bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Circadian clock regulates developmental time through ecdysone and juvenile hormones in Bombyx mori
Authors: Qiu Jianfeng , Dai Taiming , Luo Cheng , Cui Wenzhao , Liu Kai , Li Jianglan , Sima Yanghu , Xu Shiqing
Published: February 2023

The circadian clock plays an integral role in hormone biosynthesis and secretion. However, how the circadian clock precisely coordinates hormonal homeostasis to maintain normal animal development remains unclear. Here, we show that knocking out the core clock gene Cryptochrome 1 (Cry1) significantly delays the developmental time in Bombyx mori. This study focuses on the ecdysone and juvenile hormone signalling pathways of fifth instar larvae with the longest developmental time delay. We found that the mutant reduced prothoracicotropic hormone synthesis in the brain, and could not produce sufficient ecdysone in the prothoracic gland, resulting in a delayed peak of 20‐hydroxyecdysone titre in the hemolymph of fifth instar larvae, prolonging developmental time. Moreover, further investigation revealed that the mutant enhanced juvenile hormone biosynthesis and signalling pathway and that this higher juvenile hormone titre also resulted in prolonged developmental time in fifth instar larvae. Our results provide insights into the molecular mechanisms by which the circadian clock regulates animal development by maintaining hormonal homeostasis.
Caspase‐6 is a key regulator of cross‐talk signal way in PANoptosis in cancer
Authors: Qi Ling , Wang Li , Jin Mengru , Jiang Mingxia , Li Lisha , Li Yanjing
Published: February 2023

Cysteinyl aspartate specific proteinase (caspase)‐6 belongs to the caspase family and plays a vital role in mediating cell death. Under certain conditions, three pathways of programmed cell death (PCD), including apoptosis, necroptosis and pyroptosis (PANoptosis), transform one way into another, with enormous therapeutic potential. Initially, scholars reported that caspase‐6 is a caspase executor that mediates apoptosis. With the ceaseless exploration of the PCD types, studies have demonstrated that caspase‐6 mediates pyroptosis by regulating gasdermin D and mediates necroptosis by regulating mixed lineage kinase domain‐like. By regulating PANoptosis, caspase‐6 plays a crucial role in tumorigenesis in humans and mediates anti‐tumour immunity. Therefore, a comprehensive understanding of caspase‐6 function in cancer via PANoptosis is important for the prevention and therapy of tumours. This article summarized the function of caspase‐6 in PANoptosis and its impact on cancer development, providing targets and strategies for tumour treatment.
Predicting and optimizing the physical and spectroscopic properties of phosphate laser glasses using a phase diagram approach
Authors: Dong Shuangli , Jia Yanqi , Xiao Yongbao , Zhang Qinyuan
Published: February 2023

Despite the significant technological applications of laser glasses, the quantitative prediction and optimization of their properties, particularly the spectroscopic properties, remain challenging. Here we address this problem by regarding the nearest‐neighboring congruently melting compounds as the “component and structural motifs” based on the phase diagram approach. The composition–structure–property (CSP) relationships of Nd3+‐doped ternary phosphate glasses are investigated. Spectroscopic properties are quantitatively predicted with an error of less than 10% compared to the experimental results. In particular, the fluorescence lifetime (τm) can be accurately calculated using the phase diagram approach, which is difficult to be predicted previously. Furthermore, the CSP databases with over 1000 compositions are established for the optimization of commercial laser glasses. This study enriches the CSP database of traditional laser glass and provides guiding significance for future research.
A tohu (sign) to open our eyes to the realities of Indigenous Māori registered nurses: A qualitative study
Authors: Komene Ebony , Gerrard Debra , Pene Bobbie , Parr Jenny , Aspinall Cath , Wilson Denise
Published: February 2023

Aims

Identify the experiences of Māori nurses and priorities for a Māori model of relational care working with Māori patients and their whānau (extended family network) in acute hospital services.

Background

Māori, the Indigenous peoples of Aotearoa (New Zealand), have a relational and holistic worldview fundamental to establishing relationships with Māori patients and their whānau. Increasing the Indigenous Māori nursing workforce can improve Māori patient experiences but is challenged by ongoing recruitment and retention issues.

Design

A qualitative Māori‐centred research methodology with 12 Māori nurses.

Methods

Data were collected using wānanga (learning through discussion, deliberation and consideration) using he aha ō hikoi (journey mapping) and kōrero mai (storytelling). Inductive thematic analysis was undertaken using a mahi a roopū (group process) approach. This study was conducted between May 2022 and June 2022.

Results

Three key themes: (1) Māori first, nurse second, (2) Cultural loading and (3) Compromised realities were identified. Māori nurses' praxis used their complex cultural and clinical intelligence to engage in a mana‐enhancing way (strengths‐based) to improve the care delivery for whānau Māori during their hospitalization journey. Cultural loading meant Māori nurses were often burdened with unrecognized workloads as they provided care for Māori patients and whānau, which often compromised their cultural integrity.

Conclusion

Nurses' commitment to care for whānau and their assigned patient load created extra burdens and threatened their cultural integrity. Their experiences highlighted modes of practice rather than models of care required to improve healthcare delivery for Māori entering the hospital. These findings signal issues and areas nursing leaders need to heed, necessary for addressing the retention of Māori in nursing and improving workload equity.

Patient or Public Contribution

Māori nurses and service users were involved in the interpretation of the data.
No difference between critical and sprint swimming speeds for two galaxiid species
Authors: Crawford Rachel , Gee Eleanor , Dupont Deborah , Hicks Brendan , Franklin Paul
Published: February 2023

Researchers have used laboratory experiments to examine how fish might be affected by anthropogenic alterations and conclude how best to adjust fish passage and culvert remediation designs in response. A common way to document swimming performance for this purpose is measuring fish critical swimming speed (Ucrit). Nonetheless, the Ucrit protocol as defined by Brett [(1964) Journal of the Fisheries Research Board of Canada, 21, 1183–1226] may be inappropriate for studying swimming performance and determining how it relates to upstream migration in benthic fish, as they may not actively swim throughout the entire Ucrit test. An alternative method to estimate swimming performance is sprint swimming speed (Usprint), which is suggested to be a measure of the burst speed of fish rather than maximum sustained swimming speed. The authors conducted comparative swimming performance experiments to evaluate whether Usprint can be used to compare swimming performance of benthic species to that of pelagic, actively swimming species. They measured individual swimming speeds of īnanga (Galaxias maculatus), an actively swimming pelagic species, and banded kōkopu (Galaxias fasciatus), a fish that exhibits benthic station‐holding behaviour, using both the Usprint and Ucrit test. Experiments revealed that no significant statistical difference between swimming speeds was estimated using the Ucrit and Usprint test protocols for both G. maculatus and G. fasciatus. The result of this study suggests that fish swimming speeds obtained using these two methods are comparable for the species used in this study. By using Usprint for benthic‐associated fish and Ucrit for pelagic fish, we may be able to compare a broader range of species' swimming abilities for use in a fish passage context.
Key separable events in the remodelling of the pharyngeal arches
Authors: Poopalasundaram Subathra , Richardson Jo , Graham Anthony
Published: February 2023

The pharyngeal arches are a series of bulges on the lateral surface of the embryonic head. They are a defining feature of the most conserved, the phylotypic, stage of vertebrate development. In many vertebrate clades, the segmental arrangement of the pharyngeal arches is translated into the iterative anatomy of the gill arches. However, in amniotes the pharyngeal arches undergo a rearrangement during development and the segmental organisation of the pharynx is lost. This remodelling involves the expansion of the second arch which comes to overlie the more posterior arches. A transient sinus forms between the expanded second arch and the posterior arches, that is then lost, and the posterior arches are internalised. The morphogenesis of the second arch has been viewed as being central to this remodelling. Yet little is known about this process. Therefore, in this study, we have characterised the development of the second arch. We show that as the second arch expands, its posterior margin forms a leading edge and that the mesenchymal cells subjacent to this are in an elevated proliferative state. We further show that the posterior marginal epithelium is the site of expression of three key developmental signalling molecules: BMP7, FGF8 and SHH, and that their expression continues throughout the period of expansion. Using a novel approach, we have been able to simultaneously inhibit these three pathways, and we find that when this is done the second arch fails to establish its caudal projection and that there is a loss of proliferation in the posterior mesenchymal cells of the second arch. We have further used this manipulation to ask if the internalisation of the posterior arches is dependent upon the expansion of the second arch. We find that it is not—the posterior arches are still internalised when the expansion of the second arch is curtailed. We further show that while the collapse of the sinus is dependent upon thyroid hormone signalling, that this is not the case for the internalisation of the posterior pouches. Thus, the internalisation of the posterior arches is not dependent on the expansion of the second arch or on the collapse of the sinus. Finally, we show that the termination of expansion of the second arch correlates with a burst of morphogenetic cell death suggesting a mechanism for ending this. Thus, while it has long been thought that it is the morphogenesis of the second arch that drives the remodelling of the pharyngeal arches, we show that this is not the case. Rather the remodelling of the pharyngeal arches is a composite process that can split into contemporaneous but separate events: the expansion of the second arch, the internalisation of the posterior arches and the collapse of the sinus.
Healthy and Respectful Relationship Education: Differences by Disability Status and Associations With Sexual Abuse
Authors: Newby‐Kew Abigail , Horner‐Johnson Willi
Published: February 2023

BACKGROUND

Education about healthy and respectful relationships (HRR) is a key component of comprehensive sexual health curricula and is supposed to be universally provided in Oregon. This study: (1) assesses the extent to which high school students with disabilities received HRR education, and (2) examines associations between HRR education and experiences of sexual abuse.

METHODS

Using data from the 2019 Oregon Healthy Teens survey, we conducted multivariable Poisson regression to compare 11th grade students with and without disabilities on self‐reported receipt of school based HRR instruction (N = 10,992), and to measure associations between HRR education and sexual abuse experiences among teens with (N = 3736) and without (N = 7256) disabilities.

RESULTS

Students with disabilities were 41% more likely than students without disabilities to say they had never been taught in school about HRR (adjusted prevalence ratio 1.41, 95% confidence interval: 1.25‐156). Experiences of sexual abuse victimization were more common for all students who did not receive HRR education (34.1% vs 21.6% among students with disabilities; 16.2% vs 7.5% among students without disabilities).

CONCLUSIONS

Students with disabilities are less likely to have received school‐based HRR education than their peers without disabilities. Providing inclusive HRR education may help reduce risk of sexual abuse and is essential for addressing health disparities affecting youth with disabilities.
Adolescents with chronic conditions: Engagement with children's mental health systems during the Covid‐19 pandemic
Authors: Courtwright Suzanne E. , Jones Jacqueline , Barton Amy , Peterson Kerry , Eigen Karen , Feuerstein Jessica , Pawa Anil , Pawa Akhil , Northridge Jennifer , Pall Harpreet
Published: February 2023

Purpose

The Covid‐19 pandemic contributed to adverse adolescent mental health outcomes globally. Adolescents with chronic conditions have four times the odds of self‐harm than peers. Little evidence exists to guide pediatric nurses on how to engage this vulnerable population with mental health support as the pandemic continues. In adults with chronic conditions, positive health assets (health access literacy, health self‐efficacy, and emotional well‐being) are directly related to improved patient engagement. The objective of this study was to gain a deeper understanding of engagement with mental health supports in adolescents with chronic conditions to inform practice.

Design and Methods

Using mixed methods, we surveyed and interviewed adolescents with chronic conditions aged 10–20 years. Random sampling was applied to avoid bias. Valid and reliable scales were used to measure health access literacy, health self‐efficacy, and emotional well‐being. Textual data were collected using a semistructured interview guide. Integrated data analysis was conducted using structural equation models and interpretive phenomenology.

Results

One hundred fifty‐four participants provided numerical data and 17 participants provided textual data (mean age 15.5 years; 56% female, 5.8% agender; 56% White; 16.9% Black or African American, 4.5% Asian; 51.9% Hispanic or Latinx; 23.4% LGBTQ+). The structural model was an acceptable fit for the data (comparative fit index [CFI] = 0.97, Tucker–Lewis index [TLI] = 0.95). Participants reported higher levels of health access literacy (M = 3.88, SD = 0.848) than health self‐efficacy (M = 2.98, SD = 0.646), and engagement (M = 1.78, SD = 1.71). Health access literacy predicted emotional well‐being (β = .33, p < .001, 95% confidence interval [CI] [.20, .50]) and health self‐efficacy (β = .52, p < .001, 95% CI [0.42, .062]). Emotional well‐being positively predicted health self‐efficacy (β = .21, p < .003, 90% CI [0.10, 0.033]). Health self‐efficacy predicted engagement (β = .20, p < .01, 90% CI [0.07, 0.034]). Participants reported not engaging until “it was really, really bad” citing fear, stigma, and lack of connectedness with providers as barriers.

Practice Implications

Regardless of health access literacy and health self‐efficacy, adolescents with chronic conditions may not engage until crisis levels. Pediatric nurses can aim to engage with this vulnerable population proactively.
A heterozygous mutation in ITGB4 causing a mild phenotype of junctional epidermolysis bullosa
Authors: Li Zhongtao , Wang Lin , Wang Sheng
Published: February 2023

Mutations in ITGB4 are known to cause autosomal recessive junctional epidermolysis bullosa (JEB), which is manifested by severe blistering and granulation tissue, usually complicating pyloric atresia and even leading to death. ITGB4‐associated autosomal dominant epidermolysis bullosa has rarely been documented. Herein, we identified a heterozygous pathogenic variant (c.433G>T; p.Asp145Tyr) in ITGB4 causing a mild phenotype of JEB in a Chinese family.
To obey or not to obey? Can game theory explain human behavior in the context of coronavirus disease?
Authors: Arbel Yuval , Arbel Yifat , Kerner Amichai , Kerner Miryam
Published: February 2023

The objective of the current study is to explain noncompliance to social distancing rules in Western societies in the absence of a stringent law enforcement mechanism and vaccines. In the first part of the analysis, an evolutionary game theory mechanism of two players is developed. The theoretical model assumes the existence of the prisoner's dilemma due to personal inconveniences associated with mask wearing, hand washing, and lockdowns. The model demonstrates that in the absence of sufficient law enforcement mechanism, and regardless of the initial strategy undertaken, one of the three potential equilibria solutions is the convergence of the system to defection of both players. In the second part of the analysis, based on the freedom‐house measures, we provide empirical evidence supporting the notion that law enforcement efficiency is higher in autocratic countries. We show the perseverance of higher projected infection rates per 100,000 persons in democratic countries even 8 months after the outbreak of the COVID‐19 pandemic. Given the well‐known inclination to cooperate more often than expected by game theory, this real‐life outcome of noncompliance is remarkable. Moreover, the recent protests against lockdowns in China might reflect a shift from one equilibrium point (cooperation) to another (noncompliance).
Sheriffs, right‐wing extremism, and the limits of U.S. federalism during a crisis
Authors: Farris Emily M. , Holman Mirya R.
Published: February 2023

Background

During the COVID‐19 crisis, sheriffs across the country vocally refused to implement mask mandates.

Objectives

In this note, we argue that resistance to mask mandates emerged out of successful efforts to recruit sheriffs into right‐wing extremism (RWE) and its foundations in white supremacy, nativism, and anti‐government extremism.

Methods

We draw on upon historical analysis and a national survey of sheriffs

Results

We show how RWE movements recruited sheriffs and that a substantial share of sheriffs adopted RWE attitudes. We argue that this radicalization of county sheriffs primes them to resist a core component of federalism: mandates by supra governments. We identify a relationship between sheriffs. RWE attitudes and their resistance to enforcing COVID‐19 mask mandates.

Conclusion

Our work demonstrates the importance of considering the implications of violent extremism in the United States, particularly as it aligns with local law enforcement.
EFFECT OF PRINT BED’S HEAT FLOW ON CURLING AND SURFACE ROUGHNESS OF FDM-PRINTED ABS SAMPLE
Authors: Lau Kok-Tee , Mohammad Taha Mastura , Abdul Kudus Syahibudil Ikhwan , Chung See Ern
Published: February 2023

The optimization of printing parameters, in particular the print bed aspect, is essential for the further improvement of print quality. This paper investigates the effect of the print bed’s heat flow and surface properties (i.e. materials and surface roughness) on the curling defect and surface roughness of the ABS-based dog bone designed print. The print bed temperature is varied, and the corresponding heat flow is measured using a portable heat flow meter. The maximum z deflection (curling) of the print is characterized using Geomagic Control X metrology software by measuring the dimension deviation of the 3D scanned print compared with the CAD drawing. The surface roughness in terms of the Ra and Rz of the print are obtained by a stylus-based contact profilometer. The measured heat flow data have a positive linear correlation with the print bed temperature, which is confirmed by our theoretical calculation. The surface roughness of the print is higher when printed on the zinc plate-overlaid print bed, compared with the standard (unmodified) print bed. Furthermore, the applied heat flow has a large positive correlation with the print’s roughness but no correlation with the maximum z deflection. The roughness and z-deflection behaviour are attributed to the curling at the grip section of the print, resulting in a shorter interaction time with the print bed surface compared with the gage section that remains in physical contact throughout the 3D printing.
EXPERIMENTAL INVESTIGATION OF HEAT TRANSFER OF SUPERCRITICAL FLUID FLOWING IN A TUBE WITH TWISTED TAPE
Authors: Jaddoa Ameer Abed
Published: February 2023

An experimental study is introduced in this investigation to analyses the behavior of heat transfer in a cooled upstanding turbulent inflow environment of supercritical carbon dioxide. A combination of the method is utilized in dealing with empirical data obtained by a perpendicular tube with bending tape applied in the test model. In presenting the results, we adopted a common method 'the dimensionless constitution' throughout experimental procedures. Also, a development toward the correlation between the parameters is achieved for upward and downward inflows. The obtained outcomes could be supported and fill a gap presents in the previous studies on turbulent perpendicular composite heat load based on cooled circumstances. The empirical outcomes present the impact of buoyancy forces on the heat transfer operation. The recommendation of the present work is the develop a numerical model for supercritical CO2 gas cooling in a tube with twisted tape.
ZINGIBER ZERUMBET: PHARMACOLOGICAL VALUES OF ZERUMBONE AND THE EXTRACTION TECHNOLOGY EVOLUTION
Authors: Ahmad Nurul 'Uyun , Mad Nordin Mariam Firdhaus , Mokhtar Norrashidah , Mohamad Abdul Wahab Izzati , Mohamad Mardawani , Ka Liong Tan , Mohd Amir Siti Nur Khairunisa
Published: February 2023

Over the past eight decades, numerous research has been conducted on the extraction of Zingiber zerumbet rhizome. The mini-review includes information on the pharmacological properties of zerumbone extracted from Z. zerumbet rhizome and the extraction methods conducted over the previous 80 years. Zerumbone is recognised as having a proven pharmacological effect and is a significant medicinal component used to treat various ailments. The pharmacological values are stated based on the research findings. The extraction method and technology are essential to extract zerumbone. Thus, the review helps the reader keep up with the history of each technique or technology used in extracting zerumbone from Z. zerumbet rhizome, starting with conventional technology and moving toward advanced technology.
Fictive Testimony and Genre Tension: A Study of ‘Functionality of Genre in Manto’s ‘Toba Tek Singh’
Authors: C Muhil , Tomy Prajeesh
Published: February 2023

Toba Tek Singh by Manto is one of the finest short stories that capture the mood and the anxiety of the partition while still being satirical and ironic. This short story poses problematic questions when it is called a 'fictive testimony'. This article attempts to deal with the problem of genre classification and how this genre category needs to be understood without being completely ignored. A genre label is not seen here as a final verdict about what the text should be or a cage within which a piece of literature is once and for all locked. Rather, it tries to look at the genre label as that which highlights a function of the text thereby reiterating the fact that a work of literature stands beyond the genre categorisation. The label ‘Fictive Testimony’ is therefore interpreted as underlining a function that the short story serves to accomplish – giving voice to the voiceless.
Tangible Heritage and Intangible Memory: (Coping) Precarity in the Select Partition Writings by Muslim Women
Authors: Asif Sana , Singh Sukhdev
Published: February 2023

The partition of British India into two sovereign independent nations of India and Pakistan in 1947 was one of the most defining moments of the socio-political course of the sub-continent. The fight for independence from colonial rule and the rise of nationalism rooted in the religious discourse of two prominent religious communities- Hindus and Muslims, led to a precarious situation in the general atmosphere of the nation. It was even more pronounced in the case of women whose voices were marginalised and underrepresented in the discourse.Building on the theories of precarity and applying the theories of feminist geography, this paper aims to investigate how, through the everyday materiality of heritage spaces and historical memory, Muslim women tried to cope with the precarity of the time. It further aims to highlight the role of tangible and intangible heritage and memory in making sense of place in the select partition writings by Muslim women.
The New Sociology of Childhood: Animal Representations in Leslie Marmon Silko’s Garden in the Dunes, Amazon’s Oh My Dog and Netflix’s Mughizh: A Cross-Cultural Analysis
Authors: S Asha , Radhakrishnan Vineeth
Published: February 2023

The theory of “new sociology of childhood” and “universalism in cross-cultural psychology” highlights that children experience different childhood based on their cultural and social contexts. Children are social actors responsible for taking situations into action. Research considers children as neglected bodies in the field of children and childhood. This research paper compares Native American and Indian children’s competence as social actors, the definition of, experiences, and feelings towards animals. The objective is to show that children and animals are closely connected and that children’s childhood is based on their experiences with animals. In the children’s novel, Garden in Dunes (1999), Leslie Marmon Silko narrates the story of Indigo accompanied by Linnaeus (a monkey) and Rainbow (a parrot) which shapes the world around her. Oh My Dog (2022) and Mugzhil (2021), broadcasted on Amazon Prime and Netflix respectively, are stories based on young children who love and care for their pet dogs. Findings suggest that children’s emotions and approach towards animals are the same in both cultures but their experiences vary from one place to another.
Life and (non)Living: Technological and Human Conglomeration in Android Kunjappan Version 5.25
Authors: P J Arya , R Bhuvaneswari
Published: February 2023

In post-modern society, we (humans) share our space with machines. Though there is no doubt in the efficiency of the machines there is always a doubt in their reason. Machines being programmed cannot exercise reason like humans. Their assistance is limited to the commands designed by the engineer. The Malayalam movie Android Kunjappan Version 5.25 pictures the limitations and advantages of one such robotic creation. The movie narrates the tale of an old man and his association with a robot which becomes his solace and companion. The film questions the association between humans and machines. It raises the fear of constructing and destroying the boundaries between the machine world and the human world. This article attempts to use the concept of cyborg introduced by Donna Haraway in ‘Cyborg Manifesto’; though Haraway uses the concept of a cyborg from a Feminist perspective, the paper attempts to look at the relationship between man and machine using the concept ‘cyborg’. This fusion of the living and non-living is sceptical and this anxiety is presented in the film. The film also captured the naivety of the commoners who are new to the monstrous world of machines. The paper’s primary aim is to list how cyborgs transgress the limitations set by society. Another objective is to discuss the anxieties of the post-modern world when technology and life hold hands. The article considers the film a futuristic art that leaves a message to the viewers; cyborgs will become an inevitable facet of the human world.
Sesenta años de una Facultad expresados en veinte años de una revista: Sección Especial Monográfica Universitas Psychologica
Authors: Burbano Valente Johanna , Ardila Charry Emy
Published: February 2023

Editorial especial.
Depth-dependence of the underwater noise emission from melting glacier ice
Authors: Vishnu Hari , Deane Grant B. , Glowacki Oskar , Chitre Mandar , Johnson Hayden , Moskalik Mateusz , Stokes Dale
Published: February 2023

Submarine-melting of ice at the glacier-ocean interface accounts for a large portion of the ice-loss at tidewater glaciers and produces sound via bubble-release. The sound production is dominant in the sub-surface region near the glacier-ocean interface. This depth-dependence of the sound is studied by melting ice blocks in a glacial bay at various depths up to 20 m and recording their acoustics over a large frequency range. The acoustic energy decreases with depth in line with expectations from the physics of the phenomenon and is fit to an exponentially decaying curve. The estimated variation will be useful for interpreting the sound in marine-terminating glaciers bays in terms of the submarine-melting activity.
Inhibition of the mitochondrial pyruvate carrier simultaneously mitigates hyperinflammation and hyperglycemia in COVID-19
Authors: Zhu Bibo , Wei Xiaoqin , Narasimhan Harish , Qian Wei , Zhang Ruixuan , Cheon In Su , Wu Yue , Li Chaofan , Jones Russell G. , Kaplan Mark H. , Vassallo Robert A. , Braciale Thomas J. , Somerville Lindsay , Colca Jerry R. , Pandey Akhilesh , Jackson Patrick E. H. , Mann Barbara J. , Krawczyk Connie M. , Sturek Jeffrey M. , Sun Jie
Published: February 2023

The relationship between diabetes and coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is bidirectional: Although individuals with diabetes and high blood glucose (hyperglycemia) are predisposed to severe COVID-19, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection can also cause hyperglycemia and exacerbate underlying metabolic syndrome. Therefore, interventions capable of breaking the network of SARS-CoV-2 infection, hyperglycemia, and hyperinflammation, all factors that drive COVID-19 pathophysiology, are urgently needed. Here, we show that genetic ablation or pharmacological inhibition of mitochondrial pyruvate carrier (MPC) attenuates severe disease after influenza or SARS-CoV-2 pneumonia. MPC inhibition using a second-generation insulin sensitizer, MSDC-0602K (MSDC), dampened pulmonary inflammation and promoted lung recovery while concurrently reducing blood glucose levels and hyperlipidemia after viral pneumonia in obese mice. Mechanistically, MPC inhibition enhanced mitochondrial fitness and destabilized hypoxia-inducible factor–1α, leading to dampened virus-induced inflammatory responses in both murine and human lung macrophages. We further showed that MSDC enhanced responses to nirmatrelvir (the antiviral component of Paxlovid) to provide high levels of protection against severe host disease development after SARS-CoV-2 infection and suppressed cellular inflammation in human COVID-19 lung autopsies, demonstrating its translational potential for treating severe COVID-19. Collectively, we uncover a metabolic pathway that simultaneously modulates pulmonary inflammation, tissue recovery, and host metabolic health, presenting a synergistic therapeutic strategy to treat severe COVID-19, particularly in patients with underlying metabolic disease.
Distinct Ecological Processes Mediate Domain-Level Differentiation in Microbial Spatial Scaling
Authors: Gong Xiaofan , Liu Xia , Li Yueyue , Ma Kai , Song Wen , Zhou Jiayin , Tu Qichao
Published: February 2023

As the most diverse and numerous life form on Earth, microorganisms play indispensable roles in natural ecological processes. Revealing their diversity patterns across space and through time is of essential importance to better understand the underlying ecological mechanisms controlling the distribution and assembly of microbial communities.
Bioaccumulation Pattern of the SARS-CoV-2 Spike Proteins in Pacific Oyster Tissues
Authors: Lyu Chenang , An Ran , Liu Chu , Shi Zhentao , Wang Yanfei , Luo Guangda , Li Jingwen , Wang Dapeng
Published: February 2023

This is the first article to investigate the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein bioaccumulation pattern and mechanism in Pacific oysters by the histochemical method. Oysters can bioaccumulate SARS-CoV-2 capsid readily by filter-feeding behavior assisted by specific binding ligands.
Combinations but Not a Single PlpE Epitope Induces Host Protective Immunity against Pasteurella multocida
Authors: Zhu Weifeng , Zhou Banghui , Chen Lu , Zhao Juan , Rao Huaqin
Published: February 2023

Pasteurella multocida
is the causative agent of a wide range of diseases (pasteurellosis) and a zoonotic pathogen in humans. Recombinant subunit vaccines are hot spots in recent pasteurellosis vaccine development.
High-Throughput Mutagenesis Reveals a Role for Antimicrobial Resistance- and Virulence-Associated Mobile Genetic Elements in Staphylococcus aureus Host Adaptation
Authors: Ba Xiaoliang , Matuszewska Marta , Kalmar Lajos , Fan Jingyan , Zou Geng , Corander Desirée , Raisen Claire L. , Li Shaowen , Li Lu , Weinert Lucy A. , Tucker Alexander W. , Grant Andrew J. , Zhou Rui , Holmes Mark A.
Published: February 2023

CC398 is the dominant type of methicillin-resistant
Staphylococcus aureus
(MRSA) in European livestock and a growing cause of human infections. Previous studies have suggested MRSA CC398 evolved from human-associated methicillin-sensitive
Staphylococcus aureus
and is capable of rapidly readapting to human hosts while maintaining antibiotic resistance.
Staphylococcal Enterotoxin B and C Mutants and Vaccine Toxoids
Authors: Schlievert Patrick M.
Published: February 2023

Toxic shock syndrome toxin 1 (TSST-1) and staphylococcal enterotoxins B and C cause the majority of cases of staphylococcal toxic shock syndrome. Previously, vaccine toxoids of TSST-1 have been prepared. In this study, vaccine toxoids of enterotoxins B and C were prepared. The toxoids lost biological toxicity but were able to vaccinate rabbits against lethal TSS.
Is it possible for drug shops to abide by the formal rules? The structural determinants of community medicine sales in Uganda
Authors: Hutchinson Eleanor , Hansen Kristian Schultz , Sanyu Jacquellyn , Amonya Lydia Peace , Mundua Sunday , Balabanova Dina , Clarke Sian E , Kitutu Freddy Eric
Published: February 2023

The medicines retail sector is an essential element of many health systems in Africa and Asia, but it is also well known for poor practice. In the literature, it is recognised that improvements in the sector can only be made if more effective forms of governance and regulation can be identified. Recent debate suggests that interventions responsive to structural constraints that shape and underpin poor practice is a useful way forward. This paper presents data from a mixed-methods study conducted to explore regulation and the professional, economic and social constraints that shape rule breaking among drug shops in one district in Uganda. Our findings show that regulatory systems are undermined by frequent informal payments, and that although drug shops are often run by qualified staff, many are unlicensed and sell medicines beyond their legal permits. Most shops have either a small profit or a loss and rely on family and friends for additional resources as they compete in a highly saturated market. We argue that in the current context, drug shop vendors are survivalist entrepreneurs operating in a market in which it is extremely difficult to abide by policy, remain profitable and provide a service to the community. Structural changes in the medicines market, including removing unqualified sellers and making adjustments to policy are likely prerequisite if drug shops are to become places where individuals can earn a living, abide by the rules and facilitate access to medicines for people living in some of the world’s poorest countries.
Decoding fMRI alcohol cue reactivity and its association with drinking behaviour
Authors: Tan Haoye , Gerchen Martin Fungisai , Bach Patrick , Lee Alycia M , Hummel Oliver , Sommer Wolfgang , Kirsch Peter , Kiefer Falk , Vollstädt-Klein Sabine
Published: February 2023

Background

Cue reactivity, the enhanced sensitivity to conditioned cues, is associated with habitual and compulsive alcohol consumption. However, most previous studies in alcohol use disorder (AUD) compared brain activity between alcohol and neutral conditions, solely as cue-triggered neural reactivity.

Objective

This study aims to find the neural subprocesses during the processing of visual alcohol cues in AUD individuals, and how these neural patterns are predictive for relapse.

Methods

Using cue reactivity and rating tasks, we separately modelled the patterns decoding the processes of visual object recognition and reward appraisal of alcohol cues with representational similarity analysis, and compared the decoding involvements (ie, distance between neural responses and hypothesised decoding models) between AUD and healthy individuals. We further explored connectivity between the identified neural systems and the whole brain and predicted relapse within 6 months using decoding involvements of the neural patterns.

Findings

AUD individuals, compared with healthy individuals, showed higher involvement of motor-related brain regions in decoding visual features, and their reward, habit and executive networks were more engaged in appraising reward values. Connectivity analyses showed the involved neural systems were widely connected with higher cognitive networks during alcohol cue processing in AUD individuals, and decoding involvements of frontal eye fields and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex could contribute to relapse prediction.

Conclusions

These findings provide insight into how AUD individuals differently decode alcohol cues compared with healthy participants, from the componential processes of visual object recognition and reward appraisal.

Clinical implications

The identified patterns are suggested as biomarkers and potential therapeutic targets in AUD.
Cumulative incidence of SARS-CoV-2 infection within the homeless population: insights from a city-wide longitudinal study
Authors: Mosnier Emilie , Loubiere Sandrine , Monfardini Elisabetta , Alibert Agathe , Landier Jordi , Ninoves Laeticia , Bosetti Thomas , Auquier Pascal , Mosnier Marine , Wakap Stephanie Nguengang , Warszawski Josiane , Tinland Aurelie
Published: February 2023

Objectives

The aim of this study was to determine the risk factors associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection in a cohort of homeless people using survival analysis. Seroprevalence in the homeless community was also compared with that of the general population.

Design

Cohort study.

Setting

Data were collected across two testing sessions, 3 months apart, during which each participant was tested for anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies and completed a face-to-face survey.

Participants

All homeless adults sleeping rough, in slums or squats, in emergency shelters or transitional accommodation in Marseille were eligible.

Primary outcome measures

Occurrence of a seroconversion event defined as a biologically confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection. Local data from a national seroprevalence survey were used for comparison between homeless people and the general population.

Results

A total of 1249 people were included. SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence increased from 6.0% (4.7–7.3) during the first session to 18.9% (16.0–21.7) during the second one, compared with 3.0% (1.9–4.2) and 6.5% (4.5–8.7) in the general population. Factors significantly associated with an increased risk of COVID-19 infection were: having stayed in emergency shelters (1.93 (1.18–3.15)), being an isolated parent (1.64 (1.07–2.52)) and having contact with more than 5–15 people per day (1.84 (1.27–2.67)). By contrast, smoking (0.46 (0.32–0.65)), having financial resources (0.70 (0.51–0.97)) and psychiatric or addictive comorbidities (0.52 (0.32–0.85)) were associated with a lower risk.

Conclusion

We confirm that homeless people have higher infection rates than the general population, with increased risk in emergency shelters. There is growing evidence that, in addition to usual preventive measures, public policies should pay attention to adapt the type of accommodation and overall approach of precariousness.

Trial registration number

NCT04408131
Prevalence and associated factors of acute gastroenteritis in children and adolescents aged from 6 to 17 years old: a cross-sectional study based on the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey database 1999–2018
Authors: Cai Hailun , Shao Yanyan , Yu Weihao
Published: February 2023

Objective

To explore the prevalence of acute gastroenteritis (AGE) and associated factors in children and adolescents in the USA from 1999 to 2018 using nationally representative data.

Design

A retrospective cross-sectional study.

Setting

The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) database.

Participants

25 361 children and adolescents aged 6–17 years old.

Primary and secondary outcome measures

Whether the patient suffered from AGE.

Results

Totally 1882 suffered from AGE. The overall monthly prevalence of AGE in children and adolescents was 7.69%. From 1999 to 2018, the prevalence of AGE in the USA had been decreasing over time. The decreasing trend was observed in all subgroups, including age, gender, body mass index (BMI), education level, poverty index and eating food at the restaurant. There were two small upticks from 2003 to 2007 and 2013 to 2015. AGE was negatively associated with male compared with female (OR=0.86, 95% CI: 0.73 to 0.99, p=0.035), Mexican American (OR=0.82, 95% CI: 0.70 to 0.97, p=0.018) and non-Hispanic Black (OR=0.80, 95% CI: 0.69 to 0.93, p=0.003) compared with non-Hispanic White. AGE was positively associated with obesity compared with underweight and normal weight (OR=1.37, 95% CI: 1.15 to 1.62, p<0.001).

Conclusion

The monthly prevalence of AGE was 7.69% and showed a downward trend from 1999 to 2018 in the USA.
Determinants of implementing artificial intelligence-based clinical decision support tools in healthcare: a scoping review protocol
Authors: Bajgain Bishnu , Lorenzetti Diane , Lee Joon , Sauro Khara
Published: February 2023

Introduction

Artificial intelligence (AI), the simulation of human intelligence processes by machines, is being increasingly leveraged to facilitate clinical decision-making. AI-based clinical decision support (CDS) tools can improve the quality of care and appropriate use of healthcare resources, and decrease healthcare provider burnout. Understanding the determinants of implementing AI-based CDS tools in healthcare delivery is vital to reap the benefits of these tools. The objective of this scoping review is to map and synthesise determinants (barriers and facilitators) to implementing AI-based CDS tools in healthcare.

Methods and analysis

This scoping review will follow the Joanna Briggs Institute methodology and the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analysis extension for Scoping Reviews checklist. The search terms will be tailored to each database, which includes MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL, APA PsycINFO and the Cochrane Library. Grey literature and references of included studies will also be searched. The search will include studies published from database inception until 10 May 2022. We will not limit searches by study design or language. Studies that either report determinants or describe the implementation of AI-based CDS tools in clinical practice or/and healthcare settings will be included. The identified determinants (barriers and facilitators) will be described by synthesising the themes using the Theoretical Domains Framework. The outcome variables measured will be mapped and the measures of effectiveness will be summarised using descriptive statistics.

Ethics and dissemination

Ethics approval is not required because all data for this study have been previously published. The findings of this review will be published in a peer-reviewed journal and presented at academic conferences. Importantly, the findings of this scoping review will be widely presented to decision-makers, health system administrators, healthcare providers, and patients and family/caregivers as part of an implementation study of an AI-based CDS for the treatment of coronary artery disease.
Pharmacotherapy for improving postoperative sleep quality: a protocol for a systematic review and network meta-analysis
Authors: Yang Di , Yang Lei , Li Qian , Zuo Yunxia
Published: February 2023

Introduction

Improving the quality of sleep may promote enhanced recovery in surgical patients. In addition to controversial or conflicting study conclusions, the current clinical studies on pharmacotherapy for improving postoperative sleep quality are mostly limited to evaluating the effect of a specific drug or supplement compared with placebo, and they lack comparisons between drugs or supplements. Therefore, we plan to conduct a systematic review and network meta-analysis to compare the efficacy of different drugs or supplements for improving postoperative sleep quality.

Methods and analysis

We will search the MEDLINE, Embase, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, CNKI and Wanfang databases from the dates of their inception to December 2022. We will only include randomised controlled trials, irrespective of language and publication status. The primary outcome is postoperative sleep quality assessed by any validated tools or polysomnography. We will assess the quality of all included trials according to version 2 of the Cochrane risk-of-bias tool for randomised trials. We will use the GeMTC package of R software to perform direct and indirect comparisons via a Bayesian framework using a random-effects model. We will use the Confidence in Network Meta-Analysis approach to evaluate the quality of evidence.

Ethics and dissemination

Ethical approval is not required for this protocol because we will only be pooling published data. We plan to submit our review to academic conferences and peer-reviewed academic journals.

PROSPERO registration number

CRD42022356508.
Sociodemographic disparities in ophthalmological clinical trials
Authors: Nakayama Luis Filipe , Mitchell William Greig , Shapiro Skyler , Santiago Alvina Pauline D. , Phanphruk Warachaya , Kalua Khumbo , Celi Leo Anthony , Regatieri Caio Vinicius Saito
Published: February 2023

Introduction

In ophthalmology, clinical trials (CTs) guide the treatment of diseases such as diabetic retinopathy, myopia, age-related macular degeneration, glaucoma and keratoconus with distinct presentations, pathological characteristics and responses to treatment in minority populations.

Reporting gender and race and ethnicity in healthcare studies is currently recommended by National Institutes of Health (NIH) and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) guidelines to ensure representativeness and generalisability; however, CT results that include this information have been limited in the past 30 years.

The objective of this review is to analyse the sociodemographic disparities in ophthalmological phases III and IV CT based on publicly available data.

Methods

This study included phases III and IV complete ophthalmological CT available fromclinicaltrials.org, and describes the country distribution, race and ethnicity description and gender, and funding characteristics.

Results

After a screening process, we included 654 CTs, with findings that corroborate the previous CT reviews’ findings that most ophthalmological participants are white and from high-income countries. A description of race and ethnicity is reported in 37.1% of studies but less frequently included within the most studied ophthalmological specialty area (cornea, retina, glaucoma and cataracts). The incidence of race and ethnicity reporting has improved during the past 7 years.

Discussion

Although NIH and FDA promote guidelines to improve generalisability in healthcare studies, the inclusion of race and ethnicity in publications and diverse participants in ophthalmological CT is still limited. Actions from the research community and related stakeholders are necessary to increase representativeness and guarantee generalisability in ophthalmological research results to optimise care and reduce related healthcare disparities.