bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
How Many Cases Are Easy?
Authors: Fischman Joshua B 
Published: December 2020

Abstract
Because judges are expected to decide cases through the impartial application of existing law, they are often reluctant to admit that they must make law in hard cases. Many judges claim that such hard cases are rare, constituting roughly 10 percent of cases. In stark contrast, economic models of the selection of disputes for litigation predict that easy cases will settle, so that only hard cases would remain in trial and appellate courts. Empirical indicators, such as dissent rates or voting differences between Democratic and Republican appointees, have yielded muddled conclusions about the proportion of easy and hard cases in appellate courts. In fact, none of these crude statistics relate directly to the proportion of easy cases. This article develops a new approach for empirically analyzing the proportion of easy cases. Although the easiness and hardness of cases are subjective, it is possible to estimate feasible combinations of the proportion of hard cases and clear errors. This approach relies only on the basic premise that reasonable judges should not disagree in easy cases. The article then illustrates this approach using two datasets of appeals. An analysis of asylum appeals in the 9th Circuit finds widespread disagreement, implying high proportions of hard cases, clear errors, or both. By contrast, voting data from labor and environmental cases in the D.C. Circuit is consistent with the claim that 90 percent of cases are easy and 1 percent of decisions are clear errors.
Cholera in travellers: improving vaccination guidance in Europe
Authors: López-Vélez Rogelio , Presotto Danilo 
Published: December 2020

Abstract

Background
Cholera is endemic in ~50 countries worldwide and remains a disease associated with poverty, causing illness and death in the poorest and most vulnerable people. In travellers, cholera is considered a low-incidence disease, but the true impact on travellers is difficult to assess. Cholera vaccination may improve safety for certain European travellers at risk. Effective vaccines are available; however, vaccination recommendations in Europe vary considerably between countries.

Methods
In this review, a comparison of cholera vaccination recommendations from 29 advice reference bodies across key European countries (United Kingdom, Germany, Spain, Italy, Portugal, Switzerland, Sweden, Finland, Norway, France and Denmark) is presented. The differences in perceived cholera risk are highlighted, and a comparison with the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommendations is included.

Results
In general terms, the recommendations from European organizations are ambiguous and differ widely. This contrasts with the situation in the United States, where the CDC publishes a consistent set of guidelines.

Conclusion
With the ease of intra-European travel, it would seem sensible to harmonize the recommendations for cholera vaccination and risk perception across Europe, providing pre-travel health advisers with a trusted source of information that allows them to provide consistent recommendations.
An atypical BRCT–BRCT interaction with the XRCC1 scaffold protein compacts human DNA Ligase IIIα within a flexible DNA repair complex
Authors: Hammel Michal , Rashid Ishtiaque , Sverzhinsky Aleksandr , Pourfarjam Yasin , Tsai Miaw-Sheue , Ellenberger Tom , Pascal John M , Kim In-Kwon , Tainer John A , Tomkinson Alan E 
Published: December 2020

Abstract
The XRCC1–DNA ligase IIIα complex (XL) is critical for DNA single-strand break repair, a key target for PARP inhibitors in cancer cells deficient in homologous recombination. Here, we combined biophysical approaches to gain insights into the shape and conformational flexibility of the XL as well as XRCC1 and DNA ligase IIIα (LigIIIα) alone. Structurally-guided mutational analyses based on the crystal structure of the human BRCT–BRCT heterodimer identified the network of salt bridges that together with the N-terminal extension of the XRCC1 C-terminal BRCT domain constitute the XL molecular interface. Coupling size exclusion chromatography with small angle X-ray scattering and multiangle light scattering (SEC-SAXS–MALS), we determined that the XL is more compact than either XRCC1 or LigIIIα, both of which form transient homodimers and are highly disordered. The reduced disorder and flexibility allowed us to build models of XL particles visualized by negative stain electron microscopy that predict close spatial organization between the LigIIIα catalytic core and both BRCT domains of XRCC1. Together our results identify an atypical BRCT–BRCT interaction as the stable nucleating core of the XL that links the flexible nick sensing and catalytic domains of LigIIIα to other protein partners of the flexible XRCC1 scaffold.
Reductions in mortality resulting from COVID-19 quarantine measures in China
Authors: Shen Junjie , Wang Congju , Dong Chen , Tang Zaixiang , Sun Hongpeng 
Published: December 2020

ABSTRACT

Background
To explore the impact of quarantine measures on the cause of death.

Methods
We use time series analysis with the data from death cause surveillance database of Suzhou from January 2017 to December 2019 to estimate the expected deaths from January to June 2020 and compare these expected deaths with the reported numbers of deaths.

Results
After the implementation of epidemic prevention measures in Suzhou in the first 3 months, overall number of all-cause deaths declined for 5.36, 7.54 and 7.02% compared with predicted numbers. The number of deaths from respiratory causes and traffic accidents declined shapely by 30.1 and 26.9%, totally. When quarantine measures were released (April–June), however, the observed numbers of total deaths exceeded the predicted deaths. People aged over 70 accounted for 91.6% of declined death number in respiratory causes and people aged over 60 accounted for 68.0% of declined death number in traffic accidents. Women over the age of 80 benefited the most from respiratory prevention (accounts for 41% of all reductions), whereas women aged over 60 benefited the most from traffic control (44%).

Conclusions
Overall, the whole population benefited from the epidemic prevention measures especially elderly females. This study is a useful supplement to encourage the government to develop regular preventive measures under the era of normalized epidemic.
Characterization of cyanobacteria isolated from thermal muds of Balaruc-Les-Bains (France) and description of a new genus and speciesPseudo-chroococcus couteii
Authors: Duval C. , Hamlaoui S. , Piquet B. , Toutirais G. , Yéprémian C. , Reinhardt A. , Duperron S. , Marie B. , Demay J. , Bernard C. 
Published: December 2020

ABSTRACTCyanobacteria are able to synthesize a high diversity of natural compounds that account for their success in the colonization of a variety of ecological niches. Many of them have beneficial properties. The mud from the thermal baths of Balaruc-Les-Bains, one of the oldest thermal baths in France, has long been recognized as a healing treatment for arthro-rheumatic diseases. To characterize the cyanobacteria living in these muds and the metabolites they potentially produce, several strains were isolated from the water column and biofilms of the retention basin and analyzed using a polyphasic approach. Morphological, ultrastructural and molecular (16S rRNA gene and 16S-23S ITS region sequencing) methods were employed to identify nine cyanobacterial strains belonging to the orders Chroococcales, Synechococcales, Oscillatoriales and Nostocales. The combination of morphological and genetic characteristics supported the description of a new genus and species with the type species asPseudo-chroococcus couteii. The high taxonomic diversity in the muds of the thermal baths of Balaruc-Les-Bains along with literature reports of the potential for bioactive metabolite synthesis of these taxa allowed us to hypothesize that some of the metabolites produced by these strains could contribute to the therapeutic properties of the muds from Thermes de Balaruc-Les-Bains.
Praja1 ubiquitin ligase facilitates degradation of polyglutamine proteins and suppresses polyglutamine-mediated toxicity
Authors: Ghosh Baijayanti , Karmakar Susnata , Prasad Mohit , Mandal Atin K. 
Published: December 2020

ABSTRACTA network of chaperones and ubiquitin ligases sustain intracellular proteostasis, and is integral in preventing aggregation of misfolded proteins associated with various neurodegenerative diseases. Using cell-based studies of polyglutamine (polyQ) diseases: Spinocerebellar ataxia Type 3 (SCA3) and Huntington’s disease (HD), we aimed to identify crucial ubiquitin ligases that protect against polyQ aggregation. We report here that Praja1 (PJA1), a Ring-H2 ubiquitin ligase abundantly expressed in the brain is diminished when polyQ repeat proteins (Ataxin-3/Huntingtin) are expressed in cells. PJA1 interacts with polyQ proteins and enhances their degradation resulting in reduced aggregate formation. Down-regulation of PJA1 in neuronal cells increases polyQ protein levels vis-a-vis their aggregates rendering the cells vulnerable to cytotoxic stress. Finally, PJA1 suppresses polyQ toxicity in yeast and rescues eye degeneration in transgenicDrosophilamodel of SCA3. Thus, our findings establish PJA1 as a robust ubiquitin ligase of polyQ proteins and induction of which might serve as an alternative therapeutic strategy in handling cytotoxic polyglutamine aggregates.
Identification of a Golgi-localized peptide reveals a minimal Golgi targeting motif
Authors: Navarro Alexandra P. , Cheeseman Iain M. 
Published: December 2020

AbstractPrior work has identified signal sequences and motifs that are necessary and sufficient to target proteins to specific subcellular regions and organelles such as the plasma membrane, nucleus, Endoplasmic Reticulum, and mitochondria. In contrast, minimal sequence motifs that are sufficient for Golgi localization remain largely elusive. In this work, we identified a 37 amino acid alternative open reading frame (altORF) within the mRNA of the centromere protein, CENP-R. This altORF peptide localizes specifically to the cytoplasmic surface of the Golgi apparatus. Through mutational analysis, we identify a minimal 10 amino acid sequence and a critical cysteine residue that are necessary and sufficient for Golgi localization. Pharmacological perturbations suggest that this peptide is modified through palmitoylation to promote its localization. Together, our work defines a minimal sequence that is sufficient for Golgi targeting and provide a valuable Golgi marker for live cell imaging.
Exposure of mammary cells to lipid activates gene expression changes associated with ER-negative breast cancer via chromatin remodeling
Authors: Yadav Shivangi , Virk Ranya , Chung Carolina H , Van Derway David , Chen Duojiao , Burdett Kirsten , Gao Hongyu , Zeng Zexian , Ranjan Manish , Cottone Gannon , Xuei Xiaoling , Chandrasekaran Sriram , Backman Vadim , Chatterton Robert , Khan Seema Ahsan , Clare Susan E 
Published: December 2020

AbstractImproved understanding of local breast biology that favors the development of estrogen receptor negative (ER-) breast cancer (BC) would foster better prevention strategies. We have previously shown that overexpression of specific lipid metabolism genes is associated with the development of ER- BC. We now report results of exposure of MCF-10A cells and mammary organoids to representative medium- and long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids. This exposure caused a dynamic and profound change in gene expression, accompanied by changes in chromatin packing density, chromatin accessibility and histone posttranslational modifications (PTMs). We identified 38 metabolic reactions that showed significantly increased activity, including reactions related to one-carbon metabolism. Among these reactions are those that produce S-adenosyl-L-methionine for histone PTMs. Utilizing both anin-vitromodel and samples from women at high risk for ER- BC, we show that lipid exposure engenders gene expression, signaling pathway activation, and histone marks associated with the development of ER- BC.
(R)-1-hydroxy-2-aminoethylphosphonate ammonia-lyase, a new PLP-dependent enzyme involved in bacterial phosphonate degradation
Authors: Zangelmi Erika , Stanković Toda , Malatesta Marco , Acquotti Domenico , Pallitsch Katharina , Peracchi Alessio 
Published: December 2020

ABSTRACTPhosphonates contain a particularly stable carbon-phosphorus bond, yet a number of microorganisms possess pathways to degrade these molecules and use them as source of phosphorus. One example is the widespread hydrolytic route for the breakdown of 2-aminoethylphosphonate (AEP). In this pathway, the aminotransferase PhnW initially converts AEP into phosphonoacetaldehyde (PAA), which is then cleaved by the hydrolase PhnX to yield acetaldehyde and phosphate.This work focuses on a novel enzyme (hereby termed PbfA), which is often encoded in bacterial gene clusters containing thephnW-phnXcombination. Although PbfA is annotated as a transaminase, we report that it catalyzes an elimination reaction on the naturally occurring compound(R)-1-hydroxy-2-aminoethylphosphonate (R-HAEP). The reaction releases ammonia and generates PAA, which can be subsequently hydrolyzed by PhnX. Overall, the PbfA reaction represents a frequent accessory branch in the hydrolytic pathway for AEP degradation, which expands the scope and versatility of the pathway itself.
Regulatory elements can be essential for maintaining broad chromatin organization and cell viability
Authors: Liu Ying , Ding Bo , Zheng Lina , Xu Ping , Liu Zhiheng , Chen Zhao , Wu Peiyao , Zhao Ying , Pan Qian , Guo Yu , Wang Wei , Wei Wensheng 
Published: December 2020

ABSTRACTIncreasing evidence shows that promoters and enhancers could be related to 3D chromatin structure, thus affecting cellular functions. Except for functioning through the canonical chromatin loops formed by promoters and enhancers, their roles in maintaining broad chromatin organization have not been well studied. Here, we focused on the active promoters/enhancers (referred to as hotspots) predicted to form many 3D contacts with other active promoters/enhancers, and identified dozens of loci critical for cell survival. While the essentiality of hotspots is not resulted from their association with essential genes, deletion of an essential hotspot could lead to change of broad chromatin organization and expressions of distal genes. We demonstrated that multiple affected genes that are individually non-essential could have synergistic effects to cause cell death.
Plastic-degrading potential across the global microbiome correlates with recent pollution trends
Authors: Zrimec Jan , Kokina Mariia , Jonasson Sara , Zorrilla Francisco , Zelezniak Aleksej 
Published: December 2020

AbstractPoor recycling has accumulated millions of tons of plastic waste in terrestrial and marine environments. While biodegradation is a plausible route towards sustainable management of plastic waste, the global diversity of plastic-degrading enzymes remains poorly understood. Taking advantage of global environmental DNA sampling projects, here we construct HMM models from experimentally-verified enzymes and mine ocean and soil metagenomes to assess the global potential of microorganisms to degrade plastics. By controlling for false positives using gut microbiome data, we compile a catalogue of over 30,000 non-redundant enzyme homologues with the potential to degrade 10 different plastic types. While differences between the ocean and soil microbiomes likely reflect the base compositions of these environments, we find that ocean enzyme abundance might increase with depth as a response to plastic pollution and not merely taxonomic composition. By obtaining further pollution measurements, we reveal that the abundance of the uncovered enzymes in both ocean and soil habitats significantly correlates with marine and country-specific plastic pollution trends. Our study thus uncovers the earth microbiome’s potential to degrade plastics, providing evidence of a measurable effect of plastic pollution on the global microbial ecology as well as a useful resource for further applied research.
Alliance discrepancies in home‐based family treatment: occurrence, development and the therapist’s perspective
Authors: Welmers‐van de Poll M.J. , Stams G.J.J.M. , Akker A.L. van den , Overbeek G. 
Published: December 2020

In family treatment, building and evaluating multiple alliances with family members is complex. We investigated the occurrence and development of discrepancies between therapists' alliances with different family members, and therapists’ evaluation of these multiple alliances and discrepancies. Participants were 92 parents and 61 children and adolescents from 61 families receiving home‐based family treatment. Family members, therapists, and observers reported early and mid‐treatment alliance. We found significant discrepancies, with strongest alliances with mothers, followed by fathers, and then youths. Differences became smaller during treatment. Therapist‐reports yielded similar discrepancies as compared to client self‐reports and observer‐reports. At T1, the correlation between therapist‐ and client self‐reports was moderate and significant for alliances with mothers, but insignificant for alliances with fathers and youths. At T2, these correlations were large for alliances with mothers and fathers, but not for youths. Our findings demonstrate that therapists have stronger alliances and are more congruent in their alliance perspective with parents (especially mothers) versus youths.Practitioner points

Our findings demonstrate that in family treatment, differences in alliances between therapists and family members are the rule rather than the exception

In family treatment therapists tend to have stronger alliances and be more congruent in their alliance perspective with parents (especially mothers) than with children and adolescents

Awareness that building alliances with some family members demands an extra effort might enhance the process of building and balancing multiple alliances in family treatment

Therapists could seek family members’ feedback on the alliance to gain a more shared perspective, paying particular attention to young people’s feedback
Pathways from origins to destinations: Stability and change in the roles of cognition, private schools and educational attainment
Authors: Sullivan Alice , Parsons Samantha , Ploubidis George , Green Francis , Wiggins Richard D. 
Published: December 2020

AbstractWhile much attention has been devoted to measuring levels of social mobility over time, less attention has been given to the possibility of changing pathways to social mobility. This paper examines pathways from social origins to socio‐economic destinations in midlife for two British cohorts, born in 1958 and 1970 respectively, using Structural Equation Modelling (SEM). We address the roles of cognitive attainment, private schooling and educational attainment in mediating the link between social origins and destinations. Have these mechanisms become more or less important over time, in a context of structural change in the state schooling system and educational expansion? We find that private schools displayed greater academic selectivity and an increased link to high levels of educational attainment for the younger cohort. Essentially, private schools adapted to changing circumstances, becoming more academically selective and less socially selective, and more focused on educational credentials. Childhood social origins were less strongly linked to childhood cognitive scores in the younger cohort, but cognitive scores were also more weakly linked to educational attainment for this cohort. We also find a decreased association between social origins and educational attainment for the younger cohort. While the finding that educational inequalities weakened over this time period is positive, the lack of a corresponding reduction in the overall link between social origins and destinations suggests that reducing educational inequalities was not sufficient to increase social mobility when accompanied by countervailing changes in the role of private schools.
Zingiber zerumbet L. essential oil‐based chitosan nanoemulsion as an efficient green preservative against fungi and aflatoxin B1 contamination
Authors: Deepika  , Singh Akanksha , Chaudhari Anand Kumar , Das Somenath , Dubey Nawal Kishore 
Published: December 2020

AbstractThe present study envisages the potential application of chitosan‐coated Zingiber zerumbet essential oil nanoemulsion (ZEO‐CsNE) as green antimicrobial preservative against Aspergillus flavus, aflatoxin B1 (AFB1), and lipid peroxidation of stored functional foods. GC‐MS analysis of ZEO exhibited the abundance of cis‐geraniol (15.53%) as the major component. ZEO‐CsNE showed biphasic release profile during in vitro release study conducted for 10 days. The ZEO‐CsNE inhibited the growth of A. flavus (strain AF‐LHP‐SH1) and AFB1 production at 1.0 and 0.8 µL/mL, respectively. Interestingly, considerable reduction in ergosterol biosynthesis followed by enhanced leakage of vital cellular contents and methylglyoxal inhibition represents novel antifungal and antiaflatoxigenic mechanism of action, respectively. Further, ZEO‐CsNE inhibited lipid peroxidation and AFB1 production in postharvest Salvia hispanica seeds during in situ trial and presented favorable safety profile (median lethal dose [LD50] = 29,114 µL/kg) for male mice. Based on overall observations, ZEO‐CsNE could be recommended as a green antimicrobial substitute of synthetic preservatives for in vitro and in situ protection of functional food samples.Practical ApplicationFood industries are facing enormous amount of burden coming from fungal and aflatoxin contamination that can cause severe adverse effects to humans. Essential oils (EOs) are well known for their food preservative efficacy; however, some limitations such as oxidative instability in open system may limit their application directly into food system. The encapsulation of the EOs into polymeric matrix could provide a barrier that will protect the EOs from degradation. This research could provide a basis for utilization of EO after encapsulation into chitosan nanoemulsion for industrial‐scale application for preservation of stored functional foods from fungal and aflatoxin contamination.