bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
España en el imaginario chileno-árabe: personas, lugares, tiempos, sentires
Authors: Martínez Lillo Rosa Isabel , Lucena Romero Miguel Ángel
Published: October 2023

En este artículo damos a conocer la imagen de España en cinco de los escritores chilenos de origen árabe más relevantes: Benedicto Chuaqui, Emilio Mohor, Mahfud Massís, Olga Lolas y Matías Rafide. Dicha imagen, en muchas ocasiones percibida al trasluz del imaginario, aun siendo variopinta y multifacética, guarda un vínculo muy estrecho con la realidad andalusí en tres de los cinco autores: historia y geografía —lugares y tiempos— de un pasado que deja sus huellas indelebles en los autores de origen árabes. Desde la mirada esencialmente objetiva para con sus personas o pueblos que la habitan, del pionero Benedicto Chuaqui, hasta el sentir conformado a partir de reminiscencias poéticas halladas acaso en las entrañas del alma de Mahfud Massís, España y los españoles, lo hispano, en definitiva, ocupa un lugar crucial en todos ellos.
Conocimiento científico social sobre el conocimiento
Authors: Stehr Nico
Published: October 2023

El conocimiento no existe como una "pieza" aislada. El conocimiento existe en un estado colectivo agregado. Defino el conocimiento como una capacidad de acción social y como un modelo de la realidad, como la posibilidad de poner "algo en movimiento", por ejemplo, resolver una tarea, producir un objeto material como un chip semiconductor o ser competente para evitar que ocurra algo, por ejemplo, la aparición de una enfermedad. En este sentido, el conocimiento es un fenómeno humano universal, o una constante antropológica. Esta definición del término "conocimiento" es deudora de la famosa observación de Francis Bacon de que el conocimiento es poder, una traducción algo engañosa de la frase latina de Bacon: scientia potentia est. Un supuesto básico debería ser que el conocimiento no es práctico a priori. La transformación del conocimiento como capacidad de actuar en conocimiento práctico requiere circunstancias congeniales, como el poder o la autoridad que dicta las condiciones concretas para la acción. En este con texto, resulta útil preguntarse por el papel cada vez más destacado de los algoritmos (tecnología intelectual) en relación con el conocimiento, como el software ChatGPT, así como por la polémica cuestión de la existencia de una clase de conocimiento y la noción de capital cultural.
Numerical Investigation of the Effect of Aluminum Yielding Damper for the Retrofitting of Semi-rigid Steel Frames
Authors: Aghani Hamidreza , Cheraghi Kambiz , Bakhshipour Mohammad
Published: October 2023

During an earthquake, yielding dampers yield before the main members of the structure and with their plastic deformations, they dissipate part of the earthquake energy. Therefore, ductile materials are a suitable option for this type of dampers. In this research, numerical studies were conducted to investigate the effect of aluminum yielding damper (AYD) on semi-rigid steel frame. First, the steel frame and the AYD were verified based on experimental samples and analytical equations. An approximate equation for estimating the elastic stiffness of the damper was also presented. Parametric studies were conducted in order to investigate the effect of the number of dampers and the axial force of the column on the stiffness, ultimate strength, ductility and energy dissipation parameters of the frame. The additional forces applied to the connections, beams and columns of the frame due to the addition of dampers were also calculated, which is important in the design of the frame. The results showed that the addition of the damper increased the frame's stiffness, energy dissipation, ultimate strength, and ductility, and also reduced the negative effect of the column's axial force on energy dissipation of the frame.
EXPLORING LOWER-SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS’ SYSTEMS THINKING PERFORMANCE IN ECOLOGICAL ISSUES
Authors: Li Ruying , Li Gaofeng
Published: October 2023

Exploring students’ systems thinking (ST) is essential in enhancing science learning, but existing studies have failed to understand students’ ST fully as it relates to ecological issues. This study aimed to fill the aforementioned literature gap by exploring lower-secondary school students’ ST regarding ecological issues. The Systems Thinking Test regarding Ecological Issues, which measures four ST skills (system organisation, behaviour, application, and evaluation), was administered to 1,092 lower-secondary school students. The results reveal low ST performance in ecological issues, with students finding it particularly difficult to identify interactions among components and understand system characteristics. Furthermore, most lacked reflective consciousness and consideration of the diverse dimensions of ecological issues, resulting in monocausal reasoning in system decision-making and evaluation. Comparatively, urban school students performed better than their rural counterparts; additionally, an item-level analysis revealed that climate warming was challenging for the students to understand. This study suggests that greater efforts should be made to address students’ drawbacks and that multi-perspectival teaching is necessary in the context of ecological issues. The addition of system decision-making and evaluation in assessments can enable a broader understanding of ST.
Keywords: environment education, lower-secondary school, partial credit model, sustainable development, systems thinking
Differential transcriptional control of hematopoiesis in congenital and cycling neutropenia patients harboring ELANE mutations
Authors: Zeidler Alexander , Borbaran-Bravo Natalia , Dannenmann Benjamin , Ritter Malte , Nasri Masoud , Klimiankou Maksim , Kandabarau Sergey , Zahabi Azadeh , König Josef , Zeidler Cornelia , Skokowa Julia , Welte Karl
Published: October 2023

Mutations in the ELANE gene, encoding the neutrophil elastase (NE) protein, are responsible for most CyN cases and approximately 25 % of CN cases. In CN and in CyN, a median of 2.8 % of CD34+ cells were early CD49f+ hematopoietic stem cells (eHSC) that did not express ELANE and thus escape from the unfolded protein response (UPR) caused by mutated NE. In CyN, the CD49f+ cells respond to G-CSF with a significant upregulation of the hematopoietic stem-cell-specific transcription factors, C/EBP/, MLL1, HOXA9, MEIS1, and HLF during the ascending arm of the cycle, resulting in the differentiation of myeloid cells to mature neutrophils at the cycle peak. However, NE protein released by neutrophils at the cycle's peak caused a negative feedback loop on granulopoiesis through the proteolytic digestion of G-CSF. In contrast, in CN patients, CD49f+ cells failed to express mRNA levels of HSC-specific transcription factors mentioned above. Rescue of C/EBP//expression in CN restored granulopoiesis.
Tratamientos aplicados en pacientes por infección de covid-19 con diabetes mellitus tipo 2
Authors: Sánchez Jácome Gissela de los Ángeles , Freire Montesdeoca Jessica Mariana
Published: October 2023

Introducción. Los coronavirus son virus de ARN que causan diferentes tipos de enfermedades respiratorias. A finales de 2019, se identificó un nuevo coronavirus y el 11 de marzo de 2020 la declaró pandemia. Existe el desarrollo de diabetes en pacientes con SARS-CoV-2, por lo que es posible que pudiera ocasionar alteraciones en el metabolismo de la glucosa que conlleva la aparición de diabetes mellitus. Objetivo. Realizar una revisión bibliográfica sobre los tratamientos aplicados en pacientes infectados con Covid-19 y que tengan como patología de base diabetes mellitus tipo 2. Metodología. Se utilizaron bases de datos como PubMed, Scopus, Springer, Elsevier y se incluyeron artículos en idioma español e inglés publicados dentro del período del año 2019 al año 2023. Resultados. Todos los artículos analizados describen como pilar fundamental del tratamiento el uso de metformina, insulina y corticoides, acompañada de la educación del paciente y la comunicación entre el personal de salud y el paciente. Conclusión. El tratamiento se basa en la medicación habitual del paciente, pero con leves ajustes dependiendo al control de la glucosa, también se han descritos diferentes tratamientos como incretinas, inhibidores ECA, cloroquina e hidroxicloroquina e inhibidores SGLT2 entre otros que han actuado de diferentes formas para el control de dicha patología.  Área de estudio general: Medicina. Área de estudio específica: Medicina Interna.
Revisión sistemática de las aplicaciones de vanguardia en el campo de la visión por computadora
Authors: Torres Abril Paulo César , Jara Moya Santiago David , Torres Valverde Leonardo David , Arias Martínez Darwin René
Published: October 2023

Introducción:  La visión artificial combina inteligencia artificial y robótica para analizar imágenes capturadas por cámaras. Se basa en la teoría de la percepción del color RGB y considera factores como la iluminación y el tipo de sensor. Utiliza modelos de color para modificar imágenes con precisión. Se emplean OpenCV y Python en esta investigación sobre técnicas avanzadas en visión artificial, centrándose en la innovación y algoritmos para mejorar la precisión en la clasificación de objetos mediante el aprendizaje automático y redes neuronales. Objetivo:  El objetivo principal de este estudio es llevar a cabo un examen exhaustivo de la información disponible acerca de los avances recientes en visión artificial mediante metaanálisis o revisión sistemática, con el fin de abordar de manera más precisa la investigación en este ámbito. Metodología:  La investigación se enfoca en la visión artificial, priorizando fuentes científicas recientes en inglés, aunque se incluyen libros y fuentes web confiables en menor medida. Se utiliza un enfoque cualitativo a través de la metodología de Revisión Sistemática de la Literatura (SLR), que abarca la formulación de preguntas, exploración de documentos, selección rigurosa de obras y adquisición de datos relevantes. Resultados: El análisis destaca que la visión por computadora es un campo avanzado con diversas aplicaciones en sistemas de dispositivos inteligentes; también se realizó un análisis de palabras clave para identificar tendencias clave en los artículos seleccionados. Conclusión: La mayoría de los estudios relevantes sobre el tema se hallaron en bases de datos en inglés como IEEE y Springer, con limitadas referencias en Scopus debido a sus costos asociados; el enfoque de este estudio se centra en sistemas inteligentes y su aplicación en la detección de objetos en tiempo real mediante redes neuronales convolucionales. Área de estudio general: Tecnologías de la Información y Comunicación (Tic). Área de estudio específica: Inteligencia artificial.
Public health response to an outbreak of meningococcal B disease in a secondary school in Far North Queensland
Authors: Marquardt Tonia J , Hanson Josh , Preston-Thomas Annie , Thirlwell Carlie , Kakkanat Asha , Goncalves Nancy
Published: October 2023

This article describes the public health response to an outbreak of meningococcal B disease, linked to a secondary school in Far North Queensland. Tropical Public Health Services in Cairns were notified of three cases of meningococcal disease in the same week in May 2022. The cases occurred in individuals who all attended, or worked in, the same secondary school. All cases were serogroup B and shared the same molecular genotype. The public health response included prompt provision of information, distribution of clearance antibiotics and two doses of MenB-4C vaccine to the entire staff and student population. Antibiotic coverage and vaccination coverage were achieved in 99% and 85% of the student population respectively. Following the intervention, no further cases were detected in the region during the subsequent nine months.
CLASSIFICATION OF POTATO LEAF DISEASES USING CONVOLUTIONAL NEURAL NETWORK
Authors: Firasari Elly , Cahyanti F. Lia Dwi
Published: October 2023

Potatoes are an agricultural product that has the fourth highest content of wheat flour after corn, wheat, and rice. Although potatoes play a critical role in agriculture, this crop is susceptible to various diseases and pests. There are several potato leaf diseases that are not yet known to farmers. Dry spot potato leaf disease (late blight) and late blight. If not treated, this disease on potato leaves will spread to the stem and reduce crop yields, causing crop failure. By using technology in the form of digital image processing, this problem can be overcome. This research proposes an appropriate method for detecting disease in potato leaves. Classification will be carried out in three classes, namel, Early Blight, Healthy and Late Blight using the Deep Learning method of Convolutional Neural Network (CNN). The data used comes from an online dataset via the kaggle.com page with the file name Potato Disease Leaf Dataset (PLD) totaling 3251 training datasets which are then divided into training, testing, and validation. The processes carried out are image pre-processing, image augmentation, then image processing using a Convolutional Neural Network (CNN). In the classification process using the CNN method with RMSprop optimizer, the accuracy was 97.53% with a loss value of 0.1096.
Obesity and Its Relation to Excessive Daytime Sleepiness in Civilian Pilots
Authors: Brahmanti Radistrya Sekaranti , Sampurna Budi , Ibrahim Nurhadi , Adi Nuri Purwito , Siagian Minarma , Werdhani Retno Asti
Published: October 2023

INTRODUCTION: Excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) is often associated with decreased work performance and fatigue in civil pilots. However, aeromedical recommendations for the evaluation of EDS are associated with suspicion of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). Currently, many studies
have found an association between obesity and EDS, regardless of OSA. This study aims to determine whether there is a relationship between obesity and EDS in Indonesian civilian pilots, as well as its risks for developing OSA.METHODS: This study used a cross-sectional design and
was carried out at the Directorate General Civil Aviation Medical. Subjects were asked to fill out questionnaires, including the Epworth Sleepiness Scale to measure EDS and STOP-Bang to assess OSA risk, followed by anthropometric measurements for body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference
as obesity indicators.RESULTS: A total of 156 subjects were obtained, with an EDS prevalence of 16.7%. There was no significant relationship between obesity and EDS, but the prevalence of EDS was higher in obese subjects based on waist circumference than based on BMI (17.8% vs.
15.6%). Most obese pilots with EDS had a low risk of OSA (83.3% and 80%).CONCLUSION: The prevalence of EDS was found to be higher in pilots with central obesity compared to BMI-categorized obesity. The incidence of EDS was not correlated with the risk of OSA.Brahmanti RS,
Sampurna B, Ibrahim N, Adi NP, Siagian M, Werdhani RA. Obesity and its relation to excessive daytime sleepiness in civilian pilots. Aerosp Med Hum Perform. 2023; 94(11):815–820.
Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors and Other Treatment Modalities for Deep Space Missions
Authors: El-Khoury Bashir B. , Ray Kristi L. , Altchuler Steven I. , Reichard John F. , Dukes Charles H.
Published: October 2023

INTRODUCTION: As humankind ventures further into the depths of space, planning is already underway for long-duration exploration missions that will test the bounds of human performance. Deep space travel will include added risk related to stressors from the isolated, confined,
and extreme environment that lies outside the boundaries of low Earth orbit. Currently, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are considered the standard of care for many mental health diagnoses, including anxiety and depression; however, SSRIs are also associated with several undesired
side effects. The utility of nonpharmacological therapies for the management of behavioral health conditions has not yet been fully explored.METHODS: A comprehensive literature search was performed using PubMed. Relevant articles pertaining to the psychological impacts of isolated,
confined, and extreme environments, use of SSRIs in spaceflight, side effects associated with SSRIs, and nonpharmacological treatments for anxiety and depression were reviewed. Over 70 studies were reviewed in total.RESULTS: Reduced bone mineral density, impaired hemostatic function,
significant individual variability resulting from gene polymorphisms, and drug-drug interactions are well described adverse effects of SSRIs that may complicate their operational use in the deep space environment. Four alternative therapies for the treatment of anxiety and depression may show
promise for long duration missions.DISCUSSION: Although SSRIs have long been considered standard of care treatment for many behavioral health conditions, we cannot trivialize the risk that prolonged pharmacological therapy may pose. The need to mitigate these risks by exploring
alternative therapies has never been more relevant.El-Khoury BB, Ray KL, Altchuler SI, Reichard JF, Dukes CH. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors and other treatment modalities for deep space missions. Aerosp Med Hum Perform. 2023; 94(11):843–851.
A 3D-Printed Portable Sterilizer to Be Used During Surgical Procedures in Spaceflight
Authors: Kovalski Erika , Salazar Linda , Levin Dana , Kamine Tovy Haber
Published: October 2023

INTRODUCTION: During spaceflight, it is important to consider the mechanisms by which surgeries and medical procedures can be safely and efficiently conducted. Instruments used to carry out these processes need to be sterilized. Thus, we have designed and tested a three-dimensional-printed
(3D-printed) portable sterilizer that implements far ultraviolet-C (Far UV-C) light radiation to disinfect bacteria and microorganisms from surgical instruments.METHODS: The sterilizer was 3D-printed with polylactic acid filament. Effectiveness was assessed through three trials
at differing times of sterilization and compared against a control group of no sterilization and against Clorox wipes. Cultures were incubated on agar dishes and counted with ImageJ.RESULTS: Increasing time under Far UV-C light radiation increased the percentage of sterilization
up to 100% at 10 min. The 3D-printed sterilizer was significantly better than Clorox wipes and control.DISCUSSION: As sterilization will be necessary for surgical procedures in microgravity and upmass is a significant concern, we have successfully demonstrated a 3D-printable
portable sterilizer for surgical instruments that achieves 100% success in using Far UV-C light to disinfect its surface of bacteria with a 10-min sterilizing time. Further research is necessary to test this design in microgravity and with differently sized and shaped instruments.Kovalski
E, Salazar L, Levin D, Kamine TH. A 3D-printed portable sterilizer to be used during surgical procedures in spaceflight. Aerosp Med Hum Perform. 2023; 94(11):857–860.
Incidence and Screening Practices of Developmental Hip Dysplasia in Preterm Breech Infants
Authors: Henig Zachary , Khoo Alyssa , Turner Cole , Iqubal Kashif , Pierce Kristyn , Castaneda Pablo , Hanft Erin
Published: October 2023

Objective: To evaluate the incidence of Developmental Hip Dysplasia (DDH) in preterm breech infants at our institution and screening practices among providers that manage DDH in the preterm population. Design: We reviewed charts of infants born in a single quaternary care urban medical center between 2012-2022. Infants born <37 weeks Gestation Age (GA) with breech presentation and screening ultrasonography done within the system were included. Infants with genetic syndromes were excluded. Data were extracted using Epic Slicer/Dicer and collected using RedCAP. A survey assessing provider screening practices concerning DDH in preterm infants was sent to pediatricians, neonatologists, and orthopedists. Results: Two thousand seven hundred ninety six charts were reviewed, and 147 met the inclusion criteria. An overall incidence of DDH was found to be 6.1% (9/147), with 5.6% (1/18) in <32 weeks GA infants and 6.2% (8/129) in 32-37 weeks GA infants. Screening before 40 weeks of corrected GA was performed in 34.7% (51/147) of all infants and in 66.7% (6/9) of infants with DDH. 234 physicians responded to the survey. A large majority of each group believed this population should be screened. While most think both preterm and late preterm breech infants should be screened at 6 weeks corrected age, survey results showed discordance among current screening practices. Conclusion: The incidence of DDH in preterm breech infants is lower than the reported incidence in the term breech population, and clinicians should consider this before ultrasound screening. Additionally, variation exists in provider practices for screening preterm breech infants suggesting a need for updated clinical guidelines.
Inventory of Medicinal Plants The Treatment and Prevention of Malaria in The East Sentani District, Jayapura Regency
Authors: Tukayo Brechkerts Lieske Angruni , Samalo Rahayu
Published: October 2023

Traditional medicine is still widely used as an alternative medication in society especially in the form of plant material. Malaria is one of a communicable disease with the high number of its incidence in Papua.  Traditional plants commonly used by people in Jayapura Regency for malaria treatment are papaya, Carica papaya L. (C. papaya), sambiloto, Andrographis paniculata, (A. paniculata) leaves, milk wood and turmeric. Each was prepared with different processing method including boiled, mashed and grated. However, the literature on the description of malaria treatment using traditional medicine is very limited. This research was carried out with the aim of carrying out an inventory of medicinal plants for the treatment and prevention of malaria in the East Sentani area, Jayapura Regency. This research was a descriptive study performed in 7 villages of East Sentani Timur District, with total sample were 210 respondent data. Respondent was given a questionary to collect data of plants used as prevention and medication for malaria. The results revealed the plants used by the community in East Sentani District in treating and preventing malaria were mostly C. papaya leaves (47.1%), A. paniculata leaves (44.3%) and other plants (under 5%) such as bitter melon (3.3%), and African leaves (1.9%). The plant parts used for the treatment and prevention of malaria were mainly the leaves (98.5%). The method of processing plants was mostly by boiling the plant (88.1%), brewing with hot water (4.8%) and squeezing (4.3%). The way to use of plants for the treatment of malaria was by drinking (97.6%). The dose used by most respondents was mostly by 1 cup (62.9%). The sources of antimalarial medicinal plants from the yard of the house were 108 respondents (51.4%). From this research, plants which widely used in the treatment and prevention of malaria by the people of the East Sentani district were C. papaya and A. paniculata.
Analysis of Tomato Ripeness by Color and Texture Using Cielab and K-Means Clustering
Authors: Denih Asep , Negara Teguh Puja , Marzuki Ismail
Published: October 2023

Humans have limitations, including in the identification of tomatoes. With the nature of limitations, it makes it difficult for humans to identify the ripeness of tomatoes in large quan- tities. So far, the selection and determination of the quality activity of tomatoes is carried out manually, resulting in a less uniform product. Manual identification of tomato ripeness has many disadvantages caused by many factors, such as fatigue, lack of motivation, experience, proficiency and so on. This study aims to create a tomato maturity level analysis system based on color and texture using CIELAB and K-Means clustering as a method to determine tomato maturity precisely and accurately. This system displays five images, namely RGB, CIELAB, K-Means clustering, binary and grayscale images, after entering the tomato image, the image will be processed using the five images and the results of extracting characteristics from the tomato will come out. The accuracy rate of tomato ripeness has an average value of 92.70%. The benefit of this research is that it can save time in classifying tomato ripeness and make it easier to determine tomato ripeness based on color.
Effect of titanium implants along with silver ions and tetracycline on type I interferon-beta expression during implant-related infections in co-culture and mouse model
Authors: Rahim Muhammad Imran , Waqas Syed Fakhar-ul-Hassnain , Lienenklaus Stefan , Willbold Elmar , Eisenburger Michael , Stiesch Meike
Published: October 2023

Type I interferon-beta (IFN-β) is a crucial component of innate and adaptive immune systems inside the host. The formation of bacterial biofilms on medical implants can lead to inflammatory diseases and implant failure. Biofilms elicit IFN-β production inside the host that, in turn, restrict bacterial growth. Biofilms pose strong antibiotic resistance, whereas surface modification of medical implants with antibacterial agents may demonstrate strong antimicrobial effects. Most of the previous investigations were focused on determining the antibacterial activities of implant surfaces modified with antibacterial agents. The present study, for the first time, measured antibacterial activities and IFN-β expression of titanium surfaces along with silver or tetracycline inside co-culture and mouse models. A periodontal pathogen: Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans reported to induce strong inflammation, was used for infection. Silver and tetracycline were added to the titanium surface using the heat evaporation method. Macrophages showed reduced compatibility on titanium surfaces with silver, and IFN-β expression inside cultured cells significantly decreased. Macrophages showed compatibility on implant surfaces with tetracycline, but IFN-β production significantly decreased inside seeded cells. The decrease in IFN-β production inside macrophages cultured on implant surfaces with silver and tetracycline was not related to the downregulation of Ifn-β gene. Bacterial infection significantly upregulated mRNA expression levels of Isg15, Mx1, Mx2, Irf-3, Irf-7, Tlr-2, Tnf-α, Cxcl-1, and Il-6 genes. Notably, mRNA expression levels of Mx1, Irf7, Tlr2, Tnf-α, Cxcl1, and Il-6 genes inside macrophages significantly downregulated on implant surfaces with silver or tetracycline. Titanium with tetracycline showed higher antibacterial activities than silver. The in vivo evaluation of IFN-β expression around implants was measured inside transgenic mice constitutive for IFN-β expression. Of note, the non-invasive in vivo imaging revealed a significant decrease in IFN-β expression around subcutaneous implants with silver compared to titanium and titanium with tetracycline in sterile or infected situations. The histology of peri-implant tissue interfaces around infected implants with silver showed a thick interface with a significantly higher accumulation of inflammatory cells. Titanium implants with silver and tetracycline remained antibacterial in mice. Findings from this study unequivocally indicate that implant surfaces with silver decrease IFN-β expression, a crucial component of host immunity.
The RNA binding proteins ZFP36L1 and ZFP36L2 are dysregulated in airway epithelium in human and a murine model of asthma
Authors: Rynne Jennifer , Ortiz-Zapater Elena , Bagley Dustin C. , Zanin Onofrio , Doherty George , Kanabar Varsha , Ward Jon , Jackson David J. , Parsons Maddy , Rosenblatt Jody , Adcock Ian M. , Martinez-Nunez Rocio T.
Published: October 2023

Introduction: Asthma is the most common chronic inflammatory disease of the airways. The airway epithelium is a key driver of the disease, and numerous studies have established genome-wide differences in mRNA expression between health and asthma. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms for such differences remain poorly understood. The human TTP family is comprised of ZFP36, ZFP36L1 and ZFP36L2, and has essential roles in immune regulation by determining the stability and translation of myriad mRNAs encoding for inflammatory mediators. We investigated the expression and possible role of the tristetraprolin (TTP) family of RNA binding proteins (RBPs), poorly understood in asthma.

Methods: We analysed the levels of ZFP36, ZFP36L1 and ZFP36L2 mRNA in several publicly available asthma datasets, including single cell RNA-sequencing. We also interrogated the expression of known targets of these RBPs in asthma. We assessed the lung mRNA expression and cellular localization of Zfp36l1 and Zfp36l2 in precision cut lung slices in murine asthma models. Finally, we determined the expression in airway epithelium of ZFP36L1 and ZFP36L2 in human bronchial biopsies and performed rescue experiments in primary bronchial epithelium from patients with severe asthma.

Results: We found ZFP36L1 and ZFP36L2 mRNA levels significantly downregulated in the airway epithelium of patients with very severe asthma in different cohorts (5 healthy vs. 8 severe asthma; 36 moderate asthma vs. 37 severe asthma on inhaled steroids vs. 26 severe asthma on oral corticoids). Integrating several datasets allowed us to infer that mRNAs potentially targeted by these RBPs are increased in severe asthma. Zfp36l1 was downregulated in the lung of a mouse model of asthma, and immunostaining of ex vivo lung slices with a dual antibody demonstrated that Zfp36l1/l2 nuclear localization was increased in the airway epithelium of an acute asthma mouse model, which was further enhanced in a chronic model. Immunostaining of human bronchial biopsies showed that airway epithelial cell staining of ZFP36L1 was decreased in severe asthma as compared with mild, while ZFP36L2 was upregulated. Restoring the levels of ZFP36L1 and ZFP36L2 in primary bronchial epithelial cells from patients with severe asthma decreased the mRNA expression of IL6, IL8 and CSF2.

Discussion: We propose that the dysregulation of ZFP36L1/L2 levels as well as their subcellular mislocalization contributes to changes in mRNA expression and cytoplasmic fate in asthma.
RNA localization during early development of the axolotl
Authors: Šimková Kateřina , Naraine Ravindra , Vintr Jan , Soukup Vladimír , Šindelka Radek
Published: October 2023

The asymmetric localization of biomolecules is critical for body plan development. One of the most popular model organisms for early embryogenesis studies is Xenopus laevis but there is a lack of information in other animal species. Here, we compared the early development of two amphibian species—the frog X. laevis and the axolotl Ambystoma mexicanum. This study aimed to identify asymmetrically localized RNAs along the animal-vegetal axis during the early development of A. mexicanum. For that purpose, we performed spatial transcriptome-wide analysis at low resolution, which revealed dynamic changes along the animal-vegetal axis classified into the following categories: profile alteration, de novo synthesis and degradation. Surprisingly, our results showed that many of the vegetally localized genes, which are important for germ cell development, are degraded during early development. Furthermore, we assessed the motif presence in UTRs of degraded mRNAs and revealed the enrichment of several motifs in RNAs of germ cell markers. Our results suggest novel reorganization of the transcriptome during embryogenesis of A. mexicanum to converge to the similar developmental pattern as the X. laevis.
Bougainvillea glabra Choisy (Nyctinaginacea): review of phytochemistry and antimicrobial potential
Authors: Ornelas García Ingrid G. , Guerrero Barrera Alma L. , Avelar González Francisco J. , Chávez Vela Norma A. , Gutiérrez Montiel Daniela
Published: October 2023

TheBougainvillea glabraor bougainvillea is a climbing plant native from South America belonging to the Nyctaginaceae family. The bougainvillea is recognized worldwide for its horticultural importance, due to the color of its bracts, commonly known as “flowers,” made up of bracts, which are the striking parts, and the true flowers, which are white and small. Bougainvillea is widely known in traditional medicine to treat respiratory diseases such as cough, asthma, and bronchitis, gastrointestinal diseases, also for its antibacterial and insecticidal capacity. The antimicrobial potential of the involucre of this plant has not been studied, despite research showing a high phytochemical presence of secondary metabolites such as alkanes, phenols, terpenes, and betalains. This review compiles information about the traditional uses ofB. glabra, its botanical description, ecological relevance, phytochemistry, antimicrobial and antibiofilm activity, such as the toxicology of bracts and flowers.
Study of thulium-167 cyclotron production: a potential medically-relevant radionuclide
Authors: Renaldin Edoardo , Dellepiane Gaia , Braccini Saverio , Sommerhalder Alexander , Zhang Hui , van der Meulen Nicholas P. , Eichler Robert , Talip Zeynep
Published: October 2023

Introduction: Targeted Radionuclide Therapy is used for the treatment of tumors in nuclear medicine, while sparing healthy tissues. Its application to cancer treatment is expanding. In particular, Auger-electron emitters potentially exhibit high efficacy in treating either small metastases or single tumor cells due to their short range in tissue. The aim of this paper is to study the feasibility of a large-scale production of thulium-167, an Auger-electron emitter radionuclide, in view of eventual systematic preclinical studies.

Methods: Proton-irradiated enriched erbium-167 and erbium-168 oxides were used to measure the production cross sections of thulium-165, thulium-166, thulium-167, and thulium-168 utilizing an 18-MeV medical cyclotron equipped with a Beam Transport Line (BTL) at the Bern medical cyclotron laboratory. The comparison between the experimental and the TENDL 2021 theoretical cross-section results were in good agreement. Additional experiments were performed to assess the production yields of thulium radioisotopes in the BTL. Thulium-167 production yield was also measured irradiating five different target materials (167Er2O3, 168Er2O3, natTm2O3, natYb2O3, 171Yb2O3) with proton beams up to 63 MeV at the Injector II cyclotron of Paul Scherrer Institute.

Results and Discussion: Our experiments showed that an 8-h irradiation of enriched ytterbium-171 oxide produced about 420 MBq of thulium-167 with a radionuclidic purity of 99.95% after 5 days of cooling time with a proton beam of about 53 MeV. Larger activities of thulium-167 can be achieved using enriched erbium-168 oxide with a 23-MeV proton beam, obtaining about 1 GBq after 8-h irradiation with a radionuclidic purity of <99.5% 5 days post end of bombardment.
Combinatorial efficacy of Manuka honey and antibiotics in the in vitro control of staphylococci and their small colony variants
Authors: Liang Jiawei , Adeleye Mowalolaoluwa , Onyango Laura A.
Published: October 2023

Introduction

Staphylococci are among the list of problematic bacteria contributing to the global antibiotic resistance (ABR) crisis. Their ability to adopt the small colony variant (SCV) phenotype, induced by prolonged antibiotic chemotherapy, complicates staphylococcal infection control options. Novel and alternative approaches are needed to tackle staphylococcal infections and curb ABR. Manuka honey (MH), a non-antibiotic alternative is recognized for its unique antibacterial activity based on its methylglyoxal (MGO) component.

Methods

In this study, MH (MGO 830+) was tested in combination with gentamicin (GEN), rifampicin (RIF), or vancomycin (VA) against staphylococcal wildtype (WT) and SCVs. To our knowledge, there are no current studies in the literature documenting the effects of MH on staphylococcal SCVs. While Staphylococcus aureus is well-studied for its international ABR burden, limited data exists demonstrating the effects of MH on S. epidermidis and S. lugdunensis whose pathogenic relevance and contribution to ABR is also rising.

Results & discussion

The three staphylococci were most susceptible to RIF (0.06-0.24 μg/ml), then GEN (0.12-0.49 μg/ml), and lastly VA (0.49-0.96 μg/ml). The MICs of MH were 7%, 7-8%, and 6-7% (w/v), respectively. Fractional inhibitory concentration (FIC) evaluations showed that the combined MH + antibiotic effect was either additive (FICI 1-2), or partially synergistic (FICI >0.5-1). While all three antibiotics induced SCVs in vitro, stable SCVs were observed in GEN treatments only. The addition of MH to these GEN-SCV-induction analyses resulted in complete suppression of SCVs (p<0.001) in all three staphylococci, suggesting that MH’s antibacterial properties interfered with GEN’s SCV induction mechanisms. Moreover, the addition of MH to growth cultures of recovered stable SCVs resulted in the inhibition of SCV growth by at least 99%, indicating MH’s ability to prevent subsequent SCV growth. These in vitro analyses demonstrated MH’s broad-spectrum capabilities not only in improving WT staphylococci susceptibility to the three antibiotics, but also mitigated the development and subsequent growth of their SCV phenotypes. MH in combination with antibiotics has the potential to not only resensitize staphylococci to antibiotics and consequently require less antibiotic usage, but in instances where prolonged chemotherapy is employed, the development and growth of SCVs would be hampered, providing a better clinical outcome, all of which mitigate ABR.
Gauging trauma-informed pedagogy in higher education: a UK case study
Authors: Bitanihirwe Byron , Imad Mays
Published: October 2023

Introduction

A substantial amount of evidence suggests a negative association between traumatic experiences and mental health among primary and secondary school students. These vulnerable students are at an increased risk of academic, social, and emotional problems. However, there is limited evidence on the connection between traumatic experiences and student mental health in higher education, especially regarding trauma-related content in classrooms. This study aims to explore students’ experiences with traumatic material in a UK university setting and to understand educators’ perceptions of trauma-informed pedagogy.

Methods

Eight students from the University of Manchester and seven educators (from the humanities and social sciences departments) participated in one-on-one semi-structured interviews. The analysis adopted an inductive thematic approach.

Results

Four major themes emerged from the interview data: Inclusion and delivery of trauma-related content in higher education; Effects of trauma-related content on class attendance; Availability of support systems for handling trauma-related content; Perceptions on trauma-informed education.

Discussion

The implications of this study for future research and current teaching practices are discussed. Recommendations are provided for teaching sensitive material. Limitations of this study, such as sample size and demographics, are acknowledged. Additionally, a conceptual framework for trauma-informed pedagogy is introduced, laying the groundwork for an upcoming concept paper.
Demineralized dentin matrix promotes gingival healing in alveolar ridge preservation of premolars extracted for orthodontic reason: a split-mouth study
Authors: Xu Xiaofeng , Peng Dongsheng , Zhou Bowei , Lin Kaijin , Wang Siyi , Zhao Wei , Zheng Minqian , Yang Jin , Guo Jianbin
Published: October 2023

Objective

The purpose of this study was to prospectively evaluate the efficacy of a demineralized dentin matrix (DDM) in decreasing the initial inflammatory response of the gingiva and facilitating the repair and regeneration of soft tissue in alveolar ridge preservation.

Methods

This clinical study employed a split-mouth design. Fourteen patients with a total of forty-four sites underwent extraction and alveolar ridge preservation (ARP) procedures. A Bilaterally symmetrical extraction operation were conducted on the premolars of each patient. The experimental group received DDM as a graft material for ARP, while the control group underwent natural healing. Within the first month postoperatively, the pain condition, color, and swelling status of the extraction sites were initially assessed at different time points Subsequently, measurements were taken for buccal gingival margin height, buccal-lingual width, extraction socket contour, and the extraction socket area and healing rate were digitally measured. Additionally, Alcian Blue staining was used for histological evaluation of the content during alveolar socket healing.

Results

Both groups experienced uneventful healing, with no adverse reactions observed at any of the extraction sites. The differences in VAS pain scores between the two groups postoperatively were not statistically significant. In the early stage of gingival tissue healing (3 days postoperatively), there were statistically significant differences in gingival condition and buccal gingival margin height between the two groups. In the later stage of gingival tissue healing (7, 14, and 30 days postoperatively), there were statistically significant differences in buccal-lingual width, extraction socket healing area, and healing rate between the two groups. Furthermore, the histological results from Alcian Blue staining suggested that the experimental group may play a significant role in promoting gingival tissue healing, possibly by regulating inflammatory responses when compared to the control group.

Conclusion

The application of DDM in alveolar ridge preservation has been found to diminish initial gingival inflammation after tooth extraction. Additionally, it has shown the ability to accelerate early gingival soft tissue healing and preserve its anatomical contour.

Clinical trial registration

chictr.org.cn, identifier ChiCTR2100050650.
Bayesian linear mixed model with multiple random effects for family-based genetic studies
Authors: Hai Yang , Zhao Wenxuan , Meng Qingyu , Liu Long , Wen Yalu
Published: October 2023

Motivation: Family-based study design is one of the popular designs used in genetic research, and the whole-genome sequencing data obtained from family-based studies offer many unique features for risk prediction studies. They can not only provide a more comprehensive view of many complex diseases, but also utilize information in the design to further improve the prediction accuracy. While promising, existing analytical methods often ignore the information embedded in the study design and overlook the predictive effects of rare variants, leading to a prediction model with sub-optimal performance.

Results: We proposed a Bayesian linear mixed model for the prediction analysis of sequencing data obtained from family-based studies. Our method can not only capture predictive effects from both common and rare variants, but also easily accommodate various disease model assumptions. It uses information embedded in the study design to form surrogates, where the predictive effects from unmeasured/unknown genetic and environmental risk factors can be modelled. Through extensive simulation studies and the analysis of sequencing data obtained from the Michigan State University Twin Registry study, we have demonstrated that the proposed method outperforms commonly adopted techniques.

Availability: R package is available at https://github.com/yhai943/FBLMM.
PLEX.I: a tool to discover features in multiplex networks that reflect clinical variation
Authors: Yousefi Behnam , Firoozbakht Farzaneh , Melograna Federico , Schwikowski Benno , Van Steen Kristel
Published: October 2023

Molecular profiling technologies, such as RNA sequencing, offer new opportunities to better discover and understand the molecular networks involved in complex biological processes. Clinically important variations of diseases, or responses to treatment, are often reflected, or even caused, by the dysregulation of molecular interaction networks specific to particular network regions. In this work, we propose the R package PLEX.I, that allows quantifying and testing variation in the direct neighborhood of a given node between networks corresponding to different conditions or states. We illustrate PLEX.I in two applications in which we discover variation that is associated with different responses to tamoxifen treatment and to sex-specific responses to bacterial stimuli. In the first case, PLEX.I analysis identifies two known pathways i) that have already been implicated in the same context as the tamoxifen mechanism of action, and ii) that would have not have been identified using classical differential gene expression analysis.
Standardized protocol for reproductive phenology monitoring of fucalean algae of the genus Cystoseira s.l. with potential for restoration
Authors: Rindi Fabio , Vergés Alba , Zuchegna Irene , Bianchelli Silvia , de Caralt Sònia , Galobart Cristina , Santamaría Jorge , Martini Francesco , Monserrat Margalida , Orfanidis Sotiris , Sitjà Cèlia , Tsioli Soultana , Verdura Jana , Mangialajo Luisa , Fraschetti Simonetta , Danovaro Roberto , Cebrian Emma
Published: October 2023

Active marine restoration is strongly encouraged to prevent the loss of the valuable habitats formed by Cystoseira sensu lato species, since they enhance biodiversity and preserve ecosystem functions and services. Current restoration interventions are mainly based on recruitment enhancement methods by deploying bags with fertile receptacles in situ or by outplanting juveniles grown ex situ under laboratory conditions. These methods allow the recovery of endangered species avoiding the depletion of the donor populations. In all cases, a priori knowledge of the reproductive phenology and recruitment periods of the species to be restored is essential, since the success of restoration techniques relies on collecting fertile branches and the obtention and survival of recruits. For their collection, identified donor populations characterized by dense Cystoseira s.l. cover should be studied. Specifically, monitoring the reproductive phenology of populations is crucial to detect the period of the year in which they develop mature reproductive structures and to understand how it might be linked to environmental conditions. Then, these general patterns on the reproductive phenology of Cystoseira s.l. species are essential to determine the most suitable time and conditions to plan for the most effective restoration action. Here, we provide a cost-effective and friendly protocol that can be easily and widely implemented for all Cystoseira s.l. species. We pose that this protocol provides a standardized and useful methodology to understand the environmental factors driving the optimal periods for sampling fertile branches across the Mediterranean Sea, and thus it can be an essential tool to plan future restoration actions.