bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Factors influencing the integration of indigenous and conventional knowledge of water security for livestock
Authors: Getyengana K. , Kamba E. T. , Mkwanazi M. V. , Ndlela S. Z. , Mwale M. , Chimonyo M.
Published: March 2023

Farmers have developed indigenous knowledge (IK) on predictive and adaptation strategies to sustain water security. The objective of the study was to determine factors that influence the integration of IK and conventional knowledge (CK) to ensure water security for livestock. Focus group discussions and semi-structured interviews were used to gather data. Farmers in Musina and uMhlabuyalingana use IK indicators to predict rain for water security. Farmers in uMhlabuyalingana predicted rain using wind movement more than their counterparts in Musina (P < 0.05). Taboos were used (P > 0.05) in both Musina and uMhlabuyalingana to ensure water security. Cultural prohibitions were used more in uMhlabuyalingana to cope with water shortages than in Musina (P < 0.05). Boreholes, home taps and municipal water were not properly maintained (P > 0.05). Socio-economic factors had greater influence on the integration of IK and CK. Males were 2.24 times likely to support integration of IK and CK compared to women. Adults were 7.1 times likely to support integration of IK and CK compared to those that were younger. Farmers were open to the integration of conventional and indigenous knowledge to ensure water security. Promoting the integration of IK and CK enables stakeholders to gain access to valuable information which can, in turn, promote sustainable community development.
Discard Coal as Filter Bed Material in Horizontal Subsurface Flow Constructed Wetlands: a Preliminary Study
Authors: Tebitendwa Sylvie Muwanga , Cowan Ashton Keith
Published: March 2023

Constructed wetlands (CWs) are engineered systems that use the natural functions of vegetation, substrate and microorganisms to treat wastewater. In coal mining regions, low calorific coals are dumped as discard. Left unattended, discard and slurry ponds contaminate surface and groundwater, cause erosion and sedimentation of particulates into nearby rivers and dams and contribute to atmospheric pollution and landslides. This study sought to investigate the use of South African bituminous discard as filter bed material for CW. A laboratory-scale horizontal subsurface flow (HSF) CW was supplied either nutrient-poor tap water (TW) or nutrient-rich advanced facultative pond (AFP) effluent, and quality of the treated water monitored over 6 months. Additionally, residual material from the discard coal filter bed was assayed after 6 months to establish substrate stability and to assess the contribution of phyto-biodegradation. Results showed successful establishment of P. australis on discard coal, better plant performance (measured as PSII quantum yield and biomass accumulation) and greater nutrient removal when fed AFP effluent. Discard coal filter bed material had greater ash content, sustained fixed carbon and C/N ratio with unchanged electrical conductivity (EC) and sulphate and phosphate concentration, indicative of balanced ion exchange. This, along with a > 70% reduction in NH4+-N concentration, yielded a final effluent within the general limit set by the South African authority for either irrigation or discharge, into a water resource that is not a listed water resource, for volumes up to 2000 m3 on any given day.
Association between time spent on smartphones and digital eye strain: A 1-year prospective observational study among Hong Kong children and adolescents
Authors: Chu Geoffrey C. H. , Chan Lily Y. L. , Do Chi-wai , Tse Andy C. Y. , Cheung Teris , Szeto Grace P. Y. , So Billy C. L. , Lee Regina L. T. , Lee Paul H.
Published: March 2023

Prolonged electronic screen use can cause digital eye strain. It can be difficult to rectify due to increasing smartphone reliance, potentially leading to serious public health problems. To investigate the association between time spent on smartphones and digital eye strain (DES) among Hong Kong Chinese school-aged children. Of a total of 1,508 students (748 males, 49.6%) from 8 to 14 years old (mean age = 10.91 years, SD = 2.01) who provided valid data on DES, the 1,298 (86%) who completed the DES questionnaire at 1-year follow-up were included in the analysis. DES was measured using a 10-item scale, and the sum of the 10 dichotomised scores was used as the DES total score. The most commonly reported symptoms were eye fatigue (n = 804, 53.3%), blurred vision (changing from reading to distance viewing) (n = 586, 38.9%), and irritated or burning eyes (n = 516, 34.2%). The DES total scores at baseline and 1-year follow-up were 2.91 (SD = 2.90) and 3.20 (SD = 3.19), respectively. Linear regression controlling for demographic and socio-economic confounders showed that participants with baseline smartphone usage of 241 + min/d had a significantly higher baseline total DES score than those with baseline smartphone usage of 0–60 min/d (2.44 vs 3.21, P < 0.001), and participants with baseline smartphone usage of 181–240 min/d had a significantly higher 1-year follow-up total DES score than those with baseline smartphone usage of 0–60 min/d (2.80 vs 3.50, P = 0.003).
Minimal Morphoelastic Models of Solid Tumour Spheroids: A Tutorial
Authors: Walker Benjamin J. , Celora Giulia L. , Goriely Alain , Moulton Derek E. , Byrne Helen M.
Published: March 2023

Tumour spheroids have been the focus of a variety of mathematical models, ranging from Greenspan’s classical study of the 1970 s through to contemporary agent-based models. Of the many factors that regulate spheroid growth, mechanical effects are perhaps some of the least studied, both theoretically and experimentally, though experimental enquiry has established their significance to tumour growth dynamics. In this tutorial, we formulate a hierarchy of mathematical models of increasing complexity to explore the role of mechanics in spheroid growth, all the while seeking to retain desirable simplicity and analytical tractability. Beginning with the theory of morphoelasticity, which combines solid mechanics and growth, we successively refine our assumptions to develop a somewhat minimal model of mechanically regulated spheroid growth that is free from many unphysical and undesirable behaviours. In doing so, we will see how iterating upon simple models can provide rigorous guarantees of emergent behaviour, which are often precluded by existing, more complex modelling approaches. Perhaps surprisingly, we also demonstrate that the final model considered in this tutorial agrees favourably with classical experimental results, highlighting the potential for simple models to provide mechanistic insight whilst also serving as mathematical examples.
Perforated Ulcer of the Gastrojejunal Anastomosis and Concomitant Internal Hernia After One Anastomosis Gastric Bypass
Authors: Liagre Arnaud , Martini Francesco , Petrucciani Niccolo
Published: March 2023

Purpose

The management of concomitant complications after OAGB is challenging. We aim to show the surgical management of two concomitant complications after one anastomosis gastric bypass: internal hernia and anastomotic ulcer perforation.

Materials and Methods

We present the case of a 32-year-old woman with BMI of 51 kg/m2, who underwent OAGB. Three years later, she presented with intense and brutal epigastric pain. She was a heavy smoker. Her weight and BMI were 75 kg and 26 kg/m2, respectively. Clinical examination showed generalized peritonitis, computed tomography showed pneumoperitoneum, diffuse peritoneal effusion, and rotation of the superior mesenteric vessels indicative of an internal hernia.

Results

A generalized biliary peritonitis secondary to a perforated ulcer on the gastrojejunal anastomosis and internal hernia of the common loop into a large Petersen orifice were diagnosed. The internal hernia was reduced, and a perforation of the posterior surface of the gastrojejunal anastomosis was identified. Surgical treatment consisted in the placement of a Kehr’s drain into the perforation, closure of the Petersen orifice, and lavage-drainage of the peritoneal cavity. The postoperative course was uneventful, and she was discharged on postoperative day 12. The Kehr’s drain was removed 1 month after discharge.

Conclusion

The combination of two different complications after OAGB can make the pre- and intra-operative judgment difficult and hamper the therapeutic approach. The initial reduction of the internal hernia made it possible to reduce the pressure in the surgical assembly and facilitated the treatment of the anastomotic perforation.
Consensus Paper: Latent Autoimmune Cerebellar Ataxia (LACA)
Authors: Manto Mario , Hadjivassiliou Marios , Baizabal-Carvallo José Fidel , Hampe Christiane S , Honnorat Jerome , Joubert Bastien , Mitoma Hiroshi , Muñiz-Castrillo Sergio , Shaikh Aasef G. , Vogrig Alberto
Published: March 2023

Immune-mediated cerebellar ataxias (IMCAs) have diverse etiologies. Patients with IMCAs develop cerebellar symptoms, characterized mainly by gait ataxia, showing an acute or subacute clinical course. We present a novel concept of latent autoimmune cerebellar ataxia (LACA), analogous to latent autoimmune diabetes in adults (LADA). LADA is a slowly progressive form of autoimmune diabetes where patients are often initially diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. The sole biomarker (serum anti-GAD antibody) is not always present or can fluctuate. However, the disease progresses to pancreatic beta-cell failure and insulin dependency within about 5 years. Due to the unclear autoimmune profile, clinicians often struggle to reach an early diagnosis during the period when insulin production is not severely compromised. LACA is also characterized by a slowly progressive course, lack of obvious autoimmune background, and difficulties in reaching a diagnosis in the absence of clear markers for IMCAs. The authors discuss two aspects of LACA: (1) the not manifestly evident autoimmunity and (2) the prodromal stage of IMCA’s characterized by a period of partial neuronal dysfunction where non-specific symptoms may occur. In order to achieve an early intervention and prevent cell death in the cerebellum, identification of the time-window before irreversible neuronal loss is critical. LACA occurs during this time-window when possible preservation of neural plasticity exists. Efforts should be devoted to the early identification of biological, neurophysiological, neuropsychological, morphological (brain morphometry), and multimodal biomarkers allowing early diagnosis and therapeutic intervention and to avoid irreversible neuronal loss.
The second Hankel determinant of the logarithmic coefficients of strongly starlike and strongly convex functions
Authors: Kowalczyk Bogumiła , Lecko Adam
Published: March 2023

Sharp bounds are given for the second Hankel determinant of the logarithmic coefficients of strongly starlike and strongly convex functions.
A Hybrid Multi-Hazard Susceptibility Assessment Model for a Basin in Elazig Province, Türkiye
Authors: Karakas Gizem , Kocaman Sultan , Gokceoglu Candan
Published: March 2023

Preparation of accurate and up-to-date susceptibility maps at the regional scale is mandatory for disaster mitigation, site selection, and planning in areas prone to multiple natural hazards. In this study, we proposed a novel multi-hazard susceptibility assessment approach that combines expert-based and supervised machine learning methods for landslide, flood, and earthquake hazard assessments for a basin in Elazig Province, Türkiye. To produce the landslide susceptibility map, an ensemble machine learning algorithm, random forest, was chosen because of its known performance in similar studies. The modified analytical hierarchical process method was used to produce the flood susceptibility map by using factor scores that were defined specifically for the area in the study. The seismic hazard was assessed using ground motion parameters based on Arias intensity values. The univariate maps were synthesized with a Mamdani fuzzy inference system using membership functions designated by expert. The results show that the random forest provided an overall accuracy of 92.3% for landslide susceptibility mapping. Of the study area, 41.24% were found prone to multi-hazards (probability value > 50%), but the southern parts of the study area are more susceptible. The proposed model is suitable for multi-hazard susceptibility assessment at a regional scale although expert intervention may be required for optimizing the algorithms.
A comparison of consistent UV treatment versus inconsistent UV treatment in horticultural production of lettuce
Authors: Weiland Martin , Weßler Caspar Friedrich , Filler Thomas , Glaab Johannes , Lobo Ploch Neysha , Winterwerber Ulrike , Wiesner-Reinhold Melanie , Schreiner Monika , Neugart Susanne
Published: March 2023

UV radiation is an underrated radiation currently missing in many horticultural production systems of vegetables in protected cultivation. It can be added e.g., in LED light sources. Using lettuce as a model plant, this study determined whether the use of UVB LEDs is suitable (1) for use in consistent systems (indoor farming) or (2) inconsistent systems (greenhouse). Blue and red LEDs were selected as additional artificial lighting to UVB LEDs. Both approaches led to a reproducible increase of desired flavonol glycosides, such as quercetin-3-O-(6′′-O-malonyl)-glucoside or quercetin-3-O-glucuronide and the anthocyanin cyanidin-3-O-(6′′-O-malonyl)-glucoside in lettuce. The impact of the consistent UVB treatment is higher with up to tenfold changes than that of the inconsistent UVB treatment in the greenhouse. Varying natural light and temperature conditions in greenhouses might affect the efficiency of the artificial UVB treatment. Here, UVB LEDs have been tested and can be recommended for further development of lighting systems in indoor farming and greenhouse approaches.
School-based mandates versus teacher autonomy: three early career teacher viewpoints of leadership impacting the teaching of reading
Authors: Gawne Linda
Published: March 2023

This paper reports on three Victorian early career Foundation to Year Two (F-2) teachers and the impact of leadership on their daily pedagogic decision-making about the teaching of reading. Data sets from each teacher drew on observations of three of their reading lessons and researcher-generated field notes, a semi-structured teacher interview, an online survey of reported teacher practice, teacher planning documents of the observed lessons and classroom artefacts related to reading. Selected from a wider qualitative case study undertaken with 16 F-2 teachers across six government primary sites in metropolitan Melbourne, the teachers in this paper reported on how mandated and non-negotiable principles and practices of reading affected their ability to make daily pedagogic decisions for their students. As a result of leadership directives, the three teachers expressed frustration at the lack of opportunity for teacher voice and autonomy in their craft of teaching. If the teaching profession wishes to continue to renew its numbers and promote the teaching profession as an ongoing career of choice, the focus on the professional development of early career teachers is timely and necessary. Therefore, this paper aims to shine a light on the importance of instructional leadership models which support the development of teacher knowledge, teacher efficacy and teacher satisfaction, ultimately resulting in more targeted outcomes for students and more teachers likely to remain in the profession.
The NAGPRA Nexus, Institutional Integrity, and the Evolving Role of Archaeological Laboratories
Authors: Roberts Thompson Amanda , Thompson Victor D. , Garland Carey J. , Butler RaeLynn A. , deBeaubien Domonique , Panther Miranda , Hunt Turner , Wendt LeeAnne , Fontenot Raynella , Langley Linda , Schenk Kristine L. , Porter Freeman Mary E. , Auerbach Claire , Saunders Chris
Published: March 2023

In November 1995, the Laboratory of Archaeology at the University of Georgia submitted inventories and summaries of Indigenous ancestors and funerary objects in its holdings to comply with the passage of the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA). However, after this submission, the Laboratory attempts at consultation with federally recognized descendant Tribal communities who have cultural ties in the state of Georgia were not successful, and NAGPRA-related activities essentially stalled at the Laboratory. Beginning in 2019, the Laboratory's staff recognized a lack of formal NAGPRA policies or standards, which led to a complete reevaluation of the Laboratory's approach to NAGPRA. In essence, it was the Laboratory's renewed engagement with NAGPRA and descendan tribal communities that became the catalyst for change in the Laboratory's philosophy as a curation repository. This shift in thinking set the Laboratory on a path toward building a descendant community–informed institutional integrity (DCIII) level of engagement with consultation and collaborative efforts in all aspects of collections management and archaeological research. In this article, we outline steps that the Laboratory has taken toward implementing meaningful policies and practices created with descendant Tribal communities that both fulfill and extend bounds of NAGPRA compliance.
Unveiling India's Supreme Court Collegium: Examining Diversity of Presence and Influence
Authors: Tripathy Rangin Pallav
Published: March 2023

Since 1993, judges in Indian higher judiciary are appointed by a collegium of judges in the Supreme Court headed by the Chief Justice. Academic scholarship on judicial diversity in India has failed to address two important issues arising out of this drastic development. Firstly, while the issue of diversity in the Indian higher judiciary has received limited attention over the years, there has been no attempt to examine the composition of the Supreme Court collegium which controls appointments to the higher judiciary. Secondly, while patterns of appointments have been analysed in relation to different Chief Justices and also the collegium vis-a-vis the executive, no attention has been paid to the specific collegiums which are responsible for the selection of judges. This has allowed the members of the collegium to exercise their power away from public scrutiny.

This article unveils the group of judges who have exercised influence as members of the collegium and how this influence has been distributed amongst judges in terms of their social and professional background. Findings in this article show that membership of the collegium and influence within the collegium has not had representative diversity.
Propagation of capillary waves in two-layer oil–water turbulent flow
Authors: Giamagas Georgios , Zonta Francesco , Roccon Alessio , Soldati Alfredo
Published: March 2023

We study the dynamics of capillary waves at the interface of a two-layer stratified turbulent channel flow. We use a combined pseudo-spectral/phase field method to solve for the turbulent flow in the two liquid layers and to track the dynamics of the liquid–liquid interface. The two liquid layers have same thickness and same density, but different viscosity. We vary the viscosity of the upper layer (two different values) to mimic a stratified oil–water flow. This allows us to study the interplay between inertial, viscous and surface tension forces in the absence of gravity. In the present set-up, waves are naturally forced by turbulence over a broad range of scales, from the larger scales, whose size is of order of the system scale, down to the smaller dissipative scales. After an initial transient, we observe the emergence of a stationary capillary wave regime, which we study by means of temporal and spatial spectra. The computed frequency and wavenumber power spectra of wave elevation are in line with previous experimental findings and can be explained in the frame of the weak wave turbulence theory. Finally, we show that the dispersion relation, which gives the frequency (

$\omega$

) as a function of the wavenumber (

$k$

), is in good agreement with the well-established theoretical prediction,

$\omega (k) \sim k^{3/2}$

.
The Unintended Consequences of Conditional Cash Transfer Programs for Violence: Experimental and Survey Evidence from Mexico and the Americas
Authors: Zizumbo-Colunga Daniel
Published: March 2023

Because conditional cash transfer programs (CCTs) can address the deep roots of violence, many scholars and policymakers have assumed them to be an effective and innocuous tool to take on the issue. I argue that while CCTs may have positive economic effects, they can also trigger social discord, criminal predation, and political conflict and, in doing so, increase violence. To test this claim, I take advantage of the exogenous shock caused by the randomized expansion of Mexico’s flagship CCT, PROGRESA/Oportunidades. I find that the experimental introduction of the program increased rather than decreased violence. Then, I analyze all the data compiled by LAPOP on the issue over the years. I find that, other things constant, Latin Americans are more exposed to violence and insecurity when they participate in CCTs than when they do not. These findings urge us to reconsider the effects of social programs on violence.
Where the wild things are: the challenges and opportunities of the unregulated legal services landscape in family law
Authors: Smith Leanne , Hitchings Emma
Published: March 2023

This paper connects two trends in contemporary legal scholarship that do not often intersect, namely commentary on the increasingly diverse nature of family law advice and support services, and calls for a refresh of the regulatory environment in which legal services in general are provided. Focusing on the law and landscape in England and Wales, we argue that regulatory challenges are particularly acute in the field of family law, where the range and reach of services provided by non-lawyers is extraordinary. We illustrate how particular aspects of debates over regulating and diversifying legal services apply to the family law context, noting that such concerns as there are have not always been well targeted. Finally, we identify a sub-set of innovative ‘extra-legal’ services that set private family law even further apart from other sub-fields of law when it comes to regulatory and professional challenge. These services clearly sit inside the landscape of family dispute resolution but equally clearly fall outside the boundaries of what is usually considered ‘legal’. This, we suggest, highlights the need for a concerted effort to define the contours of family law and family legal services so that a holistic approach might be taken to understanding and managing the standards and effectiveness of different service and support types.
Travels and representations at the core of Western agricultural science: discovering rural societies in Spain, Italy and Lebanon in the late-eighteenth and early-nineteenth centuries
Authors: Fagnani Martino Lorenzo
Published: March 2023

In the late-eighteenth and early-nineteenth centuries, Europe developed a deep interest in both natural resources and agroecosystems. Experts began to explore the rural hinterland and shores of the Mediterranean. These travellers described completely new settings, agroecosystems, and cultures through the lens of their own backgrounds. This article analyses the development of Mediterranean rural societies as an object of study of Western agricultural science. It describes the reports of travellers to rural lands in Spain, Italy and Lebanon, comparing their observations and representations, evaluating if there are common patterns in their reports and what features are still found in rural practices today.
‘Poverty, gender and old age in the Victorian and Edwardian workhouse’
Authors: Williams Samantha
Published: March 2023

The workhouse was a central facet of the new poor law and the elderly – and aged men in particular – came to dominate workhouse populations. This article is the first to analyse a very large data set of almost 4,000 workhouses from all areas of England and Wales extracted from the I-CeM data set, which reveals the composition of workhouse residents on census night by age, gender, and geography between 1851 and 1911. Factors influencing the proportion of the elderly in the workhouse include the dependency ratio and internal migration, urbanisation and a commitment to institutions in cities, and the availability of outdoor relief and other avenues of support. Destitution, want of work, old age and illness propelled the elderly into the workhouse. The crusade against outrelief of the 1870s contributed to this increase, and, while the introduction of old age pensions reduced those over the age of 70, this did not prevent the ‘younger aged’ (those aged 60–69) from increasing.
Exploring working memory and language dominance in heritage bilinguals’ writing processes
Authors: Torres Julio
Published: March 2023

Heritage language (HL) bilinguals’ writing skills has been a topic of inquiry in the field of HL education. However, little is still known about HL writers’ writing processes and the contribution of individual differences to these processes remains unexplored. By integrating keystroke-logging and think-aloud methodologies, this study examined 61 Spanish-English HL writers’ pausing and revision behaviors during the completion of Spanish (HL) and English writing tasks. Participants also completed an advanced Ospan working memory test and a language dominance questionnaire. The main findings revealed that, although HL writers’ pausing and revision behaviors did not significantly differ between writing tasks, the nature of their writing processes underlying these writing behaviors fluctuated. Further, language dominance as a multidimensional construct did not contribute to these writing results, whereas participants with higher working memory spent more time addressing orthographic and morphosyntactic encoding episodes during pauses within words when writing in both languages.
Review of Dranove and Burns, 2021. Big Med: Megaproviders and the High Cost of Health Care in America
Authors: Taylor Lauren A.
Published: March 2023

David Dranove and Lawton Burn’s new collaboration Big Med: Megaproviders and the High Cost of Health Care in America provides readers with a comprehensive tutorial on consolidation in United States healthcare markets over the past 40 years. Although the book is most explicitly aimed at those who look around and wonder how we arrived at a healthcare landscape dominated by giants, anyone with a serious interest in the prices of U.S. healthcare will want to have this rigorous and timely treatment on their bookshelf.
The Realities Facing Graduate Students: Before, During, and After the 2020 COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Pashayan Angela R. , Kehlenbach E. Stefan , Ye Huei-Jyun , Mueller Grace B. , Willis Charmaine
Published: March 2023

Committees from the American Political Science Association (APSA) on the status of graduate students in political science conducted digital surveys in 2018, 2020, and 2022. Distributed using listservs from APSA, the surveys asked about a range of realities facing graduate students including employment opportunities, industry or academic support, and overall well-being. Analysis of the data pre-, during-, and post-pandemic revealed high anxiety in 2018 as part of students’ experience looking for jobs. By 2020 and 2022, anxiety worsened, such that the well-being of graduate students in political science should be addressed. We recommend a change in the structure of graduate academic programs to include stronger institutional support and an emphasis on alternative paths for work that does not entail teaching at an academic institution.
Time-varying volatility and the housing market
Authors: Higgins C. Richard , Sapci Ayse
Published: March 2023

This paper studies the role of stochastic volatility in a setting where housing serves as an important propagation mechanism. After showing time-varying volatility in US house prices, we estimate a dynamic stochastic general equilibrium model with housing, financial frictions, and stochastic volatility using a nonlinear approximation and Bayesian econometric techniques. Incorporating stochastic volatility into the model greatly improves model fit and accounts for approximately half of the increased volatility in house prices observed during the Great Recession. Increased stochastic volatility escalates uncertainty which has significant effects on macroeconomic variables. While uncertainty in most sectors has negative effects on the economy, uncertainty on collateral constraints has the largest role. Unlike other uncertainty shocks, the housing demand uncertainty creates positive spillovers in the economy. Credit conditions, adjustment costs of capital and housing, and monetary policy are important transmission mechanisms for the stochastic volatility shocks.
Discovery, mode of action, resistance mechanisms, and plan of action for sustainable use of Group 14 herbicides
Authors: Barker Abigail L. , Pawlak John , Duke Stephen O. , Beffa Roland , Tranel Patrick J. , Wuerffel Joe , Young Bryan , Porri Aimone , Liebl Rex , Aponte Raphael , Findley Douglas , Betz Michael , Lerchl Jens , Culpepper Stanley , Bradley Kevin , Dayan Franck E.
Published: March 2023

Protoporphyrinogen oxidase (PPO)-inhibiting herbicides remain an important and useful chemistry 60 yr after their first introduction. In this review, based on topics introduced at the Weed Science Society of America 2021 symposium titled “A History, Overview, and Plan of Action on PPO Inhibiting Herbicides,” we discuss the current state of PPO-inhibiting herbicides. Renewed interest in the PPO-inhibiting herbicides in recent years, due to increased use and increased cases of resistance, has led to refinements in knowledge regarding the mechanism of action of PPO inhibitors. Herein we discuss the importance of the two isoforms of PPO in plants, compile a current knowledge of target-site resistance mechanisms, examine non–target site resistance cases, and review crop selectivity mechanisms. Consistent and reproducible greenhouse screening and target-site mutation assays are necessary to effectively study and compare PPO-inhibitor resistance cases. To this end, we cover best practices in screening to accurately identify resistance ratios and properly interpret common screens for point mutations. The future of effective and sustainable PPO-inhibitor use relies on development of new chemistries that maintain activity on resistant biotypes and the promotion of responsible stewardship of PPO inhibitors both new and old. We present the biorational design of the new PPO inhibitor trifludimoxazin to highlight the future of PPO-inhibitor development and discuss the elements of sustainable weed control programs using PPO inhibitors, as well as how responsible stewardship can be incentivized. The sustained use of PPO inhibitors in future agriculture relies on the effective and timely communication from mode of action and resistance research to agronomists, Extension workers, and farmers.
Warum die Vergleichende Psychologie auf den Hund gekommen ist
Authors: Bräuer Juliane , Bender Yana
Published: March 2023

Zusammenfassung: Die Entwicklungspsychologie beschreibt ontogenetische Prozesse, bei denen es um zeitlich überdauernde, aufeinander aufbauende Veränderungen menschlichen Erlebens und Verhaltens über die gesamte Lebensspanne geht. In diesem Artikel erläutern wir den Zusammenhang zwischen ontogenetischen und phylogenetischen Prozessen, die das zentrale Forschungsinteresse der Vergleichenden Psychologie darstellen. Untersuchungsgegenstand sind hierbei Gemeinsamkeiten und Unterschiede zwischen Menschen und verschiedenen Tierarten, die zum Beispiel Aufschluss über die Evolution von Kognition geben können. Hunde spielen dabei eine besondere Rolle: sie haben durch ihre lange Domestikationsgeschichte einzigartige Fähigkeiten in den Bereichen Kommunikation, Aufmerksamkeit und Kooperation erlangt. Durch die konvergente Entwicklung von Hund und Mensch durch den ähnlichen Selektionsdruck auf beide Spezies, kann man bei einigen dieser Eigenschaften sogar von menschenähnlichen Fähigkeiten sprechen.
Influence of Organized Turbulence on OH Reactivity at a Deciduous Forest
Authors: Clifton Olivia E. , Patton Edward G. , Barth Mary , Orlando John , Wang Siyuan , Baublitz Colleen
Published: March 2023

Oxidation of reactive carbon fuels climate‐ and pollution‐relevant chemistry. Deciduous forests are important sources of reactive carbon (particularly isoprene). Organization in turbulence can physically separate (“segregate”) oxidants from reactive carbon, causing oxidation to increase or decrease relative to the (ubiquitous) assumption of well‐mixed conditions. We use large eddy simulation coupled to a multilayer canopy model and simplified chemistry to quantify the impact of segregation on near‐canopy hydroxyl radical (OH) reactivity. Simulations mimic summer clear‐sky midday and morning conditions at a homogeneous deciduous forest. OH‐isoprene segregation alters OH reactivity inside the canopy by up to 9%, but the impact strongly depends on height, soil NO emissions, and sunlight. Uniquely, we identify the drivers of changes by isolating the roles of isoprene and OH. Our findings also suggest that segregation may create discrepancies between direct measurements and bottom‐up estimates of OH reactivity, separate from the issue of mischaracterized or unknown OH sinks.
Which Upstream Solar Wind Conditions Matter Most in Predicting Bz Within Coronal Mass Ejections
Authors: Riley Pete , Reiss M. A. , Möstl C.
Published: March 2023

Accurately predicting the z‐component of the interplanetary magnetic field, particularly during the passage of an interplanetary coronal mass ejection (ICME), is a crucial objective for space weather predictions. Currently, only a handful of techniques have been proposed and they remain limited in scope and accuracy. Recently, a robust machine learning technique was developed for predicting the minimum value of Bz within ICMEs based on a set of 42 “features,” that is, variables calculated from measured quantities upstream of the ICME and within its sheath region. In this study, we investigate these so‐called explanatory variables in more detail, focusing on those that were (a) statistically significant and (b) most important. We find that number density and magnetic field strength accounted for a large proportion of the variability. These features capture the degree to which the ICME compresses the ambient solar wind ahead. Intuitively, this makes sense: Energy made available to coronal mass ejections (CMEs) as they erupt is partitioned into magnetic and kinetic energy. Thus, more powerful CMEs are launched with larger flux‐rope fields (larger Bz), at greater speeds, resulting in more sheath compression (increased number density and total field strength).
Computerized cognitive training in attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD): a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials with blinded and objective outcomes
Authors: Westwood Samuel J. , Parlatini Valeria , Rubia Katya , Cortese Samuele , Sonuga-Barke Edmund J. S. ,   European ADHD Guidelines Group (EAGG), Banaschewski T. , Baeyens D. , Bölte S. , Brandeis D. , Buitelaar J. , Carucci S. , Coghill D. , Daley D. , Döpfner M. , Ferrin M. , Galera C. , Hollis C. , Holtmann M. , Purper-Ouakil D. , Nagy P. , Santosh P. , Simonoff E. , Sonuga-Barke E. J. , Soutullo C. A. , Stringaris A. , Thapar A. , van der Oord S. , van den Hoofdakker B. J. , Zuddas A.
Published: March 2023

This meta-analysis investigated the effects of computerized cognitive training (CCT) on clinical, neuropsychological and academic outcomes in individuals with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The authors searched PubMed, Ovid, and Web of Science until 19th January 2022 for parallel-arm randomized controlled trials (RCTs) using CCT in individuals with ADHD. Random-effects meta-analyses pooled standardized mean differences (SMD) between CCT and comparator arms. RCT quality was assessed with the Cochrane Risk of Bias 2.0 tool (PROSPERO: CRD42021229279). Thirty-six RCTs were meta-analysed, 17 of which evaluated working memory training (WMT). Analysis of outcomes measured immediately post-treatment and judged to be “probably blinded” (PBLIND; trialn = 14) showed no effect on ADHD total (SMD = 0.12, 95%CI[−0.01 to −0.25]) or hyperactivity/impulsivity symptoms (SMD = 0.12, 95%[−0.03 to−0.28]). These findings remained when analyses were restricted to trials (n: 5–13) with children/adolescents, low medication exposure, semi-active controls, or WMT or multiple process training. There was a small improvement in inattention symptoms (SMD = 0.17, 95%CI[0.02–0.31]), which remained when trials were restricted to semi-active controls (SMD = 0.20, 95%CI[0.04–0.37]), and doubled in size when assessed in the intervention delivery setting (n = 5, SMD = 0.40, 95%CI[0.09–0.71]), suggesting a setting-specific effect. CCT improved WM (verbal:n = 15, SMD = 0.38, 95%CI[0.24–0.53]; visual-spatial:n = 9, SMD = 0.49, 95%CI[0.31–0.67]), but not other neuropsychological (e.g., attention, inhibition) or academic outcomes (e.g., reading, arithmetic; analysedn: 5–15). Longer-term improvement (at ~6-months) in verbal WM, reading comprehension, and ratings of executive functions were observed but relevant trials were limited in number (n: 5–7). There was no evidence that multi-process training was superior to working memory training. In sum, CCT led to shorter-term improvements in WM, with some evidence that verbal WM effects persisted in the longer-term. Clinical effects were limited to small, setting specific, short-term effects on inattention symptoms.
Timing to be precise? An overview of spike timing-dependent plasticity, brain rhythmicity, and glial cells interplay within neuronal circuits
Authors: Andrade-Talavera Yuniesky , Fisahn André , Rodríguez-Moreno Antonio
Published: March 2023

In the mammalian brain information processing and storage rely on the complex coding and decoding events performed by neuronal networks. These actions are based on the computational ability of neurons and their functional engagement in neuronal assemblies where precise timing of action potential firing is crucial. Neuronal circuits manage a myriad of spatially and temporally overlapping inputs to compute specific outputs that are proposed to underly memory traces formation, sensory perception, and cognitive behaviors. Spike-timing-dependent plasticity (STDP) and electrical brain rhythms are suggested to underlie such functions while the physiological evidence of assembly structures and mechanisms driving both processes continues to be scarce. Here, we review foundational and current evidence on timing precision and cooperative neuronal electrical activity driving STDP and brain rhythms, their interactions, and the emerging role of glial cells in such processes. We also provide an overview of their cognitive correlates and discuss current limitations and controversies, future perspectives on experimental approaches, and their application in humans.
A novel murine model of mania
Authors: Li Xinyu , Chen Binjie , Zhang Dianjun , Wang Siman , Feng Yuliang , Wu Xiafang , Cui Lulu , Ji Ming , Gong Wenliang , Verkhratsky Alexei , Xia Maosheng , Li Baoman
Published: March 2023

Neuropathological mechanisms of manic syndrome or manic episodes in bipolar disorder remain poorly characterised, as the research progress is severely limited by the paucity of appropriate animal models. Here we developed a novel mania mice model by combining a series of chronic unpredictable rhythm disturbances (CURD), which include disruption of circadian rhythm, sleep deprivation, exposure to cone light, with subsequent interference of followed spotlight, stroboscopic illumination, high-temperature stress, noise disturbance and foot shock. Multiple behavioural and cell biology tests comparing the CURD-model with healthy controls and depressed mice were deployed to validate the model. The manic mice were also tested for the pharmacological effects of various medicinal agents used for treating mania. Finally, we compared plasma indicators of the CURD-model mice and the patients with the manic syndrome. The CURD protocol produced a phenotype replicating manic syndrome. Mice exposed to CURD presented manic behaviours similar to that observed in the amphetamine manic model. These behaviours were distinct from depressive-like behaviours recorded in mice treated with a depression-inducing protocol of chronic unpredictable mild restraint (CUMR). Functional and molecular indicators in the CURD mania model showed multiple similarities with patients with manic syndrome. Treatment with LiCl and valproic acid resulted in behavioural improvements and recovery of molecular indicators. A novel manic mice model induced by environmental stressors and free from genetic or pharmacological interventions is a valuable tool for research into pathological mechanisms of mania.
Elevated ROS levels during the early development of Angelman syndrome alter the apoptotic capacity of the developing neural precursor cells
Authors: Simchi Lilach , Gupta Pooja Kri , Feuermann Yonatan , Kaphzan Hanoch
Published: March 2023

Angelman syndrome (AS) is a rare genetic neurodevelopmental disorder caused by the maternally inherited loss of function of the UBE3A gene. AS is characterized by a developmental delay, lack of speech, motor dysfunction, epilepsy, autistic features, happy demeanor, and intellectual disability. While the cellular roles of UBE3A are not fully understood, studies suggest that the lack of UBE3A function is associated with elevated levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Despite the accumulating evidence emphasizing the importance of ROS during early brain development and its involvement in different neurodevelopmental disorders, up to date, the levels of ROS in AS neural precursor cells (NPCs) and the consequences on AS embryonic neural development have not been elucidated. In this study we show multifaceted mitochondrial aberration in AS brain-derived embryonic NPCs, which exhibit elevated mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨm), lower levels of endogenous reduced glutathione, excessive mitochondrial ROS (mROS) levels, and increased apoptosis compared to wild-type (WT) littermates. In addition, we report that glutathione replenishment by glutathione-reduced ethyl ester (GSH-EE) corrects the excessive mROS levels and attenuates the enhanced apoptosis in AS NPCs. Studying the glutathione redox imbalance and mitochondrial abnormalities in embryonic AS NPCs provides an essential insight into the involvement of UBE3A in early neural development, information that can serve as a powerful avenue towards a broader view of AS pathogenesis. Moreover, since mitochondrial dysfunction and elevated ROS levels were associated with other neurodevelopmental disorders, the findings herein suggest some potential shared underlying mechanisms for these disorders as well.
Transgelin promotes lung cancer progression via activation of cancer-associated fibroblasts with enhanced IL-6 release
Authors: Sun Chanjun , Zhang Kaishang , Ni Chen , Wan Jiajia , Duan Xixi , Lou Xiaohan , Yao Xiaohan , Li Xiangnan , Wang Ming , Gu Zhuoyu , Yang Pengyuan , Li Zhenzhen , Qin Zhihai
Published: March 2023

Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), the principal constituent of the heterogenous tumor microenvironment, have been shown to promote tumor progression; however, the underlying mechanism is still less clear. Here, we find that transgelin (TAGLN) protein levels increased in primary CAFs isolated from human lung cancer, compared with those in paired normal fibroblasts. Tumor microarrays (TMAs) revealed that increased stromal TAGLN levels correlates with more lymphatic metastasis of tumor cells. In a subcutaneous tumor transplantation model, overexpression of Tagln in fibroblasts also increased tumor cell spread in mice. Further experiments show that Tagln overexpression promoted fibroblast activation and mobility in vitro. And TAGLN facilitates p-p65 entry into the nucleus, thereby activating the NF-κB signaling pathway in fibroblasts. Activated fibroblasts promote lung cancer progression via enhancing the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines, especially interleukine-6 (IL-6). Our study revealed that the high levels of stromal TAGLN is a predictive risk factor for patients with lung cancer. Targeting stromal TAGLN may present an alternative therapeutic strategy against lung cancer progression.
Posttraumatic stress symptom severity predicts cognitive decline beyond the effect of Alzheimer’s disease biomarkers in Veterans
Authors: Prieto Sarah , Nolan Kate E. , Moody Jena N. , Hayes Scott M. , Hayes Jasmeet P. ,   for the Department of Defense Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative
Published: March 2023

Chronic stress is a risk factor for dementia but whether it explains unique variance in cognitive decline in older adults above Alzheimer’s disease (AD) biomarkers is unknown. In a preclinical cohort of Vietnam Veterans, we examined the relationship between posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptom severity, AD biomarkers of beta-amyloid (Aβ) and tau, and change in cognitive performance on two widely-used screeners, the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) and the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA). Analyses indicated that PTSD symptom severity was associated with a greater decline on the MMSE (p < 0.04) and MoCA (p < 0.024) after adjusting for biomarkers of AD, notably on the attention scale of the MoCA and the memory index of the MMSE. These analyses survived multiple comparison corrections. Taken together, PTSD symptom severity is associated with accelerated cognitive decline. Treating PTSD should be considered instrumental to maintaining cognitive function as adults age.
MBTPS2 acts as a regulator of lipogenesis and cholesterol synthesis through SREBP signalling in prostate cancer
Authors: Tibbo Amy J. , Hartley Andrew , Vasan Richa , Shaw Robin , Galbraith Laura , Mui Ernest , Leung Hing Y. , Ahmad Imran
Published: March 2023

Background

Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men in the developed world, with most deaths caused by advanced and metastatic disease which has no curative options. Here, we identified Mbtps2 alteration to be associated with metastatic disease in an unbiased in vivo screen and demonstrated its regulation of fatty acid and cholesterol metabolism.

Methods

The Sleeping Beauty transposon system was used to randomly alter gene expression in the PtenNull murine prostate. MBTPS2 was knocked down by siRNA in LNCaP, DU145 and PC3 cell lines, which were then phenotypically investigated. RNA-Seq was performed on LNCaP cells lacking MBTPS2, and pathways validated by qPCR. Cholesterol metabolism was investigated by Filipin III staining.

Results

Mbtps2 was identified in our transposon-mediated in vivo screen to be associated with metastatic prostate cancer. Silencing of MBTPS2 expression in LNCaP, DU145 and PC3 human prostate cancer cells reduced proliferation and colony forming growth in vitro. Knockdown of MBTPS2 expression in LNCaP cells impaired cholesterol synthesis and uptake along with reduced expression of key regulators of fatty acid synthesis, namely FASN and ACACA.

Conclusion

MBTPS2 is implicated in progressive prostate cancer and may mechanistically involve its effects on fatty acid and cholesterol metabolism.