bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Impact of wheel rotation on the aerodynamic drag of a time trial cyclist
Authors: Malizia Fabio , van Druenen T. , Blocken B.
Published: February 2021

Aerodynamic drag is the main resistive force in cycling at high speeds and on flat terrain. In wind tunnel tests or computational fluid dynamics simulations, the aerodynamic drag of cycling wheels is often investigated isolated from the rest of the bicycle, and sometimes in static rather than rotating conditions. It is not yet clear how these testing and simulating conditions influence the wheel aerodynamic performance and how the inclusion of wheel rotation influences the overall measured or computed cyclist drag. This study presents computational fluid dynamics simulations, validated with wind tunnel tests, that indicate that an isolated static spoked front wheel has a 2.2% larger drag area than the same wheel when rotating, and that a non-isolated static spoked front wheel has a 7.1% larger drag area than its rotating counterpart. However, rotating wheels are also subjected to the rotational moment, which increases the total power required to rotate and translate the wheel compared to static conditions where only translation is considered. The interaction with the bicycle frame and forks lowers the drag area of the front wheel by 8.8% for static and by 12.9% for the rotating condition, compared to the drag area of the isolated wheels. A different flow behavior is also found for static versus rotating wheels: large low-pressure regions develop from the hub for rotating wheels, together with a lower streamwise velocity region inside the circumference of the wheel compared to static wheels. The results are intended to help in the selection of testing/simulating methodologies for cycling spoked wheels.
Eutrophication: Early warning signals, ecosystem-level and societal responses, and ways forward
Authors: Bonsdorff Erik
Published: February 2021

Eutrophication, i.e. nutrient over-enrichment, has been a topic for academic and societal debate for the past five decades both on land and in aquatic systems fed by nutrients as diffuse loading from agricultural lands and as wastewater from industrial and municipal point-sources. The use of nutrients (primarily nitrogen and phosphorus) in excess became a problem with the onset of large-scale production and use of artificial fertilizers after World War II, and the effects on the aquatic environment became obvious some two to three decades later. In this Perspective, four seminal papers on eutrophication are discussed in light of the current knowledge of the problem, including future perspectives and outlooks in the light of global climate change and the demand for science-based holistic ecosystem-level policies and management options.
Defect detection in freight railcar tapered-roller bearings using vibration techniques
Authors: Tarawneh Constantine , Montalvo Joseph , Wilson Brent
Published: February 2021

Currently, there are two types of defect detection systems used to monitor the health of freight railcar bearings in service: wayside hot-box detection systems and trackside acoustic detection systems. These systems have proven to be inefficient in accurately determining bearing health, especially in the early stages of defect development. To that end, a prototype onboard bearing condition monitoring system has been developed and validated through extensive laboratory testing and a designated field test in 2015 at the Transportation Technology Center, Inc. in Pueblo, CO. The devised system can accurately and reliably characterize the health of bearings based on developed vibration thresholds and can identify defective tapered-roller bearing components with defect areas smaller than 12.9 cm2 while in service.
Current Perspectives and Concerns Facing Hospital Evacuation: The Results of a Pilot Study and Literature Review
Authors: Khorram-Manesh Amir , Phattharapornjaroen Phatthranit , Mortelmans Luc J , Goniewicz Krzysztof , Verheul Marlous , Sörensen Jarle L , Pereira Irene , Ricklin Meret E , Faccincani Roberto , Dark Paul M , Carlström Eric , Ahmadi Marzaleh Milad , Peyravi Mahmoud Reza , Al Sultan Mohammed , Santamaria Emelia , Comandante John David , Burkle Frederick
Published: February 2021

Objective:

To analyze the evacuation preparedness of hospitals within the European Union (EU).

Method:

This study consisted of 2 steps. In the first step, a systematic review of the subject matter, according to the PRISMA flow diagram, was performed. Using Scopus (Elsevier, Amsterdam, Netherlands), PubMed (National Library of Medicine, Bethesda, MD), and Gothenburg University´s search engine, 11 questions were extracted from the review and were sent to representatives from 15 European Union (EU)- and non-EU countries.

Results:

The findings indicate that there is neither a full preparedness nor a standard guideline for evacuation within the EU or other non-EU countries in this study. A major shortcoming revealed by this study is the lack of awareness of the untoward consequences of medical decision-making during an evacuation. Some countries did not respond to the questions due to the lack of relevant guidelines, instructions, or time.

Conclusion:

Hospitals are exposed to internal and external incidents and require an adequate evacuation plan. Despite many publications, reports, and conclusions on successful and unsuccessful evacuation, there is still no common guide for evacuation, and many hospitals lack the proper preparedness. There is a need for a multinational collaboration, specifically within the EU, to establish such an evacuation planning or guideline to be used mutually within the union and the international community.
AMIRA EL-AZHARY SONBOL, Women of Jordan: Islam, Labor, and the Law, Gender, Culture, and Politics in the Middle East Series (Syracuse, N.Y.: Syracuse University Press, 2003). Pp. 311. $45.00 cloth, $24.95 paper
Authors: JONES SANDY RUSSELL
Published: February 2021

In an Arab country that boasts the highest female literacy rate in the region (79.4% in 1998) and arguably the best educational system, how is it that Jordanian women's participation in the economy falls so terribly short of the hopeful expectations generated by these facts? In her study of women in Jordan, Amira El-Azhary Sonbol provides answers to this question. First, while the Jordanian constitution proclaims equal rights for women, specific legal codes limit these rights. Second, school curricula and classroom practices are gendered, encouraging early marriage for girls, not the pursuit of a career. Third, social attitudes continue to be patriarchal. While all the chapters of the book are written with the aim of addressing Sonbol's central concern, they are also intended to stand individually. The format serves a practical purpose: to facilitate discussion and promote legal change in Jordan and elsewhere.
IS THERE A LATIN AMERICAN AGRICULTURAL GROWTH PATTERN? FACTOR ENDOWMENTS AND PRODUCTIVITY IN THE SECOND HALF OF THE 20TH CENTURY
Authors: Martín-Retortillo Miguel , Pinilla Vicente , Velazco Jackeline , Willebald Henry
Published: February 2021

In this article, we discuss whether there was a single Latin American pattern of agricultural growth between 1950 and 2008. We analyse the sources of growth of agricultural production and productivity in ten Latin American countries. Our results show that the differences between these countries are too large to establish a single pattern for this region. However, certain common trends may be observed, such as the growing importance of labour productivity as a component of agricultural production growth and the increasing relevance of total factor productivity as a component of agricultural labour productivity growth.
Does the maturation of early sleep patterns predict language ability at school entry? A Born in Bradford study
Authors: KNOWLAND Victoria C. P. , BERENS Sam , GASKELL M. Gareth , WALKER Sarah A. , HENDERSON Lisa-Marie
Published: February 2021

Children's vocabulary ability at school entry is highly variable and predictive of later language and literacy outcomes. Sleep is potentially useful in understanding and explaining that variability, with sleep patterns being predictive of global trajectories of language acquisition. Here, we looked to replicate and extend these findings. Data from 354 children (without English as an additional language) in the Born in Bradford study were analysed, describing the mean intercepts and linear trends in parent-reported day-time and night-time sleep duration over five time points between 6 and 36 months-of-age. The mean difference between night-time and day-time sleep was predictive of receptive vocabulary at age five, with more night-time sleep relative to day-time sleep predicting better language. An exploratory analysis suggested that socioeconomic status was predictive of vocabulary outcomes, with sleep patterns partially mediating this relationship. We suggest that the consolidation of sleep patterns acts as a driver of early language development.
Contrasting lexical biases in bilingual English–Mandarin speech: Verb-biased mothers, but noun-biased toddlers
Authors: SETOH Peipei , CHENG Michelle , BORNSTEIN Marc H. , ESPOSITO Gianluca
Published: February 2021

Is noun dominance in early lexical acquisition a widespread or a language-specific phenomenon? Thirty Singaporean bilingual English–Mandarin learning toddlers and their mothers were observed in a mother-child play interaction. For both English and Mandarin, toddlers’ speech and reported vocabulary contained more nouns than verbs across book reading and toy playing. In contrast, their mothers’ speech contained more verbs than nouns in both English and Mandarin but differed depending on the context of the interaction. Although toddlers demonstrated a noun bias for both languages, the noun bias was more pronounced in English than in Mandarin. Together, these findings support early noun dominance as a widespread phenomenon in the lexical acquisition debate but also provide evidence that language specificity also plays a minor role in children's early lexical development.
A comparative study on temperature and water potential thresholds for the germination ofBetula pendulaand two Mediterranean endemic birches,Betula aetnensisandBetula fontqueri
Authors: Ranno V. , Blandino C. , Giusso del Galdo G.
Published: February 2021

The influence of temperature and water availability on seed germination can vary across the geographic range of species with a large distribution.Betula pendulais a widely spread European tree that has differentiated into two narrowly distributed taxa, endemic to Mediterranean mountains:Betula aetnensisin Sicily andB. fontqueriin Spain and Morocco. We tested the hypothesis that the regeneration niche, expressed by temperature and water potential thresholds, varies across these species and is influenced by the local climate. Seeds were collected from six populations ofB. pendula, one ofB. fontqueriand two ofB. aetnensis. Germination tests were conducted between 5 and 30°C. The thermal thresholds were calculated before and after cold stratification. The osmotic potential tested ranged from 0 to −1.5 MPa. Time to reach 30 and 50% of germination was calculated by fitting non-linear models. Germination was promoted by high temperatures, but the response to stratification was heterogeneous.Tband Ψbdiffered between and within species.Tbranged between 2.22 and 8.94°C for unstratified seeds. Mediterranean species had higher drought tolerance, whileB. pendulashowed contrasting responses to low water potential. Ψbreached a minimum value of −1.15 MPa inB. fontqueri. High temperatures influenced theTbof unstratified seeds negatively, while, after stratification, theTbincreased with precipitation in the driest month. The heterogeneity observed could reflect higher genetic variability in marginal populations of silver birch. Knowledge of their germination ecology may be useful to mitigate future impacts of climate change on core populations ofB. pendula.
Circulating cyclic adenosine monophosphate concentrations in milrinone treated paediatric patients after congenital heart surgery
Authors: Gist Katja M. , Korst Armin , Nakano Stephanie J. , Stauffer Brian L. , Karimpour-Fard Anis , Zhou Wenru , Campbell Kristen , Wempe Michael F. , Sucharov Carmen C. , Miyamoto Shelley D.
Published: February 2021

Background:

Milrinone is a phosphodiesterase type 3 inhibitor that results in a positive inotropic effect in the heart through an increase in cyclic adenosine monophosphate. The purpose of this study was to evaluate circulating cyclic adenosine monophosphate and milrinone concentrations in milrinone treated paediatric patients undergoing congenital heart surgery.

Methods:

Single-centre prospective observational pilot study from January 2015 to December 2017 including children aged birth to 18 years. Milrinone and circulating cyclic adenosine monophosphate concentrations were measured at four time points through the first post-operative day and compared between patients with and without low cardiac output syndrome, defined using clinical and laboratory criteria.

Results:

Fifty patients were included. Nine (18%) developed low cardiac output syndrome. For all patients, 22% had single ventricle heart disease. The density and distribution of cyclic adenosine monophosphate concentrations varied between those with and without low cardiac output syndrome but were not significantly different. Milrinone concentrations increased in all patients. Paired t-tests demonstrated an increase in circulating cyclic adenosine monophosphate concentrations during the post-operative period among patients without low cardiac output syndrome.

Conclusions:

In this prospective observational study, circulating cyclic adenosine monophosphate concentrations increased in those without low cardiac output syndrome during the first 24 post-operative hours and milrinone concentrations increased in all patients. Further study of the utility of cyclic adenosine monophosphate concentrations in milrinone treated patients is necessary.
Ein juckendes Vergnügen
Authors: Braun-Meyre Gioia , Marbet Corinne , Blickenstorfer Marcel , Khani Hamid
Published: February 2021

Zusammenfassung. Eine 50-jährige Patientin stellt sich mit einem akneiformen, stammbetonten und stark juckenden Exanthem seit zwei Tagen sowie einem allgemeinen Krankheitsgefühl notfallmässig vor. Laboranalytisch zeigte sich keine Auffälligkeit. In der weiteren Anamnese gab die Patientin eine regelmässige Nutzung des neuen Whirlpools an. Aufgrund der Anamnese und Klinik wurde die Verdachtsdiagnose einer Pseudomonas-Follikulitis gestellt. Die mikrobiologische Untersuchung des Pustelinhalts ergab ein Wachstum von Pseudomonas aeruginosa, was den Verdacht bestätigte. Bei Abwesenheit von Risikofaktoren für einen schweren Verlauf wurde auf eine systemische Antibiotika-Therapie verzichtet. Unter externen Desinfektiva heilte die Dermatitis in wenigen Tagen komplikationslos aus.
Toward Narrowing Uncertainty in Future Projections of Local Extreme Precipitation
Authors: Marra Francesco , Armon Moshe , Adam Ori , Zoccatelli Davide , Gazal Osama , Garfinkel Chaim I. , Rostkier‐Edelstein Dorita , Dayan Uri , Enzel Yehouda , Morin Efrat
Published: February 2021

Projections of extreme precipitation based on modern climate models suffer from large uncertainties. Specifically, unresolved physics and natural variability limit the ability of climate models to provide actionable information on impacts and risks at the regional, watershed and city scales relevant for practical applications. Here, we show that the interaction of precipitating systems with local features can constrain the statistical description of extreme precipitation. These observational constraints can be used to project local extremes of low yearly exceedance probability (e.g., 100‐year events) using synoptic‐scale information from climate models, which is generally represented more accurately than the local scales, and without requiring climate models to explicitly resolve extremes. The novel approach, demonstrated here over the south‐eastern Mediterranean, offers a path for improving the predictability of local statistics of extremes in a changing climate, independent of pending improvements in climate models at regional and local scales.
Observationally Constrained Cloud Phase Unmasks Orbitally Driven Climate Feedbacks
Authors: Sagoo Navjit , Storelvmo Trude , Hahn Lily , Tan Ivy , Danco James , Raney Bryan , Broccoli Anthony J.
Published: February 2021

The mechanisms which amplify orbitally driven changes in insolation and drive the glacial cycles of the past 2.6 million years, the Pleistocene, are poorly understood. Previous studies indicate that cloud phase feedbacks oppose ice sheet initiation when orbital configuration supports ice sheet growth. Cloud phase was observationally constrained in a recent study and provides evidence for a weaker negative cloud feedback in response to carbon dioxide doubling. We observationally constrain cloud phase in the Community Earth System Model and explore how changes in orbital configuration impact the climate response. Constraining cloud phase weakens the negative high latitude cloud phase feedback and unmasks positive water vapor and cloud feedbacks (amount and optical depth) that extend cooling to lower latitudes. Snowfall accumulation and ablation metrics also support ice sheet expansion as seen in proxy records. This indicates that well‐known cloud and water vapor feedbacks are the mechanisms amplifying orbital climate forcing.
Origin of Strong Nonlinear Dependence of Fracture (Joint) Spacing on Bed Thickness in Layered Rocks: Mechanical Analysis and Modeling
Authors: Chemenda A. I. , Lamarche J. , Matonti C. , Bazalgette L. , Richard P.
Published: February 2021

Fracturing (jointing) affects large volumes of rocks and strongly impacts their mechanical stability and permeability. In layered sedimentary basins, the fractures typically form subparallel sets with different fracture spacing S. This parameter has been extensively studied both in the field and in mechanical models in relation to the thickness T of the fractured layers. A linear relation was suggested by most studies. A few geological investigations involving wide ranges of T values have shown that the T(S) relation is generally strongly nonlinear and that in thick beds (T >∼1.5 m), S practically does not depend on T. The origin of this relation remained hitherto unexplained. Here we obtained such a relation in 2‐D finite‐difference models of 3‐layer sedimentary sequences where layers interact through the interfaces of strength R. The middle layer has elastoplastic properties with coupled tensile and shear failure mechanisms. The number of fractures forming in this layer increases under horizontal extension to a saturation value S depending on R. At T < ∼0.5 m, the increase of S with T is near‐linear. At ∼1 m < T < 2 m, it is strongly nonlinear; and S changes little at larger T where S is more than certain value Scr. The increase of ratio D = T/S with T is, on the contrary, close to linear. This behavior is explained by the fact that for D >∼2, the stress state in the upper and lower horizons of the middle layer between fractures spaced 2Scr apart is practically independent of T.
On the Role of Anthropogenic Activity and Sea‐Level‐Rise in Tidal Distortion on the Open Coast of the Yellow Sea Shelf
Authors: Feng Xi , Feng Hui
Published: February 2021

This study investigates how varied coastline strategies and rising mean‐sea‐level influence tidal distortion along the open coast of the Yellow Sea shelf. The major contributors to tidal distortion were first identified. Then, the primary tidal constituents causing changes in tidal propagation and distortion in response to shoreline reconstruction management and near‐future sea‐level‐rise (SLR) were determined. The intrinsic mechanisms causing tidal duration asymmetry (TDA) were investigated and found to differ in various types of coastal systems. Specifically, the nonlinear tidal interaction between M2/M4, M2/S2/MS4 and K1/O1/M2 are the top three dominant contributors to TDA. The interactions between M2/M4 and M2/S2/MS4 are most sensitive to different coastline configurations and produce the largest evolution in tidal distortion. Two primary factors are (i) the location of the amphidromic point of the semidiurnal tides in the deep ocean, which controls the M2 and S2 energy fluxes into embayment, and (ii) the nondimensional amplitude (A/h), which importantly indicates tidal nonlinearity and determines shallow tide generation. For the coast with a progressive tidal system, tidal distortion and shallow‐water tide genesis depend mainly on the influx of semidiurnal tides from offshore, which is controlled by the position of the M2 amphidrome. For a coast with quasistanding tidal behavior, however, the scales and positions of tidal flats and shoals play vital roles in tidal distortion and the genesis of shallow‐water tides. Model simulations suggest that hardened shoreline or SLR could dampen the advection and bottom dissipation, thus reducing tidal distortion.
Balancing Accuracy and Efficiency of Atmospheric Models in the Northern Adriatic During Severe Bora Events
Authors: Denamiel Cléa , Tojčić Iva , Vilibić Ivica
Published: February 2021

In process‐oriented studies, accurate representation of severe bora rotor dynamics in the northern Adriatic is known to require the use of model resolutions of the order of 100 m. In regional climate studies, computation time and numerical cost are, however, minimized with resolutions of the order of 10 km. The latter is not accurate enough to drive the coastal dense water formation and the long‐term Adriatic‐Ionian thermohaline circulation resulting from these events. This work leverages the capacity of kilometer‐scale atmospheric models to balance accuracy and efficiency in coupled atmosphere‐ocean climate studies in the Adriatic Sea. The sensitivity of severe bora dynamics and air‐sea interactions to atmospheric model resolution is thus tested within the Adriatic Sea and Coast (AdriSC) modeling suite as well as with the best available reanalysis. The Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model at 15‐km, 3‐km, and 1.5‐km resolution, and ERA5 at 30‐km resolution, are compared for an ensemble of 22 severe bora storms spanning between 1991 and 2019. It is found that (1) ERA5 reanalysis and WRF 15‐km model highly diverge (up to 43% for the wind speed) from WRF 3‐km results while (2) WRF 3‐km conditions converge toward the WRF 1.5‐km solution for both basic bora dynamics (differences below 6% for the wind speed) and air‐sea interactions (differences 5 times smaller than with WRF 15‐km results). Consequently, kilometer‐scale atmospheric models should be used to reproduce properly the dense water formation during severe bora events and the long‐term thermohaline circulation of the Adriatic‐Ionian basin.
Summertime Transport Pathways From Different Northern Hemisphere Regions Into the Arctic
Authors: Zheng Cheng , Wu Yutian , Ting Mingfang , Orbe Clara , Wang Xinyue , Tilmes Simone
Published: February 2021

Trace gases and aerosols play an important role in Arctic chemistry and climate. As most Arctic tracers and aerosols are transported from midlatitude source regions, long‐range transport into the Arctic is one of the key factors to understand the current and future states of Arctic climate. While previous studies have investigated the airmass fraction and transit time distribution in the Arctic, the actual transport pathways and their underlying dynamics and efficiencies are yet to be understood. In this study, we implement a large ensemble of idealized tagged pulse passive tracers in the Whole Atmosphere Community Climate Model version 5 to identify and analyze summertime transport pathways from different Northern Hemisphere surface regions into the Arctic. Three different transport pathways are identified as those associated with fast, intermediate and slow time scales. Midlatitude tracers can be transported into the Arctic in the troposphere via the fast transport pathway (∼8 days), which moves tracers northward from the source region mainly through transient eddies. For the intermediate transport pathway, which happens on 1–3 weeks’ time scales, midlatitude tracers are first zonally transported by the jet stream, and then advected northward into the Arctic over Alaska and northern North Atlantic. Tropical and subtropical tracers are transported into the Arctic lower stratosphere via the slow transport pathway (1–3 months), as the tracers are lifted upward into the tropical and subtropical lower stratosphere, and then transported into the Arctic following the isentropic surfaces.
Impact of Soil Moisture Initializations on WRF‐Simulated North American Monsoon System
Authors: Wang Yuechun , Quiring Steven M.
Published: February 2021

This study investigates the influence of soil moisture initialization on the North American Monsoon System (NAMS) using the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model coupled with Noah‐MP Land Surface Model. Five sets of experiments using different soil moisture initializations were conducted from May 1 to October 1 in 2015–2017. The model forecast for each set of experiments consists of five ensemble members. The simulation using North American Regional Reanalysis is the control run (WRF‐Ctrl). Four sets of sensitivity experiments were conducted with extremely wet (WRF‐Wet) and dry (WRF‐dry) initial conditions and using different soil moisture products from the Global Land Data Assimilation System (WRF‐GLDAS) and NASA Soil Moisture Active Passive L4 (WRF‐SMAP). Results show that the WRF model can capture the key features of the NAMS, but it exhibits a wet bias in the higher elevation regions and a dry bias in the lower elevation regions. Our analysis of extremely wet and dry cases reveals that initial soil moisture conditions can affect precipitation through both modulating surface energy partitioning and influencing large‐scale pressure and wind patterns. When different soil moisture products are used to initialize the model, it can lead to substantial changes in spatial pattern of the NAM precipitation. Initializing the model with SMAP and GLDAS can reduce the overestimation of precipitation over high terrain areas. The results indicate that high‐quality soil moisture products have the potential to improve model representation of the NAMS, especially with future improvements in model convective parameterization.
Discerning Changes in High‐Frequency Climate Variability Using Geochemical Populations of Individual Foraminifera
Authors: Glaubke Ryan H. , Thirumalai Kaustubh , Schmidt Matthew W. , Hertzberg Jennifer E.
Published: February 2021

Individual foraminiferal analysis (IFA) has proven to be a useful tool in reconstructing the amplitude of high‐frequency climate signals such as the annual cycle and the El Niño‐Southern Oscillation (ENSO). However, using IFA to evaluate past changes in climate variability is complicated by many factors including geographic location, foraminiferal ecology, methods of sample processing, and the influence of multiple, superimposed high‐frequency climate signals. Robust statistical tools and rigorous uncertainty analysis are therefore required to ensure the reliability of IFA‐based interpretations of paleoclimatic change. Here, we present a new proxy system model—called the Quantile Analysis of Temperature using Individual Foraminiferal Analyses (QUANTIFA)—that combines methods for assessing IFA detection sensitivity with analytical tools for processing and interpreting IFA data to standardize and streamline reconstructions employing IFA‐Mg/Ca measurements. Model exercises with simulated and real IFA data demonstrate that the dominant signal retained by IFA populations is largely determined by the annual‐to‐interannual ratio of climate variability at a given location and depth and can be impacted by seasonal biases in foraminiferal productivity. In addition, our exercises reveal that extreme quantiles can be reliable indicators of past changes in climate variability, are often more sensitive to climate change than quantiles within the distributional interior, and can be used to distinguish changes in interannual phenomena like ENSO from seasonality. Altogether, QUANTIFA provides a useful tool for modeling IFA uncertainties and processing IFA data that can be leveraged to establish a history of past climate variability.
COVID-19-related psychological distress and engagement in preventative behaviors among individuals with severe mental illnesses
Authors: Pinkham Amy E. , Ackerman Robert A. , Depp Colin A. , Harvey Philip D. , Moore Raeanne C.
Published: February 2021

Individuals with severe mental illnesses (SMIs) may be disproportionately vulnerable to COVID-19 infection and psychological distress. This study investigated the prevalence of engagement in COVID-19 preventative behaviors, predictors of these behaviors, and COVID-19-related psychological distress. One hundred and sixty-three individuals with SMIs (94 with schizophrenia spectrum illnesses and 69 with affective disorders) and 27 psychiatrically healthy comparison participants were recruited from ongoing studies across 3 sites, to complete a phone survey querying implementation of 8 specific COVID-19 preventative behaviors that participants engaged in at least once in the past month as well as standard assessments of depression, anxiety, perceived stress, loneliness, and coping. Data were collected between 3 April 2020 and 4 June 2020. The large majority of our SMI sample, which consisted of outpatients with relatively mild symptom severity, endorsed engaging in multiple preventative behaviors. Relatively few differences were found between groups; however, individuals with SMI were less likely to work remotely than healthy individuals and individuals with schizophrenia spectrum illness were less likely to stay home as a preventative measure, wear face masks, and work remotely than individuals with affective disorders. Differences in staying home remained after controlling for potential confounds. Although individuals with SMI reported more psychological distress related to COVID-19, this distress was largely unrelated to engagement in preventative behaviors. The large majority of individuals with SMI in this outpatient sample, regardless of broad diagnostic category, reported performing multiple behaviors intended to prevent COVID-19 infection at least once a month and reported distress associated with the pandemic. These findings suggest a good level of awareness of COVID-19 among stable outpatients with SMI. The degree to which more acutely ill persons with SMI engage in such preventative behaviors, however, remains to be examined.
Regulatory genomic circuitry of human disease loci by integrative epigenomics
Authors: Boix Carles A. , James Benjamin T. , Park Yongjin P. , Meuleman Wouter , Kellis Manolis
Published: February 2021

Annotating the molecular basis of human disease remains an unsolved challenge, as 93% of disease loci are non-coding and gene-regulatory annotations are highly incomplete1–3. Here we present EpiMap, a compendium comprising 10,000 epigenomic maps across 800 samples, which we used to define chromatin states, high-resolution enhancers, enhancer modules, upstream regulators and downstream target genes. We used this resource to annotate 30,000 genetic loci that were associated with 540 traits4, predicting trait-relevant tissues, putative causal nucleotide variants in enriched tissue enhancers and candidate tissue-specific target genes for each. We partitioned multifactorial traits into tissue-specific contributing factors with distinct functional enrichments and disease comorbidity patterns, and revealed both single-factor monotropic and multifactor pleiotropic loci. Top-scoring loci frequently had multiple predicted driver variants, converging through multiple enhancers with a common target gene, multiple genes in common tissues, or multiple genes and multiple tissues, indicating extensive pleiotropy. Our results demonstrate the importance of dense, rich, high-resolution epigenomic annotations for the investigation of complex traits.
Author Correction: Evaluating drug targets through human loss-of-function genetic variation
Authors:   Genome Aggregation Database Production Team, Minikel Eric Vallabh ,   Genome Aggregation Database Consortium, Karczewski Konrad J. , Martin Hilary C. , Cummings Beryl B. , Whiffin Nicola , Rhodes Daniel , Alföldi Jessica , Trembath Richard C. , van Heel David A. , Daly Mark J. , Schreiber Stuart L. , MacArthur Daniel G.
Published: February 2021

A Correction to this paper has been published: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-020-03177-5
Comparative evaluation of 19 reverse transcription loop-mediated isothermal amplification assays for detection of SARS-CoV-2
Authors: Dong Yajuan , Wu Xiuming , Li Shenwei , Lu Renfei , Li Yingxue , Wan Zhenzhou , Qin Jianru , Yu Guoying , Jin Xia , Zhang Chiyu
Published: February 2021

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by SARS-CoV-2 has caused a global pandemics. To facilitate the detection of SARS-CoV-2 infection, various RT-LAMP assays using 19 sets of primers had been developed, but never been compared. We performed comparative evaluation of the 19 sets of primers using 4 RNA standards and 29 clinical samples from COVID-19 patients. Six of 15 sets of primers were firstly identified to have faster amplification when tested with four RNA standards, and were further subjected to parallel comparison with the remaining four primer sets using 29 clinical samples. Among these 10 primer sets, Set-4 had the highest positive detection rate of SARS-CoV-2 (82.8%), followed by Set-10, Set-11, and Set-13 and Set-17 (75.9%). Set-14 showed the fastest amplification speed (Tt value < 8.5 min), followed by Set-17 (Tt value < 12.5 min). Based on the overall detection performance, Set-4, Set-10, Set-11, Set-13, Set-14 and Set-17 that target Nsp3, S, S, E, N and N gene regions of SARS-CoV-2, respectively, were determined to be better than the other primer sets. Two RT-LAMP assays with the Set-4 primers in combination with any one of four other primer sets (Set-14, Set-10, Set-11, and Set-13) were recommended to be used in the COVID-19 surveillance.
Early detection of drug-resistant Streptococcus pneumoniae and Haemophilus influenzae by quantitative flow cytometry
Authors: Sawada Takahiro , Katayama Masayuki , Takatani Shogo , Ohiro Yoshiyuki
Published: February 2021

Early detection of drug resistance contributes to combating drug-resistant bacteria and improving patient outcomes. Microbial testing in the laboratory is essential for treating infectious diseases because it can provide critical information related to identifying pathogenic bacteria and their resistance profiles. Despite these clinical requirements, conventional phenotypic testing is time-consuming. Additionally, recent rapid drug resistance tests are not compatible with fastidious bacteria such asStreptococcusandHaemophilusspecies. In this study, we validated the feasibility of direct bacteria counting using highly sensitive quantitative flow cytometry. Furthermore, by combining flow cytometry and a nucleic acid intercalator, we constructed a highly sensitive method for counting viable fastidious bacteria. These are inherently difficult to measure due to interfering substances from nutrients contained in the medium. Based on the conventional broth microdilution method, our method acquired a few microliter samples in a time series from the same microplate well to exclude the growth curve inconsistency between the samples. Fluorescent staining and flow cytometry measurements were completed within 10 min. Therefore, this approach enabled us to determine antimicrobial resistance for these bacteria within a few hours. Highly sensitive quantitative flow cytometry presents a novel avenue for conducting rapid antimicrobial susceptibility tests.
Biochemical and structural characterization of a recombinant fibrinogen-related lectin from Penaeus monodon
Authors: Singrang Nongnuch , Laophetsakunchai Sirasit , Tran Bich Ngoc , Matsudaira Paul T. , Tassanakajon Anchalee , Wangkanont Kittikhun
Published: February 2021

Fibrinogen-related lectins are carbohydrate-binding proteins of the innate immune system that recognize glycan structures on microbial surfaces. These innate immune lectins are crucial for invertebrates as they do not rely on adaptive immunity for pathogen clearance. Here, we characterize a recombinant fibrinogen-related lectin PmFREP from the black tiger shrimp Penaeus monodon expressed in the Trichoplusia ni insect cell. Electron microscopy and cross-linking experiments revealed that PmFREP is a disulfide-linked dimer of pentamers distinct from other fibrinogen-related lectins. The full-length protein binds N-acetyl sugars in a Ca2+ ion-independent manner. PmFREP recognized and agglutinated Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Weak binding was detected with other bacteria, including Vibrio parahaemolyticus, but no agglutination activity was observed. The biologically active PmFREP will not only be a crucial tool to elucidate the innate immune signaling in P. monodon and other economically important species, but will also aid in detection and prevention of shrimp bacterial infectious diseases.
Regulation of redox homeostasis in cadmium stressed rice field cyanobacteria by exogenous hydrogen peroxide and nitric oxide
Authors: Verma Nidhi , Prasad Sheo Mohan
Published: February 2021

In the present study, defensive strategies of H2O2 mediated NO signaling were analyzed in Cd stressed Nostoc muscorum and Anabaena sp. Exogenously supplied SNP (10 µM) and H2O2 (1 µM) lessen the toxicity of Cd (6 µM) but without NO; H2O2 was unable to release the stress from cyanobacterial cells potentially. The reduced contents of exopolysaccharide, protein content, endogenous NO and enzymatic antioxidants (SOD, POD, CAT, and GST) due to Cd toxicity, were found increased significantly after exogenous application of H2O2 and SNP thereafter, cyanobacterial calls flourished much better after releasing toxic level of Cd. Moreover, increased level of ROS due to Cd stress also normalized under exogenous application of H2O2 and SNP. However, chelation of NO hindered the signaling mechanism of H2O2 that diminished its potential against Cd stress while signaling of NO has not been hindered by chelation of H2O2 and NO potentially released the Cd stress from cyanobacterial cells. In conclusion, current findings demonstrated the synergistic signaling between H2O2 and NO towards the improvement of cyanobacterial tolerance to Cd stress, thereby enhancing the growth and antioxidant defense system of test cyanobacteria that improved fertility and productivity of soil even under the situation of metal contamination.
Dysregulation of lipid metabolism and pathological inflammation in patients with COVID-19
Authors: Caterino Marianna , Gelzo Monica , Sol Stefano , Fedele Roberta , Annunziata Anna , Calabrese Cecilia , Fiorentino Giuseppe , D’Abbraccio Maurizio , Dell’Isola Chiara , Fusco Francesco Maria , Parrella Roberto , Fabbrocini Gabriella , Gentile Ivan , Andolfo Immacolata , Capasso Mario , Costanzo Michele , Daniele Aurora , Marchese Emanuela , Polito Rita , Russo Roberta , Missero Caterina , Ruoppolo Margherita , Castaldo Giuseppe
Published: February 2021

In recent months, Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has spread throughout the world. COVID-19 patients show mild, moderate or severe symptoms with the latter ones requiring access to specialized intensive care. SARS-CoV-2 infections, pathogenesis and progression have not been clearly elucidated yet, thus forcing the development of many complementary approaches to identify candidate cellular pathways involved in disease progression. Host lipids play a critical role in the virus life, being the double-membrane vesicles a key factor in coronavirus replication. Moreover, lipid biogenesis pathways affect receptor-mediated virus entry at the endosomal cell surface and modulate virus propagation. In this study, targeted lipidomic analysis coupled with proinflammatory cytokines and alarmins measurement were carried out in serum of COVID-19 patients characterized by different severity degree. Serum IL-26, a cytokine involved in IL-17 pathway, TSLP and adiponectin were measured and correlated to lipid COVID-19 patient profiles. These results could be important for the classification of the COVID-19 disease and the identification of therapeutic targets.
Population structure, genetic diversity and genomic selection signatures among a Brazilian common bean germplasm
Authors: Delfini Jessica , Moda-Cirino Vânia , dos Santos Neto José , Ruas Paulo Maurício , Sant’Ana Gustavo César , Gepts Paul , Gonçalves Leandro Simões Azeredo
Published: February 2021

Brazil is the world's largest producer of common bean. Knowledge of the genetic diversity and relatedness of accessions adapted to Brazilian conditions is of great importance for the conservation of germplasm and for directing breeding programs aimed at the development of new cultivars. In this context, the objective of this study was to analyze the genetic diversity, population structure, and linkage disequilibrium (LD) of a diversity panel consisting of 219 common bean accessions, most of which belonging to the Mesoamerican gene pool. Genotyping by sequencing (GBS) of these accessions allowed the identification of 49,817 SNPs with minor allele frequency > 0.05. Of these, 17,149 and 12,876 were exclusive to the Mesoamerican and Andean pools, respectively, and 11,805 SNPs could differentiate the two gene pools. Further the separation according to the gene pool, bayesian analysis of the population structure showed a subdivision of the Mesoamerican accessions based on the origin and color of the seed tegument. LD analysis revealed the occurrence of long linkage blocks and low LD decay with physical distance between SNPs (LD half decay in 249 kb, corrected for population structure and relatedness). The GBS technique could effectively characterize the Brazilian common bean germplasms, and the diversity panel used in this study may be of great use in future genome-wide association studies.
Predicting structural material degradation in advanced nuclear reactors with ion irradiation
Authors: Taller Stephen , VanCoevering Gerrit , Wirth Brian D. , Was Gary S.
Published: February 2021

Swelling associated with the formation and growth of cavities is among the most damaging of radiation-induced degradation modes for structural materials in advanced nuclear reactor concepts. Ion irradiation has emerged as the only practical option to rapidly assess swelling in candidate materials. For decades, researchers have tried to simulate the harsh environment in a nuclear reactor in the laboratory at an accelerated rate. Here we present the first case in which swelling in a candidate alloy irradiated ~ 2 years in a nuclear reactor was replicated using dual ion irradiation in ~ 1 day with precise control over damage rate, helium injection rate, and temperature and utilize physical models to predict the effects of radiation in reactors. The capability to predict and replicate the complex processes surrounding cavity nucleation and growth across many decades of radiation dose rate highlights the potential of accelerated radiation damage experiments. More importantly, it demonstrates the capability to predict the swelling evolution and the possibility to predict other features of the irradiated microstructure evolution that control material property degradation required to accelerate the development of new, radiation-tolerant materials.
Reappraisal of the prognostic value of Epstein-Barr virus status in monomorphic post-transplantation lymphoproliferative disorders–diffuse large B-cell lymphoma
Authors: Kim Jwa Hoon , Cho Hyungwoo , Sung Heungsup , Jung Ah Ra , Lee Yoon Sei , Lee Sang-wook , Ryu Jin-Sook , Chae Eun Jin , Kim Kyoung Won , Huh Jooryung , Park Chan-Sik , Yoon Dok Hyun , Suh Cheolwon
Published: February 2021

The role of the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) status in the blood for predicting survival in post-transplantation lymphoproliferative disorders–diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (PTLD–DLBCL) is unknown. We evaluated the prognostic values of pre-treatment EBV-encoded small RNA (EBER) detected with in situ hybridization in tissues and EBV DNA in the whole blood (WB) and plasma in 58 patients with monomorphic PTLD–DLBCL after solid organ transplantation. There were no significant differences in the rates of overall response, complete response, and survival according to EBER EBV and WB EBV status. In contrast, patients with positive plasma EBV DNA had significantly lower rates of overall response (60.0% vs. 94.4%, P = 0.043) and complete response (40.0% vs. 88.9%, P = 0.019) as well as worse progression-free survival (PFS) (P = 0.035) and overall survival (OS) (P = 0.039) compared with patients with negative plasma EBV DNA. In multivariate analysis, plasma EBV DNA positivity was a significantly unfavorable prognostic factor for PFS [hazard ratio (HR) 4.92, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.22–19.86, P = 0.025] and OS (HR 4.48, 95% CI 1.14–17.63, P = 0.032). Despite small number of 6 patients with plasma EBV positivity, plasma EBV DNA positivity might be more prognostic for survival than EBER or WB EBV DNA positivity in patients with monomorphic PTLD–DLBCL.
Feasibility of ex vivo fluorescence imaging of angiogenesis in (non-) culprit human carotid atherosclerotic plaques using bevacizumab-800CW
Authors: Huisman Lydian A. , Steinkamp Pieter J. , Hillebrands Jan-Luuk , Zeebregts Clark J. , Linssen Matthijs D. , Jorritsma-Smit Annelies , Slart Riemer H. J. A. , van Dam Gooitzen M. , Boersma Hendrikus H.
Published: February 2021

Vascular endothelial growth factor-A (VEGF-A) is assumed to play a crucial role in the development and rupture of vulnerable plaques in the atherosclerotic process. We used a VEGF-A targeted fluorescent antibody (bevacizumab-IRDye800CW [bevacizumab-800CW]) to image and visualize the distribution of VEGF-A in (non-)culprit carotid plaques ex vivo. Freshly endarterectomized human plaques (n = 15) were incubated in bevacizumab-800CW ex vivo. Subsequent NIRF imaging showed a more intense fluorescent signal in the culprit plaques (n = 11) than in the non-culprit plaques (n = 3). A plaque received from an asymptomatic patient showed pathologic features similar to the culprit plaques. Cross-correlation with VEGF-A immunohistochemistry showed co-localization of VEGF-A over-expression in 91% of the fluorescent culprit plaques, while no VEGF-A expression was found in the non-culprit plaques (p < 0.0001). VEGF-A expression was co-localized with CD34, a marker for angiogenesis (p < 0.001). Ex vivo near-infrared fluorescence (NIRF) imaging by incubation with bevacizumab-800CW shows promise for visualizing VEGF-A overexpression in culprit atherosclerotic plaques in vivo.