bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Insights into organic wine consumption: behaviour, segmentation and attribute non-attendance
Authors: Boncinelli Fabio , Dominici Andrea , Gerini Francesca , Marone Enrico
Published: February 2021

Several studies have focused on the behaviour of consumers towards organic wine, finding varying and sometimes conflicting results. Some scholars have noted that consumers may perceive wine labelled as organic to be of a lower quality, whereas others have found that consumers are willing to pay a premium price for it. Starting from these discrepancies found in the literature, this study seeks to investigate how the organic certification influences consumers when purchasing a bottle of red wine, evaluating the possible presence of attribute non-attendance (ANA) behaviour. A choice experiment was carried out on a sample of Italian wine consumers. Findings highlight that although, on average, consumers do not prefer organic wine, there is a relevant niche in the market consisting of consumers who benefit from purchasing it. Moreover, we have found that the majority of the sample ignores the organic attribute when choosing a bottle of wine, which reveals ANA behaviour.
Subcellular view of host–microbiome nutrient exchange in sponges: insights into the ecological success of an early metazoan–microbe symbiosis
Authors: Hudspith Meggie , Rix Laura , Achlatis Michelle , Bougoure Jeremy , Guagliardo Paul , Clode Peta L. , Webster Nicole S. , Muyzer Gerard , Pernice Mathieu , de Goeij Jasper M.
Published: February 2021

Background

Sponges are increasingly recognised as key ecosystem engineers in many aquatic habitats. They play an important role in nutrient cycling due to their unrivalled capacity for processing both dissolved and particulate organic matter (DOM and POM) and the exceptional metabolic repertoire of their diverse and abundant microbial communities. Functional studies determining the role of host and microbiome in organic nutrient uptake and exchange, however, are limited. Therefore, we coupled pulse-chase isotopic tracer techniques with nanoscale secondary ion mass spectrometry (NanoSIMS) to visualise the uptake and translocation of 13C- and 15N-labelled dissolved and particulate organic food at subcellular level in the high microbial abundance sponge Plakortis angulospiculatus and the low microbial abundance sponge Halisarca caerulea.

Results

The two sponge species showed significant enrichment of DOM- and POM-derived 13C and 15N into their tissue over time. Microbial symbionts were actively involved in the assimilation of DOM, but host filtering cells (choanocytes) appeared to be the primary site of DOM and POM uptake in both sponge species overall, via pinocytosis and phagocytosis, respectively. Translocation of carbon and nitrogen from choanocytes to microbial symbionts occurred over time, irrespective of microbial abundance, reflecting recycling of host waste products by the microbiome.

Conclusions

Here, we provide empirical evidence indicating that the prokaryotic communities of a high and a low microbial abundance sponge obtain nutritional benefits from their host-associated lifestyle. The metabolic interaction between the highly efficient filter-feeding host and its microbial symbionts likely provides a competitive advantage to the sponge holobiont in the oligotrophic environments in which they thrive, by retaining and recycling limiting nutrients. Sponges present a unique model to link nutritional symbiotic interactions to holobiont function, and, via cascading effects, ecosystem functioning, in one of the earliest metazoan–microbe symbioses.
Cultural capital in undergraduate research: an exploration of how biology students operationalize knowledge to access research experiences at a large, public research-intensive institution
Authors: Cooper Katelyn M. , Cala Jacqueline M. , Brownell Sara E.
Published: February 2021

Background

Undergraduate research experiences are becoming essential for pursuing future opportunities in science, but little has been done to identify what factors predict which students get to participate in research and which students do not. In this manuscript, we propose “scientific research capital” and specifically “scientific research cultural capital” as constructs to explain what students may need to know and do in order to successfully engage in an undergraduate research experience. We begin to articulate what comprises one component of scientific research cultural capital, embodied cultural capital, by identifying the knowledge that students may need to have in order to obtain an undergraduate research experience at a large, research-intensive institution where there are many more undergraduates vying for research positions than opportunities available. We interviewed 43 researchers, defined as undergraduates who had participated in research, and 42 non-researchers, defined as undergraduates who were interested in participating in research but had not yet successfully obtained a position, in a biology department at an R1 institution. We analyzed the data using inductive coding.

Results

We identified 10 “rules of research” or aspects of scientific research cultural capital that undergraduates reported about finding and securing undergraduate research. We used logistic regression to test whether undergraduate researchers were more likely than non-researchers to know particular rules. Researchers were more likely than non-researchers to know rules about securing research opportunities.

Conclusions

Since researchers were more likely than non-researchers to know rules related to securing research, educating students about how to secure research experiences and encouraging faculty to re-examine the criteria they use to admit students into their labs may be a key step in leveling the playing field for students who are vying for research positions. We propose that the construct of scientific research cultural capital can help publicize the hidden curriculum of undergraduate research so that students can more equitably gain access to undergraduate research.
Impact of tearing spermatic cords during castration in live and dead piglets and consequences on welfare
Authors: Schmid Simone M. , Genter Chiara I. , Heinemann Céline , Steinhoff-Wagner Julia
Published: February 2021

Background

Although the tearing of tissues during castration is forbidden in the EU, it is still routinely applied in many countries. The goal of this study was to evaluate vocalizations and movements of male piglets undergoing castration by applying different techniques and pain treatments based on scores under practical conditions (Trial 1,n = 50) and to investigate anatomical features after castration of dead piglets with different techniques (Trial 2,n = 28).

Results

In Trial 1, treatment groups did not significantly influence the duration of castration. Both the duration of vocalization and the scores for vocalizations and movements were lower in piglets castrated under general anesthesia (P < 0.05). Behavior scores in conscious piglets did not differ. The incision and extraction caused lower vocalizations and movements than the pulling and severing of spermatic cords (P < 0.01). Movements were more intense during tearing of the spermatic cords than during cutting at the first and second severing (P < 0.01). In both trials, the remains of spermatic cords protruded tendentially more often from castration wounds after severing by tearing (P < 0.09). In Trial 2, the minimum, mean and maximum lengths of the testicles and spermatic cords were extended when severing was realized by tearing (P < 0.01). The mean relative testicle weight of 1.05‰ in dead piglets castrated by tearing was larger than that in dead piglets castrated by cutting (0.91‰) (P < 0.05).

Conclusions

The trials uncovered significant differences between behavior expressed by piglets castrated by tearing or cutting, indicating a higher pain level in the tearing group. It was found that the castration technique tearing increased the amount of removed tissues and might cause intraabdominal damage to the remaining tissues and vessels in a yet unknown dimension. These findings should be considered for implementation and stricter enforcement of the ban on tearing for castration.
Sources of academic stress among Iranian adolescents: a multilevel study from Qazvin City, Iran
Authors: Hosseinkhani Z. , Hassanabadi H. R. , Parsaeian M. , Osooli M. , Assari S. , Nedjat S.
Published: February 2021

Background

Academic stress can cause mental and physical problems and affect adolescents’ healthy development. This study aimed to estimate academic stress and explore its sources at the individual- and school levels among school-going adolescents in the city of Qazvin, Iran.

Results

This cross-sectional study used a stratified cluster sampling to recruit 1724 students aged 12–19 years from 53 schools in Qazvin City. Data were collected using a validated self-administered questionnaire. The mean academic stress score was 45.7 (95% CI 45.2, 46.3). The stress level was statistically higher among older 47.5 (95% CI 46.7, 48.3) than younger 44.1 (95% CI 43.4, 44.9) adolescents. The main academic stressors included: future uncertainty 69.7 (95% CI 68.8, 70.7), academic competition 58.5 (95% CI 57.3, 59.6), and interaction with teachers 56.1 (95% CI 55.3, 56.9). Gender, educational period, school type, family socioeconomic status, and father’s education were associated with academic stress.

Conclusions

We conducted a multilevel study using a random sample of male and female students in the city of Qazvin, Iran. Results indicated moderate levels of stress among Iranian adolescents. The academic stress was associated with several individual and school-level variables. Students and their families and teachers need education on stress prevention methods and coping mechanisms. Future research should focus on developing and testing multilevel policies and interventions to improve students’ mental health and academic performance.
Individual placement and support: cross-sectional study of equality of access and outcome for Black, Asian and minority ethnic communities
Authors: Perkins Rachel , Patel Rash , Willett Amelia , Chisholm Laura , Rinaldi Miles
Published: February 2021

Aims and method

To explore whether people from Black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) communities experience equality of access and outcome in individual placement and support (IPS) employment services. Cross-sectional data were analysed of all people with severe mental health problems who accessed two mature high-fidelity IPS services in London in 2019 (n = 779 people).

Results

There were no significant differences between the proportions of people who gained employment. The data strongly suggest that people from BAME communities are not differentially disadvantaged in relation to either access to or outcomes of IPS employment services.

Clinical implications

The challenge for mental health professionals is not to decide who can and who cannot work but, how to support people on their case-loads to access IPS and move forward with life beyond their illness.
Status of primary and secondary mental healthcare of people with severe mental illness: an epidemiological study from the UK PARTNERS2 programme
Authors: Reilly Siobhan , McCabe Catherine , Marchevsky Natalie , Green Maria , Davies Linda , Ives Natalie , Plappert Humera , Allard Jon , Rawcliffe Tim , Gibson John , Clark Michael , Pinfold Vanessa , Gask Linda , Huxley Peter , Byng Richard , Birchwood Max
Published: February 2021

Background

There is global interest in the reconfiguration of community mental health services, including primary care, to improve clinical and cost effectiveness.

Aims

This study seeks to describe patterns of service use, continuity of care, health risks, physical healthcare monitoring and the balance between primary and secondary mental healthcare for people with severe mental illness in receipt of secondary mental healthcare in the UK.

Method

We conducted an epidemiological medical records review in three UK sites. We identified 297 cases randomly selected from the three participating mental health services. Data were manually extracted from electronic patient medical records from both secondary and primary care, for a 2-year period (2012–2014). Continuous data were summarised by mean and s.d. or median and interquartile range (IQR). Categorical data were summarised as percentages.

Results

The majority of care was from secondary care practitioners: of the 18 210 direct contacts recorded, 76% were from secondary care (median, 36.5; IQR, 14–68) and 24% were from primary care (median, 10; IQR, 5–20). There was evidence of poor longitudinal continuity: in primary care, 31% of people had poor longitudinal continuity (Modified Modified Continuity Index ≤0.5), and 43% had a single named care coordinator in secondary care services over the 2 years.

Conclusions

The study indicates scope for improvement in supporting mental health service delivery in primary care. Greater knowledge of how care is organised presents an opportunity to ensure some rebalancing of the care that all people with severe mental illness receive, when they need it. A future publication will examine differences between the three sites that participated in this study.
Factors associated with mental health outcomes among medical residents exposed to COVID-19
Authors: Khoodoruth Mohamed Adil Shah , Al-Nuaimi Saleem Khaldoon , Al-Salihy Zerak , Ghaffar Adeel , Khoodoruth Widaad Nuzhah Chut-kai , Ouanes Sami
Published: February 2021

Background

The COVID-19 outbreak has caused challenges for healthcare systems worldwide. Recent data indicates that the psychological impact has differed with respect to occupation. In many countries, medical residents have been on the front line of this pandemic. However, data on the psychological impact of infectious disease outbreaks, and COVID-19 in particular, on medical residents are relatively lacking.

Aims

The aim of our study was to assess the psychological impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on medical residents working on the front and second line.

Method

An electronic survey was sent to all medical residents in Qatar. Depression, anxiety and stress were assessed by the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale – 21 Items. Professional quality of life was measured by the Professional Quality of Life measure.

Results

Of the 640 medical residents contacted, 127 (20%) responded. A considerable proportion of residents reported symptoms of depression (42.5%), anxiety (41.7%) and stress (30.7%). Multivariate analysis of variance showed significant effects of seniority in residency, with junior residents having poorer outcomes. In addition, there was a statistically significant interaction effect with moderate effect sizes between gender and working on the front line, as well as gender, working on the front line and seniority, on mental health outcomes.

Conclusions

The COVID-19 pandemic may have a negative impact on junior residents’ mental health. Preventive measures to reduce stress levels and easy access to professional mental health services are crucial.
Cardiovascular Disease in Patients With Primary and Secondary Adrenal Insufficiency and the Role of Comorbidities
Authors: Ngaosuwan Kanchana , Johnston Desmond G , Godsland Ian F , Cox Jeremy , Majeed Azeem , Quint Jennifer K , Oliver Nick , Robinson Stephen
Published: February 2021

Context

Mortality studies have established that cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in patients with adrenal insufficiency and the risk is greater than that observed in individually matched controls.

Objective

Here we have performed a detailed analysis of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality, taking account of the role of comorbidities.

Methods

We performed a retrospective cohort study using the Clinical Practice Research Datalink (CPRD), a UK general practitioner database. The participant population comprised 6821 patients with adrenal insufficiency (primary, 2052; secondary, 3948) compared with 67 564 individually matched controls, with and without adjustment for comorbidities (diabetes, hypertension, dyslipidemia, previous cardiovascular disease, and smoking). The main outcome measures were composite cardiovascular events recorded in the CPRD and cardiovascular mortality in participants with linked national mortality data.

Results

Hazard ratios (95% CI) for composite cardiovascular events in patients with adrenal insufficiency of any cause were 1.28 (1.20-1.36, unadjusted) and 1.07 (1.01-1.14, adjusted). Increased cerebrovascular events in patients with secondary adrenal insufficiency accounted for most of the increased hazard (1.53 [1.34-1.74, adjusted]) and were associated with cranial irradiation therapy. Cardiovascular mortality data were available for 3547 patients and 34 944 controls. The adjusted hazard ratio for ischemic heart disease mortality was 1.86 (1.25-2.78) for primary adrenal insufficiency and 1.39 (1.02-1.89) for secondary.

Conclusion

Comorbidities largely accounted for the increased cardiovascular events but in secondary adrenal insufficiency, cerebrovascular events were independently increased and associated with irradiation treatment. However, the risk of cardiovascular mortality remained increased even following adjustment for comorbidities in both primary and secondary adrenal insufficiency.
Ciliopathic micrognathia is caused by aberrant skeletal differentiation and remodeling
Authors: Bonatto Paese Christian Louis , Brooks Evan C. , Aarnio-Peterson Megan , Brugmann Samantha A.
Published: February 2021

Ciliopathies represent a growing class of diseases caused by defects in microtubule-based organelles called primary cilia. Approximately 30% of ciliopathies are characterized by craniofacial phenotypes such as craniosynostosis, cleft lip/palate and micrognathia. Patients with ciliopathic micrognathia experience a particular set of difficulties, including impaired feeding and breathing, and have extremely limited treatment options. To understand the cellular and molecular basis for ciliopathic micrognathia, we used the talpid2 (ta2), a bona fide avian model for the human ciliopathy oral-facial-digital syndrome subtype 14. Histological analyses revealed that the onset of ciliopathic micrognathia in ta2 embryos occurred at the earliest stages of mandibular development. Neural crest-derived skeletal progenitor cells were particularly sensitive to a ciliopathic insult, undergoing unchecked passage through the cell cycle and subsequent increased proliferation. Furthermore, whereas neural crest-derived skeletal differentiation was initiated, osteoblast maturation failed to progress to completion. Additional molecular analyses revealed that an imbalance in the ratio of bone deposition and resorption also contributed to ciliopathic micrognathia in ta2 embryos. Thus, our results suggest that ciliopathic micrognathia is a consequence of multiple aberrant cellular processes necessary for skeletal development, and provide potential avenues for future therapeutic treatments.
Human-specific staphylococcal virulence factors enhance pathogenicity in a humanised zebrafish C5a receptor model
Authors: Buchan Kyle D. , van Gent Michiel , Prajsnar Tomasz K. , Ogryzko Nikolay V. , de Jong Nienke W. M. , Kolata Julia , Foster Simon J. , van Strijp Jos A. G. , Renshaw Stephen A.
Published: February 2021

Staphylococcus aureus infects ∼30% of the human population and causes a spectrum of pathologies ranging from mild skin infections to life-threatening invasive diseases. The strict host specificity of its virulence factors has severely limited the accuracy of in vivo models for the development of vaccines and therapeutics. To resolve this, we generated a humanised zebrafish model and determined that neutrophil-specific expression of the human C5a receptor conferred susceptibility to the S. aureus toxins PVL and HlgCB, leading to reduced neutrophil numbers at the site of infection and increased infection-associated mortality. These results show that humanised zebrafish provide a valuable platform to study the contribution of human-specific S. aureus virulence factors to infection in vivo that could facilitate the development of novel therapeutic approaches and essential vaccines.
Human microsporidian pathogen Encephalitozoon intestinalis impinges on enterocyte membrane trafficking and signaling
Authors: Flores Juan , Takvorian Peter M. , Weiss Louis M. , Cali Ann , Gao Nan
Published: February 2021

Microsporidia are a large phylum of obligate intracellular parasites. Approximately a dozen species of microsporidia infect humans, where they are responsible for a variety of diseases and occasionally death, especially in immunocompromised individuals. To better understand the impact of microsporidia on human cells, we infected human colonic Caco2 cells with Encephalitozoon intestinalis, and showed that these enterocyte cultures can be used to recapitulate the life cycle of the parasite, including the spread of infection with infective spores. Using transmission electron microscopy, we describe this lifecycle and demonstrate nuclear, mitochondrial and microvillar alterations by this pathogen. We also analyzed the transcriptome of infected cells to reveal host cell signaling alterations upon infection. These high-resolution imaging and transcriptional profiling analysis shed light on the impact of the microsporidial infection on its primary human target cell type.

This article has an associated First Person interview with the first authors of the paper.
Characterization of the novel mitochondrial genome segregation factor TAP110 in Trypanosoma brucei
Authors: Amodeo Simona , Kalichava Ana , Fradera-Sola Albert , Bertiaux-Lequoy Eloïse , Guichard Paul , Butter Falk , Ochsenreiter Torsten
Published: February 2021

Proper mitochondrial genome inheritance is important for eukaryotic cell survival. Trypanosoma brucei, a protozoan parasite, contains a singular mitochondrial genome, the kinetoplast (k)DNA. The kDNA is anchored to the basal body via the tripartite attachment complex (TAC) to ensure proper segregation. Several components of the TAC have been described; however, the connection of the TAC to the kDNA remains elusive. Here, we characterize the TAC-associated protein TAP110. We find that both depletion and overexpression of TAP110 leads to a delay in the separation of the replicated kDNA networks. Proteome analysis after TAP110 overexpression identified several kDNA-associated proteins that changed in abundance, including a TEX-like protein that dually localizes to the nucleus and the kDNA, potentially linking replication and segregation in the two compartments. The assembly of TAP110 into the TAC region seems to require the TAC but not the kDNA itself; however, once TAP110 has been assembled, it also interacts with the kDNA. Finally, we use ultrastructure expansion microscopy in trypanosomes for the first time, and reveal the precise position of TAP110 between TAC102 and the kDNA, showcasing the potential of this approach.

This article has an associated First Person interview with the first author of the paper.
Identification of additional outer segment targeting signals in zebrafish rod opsin
Authors: Fang Xiaoming , Peden Andrew A. , van Eeden Fredericus J. M. , Malicki Jarema J.
Published: February 2021

In vertebrate photoreceptors, opsins are highly concentrated in a morphologically distinct ciliary compartment known as the outer segment (OS). Opsin is synthesized in the cell body and transported to the OS at a remarkable rate of 100 to 1000 molecules per second. Opsin transport defects contribute to photoreceptor loss and blindness in human ciliopathies. Previous studies revealed that the rhodopsin C-terminal tail, of 44 amino acids, is sufficient to mediate OS targeting in Xenopus photoreceptors. Here, we show that, although the Xenopus C-terminus retains this function in zebrafish, the homologous zebrafish sequence is not sufficient to target opsin to the OS. This functional difference is largely caused by a change of a single amino acid present in Xenopus but not in other vertebrates examined. Furthermore, we find that sequences in the third intracellular cytoplasmic loop (IC3) and adjacent regions of transmembrane helices 6 and 7 are also necessary for opsin transport in zebrafish. Combined with the cytoplasmic tail, these sequences are sufficient to target opsin to the ciliary compartment.
A nuclear export sequence promotes CRM1-dependent targeting of the nucleoporin Nup214 to the nuclear pore complex
Authors: Hamed Mohamed , Caspar Birgit , Port Sarah A. , Kehlenbach Ralph H.
Published: February 2021

Nup214 is a major nucleoporin on the cytoplasmic side of the nuclear pore complex with roles in late steps of nuclear protein and mRNA export. It interacts with the nuclear export receptor CRM1 (also known as XPO1) via characteristic phenylalanine-glycine (FG) repeats in its C-terminal region. Here, we identify a classic nuclear export sequence (NES) in Nup214 that mediates Ran-dependent binding to CRM1. Nup214 versions with mutations in the NES, as well as wild-type Nup214 in the presence of the selective CRM1 inhibitor leptomycin B, accumulate in the nucleus of Nup214-overexpressing cells. Furthermore, physiological binding partners of Nup214, such as Nup62 and Nup88, are recruited to the nucleus together with Nup214. Nuclear export of mutant Nup214 can be rescued by artificial nuclear export sequences at the C-terminal end of Nup214, leading also to a correct localization of Nup88. Our results suggest a function of the Nup214 NES in the biogenesis of the nuclear pore complex and/or in terminal steps of CRM1-dependent protein export.
A user-friendly guide to Multivariate Calibration and Classification
Authors: Næs Tormod , Isaksson Tomas , Fearn Tom , Davies Tony
Published: February 2021

A user-friendly guide to Multivariate Calibration and Classification provides a readable text, for non-mathematicians, as an introduction with little or moderate knowledge of chemometrics. It is aimed specifically at readers using chemometrics in the context of near infrared (NIR) spectroscopy. The techniques described are, however, much more widely applicable. Thus, although the columns were our starting point, our aim in rewriting and expanding them was to make this book a useful one for any chemometrics practitioner. Most of the examples still involve NIR spectroscopy, and some material that is specific to this application has been included, but we have tried to emphasise the generality of the approaches where ever possible.
Dosimetric feasibility of neurovascular bundle-sparing stereotactic body radiotherapy with periprostatic hydrogel spacer for localized prostate cancer to preserve erectile function
Authors: Hwang Mark E , Mayeda Mark , Shaish Hiram , Elliston Carl D , Spina Catherine S , Wenske Sven , Deutsch Israel
Published: February 2021

Objective:

We aim to test the hypothesis that neurovascular bundle (NVB) displacement by rectal hydrogel spacer combined with NVB delineation as an organ at risk (OAR) is a feasible method for NVB-sparing stereotactic body radiotherapy.

Methods:

Thirty-five men with low- and intermediate-risk prostate cancer who underwent rectal hydrogel spacer placement and pre-, post-spacer prostate MRI studies were treated with prostate SBRT (36.25 Gy in five fractions). A prostate radiologist contoured the NVB on both the pre- and post-spacer T2W MRI sequences that were then registered to the CT simulation scan for NVB-sparing radiation treatment planning. Three SBRT treatment plans were developed for each patient: (1) no NVB sparing, (2) NVB-sparing using pre-spacer MRI, and (3) NVB-sparing using post-spacer MRI. NVB dose constraints include maximum dose 36.25 Gy (100%), V34.4 Gy (95% of dose) <60%, V32Gy <70%, V28Gy <90%.

Results:

Rectal hydrogel spacer placement shifted NVB contours an average of 3.1 ± 3.4 mm away from the prostate, resulting in a 10% decrease in NVB V34.4 Gy in non-NVB-sparing plans (p < 0.01). NVB-sparing treatment planning reduced the NVB V34.4 by 16% without the spacer (p < 0.01) and 25% with spacer (p < 0.001). NVB-sparing did not compromise PTV coverage and OAR endpoints.

Conclusions:

NVB-sparing SBRT with rectal hydrogel spacer significantly reduces the volume of NVB treated with high-dose radiation. Rectal spacer contributes to this effect through a dosimetrically meaningful displacement of the NVB that may significantly reduce RiED. These results suggest that NVB-sparing SBRT warrants further clinical evaluation.

Advances in knowledge:

This is a feasibility study showing that the periprostatic NVBs can be spared high doses of radiation during prostate SBRT using a hydrogel spacer and nerve-sparing treatment planning.
Detection and staging of radio-recurrent prostate cancer using multiparametric MRI
Authors: Kowa Jie-Ying , Soneji Neil , Sohaib S Aslam , Mayer Erik , Hazell Stephen , Butterfield Nicholas , Shur Joshua , ap Dafydd Derfel
Published: February 2021

Objective:

We determined the sensitivity and specificity of multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging (MP-MRI) in detection of locally recurrent prostate cancer and extra prostatic extension in the post-radical radiotherapy setting. Histopathological reference standard was whole-mount prostatectomy specimens. We also assessed for any added value of the dynamic contrast enhancement (DCE) sequence in detection and staging of local recurrence.

Methods:

This was a single centre retrospective study. Participants were selected from a database of males treated with salvage prostatectomy for locally recurrent prostate cancer following radiotherapy. All underwent pre-operative prostate-specific antigen assay, positron emission tomography CT, MP-MRI and transperineal template prostate mapping biopsy prior to salvage prostatectomy. MP-MRI performance was assessed using both Prostate Imaging-Reporting and Data System v. 2 and a modified scoring system for the post-treatment setting.

Results:

24 patients were enrolled. Using Prostate Imaging-Reporting and Data System v. 2, sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value was 64%, 94%, 98% and 36%. MP-MRI under staged recurrent cancer in 63%. A modified scoring system in which DCE was used as a co-dominant sequence resulted in improved diagnostic sensitivity (61%–76%) following subgroup analysis.

Conclusion:

Our results show MP-MRI has moderate sensitivity (64%) and high specificity (94%) in detecting radio-recurrent intraprostatic disease, though disease tends to be under quantified and under staged. Greater emphasis on dynamic contrast images in overall scoring can improve diagnostic sensitivity.

Advances in knowledge:

MP-MRI tends to under quantify and under stage radio-recurrent prostate cancer. DCE has a potentially augmented role in detecting recurrent tumour compared with the de novo setting. This has relevance in the event of any future modified MP-MRI scoring system for the irradiated gland.
Methane emissions in triple rice cropping: patterns and a method for reduction
Authors: Oda Masato , Nguyen Huu Chiem
Published: February 2021

The Mekong Delta paddies are known as hotspots of methane emission, but these emissions are not well studied. We analyzed methane emission patterns based on monitoring data from typical triple rice cropping paddies collected over 5 years. We found that the total emissions in a crop season doubled in the second crop, tripled in the third crop, and reset after the annual natural flood of the Mekong River. The emission peaks occurred around 0 to 3 weeks after starting irrigation, then gradually decreased. In general, the main source of emitted methane is rice-derived carbon by current-season photosynthates and the emission peaks at the rice heading stage. However, the contribution of the rice-derived carbon is negligible in the hotspot paddies because total emission is high. The increase in emission levels from the first to the third crop can be explained by the accumulation of rice residue from the preceding crops, especially rice straw incorporated into the soil. The reset of emission levels after the annual flood means that the rice straw is decomposed without methanogenesis in water with dissolved oxygen. Thus, the annual emission pattern shows that avoiding rice straw incorporating into soil and decomposing rice straw in paddy surface-water reduces methane emissions.
Supplementation of rice husk activated charcoal in feed and its effects on growth and histology of the stomach and intestines from giant trevally, Caranx ignobilis
Authors: Firdus Firdus , Samadi Samadi , Muhammadar Abdullah A. , Sarong Muhammad A. , Muchlisin Zainal A. , Sari Widya , Mellisa Siska , Satria Satria , Boihaqi Boihaqi , Batubara Agung Setia
Published: February 2021

Background:Research on supplementing feed with rice husk activated charcoal was carried out to determine the effect of variations in the concentration of rice husk activated charcoal on the growth and histological features of the giant trevally Caranx ignobilisintestine.

Methods:This study used an experimental method with a completely randomized design consisting of six treatments and four replications, including adding activated charcoal to feed at concentrations of 0%, 1%, 1.5%, 2%, 2.5%, and 3% for 42 days. The measured parameters included daily growth rate (DGR), specific growth rate (SGR), absolute growth rate (AGR), feed conversion ratio (FCR), feed efficiency (FE), survival rate (SR), length of foveola gastrica, width of foveola gastrica, length of intestinal villi, and width of intestinal villi. Data were analyzed statistically using one-way analysis of variance and Duncan’s test.

Results:The results showed that supplementing fish feed with rice husk activated charcoal at different concentrations significantly affected the values of DGR, AGR, FCR, FE, SR, length of the foveola gastrica, length of the villous intestine, and width of the villous intestine, but did not significantly affect SGR or foveola gastrica width.

Conclusion:The 2% rice husk activated charcoal treatment showed the best results for all parameters.
Defining and validating regenerative farm systems using a composite of ranked agricultural practices
Authors: Fenster Tommy L.D. , LaCanne Claire E. , Pecenka Jacob R. , Schmid Ryan B. , Bredeson Michael M. , Busenitz Katya M. , Michels Alex M. , Welch Kelton D. , Lundgren Jonathan G.
Published: February 2021

Background:Ongoing efforts attempt to define farms as regenerative to aid marketers, policymakers, farmers, etc. The approach needs to balance precision with function, and must be transparent, simple, scalable, transferable, incorruptible, and replicable.

Methods:We developed practice-based scoring systems to distinguish regenerative cropland and rangeland, and validate them based on whether these scores scaled with regenerative goals on actual farm operations. Study systems included cornfields of the Upper Midwest, almond orchards of California, and rangeland systems of the Northern Plains. Response variables included soil carbon and organic matter, soil micronutrients, water infiltration rates, soil microbial communities, plant community structure, invertebrate community structure, pest populations, yields, and profit.

Results:Regenerative outcomes were strongly correlated with our approach to farm scoring. Soil organic matter, fine particulate organic matter, total soil carbon, total soil nitrogen, phosphorous, calcium and sulfur all increased alongside regenerative matrix scores in one or both of the cropping systems. Water infiltration rates were significantly faster in more regenerative almond orchards. Soil bacterial biomass and Haney soil health test scores were higher as cropland incorporated more regenerative practices. Plant species diversity and biomass increased significantly with the number of regenerative practices employed on almonds and rangelands. Invertebrate species diversity and richness were positively associated with regenerative practices in corn, almonds, and rangelands, whereas pest populations and almond yields were unaffected by the number of regenerative practices. Corn yields were negatively associated with more regenerative practices, while almond yields were unaffected by the number of regenerative practices. Profit was significantly higher on more regenerative corn and almond operations.

Conclusions:Our scoring system scaled positively with desired regenerative outcomes, and provides the basis for predicting ecosystem responses with minimal information about the farming operation. Natural clusters in the number of regenerative practices used can be used to distinguish regenerative and conventional operations.
Trajectory: A model of the sign and of semiosis
Authors: Nöth Winfried
Published: February 2021

This paper examines how far the model of the trajectory as a path that a moving object follows from a source to a goal is an adequate model of the sign and of semiotic processes. Just like intentions, meanings, and messages, also signs have sources and goals. A study of the terms by which the Ancient Greeks referred to signs (sêma, semeîon, and tekmérion) reveals that the idea of goal-directedness is inherent in several respects in this early semiotic vocabulary. The paper studies Charles S. Peirce’s model of the sign as a trajectory by which Peirce describes the “agency of the sign”. Peirce’s semiotic trajectories are without beginnings and ends. Guided by final causality towards a semiotic goal, the sign can reach its goal only by asymptotic approximation. The final section of the paper presents brief notes on the trajectories characteristic of sign processes in semiotic models outlined by Algirdas Greimas and Juri Lotman. Greimas distinguishes a plurality of semiotic trajectories, such as the generative, the thematic, and the figurative one, but the prototype of all trajectories is the narrative one. Bifurcations resulting from conflicting tensions interrupt the unilinearity of the goal-directed trajectories. Besides disjunctions, the model foresees conjunctions in which trajectories merge. The dynamic forces that propel the agents (subjects and objects, agents and patients, senders and receivers, heroes and villains) along such trajectories are polar tensions and conflicts as well as phases of desire and fulfilment. Lotman proposes a dynamic model of human culture as a semiotic space where sign pro - cesses occur like “rushing torrents” or even take the form of “explosions”, suggesting trajectories whose characteristics are nonlinearity, bifurcation, sudden interruption, and unpredictable reorientation. Concomitant with such trajectories are the bidirectional trajectories that describe the dynamic relations between the centre and the periphery of a cultural semiosphere.
Prisons as total institution semiospheres
Authors: Kõvamees Erik
Published: February 2021

The main objective of this article is to combine Juri Lotman’s theory of the semiosphere – including its concepts of boundary, core, and periphery – with Erving Goffman’s theory of the total institution. The purpose is to develop a framework conducive to examining the prison as an object of study, equally emphasizing both its internal as well as external relations. This work positions itself within the contexts of the relative decline of the field of prison ethnography, few or no studies done applying semiotic metalanguage to the prison or the total institution, and none applying the theory of the semiosphere to either. This work is oriented according to an analytical or neutral mode; its point is not to offer a normative programme, but to offer a new description of the research object and a new language of description in which to speak of this object. The secondary objectives of this article include demonstrating that Lotman’s theory of the semiosphere and Goffman’s theory of the total institution are compatible, that Lotman’s theory actually refines Goffman’s original, that Lotman’s theory taken independently and Goffman’s theory as refined by Lotman’s are both compatible with the direction of contemporary prison ethnography, and that the framework presented in this work has the potential to reinvigorate the field of prison ethnography.
Propositions for a biocultural semiotics
Authors: Staiano-Ross Kathryn
Published: February 2021

The author has used the term ‘biocultural semiotics’ in her previous work, but has never defined this field. She presents twelve propositions that describe and motivate a biocultural semiotics. The author draws on thirty years of field work in Belize and her previous research in cultural and bio-semiotics in support of each of the propositions. Propositions include: biology and culture are so bound as to make a discussion of either without inclusion of the other impossible; both umwelt and the sign are central; every sign is an act of communication; every sign has many interpretant(s); perception is influenced by our physical and cultural umwelt; self is critical to our vision of our place in this umwelt; epigenetic phenomena influence how genes are expressed and effect/affect both phenotype and behaviour; body boundaries are cultural and political creations; the body is a political body and its ownership is always contested; disease and its congeners are cultural constructs; sickness and its signs are created as part of an ongoing personal, social, and political narrative; today we face both uncertainty and opportunity in the natural and cultural sciences. She argues that semiotics possesses the language and methodologies to achieve an understanding of the biological/cultural relationship.
Observing wildlife through the eyes of Nils Lindahl Elliot
Authors: Mäekivi Nelly , Rattasepp Silver
Published: February 2021

Review of Observing Wildlife in Tropical Forests. 1: A Geosemeiotic Approach by Nils Lindahl Elliot. Bristol: Delome Publications, 2019, 480 pp.
Conspiratorial rationality
Authors: Puumeister Ott
Published: February 2021

Review of Strategic Conspiracy Narratives: A Semiotic Approach [Series Conspiracy Theories; Knight, Peter; Butter, Michael, series eds.] by Mari-Liis Madisson and Andreas Ventsel. London: Routledge, 2020, x+134 pp.
Activismo digital y feminismo. Un análisis comparado de cibercampañas contra el acoso callejero en España, Marruecos y Chile.
Authors: Sola-Morales Salomé , Zurbano-Berenguer Belén
Published: February 2021

This paper reflects on feminist digital activism in the light of the analysis of three feminist cybercampaigns against street sexual harassment (ASC), in Spain, Morocco and Chile. A qualitative methodology has been developed to explore the main characteristics of the campaigns, the role of the Internet and the thematic and discoursive axes. The main conclusion is that cybercampaigns are based on a feminist conceptualization of the problem (harassment is a gender aggression) and not so much in the protection (what to?) or in the agency (how to generate a collective reaction against ASC)
Tratamiento de la violencia de género en los planes de igualdad: planes de igualdad acordados y registrados.
Authors: Pavón-Benítez Laura , Párraga Vico María Mercedes
Published: February 2021

La violencia de género es una muestra más de desigualdad que sufren las mujeres. Proporcionando derechos de prevención y de reacción, entre otros, en el ámbito laboral interpretado en sentido amplio, puede lograrse la supresión de esta lacra. De ahí que progresivamente cada vez más planes de igualdad vayan incorporando contenidos destinados bien a la concienciación, bien a la prevención o, sobre todo, a la tutela sociolaboral de las mujeres víctimas de violencia de género. El objetivo principal que persigue la presente investigación es analizar el tratamiento que de la violencia de género hacen los planes de igualdad aprobados durante los últimos cinco años en España. Para lo cual, contamos con una muestra de 60 planes de igualdad negociados y consensuados con los representantes de los trabajadores y localizados en el Registro de Acuerdos Colectivos. Los resultados muestran que, si bien es cierto que son numerosos los planes que no hacen tratamiento de la violencia de género y algunos lo hacen pero de manera superficial, creemos que el hecho de que cerca del 80% de los planes de igualdad analizados contemplen alguna mención a esta lacra debe ser valorado muy positivamente como reflejo de la progresiva atención y, por tanto, importancia de estos instrumentos que, seguramente, debieran de ser objeto de una más clara coordinación a nivel legal que impida un tratamiento estanco de dos realidades –la desigualdad y la violencia frente a las mujeres– lógica e intrínsecamente conectadas.
Avaliação do grau de implantação do Programa Academia da Saúde no município de Bezerros, Pernambuco
Authors: Silva Rafaela Niels da , Oliveira Janaína Rodrigues de , Carneiro Renata Cecília Barbosa , Farias Shirlley Jackllanny Martins de , Guarda Flávio Renato Barros da
Published: February 2021

O objetivo deste artigo foi avaliar o grau de implantação do Programa Academia da Saúde (PAS) na cidade de Bezerros, Pernambuco. Estudo descritivo de corte transversal, o qual se caracteriza como uma avaliação normativa da implantação do PAS em suas dimensões de estrutura e processo de trabalho. O estudo foi dividido em quatro etapas: i) validação de um modelo lógico para o programa; ii) elaboração das matrizes de indicadores e julgamento; iii) validação das matrizes por especialistas, e; iv) verificação do grau de implantação através de entrevistas. Utilizou-se um sistema de escores para descrever o grau de implantação como: 1) Incipiente: 0 > 33,3%; 2) Intermediário: > 33,3 < 66,6%; 3) Avançado: > 66,6%.  O grau de implantação do PAS em Bezerros foi considerado intermediário (55,0%), sendo que a dimensão estrutura obteve um escore maior (64,7%) que a de processo de trabalho (48,6%). Critérios como insumos para a realização das atividades no território e para o aumento do nível de atividade física da população obtiveram pontuação máxima na avaliação, porém, outros elementos de estrutura como a existência de protocolos de ação e monitoramento das ações, assim como de processo de trabalho relativos à mobilização da comunidade e desenvolvimento de ações nas linhas de cuidado obtiveram baixo grau de implantação. O grau de implantação verificado denota a necessidade de qualificação profissional e reorientação das intervenções visando o aperfeiçoamento das atividades de promoção da saúde, e a ampliação das possibilidades de atuação sobre os demais objetivos específicos do programa.
The Fixed-Partition Policy Inventory Routing Problem
Authors: Diabat Ali , Archetti Claudia , Najy Waleed
Published: February 2021

In this paper, we formally introduce a variant of the inventory routing problem (IRP) that we call the fixed-partition policy IRP (FPP-IRP). In contrast to the classical IRP in which delivery routes are arbitrary, the FPP-IRP partitions customers into mutually exclusive clusters that are fixed throughout the optimization horizon, and distribution is performed separately for each cluster. By restricting the flexibility inherent in the classical IRP, the FPP-IRP attains many potential advantages. First, partitioning reduces the operational complexity of the system and allows a simpler organization of the distribution service. Second, it improves the robustness of the system by isolating disruptions to affected clusters. Third, it can fit the needs and requirements of specific applications in which consistency in the distribution policy, such as familiarity between customers and drivers and route invariance, is required. We present two fixed-partition policies for the IRP together with mathematical formulations and valid inequalities. We also present a worst-case analysis on the performance of these policies. Extensive computational results are presented to show the behavior of these policies and glean insights into their potential benefits.