of colon cancer, and smoking, Hispanics had a lower prevalence of IBD-dys compared to NHW [ORadjusted = 0.207 (95% CI 0.046–0.938), P = 0.008].

Conclusions

Hispanics with IBD undergoing surveillance had a lower prevalence of IBD-dys than their NHW counterparts, despite similar risk factors. Future studies should examine dietary and microbial factors that may explain differences in risk.
Methodology and Initial Results From a Real-World Observational Cohort of Patients With Inflammatory Bowel Disease: TARGET-IBD
Authors: Click Benjamin , Barnes Edward L , Cohen Benjamin L , Sands Bruce E , Hanson John S , Regueiro Miguel , Rubin David T , Dubinsky Marla C , Gazis Derek R , Dalfonso Laura , Hildebrand Janet S , Crawford Julie M , Long Millie D
Published: March 2021

Background

Data on care patterns for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) from large-scale, diverse clinical cohorts in real-world practice are sparse. We developed a real-world cohort of patients receiving care at academic and community sites, for comparative study of therapies and natural history of IBD.

Methods

We describe novel methodology of central abstraction of clinical data into a real-world IBD registry with patient reported outcomes (PROs). Baseline demographics, clinical characteristics, healthcare utilization, and disease metrics were assessed. Bivariate statistics were used to compare demographic and clinical data by Crohn disease (CD) or ulcerative colitis (UC) and site of care (academic, community).

Results

In 1 year, 1343 IBD patients (60.1% CD, 38.9% UC) were recruited from 27 academic (49.5%) and community (50.5%) sites, exceeding expectations (110% enrolled). Most participants also consented to provide PROs (59.5%) or biosamples (85.7%). Overall, 48.7% of the cohort provided a baseline PRO, and 62.6% provided a biosample. Compared to UC, CD subjects had higher prior (34.1% CD vs 7.7% UC; P < 0.001) and current (72.1% vs 47.9%; P < 0.001) biologic utilization. CD participants from academic sites had more complicated disease than those from community sites (62.5% vs 46.8% stricturing/penetrating; 33.5% vs 27% perianal; 36.8% vs 14.5% prior biologic, respectively). Nearly all (90.4%) participants had endoscopic data of whom 37.7% were in remission. One-year retention was 98.4%.

Conclusions

Centralized data abstraction and electronic PRO capture provided efficient recruitment into a large real-world observational cohort. This novel platform provides a resource for clinical outcomes and comparative effectiveness research in IBD.
Antibiotic prescribing for respiratory tract infection: exploring drivers of cognitive effort and factors associated with inappropriate prescribing
Authors: McCleary Nicola , Francis Jill J , Campbell Marion K , Ramsay Craig R , Burton Christopher D , Allan Julia L
Published: March 2021

Background

Antibiotics are over-prescribed for upper respiratory tract infection (URTI). It is unclear how factors known to influence prescribing decisions operate ‘in the moment’: dual process theories, which propose two systems of thought (‘automatic’ and ‘analytical’), may inform this.

Objective(s)

Investigate cognitive processes underlying antibiotic prescribing for URTI and the factors associated with inappropriate prescribing.

Methods

We conducted a mixed methods study. Primary care physicians in Scotland (n = 158) made prescribing decisions for patient scenarios describing sore throat or otitis media delivered online. Decision difficulty and decision time were recorded. Decisions were categorized as appropriate or inappropriate based on clinical guidelines. Regression analyses explored relationships between scenario and physician characteristics and decision difficulty, time and appropriateness. A subgroup (n = 5) verbalized their thoughts (think aloud) whilst making decisions for a subset of scenarios. Interviews were analysed inductively.

Results

Illness duration of 4+ days was associated with greater difficulty. Inappropriate prescribing was associated with clinical factors suggesting viral cause and with patient preference against antibiotics. In interviews, physicians made appropriate decisions quickly for easier cases, with little deliberation, reflecting automatic-type processes. For more difficult cases, physicians deliberated over information in some instances, but not in others, with inappropriate prescribing occurring in both instances. Some interpretations of illness duration and unilateral ear examination findings (for otitis media) were associated with inappropriate prescribing.

Conclusion

Both automatic and analytical processes may lead to inappropriate prescribing. Interventions to support appropriate prescribing may benefit from targeting interpretation of illness duration and otitis media ear exam findings and facilitating appropriate use of both modes of thinking.
Understanding Attrition and Bolstering Retention in a Longitudinal Panel of Older Adults: ORANJ BOWL
Authors: Heid Allison R , Cartwright Francine P , Wilson-Genderson Maureen , Pruchno Rachel
Published: March 2021

Background and Objectives

Attrition from longitudinal studies can affect the generalizability of findings especially when studying developmental constructs such as successful aging.

Research Design and Methods

Using data from a 12-year (6-wave) panel of 5,688 older people (aged 50–74 at baseline), we compared people retained in the panel with people lost to follow-up on demographic characteristics and measures of successful aging. After instituting expanded retention strategies at Wave 6 (i.e., a team-based approach, social media, and paid web search engines), we compared different groups of people lost to follow-up (i.e., deceased and withdrawn due to lack of interest) and different types of completers (i.e., full completers vs. lost and reengaged completers).

Results

At baseline, Wave 6 completers were significantly younger, less likely to be African American, more likely to be married, reported higher levels of income and education, were more likely to be working full-time, had less pain and fewer chronic illnesses, and reported higher levels of subjective successful aging and functional ability than those lost to follow-up. Analyses demonstrated differences across groups based on the reason for loss (i.e., deceased, impaired, and not interested). Participants who missed an interview but returned to the panel were significantly different from those who participated in all waves of data collection. Expanded retention efforts improved generalizability, as people returning to the panel reported lower levels of education, lower levels of income, and were more likely to be African American.

Discussion and Implications

Biased attrition within longitudinal research affects the interpretation of study findings, especially when studying developmental outcomes. However, expanded retention strategies can reduce bias and loss and should be used to enhance retention efforts in longitudinal work.
Navigating the Uncertainties of COVID-19–Associated Aspergillosis: A Comparison With Influenza-Associated Aspergillosis
Authors: Lamoth Frederic , Lewis Russell E , Walsh Thomas J , Kontoyiannis Dimitrios P
Published: March 2021

Invasive pulmonary aspergillosis (IPA) is increasingly recognized as a life-threatening superinfection of severe respiratory viral infections, such as influenza. The pandemic of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) due to emerging SARS-CoV-2 rose concern about the eventuality of IPA complicating COVID-19 in intensive care unit patients. A variable incidence of such complication has been reported, which can be partly attributed to differences in diagnostic strategy and IPA definitions, and possibly local environmental/epidemiological factors. In this article, we discuss the similarities and differences between influenza-associated pulmonary aspergillosis (IAPA) and COVID-19-associated pulmonary aspergillosis (CAPA). Compared to IAPA, the majority of CAPA cases have been classified as putative rather than proven/probable IPA. Distinct physiopathology of influenza and COVID-19 may explain these discrepancies. Whether CAPA represents a distinct entity is still debatable and many questions remain unanswered, such as its actual incidence, the predisposing role of corticosteroids or immunomodulatory drugs, and the indications for antifungal therapy.
Membraneless organelles restructured and built by pandemic viruses: HIV-1 and SARS-CoV-2
Authors: Scoca Viviana , Di Nunzio Francesca
Published: March 2021

Viruses hijack host functions to invade their target cells and spread to new cells. Specifically, viruses learned to usurp liquid‒liquid phase separation (LLPS), a newly exploited mechanism, used by the cell to concentrate enzymes to accelerate and confine a wide variety of cellular processes. LLPS gives rise to actual membraneless organelles (MLOs), which do not only increase reaction rates but also act as a filter to select molecules to be retained or to be excluded from the liquid droplet. This is exactly what seems to happen with the condensation of SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid protein to favor the packaging of intact viral genomes, excluding viral subgenomic or host cellular RNAs. Another older pandemic virus, HIV-1, also takes advantage of LLPS in the host cell during the viral cycle. Recent discoveries highlighted that HIV-1 RNA genome condensates in nuclear MLOs accompanied by specific host and viral proteins, breaking the dogma of retroviruses that limited viral synthesis exclusively to the cytoplasmic compartment. Intriguing fundamental properties of viral/host LLPS remain still unclear. Future studies will contribute to deeply understanding the role of pathogen-induced MLOs in the epidemic invasion of pandemic viruses.
Individual growth, competitive ability and stand-level biomass production of invasive Sorghum halepense populations on Hainan island, China
Authors: Wang Weiqian , Wang Ya , Li Xiaoxia , Liu Yan , Huang Qiaoqiao
Published: March 2021

Aims

Sorghum halepense is a perennial invasive weed causing great harm worldwide, including some regions on Hainan island. In this study, we compared the performance between plants from outbreaking (dense stands covering large areas) and those from non-outbreaking (less dense stands covering smaller areas) populations. We also tested the hypothesis that plants with greater intraspecific competitive ability will have a lower stand biomass when grown under high-density conditions.

Methods

We grew plants of S. halepense individually, with an intraspecific competitor, with two interspecific competitors and with three or six plants from the same population per pot, and tested whether outbreaking and non-outbreaking populations differed in their performance. We also tested whether stand biomass (i.e. total biomass when three or six plants were grown together) was related to total biomass of individuals grown alone, and intra- or interspecific competitive ability.

Important Findings

Outbreaking and non-outbreaking populations of S. halepense differed in their biomass when individuals were grown alone, but not when grown in competition or when three or six plants from the same population were grown together. Across populations, biomass of individuals grown alone was negatively correlated with intra- and interspecific competitive ability, indicating that there is a trade-off between individual growth and competitive ability. Stand-level biomass was not related to total biomass of individuals grown alone, and intra- or interspecific competitive ability, indicating that low biomass when grown alone and high competitive ability may not reduce the performance of S. halepense when grown in dense monocultural stands.
Prospects and status of the dosimetry system for atomic bomb survivor cohort study conducted at Research Institute for Radiation Biology and Medicine of Hiroshima University
Authors: Hirota Seiko , Yasuda Hiroshi , Kawakami Hideshi , Yoshinaga Shinji
Published: March 2021

The Research Institute for Radiation Biology and Medicine (RIRBM) of Hiroshima University has been conducting a cohort study of atomic bomb survivors (ABS). Cohort members include those who were issued an Atomic Bomb Health Handbook from the Hiroshima local government. A series of dosimetry systems for the ABS were developed at RIRBM to evaluate the health effects associated with radiation exposure. The framework used to estimate individual doses in our dosimetry systems for ABS is mainly based on the Dosimetry System 86, and its revisions developed by the Radiation Effect Research Foundation. This article describes the design and computational principles for the dosimetry systems in RIRBM and the history of the revisions, from the first version of the system, ABS93D, to the most recent version, ABS16D. We then provide a perspective for further improvement and application of the dosimetry system.
A case of metastatic malignant granular cell tumour of the scalp
Authors: Williams Geoffrey , Neblett Carlos , Warren Shereika , Blake Garfield
Published: March 2021

Granular cell tumours of the scalp are rare. Malignant transformation of these tumours is even more uncommon, making the diagnosis exceedingly difficult. The recommended treatment of surgical excision with negative margins is not easily achieved in this location, given the anatomy of the scalp.
Landscape design approaches to enhance human–wildlife interactions in a compact tropical city
Authors: Hwang Yun Hye , Jain Anuj
Published: March 2021

Urban landscapes have the potential to conserve wildlife. Despite increasing recognition of this potential, there are few collaborative efforts to integrate ecology and conservation principles into context-dependent, spatial and actionable design strategies. To address this issue and to encourage multi-disciplinary research on urban human–wildlife interactions, we ask the following questions. To what extent should design and planning actions be aligned with urban ecology in the context of a compact city? How can wildlife conservation meet the seemingly conflictual demands of urban development and public preference? To answer these questions, we refer to the relevant literature and a number of design projects. Using the compact tropical city of Singapore as a case study, we propose 12 design strategies. We encourage designers and planners to strengthen the links between wildlife and urban dwellers and promote wildlife conservation within cities.
Afterword—The Racialized Past is Racist Prologue: The Relevance and Resonance of Historical Novels in the Age of Trump
Authors: Schlund-Vials Cathy J
Published: March 2021

Situated adjacent to the essentializing logics and combative rhetorics that have largely defined the Trump administration's “war” on history, specifically regarding initiatives such as the “White House Conference on American History” and the “1776 Commission,” this afterword considers the distinctive significance and ongoing consequence of ethnic American literary engagements with a frequently debated and still unreconciled US past. To illustrate both the relevance and resonance of such literary productions, the afterword accesses Jackson Bliss's short story “Secret Codes & Oppressive Histories” (which is featured in the special issue) and briefly considers William Shakespeare's The Tempest, the source text for the oft-utilized notion that the past functions as prologue. By way of conclusion, the afterword turns to cultural critic Lisa Lowe's evocative articulation of “reckoning” as a productive and liberatory means of “revisit[ing] times of historical contingency and possibility to consider alternatives that may have been unthought in those times.”
Piggybacking on Niche Adaptation Improves the Maintenance of Multidrug-Resistance Plasmids
Authors: Kloos Julia , Gama João A , Hegstad Joachim , Samuelsen Ørjan , Johnsen Pål J
Published: March 2021

The persistence of plasmids in bacterial populations represents a puzzling evolutionary problem with serious clinical implications due to their role in the ongoing antibiotic resistance crisis. Recently, major advancements have been made toward resolving this “plasmid paradox” but mainly in a nonclinical context. Here, we propose an additional explanation for the maintenance of multidrug-resistance plasmids in clinical Escherichia coli strains. After coevolving two multidrug-resistance plasmids encoding resistance to last resort carbapenems with an extraintestinal pathogenic E. coli strain, we observed that chromosomal media adaptive mutations in the global regulatory systems CCR (carbon catabolite repression) and ArcAB (aerobic respiration control) pleiotropically improved the maintenance of both plasmids. Mechanistically, a net downregulation of plasmid gene expression reduced the fitness cost. Our results suggest that global chromosomal transcriptional rewiring during bacterial niche adaptation may facilitate plasmid maintenance.
Outcome comparison of patients who develop leptomeningeal disease or distant brain recurrence after brain metastases resection cavity radiosurgery
Authors: Teyateeti Achiraya , Brown Paul D , Mahajan Anita , Laack Nadia N , Pollock Bruce E
Published: March 2021

Background

To compare the outcomes between patients with leptomeningeal disease (LMD) and distant brain recurrence (DBR) after stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) brain metastases (BM) resection cavity.

Methods

Twenty-nine patients having single-fraction SRS after BM resection who developed either LMD (n = 11) or DBR (n = 18) as their initial and only site of intracranial progression were retrospectively reviewed.

Results

Patients developing LMD more commonly had a metachronous presentation (91% vs 50%, P = .04) and recursive partitioning class 1 status (45% vs 6%, P = .02). There was no difference in the median time from SRS to the development of LMD or DBR (5.0 vs 3.8 months, P = .68). The majority of patients with LMD (10/11, 91%) developed the nodular variant (nLMD). Treatment for LMD was repeat SRS (n = 4), whole-brain radiation therapy (WBRT; n = 5), resection + WBRT (n = 1), and no treatment (n = 1). Treatment for DBR was repeat SRS (n = 9), WBRT (n = 3), resection + resection cavity SRS (n = 1), and no treatment (n = 5). Median overall survival (OS) from time of resection cavity SRS was 15.7 months in the LMD group and 12.7 months in the DBR group (P = .60), respectively. Median OS in salvage SRS and salvage WBRT were 25.4 and 5.0 months in the nLMD group (P = .004) while 18.7 and 16.2 months in the DBR group (P = .30), respectively.

Conclusions

Following BM resection cavity SRS, nLMD recurrence is much more frequent than classical LMD. Salvage SRS may be considered for selected patients with nLMD, reserving salvage WBRT for patients with extensive intracranial disease without compromising survival. Further study with larger numbers of patients is needed.
Adhesion G protein-coupled receptors in glioblastoma
Authors: Stephan Gabriele , Ravn-Boess Niklas , Placantonakis Dimitris G
Published: March 2021

Background

Members of the adhesion family of G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) have received attention for their roles in health and disease, including cancer. Over the past decade, several members of the family have been implicated in the pathogenesis of glioblastoma.

Methods

Here, we discuss the basic biology of adhesion GPCRs and review in detail specific members of the receptor family with known functions in glioblastoma. Finally, we discuss the potential use of adhesion GPCRs as novel treatment targets in neuro-oncology.
Role of microbiota-gut-brain axis dysfunctions induced by infections in the onset of anorexia nervosa
Authors: Galmiche Marie , Achamrah Najate , Déchelotte Pierre , Ribet David , Breton Jonathan
Published: March 2021

Anorexia nervosa (AN) is an eating disorder characterized by low food intake, severe body weight loss, intense fear of gaining weight, and dysmorphophobia. This chronic disease is associated with both psychiatric and somatic comorbidities. Over the years, clinical studies have accumulated evidence that viral or bacterial infections may promote the onset of eating disorders such as AN. This review aims to describe how infections and the subsequent immune responses affect food intake regulation in the short term and also how these processes may lead to long-term intestinal disorders, including gut barrier disruption and gut microbiota dysbiosis, even after the clearance of the pathogens. We discuss in particular how infection-mediated intestinal dysbiosis may promote the onset of several AN symptoms and comorbidities, including appetite dysregulation, functional gastrointestinal disorders, and mood disorders.
Leo Tolstoy
Authors: Medzhibovskaya Inessa
Published: March 2021

Count Leo Tolstoy (Lev Nikolaevich Tolstoy) is one of the greatest writers of all time. Born in Yasnaya Polyana on 9 September 1828 (28 August, Old Style) to Count Tolstoy and Princess Volkonsky, he lived a long, eventful life and became the father of a large family. War and Peace, Anna Karenina, The Cossacks, The Death of Ivan Ilyich, The Kreutzer Sonata, and many other famous texts garnered Tolstoy the admiration of readers well beyond Russia. From as early as the 1880s, the home estate of the author became a beacon for the entire world, as the prophetic force of Tolstoy’s personality compelled him to stand up for justice and promote nonviolence, social and economic equality, and a new type of art. In works of radical nonfiction like A Confession; The Kingdom of God Is Within You, “The Law of Violence and the Law of Love,” and What Is Art? Tolstoy solidified his reputation as much more than a towering literary figure. The tsarist government banned most of these nonliterary writings, heavily censored his artistic works, and arrested or exiled his followers. In 1901, the Russian Orthodox Church issued a determination to excommunicate Tolstoy for his seditious views. Tolstoy was an immediate top nominee for the Nobel Prize in Literature—and later, for the Nobel Peace Prize—yet he outright rejected repeated approaches by members of the prize committee, informing them that the very idea of monetary compensation was unacceptable to him, especially since the tainted lucre from dynamite was the source of the funding. At the age of eighty-two, plagued by disputes in his family and among his disciples about his intention to grant free copyright to the entire corpus of his written works, he resolved to leave home, and he died on 20 November 1910 (7 November, Old Style) during his escape. Hundreds of thousands of works in many languages have been written about Tolstoy over the last 165 years, the first 383-page-long bibliography of literature on him having appeared seven years before his death. For too long, Tolstoy scholars tended to downplay the importance of the author’s thought (his “nonartistic” side) and deny that anything was to be gained in studying his sociopolitical, religious, and philosophical views comprehensively. However, this trend in criticism has steadily declined since the beginning of the new millennium. Today, approaches to the study of Tolstoy go beyond literary studies. He is considered a thinker as much as a writer—the two are inseparable in his work—and Tolstoy has left a strong intellectual imprint on world culture. Eleven decades after his death, his ideas are seen as no less than a measure of the state of the world, not just of its state of culture or of the quality of its civilization, but also of its most vital signs.
Nirañjanī Sampradāy
Authors: Williams Tyler
Published: March 2021

Believed to have been founded by the saint-poet Svāmī Haridās (d. 1601?) in the late 16th or early 17th century, the Nirañjanī Sampradāy is one of the bhakti communities associated with the so-called nirguṇ sant movement that began in northern India sometime in the 15th century. The Sampradāy, which consists of both monastic initiates and lay followers, flourished during the 17th and 18th centuries in what is now Rajasthan, during which time it also established monastic outposts at locations as distant as Aurangabad and the Narmada River valley. Nirañjanī hagiographical traditions acknowledge the community’s early connections with the Nāth Sampradāya and with the Dādū Panth, another nirguṇ sant tradition that arose at roughly the same time as the Nirañjanī Sampradāy. These close connections are also reflected in the literature, theology, and practices of the sect, which combine Vaishnava bhakti with aspects of yoga as well as elements adapted from Sufi traditions. After the passing of Haridās, the monastic order expanded quickly in a decentralized fashion, with several of Haridās’s direct disciples founding monastic centers and lineages in different parts of Rajasthan (and eventually in Hyderabad as well). Among the later monastic disciples were several prominent saint-poets, including Santadās, Turasīdās, Manoharadās, Bhagavānadās, Dhyānadās, and Harirāmadās. Importantly, the Nirañjanīs also give prominence to Pannājī, an 18th-century female saint, and recognize several other female saints as being part of the tradition. Although the Nirañjanīs themselves were prolific writers, very little material by or about the Nirañjanīs is available in published form. This article lists the few original works of scholarship that have been produced on the Sampradāy in Hindi and in English along with any relevant primary sources that have been published.