bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Quantitative easing and agency MBS investment and financing choices by mortgage REITs
Authors: Frame W. Scott , Steiner Eva 
Published: June 2021

AbstractWe study Agency Mortgage Real Estate Investment Trusts (Agency MREITs)—shadow banks that invest in guaranteed U.S. Agency mortgage‐backed securities (MBS) and that are principally funded with repo debt—to test how quantitative easing (QE) affects financial risk taking. Agency MREIT asset growth is inversely related to the Federal Reserve's Agency mortgage‐backed securities (MBS) purchases, reflecting investor portfolio rebalancing. Agency MREITs increased leverage during QE, consistent with “reaching for yield.” They countered the heightened solvency risk by extending repo maturity and increased hedging of funding costs to reduce liquidity and interest rate risk. Research linking QE to increased credit risk taking should account for contemporaneous changes in financing choices and risk management.
Learning from home learning: Crossing boundaries of place and identity
Authors: Beasy Kim , Murphy Carol , Hicks David , Muir Tracey 
Published: June 2021

AbstractDuring the COVID‐19 lockdown, parents and caregivers were asked to take greater responsibility for their children's education while they were unable to attend school. In this commentary, we report on data sourced from 243 participants in theTasmania Projectin Australia about their experiences of learning from home during COVID‐19 lockdown. We engage with ideas about boundaries and bounding processes to understand how participants perceived challenges to their children's learning from home. They identified a lack of physical space for children's work to be performed and a lack of time, skill, and confidence to support them. We explore the bounding processes inherent to understanding and constituting education through identity, space, and place making and consider the ways in which these processes were revealed in the challenges identified by respondents. We argue that home learning disrupted known practices associated with education and schooling and challenged accepted categories and socio‐spatial divisions created by institutionalisation. We anticipate that exploring the challenges of home learning during COVID‐19 from the perspectives of parents and caregivers will inform future home–school partnerships.
Economic and socio‐spatial diversification in Wollongong’s metropolitan evolution: Divergent suburbanising trajectories of Dapto and Thirroul
Authors: Holmes John 
Published: June 2021

AbstractThe eastern Australian city of Wollongong has a distinctive metropolitan evolution strongly shaped by its exceptional physical site and imposition onto a prior urban network. This change over time has led to complexity and variability in local suburbanising trajectories that are revealed in the contrasting histories of Dapto and Thirroul—once settlements in their own rights, now suburbs of the greater metropolitan area that is Wollongong. Insights gained in field surveys undertaken in 1962 and 1963 by students from the University of New England, supplemented by 1961 census data, provided a cross‐sectional overview of the critical initial phase in the suburbanising transition, involving flux in both workforce and workplace. Locality data from the 2017 census and reconnaissance survey provided a chance to engage in a longitudinal enquiry into their evolving roles as suburbs within the emergent Wollongong metropolis. Suburbanisation inevitably leads to socioeconomic differentiation driven by amenity versus affordability gradients, evidenced in demographic profiles and real estate values. Wollongong’s distinctive natural landscapes have become increasingly influential in socioeconomic polarisation, partially aligned to its exceptional physical site, reflected in the evolving contrasted identities and status of Dapto and Thirroul. While Dapto has presented yet another case study in incipient working‐class decomposition and welfare dependency, Thirroul’s distinctive natural assets have driven its transformation as a gentrified locale increasingly inhabited by the professional and managerial classes. The time span extending over six decades between the two surveys presented an exceptional opportunity for longitudinal socio‐spatial research into residential decision processes.
Endophytes isolated from Panax notoginseng converted ginsenosides
Authors: Wei Guangfei , Chen Zhongjian , Wang Bo , Wei Fugang , Zhang Guozhuang , Wang Yong , Zhu Guangwei , Zhou Yuxin , Zhao Qinghe , He Mingjun , Dong Linlin , Chen Shilin 
Published: June 2021

SummaryEndophytes may participate in the conversion of metabolites within medicinal plants, influencing the efficacy of host. However, the distribution of endophytes within medicinal plants P. notoginseng and how it contributes to the conversion of saponins are not well understood. Here, we determined the distribution of saponins and endophytes within P. notoginseng compartments and further confirm the saponin conversion by endophytes. We found metabolites showed compartment specificity within P. notoginseng. Potential saponin biomarkers, such as Rb1, Rg1, Re, Rc and Rd, were obtained. Endophytic diversity, composition and co‐occurrence networks also showed compartment specificity, and bacterial alpha diversity values were highest in root compartment, consistently decreased in the stem and leaf compartments, whereas those of fungi showed the opposite trend. Potential bacterial biomarkers, such as Rhizobium, Bacillus, Pseudomonas, Enterobacter, Klebsiella, Pantoea and fungal biomarkers Phoma, Epicoccum, Xylariales, were also obtained. Endophytes related to saponin contents were found by Spearman correlation analysis, and further verification experiments showed that Enterobacter chengduensis could convert ginsenoside Rg1 to F1 at a rate of 13.24%; Trichoderma koningii could convert ginsenoside Rb1 to Rd at a rate of 40.00% and to Rg3 at a rate of 32.31%; Penicillium chermesinum could convert ginsenoside Rb1 to Rd at a rate of 74.24%.
MiMiC: a bioinformatic approach for generation of synthetic communities from metagenomes
Authors: Kumar Neeraj , Hitch Thomas C. A. , Haller Dirk , Lagkouvardos Ilias , Clavel Thomas 
Published: June 2021

SummaryEnvironmental and host‐associated microbial communities are complex ecosystems, of which many members are still unknown. Hence, it is challenging to study community dynamics and important to create model systems of reduced complexity that mimic major community functions. Therefore, we developed MiMiC, a computational approach for data‐driven design of simplified communities from shotgun metagenomes. We first built a comprehensive database of species‐level bacterial and archaeal genomes (n = 22 627) consisting of binary (presence/absence) vectors of protein families (Pfam = 17 929). MiMiC predicts the composition of minimal consortia using an iterative scoring system based on maximal match‐to‐mismatch ratios between this database and the Pfam binary vector of any input metagenome. Pfam vectorization retained enough resolution to distinguish metagenomic profiles between six environmental and host‐derived microbial communities (n = 937). The calculated number of species per minimal community ranged between 5 and 11, with MiMiC selected communities better recapitulating the functional repertoire of the original samples than randomly selected species. The inferred minimal communities retained habitat‐specific features and were substantially different from communities consisting of most abundant members. The use of a mixture of known microbes revealed the ability to select 23 of 25 target species from the entire genome database. MiMiC is open source and available at https://github.com/ClavelLab/MiMiC.
Prevalence of metabolic syndrome in patients with rheumatoid arthritis in eastern China—A hospital based study
Authors: Kong Chun‐yu , Wang Chang‐lei , Niu Kai‐jun , Qi Wufang 
Published: June 2021

AbstractObjectiveThe purpose of this hospital clinic based study was to evaluate the potential risk factors associated with the prevalence of MetS in RA population.MethodsFrom January 2015 to October 2018, 717 patients with RA and 717 healthy controls who were treated or performed physical examination in Tianjin First Central Hospital were enrolled in this study. The basic disease diagnoses were recorded. A questionnaire was performed on all participants to assess the demographic details of the RA cohort. Moreover, laboratory indicators related to glucose and lipid metabolism in patients with RA were also detected. The potential risk factors for MetS were also analyzed.ResultsThe prevalence of MetS were 31.2% and 34.2% in case and control groups, respectively (P = .22). There were lower levels of HDL‐C, obesity, TG, LDL‐C and TC in case group than control group (all P < .05). The hypertension levels in healthy controls was decreased in compared with patients with RA (P < .05). Nevertheless, in patients with RA, complement 3 (OR: 1.02; 95% CI: 1.01‐1.03, P = .007) and less glucocorticoids use (OR: 0.63, 95% CI: 0.39‐0.99, P = .046) were associated with MetS.ConclusionThe prevalence of MetS was not associated with RA. Complement 3 may be associated with the higher prevalence of MetS in patients with RA. Glucocorticoids treatment may be associated with MetS.
Relationship between level of response to alcohol and acute tolerance
Authors: Anthenelli Robert M. , McKenna Benjamin S. , Smith Tom L. , Schuckit Marc A. 
Published: June 2021

AbstractBackgroundA low level of response (low LR) to alcohol correlates with the later development of alcohol‐related problems. Although some of the underpinnings of LR are understood, little is known about the potential relationship between LR and acute tolerance. The current analyses tested the hypothesis that a low LR will be explained in part by more intense acute tolerance to alcohol during a drinking session.MethodsData were generated through a reanalysis of data from 120 individuals who were 18‐ to 25‐year‐old, sex‐matched pairs of low and high LR drinkers who at baseline did not meet criteria for an alcohol use disorder. Each subject participated in an oral alcohol challenge in which they consumed about 0.7 ml ethanol per kg and acute tolerance was measured as the differences in alcohol's effects at similar breath alcohol levels (BrACs) during the rising and falling breath alcohol concentration (BrAC) curve. Measures included aspects of the Subjective High Assessment Scale (SHAS) and body sway.ResultsContrary to our hypothesis, but similar to results with other alcohol measures, acute tolerance was significantly attenuated in low LR compared with high LR individuals on most SHAS scores. Neither LR group demonstrated acute tolerance to alcohol for sleepiness or body sway. Men and women did not differ on any of these measures.ConclusionThese data do not support a role of acute tolerance in the low LR to alcohol as measured by subjective feelings of intoxication or body sway in these subjects, findings that were similar across males and females. In addition, consistent with the literature, the analyses demonstrated differences across measures such that acute tolerance was observed for most measures of subjective effects but not for body sway. Among the subjective effects, acute tolerance was observed for alcohol's intoxicating effect but not for feeling sleepy.
Seasonal patterns of endozoochory by cattle in subtropical grassland in southern Brazil
Authors: Minervini Silva Graziela Har , Overbeck Gerhard Ernst 
Published: June 2021

AbstractSeed dispersal influences plant community dynamics and regeneration. Zoochory by cattle is a particularly important type of dispersal in grasslands, but still poorly understood in subtropical grasslands. We studied endozoochory in a native grassland area with different grazing intensities, defined by distinct forage allowance levels. On one day in each of the four seasons of the year, dung samples were collected and kept in a greenhouse for germination over one full year. At each dung collection date, a survey of reproducing plants was conducted to relate the species composition of seed within dung to the community in dispersal phase. We used randomisation tests to compare grazing intensities and seasons in terms of dung community richness, abundance and composition. We recorded 93 species in the dung samples, with 65 species in the spring samples, 61 in summer samples, 45 in the autumn samples and 37 in the winter samples. Of the 90 species identified in the vegetation, almost 50% (43 species) also occurred in dung samples. Graminoid herbs presented the largest number of species in all samples. Grazing had no effect on overall seed and species number, but was related to compositional differences in the cattle dung communities. Grazing also influenced the species composition in relation to life cycle, by the increase of annual species at the extremes of our grazing gradient (very high or very low grazing intensities). We conclude that endozoochory by cattle is an important process for the dispersal of native species in the studied system, with potential applications in grassland management and restoration. A better understanding of the strategies involved in seed dispersal is essential to improve knowledge about grassland vegetation regeneration and maintenance.
Engrafted Kin: Ethics and Cognition in Scientific and Artistic Activity
Authors: Espinoza Manuel Luis 
Published: June 2021

This paper takes a “natural history approach” (Erickson, 1982) in describing and analyzing the making of a fanciful object—a wind sculpture—by a young woman and a staff scientist in a youth outreach program called X‐Tech at the San Francisco Exploratorium. Working from audio‐video footage, audio recordings, and in situ notes, I provide a report of how a wind sculpture evolved from idea to functioning artifact over the course of two days. I draw on a six‐year ethnographic relationship with a network of educators at the Exploratorium to situate the conjoint social action. The “characters” in this account are the adult and youth participants along with the material and ideational tools. I show how opportunities to engage in experiences that foster growth were made common and plentiful by this network of educators and youth participants. I also show how those opportunities were generated and entered into by participants of different ages and social roles, and how people made their way through opportunities to learn by thinking and talking in tandem.
JAK2 deficiency improves erectile function in diabetic mice through attenuation of oxidative stress, apoptosis, and fibrosis
Authors: Li Hao , Xu Wenchao , Liu Xiaming , Wang Tao , Wang Shaogang , Liu Jihong , Jiang Hongyang 
Published: June 2021

AbstractBackgroundJanus kinase 2 (JAK2) is activated in diabetic mellitus (DM) conditions and may enhance oxidative stress, apoptosis and fibrosis in many tissues. Whether JAK2 activation is involved in the occurrence of diabetic erectile dysfunction (ED) is unknown.ObjectivesWe performed this study to investigate the effect of JAK2 deficiency on diabetic ED.Materials and methodsConditional JAK2 gene knockout mice (Cre+/+‐JAK2fl/fl) were used, in which JAK2 gene knockout could be induced by tamoxifen. Mice fell into four groups: control, JAK2 knockout (JAK2−/−), DM, and DM with JAK2−/−. DM was induced by intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin. Two months later, JAK2 gene knockout was induced with tamoxifen in Cre+/+‐JAK2fl/fl mice. After another 2 months, erectile function was measured by electrical stimulation of the cavernous nerve, and penile tissues were harvested. Ratio of maximal intracavernosal pressure (MIP) to mean arterial blood pressure (MAP), expression and phosphorylation of JAK2, oxidative stress level, NO/Cyclic Guanosine Monophosphate (cGMP) pathway, apoptosis, fibrosis, and transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGF‐β1)/Smad/Collagen IV pathway in corpus cavernosum, were measured.ResultsJAK2 expression was remarkably decreased after induction with tamoxifen. JAK2 was activated in penile tissues of diabetic mice, and JAK2 deficiency could improve the impaired erectile function caused by DM. However, in mice without DM, JAK2 deficiency had no apparent influence on erectile function. Levels of oxidative stress, apoptosis, fibrosis, and TGF‐β1/Smad/Collagen IV pathway were all elevated by DM, whereas JAK2 deficiency lessened these alterations in diabetic mice. Moreover, JAK2 deficiency improved the expression of the down‐regulated NO/cGMP pathway in diabetic mice. In non‐diabetic mice, no apparent changes were found in aforementioned parameters after JAK2 gene knockout.Discussion and conclusionOur study showed that JAK2 deficiency could improve erectile function in diabetic mice, which might be mediated by reduction in oxidative stress, apoptosis, and fibrosis in corpus cavernosum.
Bilateral cataract surgery improves neurologic brake reaction time and stopping distance in elderly drivers
Authors: Nowosielski Yvonne , Leitner Benedikt , Rauchegger Teresa , Angermann Reinhard , Psomiadi Angeliki , Palme Christoph , Laimer Johannes , Liebensteiner Michael , Zehetner Claus 
Published: June 2021

AbstractAimsTo determine brake reaction times before and after bilateral cataract surgery in elderly drivers.MethodsSixty‐four patients were evaluated on the day of and 4 weeks after bilateral cataract surgery. Forty‐three healthy individuals with a valid driving licence served as the control group. A driving simulator was used to determine brake reaction times after receiving a visual stimulus. Total brake reaction time (BRT) as well as neurologic reaction time (NRT), foot transfer time (FTT) and brake pedal travel time (BPTT) were measured, and the measurements obtained before and after cataract surgery were compared. The correlations between NRT, best‐corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and contrast sensitivity (CS) were assessed.ResultsOut of the 64 patients with bilateral cataract, 53 were assessed for postsurgical measurements. All time measures improved significantly after cataract surgery (BRT, 815.7(224) versus 647.9(148) ms; NRT, 364.7(91) versus 283.5(44) ms; FTT, 290.8(62) versus 248.6(58) ms; and BPTT, 160.6(96) versus 116.6(72) ms, p < 0.001). The calculated stopping distance improved significantly after surgery (22.3(6) versus 19.9(4) m at 50 km/h). Best‐corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and contrast sensitivity (CS) improved significantly after surgery (0.25(0.2) versus 0.05(0.05), n = 53, p < 0.001; 1.4(0.2) versus 1.6(0.1), p < 0.001, respectively). There was a significant negative correlation between CS and NRT before surgery (r = −0.253, n = 64, p = 0.04, Pearson’s correlation).ConclusionOur findings show a significant effect of CS on neurological BRTs and the corresponding stopping distances. This highlights the importance of presurgical CS evaluation as a critical factor in cataract surgery decisions in elderly drivers.
Parenting an adolescent with complex regional pain syndrome: A dyadic qualitative investigation of resilience
Authors: Cox Danielle , McParland Joanna L. , Jordan Abbie 
Published: June 2021

ObjectivesAdolescent chronic pain exists within a social context, affecting the lives of adolescents, parents, peers, and wider family members. Typically, parental research has focussed on the negative impact on parents associated with parenting an adolescent with chronic pain. However, a small number of studies have identified positive parental outcomes and functioning, with a focus on parental resilience. This study sought to extend existing knowledge by providing a detailed and contextualized understanding of how parental dyads experience and demonstrate resilience in response to parenting an adolescent with Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS) and the meaning that parents ascribe to these shared experiences.DesignAn Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) was used to conduct an in‐depth qualitative interview study of parents of an adolescent with CRPS.MethodsSemi‐structured interviews were conducted via Skype with eight mother–father parental dyads of an adolescent aged 11–25 years with CRPS.ResultsA single prominent theme ‘masking reality in the face of pain’ dominated the parental discourse and experience of resilience. Resilience was experienced as an incongruence between private distress and the perceived obligation to display socially desirable resilience behaviours to protect their child from their own distress.ConclusionsStudy findings highlight the benefits of strength‐based interventions to enhance parental resilience. This is particularly important since parental behaviours have been shown to influence child pain outcomes. Future research should seek to explore resilience in different populations such as lone parents, siblings, and those parenting an adolescent with pain conditions other than CRPS.
Virtual Creature Morphology ‐ A Review
Authors: Lai G. , Leymarie F.F. , Latham W. , Arita T. , Suzuki R. 
Published: June 2021

AbstractWe present a review of methods for procedurally generating the morphology of virtual creatures. We include a range of methods, with the main groups being from ALife over art to video games. Even though at times these groups overlap, for clarity we have kept this distinction. By including the word virtual, we mean that we focus on methods for simulation in silico, and not physical robots. We also include a historical perspective, with information on methods such as cellular automata, L‐systems and a focus on earlier pioneers in the field.
Analysis of clinical symptoms, radiological changes and pulmonary function data 4 months after COVID‐19
Authors: Labarca Gonzalo , Henríquez‐Beltrán Mario , Lastra Jaime , Enos Daniel , Llerena Faryd , Cigarroa Igor , Lamperti Liliana , Ormazabal Valeska , Ramirez Carlos , Espejo Eric , Canales Nicole , Fuentes Fabiola , Horta Gloria , Fernandez‐Bussy Sebastian , Nova‐Lamperti Estefania 
Published: June 2021

AbstractBackgroundCoronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) ranges from asymptomatic disease to respiratory failure and requires invasive mechanical ventilation (IMV). Data about the sequelae after infection are scarce. The study aims to describe the prevalence of symptoms, pulmonary function tests (PFTs), and radiological changes after four months of follow‐up.MethodsA prospective, cross‐sectional, multicentre study was performed. Patients with different illness severities were consecutively included (mild; moderate: hospitalized without IMV; severe: hospitalized with IMV). Clinical variables, health‐related quality of life (HRQoL), PFT (spirometry, diffusing capacity of the lungs for carbon monoxide (DLCO)), and (CT) scans of the chest were obtained. The association between the risk of sequelae (DLCO <80%) and altered CT was analysed using logistic regression adjusted for confounding variables.Results60 patients (18 mild, 17 moderate, and 25 severe) were included. Fatigue was found in 11% of the mild, 47% of the moderate and 36% of the severe group. Altered DLCO (mild: 5.5%, moderate: 41%, severe: 28%, p < .05) and change in HRQoL (mild: 50%, moderate: 94%, severe: 60%), while the severe group showed a higher prevalence of altered CT (88% vs. 64%). Awake prone position (APP) and high‐flow nasal cannula (HFNC) was independently associated with altered DLCO, Odds ratio (OR) 7.28 (CI, 1.10‐47.81; p < .05), and altered CT, OR 9.50 (CI, 1.26‐71.5; p < .05). Besides, prolonged time in IMV was associated with altered CT, OR 1.24 (CI, 1.05‐1.46; p < .05).DiscussionIt is common to find sequelae in symptoms, radiology, and PFT. In our series, the use of APP+HFNC and days on IMV were associated with an increased risk of sequelae.