bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
One-part alkali activated slag using Ca(OH)2 and Na2CO3 instead of NaOH as activator: more excellent compressive strength and microstructure
Authors: Zhou Shiming , Tan Chunqin , Gao Yuan , Li Yang , Guo Shenglai
Published: July 2021

In this paper, sodium carbonate and calcium hydroxide instead of sodium hydroxide used as composite activators, and slag are applied to prepare one-part alkali-activated slag. Furthermore, the properties of the slag activated by sodium hydroxide are compared. The compressive strength, XRD, TGA, MIP, and SEM analysis of the two systems are performed. The results show that the one-part alkali-activated slag prepared from sodium carbonate and calcium hydroxide has a superior compressive strength against the slag activated by sodium hydroxide. It is also found that the hydration speed of the sodium hydroxide activated slag is faster, and thus the higher compressive strength of the one-part alkali-activated slag is not caused by the hydration speed. The hydration of one-part alkali-activated slag produces a certain amount of calcium carbonate, resulting in a lower porosity in comparison with the slag activated by sodium hydroxide, which may be the reason for the better compressive strength of one-part alkali-activated slag.
Dispersion-engineered χ(2) nanophotonics: a flexible tool for nonclassical light
Authors: Jankowski Marc , Mishra Jatadhari , Fejer M M
Published: July 2021

This article reviews recent progress in quasi-phasematchedχ(2)nonlinear nanophotonics, with a particular focus on dispersion-engineered nonlinear interactions. Throughout this article, we establish design rules for the bandwidth and interaction lengths of various nonlinear processes, and provide examples for how these processes can be engineered in nanophotonic devices. In particular, we apply these rules towards the design of sources of non-classical light and show that dispersion-engineered devices can outperform their conventional counterparts. Examples include ultra-broadband optical parametric amplification as a resource for measurement-based quantum computation, dispersion-engineered spontaneous parametric downconversion as a source of separable biphotons, and synchronously pumped nonlinear resonators as a potential route towards single-photon nonlinearities.
On the Lichnerowicz operator in traversable wormhole spacetimes
Authors: Garattini Remo , Nicolini Piero
Published: July 2021

The evaluation of Casimir energies in curved background spacetimes is an essential ingredient to study the stability of traversable wormholes. In practice one has to calculate the contribution of the transverse-traceless component of the metric perturbation on a curved spacetime background. This implies the study of an eigenvalue equation involving a modified form of the Lichnerowicz operator. For arbitrary background spacetimes, however, such an operator does not display transverse-traceless properties, a fact that impedes the determination of the eigenvalues. Against this background, we show that the problem can be circumvented. Casimir energies can be calculated by gauging the original form of the modified Lichnerowicz operator into a transverse-traceless one.
Maternal vs Fetal Origin of Placental Intervillous Thrombi
Authors: Sukhanova Madina , Mithal Leena B , Otero Sebastian , Azad Hooman A , Miller Emily S , Jennings Lawrence J , Shanes Elisheva D , Goldstein Jeffery A
Published: July 2021

Objectives

To determine maternal vs fetal origin for blood in placental intervillous thrombi (IVTs).

Methods

We used comparative analysis of microsatellites (short tandem repeats [STRs]), sex chromosome fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH), and immunohistochemistry (IHC) for fetal (ɑ-fetoprotein [AFP]) and maternal (immunoglobulin M [IgM]) serum proteins to distinguish the origin of IVTs. Using an informatics approach, we tested the association between IVTs and fetomaternal hemorrhage (FMH).

Results

In 9 of 10 cases, the preponderance of evidence showed that the thrombus was mostly or entirely maternal in origin. In 1 case, the thrombus was of mixed origins. STR testing was prone to contamination by entrapped fetal villi. FISH was useful but limited only to cases with male fetuses. IgM showed stronger staining than AFP in 9 cases, supporting maternal origin. By informatics, we found no association between IVTs and FMH.

Conclusions

Evidence supports a maternal origin for blood in IVTs. IHC for IgM and AFP may be clinically useful in determining maternal vs fetal contribution to IVTs.
Infection outcome needs two to tango: human host and the pathogen
Authors: Maurya Ranjeet , Kanakan Akshay , Vasudevan Janani Srinivasa , Chattopadhyay Partha , Pandey Rajesh
Published: July 2021

Infectious diseases are potential drivers for human evolution, through a complex, continuous and dynamic interaction between the host and the pathogen/s. It is this dynamic interaction that contributes toward the clinical outcome of a pathogenic disease. These are modulated by contributions from the human genetic variants, transcriptional response (including noncoding RNA) and the pathogen’s genome architecture. Modern genomic tools and techniques have been crucial for the detection and genomic characterization of pathogens with respect to the emerging infectious diseases. Aided by next-generation sequencing (NGS), risk stratification of host population/s allows for the identification of susceptible subgroups and better disease management. Nevertheless, many challenges to a general understanding of host–pathogen interactions remain. In this review, we elucidate how a better understanding of the human host-pathogen interplay can substantially enhance, and in turn benefit from, current and future applications of multi-omics based approaches in infectious and rare diseases. This includes the RNA-level response, which modulates the disease severity and outcome. The need to understand the role of human genetic variants in disease severity and clinical outcome has been further highlighted during the Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. This would enhance and contribute toward our future pandemic preparedness.
Single-cell Hi-C data analysis: safety in numbers
Authors: Galitsyna Aleksandra A , Gelfand Mikhail S
Published: July 2021

Over the past decade, genome-wide assays for chromatin interactions in single cells have enabled the study of individual nuclei at unprecedented resolution and throughput. Current chromosome conformation capture techniques survey contacts for up to tens of thousands of individual cells, improving our understanding of genome function in 3D. However, these methods recover a small fraction of all contacts in single cells, requiring specialised processing of sparse interactome data. In this review, we highlight recent advances in methods for the interpretation of single-cell genomic contacts. After discussing the strengths and limitations of these methods, we outline frontiers for future development in this rapidly moving field.
Mol2Context-vec: learning molecular representation from context awareness for drug discovery
Authors: Lv Qiujie , Chen Guanxing , Zhao Lu , Zhong Weihe , Yu-Chian Chen Calvin
Published: July 2021

With the rapid development of proteomics and the rapid increase of target molecules for drug action, computer-aided drug design (CADD) has become a basic task in drug discovery. One of the key challenges in CADD is molecular representation. High-quality molecular expression with chemical intuition helps to promote many boundary problems of drug discovery. At present, molecular representation still faces several urgent problems, such as the polysemy of substructures and unsmooth information flow between atomic groups. In this research, we propose a deep contextualized Bi-LSTM architecture, Mol2Context-vec, which can integrate different levels of internal states to bring dynamic representations of molecular substructures. And the obtained molecular context representation can capture the interactions between any atomic groups, especially a pair of atomic groups that are topologically distant. Experiments show that Mol2Context-vec achieves state-of-the-art performance on multiple benchmark datasets. In addition, the visual interpretation of Mol2Context-vec is very close to the structural properties of chemical molecules as understood by humans. These advantages indicate that Mol2Context-vec can be used as a reliable and effective tool for molecular expression. Availability: The source code is available for download in https://github.com/lol88/Mol2Context-vec.
Astrocyte–neuron interplay is critical for Alzheimer's disease pathogenesis and is rescued by TRPA1 channel blockade
Authors: Paumier Adrien , Boisseau Sylvie , Jacquier-Sarlin Muriel , Pernet-Gallay Karin , Buisson Alain , Albrieux Mireille
Published: July 2021

The sequence of cellular dysfunctions in preclinical Alzheimer’s disease must be understood if we are to plot new therapeutic routes. Hippocampal neuronal hyperactivity is one of the earliest events occurring during the preclinical stages of Alzheimer’s disease in both humans and mouse models. The most common hypothesis describes amyloid-β accumulation as the triggering factor of the disease but the effects of this accumulation and the cascade of events leading to cognitive decline remain unclear. In mice, we previously showed that amyloid-β-dependent TRPA1 channel activation triggers hippocampal astrocyte hyperactivity, subsequently inducing hyperactivity in nearby neurons. In this work, we investigated the potential protection against Alzheimer's disease progression provided by early chronic pharmacological inhibition of the TRPA1 channel.

A specific inhibitor of TRPA1 channel (HC030031) was administered intraperitoneally from the onset of amyloid-β overproduction in the APP/PS1-21 mouse model of Alzheimer’s disease. Short-, medium- and long-term effects of this chronic pharmacological TRPA1 blockade were characterized on Alzheimer’s disease progression at functional (astrocytic and neuronal activity), structural, biochemical and behavioural levels.

Our results revealed that the first observable disruptions in the Alzheimer’s disease transgenic mouse model used correspond to aberrant hippocampal astrocyte and neuron hyperactivity. We showed that chronic TRPA1 blockade normalizes astrocytic activity, avoids perisynaptic astrocytic process withdrawal, prevents neuronal dysfunction and preserves structural synaptic integrity. These protective effects preserved spatial working memory in this Alzheimer’s disease mouse model.

The toxic effect of amyloid-β on astrocytes triggered by TRPA1 channel activation is pivotal to Alzheimer’s disease progression. TRPA1 blockade prevents irreversible neuronal dysfunction, making this channel a potential therapeutic target to promote neuroprotection.
Somatotopic Specificity of Perceptual and Neurophysiological Changes Associated with Visuo-proprioceptive Realignment
Authors: Mirdamadi Jasmine L , Seigel Courtney R , Husch Stephen D , Block Hannah J
Published: July 2021

When visual and proprioceptive estimates of hand position disagree (e.g., viewing the hand underwater), the brain realigns them to reduce mismatch. This perceptual change is reflected in primary motor cortex (M1) excitability, suggesting potential relevance for hand movement. Here, we asked whether fingertip visuo-proprioceptive misalignment affects only the brain’s representation of that finger (somatotopically focal), or extends to other parts of the limb that would be needed to move the misaligned finger (somatotopically broad). In Experiments 1 and 2, before and after misaligned or veridical visuo-proprioceptive training at the index finger, we used transcranial magnetic stimulation to assess M1 representation of five hand and arm muscles. The index finger representation showed an association between M1 excitability and visuo-proprioceptive realignment, as did the pinkie finger representation to a lesser extent. Forearm flexors, forearm extensors, and biceps did not show any such relationship. In Experiment 3, participants indicated their proprioceptive estimate of the fingertip, knuckle, wrist, and elbow, before and after misalignment at the fingertip. Proprioceptive realignment at the knuckle, but not the wrist or elbow, was correlated with realignment at the fingertip. These results suggest the effects of visuo-proprioceptive mismatch are somatotopically focal in both sensory and motor domains.
Vikela Ekhaya: A Novel, Community-based, Tuberculosis Contact Management Program in a High Burden Setting
Authors: Kay Alexander W , Sandoval Micaela , Mtetwa Godwin , Mkhabela Musa , Ndlovu Banele , Devezin Tara , Sikhondze Welile , Vambe Debrah , Sibanda Joyce , Dube Gloria S , Stevens Robert H , Lukhele Bhekumusa , Mandalakas Anna M
Published: July 2021

Background

The prevention of tuberculosis (TB) in child contacts of TB cases and people living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is a public health priority, but global access to TB preventive therapy (TPT) remains low. In 2019, we implemented Vikela Ekhaya, a novel community-based TB contact management program in Eswatini designed to reduce barriers to accessing TPT.

Methods

Vikela Ekhaya offered differentiated TB and HIV testing for household contacts of TB cases by using mobile contact management teams to screen contacts, assess their TPT eligibility, and initiate and monitor TPT adherence in participants’ homes.

Results

In total, 945 contacts from 244 households were screened for TB symptoms; 72 (8%) contacts reported TB symptoms, and 5 contacts (0.5%) were diagnosed with prevalent TB. A total of 322 of 330 (98%) eligible asymptomatic household contacts initiated TPT. Of 322 contacts initiating TPT, 248 children initiated 3 months of isoniazid and rifampicin and 74 children and adults living with HIV initiated 6 months of isoniazid; 298 (93%) completed TPT. In clustered logistic regression analyses, unknown HIV status (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 5.7, P = .023), positive HIV status (aOR 21.1, P = .001), urban setting (aOR 5.6, P = .006), and low income (aOR 5.9, P = .001) predicted loss from the cascade of care among TPT-eligible contacts.

Conclusion

Vikela Ekhaya demonstrated that community-based TB household contact management is a feasible, acceptable, and successful strategy for TB screening and TPT delivery. The results of this study support the development of novel, differentiated, community-based interventions for TB prevention and control.
A Collaborative Learning-Based Algorithm for Task Offloading in UAV-Aided Wireless Sensor Networks
Authors: Al-Share Rama , Shurman Mohammad , Alma’aitah Abdallah
Published: July 2021

Recently, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) have emerged to enhance data processing, network monitoring, disaster management and other useful applications in many different networks. Due to their flexibility, cost efficiency and powerful capabilities, combining these UAVs with the existing wireless sensor networks (WSNs) could improve network performance and enhance the network lifetime in such networks. In this research, we propose a task offloading mechanism in UAV-aided WSN by implementing a utility-based learning collaborative algorithm that will enhance the service satisfaction rate, taking into account the delay requirements of the submitted tasks. The proposed learning algorithm predicts the queuing delays of all UAVs instead of having a global overview of the system, which reduces the communication overhead in the network. The simulation results showed the effectiveness of our proposed work in terms of service satisfaction ratio compared with the non-collaborative algorithm that only processes the task locally in the WSN cluster.
Restoration, conservation and phytoplankton hysteresis
Authors: Berthold Maximilian , Campbell Douglas A
Published: July 2021

Phytoplankton growth depends not only upon external factors that are not strongly altered by the presence of phytoplankton, such as temperature, but also upon factors that are strongly influenced by activity of phytoplankton, including photosynthetically active radiation, and the availability of the macronutrients carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus and, for some, silicate. Since phytoplankton therefore modify, and to an extent create, their own habitats, established phytoplankton communities can show resistance and resilience to change, including managed changes in nutrient regimes. Phytoplankton blooms and community structures can be predicted from the overall biogeochemical setting and inputs, but restorations may be influenced by the physiological responses of established phytoplankton taxa to nutrient inputs, temperature, second-order changes in illumination and nutrient recycling. In this review we discuss the contributions of phytoplankton ecophysiology to biogeochemical hysteresis and possible effects on community composition in the face of management, conservation or remediation plans.
A Review on Papaya Mealybug Identification and Management Through Plant Essential Oils
Authors: Mwanauta Regina W , Ndakidemi Patrick A , Venkataramana Pavithravani
Published: July 2021

Papaya (Carica papaya L.) production suffers from a multitude of abiotic and biotic constraints, among those are insect pests, diseases, and environmental conditions. One of the seriously damaging pests of papaya is invasive papaya mealybug, Paracoccus marginatus, which can inflict heavy yield loss if not contained. Little information on papaya mealybug species has been documented due to challenges in identification approaches to species level. The current approach is based on the morphological features which are restricted to the mealybug life cycle leading to unclear identification. In Sub-Saharan Africa, where a wide diversity of mealybug species exists, it is essential to have a correct identification of these insect species due to the specificity of control measures. Molecular identification could be the best way to identify the mealybug at the species level. Presently, farmers rely heavily on chemical pesticides as their only available option for papaya mealybug control. The overuse of pesticides due to insect waxy covering has led to the development of pesticide resistance and the negative impact on the local ecosystem. Alternatively, the use of plant essential oils (EOs) with adjuvant is suggested as the safe solution to papaya mealybug control as they contain a rich source of natural chemicals that dissolve the insect wax layer, causing the cell membrane to rupture eventually leading to death. This review provides current research knowledge about the papaya mealybug identification approaches and plant EOs from Sweet orange, garlic, castor, and adjuvant (isopropyl alcohol, and paraffin) as sustainable papaya mealybug management.
Microbial retention and resistances in stormwater quality improvement devices treating road runoff
Authors: Liguori Renato , Rommel Steffen H , Bengtsson-Palme Johan , Helmreich Brigitte , Wurzbacher Christian
Published: July 2021

Current knowledge about the microbial communities that occur in urban road runoff is scarce. Road runoff of trafficked roads can be heavily polluted and is treated by stormwater quality improvement devices (SQIDs). However, microbes may influence the treatment process of these devices or could lead to stress resistant opportunistic microbial strains. In this study, the microbial community in the influent, effluent and the filter materials used to remove dissolved heavy metals from two different SQIDs were analyzed to determine microbial load, retention, composition, and mobile resistance genes. Although the microbes were replaced by new taxa in the effluent, there was no major retention of microbial genera. Further, the bacterial abundance of the SQIDs effluent was relatively stable over time. The heavy metal content correlated with intl1 and with microbial genera. The filter media itself was enriched with Intl1 gene cassettes, carrying several heavy metal and multidrug resistance genes (e.g. czrA, czcA, silP, mexW and mexI), indicating that this is a hot spot for horizontal gene transfer. Overall, the results shed light on road runoff microbial communities, and pointed to distinct bacterial communities within the SQIDs, which subsequently influence the microbial community and the genes released with the treated water.
Early performance of eight broadleaved species grown as short rotation forest in England
Authors: Mc Kay H M , Harrison A J , Connolly T , Forster J , Gregory S , Smith E , Clark J
Published: July 2021

The overall aim of the experiment was to compare the performance of a range of broadleaved species for their biomass production when grown for short rotations on ex-agricultural sites in England. The objectives were to compare over 7 years on four sites the survival, growth and biomass production of eight promising broadleaved species in relation to one another and two conifer species used as controls. Sites were planted in 2010/2011, and by winter 2016/2017 across all species and sites, the mean height, basal diameter (BD) and diameter at 1.3 m (DBH) were 444, 6.4 and 3.7 cm, respectively, despite considerable weed competition on these ex-agricultural sites. There were statistically significant main effects of species and site on all three measures and also significant interactions between sites and species. Totnes, the site with the highest mean annual temperature and the greatest rainfall, had the most uniform growth of the 10 species. At the three more variable sites, there was a general pattern of red alder (Alnus rubra Bong.) with the greatest growth, followed by a group of Italian alder (Alnus cordata (Loisel.) Duby), hybrid aspen (Populus tremula L. x tremuloides Michx.) and common alder (Alnus glutinosa (L.) Gaertner), then silver birch (Betula pendula Roth) with moderate growth. Sycamore (Acer pseudoplatanus L.), sweet chestnut (Castanea sativa Miller) and ash (Fraxinus excelsior L.), which had been infected with ash dieback, had the poorest growth. The estimated total stem volume after seven growing seasons averaged 31 m3 ha−1, with red alder having the greatest volume production, followed by hybrid aspen and Italian alder. Calculated stem biomass (oven dry tonnes per hectare, odt ha−1) after seven growing seasons averaged over all sites and species was 14.1 odt ha−1 (equivalent to 7 tC). The rapid volume growth and intermediate wood density of red alder and Italian alder combined to give the greatest estimated biomass, averaging 34.5 (17 tC) and 24.0 odt ha−1 (12 tC). At three sites, the estimated biomass of red alder was around 40 odt ha−1. Sitka spruce (Picea sitchensis (Bongard) Carrière) and Japanese larch (Larix kaempferi (Lamb.) Carrière) had a standing biomass estimated at 6.3 and 14.0 odt ha−1, respectively.
Mapping tree species ecograms based on soil pH and soil water availability across Denmark
Authors: Roell Yannik E , Nord-Larsen Thomas , Beucher Amélie , Greve Mette B , Greve Mogens H
Published: July 2021

A prerequisite for successful afforestation and reforestation is understanding the quality of a site before establishing a specific tree species. Ecograms have been widely applied to determine the suitability of different sites for different species by a simple assessment of nutrient and water availability. Their graphical representation of suitability into classes allows ecograms to be easily understood. However, ecograms have generally been mapped for small areas only and their validity has rarely been documented. The aim of this study is to map ecograms for five tree species across Denmark and validate the maps using forest stand production data. For this purpose, we classified the landscape into six nutrient classes and nine water classes based on four variables to generate the ecogram maps. Based on these classes, the generated maps depict if a tree species is unsuitable, suitable or optimal for a specific site. The absolute average misclassification for nutrient and water supply was 1 and 2 classes, respectively. Stepwise linear regression was implemented to determine if the four variables used to create the ecograms were able to predict production as observed from forest experiment and management planning data obtained from across the country. All five species used the full model to explain variation in production. However, the average production values per ecogram growing condition were not significantly different for all species. The range of $R$2 for the five species was 0.05–0.32, indicating that one ecogram template might not work for all species. The high-resolution national ecogram maps incorporate large-scale variables important for tree growth and will be beneficial when selecting new land for afforestation. The simplicity of ecograms allows for easy interpretation, meaning that foresters can quickly determine which regions of a landscape are suitable, saving time and resources.
Spatiotemporal Invasion Severity of Chinese Tallow (Triadica sebifera) and Invasibility of Forest Types in Southern US Forestlands
Authors: Nepal Sunil , Moser W Keith , Fan Zhaofei
Published: July 2021

Quantifying invasion severity of nonnative invasive plant species is vital for the development of appropriate mitigation and control measures. We examined more than 23,250 Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) plots from the southern coastal states of the United States to develop an alternative method to classify and map the invasion severity of Chinese tallow (Triadica sebifera). Remeasured FIA plot-level data were used to examine the spatiotemporal changes in the presence probability and cover percentage of tallow. Four invasion severity classes were identified by using the product of presence probability and cover percentage. Chinese tallow invasion severity increased over time with 90 and 123 counties being classified into the highest severity class for the first and second measurement, respectively. Further, the invasibility of major forest-type groups by severity class was examined using the product of the county-level mean presence probability and mean cover percentage of Chinese tallow as a proxy of invasibility. Longleaf/slash pine (Pinus palustris/P. elliottii) forests were highly resilient to the Chinese tallow invasion. In contrast, elm/ash/cottonwood (Ulmus spp./Fraxinus spp./Populus deltoides) and oak/gum/cypress (Quercus spp./Nyssa spp./Taxodium spp.) forest-type groups were vulnerable to invasion.
Diversity in olfactory receptor repertoires is associated with dietary specialization in a genus of frugivorous bat
Authors: Yohe Laurel R , Leiser-Miller Leith B , Kaliszewska Zofia A , Donat Paul , Santana Sharlene E , Dávalos Liliana M
Published: July 2021

Mammalian olfactory receptor genes (ORs) are a diverse family of genes encoding proteins that directly interact with environmental chemical cues. ORs evolve via gene duplication in a birth-death fashion, neofunctionalizing and pseudogenizing over time. Olfaction is a primary sense used for food detection in plant-visiting bats, but the relationship between dietary specialization and OR repertoire diversity is unclear. Within neotropical Leaf-nosed bats (Phyllostomidae), many lineages are plant specialists, and some have a distinct OR repertoire compared to insectivorous species. Yet, whether specialization on particular plant genera is associated with the evolution of specialized, less diverse OR repertoires has never been tested. Using targeted sequence capture, we sequenced the OR repertoires of three sympatric species of short-tailed fruit bats (Carollia), which vary in their degree of specialization on the fruits of Piper plants. We characterized orthologous vs duplicated receptors among Carollia species, and explored the diversity and redundancy of the receptor gene repertoire. At the species level, the most dedicated Piper specialist, Carollia castanea, had lower OR diversity compared to the two generalists (C. sowelli and C. perspicillata), but we discovered a few unique sets of ORs within C. castanea with high redundancy of similar gene duplicates. These unique receptors potentially enable C. castanea to detect Piper fruit odorants better than its two congeners. Carollia perspicillata, the species with the most generalist diet, had a higher diversity of intact receptors, suggesting the ability to detect a wider range of odorant molecules. Variation among ORs may be a factor in the coexistence of these sympatric species, facilitating the exploitation of different plant resources. Our study sheds light on how gene duplication and changes in OR diversity may play a role in dietary adaptations and underlie ecological interactions between bats and plants.
Loss of muscleblind splicing factor shortens Caenorhabditis elegans lifespan by reducing the activity of p38 MAPK/PMK-1 and transcription factors ATF-7 and Nrf/SKN-1
Authors: Matilainen Olli , Ribeiro Ana R S , Verbeeren Jens , Cetinbas Murat , Sood Heini , Sadreyev Ruslan I , Garcia Susana M D A
Published: July 2021

Muscleblind-like splicing regulators (MBNLs) are RNA-binding factors that have an important role in developmental processes. Dysfunction of these factors is a key contributor of different neuromuscular degenerative disorders, including Myotonic Dystrophy type 1 (DM1). Since DM1 is a multisystemic disease characterized by symptoms resembling accelerated aging, we asked which cellular processes do MBNLs regulate that make them necessary for normal lifespan. By utilizing the model organism Caenorhabditis elegans, we found that loss of MBL-1 (the sole ortholog of mammalian MBNLs), which is known to be required for normal lifespan, shortens lifespan by decreasing the activity of p38 MAPK/PMK-1 as well as the function of transcription factors ATF-7 and SKN-1. Furthermore, we show that mitochondrial stress caused by the knockdown of mitochondrial electron transport chain components promotes the longevity of mbl-1 mutants in a partially PMK-1-dependent manner. Together, the data establish a mechanism of how DM1-associated loss of muscleblind affects lifespan. Furthermore, this study suggests that mitochondrial stress could alleviate symptoms caused by the dysfunction of muscleblind splicing factor, creating a potential approach to investigate for therapy.
ANNORE: genetic fine-mapping with functional annotation
Authors: Fisher Virginia , Sebastiani Paola , Cupples L Adrienne , Liu Ching-Ti
Published: July 2021

Genome-wide association studies (GWASs) have successfully identified loci of the human genome implicated in numerous complex traits. However, the limitations of this study design make it difficult to identify specific causal variants or biological mechanisms of association. We propose a novel method, AnnoRE, which uses GWAS summary statistics, local correlation structure among genotypes and functional annotation from external databases to prioritize the most plausible causal single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in each trait-associated locus. Our proposed method improves upon previous fine-mapping approaches by estimating the effects of functional annotation from genome-wide summary statistics, allowing for the inclusion of many annotation categories. By implementing a multiple regression model with differential shrinkage via random effects, we avoid reductive assumptions on the number of causal SNPs per locus. Application of this method to a large GWAS meta-analysis of body mass index identified six loci with significant evidence in favor of one or more variants. In an additional 24 loci, one or two variants were strongly prioritized over others in the region. The use of functional annotation in genetic fine-mapping studies helps to distinguish between variants in high LD and to identify promising targets for follow-up studies.
Linking genome variants to disease: scalable approaches to test the functional impact of human mutations
Authors: Findlay Gregory M
Published: July 2021

The application of genomics to medicine has accelerated the discovery of mutations underlying disease and has enhanced our knowledge of the molecular underpinnings of diverse pathologies. As the amount of human genetic material queried via sequencing has grown exponentially in recent years, so too has the number of rare variants observed. Despite progress, our ability to distinguish which rare variants have clinical significance remains limited. Over the last decade, however, powerful experimental approaches have emerged to characterize variant effects orders of magnitude faster than before. Fueled by improved DNA synthesis and sequencing and, more recently, by CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing, multiplex functional assays provide a means of generating variant effect data in wide-ranging experimental systems. Here, I review recent applications of multiplex assays that link human variants to disease phenotypes and I describe emerging strategies that will enhance their clinical utility in coming years.
‘To Destroy’: Anna Freud and Dorothy Burlingham in the Freud Archive
Authors: Meadows Agnes
Published: July 2021

In a 1960 letter to her lifelong collaborator Dorothy Burlingham, Anna Freud described the ambiguities of existing as a woman and as a member of the Freud family within psychoanalytic institutions. Burlingham later marked this letter with the words ‘To destroy’ on the grounds that it was ‘too personal’. This article draws on the newly catalogued Dorothy Burlingham collection in the Freud Museum archive to consider both Anna Freud’s letter and Burlingham’s attempt to remove it. One context is a debate around the nature and function of the archive, fought out in letters between Anna Freud, Kurt Eissler and Dorothy Burlingham from 1960 to 1972. In that correspondence Eissler pressured Burlingham to convince Anna Freud to include her manuscripts in the archive. The letters held there also raise the question of Burlingham’s own absence from psychoanalytic histories.
Advanced Regenerative Medicine Strategies for Treatment of Perianal Fistula in Crohn’s Disease
Authors: Nazari Hojjatollah , Naei Vahid Yaghoubi , Tabasi Asieh Heirani , Badripour Abolfazl , Akbari Asbagh Reza , Keramati Mohammad Reza , Sharifi Amirsina , Behboudi Behnam , Kazemeini Alireza , Abbasi Maryam , Keshvari Amir , Ahmadi Tafti Seyed Mohsen
Published: July 2021

Regenerative medicine is an emerging therapeutic method that aims to reconstruct tissues and organs. This advanced therapeutic approach has demonstrated great potential in addressing the limitations of medical and surgical procedures for treating perineal fistula in patients with Crohn’s disease. Recent developments in stem cell technology have led to a massive good manufacturing practices (GMPs) production of various stem cells, including mesenchymal and embryonic cells, along with induction of pluripotent stem cells to repair damaged tissues in the fistula. The recent advances in separation and purification of exosomes, as biologic nanovesicles carrying anti-inflammatory and regenerative agents, have made them powerful tools to treat this inflammatory disease. Further, tremendous advances in nanotechnology, biomaterials, and scaffold fabrication methods enable tissue engineering methods to synthesize tissue-like structures to assist surgical techniques. This review focuses on advanced regenerative-based methods including stem cell therapy, exosome therapy, and tissue engineering used in the treatment of perianal fistula. Relevant in vitro and in vivo studies and the latest innovations in implementation of regenerative medicine for this disease are also separately reviewed. Additionally, current challenges regarding implementation of g stem cells, exosomes, and tissue engineering methods for bridging the gaps between laboratory findings and clinic application will be discussed.
Outsourcing Hotspot Governance within the EU: Cultural Mediators as Humanitarian–Border Workers in Greece
Authors: Spathopoulou Aila , Pauliina Kallio Kirsi , Hakli Jouni
Published: July 2021

Responding to the self-declared “Mediterranean migration crisis” in 2015, the European Commission launched a Hotspot Approach to speed up the handling of incoming migrants in the “frontline states” of Greece and Italy. A key element in this operation is the identification of those eligible for asylum, which requires effective communication across cultural and linguistic difference between the asylum system and the migrants, facilitated by officially designated “cultural mediators.” We assess the hotspot governance as a form of outsourcing border control within the EU territory. Beyond sorting out and separating migrants into the categories of deservingness and undeservingness, we propose that the hotspot mechanism represents “governing by communication,” with cultural mediators as key players in this humanitarian–bordering strategy. A focus on how cultural mediators provide the precarious human labor for this governance, offers, we argue, a productive inroad into the ways in which the hotspot economies of deterrence, containment, and care sustain inequalities embedded in race, socioeconomic status, and citizenship.
A meta-analytical evaluation of the effects of high-salt water intake on beef cattle
Authors: López Agustín , Arroquy Jose I , Hernández Olegario , Nasca Jose A , Juárez Sequeira Ana V , DiLorenzo Nicolas , Distel Roberto A
Published: July 2021

Adequate drinking water is essential to maintain acceptable production levels in beef cattle operations. In the context of global climate change, the water scarcity forecasted for the future is a growing concern and it would determine an increase in the use of poorer quality water by the agricultural sector in many parts of the world. However, consumption of high-salt water by cattle has consequences often overlooked. A meta-analysis was carried out to assess the impact of utilizing high-salt water on dry matter (DMI) and water intake (WI), and performance in beef cattle. The dataset was collected from 25 studies, which were conducted between 1960 and 2020. Within the dataset, the water quality was divided into three categories according to the ratio of sulfates (SO4) or sodium chloride (NaCl) to total dissolved solids (TDS): 1) TDS = all studies included (average SO4:TDS = 0.4); 2) NaCl = considered studies in which water salinity was dominated by NaCl (average SO4:TDS = 0.1); and 3) SO4 = considered studies in which water salinity was dominated by SO4 (average SO4:TDS = 0.8). Results showed that DMI and WI were negatively affected by high-salt water consumption, although the magnitude of the effect is dependent on the type of salt dissolved in the water. There was a quadratic effect (P < 0.01) for the WI vs. TDS, WI vs. NaCl, DMI vs. TDS, and DMI vs. NaCl, and a linear effect (P < 0.01) for WI vs. SO4 and WI vs. SO4. Average daily gain (ADG) and feed efficiency (FE) were quadratically (P < 0.01) affected by high-salt water, respectively. This study revealed significant negative effects of high-salt water drinking on beef cattle WI, DMI, and performance. However, the negative effects are exacerbated when cattle drink high-sulfate water when compared with high-chloride water. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first approach to evaluate animal response to high-salt water consumption and could be included in the development of future beef cattle models to account for the impact of water quality on intake and performance. In addition, this meta-analysis highlights the need for research on management strategies to mitigate the negative effects of high-salt water in cattle.
Policing the Digital Divide: Institutional Gate-keeping & Criminalizing Digital Inclusion
Authors: Yang Tian , Ticona Julia , Lelkes Yphtach
Published: July 2021

Previous studies generally assume that barriers to internet access are largely passive. That is, exclusion from the Internet is a consequence of poorly resourced individuals, communities, and institutions. This study complicates that assumption by focusing on the active policing and gatekeeping of internet access. Specifically, we estimate the causal effect of free Wi-Fi at chain restaurants on quality-of-life crime reporting by leveraging a staggered difference-in-differences design which compares geo-located crime reports near chain restaurants in Chicago before and after those restaurants introduced free Wi-Fi. We find that free Wi-Fi led to a substantive and significant increase in quality-of-life policing when restaurants were located in wealthier and Whiter areas, but not in other areas. Our findings suggest that internet access itself may be actively policed by social institutions, in our case, national chain restaurants and the police, to protect access for some at the expense of others.
Forester Preferences on RevisingSilvics of North America: A Survey of Registered Foresters in Four States
Authors: Merry Krista , Bettinger Pete , Siry Jacek , McNulty Steve , Gavazzi Michael
Published: July 2021

Silvics of North America (SNA) is a widely used silvicultural manual. However, the last SNA was published in 1990. Therefore, 2,589 registered foresters were surveyed across four US states to answer two broad questions: (1) Should SNA be updated? And (2) would an updated SNA still be a useful tool for forest management? Most respondents indicated that the type and extent of content contained in the previous version of SNA was still desirable today. Aside from updating all sections with recent research findings, expansion was suggested for ecosystem services provided by species. An update to maps provided in SNA, through changes to natural ranges of tree species and other aesthetic improvement, was suggested by most survey respondents. These findings support the conclusion that the SNA would still be an essential source of information if 21st-century issues such as climate change impacts and adaptation measures were included in the update.
Investigation of fluid flow and heat transfer characteristics for a thermal anti-icing system of a high-altitude and long-endurance UAV
Authors: Cheng Jen-Chieh , Chen You-Ming
Published: July 2021

This research performs a three-dimensional simulation to investigate the fluid flow and heat transfer characteristics for hot-air jets impinging on the wing leading-edge surface. Both the periodic model and the whole model are proposed to examine the thermal anti-icing performance for hot air ejecting from a piccolo tube onto the impinging surface. The results show that, for the periodic model, the enhancement of the average Nusselt number can be up to 94.4%, and the enhancement of the average heat flux is up to 29.7% for 100 ≦ uj ≦ 350 m/s and 300 ≦ Tj ≦ 550 K when compared with the results of the basic case of uj = 200 m/s and Tj = 450 K. The maximum enhancement of the $\overline {Nu} $ is 62.3% as the spacing decreases from Sn = 8 to Sn = 4 and the optimum Numax and $\overline {Nu} $ occur at Si = 5 and Si = 6 for the single-array holes with 3 ≦ Si ≦ 7 and 4 ≦ Sn ≦ 8. In addition, the θh for maximum $\overline {{{Nu}}} $ is 10° and the maximum enhancement of the $\overline {{{Nu}}} $ is ∼15.7% for double-array holes and staggered-array holes as compared with single-array holes. In addition, the nonuniformity of Nusselt number and heat flux distributions are significantly improved. For the whole model, the maximum enhancement of the average Nusselt number is ∼7.5% and the optimum configuration is θh = 40°, for cases with La = 60, Dp = 8, $\dot{m}$ = 0.15 kg/s, Si = 6, 1 ≦ Nh ≦ 5, 10 ≦ Sn ≦ 30 and 10° ≦ θh ≦ 60°.
Use of Selective Arterial Calcium Stimulation Testing in Identification of Insulinoma in a Patient After Bariatric Surgery
Authors: Szczepanski Julianne M , Hissong Erika , Manthei David M
Published: July 2021

Objective

Insulinomas are rare in the post-bariatric surgery setting. The differential diagnosis for hypoglycemia is broad, requiring laboratory testing to verify endogenous hyperinsulinemic hypoglycemia. Selective arterial calcium stimulation testing (SACST) can help localize abnormal insulin production. We describe a patient with histologically confirmed insulinoma after bariatric surgery diagnosed with the aid of SACST.

Methods

We present a 67 year old woman with a history of Roux-en-Y bypass surgery who presented with endogenous hyperinsulinemic hypoglycemia. Initially, no pancreatic lesion was identified radiologically. We pursued SACST to localize the source of insulin production.

Results

The SACST successfully localized the source of hyperfunctioning islet cells to the pancreatic tail with absolute insulin values in a range consistent with insulinoma. Additional radiologic studies showed a small tumor in the pancreatic tail. Pathology showed a well-differentiated neuroendocrine tumor, compatible with insulinoma.

Conclusion

This case study illustrates the usefulness of SACST for the diagnosis and localization of insulinoma.
Radio signals from early direct collapse black holes
Authors: Yue B , Ferrara A
Published: July 2021

We explore the possibility to detect the continuum radio signal from direct collapse black holes (DCBHs) by upcoming radio telescopes such as the SKA and ngVLA, assuming that after formation they can launch and sustain powerful jets at the accretion stage. We assume that the high-z DCBHs have similar jet properties as the observed radio-loud AGNs, then use a jet model to predict their radio flux detectability. If the jet power Pjet ≳ 1042–1043 erg s−1, it can be detectable by SKA/ngVLA, depending on the jet inclination angle. Considering the relation between jet power and black hole mass and spin, generally, jetted DCBHs with mass $\gtrsim 10^5\, {\rm M}_\odot$ can be detected. For a total jetted DCBH number density of ∼2.5 × 10−3 Mpc−3 at z = 10, about 100 deg−2z−1 DCBHs are expected to be above the detection threshold of SKA1-mid (100-h integration). If the jet ‘blob’ emitting most of the radio signal is dense and highly relativistic, then the DCBH would only feebly emit in the SKA-low band, because of self-synchrotron absorption (SSA) and blueshift. Moreover, the free–free absorption in the DCBH envelope may further reduce the signal in the SKA-low band. Thus, combining SKA-low and SKA-mid observations might provide a potential tool to distinguish a DCBH from a normal star-forming galaxy.
HCN/HNC chemistry in shocks: a study of L1157-B1 with ASAI
Authors: Lefloch B , Busquet G , Viti S , Vastel C , Mendoza E , Benedettini M , Codella C , Podio L , Schutzer A , Rivera-Ortiz P R , Lépine J R D , Bachiller R
Published: July 2021

Hydrogen cyanide (HCN) and its isomer hydrogen isocyanide (HNC) play an important role in molecular cloud chemistry and the formation of more complex molecules. We investigate here the impact of protostellar shocks on the HCN and HNC abundances from high-sensitivity IRAM 30 m observations of the prototypical shock region L1157-B1 and the envelope of the associated Class 0 protostar, as a proxy for the pre-shock gas. The isotopologues H12CN, HN12C, H13CN, HN13C, HC15N, H15NC, DCN, and DNC were all detected towards both regions. Abundances and excitation conditions were obtained from radiative transfer analysis of molecular line emission under the assumption of local thermodynamical equilibrium. In the pre-shock gas, the abundances of the HCN and HNC isotopologues are similar to those encountered in dark clouds, with an HCN/HNC abundance ratio ≈1 for all isotopologues. A strong D-enrichment (D/H ≈ 0.06) is measured in the pre-shock gas. There is no evidence of 15N fractionation neither in the quiescent nor in the shocked gas. At the passage of the shock, the HCN and HNC abundances increase in the gas phase in different manners so that the HCN/HNC relative abundance ratio increases by a factor 20. The gas-grain chemical and shock model uclchem allows us to reproduce the observed trends for a C-type shock with pre-shock density n(H) = $10^5\hbox{cm$^{-3}$}$ and shock velocity $V_\mathrm{ s}= 40\hbox{kms$^{-1}$}$. We conclude that the HCN/HNC variations across the shock are mainly caused by the sputtering of the grain mantle material in relation with the history of the grain ices.