bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Physiological and cognitive changes after treatments of cyclophosphamide, methotrexate, and fluorouracil: implications of the gut microbiome and depressive-like behavior
Authors: Corley Christa , McElroy Taylor , Sridharan Bhavana , Trujillo Madison , Simmons Pilar , Kandel Sangam , Sykes Delawrence J. , Robeson Michael S. , Allen Antiño R.
Published: October 2023

Introduction

Chemotherapy-induced cognitive impairment colloquially referred to as chemobrain is a poorly understood phenomenon affecting a highly variable proportion of patients with breast cancer. Here we investigate the association between anxiety and despair-like behaviors in mice treated with cyclophosphamide, methotrexate, and fluorouracil (CMF) along with host histological, proteomic, gene expression, and gut microbial responses.

Methods

Forced swim and sociability tests were used to evaluate depression and despair-like behaviors. The tandem mass tag (TMT) proteomics approach was used to assess changes in the neural protein network of the amygdala and hippocampus. The composition of gut microbiota was assessed through 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Finally, quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) was used to evaluate changes in intestinal gap junction markers.

Results and discussion

We observed that CMF induced social and despair-like behavior in mice 96 hours following treatment. Proteomic analysis identified changes in various proteins related to progressive neurological disease, working memory deficit, primary anxiety disorder, and gene expression revealing increases in NMDA and AMPA receptors in both the hippocampus and the amygdala because of CMF treatment. These changes finally, we observed immediate changes in the microbial population after chemotherapy treatment, with a notable abundance of Muribaculaceae and Romboutsia which may contribute to changes seen in the gut.
Distribution of corpora amylacea in the human midbrain: using synchrotron radiation phase-contrast microtomography, high-field magnetic resonance imaging, and histology
Authors: Lee Ju Young , Mack Andreas F. , Mattheus Ulrich , Donato Sandro , Longo Renata , Tromba Giuliana , Shiozawa Thomas , Scheffler Klaus , Hagberg Gisela E.
Published: October 2023

Corpora amylacea (CA) are polyglucosan aggregated granules that accumulate in the human body throughout aging. In the cerebrum, CA have been found in proximity to ventricular walls, pial surfaces, and blood vessels. However, studies showing their three-dimensional spatial distribution are sparse. In this study, volumetric images of four human brain stems were obtained with MRI and phase-contrast X-ray microtomography, followed up by Periodic acid Schiff stain for validation. CA appeared as hyperintense spheroid structures with diameters up to 30 μm. An automatic pipeline was developed to segment the CA, and the spatial distribution of over 200,000 individual corpora amylacea could be investigated. A threefold—or higher—density of CA was detected in the dorsomedial column of the periaqueductal gray (860–4,200 CA count/mm3) than in the superior colliculus (150–340 CA count/mm3). We estimated that about 2% of the CA were located in the immediate vicinity of the vessels or in the peri-vascular space. While CA in the ependymal lining of the cerebral aqueduct was rare, the sub-pial tissue of the anterior and posterior midbrain contained several CA. In the sample with the highest CA density, quantitative maps obtained with MRI revealed high R2* values and a diamagnetic shift in a region which spatially coincided with the CA dense region.
Abscopal effect in metastatic breast cancer treated with stereotactic body radiotherapy in the absence of immunotherapy
Authors: Kim Jae Sik , Chang Ah Ram
Published: October 2023

Purpose

In this study, we aimed to assess the abscopal effect (AE) after CyberKnife stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) in metastatic breast cancer patients without immunotherapy.

Methods

We reviewed breast cancer patients who received SBRT with a fraction size of ≥ 6 Gy for metastatic lesions between July 2008 and December 2021. We selected patients who had at least one measurable extracranial lesion in addition to SBRT target lesions and were not treated with immunotherapy. A total of 40 SBRT cases from 34 patients were included in the analysis. The AE was defined as occurring before the overall progression of the disease, regardless of the use of systemic treatment.

Results

The median follow-up duration was 16.4 months. Among 40 SBRT cases, the AE was observed in 10 (25.0%) with a median interval of 2.1 months. Of these lesions, 70.0% did not progress for one year. In multivariate logistic regression analysis, no change in systemic treatment after SBRT was significantly associated with an increase in the AE (odds ratio [OR] = 1.428, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.108 – 1.841, p = 0.009). A post-SBRT neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) of < 2 marginally increased the AE (OR = 1.275, 95% CI = 0.998 – 1.629, p = 0.060). However, a high SBRT dose and large planning target volume did not (p = 0.858 and 0.152, respectively) in univariate analysis.

Conclusions

One out of four patients experienced the AE after SBRT in the absence of immunotherapy. The AE could occur more frequently when systemic treatment remains unchanged, and patients have a low NLR after SBRT.
Comparison of the extracellular vesicle proteome between glaucoma and non-glaucoma trabecular meshwork cells
Authors: McDonnell Fiona S. , Riddick Bre’Ida J. , Roberts Haven , Skiba Nikolai , Stamer W. Daniel
Published: October 2023

Introduction

Extracellular matrix (ECM) materials accumulate in the trabecular meshwork (TM) tissue of patients with glaucoma, which is associated with a decrease in aqueous humor outflow and therefore an increase in intraocular pressure. To explore a potential mechanism for ECM regulation in the TM, we purified extracellular vesicles (EVs) from conditioned media of differentiated TM cells in culture isolated from non-glaucomatous and glaucomatous human donor eyes.

Methods

EVs were purified using the double cushion ultracentrifugation gradient method. Fractions containing EV markers CD9 and TSG101 were analyzed using nanoparticle tracking analysis to determine their size and concentration. We then determined their proteomic cargo by mass spectrometry and compared protein profiles of EVs between normal and glaucomatous TM cells using PANTHER. Key protein components from EV preparations were validated with Western blotting.

Results

Results showed changes in the percentage of ECM proteins associated with EVs from glaucomatous TM cells compared to non-glaucomatous TM cells (5.7% vs 13.1% respectively). Correspondingly, we found that two ECM-related cargo proteins found across all samples, fibronectin and EDIL3 were significantly less abundant in glaucomatous EVs (<0.3 fold change across all groups) compared to non-glaucomatous EVs.

Discussion

Overall, these data establish that ECM materials are prominent proteomic cargo in EVs from TM cells, and their binding to EVs is diminished in glaucoma.
Incorporating personal narratives in positive psychology interventions to manage chronic pain
Authors: Georgiadis Emmanouil , Johnson Mark I.
Published: October 2023

In this perspective paper, we argue for incorporating personal narratives in positive psychology interventions for chronic pain. Narratives refer to the telling and retelling of events. Narratives detail accounts of events and provide rich, in-depth information on human interactions, relationships, and perspectives. As such, narratives have been used to understand people’s experiences with pain and pain coping mechanisms—as well as to facilitate therapeutic outcomes. Furthermore, narrative research has shown that narration can help restore and promote relief, calm, hope, self-awareness, and self-understanding in chronic pain sufferers. Positive psychology interventions have been successful in improving the lives of people living with chronic pain, but these psychology interventions do not typically incorporate personal narratives. Still, narrative, and positive psychology scholarship foci overlap, as both aim to enhance people’s quality of life, happiness, and well-being, and to promote the understanding of psychosocial strengths and resources. In this article, we provide a rationale for incorporating personal narratives as an agentic form of positive psychology intervention. To that aim, we outline areas of convergence between positive psychology and narrative research and show how combining positive psychology exercises and narration can have additive benefits for pain sufferers. We also show how integrating narration in positive psychology intervention research can have advantages for healthcare research and policy.
The anti-inflammation and skin-moisturizing effects of Boehmeria tricuspis-mediated biosynthesized gold nanoparticles in human keratinocytes
Authors: Tran Thi Hoa My , Wang Rongbo , Kim Hoon , Kim Yeon-Ju
Published: October 2023

Introduction: Recently, nanotechnology has emerged as a potential technique for skin generation, which has several treatment advantages, such as decreased drug cytotoxicity and enhanced skin penetration. Boehmeria tricuspis (BT) belongs to the Urticaceae family and is rich in phenolic and flavonoid compounds. In this study, we biosynthesized gold nanoparticles (BT-AuNPs) using BT extract to explore their anti-inflammatory and skin-moisturizing properties in keratinocytes.

Methods: Field-emission transmission electron microscopy, energydispersive X-ray spectrometry, dynamic light scattering, and Fourier-transforminfrared spectroscopy were used to examine the synthesized BT-AuNPs. qRT-PCR, western blot, and ELISA were applied for investigating the effect of BT-AuNPs on anti-inflammation and moisturizing activity in HaCaT cells.

Results: At concentrations below 200 μg/mL, BT-AuNPs had no cytotoxic effect on keratinocytes. BT-AuNPs dramatically alleviated the expression and secretion of inflammatory chemokines/cytokine, such as IL-6, IL-8, TARC, CTACK, and RANTES in keratinocytes stimulated by tumor necrosis factor-α/interferon-γ (T + I). These anti-inflammatory properties of BT-AuNPs were regulated by inhibiting the NF-κB and MAPKs signaling pathways. Furthermore, BT-AuNPs greatly promoted hyaluronic acid (HA) production by enhancing the expression of hyaluronic acid synthase genes (HAS1, HAS2, and HAS3) and suppressing the expression of hyaluronidase genes (HYAL1 and HYAL2) in HaCaT cells.

Discussion: These results suggest that BT-AuNPs can be used as a promising therapeutic alternative for treating skin inflammation. Our findings provide a potential platform for the use of BT-AuNPs as candidates for treating inflammatory skin diseases and promoting skin health.
The mechanism of the capillary oscillation and its application to fabrics’ sweat permeability
Authors: Liu Yu , Chen Hongxia , Chen Lifen
Published: October 2023

The capillary effect plays an important role in air and moisture permeability, and it can be used for thermal enhancement and energy harvesting. However, the capillary oscillation has not been extremely studied, and its mechanism for fabrics’ sweat permeability was rare and preliminary. This paper studies the frequency property of the capillary oscillation in a zig-zag porosity of a fabric with a multiple layer structure. The theoretical analysis reveals that small porosity and low frequency of the zig-zag porosity are beneficial to the high sweat permeability. The proposed capillary oscillation probably paves a new avenue for designing fabrics with high moisture permeability, particularly in sportswear and military apparel in extreme cold environments.
Oxygen uptake kinetics and biological age in relation to pulling force and 400-m front crawl performance in young swimmers
Authors: Strzała Marek , Sokołowski Kamil , Wądrzyk Łukasz , Staszkiewicz Robert , Kryst Łukasz , Żegleń Magdalena , Krężałek Piotr , Maciejczyk Marcin
Published: October 2023

Background: The study aimed to assess differences in the biological age (BA) of 13-year-old swimmers and show their ability, as biologically younger—late mature or older—early mature, to develop fast 60-s oxygen uptake (V˙O2) kinetics and tethered swimming strength. Furthermore, the interplay between swimming strength, V˙O2, and 400-m front crawl race performance was examined.

Methods: The study involved 36 competitive young male swimmers (metrical age: 12.9 ± 0.56 years). Depending on BA examination, the group was divided into early-mature (BA: 15.8 ± 1.18 years, n = 13) and late-mature (BA: 12.9 ± 0.60 years, n = 23) participants, especially for the purpose of comparing tethered swimming indices, i.e., average values of force (Fave) and V˙O2 (breath-by-breath analysis) kinetic indices, measured simultaneously in 1-min tethered front crawl swimming. From the 400-m racing stroke rate, stroke length kinematics was retrieved.

Results: In the 1-min tethered front crawl test, early-mature swimmers obtained higher results of absolute values of V˙O2 and Fave. Conversely, when V˙O2 was present relatively to body mass and pulling force (in ml∙min–1∙kg–1∙N−1), late-mature swimmers showed higher O2 relative usage. Late-mature swimmers generally exhibited a slower increase in V˙O2 during the first 30 s of 60 s. V˙O2, Fave, BA, and basic swimming kinematic stroke length were significantly interrelated and influenced 400-m swimming performance.

Conclusion: The 1-min tethered swimming test revealed significant differences in the homogeneous calendar age/heterogeneous BA group of swimmers. These were distinguished by the higher level of V˙O2 kinetics and pulling force in early-mature individuals and lower efficiency per unit of body mass per unit of force aerobic system in late-mature peers. The higher V˙O2 kinetics and tethered swimming force were further translated into 400-m front crawl speed and stroke length kinematics.
Agronomic performance and remote sensing assessment of organic and mineral fertilization in rice fields
Authors: Marti-Jerez Karen , Català-Forner Mar , Tomàs Núria , Murillo Gemma , Ortiz Carlos , Sánchez-Torres María José , Vitali Andrea , Lopes Marta S.
Published: October 2023

Introduction

Rice heavily relies on nitrogen fertilizers, posing environmental, resource, and geopolitical challenges. This study explores sustainable alternatives like animal manure and remote sensing for resource-efficient rice cultivation. It aims to assess the long-term impact of organic fertilization and remote sensing monitoring on agronomic traits, yield, and nutrition.

Methods

A six-year experiment in rice fields evaluated fertilization strategies, including pig slurry (PS) and chicken manure (CM) with mineral fertilizers (MIN), MIN-only, and zero-fertilization. Traits, yield, spectral responses, and nutrient content were measured. Sentinel-2 remote sensing tracked crop development.

Results

Cost-effective organic fertilizers (PS and CM) caused a 13% and 15% yield reduction but still doubled zero-fertilization yield. PS reduced nitrogen leaching. Heavy metals in rice grains were present at safe amounts. Organic-fertilized crops showed nitrogen deficiency at the late vegetative stages, affecting yield. Sentinel-2 detected nutrient deficiencies through NDVI.

Discussion

Organic fertilizers, especially PS, reduce nitrogen loss, benefiting the environment. However, they come with yield trade-offs and nutrient management challenges that can be managed and balanced with reduced additional mineral applications. Sentinel-2 remote sensing helps manage nutrient deficiencies. In summary, this research favors cost-effective organic fertilizers with improved nutrient management for sustainable rice production.
Opuntia ficus-indica (L.) Mill. - anticancer properties and phytochemicals: current trends and future perspectives
Authors: Wang Jiao , Rani Neeraj , Jakhar Seema , Redhu Rakesh , Kumar Sanjiv , Kumar Sachin , Kumar Sanjeev , Devi Bhagwati , Simal-Gandara Jesus , Shen Bairong , Singla Rajeev K.
Published: October 2023

Cancer is a leading cause of mortality worldwide, and conventional cancer therapies such as chemotherapy and radiotherapy often result in undesirable and adverse effects. Natural products have emerged as a promising alternative for cancer treatment, with comparatively fewer side effects reported. Opuntia ficus-indica (L.) Mill., a member of the Cactaceae family, contains a diverse array of phytochemicals, including flavonoids, polyphenols, betalains, and tannins, which have been shown to exhibit potent anticancer properties. Various parts of the Opuntia plant, including the fruits, stems/cladodes, and roots, have demonstrated cytotoxic effects against malignant cell lines in numerous studies. This review comprehensively summarizes the anticancer attributes of the phytochemicals found in Opuntia ficus-indica (L.) Mill., highlighting their potential as natural cancer prevention and treatment agents. Bibliometric metric analysis of PubMed and Scopus-retrieved data using VOSviewer as well as QDA analysis provide further insights and niche to be explored. Most anticancer studies on Opuntia ficus-indica and its purified metabolites are related to colorectal/colon cancer, followed by melanoma and breast cancer. Very little attention has been paid to leukemia, thyroid, endometrial, liver, and prostate cancer, and it could be considered an opportunity for researchers to explore O. ficus-indica and its metabolites against these cancers. The most notable mechanisms expressed and validated in those studies are apoptosis, cell cycle arrest (G0/G1 and G2/M), Bcl-2 modulation, antiproliferative, oxidative stress-mediated mechanisms, and cytochrome c. We have also observed that cladodes and fruits of O. ficus-indica have been more studied than other plant parts, which again opens the opportunity for the researchers to explore. Further, cell line-based studies dominated, and very few studies were related to animal-based experiments. The Zebrafish model is another platform to explore. However, it seems like more in-depth studies are required to ascertain clinical utility of this biosustainable resource O. ficus-indica.
A novel sunflower broomrape race with unusual virulence potentially caused by a mutation
Authors: Fernández-Melero Belén , Martín-Sanz Alberto , del Moral Lidia , Pérez-Vich Begoña , Velasco Leonardo
Published: October 2023

Introduction

The sunflower broomrape (Orobanche cumana Wallr.) gene pools of the Guadalquivir Valley and Cuenca province in Spain had predominantly race-F virulence. A new race G was observed recently in the Guadalquivir Valley potentially due to the genetic recombination of the avirulence genes of both gene pools.

Methods

In this research, we have studied populations with atypical virulence from Cuenca. These populations parasitize on DEB2 sunflower line, resistant to all race-G populations evaluated. Ten populations collected in Cuenca province were evaluated with sunflower differential lines and genotyped with 67 SNP markers.

Results

Although genetic recombination with individuals of the Guadalquivir Valley gene pool has been observed in most populations, recombination of avirulence genes was discarded as the cause of the new virulence because the population with the highest degree of attack on DEB2 showed no introgression from an external gene pool. Accordingly, a point mutation is proposed as the putative cause of the new virulence.

Discussion

The present study provided a detailed characterization of each population, including the accurate classification of the individuals belonging to each of the classical Spanish gene pools, F1 hybrids, and those that evolved from hybridization between both gene pools. This information is essential to understand how sunflower broomrape populations are evolving in Spain, which in turn may be helpful to understand the dynamics of sunflower broomrape populations in other areas of the world and use this information to develop durable strategies for resistance breeding.
Chromosome-scale assemblies of S. malaccense, S. aqueum, S. jambos, and S. syzygioides provide insights into the evolution of Syzygium genomes
Authors: Ouadi Sonia , Sierro Nicolas , Kessler Felix , Ivanov Nikolai V.
Published: October 2023

Syzygium is a large and diverse tree genus in the Myrtaceae family. Genome assemblies for clove (Syzygium aromaticum, 370 Mb) and sea apple (Syzygium grande, 405 Mb) provided the first insights into the genomic features and evolution of the Syzygium genus. Here, we present additional de novo chromosome-scale genome assemblies for Syzygium malaccense, Syzygium aqueum, Syzygium jambos, and Syzygium syzygioides. Genome profiling analyses show that S. malaccense, like S. aromaticum and S. grande, is diploid (2n = 2x = 22), while the S. aqueum, S. jambos, and S. syzygioides specimens are autotetraploid (2n = 4x = 44). The genome assemblies of S. malaccense (430 Mb), S. aqueum (392 Mb), S. jambos (426 Mb), and S. syzygioides (431 Mb) are highly complete (BUSCO scores of 98%). Comparative genomics analyses showed conserved organization of the 11 chromosomes with S. aromaticum and S. grande, and revealed species-specific evolutionary dynamics of the long terminal repeat retrotransposon elements belonging to the Gypsy and Copia lineages. This set of Syzygium genomes is a valuable resource for future structural and functional comparative genomic studies on Myrtaceae species.
Mating and post-copulation behavior in the tea leafhopper, Empoasca onukii (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae)
Authors: Shan Yao , Zhou Xiao-Sen , Cai Xiao-Ming , Luo Zong-Xiu , Li Zhao-Qun , Xiu Chun-Li , Chen Zong-Mao , Bian Lei
Published: October 2023

The tea leafhopper, Empoasca onukii, relies on substrate-borne vibrations for sexual communication and is mainly controlled with chemical pesticides, which poses risks to the environment and food safety. Based on previous studies, we conducted a series of behavioral assays by simultaneous observation of vibration signals and movement to investigate the mating and post-copulation behavior of tea leafhoppers. During mating, the activity of E. onukii was restricted to dawn and dusk and concentrated on the sixth or seventh mature leaf below the tea bud. By comparing the time spent in locating females among different males, the timely reply of females was the key factor affecting mating success. Empoasca onukii females mated only once in their lives, while males could mate multiple times. Male rivalry behavior involved two distinct strategies. The rivals could send disruptive pulses to overlap the male calling signals, locate the courting males, and drive them away after contact. Some rivals could emit mating disruption signals (MDSs) to interrupt the ongoing identification duet and establish their own mating communication. Both identification and location duets could be interrupted by playback of MDSs, which is essential to create effective synthetic signals to disrupt mating communication of E. onukii. Our study clarified the spatial and temporal distribution of E. onukii in mating and the function of MDSs, which will be essential to develop future vibrational mating disruption techniques for E. onukii and its energy-efficient application in the field.
Antifungal activity of volatile organic compounds from essential oils against the postharvest pathogens Botrytis cinerea, Monilinia fructicola, Monilinia fructigena, and Monilinia laxa
Authors: Álvarez-García Samuel , Moumni Marwa , Romanazzi Gianfranco
Published: October 2023

Gray mold and brown rot, caused respectively by Botrytis cinerea and Monilinia spp., are fungal diseases responsible for significant losses during the storage of fruit and vegetables. Nowadays, the control of postharvest diseases is shifting towards more sustainable strategies, including the use of plant secondary metabolites. In this study, the antifungal activity of Origanum vulgare, Thymus vulgaris, Thymus serpyllum, Melaleuca alternifolia, Lavandula officinalis, Lavandula hybrida, Citrus bergamia, Rosmarinus officinalis, Cinnamomum zeylanicum essential oils (EOs) in vapor phase was tested in vitro against B. cinerea, Monilinia fructicola, Monilinia fructigena, and Monilinia laxa. For the experiments, a protocol using a volatile organic compounds (VOC) chamber was designed. Results indicate a dose-dependent inhibitory activity of all the tested EOs, with O. vulgare, T. vulgaris, and T. serpyllum being the most active ones, with minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) of 22.73, 45.45, and 22.73 µl/L, respectively, against B. cinerea and a range between 5.64 and 22.73 µl/L against the three Monilinia spp. Overall, B. cinerea presented lower sensitivity to vapor-phase EOs than any of the Monilinia strains, except for the C. zeylanicum EO, which consistently showed higher inhibition against B. cinerea. Among the three Monilinia spp., M. fructicola was the least sensitive, while M. fructigena was the most sensitive. The use of VOC chambers proved to be a reliable protocol for the assessment of antimicrobial activities of EOs. These results suggest that the VOC emitted by the tested EOs are effective towards important decay-causing fungi, and that they could be used for the control of gray mold and brown rot in in vivo trials.
#influenced! The impact of social media influencing on self-esteem and the role of social comparison and resilience
Authors: Rüther Lale , Jahn Josephine , Marksteiner Tamara
Published: October 2023

Social media influencers (SMIs) are online personas that acquire significant audiences on social networking sites (SNS) and have become a prevalent part of social media. Previous research indicates potentially detrimental effects of social media use on mental well-being, however, little is known about whether, how, and for whom online comparisons with SMIs lead to adverse psychological effects. In this study, we investigate the impact of positivity-biased images of female SMIs on the state self-esteem of female participants while considering social comparison processes as mediating and individual resilience as moderating factors. Regression analyses showed that acute exposure to positivity-biased SMI images led to upward social comparisons, which in turn predicted lower state self-esteem. Thus, results revealed a significant mediating effect of social comparisons on the association between image type and state self-esteem. However, when observing the direct effect of image type on state self-esteem, we found that the exposure to positivity-biased SMI images unexpectedly led to higher overall levels of state self-esteem relative to the control group. In light of contemporary social comparison literature, subsequent post-hoc analyses suggest that exposure to SMI images in this study may have prompted both contrastive and assimilative upwards comparisons, leading to varying consequences for distinct self-esteem dimensions, ultimately manifesting in the observed suppression effect. Resilience was not found to moderate the proposed associations. Thus, the findings of this study offer new insights into the impact of SMIs on individuals’ self-evaluations online, challenging previous assumptions, and suggest a need for further examination.
Prevalence of COVID-19 fear and its association with quality of life among fire service recruits after ceasing the dynamic zero-COVID policy in China
Authors: Liu Jian , Si Tong Leong , Chen Pan , Wang Yue-Ying , Su Zhaohui , Cheung Teris , Jackson Todd , Xiang Yu-Tao , Feng Yuan
Published: October 2023

Background

In December 2022, China terminated its dynamic zero-COVID policy. To date, however, no research has been conducted upon mental health issues and their relationship with quality of life (hereafter QoL) among fire service recruits since the dynamic zero-COVID policy ended. This study explored fear of COVID-19 (FOC) prevalence and correlates as well as its network structure and interconnections with QoL among fire service recruits.

Methods

A cross-sectional survey design was used to assess fire service recruits in Beijing and Sichuan, Guangxi and Guizhou provinces of China between February 13 and 16, 2023. Fear of COVID-19 was measured using the Fear of COVID-19 Scale, depression was assessed with the Patient Health Questionnaire, anxiety was examined using the Generalized Anxiety Disorder scale, and QOL was evaluated with the World Health Organization Quality of Life-brief version. Univariate and multivariate analyses were used to explore correlates of COVID-19 fear. Network analysis assessed the structure of fear of COVID-19 and its associations with QoL.

Results

A total of 1,560 participants were included in this study. The overall prevalence of fear of COVID-19 was 38.85% (n = 606; 95% CI = 36.42–41.32%). Being afraid of COVID-19 was significantly related to depression (OR = 1.084; p < O.OO1) and physical fatigue (OR = 1.063; p = 0.026). Fire service recruits with more fear of COVID-19 had lower QOL (F = 18.061 p < 0.001) than those with less fear of COVID-19 did. The most central symptoms included FOC6 (“Sleep difficulties caused by worry about COVID-19”), FOC7 (“Palpitations when thinking about COVID-19”) and FOC2 (“Uncomfortable to think about COVID-19”). The top three symptoms negatively associated with QoL were FOC4 (“Afraid of losing life because of COVID-19”), FOC6 (“Sleep difficulties caused by worry about COVID-19”) and FOC2 (“Uncomfortable to think about COVID-19”).

Conclusion

Over one-third of fire service recruits reported fear of COVID-19 after China’s dynamic zero-COVID policy had terminated. Poorer QoL was related to fear of COVID-19. Targeting core symptoms of the fear network structure could help improve the physical and mental health of fire service recruits during public health crises.
Mental health law: a comparison of compulsory hospital admission in Italy and the UK
Authors: Aguirre Lucienne , Padovano Martina , Scopetti Matteo , La Russa Raffaele , Manetti Federico , D’Errico Stefano , Frati Paola , Fineschi Vittorio
Published: October 2023

In Europe, the mental health law legal framework has had several changes throughout the years to achieve and develop new reforms, better mental health care, and protect the human rights of patients. The UK national data shows rising detention rates and the disproportionate use of the legal framework among people from black and minority ethnic groups. At the national level, compulsory admissions are lower in Italy; it also shows that it has increased in the last few years in both countries. The lack of ethnic national data, especially in Italy, limited the ability to understand compulsory admission, discrimination, and stigma in mental health. The present study aims to compare the legal framework of mental health law and compulsory hospital admission in Italy and the UK. A review of each country’s latest amendments to mental health law and the number of compulsory hospital admissions was conducted to understand the impact of changes in mental health care.
CowMesh: a data-mesh architecture to unify dairy industry data for prediction and monitoring
Authors: Pakrashi Arjun , Wallace Duncan , Mac Namee Brian , Greene Derek , Guéret Christophe
Published: October 2023

Dairy is an economically significant industry that caters to the huge demand for food products in people's lives. To remain profitable, farmers need to manage their farms and the health of the dairy cows in their herds. There are, however, many risks to cow health that can lead to significant challenges to dairy farm management and have the potential to lead to significant losses. Such risks include cow udder infections (i.e., mastitis) and cow lameness. As automation and data recording become more common in the agricultural sector, dairy farms are generating increasing amounts of data. Recently, these data are being used to generate insights into farm and cow health, where the objective is to help farmers manage the health and welfare of dairy cows and reduce losses from cow health issues. Despite the level of data generation on dairy farms, this information is often difficult to access due to a lack of a single, central organization to collect data from individual farms. The prospect of such an organization, however, raises questions about data ownership, with some farmers reluctant to share their farm data for privacy reasons. In this study, we describe a newdata mesharchitecture designed for the dairy industry that focuses on facilitating access to data from farms in a decentralized fashion. This has the benefit of keeping the ownership of data with dairy farmers while bringing data together by providing a common and uniform set of protocols. Furthermore, this architecture will allow secure access to the data by research groups and product development groups, who can plug in new projects and applications built across the data. No similar framework currently exists in the dairy industry, and such a data mesh can help industry stakeholders by bringing the dairy farms of a country together in a decentralized fashion. This not only helps farmers, dairy researchers, and product builders but also facilitates an overview of all dairy farms which can help governments to decide on regulations to improve the dairy industry at a national level.
Labor exploitation in the Italian agricultural sector: the case of vulnerable migrants in Tuscany
Authors: Guidi Caterina Francesca , Berti Fabio
Published: October 2023

Labor exploitation of agricultural migrant workers is a well-documented phenomenon by investigations and field research in several Italian regions, both in the North and the South. Despite the agri-food excellencies of the “Made in Italy” brand being a source of pride for Italian entrepreneurship, including the viticulture sector, evidence shows that many of these products are the result of different levels of illegal recruitment and labor exploitation. In this article, the authors analyze the impact of recent waves of vulnerable migrants entering the Italian labor market and present the results of a qualitative field research, conducted in Tuscany between 2021 and 2022. Through 60 interviews with exploited migrant workers and 40 interviews with relevant stakeholders, the authors focus on the recruitment process of vulnerable migrants into the agriculture sector and the labor conditions granted to them regardless of their particular migratory status. The article concludes with the analysis of the peculiarities of the Tuscan case study, characterized by the presence of a legal system of labor exploitation.
Analysis and mapping of lunar wrinkle ridges (LWRs) using automated LWRs detection process with LROC-WAC and LOLA data
Authors: Tariq Aqil , Yan Jianguo , Deng Qingyun , Barriot Jean-Pierre
Published: October 2023

Maps of lunar wrinkle ridges (LWRs) were created from 70°N to 70°S and 140°E to 140°W (extracted and highlighted the major LWRs area) using automated LWRs detection process with Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Camera wide range angle camera and Lunar Orbiter Laser Altimeter data. Automatic detection of LWRs is challenging because the ridges are of irregular shapes and many ridges have been eroded and/or degraded over time. It’s a preliminary study of automated ridge detection from DEM data. Statistics and measurements of the extracted LWRs, including orientation, extent, length, height, and elevation offset, were performed based on the mapping of lunar ridges. The identified ridges were classified based on their orientation, distribution, direction, and each class were further divided over basalts, and nearby highlands. According to the findings, 3,375 segments with a total length of 26,455.01 km were identified, and the average elevation offset, width, and height of all the wrinkle ridges were 40.39 m, 3.47 km, and 0.29 km respectively after weighting by length. The LWRs were divided into three morphologies and distributions: parallel ridges, isolated ridges, and concentric ridges. The vast majority of LWRs were found in basalts area, with an extension into neighboring highland. The relations between the morphological parameters were further quantitatively analyzed, and a similar linear correlation between the width and height was found in each class of lunar ridges, implying that small and large ridges were formed as a continuum and that the three classes of ridges were probably formed by some common processes. Finally, the relations between the lunar wrinkle ridges and other geomorphic phenomena were analyzed, indicating that purely volcanic origin or buried premare structures are difficult to reconcile with the investigation. In addition, the consistency between the occurrence of the lunar wrinkle ridges and the thickness of lunar maria indicates that the formation of lunar wrinkle ridges is closely related to the lunar maria; nevertheless, the statistical NW direction of individual classes of LWRs also proposes the presence of an appropriate stress field during the process of their formation.
Genetic diversity and salt tolerance assessment of 51 alfalfa (Medicago sativa) varieties under saline soil conditions
Authors: Fan Shugao , Chen Jianmin , Mu Jinpeng , Zhang Mingjun
Published: October 2023

Introduction

Salt stress significantly impacts plant growth worldwide. Although alfalfa exhibits some tolerance to salt-alkali soils, the specific salt tolerance levels across different alfalfa varieties remain inadequately understood. For this purpose, we conducted a study to investigate the diversity of agronomic traits of alfalfa (Medicago sativa) under different soil environments in order to elucidate the salt tolerance of 51 alfalfa varieties.

Methods

We chose three different soil conditions for our study: normal conditions in Yantai as control, saline conditions in Yantai with soil salt concentrations ranging from 0.25 to 0.33%, and saline-alkali conditions in Dongying with soil salt concentrations ranging from 0.28 to 0.32%. We chose 51 alfalfa varieties from different sources as our experimental materials. Planting was conducted following a completely randomized block design with three replicates for each variety. Harvesting was performed when the plants reached 50% flowering, cutting them at a height of 5 cm above the ground. Comprehensive assessments encompassed 10 parameters, namely fresh weight, dry weight, stem-leaf ratio, branch count, plant height, crude protein content, crude fat content, acid detergent fiber, neutral detergent fiber, and ash content.

Results

Our findings revealed that the 51 studied alfalfa varieties displayed significant generalized heritability and coefficient of variation, indicating a high level of genetic diversity. Using principal component and cluster analyses, we categorized the varieties into three distinct clusters based on their agronomic traits. Grey correlation degree analysis revealed the commendable performance of Ying st, PI 672734, and Mei zuo across diverse environments. Genotype emerged as a predominant determinant of all parameters, except crude fat, acid detergent fiber, and neutral detergent fiber. Through the application of membership function analysis, PI 672768 emerged as a variety that demonstrated strong tolerance in both saline soil contexts.

Discussion

Despite extensive previous studies indicating Zhong Mu No. 1 as a salt-tolerant alfalfa variety, its performance in this experiment did not distinguish itself. The findings of this study provide a fundamental basis for improving the management of saline-alkali lands and advancing alfalfa cultivation practices.
A body map of super-enhancers and their function in pig
Authors: Yang Youbing , Li Xinyue , Meng Zhu , Liu Yongjian , Qian Kaifeng , Chu Mingxing , Pan Zhangyuan
Published: October 2023

Introduction

Super-enhancers (SEs) are clusters of enhancers that act synergistically to drive the high-level expression of genes involved in cell identity and function. Although SEs have been extensively investigated in humans and mice, they have not been well characterized in pigs.

Methods

Here, we identified 42,380 SEs in 14 pig tissues using chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing, and statistics of its overall situation, studied the composition and characteristics of SE, and explored the influence of SEs characteristics on gene expression.

Results

We observed that approximately 40% of normal enhancers (NEs) form SEs. Compared to NEs, we found that SEs were more likely to be enriched with an activated enhancer and show activated functions. Interestingly, SEs showed X chromosome depletion and short interspersed nuclear element enrichment, implying that SEs play an important role in sex traits and repeat evolution. Additionally, SE-associated genes exhibited higher expression levels and stronger conservation than NE-associated genes. However, genes with the largest SEs had higher expression levels than those with the smallest SEs, indicating that SE size may influence gene expression. Moreover, we observed a negative correlation between SE gene distance and gene expression, indicating that the proximity of SEs can affect gene activity. Gene ontology enrichment and motif analysis revealed that SEs have strong tissue-specific activity. For example, the CORO2B gene with a brain-specific SE shows strong brain-specific expression, and the phenylalanine hydroxylase gene with liver-specific SEs shows strong liver-specific expression.

Discussion

In this study, we illustrated a body map of SEs and explored their functions in pigs, providing information on the composition and tissue-specific patterns of SEs. This study can serve as a valuable resource of gene regulatory and comparative analyses to the scientific community and provides a theoretical reference for genetic control mechanisms of important traits in pigs.
Most common diagnoses and antibiotics used in South American Camelid patients at a university clinic in Austria
Authors: Hund Alexandra , Wittek Thomas , Selan Ursa , Käsbohrer Annemarie , Firth Clair L.
Published: October 2023

Knowledge of common diseases and their treatment in minor species, such as llamas and alpacas, is growing, but frequently drugs are not licensed in these species. Our aim was to evaluate frequent diagnoses and commonly applied antibiotics in patients of a university clinic with a particular focus on EMA Category B antibiotics, which are critically important for human health. We retrospectively analyzed anonymized patient records between 2005 and 2019 regarding the causes for antibiotic treatment and choice of antibiotic substance. The most frequent indications for antibiotic treatment were diseases of the digestive tract and perioperative prophylaxis for castrations. The number of applications of EMA Category B antibiotics initially increased with the number of patients treated, then remained stable, while the use of Category D drugs increased over time. Most Category B antibiotics were used for diseases of crias and diseases of the digestive tract, primarily dental disease. The use of EMA Category B antibiotics cannot be completely avoided based on the types of cases treated. However, antibiotic stewardship guidelines should be followed wherever possible.
Humic Acid and Selenium Supplementation Modulate the Growth and Antioxidant Potential of Chili under Cadmium Stress
Authors: Zohaib Muhammad , Ashraf Kamran , Fatima Komal , Sultan Khawar , Gaafar Abdel-Rhman Z. , Hodhod Mohamed S. , Zaman Qamar uz
Published: October 2023

Maximizing food production under adverse conditions is a major challenge to food security and sustainability in the face of population growth and climatic change. The use of amendments applied as a supplement under adverse conditions may play a significant role in the mitigation of biotic and abiotic stress. This study aimed to explore the morpho-physio-biochemical changes in chili in response to cadmium (Cd) stress. The present study investigated the effects of foliar-applied selenium (Na2SeO4) (3 µM) and soil-applied humic acid (250 mg kg−1 w/w soil) in the sole and synergistic form under varying levels of cadmium stress (0, 2, and 4 mM using CdCl2) in chili. Results revealed that a linear decrease was noticed in the growth, biomass, and phenological attributes of chili plants by increasing the Cd stress. More reduction was noticed at the higher levels of Cd stress as compared to control due lowering plant dry weight (18.15 and 39.67%), relative water content (RWC) (10.73 and 24.17%), total chlorophyll concentrations (16.01 and 31.44%) and increased electrolyte leakage (49.44 and 129.35%) and malonaldehyde contents (MDA) (68.41 and 104.04%). Dry biomass significantly increased with humic acid and selenium treatments, regardless of cadmium level. The reduced enzymatic activities associated with reactive oxygen species (ROS) detoxification, underscores the pivotal role of Se and humic acid in maintaining redox homeostasis. The combined effect of selenium and humic acid proved better results as compared to the sole application in minimizing Cd uptake in roots and fruit. This study demonstrates that the application of humic acid and selenium activates physio-biochemical defense responses against cadmium stress in chili plants and provides significant pavement for the cultivation of chili in cadmium-containing soils with a target of high-yielding and quality.
High-Density Espalier Trained Mangoes Make Better Use of Light
Authors: Mahmud Kare P. , Ibell Paula T. , Wright Carole L. , Monks Dave , Bally Ian
Published: October 2023

Mango productivity and fruit quality in Australia can be improved through transforming low-density plantings to high-density plantings and intensive training systems. Several planting density and training systems were established in Australia to investigate optimizing light interception and distribution, yield and fruit quality, and to reduce tree vigor and biennial bearing through the manipulation of canopy architecture. In this research, we studied light relations and yield in conventional low-density commercial orchards of different ages and investigated light relations and yield of ‘National Mango Breeding Program NMBP1243’, ‘Keitt’ and ‘Calypso’ grafted to ‘Kensington Pride (KP)’ rootstock in a replicated experiment. Trees were trained to five planting systems: high-density espalier and conventional, medium-density single leader and conventional, and low-density conventional. Our study in commercial orchards showed that maximum yield was ~16,000 kg/ha when light interception reached ~49% and declined at higher levels of light interception. In the high-density intensive training systems, we found that light interception increased with canopy volume, with high-density espalier training systems intercepting more available light compared to medium-density training systems and low-density conventional trees. Yield/ha increased to ~50,000 kg/ha in espalier training systems when light interception was ~40%. Light interception, canopy volume and yield/ha varied between varieties.
Methods, Thermodynamic Applications, and Habitat Implications of Physical and Spectral Properties of Hair and Haircoats in Cattle
Authors: Gebremedhin Kifle G. , Fonseca Vinicius D. F. C. , Maia Alex S. C.
Published: October 2023

The physical properties (hair diameter, hair length, haircoat depth and haircoat density) and spectral properties (absorptivity, reflectivity, transmissivity) of the hair and haircoat of cattle are inputs to heat and moisture exchange between the skin surface and the surrounding environment, and thus play a critical role in body temperature regulation. Physical and spectral properties of haircoats also play an important role in protecting the skin against penetration of ultraviolet radiation. The focus of this review is to identify accurate and consistent measurement procedures of these properties. Additionally, the paper shows the utilization of the properties on heat exchange models and their implications on voluntary thermoregulation of cattle. To highlight the effects and benefits of haircoat color vis-à-vis solar radiation and its implication on ecological habitation, a brief explanation is provided using polar bears (white haircoat in a cold environment) and black goats in a hot desert environment.