bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Ensuring the quality of doctoral studies through open scientific research
Authors:   Institute of Juridical, Political and Sociological Research, Republic of Moldova, Cusnir Valerii , Cojocaru Radion ,   Stefan cel Mare Academy of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, Republic of Moldova
Published: October 2022

Scientific research is a defining and indispensable component of higher doctoral studies, and the purpose of these studies is materialized in the development and defense of doctoral theses. The organization of the scientific research activity within the Doctoral Schools must have a “living character” through the continuous adaptation of the quality standards to the technical-scientific progress and the natural social transformations that we go through. Moreover, the beginning of the “information revolution” opened new perspectives for publishing and disseminating the results of scientific research. Open scientific research will contribute considerably to the development of the quality of doctoral studies and will determine the impact of doctoral theses in the scientific fields to which they are related.
The role of the university library in the development of the Open Science literacy
Authors:   Academy of Economic Studies of Moldova, Cheradi Natalia
Published: October 2022

The role of the university library in the development of Open Science literacy is analysed in the article. At the current stage, the university library is considered an organized ensemble of educational, informational, technological, methodological potential for the formation of the Open Science literacy of researchers. Using the extensive experience of libraries in the implementation of new information technologies will allow them to be a main point of access to scientific information, to form a culture of Open Science and to become an important segment of the infrastructure of the university.
Towards open research: practices, experiences, barriers and opportunities (“Nicolae Testemitanu” USMPh case study)
Authors:   Nicolae Testemitanu State University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Republic of Moldova, Dobrea Olesea
Published: October 2022

We are in the midst of progress and change regarding open science and open access to research data. There is a particular emphasis on good data practices, including data management and sharing plans. Open access to research data can help speed up the pace of discovery and provide more value and credibility to publicly funded research. The purpose of the study is to identify the attitudes and perceptions of the university medical community regarding the opening of data and to establish the role of the Scientific Medical Library in the management of research data. Applied research methods: sociological – the survey was based on the online questionnaire, which included 24 closed structured questions (with a single answer and with multiple answers), open (gives the opportunity to the respondent to answer as he wants, without any constraint), mixed, of opinion, as well as of scale, the non-random sampling, on a voluntary basis, research data analysis, and synthesis. The hypotheses established at the beginning of the research were confirmed, most respondents lack sufficient knowledge and skills about open research data. The study demonstrates an acknowledgment of the benefits of open data. The summative evaluation of the results allowed the identification of the essential factors that motivate the research activity: increasing visibility in the international scientific community, prestige, and career. At the same time, the impediments to the opening of research data were identified: lack of culture (knowledge) regarding data sharing and respectively researchers are not ready to share research data, the lack of a policy on research data management, problems related to copyright and intellectual property, data sensitivity, fear of misuse of research data, do not know where to publish such data, lack of knowledge about data and metadata standards, etc. Opening access to research results, data sharing, increasing research transparency, and adopting the Open Science model would accelerate the development rate of the Republic of Moldova. The opening of research data will improve the institutions position in international rankings, enhancing academic prestige and bringing additional financing. The Scientific Medical Library will organize information sessions for the university medical community, will promote the open data principle, will raise awareness among the university medical community regarding the benefits of open data, as well as participate in the development of institutional policy and the research data management plan at “Nicolae Testemitanu” State University of Medicine and Pharmacy, will develop a concept of open research data repository, etc.
The Effectiveness of Core Muscle Training on Skill and Balance for Snooker Players
Authors: Soflaei Mina , Ghanavati Tabassom , Norasteh Ali Asghar , Sarbakhsh Parvin , Oskouei Ali E
Published: October 2022

Background: Snooker is a kind of cue sport in which skill plays an important role. To reach a professional level, snooker players must acquire many physical and mental skills. Strengthening the core muscles, which provide a foundation for a successful limb function in skill sports such as snooker, can be achieved by performing Pilates exercises. Objectives: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of core muscle training on skill and balance for snooker players. Methods: In this study, 30 male snooker players were divided into Pilates (n = 15) and control groups (n = 15) by randomization. The Pilates group performed the mat Pilates exercises three sessions per week consisting of 30 minutes of Pilates training in addition to one hour of routine snooker training per session for six weeks. The control group performed one-hour routine snooker training three sessions per week at the same time period. To assess the players' skills, the line-up test was used to measure the break score, and the foul number test was used to calculate the foul number. Players' balance was evaluated by the stork balance test. All tests were performed pre and post 6 weeks of exercise for between and within- group comparisons. Results: Line-up and stork test scores were significantly increased (P < 0.05) in the Pilates group compared with the control group. However, there was no significant difference in the foul numbers between groups after Six weeks of Pilates exercises. Conclusions: Six weeks of mat Pilates exercises improves the snooker players' balance ability and break scores.
Effectiveness of Metacognitive Therapy in Behavioral-Emotional Problem, Cognitive-Emotional Regulation Strategies, and Mind Wandering of 9 to 13-Year-Old Children with ADHD: A Quasi-experimental Study
Authors: Darehshoori Mohammadi Zeinab , Bavi Sassan , Human Farzaneh
Published: October 2022

Background: Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is one of the most common neurodevelopmental disorders in school-aged children. Objectives: This study assessed the effectiveness of metacognitive therapy in behavioral-emotional problems, cognitive-emotional regulation strategies, and mind wandering in children with ADHD. Methods: This quasi-experimental study utilized a pretest-posttest design with a control group. The statistical population comprised all students referred to the West Health Center of Ahvaz in 2019. A sample of 45 patients was selected and randomly divided into intervention (MCT, n = 15) and control (n = 15) groups. The experimental group underwent eight sessions (90-minute sessions per week) of MCT, and the control group did not receive any intervention. The research instruments included the Cognitive-Emotional Regulation Questionnaire-children form (CERQ-K-P), Rutter Children Behavior Questionnaire (RCBQ), and Mind Wandering Questionnaire (MWQ). Multivariate analysis of covariance was used to analyze the data. Results: The participants included 30 children aged 10.92 ± 2.02 years. In the experimental group, the average score of behavioral-emotional disorder changed from 30.78 to 24.14, cognitive-emotional regulation strategies from 58.34 to 69.43, and mental wandering from 78.18 to 85.14. In the control group, the average score of RCBQ changed from 29.17 to 30.58, CERQ-K-P from 54.5 to 52.34, and MWQ from 19.77 to 19.87. The MCT effectively reduced behavior-emotional problems and mind wandering and improved cognitive-emotional regulation strategies in children with ADHD (P < 0.05). Conclusions: Metacognitive therapy improved behavioral-emotional problems, cognitive-emotional regulation strategies, and mind wandering in ADHD children. Therefore, metacognitive and psychiatric treatments are recommended for these patients.
Spatial organisation of the new forms of e-grocery and ready-made food trade in a large Russian city
Authors: Axenov Konstantin E. , Kraskovskaia Olga Vl. , Renni Fedor M.
Published: October 2022

This work aims to identify fundamentally new features in the spatial organization of e-grocery and ready-made food trade in a Russian city, distinct from those typical of traditional food retail enterprises. Focusing on St Petersburg, the article describes the emergence of a completely different system of requirements imposed by new forms of online food retail in the space of a large Russian city, compared with traditional industries and retail organization methods. The spatial and temporal parameters of the new shopping model are considered, and a comparative analysis of its spatial competition with already established models is presented. The spatial organization of new online food retail is demonstrated in the context of the placement system of new types of offline objects, the emergence of new flows, their impact on urban development and the effect on the outdoor and transit advertising markets, as well as on the labor market. Based on this analysis, it is concluded that new-type physical objects such as distribution warehouses, warehouse stores (fulfilment centres) and dot-com objects are placed according to entirely different principles. If the location of a service point is no longer a competitive advantage as seen by the buyer, faster delivery, hidden from the consumer, emerges as a critical factor in new competition. The paper also analyses the significance of spatial organization principles associated with this factor.
Changing significance of Russian regions’ research and technology capacity components
Authors: Peker Irina Yu.
Published: October 2022

This article offers data that can be used in comparative studies of research and technology capacity at the level of Russian regions. The database comprises six indicators of the development of personnel-related and financial components of a national research and technology system and research results as evinced in research publications and advanced manufacturing technologies that appeared in 2010—2020. This set of interconnected indicators makes it possible to evaluate Russian regions’ research and technology capacity and research output, which affect the degree of development of the innovative environment. The data on regional research output may be of assistance to further regional socio-economic research. The data set includes statistical indicators for 85 Russian regions for 2010—2020, as reported by ROSSTAT. The data on the number off publications and variations therein were obtained from Scopus, the largest unified curated multidisciplinary abstract and citation database. The results are presented as tables and cartographical materials (three tables and six map charts).
Phenotypes of polycystic ovary syndrome and accompanying hormonal disturbances
Authors: Karatas Savas , Hacıoğlu Burcu , Kalaycı Gökhan
Published: October 2022

Objective: PCOS, which is known as a symptom complex including menstrual dysfunction (OD) and or hirsutism/androgen excess (HA), and/or polycystic ovaries (PCOM), induces women's health damage beyond this classical criteria. Subphenotypes of PCOS have different clinical properties and criteria, and the metabolical differences between these phenotypes have not been elucidated properly. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the metabolic and endocrinological differences between these sub-phenotypes. Materials and Methods: 63 patients with PCOS followed by Istanbul Research and Education Hospital Endocrinology and Metabolism Department were included in the study. Patients were classified into subgroups according to phenotypes. The phenotype groups were compared according to blood glucose, lipid parameters, and serum hormone levels. MetS ratios between groups were also compared. Results: Androgen excess/hirsutism was the most prominent character with a 95.2% (n = 60) rate in this study group, and ovulatory dysfunction was the least prominent one. (n = 43, 68.2%) PCOM has been detected in 50 patients (80.8%). Patients were grouped according to PCOS phenotypes. Phenotype C was the most common type, and about 65% of the patients were in this group. Triglyceride levels were statistically significantly higher in the Phenotype A group than in the Phenotype B group (p = 0.03). MetS was the highest in the Phenotype A group (45.4%) and the lowest in the Phenotype C group (34.7%). Conclusions: Phenotype C has the highest prevalence in Turkish patients with PCOS, MetS was the highest in Phenotype A, and TG and LDL cholesterol levels were higher in Phenotype A. More studies are needed to explain these differences and their lifetime consequences.
Outcomes of ultrasound-monitored treatment of divelopmental dysplasia of the hip graf type II
Authors: Djoleva Tolevska , Matveeva Niki , Georgieva Daniela , Bojadzieva Stojanoska
Published: October 2022

Introduction: The management of developmental dysplasia of the hips (DDH) type Graf IIa is still controversial. This study aims to examine the outcomes of ultrasound-monitored Pavlik harness treatment, as well as the effects of associated factors, such as gender, side of DDH, the age at the treatment start, and laterality on the treatment outcomes in different Graf type II subtypes. Methods: A cohort retrospective investigation was performed on 88 ultrasound-screened infants or 125 hips diagnosed with Graf type II dysplasia during a six-month period at a single institution, the University Clinic for Orthopedic Surgery, Skopje. Subsequently, 47 infants (18 boys, 29 girls) or 73 hips who underwent Pavlik harness treatment with at least one follow-up throughout treatment monitoring were included in this study. Results: The treatment success rate of the right DDH Graf type IIa (-) was higher (70.8%) compared to the rate of success (50%) in the treatment of left Graf type IIa (-) hips. The mean age of the infants at the treatment start in successfully treated Graf type IIa (-) hips was lower (9.12 ± 2.27 weeks) compared to the age of the infants with treatment failure at the last follow-up (11.33 ± 3.06 weeks), P = 0.04. Conclusion: The age of treatment initiation and the side of DDH were the most relevant factors related to the treatment outcome. Infants with maturational deficit hips, Graf type IIa (-), should undergo early initiated, carefully guided, and monitored Pavlik harness treatment.
A Standard Method for the Conduct and Analysis of Ice Resistance Model Tests
Authors: Spencer D.
Published: October 2022

A standard method for conducting ice resistance model tests as adopted by the Institute for Marine Dynamics is described. The standard procedure involves splitting the total resistance into components; ice breaking, clearing, buoyancy and open water. This allows each component to be treated separately when scaling to full-scale. The analysis procedure is then outlined showing how dimensionless numbers are used to scale the results to full-scale. The basis of the analysis procedure is also given showing how each component of total resistance is affected by model and ice parameters. The result is a rational basis for the conduct and analysis of ice resistance model tests.
Modelo logístico de factores asociados al Síndrome de Burnout en el personal de salud
Authors: Yupari Azabache Irma Luz , Diaz Ortega Jorge Luis , Azabache Alvarado Karla Adriana , Bardales Aguirre Lucía Beatriz
Published: October 2022

Introduction: Excessive workload in health personnel, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, has generated the presence of Burnout Syndrome. The purpose of this study was to determine a logistic model for the factors associated with the dimensions of Burnout Syndrome in health personnel during the COVID-19 pandemic in Trujillo - Peru.Method: A cross-sectional, correlational design was applied. The standardized Maslach Burnout Inventory questionnaire was used and applied virtually. It measures emotional exhaustion, depersonalization and personal fulfillment. The sample consisted of 143 health professionals from the Trujillo Micro-network and Social Health Insurance establishments (ESSALUD).Results: 24.5% of health professionals have a high level of emotional exhaustion, 27.3% a high level of depersonalization and 39.9% a low level of personal fulfillment. Marital status, family income, type of institution where they work, age and number of children are associated with the level of emotional exhaustion (p<0.05). Gender, profession, type of institution, age and number of children are associated with the level of depersonalization (p<0.05). The type of institution and age are associated with the level of personal fulfillment (p<0.05). Conclusions: The proposed ordinal logistic model indicates 69.2% success in emotional exhaustion level, 60.8% success for depersonalization level and 58.7% with the model for personal fulfillment level.

Introducción: La carga de trabajo excesiva en el personal de salud, debido a la pandemia del COVID-19 ha generado la presencia del Síndrome de Burnout. El propósito de este estudio fue determinar un modelo logístico para los factores asociados a las dimensiones del Síndrome de Burnout en el personal de salud, durante la pandemia COVID-19, en Trujillo - Perú.Método: Se aplicó un diseño transversal, correlacional; se utilizó el cuestionario estandarizado del inventario de Burnout de Maslach aplicado virtualmente, que mide: agotamiento emocional, despersonalización y realización personal, la muestra estuvo conformada por 143 profesionales de salud de los establecimientos de la Micro red de Trujillo y de El Seguro Social de Salud (ESSALUD), Resultados: El 24,5% de profesionales de la salud tienen un nivel de agotamiento emocional alto, 27,3% nivel de despersonalización alto y 39,9% nivel de realización personal bajo. El estado civil, ingreso familiar, tipo de institución donde labora, la edad y el número de hijos se asocian al nivel de agotamiento emocional (p<0,05). El sexo, la profesión, tipo de institución, edad y número de hijos se asocian al nivel de despersonalización (p<0,05). El tipo de institución y la edad se asocian al nivel de realización personal (p<0,05). Conclusiones: El modelo logístico ordinal propuesto indica el 69,2% de éxito en nivel de agotamiento emocional, el 60,8% de éxito para el nivel de despersonalización y el 58,7% con el modelo para nivel de realización personal.
Crisi americane: Paine, Hawthorne, Thoreau
Authors: Della Marca Manlio
Published: October 2022

Taking as my point of departure Emanuel Leutze’s 1851 monumental canvas Washington Crossing the Delaware, in this article I discuss the ways in which the event depicted in Leutze’s iconic painting relates to the publication of Thomas Paine’s influential pamphlet The American Crisis, No. 1 (1776). Then, I examine how from the 1770s on the concept of “crisis” becomes what the German historian Reinhart Koselleck has called “a structural signature of modernity”. Finally, I turn my attention to two scenes – the first from Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter (1850) and the second from Henry David Thoreau’s Walden (1854) – in which both of these American Renaissance writers describe some moments of crisis and reflect on the transformative potential of critical situations for human beings.
Adsorption behavior of 9,9′-Dixanthylidene and moiré superstructure on Ru(0001)
Authors: Huang De-Rao , Song Jun-Jie , He Pi-Mo , Huang Kai-Kai , Zhang Han-Jie ,   School of Physics, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China,   Department of Fundamental and Social Science, Zhejiang University of Water Resources and Electric Power, Hangzhou 310018, China
Published: October 2022

This paper reports the adsorption behavior of the 9,9′-Dixanthylidene on Ru(0001), the bottom-up fabrication of graphene is also investigated through a scanning tunneling microscope (STM). We analyze the spatial structure of 9,9′-Dixanthylidene molecules which are randomly dispersed on a Ru(0001) substrate in the sub-monolayer coverage. Then we bottom-up fabricate the graphene on the Ru(0001) substrate with the 9,9′-Dixanthylidene molecules as the precursor. Three kinds of moiré superstructures with different rotation angles (6.3°, 13.9°, and 16.1°) are found after implementing high temperature annealing in ultrahigh vacuum. This result provides data support for the study of moiré superstructures on Ru(0001) substrate and lays a solid foundation for further scientific research based on graphene/Ru(0001).
Sheaf Theory through Examples
Authors: Rosiak Daniel
Published: October 2022

An approachable introduction to elementary sheaf theory and its applications beyond pure math.

Sheaves are mathematical constructions concerned with passages from local properties to global ones. They have played a fundamental role in the development of many areas of modern mathematics, yet the broad conceptual power of sheaf theory and its wide applicability to areas beyond pure math have only recently begun to be appreciated. Taking an applied category theory perspective, Sheaf Theory through Examples provides an approachable introduction to elementary sheaf theory and examines applications including n-colorings of graphs, satellite data, chess problems, Bayesian networks, self-similar groups, musical performance, complexes, and much more.

With an emphasis on developing the theory via a wealth of well-motivated and vividly illustrated examples, Sheaf Theory through Examples supplements the formal development of concepts with philosophical reflections on topology, category theory, and sheaf theory, alongside a selection of advanced topics and examples that illustrate ideas like cellular sheaf cohomology, toposes, and geometric morphisms.

Sheaf Theory through Examples seeks to bridge the powerful results of sheaf theory as used by mathematicians and real-world applications, while also supplementing the technical matters with a unique philosophical perspective attuned to the broader development of ideas.

The open access edition of this book was made possible by generous funding from Arcadia – a charitable fund of Lisbet Rausing and Peter Baldwin.
2FAST2Q: a general-purpose sequence search and counting program for FASTQ files
Authors: Bravo Afonso M. , Typas Athanasios , Veening Jan-Willem
Published: October 2022

Background

The increasingly widespread use of next generation sequencing protocols has brought the need for the development of user-friendly raw data processing tools. Here, we explore 2FAST2Q, a versatile and intuitive standalone program capable of extracting and counting feature occurrences in FASTQ files. Despite 2FAST2Q being previously described as part of a CRISPRi-seq analysis pipeline, in here we further elaborate on the program’s functionality, and its broader applicability and functions.

Methods

2FAST2Q is built in Python, with published standalone executables in Windows MS, MacOS, and Linux. It has a familiar user interface, and uses an advanced custom sequence searching algorithm.

Results

Using published CRISPRi datasets in which Escherichia coli and Mycobacterium tuberculosis gene essentiality, as well as host-cell sensitivity towards SARS-CoV2 infectivity were tested, we demonstrate that 2FAST2Q efficiently recapitulates published output in read counts per provided feature. We further show that 2FAST2Q can be used in any experimental setup that requires feature extraction from raw reads, being able to quickly handle Hamming distance based mismatch alignments, nucleotide wise Phred score filtering, custom read trimming, and sequence searching within a single program. Moreover, we exemplify how different FASTQ read filtering parameters impact downstream analysis, and suggest a default usage protocol. 2FAST2Q is easier to use and faster than currently available tools, efficiently processing not only CRISPRi-seq / random-barcode sequencing datasets on any up-to-date laptop, but also handling the advanced extraction of de novo features from FASTQ files. We expect that 2FAST2Q will not only be useful for people working in microbiology but also for other fields in which amplicon sequencing data is generated. 2FAST2Q is available as an executable file for all current operating systems without installation and as a Python3 module on the PyPI repository (available at https://veeninglab.com/2fast2q).
Anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant properties of Melianodiol on DSS-induced ulcerative colitis in mice
Authors: Shen Jinhuang , Ma Xinhua , He Yubin , Wang Yanjun , Zhong Tianhua , Zhang Yonghong
Published: October 2022

Background

Ulcerative colitis is a unique inflammatory bowel disease with ulcerative lesions of the colonic mucosa. Melianodiol (MN), a triterpenoid, isolated from the fruits of the Chinese medicinal plant Melia azedarach, possesses significant anti-inflammatory properties.

Objective

The present study investigated the protective effects of MN on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced macrophages and DSS-mediated ulcerative colitis in mice.

Methods

In the study, mice were given MN (50, 100, and 200 mg/kg) and 5-ASA (500 mg/kg) daily for 9 days after induction by DSS for 1 week. The progress of the disease was monitored daily by observation of changes in clinical signs and body weight.

Results

The results showed that MN effectively improved the overproduction of inflammatory factors (IL-6, NO, and TNF-α) and suppressed the activation of the NF-κB signalling cascade in LPS-mediated RAW264.7 cells. For DSS-mediated colitis in mice, MN can reduce weight loss and the disease activity index (DAI) score in UC mice, suppress colon shortening, and alleviate pathological colon injury. Moreover, MN treatment notably up regulated the levels of IL-10 and down regulated those of IL-1β and TNF-α, and inhibited the protein expression of p-JAK2, p-STAT3, iNOS, NF-κB P65, p-P65, p-IKKα/β, and p-IκBα in the colon. After MN treatment, the levels of MDA and NO in colonic tissue were remarkably decreased, whereas the levels of GSH, SOD, Nrf-2, Keap-1, HO-1, IκBα, and eNOS protein expression levels were significantly increased.

Conclusion

These results indicate that MN can activate the Nrf-2 signalling pathway and inhibit the JAK/STAT, iNOS/eNOS, and NF-κB signalling cascades, enhance intestinal barrier function, and effectively reduce the LPS-mediated inflammatory response in mouse macrophages and DSS-induced intestinal injury in UC.
Antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory activity of Cystatin C on human gingival fibroblast incubated with Porphyromonas gingivalis
Authors: Blancas-Luciano Blanca Esther , Becker-Fauser Ingeborg , Zamora-Chimal Jaime , Delgado-Domínguez José , Ruíz-Remigio Adriana , Leyva-Huerta Elba Rosa , Portilla-Robertson Javier , Fernández-Presas Ana María
Published: October 2022

Background

Periodontal disease is considered one of the most prevalent chronic infectious diseases, often leading to the disruption of tooth-supporting tissues, including alveolar bone, causing tooth mobility and loss. Porphyromonas gingivalis is considered the major etiological agent of this disease, having a plethora of virulence factors, including, lipopolysaccharides (LPS), hemolysins, and proteinases. Antimicrobial peptides are one of the main components of the innate immune response that inhibit the growth of P. gingivalis. The aim of this study was to analyze the antimicrobial activity of cystatin C and to assess the effect on the inflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines, the production of reactive oxygen species, and in the release of nitric oxide by human gingival fibroblasts incubated with P. gingivalis in the presence and absence of cystatin C.

Methods

P. gingivalis ATCC 33277 was exposed to cystatin C for 24h and co-cultured with human gingival fibroblasts (HGFs) ATCC CRL-2014. The effect of cystatin on growth of P. gingivalis and HGFs was evaluated. Pro-inflammatory (TNFα, IL-1β) and anti-inflammatory (IL-10) cytokines were determined by ELISA in the supernatants of HGFs incubated with P. gingivalis exposed to cystatin C. Additionally, nitrites and reactive oxygen species (ROS) production were evaluated.

Results

Cystatin Cinhibited the growth of P. gingivalis without affecting HGFs. Incubation of HGFs with P. gingivalis led to a significant increase of TNF-α and IL-1β. In contrast, HGFs incubated with P. gingivalis exposed to cystatin C showed a decreased production of both cytokines, whereas IL-10 was enhanced. Incubation of HGFs with P. gingivalis led to an increase of nitric oxide (NO) and ROS production, which was reduced in the presence of the peptide.

Conclusions

Cystatin C inhibits the growth of P. gingivalis and decreases the inflammatory cytokines, ROS, and NO production during infection of HGFs with P. gingivalis. Knowledge on the antimicrobial and immunomodulatory properties of cystatin C could aid in the design of new therapeutic approaches to facilitate the elimination of this bacterium to improve the treatment of periodontal disease.
Different photosynthetic adaptation of Zoysia spp. under shading: shade avoidance and shade tolerance response
Authors: Xu Xiao , Wang Hongli , Wang Guangyang , Li Xiaoning , Liu Xiaoyan , Fu Jinmin
Published: October 2022

Reduction of ambient solar radiation is an important external challenge for plants, which affects photosynthesis and morphogenesis in agroforestry or gardening. As bottomed sessile organisms, turfgrasses have a set of sophisticated photosynthetic strategies to survive and deal with this abiotic stress. Zoysiagrass (Zoysia spp. Willd.) is an important warm-season, perennial turfgrass that tolerates adversity, wear, trampling and extensive management. However, whole photosynthetic characteristics reaction of the zoysiagrass to shade stress have not been described because our knowledge in this area is very limited. In this study, 85% shade treatment was applied to nineteen zoysiagrass genotypes, and morphological observations and extensive determinations on plant heights, photosynthetic pigments, fluorescence dynamic curves among other parameters were made. The results showed that vegetal and photosynthetic responses of zoysiagrass were affected by shade treatment to varying degrees. Further analysis based on the principal component, subordinate function analysis and clustering methodology revealed that different shading response strategies were adopted by zoysia under shade surroundings. They were divided into four categories. The strongest shade-avoidant response strategy was adopted by ‘ZG48’ and ‘WZG59’, which had the largest comprehensive evaluation (D) values, and the stabilized shade-tolerant response was taken on by ‘ZG-3’ and ‘ZG64’, which had the lowest D values. Other varieties applied a medium strategy but with a certain tendency. These findings provide new insights into different shading response tactics of turfgrass: shade avoidance and shade tolerance response, which could be selected for further elucidation of the molecular mechanism of plant adaptation to shade environments.
Exploring of cardiac autonomic activity with heart rate variability in long-term kratom (Mitragyna speciosa Korth.) users: a preliminary study
Authors: Saengmolee Wanumaidah , Cheaha Dania , Sa-ih Nusaib , Kumarnsit Ekkasit
Published: October 2022

Background

Kratom is a psychoactive plant used to enhance productivity among laborers in Southeast Asian countries. Previous findings from in vitro research of mitragynine, a major component of kratom, suggested a possible risk of heart function abnormality. However, the cardiac autonomic function in long-term kratom users with chewing forms has never been studied. This study aimed to investigate heart rate variability (HRV) indices of cardiac autonomic function in long-term kratom chewers (LKC), compared to the control levels, and also to examine the correlation between HRV indices and relevant kratom use factors.

Method

A total number of 50 participants consisted of LKC (n = 31) who regularly chewed fresh kratom leaves for at least 2 years and demographically matched control subjects (n = 19). Resting electrocardiogram (ECG) signals were recorded from subjects for 3 min to analyze the ultrashort HRV in the frequency domain. The normalized low frequency (LFn) and high frequency (HFn) were chosen to be the HRV indices to evaluate cardiac autonomic function. The comparison of HRV indices between groups and the correlation between HRV indices and duration and quantity of kratom use was further conducted in statistical analysis.

Results

The LKC significantly increased LFn together with enhanced HFn compared to the control group tested, indicating that LKC changed cardiac autonomic function with parasympathetic dominance. Furthermore, no significant correlation between the HRV indices and the duration and quantity of kratom use was found, suggesting that the HRV indices were not relevant to these factors. The present study provided scientific-based evidence of cardiac autonomic modulation in long-term kratom chewers. LFn and HFn may be promising cardiac autonomic indicators for monitoring health outcomes in LKC.
Clients` Satisfaction and Barriers towards Childhood Immunization Service in Primary Health Care Facilities in Tanta, Egypt
Authors: Eltalawy Hanaa Gad Atia , Ayad Khalil Mohamed Abbas , Atlam Salwa Abdel-mageed , Saied Shimaa M.
Published: October 2022

Aims: To assess the clients` satisfaction towards childhood immunization service ‎among parents having children aged less than 2 year in primary health ‎care settings, and to highlight barriers affecting client satisfaction with immunization ‎services in primary health care facilities‎.

Study Design: Cross-sectional study.

Place and Duration of Study: Three primary health care facilities in Tanta Egypt; Said Health Care Center, Elragdia Health Care Unit, and Mahalet Rouh Health Care Unit, between March 2021 and April 2022.

Methodology: We included 400 clients coming to the primary health care facilities during the vaccination sessions of their children less than 2 years of age. Participants’ data were collected using a pre-designed interviewing validated questionnaire sheet through interview that assessed the sociodemographic data, knowledge, satisfaction, and barriers toward the childhood vaccination.

Results: In this study, the majority (87.8%) were recruited from Said Health Care Center. The clients, ages ranged from 19 to 70 years, with the highest percentage in the age group of 20 – <40 (78.3%). The clients’ knowledge score ranged from 1 to 9, with a median of 7 denoting an overall good knowledge. The highest percentage of clients in Said Health Care Center dissatisfied (78.9%) while the highest portion of clients in Elragdia Health Care Unit and Mahalet Rouh Health Care Unit satisfied (75% and 60%, respectively). The relation to child, level of education, health care facility, followed by marital status, income, residence, child sex, total knowledge score, and child age were found to be statistically significant predictors for the satisfaction, with P values of 0.002, 0.004, <0.001, 0.006, <0.001, <0.001, 0.01, <0.001, and <0.001, respectively.

Conclusion: An overall good knowledge as shown among caregivers attending for children vaccination. The least satisfaction rates were noted in the Urban Health Care Center. Clients’ knowledge beside some sociodemographic data significantly affected clients’ satisfaction.
Variation in Research Experiences and Publications During Medical School by Sex and Race and Ethnicity
Authors: Nguyen Mytien , Chaudhry Sarwat I. , Asabor Emmanuella , Desai Mayur M. , Lett Elle , Cavazos Jose E. , Mason Hyacinth R. C. , Boatright Dowin
Published: October 2022

Importance

Diverse research teams are critical to solving complex health problems and producing high-quality medical research.

Objective

To examine the associations of student sex and racial and ethnic identity with publication rates during medical school.

Design, Setting, and Participants

This cohort study assessed individual-level data of US MD graduates from medical school who matriculated in academic years 2014 to 2015 and 2015 to 2016. Data were obtained from the Association of American Medical Colleges and analyzed from October 2021 to January 2022.

Main Outcomes and Measures

Outcomes of interest included students’ self-reported participation in unique research experiences, number of publications, and computed publications per research experience. Poisson regressions were constructed to determine the association of sex and racial and ethnic identity with research outcomes using adjusted rate ratios (aRRs).

Results

Among 31 474 graduates, 15 159 (48.2%) identified as women and 4344 (13.8%) identified as underrepresented in medicine by race and ethnicity (URIM; including American Indian, Alaska Native, Black, Hawaiian Native, Hispanic/Latinx, and Pacific Islander individuals). Students who attended National Institutes of Health (NIH) top 40 research-ranked schools reported higher number of research experiences and publication counts, resulting in a higher publication rate compared with students from non–top 40 schools (median [IQR] 1.60 [1.00-3.00] vs 1.25 [0.50-2.33]; P < .001). Women reported a higher number of research experiences than men but a significantly lower number of publications (top 40 schools: aRR, 0.89; 95% CI, 0.87-0.90; non–top 40 schools: aRR, 0.93; 95% CI, 0.92-0.95). This resulted in a significantly lower publication rate among women (top 40 schools: aRR, 0.85; 95% CI, 0.83-0.86; non–top 40 schools: aRR, 0.91; 95% CI, 0.90-0.92). Compared with White students, Asian students had higher publication rates at both NIH top 40 schools (aRR, 1.10; 95% CI, 1.08-1.12) and non–top 40 schools (aRR, 1.07; 95% CI, 1.05-1.08), while lower publication rates were reported among Black students (top 40 schools: aRR, 0.83; 95% CI, 0.80-0.86; non–top 40 schools: aRR, 0.88; 95% CI, 0.85-0.95) and Hispanic students attending non–top 40 schools (aRR, 0.93; 95% CI, 0.90-0.95).

Conclusions and Relevance

These findings illustrate that inequities in the physician-scientist workforce began early in training and highlight key areas for intervention, such as funding support and mentorship training during undergraduate medical education, that may promote the future success of a diverse physician-scientist workforce.
Effects of Minor Gadolinium Addition and T4 Heat Treatment on Microstructure and Properties of Magnesium
Authors: Lu Yiyi , Huang Yuanding , Bode Julia , Vogt Carla , Willumeit-Römer Regine , Kainer Karl Ulrich , Hort Norbert
Published: October 2022

Mg–Gd alloys are candidates for degradable implants combining favorable mechanical and corrosion properties. Gd has a high solid solubility in Mg and an acceptable biocompatibility. The influences of different amount of Gd additions and solid solution (T4) treatment on mechanical properties and corrosion in 0.9 wt% NaCl and cell culture medium (CCM) of magnesium are systematically investigated. The effects of Gd are clarified by microstructural characterizations as well as stress and degradation analysis. It is shown that minor Gd additions to pure Mg lead to Gd solid solution in Mg (α) and the formation of Mg5Gd intermetallic particles (IMPs), which increase the hardness, tensile, and compressive strength. The GdH2 phase is found in low‐alloyed Mg–Gd alloys. The corrosion rate (CR) is increased by the addition of more Gd due to the increased kinetics of the cathodic reaction. However, the resistance to degradation is effectively improved by T4 heat treatment due to the dissolution of IMPs. The reduced susceptibility to pitting can be achieved by a minor Gd addition and T4 heat treatment. The Mg–2Gd alloy is a potential candidate for implants due to its good combination of tailorable mechanical properties and low homogeneous in vitro degradation rate (DR).
A Hemispherical Image Sensor Array Fabricated with Organic Photomemory Transistors
Authors: Kim Yeongin , Zhu Chenxin , Lee Wen‐Ya , Smith Anna , Ma Haowen , Li Xiang , Son Donghee , Matsuhisa Naoji , Kim Jaemin , Bae Won‐Gyu , Cho Sung Ho , Kim Myung‐Gil , Kurosawa Tadanori , Katsumata Toru , To John W. F. , Oh Jin Young , Paik Seonghyun , Kim Soo Jin , Jin Lihua , Yan Feng , Tok Jeffrey B.‐H. , Bao Zhenan
Published: October 2022

Hemispherical image sensors simplify lens designs, reduce optical aberrations, and improve image resolution for compact wide‐field‐of‐view cameras. To achieve hemispherical image sensors, organic materials are promising candidates due to the following advantages: tunability of optoelectronic/spectral response and low‐temperature low‐cost processes. Here, a photolithographic process is developed to prepare a hemispherical image sensor array using organic thin film photomemory transistors with a density of 308 pixels per square centimeter. This design includes only one photomemory transistor as a single active pixel, in contrast to the conventional pixel architecture, consisting of select/readout/reset transistors and a photodiode. The organic photomemory transistor, comprising light‐sensitive organic semiconductor and charge‐trapping dielectric, is able to achieve a linear photoresponse (light intensity range, from 1 to 50 W m−2), along with a responsivity as high as 1.6 A W−1 (wavelength = 465 nm) for a dark current of 0.24 A m−2 (drain voltage = −1.5 V). These observed values represent the best responsivity for similar dark currents among all the reported hemispherical image sensor arrays to date. A transfer method was further developed that does not damage organic materials for hemispherical organic photomemory transistor arrays. These developed techniques are scalable and are amenable for other high‐resolution 3D organic semiconductor devices.
Reconstruction of Thiospinel to Active Sites and Spin Channels for Water Oxidation
Authors: Wu Tianze , Sun Yuanmiao , Ren Xiao , Wang Jiarui , Song Jiajia , Pan Yangdan , Mu Yongbiao , Zhang Jianshuo , Cheng Qiuzhen , Xian Guoyu , Xi Shibo , Shen Chengmin , Gao Hong‐Jun , Fisher Adrian C. , Sherburne Matthew P. , Du Yonghua , Ager Joel W. , Gracia Jose , Yang Haitao , Zeng Lin , Xu Zhichuan J.
Published: October 2022

Water electrolysis is a promising technique for carbon neutral hydrogen production. A great challenge remains at developing robust and low‐cost anode catalysts. Many pre‐catalysts are found to undergo surface reconstruction to give high intrinsic activity in the oxygen evolution reaction (OER). The reconstructed oxyhydroxides on the surface are active species and most of them outperform directly synthesized oxyhydroxides. The reason for the high intrinsic activity remains to be explored. Here, a study is reported to showcase the unique reconstruction behaviors of a pre‐catalyst, thiospinel CoFe2S4, and its reconstruction chemistry for a high OER activity. The reconstruction of CoFe2S4 gives a mixture with both Fe–S component and active oxyhydroxide (Co(Fe)OxHy) because Co is more inclined to reconstruct as oxyhydroxide, while the Fe is more stable in Fe–S component in a major form of Fe3S4. The interface spin channel is demonstrated in the reconstructed CoFe2S4, which optimizes the energetics of OER steps on Co(Fe)OxHy species and facilitates the spin sensitive electron transfer to reduce the kinetic barrier of O–O coupling. The advantage is also demonstrated in a membrane electrode assembly (MEA) electrolyzer. This work introduces the feasibility of engineering the reconstruction chemistry of the precatalyst for high performance and durable MEA electrolyzers.
Self‐Assembled Asperities for Pressure‐Tunable Adhesion
Authors: Deneke Naomi , Booth Jamie A. , Chan Edwin P. , Davis Chelsea S.
Published: October 2022

Control of adhesion is important in a host of applications including soft robotics, pick‐and‐place manufacturing, wearable devices, and transfer printing. While there are adhesive systems with discrete switchability between states of high and low adhesion, achieving continuously variable adhesion strength remains a challenge. In this work, a pressure‐tunable adhesive (PTA) that is based on the self‐assembly of stiff microscale asperities on an elastomeric substrate is presented. It is demonstrated that the adhesion strength of the PTA increases with the applied compressive preload due to the unique contact formation mechanism caused by the asperities. Additionally, a contact mechanics model is developed to explain the resulting trends. For a specific PTA design, the critical pull‐off force can be increased from 0.4 to 30 mN by increasing the applied preload from 1 to 30 mN. Finally, the applicability of precision control of adhesion strength is demonstrated by utilizing the PTA for pick‐and‐place material handling. The approach in pressure‐tunable adhesive design based on self‐assembly of asperities presents a scalable and versatile approach that is applicable to a variety of material systems having different mechanical or surface properties.
Long‐read sequence analysis for clustered genomic copy number aberrations revealed architectures of intricately intertwined rearrangements
Authors: Tamura Takeaki , Yamamoto Shimojima Keiko , Okamoto Nobuhiko , Yagasaki Hiroshi , Morioka Ichiro , Kanno Hitoshi , Minakuchi Yohei , Toyoda Atsushi , Yamamoto Toshiyuki
Published: October 2022

Most chromosomal aberrations revealed by chromosomal microarray testing (CMA) are simple; however, very complex chromosomal structural rearrangements can also be found. Although the mechanism of structural rearrangements has been gradually revealed, not all mechanisms have been elucidated. We analyzed the breakpoint‐junctions (BJs) of two or more clustered copy number variations (CNVs) in the same chromosome arms to understand their conformation and the mechanism of complex structural rearrangements. Combining CMA with long‐read whole‐genome sequencing (WGS) analysis, we successfully determined all BJs for the clustered CNVs identified in four patients. Multiple CNVs were intricately intertwined with each other, and clustered CNVs in four patients were involved in global complex chromosomal rearrangements. The BJs of two clustered deletions identified in two patients showed microhomologies, and their characteristics were explained by chromothripsis. In contrast, the BJs in the other two patients, who showed clustered deletions and duplications, consisted of blunt‐end and nontemplated insertions. These findings could be explained only by alternative nonhomologous end‐joining, a mechanism related to polymerase theta. All the patients had at least one inverted segment. Three patients showed cryptic aberrations involving a disruption and a deletion/duplication, which were not detected by CMA but were first identified by WGS. This result suggested that complex rearrangements should be considered if clustered CNVs are observed in the same chromosome arms. Because CMA has potential limitations in genotype–phenotype correlation analysis, a more detailed analysis by whole genome examination is recommended in cases of suspected complex structural aberrations.