bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Generation of high-energy single pulses and pulse clusters in ytterbium fibre lasers with quasi-synchronous modulation of the pump power
Authors: Ivanenko A.V. , Nyushkov B.N. , Smirnov S.V.
Published: November 2021

Additional capabilities of the method of quasi-synchronous pump power modulation developed by the authors for nanosecond high-energy pulsed oscillation of fibre lasers with a long-lived (about 1 ms) upper laser level are investigated. Using an Yb fibre laser as an example, it is shown that quasi-synchronous pump power modulation makes it possible to generate not only a periodic sequence of single nanosecond pulses, but also regular pulse clusters with a controlled number of nanosecond subpulses that make up a cluster. In addition, the feasibility of scaling the energy of laser pulses obtained by the method of quasi-synchronous modulation of the pump power is studied when proceeding to the use of active double-clad fibres and higher-power multimode pump sources. Pulses with energies up to 430 nJ are obtained in a laser configuration maintaining linear polarisation of radiation. The results obtained significantly expand the possibilities of applying the method of quasi-synchronous modulation of the pump power in conventional fibre lasers based on stimulated emission.
Riding the waves: lessons learnt from Victoria’s COVID-19 pandemic response for maintaining effective allied health student education and clinical placements
Authors: Brack Peter , Bramley Andrea , Downie Sharon , Gardner Marcus , Leo Joan , Sturt Rod , Markham Donna
Published: November 2021

Victoria was the Australian state most significantly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, which caused significant disruption to Victorian health services. The aim of this case study is to describe the experience of the Victorian public health system in adapting to support allied health student education during the pandemic. Factors that affected student education were complex and dynamic, and included a decrease in traditional face-to-face learning opportunities due to a transition to telehealth, social distancing requirements, furlough of staff and travel restrictions. Impacts on placement capacity across allied health professions were highly variable. Strategies used to enable the continuation of student work-integrated learning (WIL) (also referred to as clinical placements or fieldwork) included an increase in remote placements and the use of technology. Enhanced communication between government and health service educators enabled rapid sharing of information and problem solving. At this time, the impacts on student preparedness for practice are unclear but may include deficits in interprofessional learning, clinical skills, increased levels of agility and enhanced resilience. This case study highlights the need for the health system to be adaptable and innovative to maintain the quality of student education, and the future allied health workforce, through the pandemic and beyond. What is known about the topic? The COVID-19 pandemic caused significant disruption to Victorian health services and consequently their ability to support WIL for students during this time. The pandemic created risks for continuity of student learning and future allied health workforce supply. What does this paper add? The challenges that Victorian public health services faced to support student education during the pandemic were complex and dynamic. This paper describes the ways in which health services adapted to optimise the capacity and quality of student education. What are the implications for practitioners? This case study highlights that a focus on student well-being and a high level of problem solving for health services were required to support student learning during the pandemic, and that enhanced communication between government and health services supported the rapid sharing of innovations. These strategies can be used to support quality student WIL through the pandemic and beyond.
Animal and plant-sourced nutrition: complementary not competitive
Authors: Smith Nick W. , Fletcher Andrew J. , Hill Jeremy P. , McNabb Warren C.
Published: November 2021

Debate on the sustainability of the global food system often compares the environmental, economic and health impacts of plant- and animal-sourced foods. This distinction can mask the considerable variation in impacts across and within these food groups. Moreover, the nutritional benefits of these food groups are insufficiently discussed. In this review, we highlight the nutritional contribution to the current global food system of both plant- and animal-sourced foods and place their impacts on human health in the global context. We highlight how the comparison of the environmental impacts of foods via life cycle analyses can change on the basis of the functional unit used, particularly the use of mass as opposed to nutrient content or nutrient richness. We review the literature on the affordability of nutrient-adequate diets, demonstrating the presence of both plant- and animal-sourced foods in affordable nutritious diets. Finally, we address the potential of alternative food sources that are gaining momentum, to ask where they may fit in a sustainable food system. We conclude that there is a clear place for both plant- and animal-sourced foods in future sustainable food systems, and a requirement for both for sustainable global nutrition; as such, the two groups are complementary and not competitive.
When it’s “now or never”
Authors: Satti Ignacio
Published: November 2021

Individuals who share knowledge of past events may encounter different practical problems when engaging in the co-telling of those events. Drawing upon conversation analysis, this article investigates how co-tellers manage interpolated opportunities to initiate other-repair in collaborative storytelling. The analysis focuses on the placement of different repair operations on the story-in-progress and shows that co-tellers monitor the progressivity of the storytelling activity to identify proper places to initiate repair. Repairs that are initiated out of place can be oriented to as inappropriate and require more interactional work from participants. When tellers project the continuation of the story beyond a proper place, co-tellers display urgency for halting the story’s current trajectory, which shows their orientation to this moment as a last opportunity to initiate repair. This last possible point to repair the story-in-progress is what I call a “now or never” moment. Data stem from video-recorded collaboratively told stories in Spanish.
A neural network approach based on more input neurons to predict nuclear mass *
Authors: Zhao Tian-Liang , Zhang Hong-Fei
Published: November 2021

The study of nuclear mass is very important, and the neural network (NN) approach can be used to improve the prediction of nuclear mass for various models. Considering the number of valence nucleons of protons and neutrons separately in the input quantity of the NN model, the root-mean-square deviation of binding energy between data from AME2016 and liquid drop model calculations for 2314 nuclei was reduced from 2.385 MeV to 0.203 MeV. In addition, some defects in the Weizsäcker–Skyrme (WS)-type model were repaired, which well reproduced the two-neutron separation energy of the nucleus synthesized recently by RIKEN RI Beam Factory [Phys. Rev. Lett. 125, (2020) 122501]. The masses of some of the new nuclei appearing in the latest atomic mass evaluation (AME2020) are also well reproduced. However, the results of neural network methods for predicting the description of regions far from known atomic nuclei need to be further improved. This study shows that such a statistical model can be a tool for systematic searching of nuclei beyond existing experimental data.
The Binarity of Early-type Stars from LAMOST medium-resolution Spectroscopic Survey
Authors: Guo Yanjun , Li Jiao , Xiong Jianping , Li Jiangdan , Wang Luqian , Xiong Heran , Luo Feng , Hou Yonghui , Liu Chao , Han Zhanwen , Chen Xuefei
Published: November 2021

Massive binaries play significant roles in many fields. Identifying massive stars, particularly massive binaries, is of great importance. In this paper, by adopting the technique of measuring the equivalent widths of several spectral lines, we identified 9382 early-type stars from the LAMOST medium-resolution survey and divided the sample into four groups, T1 (∼O-B4), T2 (∼B5), T3 (∼B7) and T4 (∼B8-A). The relative radial velocities RVrel were calculated using Maximum Likelihood Estimation. The stars with significant changes of RVrel and at least larger than 15.57 km s−1 were identified as spectroscopic binaries. We found that the observed spectroscopic binary fractions for the four groups are 24.6% ± 0.5%, 20.8% ± 0.6%, 13.7% ± 0.3% and 7.4% ± 0.3%, respectively. Assuming that orbital period (P) and mass ratio (q) have intrinsic distributions as f(P) ∝ P

π
(1 < P < 1000 days) and f(q) ∝ q

κ
(0.1 < q < 1), respectively, we conducted a series of Monte-Carlo simulations to correct observational biases for estimating the intrinsic multiplicity properties. The results show that the intrinsic binary fractions for the four groups are 68% ± 8%, 52% ± 3%, 44% ± 6% and 44% ± 6%, respectively. The best estimated values for π are −1 ± 0.1, −1.1 ± 0.05, −1.1 ± 0.1 and −0.6 ± 0.05, respectively. The κ cannot be constrained for groups T1 and T2 and is −2.4 ± 0.3 for group T3 and −1.6 ± 0.3 for group T4. We confirmed the relationship of a decreasing trend in binary fractions toward late-type stars. No correlation between the spectral type and orbital period distribution has been found yet, possibly due to the limitation of observational cadence.
Number and Distribution of Fiducial Fibers in a Spectroscopic Survey Telescope
Authors: Duan Shi-Peng , Zhou Zeng-Xiang , Zuo Jia-Le , Li Meng-Tao , Liu Zhi-Gang , Hu Hong-Zhuan , Wang Jian-Ping , Cui Xiang-Qun , Zhang Yong , Zhang Hao-Tong
Published: November 2021

To date, the Large Sky Area Multi-Object Fiber Spectroscopic Telescope (LAMOST) has been in operation for 12 yr. To improve the telescope's astronomical observation accuracy, the original open-loop fiber positioning system of LAMOST is in urgent need of upgrading. The upgrade plan is to install several fiber view cameras (FVCs) around primary mirror B to build a closed-loop feedback control system. The FVCs are 20 m from the focal surface. To reduce a series of errors when the cameras detect the positions of the optical fibers, we designed fiducial fibers on the focal surface to be fiducial points for the cameras. Increasing the number of fiducial fibers can improve the detection accuracy of the FVC system, but it will also certainly reduce the number of fiber positioners that can be used for observation. Therefore, the focus of this paper is how to achieve the quantity and distribution that meet the requirements of system detection. In this paper, we introduce the necessity of using fiducial fibers, propose a method for selecting their number and present several methods for assessing the uniformity of their distribution. Finally, we implement particle swarm optimization to find the best distribution of fiducial fibers.
Light Curve Analysis and Period Study of Two Eclipsing Binaries UZ Lyr and BR Cyg
Authors: Roobiat K. Y. , Pazhouhesh R.
Published: November 2021

Two eclipsing binary systems, UZ Lyr and BR Cyg, are semi-detached types whose secondary component fills its Roche lobe. Although radial velocity and light curves of these systems have already been investigated separately, both their radial velocity and light curves are analyzed simultaneously for the first time in the present study. Also, the orbital period changes of these systems are studied. Our results show that the mass transfers between components have negligible effects on the orbital period changes of these systems, but two light travel time effects are the reasons for the periodic behavior of the O − C curve for UZ Lyr. We could not remark more information about orbital period changes for BR Cyg, but we find a new orbital period for it. By radial velocity and light curve analysis, we find a cold spot on the secondary component of BR Cyg. The new geometrical and physical parameters of both systems are obtained and their positions on the H-R diagram are demonstrated.
Mobility endpoints in marketing authorisation of drugs: what gets the European medicines agency moving?
Authors: Jaeger Simon U , Wohlrab Martin , Schoene Daniel , Tremmel Roman , Chambers Michael , Leocani Letizia , Corriol-Rohou Solange , Klenk Jochen , Sharrack Basil , Garcia-Aymerich Judith , Rochester Lynn , Maetzler Walter , Puhan Milo , Schwab Matthias , Becker Clemens
Published: November 2021

Background

Mobility is defined as the ability to independently move around the environment and is a key contributor to quality of life, especially in older age. The aim of this study was to evaluate the use of mobility as a decisive outcome for the marketing authorisation of drugs by the European Medicines Agency (EMA).

Methods

Fifteen therapeutic areas which commonly lead to relevant mobility impairments and alter the quantity and/or the quality of walking were selected: two systemic neurological diseases, four conditions primarily affecting exercise capacity, seven musculoskeletal diseases and two conditions representing sensory impairments. European Public Assessment Reports (EPARs) published by the EMA until September 2020 were examined for mobility endpoints included in their ‘main studies’. Clinical study registries and primary scientific publications for these studies were also reviewed.

Results

Four hundred and eighty-four EPARs yielded 186 relevant documents with 402 ‘main studies’. The EPARs reported 153 primary and 584 secondary endpoints which considered mobility; 70 different assessment tools (38 patient-reported outcomes, 13 clinician-reported outcomes, 8 performance outcomes and 13 composite endpoints) were used. Only 15.7% of those tools distinctly informed on patients’ mobility status. Out of 402, 105 (26.1%) of the ‘main studies’ did not have any mobility assessment. Furthermore, none of these studies included a digital mobility outcome.

Conclusions

For conditions with a high impact on mobility, mobility assessment was given little consideration in the marketing authorisation of drugs by the EMA. Where mobility impairment was considered to be a relevant outcome, questionnaires or composite scores susceptible to reporting biases were predominantly used.
Salt tolerance mechanisms in theLycopersiconclade and their trade-offs
Authors: Bonarota Maria-Sole , Kosma Dylan K , Barrios-Masias Felipe H
Published: November 2021

Salt stress impairs growth and yield in tomato, which is mostly cultivated in arid and semi-arid areas of the world. A number of wild tomato relatives (Solanum pimpinellifolium, S. pennellii, S. cheesmaniae and S. peruvianum) are endemic to arid coastal areas and able to withstand higher concentration of soil salt concentrations, making them a good genetic resource for breeding efforts aimed at improving salt tolerance and overall crop improvement. However, the complexity of salt stress response makes it difficult to introgress tolerance traits from wild relatives that could effectively increase tomato productivity under high soil salt concentrations. Under commercial production, biomass accumulation is key for high fruit yields, and salt tolerance management strategies should aim to maintain a favourable plant water and nutrient status. In this review, we first compare the effects of salt stress on the physiology of the domesticated tomato and its wild relatives. We then discuss physiological and energetic trade-offs for the different salt tolerance mechanisms found within the Lycopersicon clade, with a focus on the importance of root traits to sustain crop productivity.
Above- and below-ground functional trait coordination in the Neotropical understory genus Costus
Authors: Ávila-Lovera Eleinis , Goldsmith Gregory R , Kay Kathleen M , Funk Jennifer L
Published: November 2021

The study of plant functional traits and variation among and within species can help illuminate functional coordination and trade-offs in key processes that allow plants to grow, reproduce and survive. We studied 20 leaf, above-ground stem, below-ground stem and fine-root traits of 17 Costus species from forests in Costa Rica and Panama to answer the following questions: (i) Do congeneric species show above-ground and below-ground trait coordination and trade-offs consistent with theory of resource acquisition and conservation? (ii) Is there correlated evolution among traits? (iii) Given the diversity of habitats over which Costus occurs, what is the relative contribution of site and species to trait variation? We performed a principal components analysis (PCA) to assess for the existence of a spectrum of trait variation and found that the first two PCs accounted for 21.4 % and 17.8 % of the total trait variation, respectively, with the first axis of variation being consistent with a continuum of resource-acquisitive and resource-conservative traits in water acquisition and use, and the second axis of variation being related to the leaf economics spectrum. Stomatal conductance was negatively related to both above-ground stem and rhizome specific density, and these relationships became stronger after accounting for evolutionary relatedness, indicating correlated evolution. Despite elevation and climatic differences among sites, high trait variation was ascribed to individuals rather than to sites. We conclude that Costus species present trait coordination and trade-offs that allow species to be categorized as having a resource-acquisitive or resource-conservative functional strategy, consistent with a whole-plant functional strategy with evident coordination and trade-offs between above-ground and below-ground function. Our results also show that herbaceous species and species with rhizomes tend to agree with trade-offs found in more species-rich comparisons.
Comprehensive evaluation of computational methods for predicting cancer driver genes
Authors: Shi Xiaohui , Teng Huajing , Shi Leisheng , Bi Wenjian , Wei Wenqing , Mao Fengbiao , Sun Zhongsheng
Published: November 2021

Optimal methods could effectively improve the accuracy of predicting and identifying candidate driver genes. Various computational methods based on mutational frequency, network and function approaches have been developed to identify mutation driver genes in cancer genomes. However, a comprehensive evaluation of the performance levels of network-, function- and frequency-based methods is lacking. In the present study, we assessed and compared eight performance criteria for eight network-based, one function-based and three frequency-based algorithms using eight benchmark datasets. Under different conditions, the performance of approaches varied in terms of network, measurement and sample size. The frequency-based driverMAPS and network-based HotNet2 methods showed the best overall performance. Network-based algorithms using protein–protein interaction networks outperformed the function- and the frequency-based approaches. Precision, F1 score and Matthews correlation coefficient were low for most approaches. Thus, most of these algorithms require stringent cutoffs to correctly distinguish driver and non-driver genes. We constructed a website named Cancer Driver Catalog (http://159.226.67.237/sun/cancer_driver/), wherein we integrated the gene scores predicted by the foregoing software programs. This resource provides valuable guidance for cancer researchers and clinical oncologists prioritizing cancer driver gene candidates by using an optimal tool.
Limitations to Propagule Dispersal Will Constrain Postfire Recovery of Plants and Fungi in Western Coniferous Forests
Authors: Gill Nathan S , Turner Monica G , Brown Carissa D , Glassman Sydney I , Haire Sandra L , Hansen Winslow D , Pansing Elizabeth R , St Clair Samuel B , Tomback Diana F
Published: November 2021

Many forest species are adapted to long-interval, high-severity fires, but the intervals between severe fires are decreasing with changes in climate, land use, and biological invasions. Although the effects of changing fire regimes on some important recovery processes have previously been considered, the consequences for the dispersal of propagules (plant seeds and fungal spores) in forest communities have not. We characterize three mechanisms by which changing fire regimes disrupt propagule dispersal in mesic temperate, boreal, and high-elevation forests: reduced abundance and altered spatial distributions of propagule source populations, less effective dispersal of propagules by wind, and altered behavior of animal dispersers and propagule predators. We consider how disruptions to propagule dispersal may interact with other factors that are also influenced by fire regime change, potentially increasing risk of forest conversion. Finally, we highlight urgent research topics regarding how dispersal limitation may shape twenty-first century forest recovery after stand-replacing fire.
Street Culture Meets Extremism: How Muslims Involved in Street Life and Crime Oppose Jihadism
Authors: Tutenges Sébastien , Sandberg Sveinung
Published: November 2021

Many studies have examined why individuals with a background in street life and crime are drawn toward extremism. This paper examines why most people with this background reject extremism. Based on ethnographic fieldwork in Oslo, we found that Muslims involved in street culture were generally opposed to jihadism because they perceived jihadists as evil people who harm innocents; bad Muslims who defame Islam; and cowards who break the ‘code of the street.’ This opposition resulted in avoidance behaviours, criticism and, sometimes, violence against suspected jihadists. We argue that research on the crime-terror nexus has focussed too narrowly on the similarities between street culture and jihadism, contributing to a distorted image of Muslims involved in street culture as potential terrorists.
Addressing Equity in Schools: Youth Participatory Action Research and Transformative Social and Emotional Learning during COVID-19
Authors: Owens Chastity L , Johnson Annette H , Thornton Aubrey
Published: November 2021

In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic and rise in racial injustices signaled the need to engage students in macro-level interventions to maximize their contributions to their schools, communities, and society. School social workers are uniquely positioned to elevate student voices, hone their critical thinking skills, and capitalize on their strengths and assets. Critical thinking skills can help students analyze the world around them by engaging them in addressing equity issues in their schools and communities. This article introduces the concept of transformative social and emotional learning (TSEL) within the context of youth-led participatory action research (YPAR) and a critical service learning (CSL) framework for school social workers to promote student empowerment. Through CSL, students cultivate advocacy skills by identifying, investigating, and taking action to address concerns. Authors include a case example demonstrating TSEL and YPAR, using CSL as a school social work intervention that recognizes and promotes students’ strengths and assets.
Decentring ELT: teacher associations as agents of change
Authors: Banegas Darío Luis , Bullock Deborah , Kiely Richard , Kuchah Kuchah , Padwad Amol , Smith Richard , Wedell Martin
Published: November 2021

In 2018, the A.S. Hornby Educational Trust launched its ‘Decentring ELT’ initiative, with the aim of identifying, publicizing, and supporting ways in which English language educators in low- and middle-income countries work locally and collaboratively to develop activities that respond to their particular circumstances. This article aims to explore the notion of ‘decentring’ in ELT by means of a provisional characterization and by presenting examples of activities carried out by ELT teacher associations in Africa, Latin America, and South Asia which involve: localization/devolution; encouragement of success-sharing; support for teacher research; investigation of members’ needs and/or capabilities; and/or attempts to bring about wider change. On the basis of feedback received so far on our provisional characterization of decentring, we end by highlighting some ways in which this notion, and outside support for it, may need to be not only extended but also problematized and critiqued.
What topic modelling can show about the development of agricultural economics: evidence from the Journal Citation Report category top journals
Authors: Cei Leonardo , Defrancesco Edi , Stefani Gianluca
Published: November 2021

Throughout its history, several attempts have been made to map the structure and subfields of agricultural economics; however, these attempts either rely on the experience of distinguished scholars or require processing a massive amount of textual data. This paper investigates the structural dynamics of agricultural economics, focusing on the changing frequency of different subfields and the diversification of the discipline over time and on the differences between European and non-European scholars. A quantitative text analysis is carried out on abstracts from the major agricultural economics journals in the Journal Citation Reports category ‘Agricultural Economics and Policy’. The topics identified are consistent with findings from traditional studies, but their importance differs between the two areas. However, a convergence process has been observed in the last years.
Depth-structuring of multi-kingdom soil communities in agricultural pastures
Authors: Dopheide Andrew , Davis Carina , Nuñez Jonathan , Rogers Graeme , Whitehead David , Grelet Gwen-Aëlle
Published: November 2021

The biodiversity and structure of deep agricultural soil communities are poorly understood, especially for eukaryotes. Using DNA metabarcoding and co-occurrence networks, we tested whether prokaryote, fungal, protist, and nematode biodiversity declines with increasing depth (0–0.1,  0.3–0.5,  and 1.1–1.7m) in pastoral soil; whether deep soil organisms are subsets of those at the surface; and whether multi-kingdom networks become more interconnected with increasing depth. Depth-related richness declines were observed for almost all detected fungal classes, protist phyla, and nematode orders, but only 13 of 25 prokaryote phyla, of which nine had increasing richness with depth. Deep soil communities were not simply subsets of surface communities, with 3.8%–12.2% of eukaryotes and 13.2% of prokaryotes detected only in the deepest samples. Eukaryotes mainly occurred in the upper soil layers whereas prokaryotes were more evenly distributed across depths. Plant-feeding nematodes were most abundant in top soil, whereas bacteria feeders were more abundant in deep soil. Co-occurrence network structure differences suggested that deep soil communities are concentrated around scarce niches of resource availability, in contrast to more spatially homogenous and abundant resources at the surface. Together, these results demonstrate effects of depth on the composition, distribution, and structure of prokaryote and eukaryote soil communities.
“I Have Failed Them and Failed My Duties”: Experiences of Hospital Social Workers Discharging Patients into Homelessness
Authors: Morris Rae , Lewis Fiona , Baker Nancy , Saul Megan , Bohachewski Kym
Published: November 2021

Homelessness is a long-standing issue at the forefront of healthcare globally, and discharge of homeless patients from hospital settings can exacerbate gaps and burdens in healthcare systems. In hospitals, social workers often take on the majority of responsibility for facilitating patient discharge transitions out of hospital care. Research in this area to date has explored experiences and outcomes of homeless clients, and the experiences of social workers in these roles are not well known. The current study's objective was to elucidate observations and experiences of hospital social workers who discharge patients into homelessness. A total of 112 social workers responded to an online questionnaire, and responses to open-ended questions were analyzed for thematic content. Four overarching themes emerged: (1) complexity of clients, (2) systemic barriers, (3) resource gaps, and (4) negative impact on social workers. It is clear that significant change is required to address the multitude of challenges that intersect to reinforce health inequities. Results can be used by social workers, health authorities, community providers, researchers, and policymakers in discussions about best practices for homeless clients.
Policy Space for Capital Flow Management: An Empirical Investigation
Authors: Thrasher Rachel D , Sklar Sarah , Gallagher Kevin P
Published: November 2021

Many in the academic community have identified that some trade and investment treaties restrict the ability of nation states to regulate volatile capital flows to prevent and mitigate financial instability. This paper quantifies the variation across preferential and free trade agreements with respect to their policy space for capital flow management measures. With these data we create a composite score of treaty flexibility and examine the collective level of policy space across the global trade regime. We find that the majority of trade treaties leave significant policy space for regulating cross-border finance in the world economy. South-South treaties tend to have the most policy space, whereas North-South and North-North treaties have less. When weighted by the level of gross domestic product (GDP) and incoming foreign investment however, we find that those treaties with the least amount of policy space for capital flow measures represent 65% of world GDP and 48% of global capital flows. What is more, it appears that the global trend is toward treaties without the policy space for appropriate regulation.
The risk of footswitch misstep during robot-assisted thoracoscopic surgery: a case report
Authors: Hashimoto Masayuki , Sawai Satoru , Oshio Mayumi , Yoden Makoto , Takeda Keiko
Published: November 2021

The Da Vinci Surgical System is an ergonomically devised and excellent surgical support device. However, surgeon skill is of paramount importance since human error cannot be completely eliminated. We report a case of bleeding from the pulmonary artery due to a footswitch misstep. A 72-year-old male with suspected right upper lobe lung cancer underwent robot-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (RATS). While avoiding the pulmonary artery with the right arm spatula and trying to cauterize V2t with the left arm bipolar-forceps, the footswitch was accidently activated and the spatula was energized, resulting in pulmonary artery trauma and blood loss. After this case, we changed the surgical procedure from a monopolar–bipolar combination use to a bipolar-only use and noted no significant difference in the console duration, and less intraoperative blood loss. Human errors can occur anytime. Especially for surgeons new to RATS, simplified foot management should be considered until RATS mastery is achieved.
A Simple and Applicable Method for Human Platelet Lysate Preparation Using Citrate Blood
Authors: Khongjaroensakun Narin , Paisooksantivatana Karan , Santiwatana Suttikarn , Tawonsawatruk Tulyapruek , Kusolthammarat Kantarat , Kadegasem Praguywan , Tangbubpha Noppawan , Chantaraamporn Juthamard , Chuansumrit Ampaiwan
Published: November 2021

Objectives

To determine and compare the platelet growth factors in human platelet lysate (HPL) prepared from citrated whole blood, with final centrifugations at 4oC and 25oC.

Methods

We collected specimens of citrated whole blood from 27 healthy volunteers. The platelet-rich plasma (PRP) was separated to prepare the HPL, which was further divided into 2 portions for the final centrifugation, at 4oC and 25oC, respectively. Platelet growth factors were measured and compared between the 2 groups.

Results

All platelet growth factors were higher than those in PRP prepared from citrated whole blood. Moreover, the final centrifugation at 25oC resulted in noninferiority of platelet-growth-factor level.

Conclusion

This study provided a simple method for small-volume of HPL preparation using only 10–15 mL of citrated whole blood. Further, the entire process of centrifugation can be performed at room temperature of 25oC, which is more applicable than lower temperatures for other laboratories.
Heterogeneity and excitability of BRAF
V600E-induced tumors is determined by Akt/mTOR-signaling state and Trp53-loss
Authors: Cases-Cunillera Silvia , van Loo Karen M J , Pitsch Julika , Quatraccioni Anne , Sivalingam Sugirthan , Salomoni Paolo , Borger Valeri , Dietrich Dirk , Schoch Susanne , Becker Albert J
Published: November 2021

Background

Developmental brain tumors harboring BRAFV600E somatic mutation are diverse. Here, we describe molecular factors that determine BRAFV600E-induced tumor biology and function.

Methods

Intraventricular in utero electroporation in combination with the piggyBac transposon system was utilized to generate developmental brain neoplasms, which were comprehensively analyzed with regard to growth using near-infrared in-vivo imaging, transcript signatures by RNA sequencing, and neuronal activity by multielectrode arrays.

Results

BRAF  V600E expression in murine neural progenitors elicits benign neoplasms composed of enlarged dysmorphic neurons and neoplastic astroglia recapitulating ganglioglioma (GG) only in concert with active Akt/mTOR-signaling. Purely glial tumors resembling aspects of polymorphous low-grade neuroepithelial tumors of the young (PLNTYs) emerge from BRAFV600E alone. Additional somatic Trp53-loss is sufficient to generate anaplastic GGs (aGGs) with glioneuronal clonality. Functionally, only BRAFV600E/pAkt tumors intrinsically generate substantial neuronal activity and show enhanced relay to adjacent tissue conferring high epilepsy propensity. In contrast, PLNTY- and aGG models lack significant spike activity, which appears in line with the glial differentiation of the former and a dysfunctional tissue structure combined with reduced neuronal transcript signatures in the latter.

Conclusion

mTOR-signaling and Trp53-loss critically determine the biological diversity and electrical activity of BRAFV600E-induced tumors.
Melt- to Shear-Controlled Exhumation of Granulites in Granite–Gneiss Domes: Petrological Perspectives from Metapelite of the Neoarchean Ha-Tshanzi Structure, Central Zone, Limpopo Complex, South Africa
Authors: Safonov Oleg G , Yapaskurt Vasily O , Elburg Marlina A , van Reenen Dirk D , Rajesh H M , Smit C Andre , Perchuk Alexei L , Butvina Valentina G
Published: November 2021

Gneiss domes cored by migmatites and granites represent the principal role of anatectic melts during the exhumation of high-grade metamorphic complexes. This study explores the exhumation history of a metapelitic granulite within the Ha-Tshanzi structure from the Central Zone of the Neoarchean–Paleoproterozoic Limpopo high-grade Complex, South Africa. Quartzofeldspathic garnet-bearing coarse-grained leucosomes in the rock alternate with attenuated shear bands consisting of biotite, cordierite, sillimanite and quartz that prominently modified the earlier garnet porphyroblasts. Cores of garnet porphyroblasts contain various polyphase inclusions that are interpreted as crystallized inclusions of melt. The phase equilibria modeling and regular zoning of garnet with respect to major (Mg, Fe, Ca) and some trace (P, Cr, Sc) elements reveals that a garnet + biotite + plagioclase + quartz ± sillimanite assemblage in the rock coexisted with the melt during the sub-isothermal (810–830 °C) exhumation from pressure of 10·0–10·2 kbar to 7·5–7·0 kbar during the Neoarchean event (2·68–2·62 Ga). The exhumation mediated by anatectic melt supports interpretation of the Ha-Tshanzi structure as a diapir-related granite–gneiss dome. During upwelling of the dome, the melt segregated into leucosome, while growth of cordierite sequestered water from the melt, assisting its crystallization at the end of the sub-isothermal decompression stage. As the rheology of the rock changed, melt-dominated deformation was transformed to solid-dominated ductile shear deformation. In contrast to the earlier sub-isothermal decompression P–T path, the gentler slope of ~75 °C kbar–1 of the decompression-cooling path marks the exhumation from pressures of ~7 kbar to pressures of 5–4·5 kbar and cooling to 600–550 °C. Dating of zircon, monazite and rutile shows that the Neoarchean evolution of the metapelite was strongly overprinted by the Paleoproterozoic event at c. 2·01 Ga. The results of the study highlight the significance of domed structures related to granitic diapirs in the exhumation of the Central Zone of the Limpopo Complex.
Planning for Safe Hospital Discharge by Identifying Patients Likely to Fall After Discharge
Authors: Wright Jonathan R , Koch-Hanes Trisha , Cortney Ciera , Lutjens Kathryn , Raines Kristopher , Shan Guogen , Young Daniel
Published: November 2021

Objective

Acute care physical therapists recommend discharge locations and services in part to help prevent falls during post-discharge recovery. Therapists may use standardized tests to inform their recommendation decisions, but evidence linking test scores with fall risk after discharge is lacking. The primary purpose of this study was to explore the associations between Tinetti Performance-Oriented Mobility Assessment (POMA) and Activity Measure for Post-Acute Care Inpatient Mobility Short Form (AM-PAC IMSF) scores and falls in the first 30 days after hospital discharge. Anticipating that agreement between therapist recommendations and discharge locations and services (discharge agreement), age, and sex could impact those associations, these factors were included in this investigation.

Methods

In this observational cohort study, 258 hospitalized patients consented to medical record data extraction and answered a phone survey 30 days after discharge to report whether they had experienced a fall since leaving the hospital. POMA and AM-PAC IMSF tests were administered for every patient. Participants’ age, sex, diagnosis, last POMA score, last AM-PAC IMSF score, physical therapist discharge recommendations, actual discharge location and services, discharge date, and phone number were collected from their medical records.

Results

When analyzed alone, higher POMA scores were associated with lower odds of falling, but the association was not significant after adjustment for other factors. Neither AM-PAC IMSF scores, age, nor sex were associated with falls. Discharge agreement, however, was associated with 59% lower odds of falling after adjustment for other factors.

Conclusion

Participants, who were discharged to the location with the services recommended by their physical therapist, were less likely to fall. Tinetti POMA and AM-PAC IMSF scores did not discriminate well participants who would fall.

Impact

Findings in this study inform those involved in discharge planning on the value of implementing physical therapist recommendations in reducing fall risk after hospital discharge.

Lay Summary

If physical therapist discharge recommendations are implemented, patients are less likely to fall during the month after hospital discharge. Balance and mobility test scores may provide therapists valuable information, but they are limited in their ability to identify who will fall after discharge.
Contact With Circles and Euclidean Invariants of Smooth Surfaces in ℝ3
Authors: Giblin Peter , Reeve Graham , Uribe-Vargas Ricardo
Published: November 2021

We investigate the vertex curve, that is the set of points in the hyperbolic region of a smooth surface in real 3-space at which there is a circle in the tangent plane having at least 5-point contact with the surface. The vertex curve is related to the differential geometry of planar sections of the surface parallel to and close to the tangent planes, and to the symmetry sets of isophote curves, that is level sets of intensity in a 2-dimensional image. We investigate also the relationship of the vertex curve with the parabolic and flecnodal curves, and the evolution of the vertex curve in a generic 1-parameter family of smooth surfaces.
How socio-economic inequality affects individuals’ civic engagement: a systematic literature review of empirical findings and theoretical explanations
Authors: Schröder Joris Melchior , Neumayr Michaela
Published: November 2021

Rising socio-economic inequality in many countries raises the question of how it affects individuals’ civic engagement in the forms of charitable giving, volunteering and non-profit membership. Though a growing body of multidisciplinary literature has started to address this issue, empirical results vary considerably and explanations about what underlies this relationship remain fragmentary. We thus conduct a systematic literature review to (a) provide a synopsis of empirical findings and (b) identify theoretical explanations and presumed mediating mechanisms underlying this relationship. Reviewing 70 studies, we find that higher inequality is most often negatively related to civic engagement, and that this relation is moderated by individual factors, for example, income and education. Furthermore, we map the proposed theoretical explanations into five key approaches. For each of these, we trace and identify the underlying mechanisms at both the societal and the individual level, and provide a conceptual framework that facilitates their empirical analysis in future.
Neuroinflammatory and Neurometabolomic Consequences From Inhaled Wildfire Smoke-Derived Particulate Matter in the Western United States
Authors: Scieszka David , Hunter Russell , Begay Jessica , Bitsui Marsha , Lin Yan , Galewsky Joseph , Morishita Masako , Klaver Zachary , Wagner James , Harkema Jack R , Herbert Guy , Lucas Selita , McVeigh Charlotte , Bolt Alicia , Bleske Barry , Canal Christopher G , Mostovenko Ekaterina , Ottens Andrew K , Gu Haiwei , Campen Matthew J , Noor Shahani
Published: November 2021

Utilizing a mobile laboratory located >300 km away from wildfire smoke (WFS) sources, this study examined the systemic immune response profile, with a focus on neuroinflammatory and neurometabolomic consequences, resulting from inhalation exposure to naturally occurring wildfires in California, Arizona, and Washington in 2020. After a 20-day (4 h/day) exposure period in a mobile laboratory stationed in New Mexico, WFS-derived particulate matter (WFPM) inhalation resulted in significant neuroinflammation while immune activity in the peripheral (lung, bone marrow) appeared to be resolved in C57BL/6 mice. Importantly, WFPM exposure increased cerebrovascular endothelial cell activation and expression of adhesion molecules (VCAM-1 and ICAM-1) in addition to increased glial activation and peripheral immune cell infiltration into the brain. Flow cytometry analysis revealed proinflammatory phenotypes of microglia and peripheral immune subsets in the brain of WFPM-exposed mice. Interestingly, endothelial cell neuroimmune activity was differentially associated with levels of PECAM-1 expression, suggesting that subsets of cerebrovascular endothelial cells were transitioning to resolution of inflammation following the 20-day exposure. Neurometabolites related to protection against aging, such as NAD+ and taurine, were decreased by WFPM exposure. Additionally, increased pathological amyloid-beta protein accumulation, a hallmark of neurodegeneration, was observed. Neuroinflammation, together with decreased levels of key neurometabolites, reflect a cluster of outcomes with important implications in priming inflammaging and aging-related neurodegenerative phenotypes.
Discordance between TST and QFT-TBGold Plus for Latent Tuberculosis Screening among Under-Five Children: An Interim Analysis
Authors: Surve Suchitra , Bhor Vikrant , Naukariya Kajal , Begum Shahina , Munne Kiran , Tipre Pranita , Sutar Narendra , Jaiswal Akanksha , Bhonde Gauri , Chauhan Sanjay , Shah Ira
Published: November 2021

Aim

To analyze the agreement between tuberculin skin test (TST) and fourth-generation QuantiFERON (QFT)-TB Gold Plus [interferon gamma (INF-γ) release assays (IGRA)] for latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) diagnosis among under-five children who are undernourished and/or who have history of contact with active tuberculosis (TB) patients.

Methods

Children from the age group of 6 months to 5 years (undernourished or tuberculosis household contacts) were screened through anganwadis (government playschools) and TB Health posts from Mumbai, India during September 2019 to January 2021. Both TST and QFT-TB Gold Plus test were carried out to diagnose LTBI.

Results

Out of the total 299, 35 (11.7%) (95% CI 8.1–15.3%) children tested positive by IGRA (QFT-TB Gold Plus) and 68 (22.7%) (95% CI 18.0–27.4%) by TST, suggestive of moderate concordance (κ = 0.483) between both tests. IGRA and TST showed moderate concordance in children <24 months (κ = 0.478). Moreover, 26 (21.1%) children with TB contact had both TST and IGRA positive with moderate concordance (κ = 0.550). A fair concordance (κ = 0.396) was observed between IGRA and TST in undernourished children. Also, 45 (15.0%) children showed discordance of which 39 (13.0%) had positive TST but negative IGRA and 6 (2.0%) had negative TST but positive IGRA.

Conclusions

The study strongly recommends both TST and QFT-TB Gold Plus test for the diagnosis of LTBI in under-five children. A moderate concordance in children <24 months endorses the reliability of QFT-TB Gold Plus in diagnosing LTBI in this age group. This study highlights the need for screening undernourished children for LTBI to consider repeating IGRA testing for TST positives as per the window period and risk of ongoing exposure.
Bacterial Volatile-Mediated Suppression of Root-Knot Nematode (Meloidogyne incognita)
Authors: Yang Ting , Xin Yi , Liu Tongyao , Li Zhengfeng , Liu Xingzhong , Wu Yunpeng , Wang Mingfeng , Xiang Meichun
Published: November 2021

Root-knot nematodes (Meloidogyne spp.) are obligate plant parasites that cause severe economic losses to agricultural crops worldwide. Because of serious health and environmental concerns related to the use of chemical nematicides, the development of efficient alternatives is of great importance. Biological control through exploiting the potential of rhizosphere microorganisms is currently accepted as an important approach for pest management in sustainable agriculture. In our research, during screening of rhizosphere bacteria against the root-knot nematodes Meloidogyne incognita, Ochrobactrum pseudogrignonense strain NC1 from the rhizosphere of healthy tomatoes showed strong nematode inhibition. A volatile nematicidal assay showed that the cell-free fermentation filtrate in the first-row wells of 12-well tissue culture plates caused M. incognita juvenile mortality in the second-row wells. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis revealed that dimethyl disulfide (DMDS) and benzaldehyde were the main volatile compounds produced by strain NC1. The nematicidal activity of these compounds indicated that the lethal concentration 50 against the M. incognita juveniles in the second-row wells and the fourth-row wells were 23.4 μmol/ml and 30.7 μmol/ml for DMDS and 4.7 μmol/ml and 15.2 μmol/ml for benzaldehyde, respectively. A greenhouse trial using O. pseudogrignonense strain NC1 provided management efficiencies of root-knot nematodes of 88 to 100% compared with the untreated control. This study demonstrated that nematode-induced root-gall suppression mediated by the bacterial volatiles DMDS and benzaldehyde presents a new opportunity for root-knot nematode management.