bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Endothelial Poldip2 regulates sepsis-induced lung injury via Rho pathway activation
Authors: Dolmatova Elena V , Forrester Steven J , Wang Keke , Ou Ziwei , Williams Holly C , Joseph Giji , Kumar Sandeep , Valdivia Alejandra , Kowalczyk Andrew P , Qu Hongyan , Jo Hanjoong , Lassègue Bernard , Hernandes Marina S , Griendling Kathy K 
Published: September 2021

AbstractAimsSepsis-induced lung injury is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Previously, we showed that heterozygous deletion of polymerase δ-interacting protein 2 (Poldip2) was protective against sepsis-induced lung injury. Since endothelial barrier disruption is thought to be the main mechanism of sepsis-induced lung injury, we sought to determine if the observed protection was specifically due to the effect of reduced endothelial Poldip2.Methods and resultsEndothelial-specific Poldip2 knock-out mice (EC−/−) and their wild-type littermates (EC+/+) were injected with saline or lipopolysaccharide (18 mg/kg) to model sepsis-induced lung injury. At 18 h post-injection mice, were euthanized and bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid and lung tissue were collected to assess leucocyte infiltration. Poldip2 EC−/− mice showed reduced lung leucocyte infiltration in BAL (0.21 ± 0.9×106 vs. 1.29 ± 1.8×106 cells/mL) and lung tissue (12.7 ± 1.8 vs. 23 ± 3.7% neutrophils of total number of cells) compared to Poldip2 EC+/+ mice. qPCR analysis of the lung tissue revealed a significantly dampened induction of inflammatory gene expression (TNFα 2.23 ± 0.39 vs. 4.15 ± 0.5-fold, IκBα 4.32 ± 1.53 vs. 8.97 ± 1.59-fold), neutrophil chemoattractant gene expression (CXCL1 68.8 ± 29.6 vs. 147 ± 25.7-fold, CXCL2 65 ± 25.6 vs. 215 ± 27.3-fold) and a marker of endothelial activation (VCAM1 1.25 ± 0.25 vs. 3.8 ± 0.38-fold) in Poldip2 EC−/− compared to Poldip2 EC+/+ lungs. An in vitro model using human pulmonary microvascular endothelial cells was used to assess the effect of Poldip2 knock-down on endothelial activation and permeability. TNFα-induced endothelial permeability and VE-cadherin disruption were significantly reduced with siRNA-mediated knock-down of Poldip2 (5 ± 0.5 vs. 17.5 ± 3-fold for permeability, 1.5 ± 0.4 vs. 10.9 ± 1.3-fold for proportion of disrupted VE-cadherin). Poldip2 knock-down altered expression of Rho-GTPase-related genes, which correlated with reduced RhoA activation by TNFα (0.94 ± 0.05 vs. 1.29 ± 0.01 of relative RhoA activity) accompanied by redistribution of active-RhoA staining to the centre of the cell.ConclusionPoldip2 is a potent regulator of endothelial dysfunction during sepsis-induced lung injury, and its endothelium-specific inhibition may provide clinical benefit.
Precarious employment and health in the context of COVID-19: a rapid scoping umbrella review
Authors: McNamara Courtney L , McKee Martin , Stuckler David 
Published: September 2021

Abstract

Background
There are widespread concerns that workers in precarious employment have suffered the most in the COVID-19 pandemic and merit special attention. The aim of this rapid scoping umbrella review was to examine what evidence exists about how COVID-19 has affected the health of this highly vulnerable group, and what gaps remain to be investigated.

Methods
Five databases were searched for systematic or scoping reviews from January 2020 to May 2021. The quality of the included reviews was determined using A MeaSurement Tool to Assess systematic Reviews.

Results
We identified 6 reviews that reported 30 unique relevant primary studies. The included studies indicate that essential (non-health) workers are at greater risk of COVID-19 infection and case fatality than others in their surrounding community. The occupational risk of exposure to COVID-19 also seems to be greater among more precarious categories of workers, including younger workers and workers in low-income and low-skilled occupations. Further, hazardous working conditions faced by many essential workers appear to have amplified the pandemic, as several occupational sites became ‘super-spreaders’, due to an inability to socially distance at work and high contact rates among workers. Finally, employment and financial insecurity generated by the pandemic appears to be associated with negative mental health outcomes. The quality of the included reviews however, and their primary studies, were generally weak and many gaps remain in the evidence base.

Conclusions
Our study highlights that COVID-19 is creating new health risks for precarious workers as well as exacerbating the pre-existing health risks of precarious employment.
Herbivory and flooding impacts on planted bottomland hardwood seedlings
Authors: Jacques Ryan , Stovall Jeremy , Comer Christopher , Williams Hans , Symmank Matthew 
Published: September 2021

Abstract
Bottomland hardwoods forests (BLHW) are increasingly subject to active management for water quality improvement, streambank stabilization, to mitigate for urban expansion and to improve habitat for wildlife. Since the majority of remaining BLHW are degraded, restoration attempts are becoming commonplace within the Western Gulf Coastal Plain (WGCP) of the US. However, restoration success in terms of obtaining high stem densities of desirable species has been mixed, with managers observing survival rates &lt;15 per cent for planted oak and hickory seedlings in some situations due to a variety of limitations. Over two growing seasons, we investigated the effectiveness of portable electric fences, individual tree shelters and 2.4-m woven wire high fences for mitigating herbivory by white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) and feral swine (Sus scrofa). Treatments fell within degraded forested areas and abandoned agricultural fields where we tested four species of interest: Nuttall oak (Quercus texana Buckley), Shumard oak (Q. shumardii Buckley), bur oak (Q. macrocarpa Michx.) and pecan (Carya illinoinensis K. Koch). Where herbivory occurred, mitigation techniques produced a higher survival rate ($\bar{\rm{X}} $ = 17.6 per cent) than unprotected areas ($\bar{\rm{X}} $ = 9.1 per cent). In areas of high white-tailed deer density, prominent browsing was evident, resulting in two-growing-season height growth of seedlings being less in non-fenced ($\bar{\rm{X}} $ = 2.33 cm) and electric ($\bar{\rm{X}} $ = 4.33 cm) fenced plots compared with high fences ($\bar{\rm{X}} $ = 13.02 cm) and individual tree shelters ($\bar{\rm{X}} $ = 24.23 cm). Additionally, we observed a negative relationship between survival and the number of days seedlings that were inundated with flood waters during the growing season. Matching species of interest to the site conditions, specifically the local hydrologic regimes, should carry a high priority in planning a restoration project within BLHW in the WGCP.
Time to fixation in changing environments
Authors: Kaushik Sachin , Jain Kavita 
Published: September 2021

AbstractAlthough many experimental and theoretical studies on natural selection have been carried out in a constant environment, as natural environments typically vary in time, it is important to ask if and how the results of these investigations are affected by a changing environment. Here, we study the properties of the conditional fixation time defined as the time to fixation of a new mutant that is destined to fix in a finite, randomly mating diploid population with intermediate dominance that is evolving in a periodically changing environment. It is known that in a static environment, the conditional mean fixation time of a co-dominant beneficial mutant is equal to that of a deleterious mutant with the same magnitude of selection coefficient. We find that this symmetry is not preserved, even when the environment is changing slowly. More generally, we find that the conditional mean fixation time of an initially beneficial mutant in a slowly changing environment depends weakly on the dominance coefficient and remains close to the corresponding result in the static environment. However, for an initially deleterious mutant under moderate and slowly varying selection, the fixation time differs substantially from that in a constant environment when the mutant is recessive. As fixation times are intimately related to the levels and patterns of genetic diversity, our results suggest that for beneficial sweeps, these quantities are only mildly affected by temporal variation in environment. In contrast, environmental change is likely to impact the patterns due to recessive deleterious sweeps strongly.
Evidence of ecosystem overfishing in U.S. large marine ecosystems
Authors: Link Jason S 
Published: September 2021

AbstractMarine capture fisheries in the U.S. are important from a societal, cultural, economic, and ecological perspective. Although fisheries in the U.S. are generally well-managed, they still face some challenges as do most fisheries around the world. To address these challenges, a broader, more systematic approach is useful. There is a global need to develop measures of ecosystem overfishing (EOF) that detect overfishing of an entire ecosystem using readily available data and based on widely repeatable patterns. These EOF indicators extend the thinking beyond single stock overfishing to an entire ecosystem and are largely based on well-established trophic theory. Moreover, these EOF indicators need to be germane for both data rich and especially data limited situations, easily interpretable, and relatively simple to calculate. Here, I present the results of several of these indicators—the Ryther, Fogarty, and Friedland indices—as well as indices based on cumulative biomass-Trophic Level curve parameters for eight U.S. Large Marine Ecosystems (LMEs). Significantly, all these EOF indicators also have thresholds beyond which EOF is indicated, particularly when coupled with other evidence. Evidence for EOF is suggested for two of the eight U.S. LMEs. Even apart from EOF thresholds, detecting whether EOF is occurring, or how debatable the proposed EOF thresholds are, there are multiple benefits from monitoring these ecosystem-level indicators. Detecting patterns and trends in overall fishing changes for an ecosystem is chief among them. Additionally, EOF indicators detected changes in these LMEs at least 2–3 years, even up to 5 years prior to major impacts that might not be identified by piecing together fishing impacts on a stock-by-stock basis; thus, the EOF indicators could serve as an early warning signal. I propose that instead of starting with the history of which stocks have been assessed or even with what we deem most valuable, we look at the entire system of fisheries in an LME and if EOF is detected, explore means to address excess fishing pressure systematically before delving into the details of specific stocks. I conclude that EOF measures need to be monitored, EOF thresholds refined, and if EOF is detected then the means to mitigate total fishing pressure in an ecosystem should be explored.
Optimal sizing and financial analysis of a stand-alone SPV-micro-hydropower hybrid system considering generation uncertainty
Authors: Neupane Deependra , Kafle Sagar , Gurung Samundra , Neupane Sanjaya , Bhattarai Nawraj 
Published: September 2021

Abstract
Stand-alone hybrid energy systems are an enticing option for electrification in remote areas in several aspects such as grid extension difficulty, economic feasibility and reliability. The use of existing micro-hydropower (MHP) with other renewable resources in rural areas has not been well studied. Moreover, it is challenging to use mathematical optimization algorithms for these kinds of real-world problems, so the derivative-free algorithm is highly sought. In this paper, a methodology has been proposed to perform the optimal sizing, financial and generation uncertainty analysis of solar photovoltaic (SPV) based on an MHP that is proposed to handle the intermittent power output of the SPV. The analysis is performed in two cases: using storage and without storage. The optimal sizing is performed using the least present value cost and reliability constraint using different derivative-free algorithms. The storage-based hybrid system has been found to generate reliable electricity at minimal cost than without a storage-based one. This study would be helpful to propose electrification and existing micro-hydro reinforcement policies to provide reliable electricity in rural areas.
SLn Equivariant Matrix-Valued Valuations on Polytopes
Authors: Wang Wei 
Published: September 2021

AbstractAll $\textrm{SL}(n)$ equivariant matrix-valued valuations on polytopes in $\mathbb{R}^{n}$ are completely classified without any continuity assumptions. Moreover, the symmetry assumption of matrices is removed. The moment matrix is shown to be the only such valuation if $n\geq 4$, while new functionals show up in dimensions two and three.
Genome Dynamics and Evolution of Multiple-Drug–Resistant Bacteria: Implications for Global Infection Control Priorities
Authors: Shaik Sabiha , Suresh Arya , Ahmed Niyaz 
Published: September 2021

AbstractGenomics-driven molecular epidemiology of pathogenic bacteria has largely been carried out through functionally neutral/inert sequences, mostly entailing polymorphic gene loci or repetitive tracts. However, it is very important to harness phenotypically relevant markers to assign a valid functional epidemiological context to tracking of pathogens. These should include microbial acumen to acquire multiple drug resistance (MDR), their physiological coordinates with reference to clinical or community-level dynamics of incidence/transmission, and their response or refractoriness to the activated immune system. We propose that multidimensional and multicentric approaches, based on diverse data integration coupled with comparative genomics and functional molecular infection epidemiology, would likely be successful in tracking the emergence and spread of MDR pathogens and thereby guiding the global infection control strategies in a highly informed manner.
The Reflection Object: An Activity-Theory Informed Concept for Designing for Reflection
Authors: Pammer-Schindler Viktoria , Prilla Michael 
Published: September 2021

Abstract
A substantial body of human-computer interaction literature investigates tools that are intended to support reflection, e.g. under the header of quantified self or in computer-mediated learning. These works describe the issues that are reflected on by users in terms of examples, such as reflecting on financial expenditures, lifestyle, professional growth, etc. A coherent concept is missing. In this paper, the reflection object is developed based on activity theory, reflection theory and related design-oriented research. The reflection object is both what is reflected on and what is changed through reflection. It constitutes the link between reflection and other activities in which the reflecting person participates. By combining these two aspects—what is reflected on and what is changed—into a coherent conceptual unit, the concept of the reflection object provides a frame to focus on how to support learning, change and transformation, which is a major challenge when designing technologies for reflection.
Effects of extended postmortem aging and intramuscular location on protein degradation, muscle fiber morphometrics, and tenderness of beef longissimus lumborum and semitendinosus steaks
Authors: Matney MaryAnn J , Gravely Morgan E , O’Quinn Travis G , Drouillard James S , Phelps-Ronningen Kelsey J , Houser Terry A , Hobson Allison W , Alcocer Hanna M , Gonzalez John M 
Published: September 2021

Abstract
The objective of this study was to determine effects of extended aging and intramuscular location on Warner-Bratzler shear force (WBSF), muscle fiber cross-sectional area (CSA), and protein degradation of semitendinosus (ST) and longissimus lumborum (LL) steaks. Left ST and LL were removed from 40 carcasses at 6 d postmortem. The ST was fabricated into five locations (LOC), with LOC 1 being most proximal and LOC 5 being most distal. The posterior LL was fabricated into 3 LOC, with LOC 1 being most anterior. Vacuum sealed ST steaks were aged 7, 14, 28, 56, or 112 d postmortem, while LL steaks were aged 7, 28, or 112 d postmortem at 2 ± 1 °C. A steak from each LOC was assigned to WBSF or laboratory analyses. There were no Day of Aging (DOA) × LOC interactions for all dependent variables (P &gt; 0.06). There were DOA effects for ST and LL WBSF values and degraded 38-kDa desmin (DES; P &lt; 0.01). Day-7 ST-steak WBSF value was greater than all other days (P &lt; 0.01) and day-14 steaks had greater WBSF value than remaining days (P &lt; 0.05). Day-28 ST-steak WBSF values were greater than day 56 and 112 (P &lt; 0.01), which did not differ (P = 0.53). In the LL, day-7 steaks had greater WBSF values than the other two timepoints (P &lt; 0.01) and day-28 steaks had greater (P &lt; 0.01) WBSF values than day-112 steaks. Degraded ST 38-kDa DES content was less on day 7 and 14 compared to all other days (P &lt; 0.03), but did not differ (P = 0.79) from each other. Days 28 and 56 38-kDa DES content was less than day 112 (P &lt; 0.01), but did not differ (P = 0.34) from each other. Degraded LL 38-kDa DES content was less on day 7 than day 28 and 112 (P &lt; 0.02), which did not differ (P = 0.67). There were LOC effects for only ST WBSF and muscle fiber CSA (P &lt; 0.05). Semitendinosus steak LOC 1 and 2 had greater WBSF values than all other locations (P &lt; 0.01), but did not differ (P = 0.32) from each other. Semitendinosus steak LOC 3 and 5 had greater WBSF values than LOC 4 (P &lt; 0.01), but did not differ (P = 0.85) from each other. The CSA of all ST fiber types were largest in LOC 1 compared to all other fiber types (P &lt; 0.01). The CSA of all LOC 2 and 3 fiber types was greater than LOC 4 and 5 (P &lt; 0.01), but were not different from each other (P &gt; 0.81), and LOC 4 had greater CSA than LOC 5 (P &lt; 0.01). Steak aging WBSF value improvements seemed proteolysis catalyzed, while the ST intramuscular tenderness gradient was more likely due to muscle fiber CSA.
Experimental demonstration of exclusively passive feeding in the sea-turtle barnacle Chelonibia testudinaria (Linnaeus, 1758) (Cirripedia: Coronulidae)
Authors: Lane Zachary M , McElroy Eric J , Kendrick Michael R , Zardus John D 
Published: September 2021

Abstract
Barnacles are sessile suspension feeders whose feeding efficiency and behavior is largely determined by the movement of water through their environment. Barnacles expend energy to feed actively in environments with low flow velocity, whereas they may feed passively at higher flow velocities, which is more efficient than active feeding. Many intertidal barnacles have been shown to switch between active and passive feeding modes as water velocities change, but little is known about the behavior of epibiotic species attached to mobile hosts, which are exposed to more consistent feeding currents. To assess the response of epibiotic barnacles to flow, laboratory-reared sea-turtle barnacles, Chelonibia testudinaria (Linnaeus, 1758), were subjected to a wide range of water velocities in both the presence and absence of food particles. Their behaviors were video-recorded and categorized using an automated behavior recognition algorithm compiled in R. Individuals of C. testudinaria only displayed passive feeding behavior, but did not feed at lowest test velocities. This species fed most at flow velocities between 25 cm s–1 and 40 cm s–1 (linear mixed effects model, F = 19.30, P &lt; 0.001), a range that correlates well with the average swimming speed of two common host species, the loggerhead and green sea turtles, on which C. testudinaria resides. Chelonibia testudinaria displayed longer average feeding durations when food particles were absent than when food was abundant (linear mixed effects model, F = 11.76, P = 0.001), a result that is in line with the expectations of optimal foraging theory for suspension-feeding invertebrates. Lack of active feeding in this species may have evolved following the establishment of its epibiotic nature and may make this obligate epibiotic species entirely reliant on its hosts’ movements to provide a feeding current. This is the only barnacle species known to not facultatively switch between active and passive feeding modes.
Multivariate Fractional Components Analysis
Authors: Hartl Tobias , Jucknewitz Roland 
Published: September 2021

AbstractWe propose a setup for fractionally cointegrated time series which is formulated in terms of latent integrated and short-memory components. It accommodates nonstationary processes with different fractional orders and cointegration of different strengths and is applicable in high-dimensional settings. In an application to realized covariance matrices, we find that orthogonal short- and long-memory components provide a reasonable fit and competitive out-of-sample performance compared with several competing methods.
Cananga odorata (Magnoliales: Annonaceae) Essential Oil Produces Significant Avoidance Behavior in Mosquitoes
Authors: Sukkanon Chutipong , Nararak Jirod , Bangs Michael J , Chareonviriyaphap Theeraphap 
Published: September 2021

Abstract
Essential oil of Cananga odorata Hook. F. & Tomson is a source of insect repellent, but contact irritancy and noncontact repellency actions that stimulate insect’s avoidance behavior (escape away from chemical source after direct physical contact or without making physical contact, respectively) have not been investigated. Therefore, an excito-repellency test chamber was used for measuring avoidance behavior of four insectary-reared mosquito species (Diptera: Culicidae) that escape from esposure to four concentrations (0.5, 1.0, 2.5, and 5.0% v/v) of C. odorata oil. The oil strongly repelled both Culex quinquefasciatus Say (85–97% escape) and Anopheles minimus Theobald (97–99%) at high concentrations (2.5–5.0%). For Anopheles dirus Peyton & Harrison and Aedes aegypti (L.), highest repellency (64 and 39% escape, respectively) was demonstrated at 2.5% concentration. For contact irritancy, the oil produced relatively high percent escape found in Cx. quinquefasciatus (90–100% escape) and An. minimus (83–100%). Whereas moderate contact irritancy was observed against An. dirus (40–50% escape) and Ae. aegypti (51–59%). The percent escape was then adjusted with repellency to estimate the effect of contact irritancy alone. We found that highest contact irritancy was presented at 0.5% concentration against An. minimus (67% escape). Knockdown and toxic actions were only found in Anopheles mosquitoes at 5.0% concentration. The results revealed that An. minimus and Cx. quinquefasciatus were more prone to be repelled by C. odorata oil. Detailed analysis of oil identified primary compounds as methyl benzoate (14.6%), α-gurjunene (12.8%), p-methyl-anisole (11.3%), and benzyl acetate (9.9%). Further investigations are needed to assess excito-repellency actions of these compounds alone or in combination.
Guiding Refugee Women Who Have Experienced Violence: Representation of Trust in Counsellors’ Journals
Authors: Lehti Lotta , Määttä Simo , Viuhko Minna 
Published: September 2021

AbstractThis article analyses the importance of trust in counselling for refugee and other migrant women who have experienced gender-based violence. The data consist of journal entries written by social workers, case workers, legal counsellors, and psychologists working for seven non-governmental organizations providing counselling services for women in six European Union countries. The analysis focuses on how trust is represented in the journals and how it is linked to agency and vulnerability. Trust is necessary to build a form of agency that enables refugee women to be vulnerable in the sense that they expose themselves to the actions and expectations of the persons who help them. This form of vulnerability makes it possible to recount the events that have made them vulnerable in the sense of having been subjected to harmful actions. In the journals, the presence or absence of trust is always assessed by the counsellors, and the voice of the refugee women is not clearly present.