bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Is there tree senescence? The fecundity evidence
Authors: Qiu Tong , Aravena Marie-Claire , Andrus Robert , Ascoli Davide , Bergeron Yves , Berretti Roberta , Bogdziewicz Michal , Boivin Thomas , Bonal Raul , Caignard Thomas , Calama Rafael , Julio Camarero J. , Clark Connie J. , Courbaud Benoit , Delzon Sylvain , Donoso Calderon Sergio , Farfan-Rios William , Gehring Catherine A. , Gilbert Gregory S. , Greenberg Cathryn H. , Guo Qinfeng , Hille Ris Lambers Janneke , Hoshizaki Kazuhiko , Ibanez Ines , Journé Valentin , Kilner Christopher L. , Kobe Richard K. , Koenig Walter D. , Kunstler Georges , LaMontagne Jalene M. , Ledwon Mateusz , Lutz James A. , Motta Renzo , Myers Jonathan A. , Nagel Thomas A. , Nuñez Chase L. , Pearse Ian S. , Piechnik Łukasz , Poulsen John R. , Poulton-Kamakura Renata , Redmond Miranda D. , Reid Chantal D. , Rodman Kyle C. , Scher C. Lane , Schmidt Van Marle Harald , Seget Barbara , Sharma Shubhi , Silman Miles , Swenson Jennifer J. , Swift Margaret , Uriarte Maria , Vacchiano Giorgio , Veblen Thomas T. , Whipple Amy V. , Whitham Thomas G. , Wion Andreas P. , Wright S. Joseph , Zhu Kai , Zimmerman Jess K. , Żywiec Magdalena , Clark James S.
Published: August 2021

Significance

Physiological decline in large, old trees could involve diminished reproductive effort, but evidence is lacking. A global analysis finds that fecundity decline in large trees is pervasive, consistent with physiological decline, thus providing new evidence for tree senescence. For the 20% of species not showing fecundity declines, this lack of evidence was linked not to specific species groups, but rather to lack of large trees in the data. Large trees remain important for their structural attributes, but results highlight the critical role of intermediate trees for their contribution to reproduction.
Homonational tongue?
Authors: Itakura Kyohei
Published: August 2021

This ethnographic writing animates the communal role of language throughonē-kotoba(queen’s language) among Ni-chōme volleyballers (amateur volleyball-loving gay men in Tokyo). This gayly effeminate speech style remains firmly entrenched in Japanese media-representations of gay male characters despite its alleged rejection by actual gay men as well as its problematic characterization as being disrespectful to women. By adopting an ethnographic approach anchored in performance studies, I addressonē-kotobanot in media but one real, perhaps unexpected, context of use. As Ni-chōme volleyballers swing between discretion and disclosure by fashioning language(/gender), such tactical performance ofonē-kotobalubricates an aesthetically pro-silence erotic play in tension with Japan’s – retrospectively and arguably – family-oriented, if not homophobic, sociocultural orientation resistant to “out-and-proud” activism. Overall, this ethnographic research highlights the enduring difficulty of radical coalition among diverse populations, as I spotlight Ni-chōme volleyballers by discussing what has been in Japan in relation to the Euro-American resistance-minded queer theory.
The Hay Festival: Sustainable Impacts on a Small Welsh Town
Authors: Jenkins Ian S.
Published: August 2021

The Hay Festival has emerged as one of the leading festivals in the UK. It has developed from a small rural festival in 1988 to being a literary global signature festival. This case explores the exponential growth of a small rural festival and illustrates the economic benefits to a rural community while also identifying the issues of sustainability of a large festival in a small rural town on the Welsh–English border. Environmental and community integrity have now become a challenge for the festival.

Information

Adapted from previous work in the book
Literary Tourism: Theory, Practice and Case Studies
by Ian S. Jenkins, CAB International, 2019.

© CAB International 2019
Knowledge and Opinions of Fitness to Stand Trial Elements in Australia
Authors: Alan Blake Grant , Ogloff James , Fullam Rachael
Published: August 2021

Fitness to stand trial (equivalent to competency to stand trial) requires that defendants have a basic understanding of the purpose of the trial and the trial procedures. Little is known, however, about what constitutes a basic factual understanding of the matters. This study developed a legal knowledge survey in which participants were asked to define legal concepts and respond to legal scenarios. They then rated the importance of each component of the fitness to stand trial test to achieving a fair trial. Participants ( N = 393; females 69.7%) aged between 18 and 66-years ( M = 31.26-years, SD = 11.48 -years) from each Australian state and territory completed the online survey. Legal knowledge was high (86.5% correct) and there was no difference between participants on any clinical (e.g., current or past mental illness, neurological conditions), criminological (e.g., criminal history), or demographic variable (e.g., gender, employment, education), except age (curvilinear R2 = .12). Participants under 30-years old used significantly more Americanisms on difficult items compared with participants over 30-years old. On average, participants rated almost every component of the legal test as “extremely important” to a fair trial. The legal knowledge survey had good psychometric properties (Cronbach’s α = .86, interrater reliability ĸ > .80 on most variables, single solution factor analysis). Overall, the results support the presumption underpinning the Australian test for fitness, which is that people possess a basic factual understanding of a trial and trial procedures. Further research should focus on testing knowledge in special populations (e.g., mental illness, dementia, intellectual disability).
Influence of environmental conditions and surface treatments on the photoluminescence properties of GaN nanowires and nanofins
Authors: Kraut Max , Pantle Florian , Wörle Simon , Sirotti Elise , Zeidler Andreas , Eckmann Felix , Stutzmann Martin
Published: August 2021

Due to their intrinsically large surface-to-volume ratio, nanowires and nanofins interact strongly with their environment. We investigate the role of the main air constituents nitrogen, oxygen and water on the efficiency of radiative recombination in GaN nanostructures as a function of different surface treatments and at temperatures up to 200 °C. Oxygen and water exposures exhibit a complex behavior as they can both act quenching and enhancing on the photoluminescence intensity dependent on the temperature. For oxygen, these characteristics are already observed for low concentrations of below 0.5% in nitrogen. While the photoluminescence intensity changes induced by oxygen occur independently of illumination, the influence of water is light-induced: it evolves within tens of seconds under ultraviolet light exposure and is heavily influenced by the nanostructure pre-treatment. In contrast to observations in dry atmospheres, water prevents a recovery of the photoluminescence intensity in the dark. Combined measurements of the electrical current through GaN nanofins and their photoluminescence intensity reveal the environmental influence on the interaction of non-radiative recombination processes and changes in the surface band bending of the nanostructures. Several investigated solvents show an enhancing effect on the PL intensity increase, peaking in c-hexane with a 26-fold increase after 6 min of light exposure. Stabilization of the PL intensity was achieved by a passivation of the GaN surface with Ga
x
O
y
, and ZnO shells. Surprisingly, Al2O3 coatings resulted in a highly instable PL intensity during the first minutes of illumination. Our findings reveal the high importance of controlled environmental conditions for the investigation of nanostructures, especially when aimed at their applications in the fields of environmental sensing, photo-catalysis and light-emitting diodes.
An efficient channelization architecture and its implementation for radio astronomy
Authors: Liu W. , Meng Q. , Wang C. , Zhou C. , Yao S. , Tariq I.
Published: August 2021

Channelization is one of the most important parts in a
Digital Back-End(DBE) for radio astronomy. A DBE with wider
bandwidth and higher resolution consumes larger amount of computing
and memory resources, which results in much higher hardware
cost. This paper presents an efficient channelization architecture,
which consists of Bit-Inverted, Parallel Complex Fast Fourier
Transform(BIPC-FFT) and In-place Forward-Backward
Decomposition(IPFBD). The efficient architecture can assist with
saving a lot of resources, so a wide-band and high-resolution DBE
can be implemented on an resource restricted platform. Based on the
efficient channelization architecture, we designed a Dual-Input,
64K-Channelized prototype DBE with 1.2 GHz bandwidth on a Xilinx
Virtex-6 LX240T Field Programmable Gate Array(FPGA) chip. The test
results in the lab and observation results at Yunnan Observatory
demonstrate the DBE can be used for radio astronomy.
purgeR: inbreeding and purging in pedigreed populations
Authors: López-Cortegano Eugenio
Published: August 2021

Inbreeding depression and genetic purging are important processes shaping the survivability and evolution of small populations. However, detecting purging is challenging in practice, in part because there are limited tools dedicated to it. I present a new R package to assist population analyses on detection and quantification of the inbreeding depression and genetic purging of biological fitness in pedigreed populations. It includes a collection of methods to estimate different measurements of inbreeding (Wright’s, partial and ancestral inbreeding coefficients) as well as purging parameters (purged inbreeding, and opportunity of purging coefficients). Additional functions are also included to estimate population parameters, allowing to contextualize inbreeding and purging these results in terms of the population demographic history. purgeR is a valuable tool to gain insight into processes related to inbreeding and purging, and to better understand fitness and inbreeding load evolution in small populations.

Availability and implementation

purgeR is an R package available at CRAN, and can be installed via install.packages(“purgeR”). Source code is maintained at a GitLab repository (https://gitlab.com/elcortegano/purgeR).

Supplementary information

Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Decolonizing social services through community development: an Anishinaabe experience
Authors: Niigaaniin Mamaweswen , MacNeill Timothy , Ramos-Cortez Carola
Published: August 2021

This article is a case study of a community review of an income assistance (IA) program from the perspectives of Anishinaabe First Nations communities that interact with Niigaaniin—an Indigenous-run social assistance program. Using a decolonial methodological approach, the review process revealed that the priority of achieving clients’ wellbeing involves engaging in community wellness and development from an Indigenous community-scale perspective. This participatory review of the program of IA enabled a continued decolonization of social services and community development processes, re-signifying the idea of individual-based social services towards a more Indigenous community-oriented focus. This process suggests that decolonization requires that these separate fields be unified into one participatory, community-centred, and practice.
The Community of Shared Future for Mankind and China’s Legalist Turn in International Relations
Authors: de la Rasilla Ignacio , Yayezi HAO
Published: August 2021

The introduction presents China’s legalist turn in international relations against the background of the Trump administration’s backlash against international law and international organizations. The next section retraces the origins and evolution of the Community of Shared Future for Mankind (CSFM) up to its incorporation in the preamble to the Chinese Constitution. Section 3 examines the main tenets of the CSFM on the basis of XI Jinping’s writings with the visual aid of a “paifang” (“牌坊”). In this representation of a Chinese architectural arch or gateway structure, the “foundation” of the CSFM is, first, assimilated to China’s acknowledgement of the centrality of “interdependence” in the international community. Second, the “pillars” of the CSFM are identified as the goals of global peace, international common security, inclusive international development and international ecological civilization. Third, the “wooden beams” that bind the CSFM together are assimilated into the principles of sovereign equality, inter-civilizational dialogue and multilateralism, while the principle of “win-win” cooperation is represented as the CSFM’s “frontispiece”. The concluding section points to the benefits of China deepening its legalist approach to international relations as the most fitting companion to its grand strategy of “peaceful/development rise”.
Approximating Closest Vector Problem in ℓ∞-Norm Revisited
Authors: Chen Wenbin , Chen Jianer
Published: August 2021

The security of most lattice-based cryptography schemes are based on two computational hard problems which are the short integer solution (SIS) and learning with errors (LWE) problems. The computational complexity of SIS and LWE problems are related to approximating shortest vector problem and bounded distance decoding (BDD) problem. Approximating BDD is a special case of approximating closest vector problem (CVP). In this paper, we revisit the study for approximating CVP. We give a proof that approximating the CVP over $\ell _\infty $-norm (CVP$_\infty $) within any constant factor is NP-hard. The result is obtained by the gap-preserving reduction from Min Total Label Cover problem in $\ell _1$-norm to to CVP$_\infty $. This proof is simpler than known proofs [ 10].
Can Attacks against Embassies Serve as a Basis for the Invocation of Self-Defence? A Reply to Gábor Kajtár and Gergő Balázs
Authors: Ruys Tom
Published: August 2021

In their article ‘Beyond Tehran and Nairobi’, Gábor Kajtár and Gergő Balázs examine whether attacks against embassies can qualify as ‘armed attacks’ and thus serve as a basis for the invocation of self-defence. Based on a survey of relevant state practice and opinio juris, and building on an impressive database encompassing more than 730 incidents, the authors conclude that this question must, in all likelihood, be answered in the negative. This Reply raises the question whether the analysis and the material unearthed ultimately corroborate the conclusion which the authors distil therefrom. Upon closer scrutiny, it is suggested that there may be other, more compelling, inferences to be drawn from the material explored than the one hinted at by Kajtár and Balázs.
The Power of Data: Fixing Banking and the Climate
Authors: Evans Ed
Published: August 2021

Ed Evans FBCS has been following developments in data and energy. He details a presentation given to the Data Management Specialist Group by Gavin Starks, CEO of Icebreaker One and one of the architects of open banking and open energy.
Are Central Bank Digital Currencies the Future of Cash?
Authors: Lovell William
Published: August 2021

William Lovell, Head of Future Technologies at the Bank of England, explores how central bank digital currencies might change money, the problems of a cashless society and how he’s keeping bar staff guessing.
Insight: Leadership
Authors: Hall Jon G
Published: August 2021

Trying to work out what to do with your leadership day? Try random acts of authenticity, writes Jon G Hall CITP FBCS.
Insight: Business Analysis
Authors: Lovelock Christina
Published: August 2021

We are facing a point of major divergence in the tech industry, writes Business Analysis Leader, Christina Lovelock MBCS.
How the Microbiome Can Help Avert a Climate Crisis
Authors: Finbow Anthony
Published: August 2021

Advanced data management is starting to crack the hidden world mother nature has created around us. Anthony Finbow, Chief Executive Officer at Eagle Genomics - a pioneer in applying network science to biology - discusses how.
The Franko Prints: Joseph Urban’s Designs for the American Textile Market
Authors: Horne Sarah Marie
Published: August 2021

While historical accounts of the Art Deco style in the United States often focus on the cultural influence of France, this article examines the impact of Viennese design on American taste through the work of architect and designer Joseph Urban. In particular, it offers new evidence that Urban persistently worked to disseminate the design aesthetic of the Wiener Werkstätte beyond the establishment of his renowned, yet short-lived New York gallery, Wiener Werkstätte America. In the early 2000s, the New York gallery Historical Design discovered a printed silk textile designed by Urban and manufactured by a company in Tennessee in 1928. This discovery unearthed the designer’s forgotten foray into textile design and led to the reattribution of dozens of textile samples in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art that were previously believed to be the work of Josef Hoffmann, Dagobert Peche, and Gustav Klimt. This article considers the cultural and social forces that brought these textiles into being and critically examines their source materials to reveal Urban’s continued engagement with motifs drawn from artists associated with the Wiener Werkstätte, as well as his own career, in an effort to promote Viennese Modernism to an American audience.
Genetic Consequences of Biologically Altered Environments
Authors: D’Aguillo Michelle , Hazelwood Caleb , Quarles Brandie , Donohue Kathleen
Published: August 2021

Evolvable traits of organisms can alter the environment those organisms experience. While it is well appreciated that those modified environments can influence natural selection to which organisms are exposed, they can also influence the expression of genetic variances and covariances of traits under selection. When genetic variance and covariance change in response to changes in the evolving, modified environment, rates and outcomes of evolution also change. Here we discuss the basic mechanisms whereby organisms modify their environments, review how those modified environments have been shown to alter genetic variance and covariance, and discuss potential evolutionary consequences of such dynamics. With these dynamics, responses to selection can be more rapid and sustained, leading to more extreme phenotypes, or they can be slower and truncated, leading to more conserved phenotypes. Patterns of correlated selection can also change, leading to greater or less evolutionary independence of traits, or even causing convergence or divergence of traits, even when selection on them is consistent across environments. Developing evolutionary models that incorporate changes in genetic variances and covariances when environments themselves evolve requires developing methods to predict how genetic parameters respond to environments—frequently multifactorial environments. It also requires a population-level analysis of how traits of collections of individuals modify environments for themselves and/or others in a population, possibly in spatially explicit ways. Despite the challenges of elucidating the mechanisms and nuances of these processes, even qualitative predictions of how environment-modifying traits alter evolutionary potential are likely to improve projections of evolutionary outcomes.
Nutritional interventions for spinal cord injury: preclinical efficacy and molecular mechanisms
Authors: Campos Jonas , Silva Nuno A , Salgado António J
Published: August 2021

Spinal cord injury (SCI) is a debilitating condition that leads to motor, sensory, and autonomic impairments. Its intrinsic pathophysiological complexity has hindered the establishment of effective treatments for decades. Nutritional interventions (NIs) for SCI have been proposed as a route to circumvent some of the problems associated with this condition. Results obtained in animal models point to a more holistic effect, rather than to specific modulation, of several relevant SCI pathophysiological processes. Indeed, published data have shown NI improves energetic imbalance, oxidative damage, and inflammation, which are promoters of improved proteostasis and neurotrophic signaling, leading ultimately to neuroprotection and neuroplasticity. This review focuses on the most well-documented Nis. The mechanistic implications and their translational potential for SCI are discussed.
Species composition of three size fractions of zooplankton used in routine monitoring of the Barents Sea ecosystem
Authors: Skjoldal Hein Rune
Published: August 2021

Size fractionation with 2000 and 1000 μm screens is used by the Institute of Marine Research in Norway in routine monitoring of zooplankton biomass. This study examines the separation of taxa by this procedure. For copepods and cladocerans, the fractionation separates individuals according to their size in a consistent and predictable manner. Individuals up to 0.4 mm in width are contained in the small fraction (<1 mm). From width 0.4 to 0.8 mm, there is a progressive shift from the small to the medium fraction (1–2 mm). From about 0.8 mm width, individuals start to be contained in the large fraction (>2 mm). For Calanus finmarchicus, young copepodites CI–CIII are contained in the small fraction, while the older stages CV and adults are contained in the medium fraction. Small copepods (Oithona, Oncaea, Microcalanus, Pseudocalanus) are contained in the small fraction, as are most appendicularians and meroplanktonic invertebrate larvae. The large fraction includes large copepods, larger individuals of chaetognaths, krill and amphipods. The consistency of separation of taxa by size will help to interpret and improve the ecological relevance of results on size-fractioned zooplankton biomass in the Barents Sea as well as other high-latitude areas.
The Allocation of Authority in Organizations: A Field Experiment with Bureaucrats
Authors: Bandiera Oriana , Best Michael Carlos , Khan Adnan Qadir , Prat Andrea
Published: August 2021

We design a field experiment to study how the allocation of authority between frontline procurement officers and their monitors affects performance both directly and through the response to incentives. In collaboration with the government of Punjab, Pakistan, we shift authority from monitors to procurement officers and introduce financial incentives in a sample of 600 procurement officers in 26 districts. We find that autonomy alone reduces prices by 9% without reducing quality and that the effect is stronger when the monitor tends to delay approvals for purchases until the end of the fiscal year. In contrast, the effect of performance pay is muted, except when agents face a monitor who does not delay approvals. Time use data reveal agents’ responses vary along the same margin: autonomy increases the time devoted to procurement, and this leads to lower prices only when monitors cause delays. By contrast, incentives work when monitors do not cause delays. The results illustrate that organizational design and anti-corruption policies must balance agency issues at different levels of the hierarchy.
Strengthening the impact of Doctor of Nursing Practice projects in education and clinical practice
Authors: Melander Sheila , Hampton Debra , Garritano Nicole , Makowski Andrew , Hardin-Pierce Melanie , Scott Leslie , Tovar Elizabeth , Biddle Martha
Published: August 2021

The significance and value of Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) projects can be potentiated by collaboration between educators and practice leaders and when students build on previous DNP projects, as demonstrated in this article. Projects can have a longstanding financial, quality, and outcome impact, helping demonstrate the worth and efficacy of the DNP degree.
The Effectiveness of a Simulation Program to Enhance Readiness to Engage in Difficult Conversations in Clinical Practice
Authors: Coates Jennifer
Published: August 2021

Health care providers are often tasked with communicating difficult, emotionally charged news, including delivering an unwelcome diagnosis and planning end-of-life care. Patients and family members often cannot recall specifics of these conversations, although their perceptions of how information was communicated by health care providers impact not only their evaluation of the quality of care received, but also their abilities to cope with the communicated bad news. What can be done to better prepare novice clinicians to have these types of conversations? This quality improvement project used a simulation-based difficult conversation workshop given to adult-gerontology acute care nurse practitioner students in their final year of study. The workshop comprised both standardized patient actors and a structured communication curriculum. A pretest/posttest was conducted to show that this intervention was effective in increasing student confidence to facilitate difficult conversations in clinical practice.
Burnout in anaesthesiology residents
Authors: Chong Margaret Y.F. , Lin Sarah H.X. , Lim Wan Yen , Ong John , Kam Peter C.A. , Ong Sharon G.K.
Published: August 2021

BACKGROUND

Burnout is an occupational hazard precipitated by chronic exposure to excessive work-related stress. It can have negative impacts on the health and safety of patients and clinicians. Anaesthesiologists are at a high risk of burnout; anaesthetic residents especially may experience higher levels of stress as a result of training requirements and postgraduate examinations. However, the scale of burnout among anaesthesiology residents is not well evaluated.

OBJECTIVES

To determine the prevalence of burnout and identify risk factors contributing to it among anaesthesiology residents worldwide and evaluate preventive strategies at institutional and departmental levels.

DESIGN

A systematic review without meta-analysis.

DATA SOURCES

We searched PubMed, Embase, Scopus and PsycInfo for English language articles published up to 24 May 2021.

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

The inclusion criteria for qualitative analysis were a reported burnout prevalence in anaesthesiology residents and the use of an assessment tool. Exclusion criteria were reviews/meta-analyses/correspondence, non-English articles, articles without anaesthesiology residents and lacking information on burnout prevalence and metrics for assessment.

RESULTS

Twelve studies met the inclusion criteria; seven studies utilised the 22-item Maslach Burnout Inventory Human Services Survey (MBI-HSS) and five utilised the abbreviated Maslach Burnout Inventory (aMBI). The reported burnout prevalence among anaesthesiology residents varied between 2.7 and 67.0% (median = 24.7%). Differences in burnout criteria contributed significantly to methodological heterogeneity. Factors predisposing to burnout included long working hours, poor workplace relationships, professional examinations and adverse clinical events. Protected rest time and restricted work hours were identified as effective strategies to prevent burnout. Other preventive strategies include mindfulness and resilience courses, as well as departmental initiatives such as exercise.

CONCLUSION

Burnout is common amongst anaesthesiology residents. Standardised tools and diagnostic criteria are needed to distinguish methodological heterogeneity from true heterogeneity in study populations. Interventions have been proposed to improve management strategies to minimise burnout anaesthesiology residents.

PROSPERO REFERENCE

CRD42019140472.
Evaluation of Ocular Surface and Dry Eye Symptoms in Face Mask Users
Authors: Aksoy Mustafa , Simsek Mert
Published: August 2021

Objective:

This study aimed to investigate the ocular surface and symptoms of dry eye in individuals who wear face masks on a daily basis.

Methods:

This prospective study evaluated 52 right eyes of 52 subjects (26 men, 26 women) who routinely wore face masks for at least 8 hrs a day. Mean age was 30.48±6.01 years. All patients were assessed with Schirmer-1 test, Tear Break-up Time (TBUT), Oxford staining grade, and Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI) at initial clinical admission (T1), after 8 hrs of face mask use (T2), and after 15 days of greater than 8 hrs daily wear of face masks with the open portions of the mask taped down (T3).

Results:

Mean TBUT was 13.03±2.18 seconds(s) at T1, 9.12±1.85 sec at T2, and 12.78±2.05 sec at T3. Mean Schirmer-1 test results were 16.87±3.01 mm at T1, 12.97±2.74 mm at T2, and 17.01±2.95 mm at T3. There was a significant difference between T1 and T2, and between T2 and T3 in TBUT (P<0.001), Schirmer-1 results (P<0.001), and Oxford staining grade (P=0.030, P=0.003, respectively). There was a significant difference between all examination times in OSDI score (P<0.001).

Conclusion:

Improper use of face masks may cause increased ocular irritation and dry eye symptoms. Taping down the upper portion of the face mask blocks exhaled air from directly entering the eyes, preventing potential symptoms of dry eye.
Recent SARS-CoV-2 Outlook and Implications in a COVID-19 Vaccination Era
Authors: Ehianeta Teddy , Mzee Said Abdulrahman Salim , Adebisi Muslimat Kehinde , Ehianeta Oluwayemisi
Published: August 2021

While repurposed drugs came in handy earlier in the wake of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, vaccination has been considered a more sustainable approach. The recent spikes have been linked to “double,” “triple,” and even multi-mutant variants, thus renewing calls for deeper structural and functional insights of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) as a lead to rationale design of therapeutics, vaccines, and point-of-care diagnostics. There is a repertoire of findings from the earliest SARS-CoV-2 molecular mimicry to evade host immunity cum host immune responses to the role of the viral glycocalyx in modulating the susceptibility and severity of infection through attraction and repulsive interactions. Recently, molecular studies of some viral components that aid infection in the face of vaccination seem unending. In addition, the wave of infections and the attendant case fatality ratios have necessitated the need for emergency use authorizations for COVID-19 vaccines and in vitro diagnostics. This review provides key updates of SARS-CoV-2, current antigenic and formulation strategies, with emergency use authorizations considerations for future vaccine candidates and diagnostics. We also premise that despite the difficulty in modeling and analyzing glycans, understanding and exploiting their roles in the SARS-CoV-2 architecture is fundamental to glycan-based COVID-19 vaccines devoid of inconsistent clinical outcomes.
Prevalence of tear film hyperosmolarity in 1150 patients presenting for refractive surgery assessment
Authors: Xuan Rachel , Lawless Michael , Sutton Gerard , Hodge Chris
Published: August 2021

Purpose:

To present an analysis of tear film hyperosmolarity in a large, consecutive population and evaluate the correlation of ocular and systemic conditions with tear film osmolarity (TFO).

Setting:

Private practice, Sydney, Australia.

Design:

Single-center, retrospective, consecutive cohort.

Method:

Patients undergoing screening for laser refractive surgery from October 2017 to October 2020 were retrospectively reviewed. 1404 patients (n = 1357 standard, n = 47 postrefractive) undergoing screening for laser refractive surgery from October 2017 to October 2020 were reviewed. Routine examination included TFO and Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI) questionnaire. TFO was conducted prior to further tests, and patients refrained from topical eyedrops minimum 2 hours before the appointment.

Results:

1404 patients (n = 1357 standards, n = 47 postrefractive) patients were reviewed. Mean highest TFO in the standard population was 299.12 ± 11.94 mOsm/L, with 82.3% of eyes <308 mOsm/L indicating normal tear film homeostasis. The mean intereye TFO difference was 8.17 ± 8.60 mOsm/L, with 65.2% of eyes ≤8 mOsm/L. Mean highest TFO in the postrefractive subgroup was 299.72 ± 11.00 mOsm/L, with a mean intereye difference of 9.02 ± 6.92 mOsm/L. Postrefractive surgery patients indicated higher mean OSDI values of 15.28 ± 14.46 compared with the remainder of the population 9.69 ± 10.56 (P = .012). Significant correlation was demonstrated between TFO scores and OSDI normal classification in the standard population only (P = .005, r = 0.077). The use of contact lens correlated inversely with TFO and OSDI scores (P = .000, r = −0.136, and P = .000, r = −0.152, respectively).

Conclusions:

To the authors' knowledge, this study represents the largest available cohort of TFO scores in a standard population presenting for refractive surgery. Although most patients were found to fall within normal ranges, a reasonable percentage were diagnosed with tear hyperosmolarity and therefore at risk for dry eye disease.
Visceral sensitivity modulation by faecal microbiota transplantation: the active role of gut bacteria in pain persistence
Authors: Lucarini Elena , Di Pilato Vincenzo , Parisio Carmen , Micheli Laura , Toti Alessandra , Pacini Alessandra , Bartolucci Gianluca , Baldi Simone , Niccolai Elena , Amedei Amedeo , Rossolini Gian Maria , Nicoletti Claudio , Cryan John F. , O'Mahony Siobhain M. , Ghelardini Carla , Di Cesare Mannelli Lorenzo
Published: August 2021

Recent findings linked gastrointestinal disorders characterized by abdominal pain to gut microbiota composition. The present work aimed to evaluate the power of gut microbiota as a visceral pain modulator and, consequently, the relevance of its manipulation as a therapeutic option in reversing postinflammatory visceral pain persistence. Colitis was induced in mice by intrarectally injecting 2,4-dinitrobenzenesulfonic acid (DNBS). The effect of faecal microbiota transplantation from viscerally hypersensitive DNBS-treated and naive donors was evaluated in control rats after an antibiotic-mediated microbiota depletion. Faecal microbiota transplantation from DNBS donors induced a long-lasting visceral hypersensitivity in control rats. Pain threshold trend correlated with major modifications in the composition of gut microbiota and short chain fatty acids. By contrast, no significant alterations of colon histology, permeability, and monoamines levels were detected. Finally, by manipulating the gut microbiota of DNBS-treated animals, a counteraction of persistent visceral pain was achieved. The present results provide novel insights into the relationship between intestinal microbiota and visceral hypersensitivity, highlighting the therapeutic potential of microbiota-targeted interventions.
Response to immunotherapy in a patient with anaplastic thyroid cancer
Authors: Zheng Luming , Li Ling , He Qingqing , Wang Meng , Ma Yunhan , Zhu Jian , Li Yanchen , Fu Xiaokang , Zhang Yaxuan
Published: August 2021

Rationale:

Anaplastic thyroid carcinoma (ATC) is an aggressive malignancy that is almost always fatal and lacks effective systemic treatment options. Current treatments of ATC include surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy, used in combination when possible. In the aspect of immunotherapy, the biomarker of TMB-H and MSI-H may suggest that patients benefit from pembrolizumab. Programmed cell death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) is highly expressed in ATC but has not been written into the guidelines or approved by the FDA as a biomarker for thyroid cancer immunotherapy.

Patient concerns:

A 55-year-old woman was admitted to our hospital because of a slight right-sided neck enlargement in November 2019.

Diagnoses:

The clinical diagnosis was ATC, pT3bN0M0, and stage IVB.

Interventions:

Oral administration of apatinib (250 mg 3 times daily) was initiated after surgery, but some unpleasant side effects emerged after 1 month of treatment. Next-generation sequencing revealed that the tumor harbored 2 mutations, HRAS p.Q61R and TP53 p.P278S, and PD-L1 staining was positive with a high expression. Thus, camrelizumab (programmed cell death protein 1 inhibitor) was combined with apatinib, and apatinib was changed to 250 mg once a day from March 2020.

Outcomes:

No adverse reactions were observed after the treatment immunotherapy combined with antiangiogenic drugs. Currently, the survival time of patients is more than 11 months, and the quality of life is not affected.

Conclusion:

This case suggests that immunotherapy in patients with ATC based upon PD-L1 evaluation provides a therapeutic option. Targeting programmed cell death protein 1/PD-L1 may provide a much-needed treatment option for patients with advanced ATC.
Clinical therapeutic effects of platelet-rich plasma in patients with burn wound healing
Authors: Li Jie , Hu Wang-Ping , Zhong Guo
Published: August 2021

Background:

In clinical settings, burn wounds are frequently encountered. Since burn wounds are a form of physical injury, they can have long-term adverse effects on the human body. It has been a significant challenge to treat burn wounds completely. Since traditional treatment strategies have been unable to heal burn wounds completely, they lack the efficacy to cure the wounds without long-term effects, such as heavy scarring. Reportedly, platelet-rich plasma (PRP) has shown potential to accelerate wound healing. Yet, there are no conclusive reports on a methodological comparative study of research that has assessed the medical benefits of PRP for treating individuals carrying burn wounds. Thus, the present meta-analysis and systematic study aims to assess the medical benefits of PRP for treating patients carrying burn wounds.

Methods:

The authors will conduct a comprehensive search for randomized controlled trials that evaluate the safeness and efficiency of PRP to treat burn wounds. The search includes 3 Chinese language databases (WanFang database, Chinese BioMedical Literature database, and China National Knowledge Infrastructure) and 4 English language databases (Cochrane Library, EMBASE, Web of Science, and MEDLINE). These electronic databases will be searched from their establishment till May 2021. A pair of independent authors will be selecting eligible studies for extracting data. The same authors will employ the Cochrane risk of bias tool to evaluate the bias risk. We will make use of RevMan (version: 5.3) software to complete data synthesis.

Results:

The present protocol will establish practical and targeted results evaluating the efficacy and safeness of using PRP to treat burn wounds. The current study also provides a reference for clinical use of PRP.

Conclusion:

Stronger evidence about the effectiveness and safety of using PRP to treat and heal burn wounds will be provided for clinicians to refer.

Ethics and dissemination:

Ethics approval is unrequired.

Registration number:

March 31, 2021.osf.io/whauj. (https://osf.io/whauj/).
Effect of aspirin on coronavirus disease 2019
Authors: Son Minkook , Noh Myung-giun , Lee Jeong Hoon , Seo Jeongkuk , Park Hansoo , Yang Sung
Published: August 2021

Several studies reported that aspirin can potentially help prevent infection and serious complications of coronavirus disease (COVID-19), but no study has elucidated a definitive association between aspirin and COVID-19. This study aims to investigate the association between aspirin and COVID-19.

This case-control study used demographic, clinical, and health screening laboratory test data collected from the National Health Insurance Service database. Patients who tested positive for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection until June 4, 2020, were matched with control patients using propensity score matching according to their SARS-CoV-2 status, the composite of complications, and death. The composite of complications included intensive care unit admission, use of vasopressors, high-flow oxygen therapy, renal replacement therapy, extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, and death. Exposure to aspirin was defined as having a prescription for aspirin for more than 14 days, including the index date. After matching, multivariable-adjusted conditional logistic regression analysis was performed. To confirm the robustness of this study, we used 2 study groups, 3 propensity score matching methods, and 3 models for conditional logistic regression analyses.

The crude odds ratio and 95% confidence interval for SARS-CoV-2 infection between the groups without and with exposure to aspirin were 1.21 (1.04–1.41), but the adjusted odds ratios (95% confidence interval) were not significant. There was no association between aspirin exposure and COVID-19 status. Multiple statistical analyses, including subgroup analysis, revealed consistent results. Furthermore, the results of analysis for complications and death were not significant. Aspirin exposure was not associated with COVID-19-related complications and mortality in COVID-19 patients.

In this nationwide population-based case-control study, aspirin use was not associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection or related complications. With several ongoing randomized controlled trials of aspirin in COVID-19 patients, more studies would be able to confirm the effectiveness of aspirin in COVID-19.
Successful treatment of 2 patients with brain metastases from non-small cell lung cancer with epidermal growth factor receptor mutation receiving dacomitinib
Authors: Zhao Songchen , Cong Xiaofeng , Liu Ziling
Published: August 2021

Rationale:

Approximately 20% of patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) are diagnosed with brain metastasis, which is related to poor survival outcomes. The ability of tyrosine kinase inhibitor drugs to penetrate the blood–brain barrier makes them a potential option for intracranial metastases. Dacomitinib, an irreversible second-generation pan-HER tyrosine kinase inhibitor, has become a standard therapy for patients with epidermal growth factor receptor mutations. However, its efficacy in patients with brain metastases (BMs) is not yet established. Here, we present 2 patients with epidermal growth factor receptor-mutant NSCLC with brain metastasis. After initiation of dacomitinib as first-line treatment, a significant clinical response was achieved, and a long-lasting complete remission was achieved in 1 patient up to this date.

Patient concern:

Case 1 was a 47-year-old man who was admittedtothe hospital because of recurrent cough and expectoration for >1 year. Chest computed tomography scans revealed a high-density shadow in the left upper lobe. Cranial magnetic resonance imaging indicated an abnormal nodular enhancement in the right cerebellar hemisphere. Case 2 was a 55-year-old man with a chief complaint of intermittent cough and expectoration for >1 month. Chest computed tomography revealed a high-density mass in the left superior lobe. Magnetic resonance imaging of the central nervous system revealed 2 abnormal nodular enhancements in the left frontal lobe.

Diagnosis:

Both patients were diagnosed with lung adenocarcinoma by bronchoscopy and lymph node biopsy.

Interventions:

Both patients received dacomitinib 30 mg once daily as first-line therapy for 8 and 11 months, respectively until disease progression.

Outcome:

After treatment with dacomitinib, both patients achieved complete response in BMs. Progression-free survival was 11 and 8 months, respectively.

Lessons:

Dacomitinib strongly controlled BMs in patients with advanced NSCLC, and the adverse reactions were tolerable. Dacomitinib may be considered a new treatment option for these patients. Further prospective studies are recommended to confirm this conclusion.
The association between AST/ALT ratio and all-cause and cardiovascular mortality in patients with hypertension
Authors: Liu Hui , Ding Congcong , Hu Lihua , Li Minghui , Zhou Wei , Wang Tao , Zhu Lingjuan , Bao Huihui , Cheng Xiaoshu
Published: August 2021

Previous studies had shown that an increased aspartate aminotransferase to alanine aminotransferase ratio (AST/ALT ratio) was associated with cardiovascular disease. This study aimed to assess the relationship between AST/ALT ratio and all-cause and cardiovascular mortality in patients with hypertension.

By March 31, 2020, a cohort of 14,220 Chinese hypertensive patients was followed up. The end point was all-cause and cardiovascular death. Hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% CIs were calculated for mortality associated with AST/ALT ratio, using Cox proportional hazards models and competing risk model.

In an average of 1.7 years of follow-up, 1.39% (n = 198) of patients died, 55.5% (n = 110) of whom from cardiovascular disease. AST/ALT ratio was associated with increased risk of all-cause death (HR:1.37, 95% CI:1.15–1.63) and cardiovascular death (HR:1.32, 95% CI:1.03–1.68) after adjustment for other potential confounders. Compared with low AST/ALT ratio (Tertile 1), high AST/ALT ratio was associated with high cause mortality (Tertile 2: HR:1.35, 95% CI:0.86–2.10; Tertile 3: HR:2.10, 95% CI:1.37–3.21; P for trend <.001). Compared with low AST/ALT ratio (Tertile 1), a statistically significant increased risk of cardiovascular mortality was also observed (Tertile 2: HR:1.27, 95% CI:0.70–2.29; Tertile 3: HR:1.92, 95% CI:1.09–3.37; P for trend <.001). High AST/ALT ratio was also associated with high cardiovascular mortality (Tertile 2: HR:1.27, 95% CI:0.70–2.29; Tertile 3: HR:1.92, 95% CI:1.09–3.37; P for trend <.001).

Present study indicated that increased AST/ALT ratio levels were predictive of all-cause and cardiovascular mortality among Chinese hypertensive patients.

Trial registration: CHICTR, CHiCTR1800017274. Registered 20 July 2018.
Prognostic factors of patients after liver cancer surgery
Authors: Liang Fangfang , Ma Fuchao , Zhong Jincai
Published: August 2021

This study aimed to investigate the prognostic factors of patients after liver cancer surgery and evaluate the predictive power of nomogram. Liver cancer patients with the history of surgery in the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database between 2000 and 2016 were preliminary retrieved. Patients were divided into the survival group (n = 2120, survival ≥5 years) and the death group (n = 2615, survival < 5 years). Single-factor and multi-factor Cox regression were used for analyzing the risk factors of death in patients with liver cancer after surgery. Compared with single patients, married status was the protective factor for death in patients undergoing liver cancer surgery (HR = 0.757, 95%CI: 0.685–0.837, P < .001); the risk of death in Afro-Americans (HR = 1.300, 95%CI: 1.166–1.449, P < .001) was higher than that in Caucasians, while the occurrence of death in Asians (HR = 0.821, 95%CI: 0.1754–0.895, P < .0012) was lower; female patients had a lower incidence of death (HR = 0.875, 95%CI: 0.809–0.947, P < .001); grade II (HR = 1.167, 95%CI: 1.080–1.262, P < .001), III (HR = 1.580, 95%CI: 1.433–1.744, P < .001), and IV (HR = 1.419, 95%CI: 1.145–1.758, P = 0.001) were the risk factors for death in patients with liver cancer. The prognostic factors of liver cancer patients after surgery include the marital status, race, gender, age, grade of cancer and tumor size. The nomogram with good predictive ability can provide the prediction of 5-year survival for clinical development.