bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A situação dos insetos: o quão importante é essa questão? | The situation of insects: how important is this subject?
Authors: Cunha Luciano Carlos
Published: August 2023

O uso de insetos para consumo por vezes é defendido alegando-se que tais animais: (1) são menos capazes de sofrer; (2) são pouco prejudicados com a morte; ou (3) deveriam ter um status moral menor (isto é, que deveriam receber uma menor consideração diante de danos equivalentes). Neste artigo desafiarei essas três alegações. Defenderei também que, mesmo que essas alegações fizessem sentido, delas não se segue que a exploração sobre insetos é justificável. Por fim, discutirei sobre o grau de importância que deveríamos dar à situação dos insetos (e outros invertebrados) em geral.
Hugh Lacey e a busca por uma epistemologia engajada | Hugh Lacey and the search for an engaged epistemology
Authors: Peruzzo Júnior Léo , Lacey Hugh
Published: August 2023

Hugh Lacey (1939) é pesquisador emérito na Swarthmore College, Pennsylvania, Estados Unidos, onde começou a lecionar em 1972. É Doutor em História e Filosofia da Ciência pela Universidade de Indiana (EUA), tendosido professor visitante na Universidade de São Paulo em diversas ocasiões (1973, 1996, 2000 e 2004). Seus trabalhos atribuem lugares próprios aos valores dentro da tecnociência, procurando mostrar que a abordagem científica materialista precisa assumir também o lugar que as coisas ocupam em sistemas ecológicos e sociais. Lacey é autor de diversos artigos e livros, entre os quais estão Valores e Atividade Científica 1, Valores e Atividade Científica 2, A Controvérsia sobre os transgênicos: questões científicas e éticas, entre outros.
Electronic data review, client reminders, and expanded clinic hours for improving cervical cancer screening rates after the COVID-19 pandemic shutdowns: A multicomponent quality improvement program
Authors: Ghosh Sue , Fantes Jackie , Leschly Karin , Mazul Julio , Perkins Rebecca B
Published: August 2023

Background:

To improve cervical cancer screening (CCS) rates, the East Boston Neighborhood Health Center implemented a quality improvement initiative from March to August 2021.

Methods:

Staff training was provided. A 21-provider team validated overdue CCS indicated by electronic medical record data. To improve screening, CCS-only sessions were created during regular clinic hours (n = 5) and weekends/evenings (n = 8). Patients were surveyed on their experience.

Results:

A total of 6126 charts were reviewed. Of the list of overdue patients, outreach was performed on 1375 patients to schedule the 13 sessions. A total of 459 (33%) patients completed screening, 622 (45%) could not be reached, and 203 (15%) canceled or missed appointments. The proportion of total active patients who were up to date with CCS increased from 68% in March to 73% in August 2021. Survey results indicated high patient satisfaction, and only 42% of patients would have scheduled CCS without outreach.

Conclusions:

The creation of a validated patient chart list and extra clinical sessions devoted entirely to CCS improved up-to-date CCS rates. However, high rates of unsuccessful outreach and cancelations limited sustainability. This information can be used by other community health centers to optimize clinical workflows for CCS.

Funding:

All funding was internal from the EBNHC Adult Medicine, Family Medicine, and Women’s Health Departments.
Diversity and evolutionary growth of biomineralized columns in early Cambrian phosphatic-shelled brachiopods
Authors: Zhang Zhiliang , Zhang Zhifei , Holmer Lars E. , Topper Timothy P. , Pan Bing , Li Guoxiang
Published: August 2023

Biologically controlled mineral crystals producing organic-inorganic composites (hard skeletons) by metazoan biomineralizers has been an evolutionary innovation for more than half billion years on Earth. Among them, linguliform brachiopods are the only invertebrates that secrete phosphate to build their skeletons. One of the most distinct shell structures is the organic-phosphatic columns applied exclusively by phosphatic-shelled brachiopods. However, the complexity, diversity and biomineralization process of these microscopic columns are far from clear in brachiopod ancestors. Here, exquisitely well preserved columnar structures are discovered for the first time in the earliest eoobolids. The hierarchical shell architectures, epithelial cell moulds, and the shape and size of cylindrical columns are scrutinised in
Latusobolus xiaoyangbaensis
gen. et sp. nov. and
Eoobolus acutulus
sp. nov from the Cambrian Series 2 Shuijingtuo Formation of South China. The secretion and construction of the stacked sandwich model of columnar shell, which played a significant role in the evolution of linguliforms, is highly biologically controlled and organic- matrix mediated. Furthermore, a continuous transformation of anatomic features resulting from the growth of columns is revealed between Eoobolidae, Lingulellotretidae and Acrotretida, shedding new light on the evolutionary growth and adaptive innovation of stacked sandwich columns among early phosphatic-shelled brachiopods during the Cambrian explosion.
A neuronal least-action principle for real-time learning in cortical circuits
Authors: Senn Walter , Dold Dominik , Kungl Akos F. , Ellenberger Benjamin , Jordan Jakob , Bengio Yoshua , Sacramento João , Petrovici Mihai A.
Published: August 2023

One of the most fundamental laws of physics is the principle of least action. Motivated by its predictive power, we introduce a neural least-action principle that we apply to motor control. The central notion is the somato-dendritic mismatch error within individual neurons. The principle postulates that the somato-dendritic mismatch errors across all neurons in a cortical network are minimized by the voltage dynamics. Ongoing synaptic plasticity reduces the somato-dendritic mismatch error within each neuron and performs gradient descent on the output cost in real time. The neuronal activity is prospective, ensuring that dendritic errors deep in the network are prospectively corrected to eventually reduce motor errors. The neuron-specific errors are represented in the apical dendrites of pyramidal neurons, and are extracted by a cortical microcircuit that ‘explains away’ the feedback from the periphery. The principle offers a general theoretical framework to functionally describe real-time neuronal and synaptic processing.
Human iPSC-derived Microglia Cells Integrated into Mouse Retina and Recapitulated Features of Endogenous Microglia Cells
Authors: Ma Wenxin , Zhao Lian , Xu Biying , Fariss Robert N. , Michael Redmond T. , Zou Jizhong , Wong Wai T. , Li Wei
Published: August 2023

Microglia exhibit both maladaptive and adaptive roles in the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases and have emerged as a therapeutic target for central nervous system (CNS) disorders, including those affecting the retina. Replacing maladaptive microglia, such as those impacted by aging or over-activation, with exogenous microglia that enable adaptive functions has been proposed as a potential therapeutic strategy for neurodegenerative diseases. To investigate the potential of microglial cell replacement as a strategy for retinal diseases, we first employed an efficient protocol to generate a significant quantity of human-induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSC)-derived microglia. These cells demonstrated expression of microglia-enriched genes and showed typical microglial functions such as a robust response to LPS and phagocytosis. We then evaluated the xenotransplantation of these hiPSC-derived microglia into the subretinal space of adult mice that have been pharmacologically depleted of endogenous retinal microglia. Long-term post-transplantation analysis demonstrated that transplanted hiPSC-derived microglia successfully integrated into the mouse retina as ramified cells, occupying the retinal loci previously filled by the endogenous microglia and expresse microglia homeostatic markers such as P2ry12 and Tmem119. Further, these integrated human microglia were found juxtaposed alongside endogenous murine microglia for up to eight months in the retina, indicating their ability to establish a stable homeostatic state in vivo. Following retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cell injury, transplanted microglia demonstrated responses typical of endogenous microglia, including migration, proliferation, and phagocytosis. Our findings indicate the feasibility of microglial transplantation and integration in the retina and suggest that modulating microglia through depletion and replacement may be a therapeutic strategy for treating neurodegenerative retinal diseases.
Studying behavior under constrained movement
Authors: Gutierrez Ranier
Published: August 2023

A new platform for studying how brain activity is linked to behavior enables researchers to perform diverse experiments on mice that have their heads immobilized.
Comparative analysis of the fecal microbiota of healthy and injured common kestrel (Falco tinnunculus) from the Beijing Raptor Rescue Center
Authors: Guan Yu , Bao Lei , Zhou Lei , Dai Chang , Li Zhisai , Zhang Shuai , Shang Yugang , Niu Wenhui , Zhang Yizhuo , Wang Hongfang
Published: August 2023

The gut microbiota is a complex ecosystem that interacts with many other factors to affect the health and disease states of the host. The common kestrel (Falco tinnunculus) is protected at the national level in China. However, the available sequencing data of the gut microbiota from the feces of wild common kestrels, especially for being rescued individuals by professional organization, remains limited. In the present study, we characterized the fecal bacterial communities of healthy and injured common kestrels, and compared the structure of their fecal microbiota by analyzing the V3–V4 region of the 16S rRNA gene using high-throughput sequencing technology with the Illumina MiSeq platform. We found that Firmicutes, Proteobacteria and Actinobacteria were the most predominant phyla in common kestrels. Further, the beta diversity analysis showed that changes in gut microbes were associated with injuries to the common kestrel. The Bacteroides/Firmicutes ratio was significantly lower in the injured group. At the genus level, Glutamicibacter showed significant difference in the two groups. The aim of our current study was to characterize the basic bacterial composition and community structure in the feces of healthy common kestrels, and then compare the differences in the fecal microbiota between healthy and injured individuals. Patescibacteria, Spirochaetes, and Glutamicibacter may be studied as potential biomarkers for certain diseases in raptors. The results could provide the basic data for additional research on the fecal microbiota of common kestrels and contribute to the rescue of wild raptors in the future.
Water lettuce (Pistia stratiotes L.) increases biogas effluent pollutant removal efficacy and proves a positive substrate for renewable energy production
Authors: Nguyen Vo Chau Ngan , Huynh Van Thao , Nguyen Cong Thuan , Kim Lavane , Pham Dan Van
Published: August 2023

Background

Aquatic plants play a crucial role in nature-based wastewater treatment and provide a promising substrate for renewable energy production using anaerobic digestion (AD) technology. This study aimed to examine the contaminant removal from AD effluent by water lettuce (WL) and produce biogas from WL biomass co-digested with pig dung (PD) in a farm-scale biogas digester.

Methods

The first experiment used styrofoam boxes containing husbandry AD effluent. WLs were initially arranged in 50%, 25%, 12.5%, and 0% surface coverage. Each treatment was conducted in five replicates under natural conditions. In the second experiment, WL biomass was co-digested with PD into an existing anaerobic digester to examine biogas production on a farm scale.

Results

Over 30 days, the treatment efficiency of TSS, BOD5, COD, TKN, and TP in the effluent was 93.75–97.66%, 76.63–82.56%, 76.78–82.89%, 61.75–63.75%, and 89.00–89.57%, respectively. Higher WL coverage increased the pollutant elimination potential. The WL biomass doubled after 12 days for all treatments. In the farm-scale biogas production, the biogas yield varied between 190.6 and 292.9 L kg VSadded−1. The methane content reached over 54%.

Conclusions

WL removed AD effluent nutrients effectively through a phytoremediation system and generated significant biomass for renewable energy production in a farm-scale model.
Violência contra mulheres no Brasil: o efeito da Lei Maria da Penha entre 2000 e 2020
Authors: De Sousa Ana Lídia Farias , Queiroz Marcelo Victor Alves Bila , Cavalcanti Joyce Mariella Medeiros , De Souza Neto Rômulo Andrade , Da Silva Alice Gerlane Cardoso , Barreto Laís Karla da Silva , De Oliveira Hilderline Câmara , Fernandes Leandro Trigueiro
Published: August 2023

Em agosto de 2006 foi sancionada a Lei nº 11.340, conhecida como Lei Maria da Penha, que criou mecanismos para coibir a violência doméstica e familiar contra a mulher. A sua aprovação foi um marco, pois ela trata de forma integral o problema desse tipo de violência, com intenção de reduzir os indicadores de criminalidade específicos para esse gênero, contudo, os números continuam aumentado. Dessa forma, o objetivo dessa pesquisa foi avaliar a influência da Lei Maria da Penha na mortalidade de mulheres por causas externas no Brasil. Para isso, foi desenvolvido um modelo de regressão com análise de dados em painel com um recorte temporal de 21 anos (2000-2020). Verificou-se que os homicídios contra mulheres por meio de enforcamento, estrangulamento ou sufocação, objeto cortante e contundente sofreram uma redução. Entretanto, no caso dos crimes realizados com uso da arma de fogo e não identificados, não houve evidências estatísticas das suas diminuições. Portanto, os resultados da pesquisa sugerem que a Lei Maria da Penha provocou uma redução sobre a mortalidade das mulheres por diferentes tipos de agressão.
Export Status of Fruits and Vegetables from India
Authors: Parte Jwala , Tripathi Pratiksha , Thingbaijam Laxmi , Patel Mamta , Pandey Sneha
Published: August 2023

Background: Horticulture export is one of the most promising industries, due to rising global demand and the country's diverse agro-climatic system. During the early 1990s, following post-reform, there was an increase in agricultural commodities export which boosted the Indian economy.

Methods: Secondary time series data of fruits and vegetables (fresh and processed) were collected from APEDA and FAO, the methodologies used were Compound Growth Rate, Instability Index, Revealed Comparative Advantages and Revealed Symmetric Comparative Advantages.

Results: Fruit and vegetable importers include the UAE, Bangladesh, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka and others. Fresh fruits, fresh vegetables, processed vegetables and fruits, nuts and juices showed positive and significant growth throughout the study period. Whereas, the import of fresh fruits and vegetables also shows a positive and significant growth rate, because some fruits and vegetables are cheaper to import than produce. Revealed Comparative Advantages show disadvantages in the global market. India has to improve its marketing strategy, and storage facilities and improvise their skills for the production and processing of fruits and vegetables, etc. to emerge as a major exporter of fruits and vegetables.
Microbiological Assessment of Indoor Air Quality in Selected Patient Wards at a Tertiary Hospital in Nigeria
Authors: Upula Sylvanus Akpak , Oka Ibiang Arikpo , Ije Uchenna Eze
Published: August 2023

Aims: Patients are at higher risk of nosocomial infections from pathogenic microbes contaminating the indoor air of hospitals. This study evaluated selected patient wards at University of Calabar Teaching Hospital (UCTH), for bacterial and fungal contaminants. The study also determined the microbial contamination level when compared to recommended sanitary standards.

Methodology: To determine microbial load, petri-plate gravitational settling method was used. The set-ups were exposed for one hour (at morning and noon) for passive sampling onto growth media plates, in accordance with the 1/1/1 scheme as stipulated by the index of microbial air contamination standard. Petri-plates were subsequently covered with lids and placed in a cold box. Samples were then transported to the laboratory for further evaluation. Sampling was performed in duplicates within three months, and further analysis were conducted based on standard protocols. Mean counts of bacteria and fungi was recorded and expressed as colony forming units (CFU/m3).

Results: Microbial counts in all wards surveyed ranged from ‘intermediate’ to ‘high’ when compared to the sanitary standards of the European Commission for non-industrial premises. However, the counts were within the WHO acceptable sanitary standard (<1000 CFU/m3). Eleven bacterial genera and seven fungal genera were identified. Isolated bacteria were Staphylococcus aureus (18.3%), CoNS (6.7%), Bacillus sp (13.3%), Streptococcus spp (6.7%), Corynebacterium sp (1.7%), and Micrococcus sp (1.7%), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (15%), Escherichia coli (10%), Klebsiella pneumoniae (10%), Acinetobacter baumannii (8.3%), Salmonella sp (5%) and Enterobacter sp (3.3%). Conversely, isolated fungal contaminants were A. niger (25.9%), A. flavus (20.4%), Penicillium sp (16.7%), Candida sp (9.3%), Rhizopus sp (3.7%), Mucor sp (7.4%), Cladosporium sp (14.8%), and Fusarium sp (1.9%).

Conclusion: Regular monitoring of indoor air quality in health-care settings is encouraged to effectively guide infection prevention and control strategies and to limit nosocomial infections occurrence.
Performance of Rice Varieties with Varying Irrigation Scheduling under Aerobic Condition
Authors: Padhiary A. K. , Panda D. , Nayak B. R. , Mondal S. , Srichandan S.
Published: August 2023

A field experiment was conducted at the Regional Research Technology and Transfer Station (RRTTS), Chiplima, Sambalpur, Odisha during summer season of 2019 & 2020 to evaluate performance of medium duration rice varieties with varying irrigation schedules under aerobic condition. The experiment was laid out in split-plot design with 3 replications and consisted of four irrigation schedules i.e. I1 = Irrigation at IW/CPE = 1.0, I2 = Irrigation at IW/CPE = 1.5, I3 = Irrigation at IW/CPE = 2.0, and I4 = Irrigation at IW/CPE = 2.5 in main plot treatments and four varieties i.e. V1 = Naveen, V2 = MTU-1010, V3= CR Dhan-201 and V4 = CR Dhan-204 in subplot treatments.
The result of pooled mean of both the years showed that higher grain yield was recorded at IW/CPE = 2.5 i.e. 4.07 t/ha , which was at par with IW/CPE = 2.0 (3.90 t/ha) and significantly superior to rest of other irrigation schedules. But in case of cultivars, higher grain yield was obtained with variety CR-Dhan 201(3.54 t/ha) which was at par with variety Naveen (3.30t/ha) and significantly superior to rest of other cultivars. The interaction of irrigation at IW/CPE 2.0 with variety CR Dhan 201 gave the highest grain yield (4.39t/ha) which was at par with irrigation at IW/CPE 2.5 with variety CR Dhan 201 (4.30 t/ha) and significantly superior to rest of other interactions. The interaction of irrigation schedules at IW/CPE 1.5 with Naveen variety produced the highest field water use efficiency (44.05 kg ha-cm-1) but it was at par with all irrigation schedules except at IW/CPE 2.5 with variety CR Dhan 201. Hence, it may be concluded that variety like CR Dhan 201 needs to be irrigated at IW/CPE 2.0 produced economically optimum yield and field water use efficiency on sandy loam soils of western region of Odisha under aerobic condition.
Economic Impact of Wheat Sowing Through Zero Tillage Technique against Broadcasting under Hot Sub-humid (Moist) Eco-Region Uttar Pradesh, India
Authors: Meena Kamlesh , Srivastava Rajneesh , Rai Ajay Kumar , Singh Shamsher , Tiwari Ajay , Singh Neeraj
Published: August 2023

Aims: The production of cost of wheat is higher in farmers practice than the zero tillage sown of wheat due to non-adoption of recommended resource conservation technology, high-yielding varieties and advanced technologies by the farming community in the eastern plains of Uttar Pradesh. To replace this anomalous, we conducted 204 front-line demonstrations (FLDs) at farmers' fields in various adopted villages by Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Deoria.

Place and Duration of Study: The study was carried out by the Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Malhana, Deoria, under the Indian Institute of Vegetable Research, Varanasi, UP. A total of 90, 12 and 50 FLDs were conducted under raised bed sowing with three varieties of pigeon pea ( Narendra Arhar 1, Pusa Bahar and Narendra  Arhar 2) from 2014-15 to 2018-19 respectively.

Methodology: Prior findings were examined to identify any gaps and to enlist everyone's assistance in disseminating such a technology of global relevance. In the eight years from 2011–12 to 2018–19, a total of 204 FLDs were carried out at the 230 farmer’s fields in the 32 villages where wheat was sown by zero tillage

Result: Rice-wheat cropping systems are the most often used agricultural method in Uttar Pradesh, India's hot, sub-humid (wet) eco-region. It provides farmers and agricultural labourers with a source of subsistence and revenue and is a crucial aspect of the region's infrastructure for food safety. In order to attain sustainable yield, it is always thought necessary to employ other alternatives of conserving essential inputs by adopting resources conservative techniques (RCT), such as zero tillage and broad bed furrow (BBF). According to the economic analysis of the data presented in the current study, zero tillage wheat farming is the most cost-effective and appealing alternative for the agricultural community of eastern Uttar Pradesh. When compared to the broadcasting method, the zero tillage technique yielded a higher return and a lower cost of cultivation per acre. Finally, the use of this strategy raises farmers' net returns, improves their social standing, living conditions, livelihood, and ultimately reduces poverty in the farming community.

Conclusions: The new approach lowers production costs while producing equivalent wheat yields to other methods, which leads to higher net returns. Farmers in the area have begun to appreciate the technology's reduced tillage costs. Rice-wheat is the prevalent farming system practiced by the majority of farmers in the region. In the future, the prospect of extending the method to sow wheat after other crops should be investigated.
Genetic Variability and Heritability of Tuberose (Polianthes tuberosa) Cultivars under Agro-Climatic Conditions of Prayagraj
Authors: Sarkar Bidisha , Singh Devi , Wesley C. John
Published: August 2023

The present study entitled “Genetic variability and heritability of Tuberose cultivars under agroclimatic conditions of Prayagraj” was made to identify the suitable variety for growing in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh. Fifteen varieties were laid out in Randomized Block Design with three replications during May 2022 to February 2023 at Departmental field of Horticulture, NAI, SHUATS, Prayagraj. The observations recorded on various growth, yield and quality contributing characters. The result from the present investigation revealed the genotypes Arka Suvasini, Mexican single and Hyderabad single are identified as higher spike yield per plot which indicated that these genotypes may be shown for higher yield at Prayagraj Agro-climatic condition. The PCV were higher than GCV for all the characters taken in to consideration. High magnitude of GCV and PCV was recorded for No. of bulblets per plant, weight of bulb per plant , yield of bulb per hectare and weight of bulb and least estimates for PCV and GCV was observed for no. of leaves at 6 month after planting. Heritability and genetic advance indicate that the additive nature of gene action and reliability of those characters for selection and emerged as ideal traits for improvement through selection.
Effect of Organic Nutrient Management on Growth and Yield of Green Gram (Vigna radiata L.,) under Semi-arid Region
Authors: Patel Mastu , Gangwar B.
Published: August 2023

A field experiment was carried out during the kharif season of the year 2021-2022 at Organic Agriculture Research Farm, Karguaji, Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Bundelkhand University, Jhansi, Uttar Pradesh to study the “Effect of nutrient management through organic sources on growth and yield of green gram (Vigna radiata L.,). The experiment was laid out in randomized block design with nine treatments and three replications. The results revealed that growth and yield parameters influenced by the nutrient management through organic sources. The values of different attributes were higher with application 1/3 Farm yard manure, 1/3 Poultry manure and 1/3 Vermicompost treated with rhizobium and PSB as compared with control. As a result, the improvement in growth and yield parameters viz., plant height, biomass production, number of nodules and yield attributes viz., pod length (cm), number of grains/pods, test weight, and seed yield (q/ha) was recorded and identified as best treatment. Thus, the combined use of different organic sources played a significant role in increasing seed yield of Green gram.
Influence of Liquid Organic Manure on Growth and Yield of Field Pea
Authors: Kumar Ghanapuram Tharun , Singh Vikram , George Shruti Grace
Published: August 2023

During Rabi season 2022 A field trial was laid at Crop Research Farm (CRF), Department of Agronomy, Sam Higginbottom University of Agriculture, Technology and Sciences (SHUATS), formerly Allahabad Agricultural Institute, Prayagraj (UP) to study the Influence of liquid organic manure on growth and yield of Field pea. The experiment was arranged as nine treatments replicated thrice in Randomized Block Design. The treatment combination of Jeevamrutha (500 l/ha) + Spraying at interval of 7 days observed maximum plant height (97.87 cm), plant dry weight (31.54 g), number of pods/plant (21.97) and number of seeds/pod (4.95) seed yield (2.88 t/ha), and stover yield (4.91 t/ha) of Field pea as related to other treatments.  Highest Gross return (INR 167040.00 /ha), Net return (INR 110640.0 /ha) and B: C ratio (1.96) were observed in treatment combination Jeevamrutha (500 l/ha) + Spraying at interval of 7 days as compared to other treatments.
Iwalewa
Authors: Sarno Hannah Romã Bellini
Published: August 2023

Entrevista com o Sheikh Abdul Hameed Abu Bakr Ahmad
Store‐operated calcium entry mediates hyperalgesic responses during neuropathy
Authors: Wang Wei , Wang Qiru , Huang Jinlu , Li Hong , Li Fangjie , Li Xue , Liu Ruimei , Xu Ming , Chen Jinghong , Mao Yemeng , Ma Le
Published: August 2023

Neuropathic pain (NP), resulting from nerve injury, alters neural plasticity in spinal cord and brain via the release of inflammatory mediators. The remodeling of store‐operated calcium entry (SOCE) involves the refilling of calcium in the endoplasmic reticulum via STIM1 and Orai1 proteins and is crucial for maintaining neural plasticity and neurotransmitter release. The mechanism underlying SOCE‐mediated NP remains largely unknown. In this study, we found SOCE‐mediated calcium refilling was significantly higher during neuropathic pain, and the major component Orai1 was specifically co‐localized with neuronal markers. Intrathecal injection of SOCE antagonist SKF96365 remarkably alleviated nerve injury‐ and formalin‐induced pain and suppressed c‐Fos expression in response to innocuous mechanical stimulation. RNA sequencing revealed that SKF96365 altered the expression of spinal transcription factors, including Fos, Junb, and Socs3, during neuropathic pain. In order to identify the genes critical for SKF96365‐induced effects, we performed weighted gene co‐expression network analysis (WGCNA) to identify the genes most correlated with paw withdrawal latency phenotypes. Of the 16 modules, MEsalmon module was the most highly correlated with SKF96365 induced effects. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analysis showed that the enriched genes of MEsalmon module were significantly related to Toll‐like receptor signaling, steroid biosynthesis, and chemokine signaling, which may mediate the analgesic effect caused by SKF9636 treatment. Additionally, the SOCE antagonist YM‐58483 produced similar analgesic effects in nerve injury‐ and formalin‐induced pain. Our results suggest that manipulation of spinal SOCE signaling might be a promising target for pain relief by regulating neurotransmitter production and spinal transcription factor expression.
Overview of medical physics education and research programs in a non‐academic environment
Authors: Fagerstrom Jessica M. , Brown Thomas A. D. , Kaurin Darryl G. L. , Mahendra Saikanth , Zaini M. Miron
Published: August 2023

Northwest Medical Physics Center (NMPC) is a nonprofit organization that provides clinical physics support to over 35 radiation therapy facilities concentrated in the Pacific Northwest. Although clinical service is the primary function of NMPC, the diverse array of clinical sites and physics expertise has allowed for the establishment of structured education and research programs, which are complementary to the organization's clinical mission. Three clinical training programs have been developed at NMPC: a therapy medical physics residency program accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Medical Physics Education Programs (CAMPEP), an Applied Physics Technologist (APT) program, and a summer undergraduate internship program. A partnership has also been established with a major radiation oncology clinical vendor for the purposes of validating and testing new clinical devices across multiple facilities. These programs are managed by a dedicated education and research team at NMPC, made up of four qualified medical physicists (QMPs). The education and research work has made a significant contribution to the organization's clinical mission, and it has provided new training opportunities for early‐career physicists across many different clinical environments. Education and research can be incorporated into nonacademic clinical environments, improving the quality of patient care, and increasing the number and type of training opportunities available for medical physicists.
Muscle activity during crouched walking
Authors: Hora Martin , Struška Michal , Matějovská Zuzana , Kubový Petr , Sládek Vladimír
Published: August 2023

Objectives

Muscle activity during crouched walking has been previously studied in the context of the evolution of hominin bipedalism and human movement disorders. However, crouched walking could also be used in approach hunting where postural height (actual height of the body from the ground to the top of the head during locomotion) is the limiting factor. Here, we aim to analyze the relationship between relative postural height (%stature), kinematics, and muscle activity during crouched walking.

Materials and Methods

Adult males (n = 19) walked with extended limbs and at three degrees of crouch while their 3D motion capture kinematics and lower limb muscle electromyography were recorded. We measured activation of tibialis anterior, soleus, gastrocnemius medialis, gastrocnemius lateralis, vastus lateralis, rectus femoris, biceps femoris, and gluteus maximus. We analyzed the effects of postural height on kinematics and muscle activation using linear mixed effects model.

Results

Flexion angles, individual muscle activation (except for medial gastrocnemius), and total muscle activation were negatively related to relative postural height, that is, were greater at more crouched postures. Relative postural height had a stronger effect on the activation of the thigh and gluteal muscles compared to shank muscles.

Discussion

General increase in lower limb muscle activation at lower postural heights suggests a negative relationship between relative postural height and fatigue, and may indicate a possible mechanism by which short stature could benefit the hunter in approach hunting. Greater activation of thigh and gluteal muscles relative to shank muscles may help to identify crouched walking in past human populations.
On‐Surface Synthesis and Characterization of a High‐Spin Aza‐[5]‐Triangulene
Authors: Vilas‐Varela Manuel , Romero‐Lara Francisco , Vegliante Alessio , Calupitan Jan Patrick , Martínez Adrián , Meyer Lorenz , Uriarte‐Amiano Unai , Friedrich Niklas , Wang Dongfei , Schulz Fabian , Koval Natalia E. , Sandoval‐Salinas María E. , Casanova David , Corso Martina , Artacho Emilio , Peña Diego , Pascual José Ignacio
Published: August 2023

Triangulenes are a class of open‐shell triangular graphene flakes with total spin increasing with their size. In the last years, on‐surface‐synthesis strategies have permitted fabricating and engineering triangulenes of various sizes and structures with atomic precision. However, direct proof of the increasing total spin with their size remains elusive. In this work, we report the combined in‐solution and on‐surface synthesis of a large nitrogen‐doped triangulene (aza‐[5]‐triangulene) on a Au(111) surface, and the detection of its high‐spin ground state. Bond‐resolved scanning tunneling microscopy images uncovered radical states distributed along the zigzag edges, which were detected as weak zero‐bias resonances in scanning tunneling spectra. These spectral features reveal the partial Kondo screening of a high‐spin state. Through a combination of several simulation tools, we find that the observed distribution of radical states is explained by a quintet ground state (S=2), instead of the quartet state (S=3/2) expected for the neutral species. This confirms that electron transfer to the metal substrate raises the spin of the ground state. We further provide a qualitative description of the change of (anti)aromaticity introduced by N‐substitution, and its role in the charge stabilization on a surface, resulting in an S=2 aza‐triangulene on Au(111).
Enhancing Circularly Polarized Phosphorescence via Integrated Top‐Down and Bottom‐Up Approach
Authors: Park Gyurim , Jeong Dong Yeon , Yu Seung Yeon , Park Jong Jin , Kim Jong H. , Yang Hoichang , You Youngmin
Published: August 2023

In the dynamic domain of chiroptical technologies, it is imperative to engineer emitters endowed with circularly polarized luminescence (CPL) properties. This research demonstrates an advancement by employing a combined top‐down and bottom‐up strategy for the simultaneous amplification of photoluminescence quantum yield (Φ) and the luminescence dissymmetry factor (glum). Square‐planar Pt(II) complexes form helical assemblies, driven by torsional strain induced by bis(nonyl) chains. Integration of chiral anions leads these assemblies to prefer distinct helical sense. This arrangement activates the metal‐metal‐to‐ligand charge transfer (MMLCT) transition that is CPL‐active, with Φ and |glum| observing an upswing contingent on the charge number and aryl substituents in chiral anions. Utilizing the soft‐lithographic micromolding in capillaries technique, we could fabricate exquisitely‐ordered, one‐dimensional co‐assemblies to achieve the metrics to Φ of 0.32 and |glum| of 0.13. Finally, our spectroscopic research elucidates the underlying mechanism for the dual amplification, making a significant stride in the advancement of CPL‐active emitters.
New insights into tailoring physicochemical properties for optimizing the anti‐icing behavior of polyurethane coatings
Authors: Bakhshandeh Ehsan , Sobhani Sarah , Jafari Reza , Momen Gelareh
Published: August 2023

The most popular topcoat in the coatings industry, polyurethane (PU), still lacks an understanding of ice‐related phenomena and hence achieving an icephobic PU‐based coating has remained an important unresolved issue. This work presents fresh perspectives on how factors including chemical characteristics, cross‐link density, and mechanical characterization impact the anti‐icing capabilities and ice‐adhesion of PU coatings. In this regard, the effects of the of aforementioned coatings having various crosslink densities on wettability, ice formation, and ice adhesion were assessed via multiple approaches. Two acrylic polyols with different hydroxyl content and two commonly used aliphatic polyisocyanates with different %NCOs were utilized to fabricate the PU coatings. In addition, coatings were designed with different stoichiometric ratios providing a route to various crosslink densities and mechanical properties. Wettability characteristics were investigated using water contact angle, contact angle hysteresis, and sliding angle. The roles of urethane linkages and hydrogen‐bond formation between water molecules and urethane composition of PU coatings on ice nucleation and ice adhesion were studied through DSC, push‐off, and centrifugal tests. Mechanical characteristics and surface roughness of the coatings were investigated by tensile test and optical profilometer, respectively.
4D‐CT deformable image registration using unsupervised recursive cascaded full‐resolution residual networks
Authors: Xu Lei , Jiang Ping , Tsui Tiffany , Liu Junyan , Zhang Xiping , Yu Lequan , Niu Tianye
Published: August 2023

A novel recursive cascaded full‐resolution residual network (RCFRR‐Net) for abdominal four‐dimensional computed tomography (4D‐CT) image registration was proposed. The entire network was end‐to‐end and trained in the unsupervised approach, which meant that the deformation vector field, which presented the ground truth, was not needed during training. The network was designed by cascading three full‐resolution residual subnetworks with different architectures. The training loss consisted of the image similarity loss and the deformation vector field regularization loss, which were calculated based on the final warped image and the fixed image, allowing all cascades to be trained jointly and perform the progressive registration cooperatively. Extensive network testing was conducted using diverse datasets, including an internal 4D‐CT dataset, a public DIRLAB 4D‐CT dataset, and a 4D cone‐beam CT (4D‐CBCT) dataset. Compared with the iteration‐based demon method and two deep learning‐based methods (VoxelMorph and recursive cascaded network), the RCFRR‐Net achieved consistent and significant gains, which demonstrated that the proposed method had superior performance and generalization capability in medical image registration. The proposed RCFRR‐Net was a promising tool for various clinical applications.
Selenium‐binding protein 1 inhibits malignant progression and induces apoptosis via distinct mechanisms in non‐small cell lung cancer
Authors: Zhu Ying , Pu Qiang , Zhang Qiongyin , Liu Yang , Ma Yongfang , Yuan Yue , Liu Lunxu , Zhu Wen
Published: August 2023

Background

Selenium is an essential trace element in the human body. In epidemiological and clinical studies, Se supplementation significantly reduced the incidence of lung cancer in individuals with low baseline Se levels. The significant action of selenium is based on the selenium‐containing protein as a mediator. Of note, the previous studies reported that the expression of selenium‐binding protein 1 (SELENBP1) was obviously decreased in many human cancer tissues including non‐small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). However, its roles in the origin and development of NSCLC are still unclear.

Methods

The expression of SELENBP1 was measured by qRT‐PCR, Western blotting and IHC in our collected clinical NSCLC tissues and cell lines. Next, the CCK‐8, colony formation, wound‐haeling, Millicell, Transwell, FCM assay, and in vivo xenograft model were performed to explore the function of SELENBP1 in NSCLC. The molecular mechanisms of SELENBP1 were investigated by Western blotting or IF assay.

Results

We further identified that the expression of SELENBP1 was significantly decreased in NSCLC tissues in TCGA database and 45 out of 59 collected clinical NSCLC tissues compared with adjacent nontumor tissues, as well as in four NSCLC cell lines compared with normal lung cells. Particularly, we unexpectedly discovered that SELENBP1 was obviously expressed in alveolar type 2 (AT‐II) cells for the first time. Then, a series of in vitro experiments uncovered that overexpression of SELENBP1 inhibited the proliferation, migration, and invasion of NSCLC cells, and induced cell apoptosis. Moreover, overexpression of SELENBP1 also inhibited growth and induced apoptosis of NSCLC cells in vivo. Mechanistically, we demonstrated that overexpression of SELENBP1 inhibited the malignant characteristics of NSCLC cells in part via inactivating the PI3K/AKT/mTOR signal pathway. Meanwhile, we found that overexpression of SELENBP1 inducing the apoptosis of NSCLC cells was associated with the activation of caspase‐3 signaling pathway under nonhigh level of oxidative stress, but overexpression of SELENBP1 facilitating the cell apoptosis might be related to its combining with GPX1 and colocalizing in the nucleus under high level of oxidative stress.

Conclusions

Our findings highlighted that SELENBP1 was an important tumor suppressor during the origin and development of NSCLC. It may help to discover novel biomarkers or drug therapy targets for NSCLC.
Coupled Electrochemical Processes as Versatile Route for Converting Waste Substrates into Value Added Chemical Products
Authors: Pichler Christian M.
Published: August 2023

There is a strong initiative in chemical industry to replace fossil resources by alternative feedstocks and implement more sustainable production routes for chemicals. Waste feedstocks are especially appealing, considering the principles of circular economy. They exhibit, however, great structural complexity, and it is challenging to convert them into defined chemical products. To still enable the conversion of waste feedstocks into value added chemicals, coupled catalytic processes are a viable solution. A first reaction step transforms the waste substrate into more defined and soluble intermediates which are subsequently converted into value added chemicals, in a second reaction step. Electrochemical reactions are of great interest for such processes, especially in the context of sustainability, as they can be powered by electricity from renewable sources and enable unique chemical transformations. In this review different strategies for converting waste substrates into value added chemicals are addressed by using process couplings including electrochemical reactions. Such coupled processes are of great interest to enable the transformation of chemical industry towards sustainable processes following the principles of circular economy.
Membranen in der Lebensmittel und Pharmaindustrie
Authors: Scharnagl Nico
Published: August 2023

No abstract.
BeSleep: Blockchain‐enabled distributed sleeping strategies of small base stations in ultra dense networks
Authors: Venkateswararao Kuna , Swain Pravati
Published: August 2023

Small cell networks can fulfill the increasing demandfor the high data rate of wireless applications. Energy efficiency is an important design parameter of the ultra dense small cell network (UDSCN). The sleeping strategy of small base stations (s‐BSs) is used to enhance the network's energy efficiency. An efficient sleeping strategy of s‐BSs is required while preserving users' quality of service (QoS). The idle s‐BSs can be switched to sleep mode. This paper proposes a blockchain‐enabled solution for the sleeping strategy of s‐BSs. Here, a blockchain‐enabled small cell network is created between the s‐BSs. The network is decentralized, which eliminates the workload of the macro base station (MBS). The proposed network architecture is enabled as a decentralized network through blockchain. The blockchain provides distributed control over the s‐BS operations through a smart contract. Here, smart contracts act as distributed self organizing network features to handle self‐transactions among small cells for switching off s‐BSs in the network. All the software logic required to perform s‐BS operations is written in a smart contract using Ethereum. The proposed solution improves energy efficiency and enables the ultra dense small cell network to be decentralized.
A case of idiopathic gastroesophageal submucosal hematoma in a patient with no predisposition to bleeding
Authors: Iwado Takaaki , Honda Hirokazu , Gotoda Tatsuhiro
Published: August 2023

Gastroesophageal submucosal hematoma is a disease in which blood vessels in the gastroesophageal submucosa rupture and form a hematoma. In this report, we describe a case of gastroesophageal submucosal hematoma that developed due to vomiting in a patient with no history of bleeding and resolved with conservative treatment. A 69‐year‐old man presented with precordial pain and hematemesis after vomiting. A diagnosis of idiopathic gastroesophageal submucosal hematoma was made by computed tomography scan, magnetic resonance imaging, and esophagogastroduodenoscopy. Healing was achieved by conservative treatment with fasting, rehydration, and acid suppression. When a patient presents with sudden chest pain, hematemesis, and dysphagia, the possibility of this disease should be considered.
Confirmation of significant sea turtle nesting activity on a remote island chain in the Gulf of Mexico
Authors: Lamont Margaret M. , Ingram Dianne , Baker Todd , Weigel Matt , Shamblin Brian M.
Published: August 2023

Globally, six of the seven sea turtle species are threatened or endangered and as such, monitoring reproductive activity for these species is necessary for effective population recovery. Remote beaches provide a challenge to conducting these surveys, which often results in data gaps that can hamper management planning. Throughout the summer of 2022, aerial surveys were conducted over the Chandeleur Islands in the Gulf of Mexico. Turtle crawls were photographed for subsequent review by 10 expert observers. Whenever possible, ground surveys were conducted, and samples of unhatched eggs or dead hatchlings were collected. A summary of historic reports of sea turtle nesting activity at this site was also compiled. On 11 days between May 4, 2022, and July 30, 2022, photographs of 55 potential sea turtle crawls were taken. Observers identified 54 of those as being made by a sea turtle. There was high‐to‐moderate certainty that 16 of those crawls were nests, that 14 were made by loggerheads, and that two were made by Kemp's ridleys. Observers were least certain of species identification when surveys were conducted during rainy weather. Genetic analyses based on mitochondrial and nuclear DNA were conducted on samples from five nests and those analyses confirmed that three nests were laid by Kemp's ridleys and two were laid by loggerheads. Historic records from the Chandeleur Islands substantiate claims that the Chandeleurs have supported sea turtle nesting activity for decades; however, the consistency of this activity remains unknown. Our aerial surveys, particularly when coupled with imaging, were a useful tool for documenting nesting activity on these remote islands. Future monitoring programs at this site could benefit from a standardized aerial survey program with a seaplane so trends in nesting activity could be determined particularly as the beach undergoes restoration.
Fabrication and characteristics of electret ultrasonic‐sensor using laser patterning
Authors: Kobayashi Kakeru , Kawada Yoshiaki , Kageyama Kensuke
Published: August 2023

In this study, in an electret capacitor sensor (ECS), which is an electromechanical exchange device consisting of an electret sandwiched between two electrodes, ridges as spacers and grooves as gaps were formed in the PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene) layer of the insulating electrode by laser ablation. The ECSs were then fabricated using PTFE electrets, and the charge retention and airborne ultrasonic wave transmitting and receiving characteristics were investigated. The charge retention characteristics of the ECS with laser‐patterned insulating electrodes were slightly lower than those of the silica‐aggregate electret. As the thickness of the insulating layer increased or the groove width decreased, the transmitting and receiving sensitivity increased significantly and then peaked and degraded at the measurements of transmitting and receiving. The ECS with the highest peak sensitivity obtained by laser patterning had a bandwidth comparable to that of the conventional ECS with silica aggregate electret, but the peak sensitivity was improved by up to 8 dB. Therefore, laser patterning could contribute to the improvement of ECS performance.