bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Exploring the relationship between pancreatic fat and insulin secretion in overweight or obese women without type 2 diabetes mellitus: A preliminary investigation of the TOFI_Asia cohort
Authors: Sequeira Ivana R. , Yip Wilson , Lu Louise W. , Jiang Yannan , Murphy Rinki , Plank Lindsay D. , Cooper Garth J. S. , Peters Carl N. , Aribsala Benjamin S. , Hollingsworth Kieren G. , Poppitt Sally D.
Published: December 2022

Objective

While there is an emerging role of pancreatic fat in the aetiology of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), its impact on the associated decrease in insulin secretion remains controversial. We aimed to determine whether pancreatic fat negatively affects β-cell function and insulin secretion in women with overweight or obesity but without T2DM.

Methods

20 women, with normo- or dysglycaemia based on fasting plasma glucose levels, and low (< 4.5%) vs high (≥ 4.5%) magnetic resonance (MR) quantified pancreatic fat, completed a 1-hr intravenous glucose tolerance test (ivGTT) which included two consecutive 30-min square-wave steps of hyperglycaemia generated by using 25% dextrose. Plasma glucose, insulin and C-peptide were measured, and insulin secretion rate (ISR) calculated using regularisation deconvolution method from C-peptide kinetics. Repeated measures linear mixed models, adjusted for ethnicity and baseline analyte concentrations, were used to compare changes during the ivGTT between high and low percentage pancreatic fat (PPF) groups.

Results

No ethnic differences in anthropomorphic variables, body composition, visceral adipose tissue (MR-VAT) or PPF were measured and hence data were combined. Nine women (47%) were identified as having high PPF values. PPF was significantly associated with baseline C-peptide (p = 0.04) and ISR (p = 0.04) in all. During the 1-hr ivGTT, plasma glucose (p<0.0001), insulin (p<0.0001) and ISR (p = 0.02) increased significantly from baseline in both high and low PPF groups but did not differ between the two groups at any given time during the test (PPF x time, p > 0.05). Notably, the incremental areas under the curves for both first and second phase ISR were 0.04 units lower in the high than low PPF groups, but this was not significant (p > 0.05).

Conclusion

In women with overweight or obesity but without T2DM, PPF did not modify β-cell function as determined by ivGTT-assessed ISR. However, the salient feature in biphasic insulin secretion in those with ≥4.5% PPF may be of clinical importance, particularly in early stages of dysglycaemia may warrant further investigation.
In vitro genome editing activity of Cas9 in somatic cells after random and transposon-based genomic Cas9 integration
Authors: Söllner Jenny-Helena , Sake Hendrik Johannes , Frenzel Antje , Lechler Rita , Herrmann Doris , Fuchs Walter , Petersen Björn
Published: December 2022

Due to its close resemblance, the domesticated pig has proven to be a diverse animal model for biomedical research and genome editing tools have contributed to developing porcine models for several human diseases. By employing the CRISPR-Cas9 system, porcine embryos or somatic cells can be genetically modified to generate the desired genotype. However, somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) of modified somatic cells and embryo manipulation are challenging, especially if the desired genotype is detrimental to the embryo. Direct in vivo edits may facilitate the production of genetically engineered pigs by integrating Cas9 into the porcine genome. Cas9 expressing cells were generated by either random integration or transposon-based integration of Cas9 and used as donor cells in SCNT. In total, 15 animals were generated that carried a transposon-based Cas9 integration and two pigs a randomly integrated Cas9. Cas9 expression was confirmed in muscle, tonsil, spleen, kidney, lymph nodes, oral mucosa, and liver in two boars. Overall, Cas9 expression was higher for transposon-based integration, except in tonsils and liver. To verify Cas9 activity, fibroblasts were subjected to in vitro genome editing. Isolated fibroblasts were transfected with guide RNAs (gRNA) targeting different genes (GGTA1, B4GALNT2, B2M) relevant to xenotransplantation. Next generation sequencing revealed that the editing efficiencies varied (2–60%) between the different target genes. These results show that the integrated Cas9 remained functional, and that Cas9 expressing pigs may be used to induce desired genomic modifications to model human diseases or further evaluate in vivo gene therapy approaches.
Analysis of health-related, skill-related physical strength, and physique by blood pressure levels of Korean seniors
Authors: Kim Aram , Kim Eunjung , Baek Seunghui , Shin Jieun , Choi Seungwook
Published: December 2022

In Korea, the prevalence rate of hypertension among people aged over 30 is on an upward trend, which increased from 26.2% in 2008 to 28.3% in 2018. This hovers above the global morbidity rate of hypertension. As hypertension is the cause of cerebrovascular or cardiovascular diseases, early treatment and management are critical. Also, while there has been numerous research conducted on exercise intervention, the number of studies done on hypertension and physical fitness falls far below. To identify the relationship between health and physical fitness depending on the blood pressure levels of Korean seniors, the physical fitness test results of the National Fitness Award 100 conducted in 2017 were used, and blood pressure level, physique, and physical fitness data of 17,110 elderly population aged above 65 were analyzed. IBM Statistics SPSS 25.0 was used to process the collected data. Due to the gender difference in blood pressure levels, physique, and physical strength, the analysis was conducted by each gender, and the analysis of variance (ANOVA) was performed to identify the differences in physique and physical strength depending on the blood pressure level. Also, Tukey’s HDS test was conducted if such differences were found. All analyzes were tested at the significance level (α) of 0.05. As a result of comparing the physique factors by blood pressure level, only males showed a significant difference between groups in terms of height(p = .019), and higher blood pressure implied greater height. Also, for both genders, those with high blood pressure appeared to have greater body weight(p < .001), body fat percentage(p < .001), BMI(p < .001), waist circumference(p < .001), and waist-to-height ratio(p < .001),. In addition, as the result of comparing health-related physical strength and skill-related physical strength by blood pressure level, males showed a significant difference only in muscular strength(p = .026) and flexibility(p < .001), while females showed a significant difference between groups in terms of cardiovascular endurance(p < .001), muscular strength(p = .025), muscular endurance(p < .001), balance, and motor coordination except for flexibility. Holistically, males only showed a significant difference in muscular strength and flexibility while females appeared to have a significant difference between groups in all categories except flexibility, which can be considered that physical fitness factors influence the blood pressure of females more than males.
Analysis of differential gene expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines in the nasopharyngeal milieu of mild & severe COVID-19 cases
Authors: Ghulam Unzela , Nazim Fizza , Farooqui Nida , Rizwan-ul-Hasan Syed , Anwar Muhammad Faraz , Ahmed Khalid , Jamal Abid , Kayani Hammad Afzal , Mughal Nouman , Hussain Azhar , Sarria-Santamera Antonio , Abidi Syed Hani
Published: December 2022

Introduction

A subset of individuals with COVID-19 can suffer from a severe form of the disease requiring breathing support for respiratory failure and even death due to disease complications. COVID-19 disease severity can be attributed to numerous factors, where several studies have associated changes in the expression of serum pro-inflammatory cytokines with disease severity. However, very few studies have associated the changes in expression of pro-inflammatory changes in the nasopharyngeal milieu with disease severity. Therefore, in the current study, we performed differential gene expression analysis of various pro-inflammatory cytokines in the nasopharyngeal milieu of mild & severe COVID-19 cases.

Material and method

For this retrospective, cross-sectional study, a total of 118 nasopharyngeal swab samples, previously collected from mild and severe (based on the WHO criteria) COVID-19 patients were used. A real-time qPCR was performed to determine the viral loads and also evaluate the mRNA expression of eight cytokines (IL-1, IL-2, IL-4, IL-6, IL-10, IFN-γ, TGF-β1, and TNF-α). Subsequently, an unpaired T-test was applied to compare the statistical difference in mean expression of viral loads and each cytokine between the mild and severe groups, while the Pearson correlation test was applied to establish a correlation between disease severity, viral load, and cytokines expression. Similarly, a multivariable logistic regression analysis was performed to assess the relationship between different variables from the data and disease severity.

Results

Out of 118 samples, 71 were mild, while 47 were severe. The mean viral load between the mild and severe groups was comparable (mild group: 27.07± 5.22; severe group: 26.37 ±7.89). The mRNA expression of cytokines IL-2, IL-6, IFN- γ, and TNF-α was significantly different in the two groups (p<0.05), where the Log2 normalized expression of IL-2, IL-6, IFN- γ, and TNF-α was found to be 2.2–, 16–, 2.3–, and 1.73–fold less in the severe group as compared to the mild group. Furthermore, we also observed a significant positive correlation between all the cytokines in the severe group. The multivariate analysis showed a significant relationship between age, IL-6, and disease severity.

Conclusion

This decreased expression of certain cytokines (IL-2, IL-6, TNF-α, and IFN-γ) in the nasopharyngeal milieu may be considered early biomarkers for disease severity in COVID-19 patients.
A novel RP-HPLC method for quantification of cholinesterase activity in human blood: An application for assessing organophosphate and carbamate insecticide exposure
Authors: Sinha Sukesh Narayan , Ungarala Ramakrishna , Kumar Dileshwar , Sangaraju Rajendra , Kumar Sarita
Published: December 2022

Several methods have been reported to estimate Acetylcholinesterase (AChE) enzyme activity in blood samples. The Ellman assay is the most important among all but with several shortcomings, and there is a need to develop a method which is accurate, sensitive and quick for analyzing AChE. Therefore, we have developed an assay utilizing RP-HPLC with UV detection for the determination of AChE activity. This method measured the conversion of 1-naphthol acetate to 1-naphthol to estimate AChE activity in blood samples. Performance was judged on the basis of reproducibility, sensitivity, accuracy, and the ability to screen enzyme activity within 20minutes. A series of experiments were performed, varying the concentration of blood and substrate, with optimal sensitivity using 50 μM substrate and 10μL blood. The validation parameters such as linearity (R2 of ≥ 0.9842 for 1-naphthol and ≥ 0.9897 for 1-naphthol acetate), precision (94.21–96.41%), accuracy (85.2%–99.6% and 82.6%–99.3% for 1-naphthol and 1-naphthol acetate respectively), and robustness were validated according to International Conference on Harmonization (ICH) guidelines. Blood samples were collected from healthy people, farmers exposed to spraying of pesticides, and suicidal patients who ingested pesticides and were hospitalized and were analyzed by the developed method. The AChE level was approximately 21 units/mL compared to 24units/mL in controls, whereas suicidal patients showed the least AChE levels of 1 unit/mL. The employment of this method is recommended for estimating AChE level on various matrices.
Awareness and knowledge of antimicrobial resistance and factors associated with knowledge among adults in Dessie City, Northeast Ethiopia: Community-based cross-sectional study
Authors: Simegn Wudneh , Moges Getachew
Published: December 2022

Background

Antimicrobial resistance is an important global health challenge. The current study aimed to assess the level of awareness and knowledge of antimicrobial resistance and factors associated with knowledge among adults in Dessie City, Ethiopia.

Methods

A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 407 adults in Dessie City from June to July 2021. A systematic random sampling technique was used to select respondents, and Google Form was used to collect data online. The data was analyzed by SPSS Version 26. The associated factors of knowledge of antimicrobial resistance were identified by using bivariate and multivariable logistic regression. Independent variables with a P-value <0.2 were selected as candidate variables for multivariable logistic regression. Those variables with a P-value <0.05 were declared statistically significant factors.

Result

Out of the required sample sizes, four hundred and seven participants were enrolled, giving a response rate of 99.3%. One hundred and fifty-two (37.3%) respondents were females. Nearly one-third of the respondents (28.3%) have taken antibiotics in the last 6 months. In this study, 73.7% of study participants were aware of the existence of germs; 58.2% were aware of the existence of antibiotic resistance to bacteria; 47.7% were aware of the existence of drug resistance; 39.8% were aware of the existence of antimicrobial resistance; and 36.6% were aware of the existence of antibiotic resistance. Sixty-four (15.7%) respondents were not aware of any of the above terms. Sixty (14.7%) of the respondents were not aware of any risk factor for antimicrobial resistance. About 63 (15.5%) of the respondents did not know the consequences of antimicrobial resistance. Two hundred and thirty-eight (58.5%) respondents had good knowledge of antimicrobial resistance. In this study, being male (AOR = 1.99; 95% CI: 1.23,3.20), college and above educational level (AOR = 3.50; 95% CI: 1.08,11.39), grade 11–12 educational level (AOR = 3.73; 95% CI: 1.20,11.61), getting advice from health professionals about how to take antibiotics (AOR = 1.84; 95% CI:1.07,3.17), using health professionals as a source of information on antibiotics (AOR = 2.51; 95% CI: 1.48,4.25), and taking antibiotics without prescription (AOR = 1.86; 95% CI: 1.04,3.30) were significantly associated with good knowledge of antimicrobial resistance.

Conclusion

The study identified low awareness and knowledge of antimicrobial resistance among adults. Being male, higher educational level, getting advice from health professionals about how to take antibiotics, using health professionals as a source of information on antibiotics, and taking antibiotics without a prescription were significantly associated with good knowledge of antimicrobial resistance. Educational campaigns would be highly desirable for the public to improve their awareness and knowledge of antimicrobial resistance.
Understanding the factors affecting teachers’ burnout during the COVID-19 pandemic: A cross-sectional study
Authors: Shimony Orly , Malin Yael , Fogel-Grinvald Haya , Gumpel Thomas P. , Nahum Mor
Published: December 2022

Background

During the COVID-19 pandemic, which enforced social distancing and isolation, teachers were required to handle multiple challenges related to their work, including dealing with remote teaching, in addition to personal, medical and financial challenges. The goal of the current research was to examine factors that contributed to professional burnout and commitment to work among teachers during the first and second waves of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods

A total of 344 elementary school teachers in Israel completed online self-report questionnaires, including assessments of stressors, anxiety, resilience, self-efficacy beliefs, and coping strategies. Structured Equation Modeling [SEM] was used to examine the contribution of these factors to professional burnout and commitment.

Results

The gaps between needed and received support had a direct effect on teachers’ burnout and commitment, and an indirect effect through anxiety and self-efficacy beliefs. Stress relating to remote teaching and support-gaps regarding remote teaching were the most significant of all the stressors and sources of support.

Conclusions

Collectively, these findings highlight the significance of remote teaching as the main cause of stress and professional burnout and suggest that proper preparation of teachers—before and during times of crisis, may have a significant impact on their mental and professional well-being.
Elevated retinal cGMP is not associated with elevated circulating cGMP levels in a canine model of retinitis pigmentosa
Authors: Occelli Laurence M. , Sun Kelian , Winkler Paige A. , Morgan Brandy J. , Petersen-Jones Simon M.
Published: December 2022

Purpose

To investigate whether raised levels of retinal cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP) was reflected in plasma levels in PDE6A-/- dogs.

Materials and methods

Retina was collected from 2-month-old wildtype dogs (PDE6A+/+, N = 6), heterozygous dogs (PDE6A+/-, N = 4) and affected dogs (PDE6A-/-, N = 3) and plasma was collected from 2-month-old wildtype dogs (PDE6A+/+, N = 5), heterozygous dogs (PDE6A+/-, N = 5) and affected dogs (PDE6A-/-, N = 5). Retina and plasma samples were measured by ELISA.

Results

cGMP levels in retinal samples of PDE6A-/- dogs at 2 months of age were significantly elevated. There was no significant difference in plasma cGMP levels between wildtype and PDE6A-/- or PDE6A+/- puppies. However, the plasma cGMP levels of the PDE6A-/- puppies were significantly lower than that of PDE6A+/- puppies.

Conclusion

cGMP levels in the plasma from PDE6A-/- was not elevated when compared to control dogs. At the 2-month timepoint, cGMP plasma levels would not be a useful biomarker for disease.
Epidemiological trends of Lassa fever in Nigeria, 2018–2021
Authors: Dalhat Mahmood M. , Olayinka Adebola , Meremikwu Martin M. , Dan-Nwafor Chioma , Iniobong Akanimo , Ntoimo Lorretta F. , Onoh Ikenna , Mba Sandra , Ohonsi Cornelius , Arinze Chinedu , Esu Ekpereonne B. , Nwafor Obinna , Oladipupo Ipadeola , Onoja Michael , Ilori Elsie , Okonofua Friday , Ochu Chinwe L. , Igumbor Ehimario U. , Adetifa Ifedayo
Published: December 2022

Background

Lassa fever is a viral haemorrhagic fever endemic in Nigeria. Improved surveillance and testing capacity have revealed in an increased number of reported cases and apparent geographic spread of Lassa fever in Nigeria. We described the recent four-year trend of Lassa fever in Nigeria to improve understanding of its epidemiology and inform the design of appropriate interventions.

Methods

We analysed the national surveillance data on Lassa fever maintained by the Nigeria Centre for Diseases Control (NCDC) and described trends, sociodemographic, geographic distribution, and clinical outcomes. We compared cases, positivity, and clinical outcomes in the period January 2018 to December 2021.

Results

We found Lassa fever to be reported throughout the year with more than half the cases reported within the first quarter of the year, a recent increase in numbers and geographic spread of the virus, and male and adult (>18 years) preponderance. Case fatality rates were worse in males, the under-five and elderly, during off-peak periods, and among low reporting states.

Conclusion

Lassa fever is endemic in Nigeria with a recent increase in numbers and geographical distribution. Sustaining improved surveillance, enhanced laboratory diagnosis and improved case management capacity during off-peak periods should remain a priority. Attention should be paid to the very young and elderly during outbreaks. Further research efforts should identify and address specific factors that determine poor clinical outcomes.
Diurnal raptors at rescue centres in the Czech Republic: Reasons for admission, outcomes, and length of stay
Authors: Kadlecova Gabriela , Voslarova Eva , Vecerek Vladimir
Published: December 2022

Rescue centres play an important role in the protection of raptors living in the wild by caring for injured or debilitated animals and abandoned young with the aim of returning them to the wild. A total of 22,538 raptors were admitted to 34 rescue centres in the Czech Republic in the years 2010–2019, with an increasing trend during the monitored period (rSp = 0.7333, p < 0.05). The most frequent reasons for their admission were other injuries and fractures (26.52%), the admission of young (22.98%), and the admission of raptors injured by electric shock injuries (20.51%). It proved possible to release 42.45% of admitted raptors back into the wild, the majority of which (91.05%) were released using the hard-release method. Foster parents were used in 1% of cases and a replacement nest in 0.2% of cases involving the rearing of young. In spite of all the care provided at rescue centres, a total of 39.97% of raptors admitted either died or had to be euthanized. Among them, most raptors were euthanized or died due to injuries caused by collision with a vehicle, electric shock injuries, and other injuries. This generally occurred shortly after admission (a median of two days). The importance of the work of rescue centres lies not merely in returning injured raptors back into the wild (which proves possible in around half of all cases), but also in obtaining information about the factors endangering raptors in the wild and contributing toward a decline in their populations. The findings provide information about human-wildlife interactions in the Czech Republic and their implications for conservation as well as on the effectiveness of rescue centres to successfully treat and subsequently release raptors back into the wild.
Ancient multiplicity in cyclic nucleotide-gated (CNG) cation channel repertoire was reduced in the ancestor of Olfactores before re-expansion by whole genome duplications in vertebrates
Authors: Lagman David , Haines Helen J. , Abalo Xesús M. , Larhammar Dan
Published: December 2022

Cyclic nucleotide-gated (CNG) cation channels are important heterotetrameric proteins in the retina, with different subunit composition in cone and rod photoreceptor cells: three CNGA3 and one CNGB3 in cones and three CNGA1 and one CNGB1 in rods. CNGA and CNGB subunits form separate subfamilies. We have analyzed the evolution of the CNG gene family in metazoans, with special focus on vertebrates by using sequence-based phylogeny and conservation of chromosomal synteny to deduce paralogons resulting from the early vertebrate whole genome duplications (WGDs). Our analyses show, unexpectedly, that the CNGA subfamily had four sister subfamilies in the ancestor of bilaterians and cnidarians that we named CNGC, CNGD, CNGE and CNGF. Of these, CNGC, CNGE and CNGF were lost in the ancestor of Olfactores while CNGD was lost in the vertebrate ancestor. The remaining CNGA and CNGB genes were expanded by a local duplication of CNGA and the subsequent chromosome duplications in the basal vertebrate WGD events. Upon some losses, this resulted in the gnathostome ancestor having three members in the visual CNGA subfamily (CNGA1-3), a single CNGA4 gene, and two members in the CNGB subfamily (CNGB1 and CNGB3). The nature of chromosomal rearrangements in the vertebrate CNGA paralogon was resolved by including the genomes of a non-teleost actinopterygian and an elasmobranch. After the teleost-specific WGD, additional duplicates were generated and retained for CNGA1, CNGA2, CNGA3 and CNGB1. Furthermore, teleosts retain a local duplicate of CNGB3. The retention of duplicated CNG genes is explained by their subfunctionalisation and photoreceptor-specific expression. In conclusion, this study provides evidence for four previously unknown CNG subfamilies in metazoans and further evidence that the early vertebrate WGD events were instrumental in the evolution of the vertebrate visual and central nervous systems.
Metabolic status and vascular endothelial structure in obese hypertensive patients treated with non-pharmacological therapies: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Chen Yingru , Yuan Jie , Lei Xueli , Cheng Yan , Wei Xijin
Published: December 2022

Objective

This meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the efficacy of non-drug treatment on metabolism and vascular endothelium in obese hypertension.

Methods

Relevant publications were searched in the PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library databases for clinical studies on the effects of non-pharmacological treatments in obese hypertensive patients published from inception to April 2022. After searching and screening the literature, information was extracted, and the quality of the literature was evaluated by the investigators. Data processing was performed using Rev Man 5.3 statistical analysis software, while the TSA 0.9 software was used for sequential analysis of blood pressure and endothelial-related indicators.

Results

A total of 8 literature articles with 480 patients were included. The analysis showed that non-pharmacological treatment effectively reduced systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, heart rate, body weight, body mass index, glucose levels, soluble intercellular adhesion molecule 1, triglycerides, triglycerides, Low-density lipoprotein. For tumor necrosis factor α, soluble vascular cell adhesion molecule 1, high-density lipoprotein, C-reactive protein, high-sensitive C-reactive protein, and total antioxidant status by dietary supplements mainly. In contrast, no significant treatment effect was observed for Endothelin-1. Sequential analysis of the trial showed definitive evidence for improvement in blood pressure and inflammation.

Conclusion

Non-pharmacological treatment of obese hypertensive patients may reduce blood pressure, body weight, and blood glucose, control inflammatory factor release and improve vascular endothelium to some extent.
Media consumption and psychological distress among older adults in the United States
Authors: Bauldry Shawn , Stainback Kevin
Published: December 2022

The consumption of news media covering national and global events, particularly those that invoke fear or worry, such as pandemics or terrorist attacks, may affect older adults’ mental wellbeing. Using the COVID-19 pandemic as a case study, this research analyzes nationally representative data from older adults in the US to address the following research questions: (1) What is the relationship between COVID-19-based media consumption and psychological distress? (2) Does any relationship between media consumption and psychological distress vary by gender, race/ethnicity, education, and marital status? Results indicate that (1) older adults who closely followed the news about the pandemic scored higher on psychological distress than those following less closely and (2) this relationship was more pronounced among Hispanic older adults. These findings are contextualized in the broader stress process model with a focus on a macro-level stressor and differential exposure and vulnerability resulting in variability in the relationship between the stressor and psychological distress.
Visual preference of plant features in different living environments using eye tracking and EEG
Authors: Ding Ningning , Zhong Yongde , Li Jiaxiang , Xiao Qiong , Zhang Shuangquan , Xia Hongling
Published: December 2022

Plants play a very important role in landscape construction. In order to explore whether different living environment will affect people’s preference for the structural features of plant organs, this study examined 26 villagers and 33 college students as the participants, and pictures of leaves, flowers and fruits of plants as the stimulus to conduct eye-tracking and EEG detection experiments. We found that eye movement indicators can explain people’s visual preferences, but they are unable to find differences in preferences between groups. EEG indicators can make up for this deficiency, which further reveals the difference in psychological and physiological responses between the two groups when viewing stimuli. The final results show that the villagers and the students liked leaves best, preferring aciculiform and leathery leaves; solitary, purple and capitulum flowers; and medium-sized, spathulate, black and pear fruits. In addition, it was found that the overall attention of the villagers when watching stimuli was far lower than that of the students, but the degree of meditation was higher. With regard to eye movement and EEG, the total duration of fixations is highly positively correlated with the number of fixations, and the average pupil size has a weak negative correlation with attention. On the contrary, the average duration of fixations has a weak positive correlation with meditation. Generally speaking, we believe that Photinia×fraseri, Metasequoia glyptostroboides, Photinia serratifolia, Koelreuteria bipinnata and Cunninghamia lanceolata are superior landscape building plants in rural areas and on campuses; Pinus thunbergii, Myrica rubra, Camellia japonica and other plants with obvious features and bright colours are also the first choice in rural landscapes; and Yulania biondii, Cercis chinensis, Hibiscus mutabilis and other plants with simple structures are the first choice in campus landscapes. This study is of great significance for selecting plants for landscape construction and management according to different environments and local conditions.
Emotional expression through musical cues: A comparison of production and perception approaches
Authors: Micallef Grimaud Annaliese , Eerola Tuomas
Published: December 2022

Multiple approaches have been used to investigate how musical cues are used to shape different emotions in music. The most prominent approach is a perception study, where musical stimuli varying in cue levels are assessed by participants in terms of their conveyed emotion. However, this approach limits the number of cues and combinations simultaneously investigated, since each variation produces another musical piece to be evaluated. Another less used approach is a production approach, where participants use cues to change the emotion conveyed in music, allowing participants to explore a larger number of cue combinations than the former approach. These approaches provide different levels of accuracy and economy for identifying how cues are used to convey different emotions in music. However, do these approaches provide converging results? This paper’s aims are two-fold. The role of seven musical cues (tempo, pitch, dynamics, brightness, articulation, mode, and instrumentation) in communicating seven emotions (sadness, joy, calmness, anger, fear, power, and surprise) in music is investigated. Additionally, this paper explores whether the two approaches will yield similar findings on how the cues are used to shape different emotions in music. The first experiment utilises a production approach where participants adjust the cues in real-time to convey target emotions. The second experiment uses a perception approach where participants rate pre-rendered systematic variations of the stimuli for all emotions. Overall, the cues operated similarly in the majority (32/49) of cue-emotion combinations across both experiments, with the most variance produced by the dynamics and instrumentation cues. A comparison of the prediction accuracy rates of cue combinations representing the intended emotions found that prediction rates in Experiment 1 were higher than the ones obtained in Experiment 2, suggesting that a production approach may be a more efficient method to explore how cues are used to shape different emotions in music.
Factors that affect the utilisation of maternal healthcare in the Mchinji District of Malawi
Authors: Stewart Catherine Louise , Hall Jennifer Anne
Published: December 2022

Background

It is widely accepted that maternal healthcare is vital for improving maternal and neonatal mortality rates. Furthermore, the continuum of care–the integrated delivery of antenatal, delivery and postnatal care–has been shown to be particularly important. Sub-Saharan Africa has the highest neonatal and maternal mortality rates in the world; significant improvements in the provision and utilisation of the continuum are urgently needed, therefore the barriers preventing access need to be better understood. This study aimed to identify key factors associated with the utilisation of maternal healthcare, in the Mchinji District of Malawi.

Methods

4,244 pregnant women from the Mchinji District of Malawi were interviewed between March and December 2013. The overall utilisation of maternal healthcare was calculated by combining the use of antenatal, delivery and postnatal care into one variable—continuum of care. Univariate and multivariate logistic regressions were performed to determine the factors associated with utilisation of maternal healthcare.

Results

Utilisation of maternal healthcare in the Mchinji District was inadequate; only 24% of women received the recommended package. Being further from a healthcare facility (OR = 0.2, 95%CI = 0.04–0.96), having at least one live child (OR = 0.87, 95%CI = 0.84–0.99), previous experience of miscarriage (OR = 0.64, 95%CI = 0.50–0.82) or abuse (OR = 0.81, 95%CI = 0.69–0.95) reduced utilisation, whereas being in the richest 20% (OR = 1.33 95%CI = 1.08–1.65), having a planned pregnancy (OR = 1.3, 95%CI = 1.11–1.51) or more control over decisions (OR = 1.09, 95%CI = 0.80–1.49) increased utilisation.

Conclusion

Seven groups of women were identified as having an increased risk of low utilisation of maternal healthcare; women living >5km from a healthcare facility, within the poorest socio-economic group, experiencing an unplanned pregnancy, with at least one live child, experience of a previous miscarriage, no control over their healthcare decisions or experience of abuse. Policy makers should pay extra attention to these high-risk groups when designing and delivering strategies to improve maternal healthcare utilisation.
Genetic dissection of fatty acid components in the Chinese peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) mini-core collection under multi-environments
Authors: Zhou Xiaojing , Luo Huaiyong , Yu Bolun , Huang Li , Liu Nian , Chen Weigang , Liao Boshou , Lei Yong , Huai Dongxin , Guo Pengxia , Li Weitao , Guo Jianbing , Jiang Huifang
Published: December 2022

Peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) is an important source of edible oil and protein for human nutrition. The quality of peanut seed oil is mainly determined by the composition of fatty acids, especially the contents of oleic acid and linoleic acid. Improving the composition of fatty acids in the seed oil is one of the main objectives for peanut breeding globally. To uncover the genetic basis of fatty acids and broaden the genetic variation in future peanut breeding programs, this study used genome-wide association studies (GWAS) to identify loci associated with target traits and developed diagnostic marker. The contents of eight fatty acid components of the Chinese peanut mini-core collection were measured under four environments. Using the phenotypic information and over one hundred thousand single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), GWAS were conducted to investigate the genetics basis of fatty acids under multi-environments. Overall, 75 SNPs were identified significant trait associations with fatty acid components. Nineteen associations were repeatedly identified in multiple environments, and 13 loci were co-associated with two or three traits. Three stable major associated loci were identified, including two loci for oleic acid and linoleic acid on chromosome A09 [mean phenotypic variation explained (PVE): 38.5%, 10.35%] and one for stearic acid on B06 (mean PVE: 23%). According to functional annotations, 21 putative candidate genes related to fatty acid biosynthesis were found underlying the three associations. The allelic effect of SNP A09-114690064 showed that the base variation was highly correlated with the phenotypic variation of oleic acid and linoleic acid contents, and a cost-effective Kompetitive allele-Specific PCR (KASP) diagnostic marker was developed. Furthermore, the SNP A09-114690064 was found to change the cis-element CAAT (-) in the promoter of ahFAD2A to YACT (+), leading dozens of times higher expression level. The enhancer-like activity of ahFAD2A promoter was identified that was valuable for enriching the regulation mechanism of ahFAD2A. This study improved our understanding on the genetic architecture of fatty acid components in peanut, and the new effective diagnostic marker would be useful for marker-assisted selection of high-oleic peanut breeding.
HIV, sexual violence, and termination of pregnancy among adolescent and adult female sex workers in Malawi: A respondent-driven sampling study
Authors: Bossard Claire , Chihana Menard , Nicholas Sarala , Mauambeta Damian , Weinstein Dina , Conan Nolwenn , Nicco Elena , Suzi Joel , OConnell Lucy , Poulet Elisabeth , Ellman Tom
Published: December 2022

Female Sex Workers (FSWs) are a hard-to-reach and understudied population, especially those who begin selling sex at a young age. In one of the most economically disadvantaged regions in Malawi, a large population of women is engaged in sex work surrounding predominantly male work sites and transport routes. A cross-sectional study in February and April 2019 in Nsanje district used respondent driven sampling (RDS) to recruit women ≥13 years who had sexual intercourse (with someone other than their main partner) in exchange for money or goods in the last 30 days. A standardized questionnaire was filled in; HIV, syphilis, gonorrhea, and chlamydia tests were performed. CD4 count and viral load (VL) testing occurred for persons living with HIV (PLHIV). Among 363 study participants, one-quarter were adolescents 13–19 years (25.9%; n = 85). HIV prevalence was 52.6% [47.3–57.6] and increased with age: from 14.7% (13–19 years) to 87.9% (≥35 years). HIV status awareness was 95.2% [91.3–97.4], ART coverage was 98.8% [95.3–99.7], and VL suppression 83.2% [77.1–88.0], though adolescent FSWs were less likely to be virally suppressed than adults (62.8% vs. 84.4%). Overall syphilis prevalence was 29.7% [25.3–43.5], gonorrhea 9.5% [6.9–12.9], and chlamydia 12.5% [9.3–16.6]. 72.4% had at least one unwanted pregnancy, 17.9% had at least one abortion (40.1% of which were unsafe). Half of participants reported experiencing sexual violence (SV) (47.6% [42.5–52.7]) and more than one-tenth (14.2%) of all respondents experienced SV perpetrated by a police officer. Our findings show high levels of PLHIV-FSWs engaged in all stages of the HIV cascade of care. The prevalence of HIV, other STIs, unwanted pregnancy, unsafe abortion, and sexual violence remains extremely high. Peer-led approaches contributed to levels of ART coverage and HIV status awareness similar to those found in the general district population, despite the challenges and risks faced by FSWs.
Smart thermosensitive poloxamer hydrogels loaded with Nr-CWs for the treatment of diabetic wounds
Authors: Wang Jian , Zhao Bingkun , Sun Lili , Jiang Liqun , Li Qiang , Jin Peisheng
Published: December 2022

The treatment of diabetic wound is a focus issue. At present, the Nocardia rubra cell wall skeleton (Nr-CWS) has been proved proven to promote angiogenesis and wound repair. Unfortunately, the high-glucose diabetic wound environment makes many drugs unable to be released effectively, and soon be removed. Smart thermosensitive poloxamer hydrogel (TH) is an ideal and adjustable drug delivery platform compatible with most living tissues. Here, a multifunctional composite thermosensitive hydrogel was developed. A mixture of poloxamers 407 and 188 as the gel matrix, and then it was physically mixed with Nr-CWS. The delivery vehicle not only controlled its release stably, preventing degradation in vitro, but also showed good affinity in vitro. In vivo, compared with thermosensitive poloxamer hydrogel alone or the direct use of Nr-CWS, the thermosensitive poloxamer hydrogel loaded with Nr-CWS promoted the proliferation of vascular endothelial cells effectively, resulting in increased expression of derma-related structural proteins and enhanced angiogenesis and wound healing. This study indicated that the angiogenesis and skin regeneration brought by Nr-CWS hydrogel are related to the activation of phosphatidylinositol 3 kinase and protein kinase B, Janus kinase/signal transducer and activator of transcription, and mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase/extracellular signal-regulated kinase signaling pathways.
Prevalence of pathogenic trypanosome species in naturally infected cattle of three sleeping sickness foci of the south of Chad
Authors: Vourchakbé Joël , Tiofack Arnol Auvaker Zebaze , Kante Sartrien Tagueu , Barka Padja Abdoul , Simo Gustave
Published: December 2022

Although a diversity of trypanosome species have been detected in various animal taxa from human African trypanosomosis (HAT) foci, cattle trypanosomosis has not been addressed in HAT foci of west and central African countries including Chad. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of pathogenic trypanosome species in cattle from three HAT foci of the south of Chad. Blood samples were collected from 1466 randomly selected cattle from HAT foci of Mandoul, Maro, and Moïssala in the south of Chad. For each animal, the sex, age and body condition were recorded. Rapid diagnostic test (RDT) was used to search Trypanosoma brucei gambiense antibodies while the capillary tube centrifugation (CTC) test and PCR-based methods enabled to detect and identify trypanosome species. From the 1466 cattle, 45 (3.1%) were positive to RDT. The prevalence of trypanosome infections revealed by CTC and PCR-based method were respectively 2.7% and 11.1%. Trypanosomes of the subgenus Trypanozoon were dominant (6.5%) followed by T. congolense savannah (2.9%), T. congolense forest (2.5%) and T. vivax (0.8%). No animal was found with DNA of human infective trypanosome (T. b. gambiense). The overall prevalence of trypanosome infections was significantly higher in animal from the Maro HAT focus (13.8%) than those from Mandoul (11.1%) and Moïssala HAT foci (8.0%). This prevalence was also significantly higher in animal having poor body condition (77.5%) than those with medium (11.2%) and good (0.5%) body condition. The overall prevalence of single and mixed infections were respectively 9.4% and 1.6%. This study revealed natural infections of several pathogenic trypanosome species in cattle from different HAT foci of Chad. It showed similar transmission patterns of these trypanosome species and highlighted the need of developing control strategies for animal African trypanosomosis (AAT) with the overarching goal of improving animal health and the economy of smallholder farmers.
Rubella virus IgM and IgG antibodies with avidity in pregnant women and outcomes at a tertiary facility in Ghana
Authors: Armah Naa Baake , Sagoe Kwamena W. , Nuamah Mercy , Yawson Alfred E. , Nartey Edmund T. , Essuman Vera A. , Yao Nana-Akyaa , Baidoo Kenneth K. , Fynn Jemima Anowa , Tetteh Derrick , Gyamaa-Yeboah Eva , Seshie Makafui , Boamah Isaac , Nkyekyer Kobina
Published: December 2022

Background

Congenital rubella syndrome (CRS) is a recognised cause of childhood deafness and blindness caused by the transplacental transmission of rubella virus during pregnancy. Women in the reproductive age group, and by extension their unborn babies may therefore be at increased risk. The prevalence of Rubella virus specific IgM and IgG antibodies, including IgG avidity, was determined in pregnant women attending the antenatal clinic at a Teaching Hospital in Ghana.

Methods

One hundred and forty-five women in their second and third trimesters of pregnancy from the outpatient clinic were recruited over a period of 2 months after written informed consent was obtained. Study participants completed a questionnaire and venous blood drawn for IgM, IgG, and avidity testing using SERION ELISA (SERION® Immunologics, Würzburg, Germany). Babies of mothers with positive or indeterminate IgM and low avidity IgG antibodies were offered specialist cardiological, ophthalmological or hearing assessment during follow up.

Results

One hundred and twenty-eight (88.3%) had only IgG antibodies, 5 (3.4%) had IgM and IgG antibodies, while 12 (8.3%) had no antibodies. No patient had IgM antibodies alone. Ten women (6.9%) had indeterminate levels of IgM antibodies. Majority of the women had high avidity IgG antibodies, while 5 (3.4%) had low avidity antibodies. No patient had IgM with low avidity antibodies. There was no statistical association between socio-demographic factors and the presence of IgM, IgG (low or high avidity) antibodies. Of all the children followed, none had the clinical definition of CRS.

Conclusions

Consistent with the World Health Organization elimination strategy for measles and rubella viruses, non-immune women in the reproductive age group should be vaccinated. The immunization programme should be expanded to include teenagers and adults. Though Congenital Rubella Syndrome was not detected, the risk still remains.
Raman microspectroscopy and machine learning for use in identifying radiation-induced lung toxicity
Authors: Ali-Adeeb Ramie N. , Shreeves Phil , Deng Xinchen , Milligan Kirsty , Brolo Alex G. , Lum Jullian J. , Haston Christina , Andrews Jeffrey L. , Jirasek Andrew
Published: December 2022

Objective

In this work, we explore and develop a method that uses Raman spectroscopy to measure and differentiate radiation induced toxicity in murine lungs with the goal of setting the foundation for a predictive disease model.

Methods

Analysis of Raman tissue data is achieved through a combination of techniques. We first distinguish between tissue measurements and air pockets in the lung by using group and basis restricted non-negative matrix factorization. We then analyze the tissue spectra using sparse multinomial logistic regression to discriminate between fibrotic gradings. Model validation is achieved by splitting the data into a training set containing 70% of the data and a test set with the remaining 30%; classification accuracy is used as the performance metric. We also explore several other potential classification tasks wherein the response considered is the grade of pneumonitis and fibrosis sickness.

Results

A classification accuracy of 91.6% is achieved on the test set of fibrotic gradings, illustrating the ability of Raman measurements to detect differing levels of fibrotic disease among the murine lungs. It is also shown via further modeling that coarser consideration of fibrotic grading via binning (ie. ‘Low’, ‘Medium’, ‘High’) does not degrade performance. Finally, we consider preliminary models for pneumonitis discrimination using the same methodologies.