bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Degradation of hop latent viroid during anaerobic digestion of infected hop harvest residues
Authors: Hagemann Michael Helmut , Born Ute , Sprich Elke , Seigner Luitgardis , Oechsner Hans , Hülsemann Benedikt , Steinbrenner Jörg , Winterhagen Patrick , Lehmair Erich
Published: September 2021

The citrus bark cracking viroid (CBCVd) was identified as causal agent for a severe stunting disease in hops. Viroids are highly stable parasitic RNAs, which can be easily transmitted by agricultural practices. Since CBCVd has recently been detected in two European countries a growing concern is that this pathogen will further spread and thereby threaten the European hop production. Biogas fermentation is used to sanitize hop harvest residues infected with pathogenic fungi. Consequently, the aim of this study was to test if biogas fermentation can contribute to viroid degradation at mesophilic (40 °C) and thermophilic (50 °C) conditions. Therefore, a duplex reverse transcription real-time PCR analysis was developed for CBCVd and HLVd detection in biogas fermentation residues. The non-pathogenic hop latent viroid (HLVd) was used as viroid model for the pathogenic CBCVd. The fermentation trials showed that HLVd was significantly degraded after 30 days at mesophilic or after 5 days at thermophilic conditions, respectively. However, sequencing revealed that HLVd was not fully degraded even after 90 days. The incubation of hop harvest residues at different temperatures between 20 and 70 °C showed that 70 °C led to a significant HLVd degradation after 1 day. In conclusion, we suggest combining 70 °C pretreatment and thermophilic fermentation for efficient viroid decontamination.
Nanocomposite coating of albumin/Li-containing bioactive glass nanospheres promotes osteogenic activity of PEEK
Authors: Qiu Xubin , Zhuang Ming , Yuan Xiaofeng , Liu Zhiwei , Wu Wenjian
Published: September 2021

Polyetheretherketone (PEEK) is an important material applied in orthopedic applications, as it posses favorable properties for orthopedic implants, e.g., radiolucency and suitable elastic modulus. However, PEEK exhibits insufficient osteogenesis and osteointegration that limits its clinical applications. In this study, we aimed to enhance the osteogenisis of PEEK by using a surface coating approach. Nanocomposite coating composed of albumin/lithium containing bioactive glass nanospheres was fabricated on PEEK through dip-coating method. The presence of nanocomposite coating on PEEK was confirmed by SEM, FTIR, and XRD techniques. Nanocomposite coatings significantly enhanced hydrophilicity and roughness of PEEK. The nanocomposite coatings also enhanced adhesion, proliferation, and osteogenic differentiation of bone mesenchymal stem cells due to the presence of bioactive glass nanospheres and the BSA substrate film. The results indicate the great potential of the nanocomposite coating in enhancing osteogenesis and osteointegration of PEEK implants.
Brezis pseudomonotone bifunctions and quasi equilibrium problems via penalization
Authors: Bianchi M. , Kassay G. , Pini R.
Published: September 2021

In this paper we investigate quasi equilibrium problems in a real Banach space under the assumption of Brezis pseudomonotonicity of the function involved. To establish existence results under weak coercivity conditions we replace the quasi equilibrium problem with a sequence of penalized usual equilibrium problems. To deal with the non compact framework, we apply a regularized version of the penalty method. The particular case of set-valued quasi variational inequalities is also considered.
The Independence of Research—A Review of Disciplinary Perspectives and Outline of Interdisciplinary Prospects
Authors: Gläser Jochen , Ash Mitchell , Buenstorf Guido , Hopf David , Hubenschmid Lara , Janßen Melike , Laudel Grit , Schimank Uwe , Stoll Marlene , Wilholt Torsten , Zechlin Lothar , Lieb Klaus
Published: September 2021

The independence of research is a key strategic issue of modern societies. Dealing with it appropriately poses legal, economic, political, social and cultural problems for society, which have been studied by the corresponding disciplines and are increasingly the subject of reflexive discourses of scientific communities. Unfortunately, problems of independence are usually framed in disciplinary contexts without due consideration of other perspectives’ relevance or possible contributions. To overcome these limitations, we review disciplinary perspectives and findings on the independence of research and identify interdisciplinary prospects that could inform a research programme.
Real-world experience with pasireotide-LAR in resistant acromegaly: a single center 1-year observation
Authors: Stelmachowska-Banaś Maria , Czajka-Oraniec Izabella , Tomasik Agnieszka , Zgliczyński Wojciech
Published: September 2021

Context

Pasireotide-LAR, a second-generation somatostatin receptor ligand (SRL), is recommended for patients with acromegaly as second-line treatment. Its efficacy and safety were assessed in clinical trials; however, the real-world evidence is still scarce.

Objective

The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of 1-year treatment with pasireotide-LAR on disease control and glucose metabolism in acromegaly patients resistant to first-generation SRLs.

Design

A single-center prospective study.

Methods

Twenty-eight patients with active acromegaly or acrogigantism on first-generation SRLs following ineffective pituitary surgery were switched to treatment with pasireotide-LAR 40 or 60 mg i.m. every 28 days. To assess the efficacy of the treatment GH and IGF-1 levels were measured every 3 months. Safety of treatment was carefully evaluated, especially its impact on glucose metabolism.

Results

Complete biochemical control (GH ≤ 1 ng/mL and IGF-1 ≤ 1 × ULN) was achieved in 26.9% of patients and partial + complete response (GH ≤ 2.5 ng/mL and IGF-1 ≤ 1.3 × ULN) in 50.0% of patients. Mean GH level decrease was the largest within first 6 months (P = 0.0001) and mean IGF-1 level decreased rapidly within the first 3 months (P < 0.0001) and they remained reduced during the study. Blood glucose and HbA1c levels increased significantly within 3 months (P = 0.0001) and stayed on stable level thereafter. Otherwise, the treatment was well tolerated and clinical improvement was noticed in majority of patients.

Conclusions

This real-life study confirmed good effectiveness of pasireotide-LAR in patients resistant to first-generation SRLs. Pasireotide-LAR was overall safe and well tolerated, however significant glucose metabolism worsening was noted.
Does working at a start-up pay off?
Authors: Fackler Daniel , Hölscher Lisa , Schnabel Claus , Weyh Antje
Published: September 2021

Using representative linked employer-employee data for Germany, this paper analyzes short- and long-run differences in labor market performance of workers joining start-ups instead of incumbent firms. Applying entropy balancing and following individuals over ten years, we find huge and long-lasting drawbacks from entering a start-up in terms of wages, yearly income, and (un)employment. These disadvantages hold for all groups of workers and types of start-ups analyzed. Although our analysis of different subsequent career paths highlights important heterogeneities, it does not reveal any strategy through which workers joining start-ups can catch up with the income of similar workers entering incumbent firms.
Cross-sectional analysis of coding, patient characteristics, consultation frequency and pharmacological treatment of adults with severe mental disorders in Irish general practice
Authors: Larkin James , Pericin Ivana , Osborne Brian , Dodd Philip , Collins Claire
Published: September 2021

Background

General practitioners are the gatekeepers of Irish healthcare and they offer continuity of care to patients. Irish general practice is therefore considered appropriate for preventing, diagnosing and managing most mental health problems.

Aims

This study sought to establish the coding frequency, consultation frequency, patient characteristics and pharmacological treatment of patients with severe mental disorders (SMDs) in Irish general practice.

Methods

A cross-sectional design was used. A finder tool embedded in the practice software assisted general practitioners (GPs) coding adult patients with SMDs. Eleven practices uploaded anonymous data on 2,203 patients. Variables analysed included disease code, consultations, prescriptions, sex, patient status and age.

Results

Overall, 2.9% (n = 2,337) of patients had ever been coded with a SMD, 2.4% (n = 1,964) coded with depressive disorder ever and 0.26% (n = 209) and 0.3% (n = 233) with bipolar disorder and schizophrenia, respectively. Overall, 68.0% (n = 1,336) of patients with depressive disorder were female, and 74.0% (n = 171) of patients with schizophrenia were public patients. The median consultation rate in the previous 3 years was highest for schizophrenia patients at 24.5 visits.

Conclusions

Coding of SMDs in Irish general practice appears incomplete. Patients with SMDs have high consultation rates. Patients with depressive disorder are more likely to be female and public patients. This research suggests that the improvement of coding in Irish general practice is the first practical step required to detecting prevalence rates.
Optimal CRT Implantation—Where and How To Place the Left-Ventricular Lead?
Authors: Butter Christian , Georgi Christian , Stockburger Martin
Published: September 2021

Purpose of Review

Cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) represents a well-established and effective non-pharmaceutical heart failure (HF) treatment in selected patients. Still, a significant number of patients remain CRT non-responders. An optimal placement of the left ventricular (LV) lead appears crucial for the intended hemodynamic and hence clinical improvement. A well-localized target area and tools that help to achieve successful lead implantation seem to be of utmost importance to reach an optimal CRT effect.

Recent Findings

Recent studies suggest previous multimodal imaging (CT/cMRI/ECG torso) to guide intraprocedural LV lead placement. Relevant benefit compared to empirical lead optimization is still a matter of debate. Technical improvements in leads and algorithms (e.g., multipoint pacing (MPP), adaptive algorithms) promise higher procedural success. Recently emerging alternatives for ventricular synchronization such as conduction system pacing (CSP), LV endocardial pacing, or leadless pacing challenge classical biventricular pacing.

This article reviews current strategies for a successful planning, implementation, and validation of the optimal CRT implantation. Pre-implant imaging modalities offer promising assistance for complex cases; empirical lead positioning and intraoperative testing remain the cornerstone in most cases and ensure a successful CRT effect.
Neuronal Swelling: A Non-osmotic Consequence of Spreading Depolarization
Authors: Hellas Julia A. , Andrew R. David
Published: September 2021

An acute reduction in plasma osmolality causes rapid uptake of water by astrocytes but not by neurons, whereas both cell types swell as a consequence of lost blood flow (ischemia). Either hypoosmolality or ischemia can displace the brain downwards, potentially causing death. However, these disorders are fundamentally different at the cellular level. Astrocytes osmotically swell or shrink because they express functional water channels (aquaporins), whereas neurons lack functional aquaporins and thus maintain their volume. Yet both neurons and astrocytes immediately swell when blood flow to the brain is compromised (cytotoxic edema) as following stroke onset, sudden cardiac arrest, or traumatic brain injury. In each situation, neuronal swelling is the direct result of spreading depolarization (SD) generated when the ATP-dependent sodium/potassium ATPase (the Na+/K+ pump) is compromised. The simple, and incorrect, textbook explanation for neuronal swelling is that increased Na+ influx passively draws Cl− into the cell, with water following by osmosis via some unknown conduit. We first review the strong evidence that mammalian neurons resist volume change during acute osmotic stress. We then contrast this with their dramatic swelling during ischemia. Counter-intuitively, recent research argues that ischemic swelling of neurons is non-osmotic, involving ion/water cotransporters as well as at least one known amino acid water pump. While incompletely understood, these mechanisms argue against the dogma that neuronal swelling involves water uptake driven by an osmotic gradient with aquaporins as the conduit. Promoting clinical recovery from neuronal cytotoxic edema evoked by spreading depolarizations requires a far better understanding of molecular water pumps and ion/water cotransporters that act to rebalance water shifts during brain ischemia.
Intrinsic Ultracontractivity for Domains in Negatively Curved Manifolds
Authors: Aikawa Hiroaki , van den Berg Michiel , Masamune Jun
Published: September 2021

Let M be a complete, non-compact, connected Riemannian manifold with Ricci curvature bounded from below by a negative constant. A sufficient condition is obtained for open and connected sets D in M for which the corresponding Dirichlet heat semigroup is intrinsically ultracontractive. That condition is formulated in terms of capacitary width. It is shown that both the reciprocal of the bottom of the spectrum of the Dirichlet Laplacian acting in $$L^2(D)$$

L
2

(
D
)

, and the supremum of the torsion function for D are comparable with the square of the capacitary width for D if the latter is sufficiently small. The technical key ingredients are the volume doubling property, the Poincaré inequality and the Li-Yau Gaussian estimate for the Dirichlet heat kernel at finite scale.
LQG control of linear lossless positive-real systems: the continuous-time and discrete-time cases
Authors: Bucolo Maide , Buscarino Arturo , Fortuna Luigi , Frasca Mattia
Published: September 2021

Lossless positive-real systems have been widely studied in the literature. They are systems in which the energy is entirely transferred between input and output. In this paper, new aspects related to the linear quadratic gaussian (LQG) control of lossless positive-real systems are reported including both the continuous-time and the discrete-time cases. Direct formulas for the calculation of the optimal gains will be introduced and the properties of the different structures of the LQG compensator obtained for the continuous-time and the discrete-time cases will be emphasized, also in view of designing positive-real LQG compensators. Numerical examples related to low-damped structures are also discussed to verify the possibility to design the LQG compensator on the basis of a lossless approximation.
The Status of Medical Student Education in Pregnancy Options Counseling: a Review
Authors: Farmer Lauren E. , Clare Camille A.
Published: September 2021

Background

The Association of Professors of Gynecology and Obstetrics (APGO) has acknowledged the importance of pregnancy options counseling by listing it as a “shows how” skill for all undergraduate medical students. Unfortunately, there is no standard curriculum utilized to teach medical students pregnancy options counseling or to assess skill sustainability over time.

Objectives

To review and summarize the literature on pregnancy options counseling in undergraduate medical education.

Methods

We performed a structured literature review searching Google Scholar, PubMed, and EMBASE for articles between 2000 and February 2020. Inclusion criteria were English language studies of M. D. and D.O. programs in North America with a discussion of pregnancy options counseling as it relates to medical student education.

Results

There is a small but growing body of literature on pregnancy options counseling in medical student education. The common themes across the 17 papers reviewed include the status of pregnancy options counseling in undergraduate medical education, barriers to teaching options counseling, the timing of education, utilization of the options counseling Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE), learner challenges, and novel strategies for implementing education in options counseling and subsequent learning outcomes.

Conclusions

There is no standardized pregnancy options counseling curriculum in undergraduate medical education (UME). The landscape in which this important skill is being taught is one of random, insufficient, and uncoordinated curricular interventions. This is the only review on this subject, making it a unique summary on pregnancy options counseling in UME.
Analysis of flow characteristics of the dual media shale gas reservoir with the elastic outer boundary
Authors: Zheng Peng-she , Zheng Yun-sheng , Li Shun-chu , Leng Li-hui , Xia Xing
Published: September 2021

In order to more accurately describe the seepage characteristics of shale gas reservoirs, in this paper, an elastic outer boundary condition is introduced, and a new dual-media shale gas seepage model is established to describe the seepage characteristics of shale gas reservoirs more accurately, while considering the adsorption and desorption process. Combining Laplace transformation and Similar Structure Method, the solution of the percolation model is obtained in Laplace space. Furthermore, the solutions are inverted into real space with the Stehfest numerical inversion method. Type curves of dimensionless pressure and dimensionless pressure derivative can be used to evaluate the reservoir characteristics. The results show that the conventional three kinds of outer boundary conditions (infinite, constant pressure and closed) are actually three special cases of elastic outer boundary. The introduction of elastic outer boundary conditions not only expands the scope of data interpretation, but also closer to the actual situation of the outer boundary of the reservoir. The theory of similar structure greatly simplifies the complex process of solving the model and will have a far-reaching impact on the development of well test analysis software in the future.
Cellular, synaptic, and network effects of chemokines in the central nervous system and their implications to behavior
Authors: Sowa Joanna Ewa , Tokarski Krzysztof
Published: September 2021

Accumulating evidence highlights chemokines as key mediators of the bidirectional crosstalk between neurons and glial cells aimed at preserving brain functioning. The multifaceted role of these immune proteins in the CNS is mirrored by the complexity of the mechanisms underlying its biological function, including biased signaling. Neurons, only in concert with glial cells, are essential players in the modulation of brain homeostatic functions. Yet, attempts to dissect these complex multilevel mechanisms underlying coordination are still lacking. Therefore, the purpose of this review is to summarize the current knowledge about mechanisms underlying chemokine regulation of neuron–glia crosstalk linking molecular, cellular, network, and behavioral levels. Following a brief description of molecular mechanisms by which chemokines interact with their receptors and then summarizing cellular patterns of chemokine expression in the CNS, we next delve into the sequence and mechanisms of chemokine-regulated neuron–glia communication in the context of neuroprotection. We then define the interactions with other neurotransmitters, neuromodulators, and gliotransmitters. Finally, we describe their fine-tuning on the network level and the behavioral relevance of their modulation. We believe that a better understanding of the sequence and nature of events that drive neuro-glial communication holds promise for the development of new treatment strategies that could, in a context- and time-dependent manner, modulate the action of specific chemokines to promote brain repair and reduce the neurological impairment.
A Student's Guide to the Schrödinger Equation
Authors: Fleisch Daniel A.
Published: September 2021

Quantum mechanics is a hugely important topic in science and engineering, but many students struggle to understand the abstract mathematical techniques used to solve the Schrödinger equation and to analyze the resulting wave functions. Retaining the popular approach used in Fleisch's other Student's Guides, this friendly resource uses plain language to provide detailed explanations of the fundamental concepts and mathematical techniques underlying the Schrödinger equation in quantum mechanics. It addresses in a clear and intuitive way the problems students find most troublesome. Each chapter includes several homework problems with fully worked solutions. A companion website hosts additional resources, including a helpful glossary, Matlab code for creating key simulations, revision quizzes and a series of videos in which the author explains the most important concepts from each section of the book.
News Hole
Authors: Hayes Danny , Lawless Jennifer L.
Published: September 2021

In recent decades, turnout in US presidential elections has soared, education levels have hit historic highs, and the internet has made information more accessible than ever. Yet over that same period, Americans have grown less engaged with local politics and elections. Drawing on detailed analysis of fifteen years of reporting in over 200 local newspapers, along with election returns, surveys, and interviews with journalists, this study shows that the demise of local journalism has played a key role in the decline of civic engagement. As struggling newspapers have slashed staff, they have dramatically cut their coverage of mayors, city halls, school boards, county commissions, and virtually every aspect of local government. In turn, fewer Americans now know who their local elected officials are, and turnout in local elections has plummeted. To reverse this trend and preserve democratic accountability in our communities, the local news industry must be reinvigorated – and soon.
Hausdorff and packing dimensions and measures for nonlinear transversally non-conformal thin solenoids
Authors: MOHAMMADPOUR REZA , PRZYTYCKI FELIKS , RAMS MICHAŁ
Published: September 2021

We extend the results of Hasselblatt and Schmeling [Dimension product structure of hyperbolic sets. Modern Dynamical Systems and Applications. Eds. B. Hasselblatt, M. Brin and Y. Pesin. Cambridge University Press, New York, 2004, pp. 331–345] and of Rams and Simon [Hausdorff and packing measure for solenoids. Ergod. Th. & Dynam. Sys.23 (2003), 273–292] for
$C^{1+\varepsilon }$
hyperbolic, (partially) linear solenoids
$\Lambda $
over the circle embedded in
$\mathbb {R}^3$
non-conformally attracting in the stable discs
$W^s$
direction, to nonlinear solenoids. Under the assumptions of transversality and on the Lyapunov exponents for an appropriate Gibbs measure imposing thinness, as well as the assumption that there is an invariant
$C^{1+\varepsilon }$
strong stable foliation, we prove that Hausdorff dimension
$\operatorname {\mathrm {HD}}(\Lambda \cap W^s)$
is the same quantity
$t_0$
for all
$W^s$
and else
$\mathrm {HD}(\Lambda )=t_0+1$
. We prove also that for the packing measure,
$0<\Pi _{t_0}(\Lambda \cap W^s)<\infty $
, but for Hausdorff measure,
$\mathrm {HM}_{t_0}(\Lambda \cap W^s)=0$
for all
$W^s$
. Also
$0<\Pi _{1+t_0}(\Lambda ) <\infty $
and
$\mathrm {HM}_{1+t_0}(\Lambda )=0$
. A technical part says that the holonomy along unstable foliation is locally Lipschitz, except for a set of unstable leaves whose intersection with every
$W^s$
has measure
$\mathrm {HM}_{t_0}$
equal to 0 and even Hausdorff dimension less than
$t_0$
. The latter holds due to a large deviations phenomenon.
Cordial elements and dimensions of affine Deligne–Lusztig varieties
Authors: He Xuhua
Published: September 2021

The affine Deligne–Lusztig variety$X_w(b)$in the affine flag variety of a reductive group${\mathbf G}$depends on two parameters: the$\sigma $-conjugacy class$[b]$and the elementwin the Iwahori–Weyl group$\tilde {W}$of${\mathbf G}$. In this paper, for any given$\sigma $-conjugacy class$[b]$, we determine the nonemptiness pattern and the dimension formula of$X_w(b)$for most$w \in \tilde {W}$.
Latin Literature
Authors: Whitton Christopher
Published: September 2021

These have been good years for Enniusperennis. A couple of years on from his Loeb renewal, two superb books keep the lifeblood pulsing.Ennius’ Annals. Poetry and History, edited by Cynthia Damon and Joseph Farrell, is a masterclass of a conference volume. The lucid introduction, a sort of ‘Whither Ennius?’, powerfully situates it in the receding wake of Otto Skutsch's monumental edition and the fresher waves ofEnnius and the Architecture of the Annals, Jackie Elliott's powerful challenge to ‘Virgiliocentric’ reconstructions of this fragmentary text. As those studies made plain enough in their different ways, reception and interpretation of theAnnalsare interlocked to a special degree, and the fourteen chapters in this book (plus afterword by Mary Jaeger) roam nicely around and between both.
The evolution of cardiac care for children in Washington, DC
Authors: Jonas Richard A. , Martin Gerard R.
Published: September 2021

Cardiac surgery for CHD was pioneered in Washington, DC by Charles Hufnagel and Edgar Davis working at Georgetown University and Children’s Hospital of the District of Columbia. Children’s Hospital, now Children’s National Hospital, had been established just 5 years after the end of the Civil War. In the 1950s, Davis and Hufnagel undertook many open-heart operations using the technique of surface cooling, hypothermia, and circulatory arrest. Hufnagel and Lewis Scott, who founded the cardiology department at Children’s, were trained in Boston by Gross and Nadas. Judson Randolph, also a trainee of Gross, introduced cardiac surgery using cardiopulmonary bypass and established the General Pediatric Surgery department at Children’s in the 1960s. The transition of hospital staffing from community-based private physicians to full-time hospital employees was often controversial but was complete by the turn of the millennium. The 21st century has seen continuing growth of the new Children’s National Heart Institute and consolidation of several congenital cardiac programmes in Washington, DC.
OnThe London–Lund Corpus 2: design, challenges and innovations
Authors: PÕLDVERE NELE , JOHANSSON VICTORIA , PARADIS CARITA
Published: September 2021

This article describes and critically examines the challenging task of compilingThe London–Lund Corpus 2(LLC–2) from start to end, accounting for the methodological decisions made in each stage and highlighting the innovations. LLC–2 is a half-a-million-word corpus of contemporary spoken British English with recordings from 2014 to 2019. Its size and design are the same as those of the world's first machine-readable spoken corpus,The London–Lund Corpus of Spoken Englishwith data from the 1950s to 1980s. In this way, LLC–2 allows not only for synchronic investigations of contemporary speech but also for principled diachronic research of spoken language across time. Each stage of the compilation of LLC–2 posed its own challenges, ranging from the design of the corpus, the recruitment of the speakers, transcription, markup and annotation procedures, to the release of the corpus to the international research community. The decisions and solutions represent state-of-the-art practices of spoken corpus compilation with important innovations that enhance the value of LLC–2 for spoken corpus research, such as the availability of both the transcriptions and the corresponding time-aligned audio files in a standard compliant format.
Frozen n-Tetradecane Investigated by Cryo-Atom Probe Tomography
Authors: Meng Kuan , Schwarz Tim M , Weikum Eric M , Stender Patrick , Schmitz Guido
Published: September 2021

Atom probe tomography (APT) has been established in the microscopic chemical and spatial analysis of metallic or semiconductors nanostructures. In recent years, and especially with the development of a transfer shuttle system and adapted preparation protocols, the field of frozen liquids has been opened up. Still, very limited knowledge is available about the evaporation and fragmentation behavior of frozen liquids in APT. In this work, efforts were made to extend the method toward organic and biological soft matter, which are mostly built from hydrocarbon chains, the evaporation and fragmentation behavior of simple alkane chains (n-tetradecanes). Tetradecane shows a very complex evaporation behavior whereby peaks of C1–C15 can be observed. Based on multihit events and the representation of these in correlation plots, more detailed information about the evaporation behavior and the decay of molecules into smaller fragments in the region near the tip can be studied. A variety of different dissociation tracks of larger molecules in their excited state and their subsequent decay in low-field regions, on the way to the detector, could be observed and the dissociation zone in the low-field region was calculated.
New Directions in Rebel Governance Research
Authors: Loyle Cyanne E. , Cunningham Kathleen Gallagher , Huang Reyko , Jung Danielle F.
Published: September 2021

Day to day governance of civilians is not solely the purview of states. Rulemaking, rule-enforcing, and goods and services provision are central components of governance, yet in many instances it is non-state actors who assume these functions. We advance the study of governance by rebel groups engaged in armed confrontation against state governments. We identify five key areas of research where the field of rebel governance is best poised to go: the study of multi-level governance, rebel use of self-constraining or hand-tying behaviors, synergy between institutional form and domestic legitimacy, the nuanced role of territorial control in governance, and short- and longer-term impacts of rebel governance on post-conflict outcomes. In each area, we draw attention to the lessons already learned, interrogate key assumptions in existing work, raise arguments that remain under- or uninvestigated, and focus on the next frontier in the exploration of rebel governance. Learning more about the ways that rebel groups govern informs our understanding of armed conflict and its resolution, as well as provides broader lessons about the study of governance.
Blackface Minstrelsy and the Reception of Elizabeth Taylor Greenfield
Authors: Chybowski Julia J.
Published: September 2021

This article explores blackface minstrelsy in the context of Elizabeth Taylor Greenfield's singing career of the 1850s–1870s. Although Greenfield performed a version of African American musicality that was distinct from minstrel caricatures, minstrelsy nonetheless impacted her reception. The ubiquity of minstrel tropes greatly influenced audience perceptions of Greenfield's creative and powerful transgressions of expected race and gender roles, as well as the alignment of race with mid-nineteenth-century notions of social class. Minstrel caricatures and stereotypes appeared in both praise and ridicule of Greenfield's performances from her debut onward, and after successful US and transatlantic tours established her notoriety, minstrel companies actually began staging parody versions of Greenfield, using her sobriquet, “Black Swan.” These “Black Swan” acts are evidence that Greenfield's achievements were perceived as threats to established social hierarchies.
Queers of Steel: Camp in John Williams's Superman (1978) and Jerry Goldsmith's Supergirl (1984)
Authors: Edgar Grace
Published: September 2021

When Richard Donner's blockbuster Superman arrived in theaters in 1978, critics praised the filmmakers for avoiding camp in their adaptation of the comic book, comparing the film positively to the Batman television series (1966–68) of the previous decade. Several sequels later, critics attributed the series’ diminishing financial returns to its growing investment in camp, an investment that peaked in Jeannot Szwarc's Supergirl spinoff (1984), a critical and commercial misfire. Drawing on the work of camp theorists Susan Sontag, Moe Meyer, and Andrew Ross, I argue that critics have misrepresented the place of camp within the franchise, a misunderstanding stemming from their neglect of the film scores. There are two different yet overlapping forms of camp operating within these films. In their reviews, critics expressed disdain for pop camp, a highly legible form of camp, characterized by overblown performances, that the Batman show popularized in the 1960s. My analyses of Superman and Supergirl center on a subtler camp aesthetic present from the very start that critics celebrated: a playful mismatching of gender signifiers and an undercutting of heteronormative romantic relationships that I refer to as queer camp. I offer queer readings of John Williams's and Jerry Goldsmith's leitmotivic scores for Superman and Supergirl—supposedly the least campy and the campiest films in the franchise—to bring into focus the overlooked political work the series accomplishes. In a bold reclamation of the comic books’ suppressed queer legacy, the films’ queer camp aesthetic subverts the heteronormativity of the protagonists to construct Superman and Supergirl as queers of steel.
Resilience in Informal Caregivers of People Living with Dementia in the Face of COVID-19 Pandemic-Related Changes to Daily Life
Authors: Geschke Katharina , Palm Svenja , Fellgiebel Andreas , Wuttke-Linnemann Alexandra
Published: September 2021

Abstract. Informal caregivers of people living with dementia (PwD) are at increased risk for the development of stress-related physical and mental illness. Nevertheless, because of differing resilience, they show interindividual differences in their ability to cope. Particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic, with the associated pandemic control measures and pandemic-related changes to daily life, resilience might be further challenged, and stress might consequently increase. Therefore, we review the evidence on informal caregivers’ experience during the COVID-19 pandemic regarding effects of the pandemic control measures on (a) the caregiver’s health, (b) the care recipient’s health, (c) the stability of the care situation, and (d) coping in daily life. We conclude with implications on how to strengthen resilience and reduce stress in terms of environmental, social, and individual resources.
Three‐Dimensional Subsurface Flow Path Controls on Flow Permanence
Authors: Dohman J. M. , Godsey S. E. , Hale R. L.
Published: September 2021

Intermittent streams currently constitute >50% of the global river network, and the number of intermittent streams is expected to increase due to changes in land use and climate. Surface flows are known to expand and contract within the headwater channel network due to changes in the water table driven by climate, often changing seasonally. However, the underlying causes of disconnections and reconnections throughout the stream network remain poorly understood and may reflect subsurface flow capacity. We assess how 3D subsurface flowpaths control local surface flows at Gibson Jack Creek in the Rocky Mountains, Idaho, USA. Water table dynamics, hydraulic gradients, and hyporheic exchange were monitored along a 200‐m section of the stream throughout the seasonal recession in WY2018. Shallow lateral hillslope‐riparian‐stream connectivity was more frequent in transects spanning perennially flowing stream reaches than intermittent reaches. During low‐flow periods, larger losing vertical hydraulic gradients were observed in paired piezometers in intermittent reaches than in adjacent perennial reaches. Contrary to dominant conceptual models, longitudinal measurements of hydrologic exchange in both intermittent and perennial reaches were seasonally variable except for one perennial reach that showed consistent significant gains. Observed drying dynamics, as well as subsurface pathways, were highly variable even over short distances (30 m). Flow probability and subsurface flow capacity at upstream locations can be assessed with an outlet hydrograph and upstream flow measurements. Accurate characterization of subsurface storage, discharge, and connection is critical to understanding the drivers of drying cycles in intermittent streams and their likely responses to future change.
Upslope Failure Mechanisms and Criteria in Submarine Landslides: Shear Band Propagation, Slab Failure and Retrogression
Authors: Zhang Wangcheng , Klein Boaz , Randolph Mark F. , Puzrin Alexander M.
Published: September 2021

The volume of a submarine landslide is likely to be amplified by shear band propagation along a basal surface or spreading failure extension in the sliding layer. Although the mechanism of translational submarine landslides has been understood using the interpretation of shear band propagation, assessment of the limits of failure extension, either through shear band propagation or retrogressive spreading, remains a challenge due to the diversity of post failure mechanisms. The paper aims to explore all post failure possibilities and quantify failure initiation and extension accordingly, focusing on the upslope conditions. The different failure mechanisms are explored with the aid of the large deformation finite element modeling. Original criteria for scarp position, shear band length at slab failure, retrogression conditions and ultimate spreading limits are proposed, following the process zone approach considering force equilibrium of the sliding mass. Simplified analytical predictions are shown to agree well with the numerical observations. The findings and criteria presented in the study are expected to help assess the ultimate scale of upslope failure in submarine landslides, which is important in determining geohazard zonation of submarine landslides.
Tumor-derived exosomal miR-3157-3p promotes angiogenesis, vascular permeability and metastasis by targeting TIMP/KLF2 in non-small cell lung cancer
Authors: Ma Zijian , Wei Ke , Yang Fengming , Guo Zizhang , Pan Chunfeng , He Yaozhou , Wang Jun , Li Zhihua , Chen Liang , Chen YiJiang , Xia Yang
Published: September 2021

Metastasis is the main cause of death in patients with advanced lung cancer. The exosomes released by cancer cells create tumor microenvironment, and then accelerate tumor metastasis. Cancer-derived exosomes are considered to be the main driving force for metastasis niche formation at foreign sites, but the mechanism in Non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC) is unclear. In metastatic NSCLC patients, the expression level of miR-3157-3p in circulating exosomes was significantly higher than that of non-metastatic NSCLC patients. Here, we found that miR-3157-3p can be transferred from NSCLC cells to vascular endothelial cells through exosomes. Our work indicates that exosome miR-3157-3p is involved in the formation of pre-metastatic niche formation before tumor metastasis and may be used as a blood-based biomarker for NSCLC metastasis. Exosome miR-3157-3p has regulated the expression of VEGF/MMP2/MMP9 and occludin in endothelial cells by targeting TIMP/KLF2, thereby promoted angiogenesis and increased vascular permeability. In addition, exosome miR-3157-3p promoted the metastasis of NSCLC in vivo.
CISD3 inhibition drives cystine-deprivation induced ferroptosis
Authors: Li Yanchun , Wang Xin , Huang Zhihui , Zhou Yi , Xia Jun , Hu Wanye , Wang Xu , Du Jing , Tong Xiangmin , Wang Ying
Published: September 2021

Ferroptosis, a new form of programmed cell death, not only promotes the pathological process of various human diseases, but also regulates cancer progression. Current perspectives on the underlying mechanisms remain largely unknown. Herein, we report a member of the NEET protein family, CISD3, exerts a regulatory role in cancer progression and ferroptosis both in vivo and in vitro. Pan-cancer analysis from TCGA reveals that expression of CISD3 is generally elevated in various human cancers which are consequently associated with a higher hazard ratio and poorer overall survival. Moreover, knockdown of CISD3 significantly accelerates lipid peroxidation and accentuates free iron accumulation triggered by Xc– inhibition or cystine-deprivation, thus causing ferroptotic cell death. Conversely, ectopic expression of the shRNA-resistant form of CISD3 (CISD3res) efficiently ameliorates the ferroptotic cell death. Mechanistically, CISD3 depletion presents a metabolic reprogramming toward glutaminolysis, which is required for the fuel of mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation. Both the inhibitors of glutaminolysis and the ETC process were capable of blocking the lipid peroxidation and ferroptotic cell death in the shCISD3 cells. Besides, genetic and pharmacological activation of mitophagy can rescue the CISD3 knockdown-induced ferroptosis by eliminating the damaged mitochondria. Noteworthily, GPX4 acts downstream of CISD3 mediated ferroptosis, which fails to reverse the homeostasis of mitochondria. Collectively, the present work provides novel insights into the regulatory role of CISD3 in ferroptotic cell death and presents a potential target for advanced antitumor activity through ferroptosis.
Neutralizing antibodies for the prevention and treatment of COVID-19
Authors: Du Lanying , Yang Yang , Zhang Xiujuan
Published: September 2021

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) initiates the infection process by binding to the viral cellular receptor angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 through the receptor-binding domain (RBD) in the S1 subunit of the viral spike (S) protein. This event is followed by virus–cell membrane fusion mediated by the S2 subunit, which allows virus entry into the host cell. Therefore, the SARS-CoV-2 S protein is a key therapeutic target, and prevention and treatment of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) have focused on the development of neutralizing monoclonal antibodies (nAbs) that target this protein. In this review, we summarize the nAbs targeting SARS-CoV-2 proteins that have been developed to date, with a focus on the N-terminal domain and RBD of the S protein. We also describe the roles that binding affinity, neutralizing activity, and protection provided by these nAbs play in the prevention and treatment of COVID-19 and discuss the potential to improve nAb efficiency against multiple SARS-CoV-2 variants. This review provides important information for the development of effective nAbs with broad-spectrum activity against current and future SARS-CoV-2 strains.
Towards access for all: 1st Working Group Report for the Global Gene Therapy Initiative (GGTI)
Authors: Adair Jennifer E. , Androski Lindsay , Bayigga Lois , Bazira Deus , Brandon Eugene , Dee Lynda , Deeks Steven , Draz Mohamed , Dubé Karine , Dybul Mark , Gurkan Umut , Harlow Evelyn , Kityo Cissy , Louella Michael , Malik Punam , Mathews Vikram , McKemey Adrian , Mugerwa Henry , Muyanja Daniel , Olayiwola Olabimpe , Orentas Rimas J. , Popovski Alex , Sheehy Jeff , Ssali Francis , Nsubuga Moses Supercharger , Tisdale John F. , Verhoeyen Els , Dropulić Boro
Published: September 2021

The gene and cell therapy field saw its first approved treatments in Europe in 2012 and the United States in 2017 and is projected to be at least a $10B USD industry by 2025. Despite this success, a massive gap exists between the companies, clinics, and researchers developing these therapeutic approaches, and their availability to the patients who need them. The unacceptable reality is a geographic exclusion of low-and middle-income countries (LMIC) in gene therapy development and ultimately the provision of gene therapies to patients in LMIC. This is particularly relevant for gene therapies to treat human immunodeficiency virus infection and hemoglobinopathies, global health crises impacting tens of millions of people primarily located in LMIC. Bridging this divide will require research, clinical and regulatory infrastructural development, capacity-building, training, an approval pathway and community adoption for success and sustainable affordability. In 2020, the Global Gene Therapy Initiative was formed to tackle the barriers to LMIC inclusion in gene therapy development. This working group includes diverse stakeholders from all sectors and has set a goal of introducing two gene therapy Phase I clinical trials in two LMIC, Uganda and India, by 2024. Here we report on progress to date for this initiative.
Source analysis of heavy metal pollution in agricultural soil irrigated with sewage in Wuqing, Tianjin
Authors: Wang Jingran , Yu Danyang , Wang Yanhong , Du Xueli , Li Guochen , Li Bo , Zhao Yujie , Wei Yinghui , Xu Shuang
Published: September 2021

In this study, the contents of heavy metals and Cd and Pb isotope ratios of agricultural soil and potential source samples collected from farmland receiving sewage irrigation in Wuqing District, Tianjin, China were determined. Multiple methods were used for source analysis, including positive matrix factorization (PMF), correlation analysis, principal component analysis (PCA), and the Cd and Pb isotope ratio method. The results showed that agricultural soil was slightly contaminated by heavy metals in the research area, with relatively higher Cd and Pb accumulation levels compared to those of other heavy metals. Four types of pollution sources, including the soil parent material sources, industrial emission sources, agricultural practice sources, and mixed sources of sewage irrigation and transportation were apportioned and quantified by PMF, combined with the results of PCA and correlation analysis. The contribution rates quantified by the Cd and Pb isotope ratio method were similar, suggesting that no single source dominates Pb and Cd pollution. The contribution rates of Pb analyzed by the isotope ratio method were almost identical to those of the PMF model, indicating the rationality of the PMF result. Our results suggested that correlation analysis and PCA should be utilized to provide information for obtaining reasonable results and defining source categories for PMF, whereas the isotope ratio method should be applied to verify the accuracy of source contributions analyzed by PMF.
Retinal blood flow reversal quantitatively monitored in out-of-plane vessels with laser Doppler holography
Authors: Puyo Léo , Paques Michel , Atlan Michael
Published: September 2021

Laser Doppler holography is a planar blood flow imaging technique recently introduced in ophthalmology to image human retinal and choroidal blood flow non-invasively. Here we present a digital method based on the Doppler spectrum asymmetry that reveals the local direction of blood flow with respect to the optical axis in out-of-plane vessels. This directional information is overlaid on standard grayscale blood flow images to depict flow moving towards the camera in red and flow moving away from the camera in blue, as in ultrasound color Doppler imaging. We show that thanks to the strong contribution of backscattering to the Doppler spectrum in out-of-plane vessels, the local axial direction of blood flow can be revealed with a high temporal resolution, which enables us to evidence pathological blood flow reversals. We also demonstrate the use of optical Doppler spectrograms to quantitatively monitor retinal blood flow reversals.