bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Improving Online Citizen Science Platforms for Biodiversity Monitoring
Authors: Della Rocca Francesca , Musiani Marco , Galaverni Marco , Milanesi Pietro
Published: August 2024

Background

Monitoring biodiversity is crucial in biogeography. Citizen science and biodiversity platforms have revolutionized data access across taxa, but they struggle to provide robust raw data essential for conservation decisions.

Aims

This study addresses data gaps for under‐represented species and locations, observer expertise variability, and the lack of absence data and sampling effort information to improve data representation and suitability for statistical analyses.

Materials & Methods

We collected, compared to IUCN‐recognized taxonomic groups, all worldwide living being (animal, plant and fungi) observations held by four major biodiversity platforms: eBird, GBIF, iNaturalist, and Observation.org. We also organized such observations by country of origin and based on their Human Development Index (HDI).

Results

We found that, while GBIF, iNaturalist, and Observation.org cover all life forms, birds are the most observed (eBird is a bird‐specific platform), whereas fish, other marine organisms, arthropods, and invertebrates are dramatically underrepresented. Moreover, none of the above‐mentioned biodiversity platforms considered or directly analysed expertise variability among observers and, apart from eBird, the other three biodiversity platforms do not accommodate data on species absence and sampling effort.

Discussion and Conclusion

Finally, we found that species observations on biodiversity platforms considered in this study are skewed towards high HDI countries, primarily North America and Europe. By enhancing the effectiveness of biodiversity platforms, this study has the potential to significantly advance the field of biogeography, paving the way for more informed and effective conservation strategies. Overall, our findings underscore the untapped potential of these platforms in contributing to our understanding of the spatial and temporal patterns of biodiversity.
Troriluzole rescues glutamatergic deficits, amyloid and tau pathology, and synaptic and memory impairments in 3xTg‐AD mice
Authors: Pfitzer Jeremiah , Pinky Priyanka D. , Perman Savannah , Redmon Emma , Cmelak Luca , Suppiramaniam Vishnu , Coric Vladimir , Qureshi Irfan A. , Gramlich Michael W. , Reed Miranda N.
Published: August 2024

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative condition in which clinical symptoms are highly correlated with the loss of glutamatergic synapses. While later stages of AD are associated with markedly decreased glutamate levels due to neuronal loss, in the early stages, pathological accumulation of glutamate and hyperactivity contribute to AD pathology and cognitive dysfunction. There is increasing awareness that presynaptic dysfunction, particularly synaptic vesicle (SV) alterations, play a key role in mediating this early‐stage hyperactivity. In the current study, we sought to determine whether the 3xTg mouse model of AD that exhibits both beta‐amyloid (Aβ) and tau‐related pathology would exhibit similar presynaptic changes as previously observed in amyloid or tau models separately. Hippocampal cultures from 3xTg mice were used to determine whether presynaptic vesicular glutamate transporters (VGlut) and glutamate are increased at the synaptic level while controlling for postsynaptic activity. We observed that 3xTg hippocampal cultures exhibited increased VGlut1 associated with an increase in glutamate release, similar to prior observations in cultures from tau mouse models. However, the SV pool size was also increased in 3xTg cultures, an effect not previously observed in tau mouse models but observed in Aβ models, suggesting the changes in pool size may be due to Aβ and not tau. Second, we sought to determine whether treatment with troriluzole, a novel 3rd generation tripeptide prodrug of the glutamate modulator riluzole, could reduce VGlut1 and glutamate release to restore cognitive deficits in 8‐month‐old 3xTg mice. Treatment with troriluzole reduced VGlut1 expression, decreased basal and evoked glutamate release, and restored cognitive deficits in 3xTg mice. Together, these findings suggest presynaptic alterations are early events in AD that represent potential targets for therapeutic intervention, and these results support the promise of glutamate‐modulating drugs such as troriluzole in Alzheimer's disease.

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FinTech Credit and Entrepreneurial Growth
Authors: HAU HARALD , HUANG YI , LIN CHEN , SHAN HONGZHE , SHENG ZIXIA , WEI LAI
Published: August 2024

Based on automated credit lines to vendors trading on Alibaba's online retail platform and a discontinuity in the credit decision algorithm, we document that a vendor's access to FinTech credit boosts its sales growth, transaction growth, and the level of customer satisfaction gauged by product, service, and consignment ratings. These effects are more pronounced for vendors characterized by greater information asymmetry about their credit risk and less collateral, which reveals the information advantage of FinTech credit over traditional credit technology.
Genetic adaptation despite high gene flow in a range‐expanding population
Authors: Lee Andy , Daniels Benjamin N. , Hemstrom William , López Cataixa , Kagaya Yuki , Kihara Daisuke , Davidson Jean M. , Toonen Robert J. , White Crow , Christie Mark R.
Published: August 2024

Signals of natural selection can be quickly eroded in high gene flow systems, curtailing efforts to understand how and when genetic adaptation occurs in the ocean. This long‐standing, unresolved topic in ecology and evolution has renewed importance because changing environmental conditions are driving range expansions that may necessitate rapid evolutionary responses. One example occurs in Kellet's whelk (Kelletia kelletii), a common subtidal gastropod with an ~40‐ to 60‐day pelagic larval duration that expanded their biogeographic range northwards in the 1970s by over 300 km. To test for genetic adaptation, we performed a series of experimental crosses with Kellet's whelk adults collected from their historical (HxH) and recently expanded range (ExE), and conducted RNA‐Seq on offspring that we reared in a common garden environment. We identified 2770 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between 54 offspring samples with either only historical range (HxH offspring) or expanded range (ExE offspring) ancestry. Using SNPs called directly from the DEGs, we assigned samples of known origin back to their range of origin with unprecedented accuracy for a marine species (92.6% and 94.5% for HxH and ExE offspring, respectively). The SNP with the highest predictive importance occurred on triosephosphate isomerase (TPI), an essential metabolic enzyme involved in cold stress response. TPI was significantly upregulated and contained a non‐synonymous mutation in the expanded range. Our findings pave the way for accurately identifying patterns of dispersal, gene flow and population connectivity in the ocean by demonstrating that experimental transcriptomics can reveal mechanisms for how marine organisms respond to changing environmental conditions.
Selection on genome‐wide gene expression plasticity of rice in wet and dry field environments
Authors: Hamann Elena , Groen Simon C. , Dunivant Taryn S. , Ćalić Irina , Cochran Colleen , Konshok Rachel , Purugganan Michael D. , Franks Steven J.
Published: August 2024

Gene expression can be highly plastic in response to environmental variation. However, we know little about how expression plasticity is shaped by natural selection and evolves in wild and domesticated species. We used genotypic selection analysis to characterize selection on drought‐induced plasticity of over 7,500 leaf transcripts of 118 rice accessions (genotypes) from different environmental conditions grown in a field experiment. Gene expression plasticity was neutral for most gradually plastic transcripts, but transcripts with discrete patterns of expression showed stronger selection on expression plasticity. Whether plasticity was adaptive and co‐gradient or maladaptive and counter‐gradient varied among varietal groups. No transcripts that experienced selection for plasticity across environments showed selection against plasticity within environments, indicating a lack of evidence for costs of adaptive plasticity that may constrain its evolution. Selection on expression plasticity was influenced by degree of plasticity, transcript length and gene body methylation. We observed positive selection on plasticity of co‐expression modules containing transcripts involved in photosynthesis, translation and responsiveness to abiotic stress. Taken together, these results indicate that patterns of selection on expression plasticity were context‐dependent and likely associated with environmental conditions of varietal groups, but that the evolution of adaptive plasticity would likely not be constrained by opposing patterns of selection on plasticity within compared to across environments. These results offer a genome‐wide view of patterns of selection and ecological constraints on gene expression plasticity and provide insights into the interplay between plastic and evolutionary responses to drought at the molecular level.
Impact of home visiting nurses on home death proportion in Japan: A nationwide longitudinal ecological study
Authors: Yoshida Shuhei , Hirahara Yumi , Mutai Rieko , Miyamori Daisuke , Kikuchi Yuka , Ikeda Kotaro , Shigenobu Yuya , Ito Masanori
Published: August 2024

Objective

Home visiting nurses contribute to end‐of‐life home care in an aging society. However, few previous studies reported patient outcomes based on nursing practices. This study aimed to examine the correlation between the number of them and the change in home death proportion.

Methods

We divided the number of home visiting nurses into four categories: absent, shortage, medium, and abundant. This study adopted the interaction term between the nurse categories and year as the major exposure variable, and home death proportion per municipality as the objective variable. We estimated the average marginal effects (AME) as the change in home death proportion from 2015 to 2020.

Results

The total number of home visiting nurses was 36,483 in 2015 and 65,868 in 2020. The coefficients of the interaction term were statistically significant in medium and abundant municipalities (Medium: 1.26 (95% CI: 0.49–2.04), Abundant: 2.15 (95% CI: 0.76–3.55)). Increased home death proportion were estimated as AME: 1.56% (95% CI: 0.99–2.13), 1.35% (95% CI: 0.85–1.84), 2.82% (95% CI: 2.30–3.35), and 3.71% (95% CI: 2.44–4.99) in the absent, shortage, medium, and abundant areas, respectively.

Conclusions

To increase the proportion of home deaths, municipalities require a certain number of home visiting nurses.
Gendered distributional impacts of ownership of mobile money account on farm input expenditures: A micro perspective from rural maize farmers in Ghana
Authors: Asante Bright Owusu , Ankrah Daniel Adu , Agyei‐Holmes Andrew , Prah Stephen
Published: August 2024

This article investigates the distributional impact of mobile money account ownership on farm input expenditures among maize farmers in southern Ghana. Using cross‐sectional data from 1044 farm households, we employed an instrumental variable quantile regression to account for endogeneity and selection bias. We find that socioeconomic, spatial location, and institutional factors significantly influence male and female‐headed household decisions to own mobile money accounts. The empirics show that male‐headed households spend more on fertilizer and pesticide relative to female‐headed households. Mobile money account ownership increases fertilizer expenditure in male‐headed households more than female‐headed households. Male‐headed families with mobile money accounts spend 13.9% and 6.5% more on fertilizer at the 40th and 60th quantiles. High 80th quantile female‐headed households spend 4.3% more on fertilizer. For male‐headed households, farming experience and education positively influence mobile money account ownership on fertilizer expenditure, while off‐farm activity at the 40th quantile positively influences female‐headed households. Our results distill useful policy implications that call for concerted efforts targeted at digital financial inclusion with an eye to bridging differential gender gaps.
External Focus of Attention Reduces Cartilage Load During Drop Landings
Authors: Slovák Lukáš , Panfilov Egor , Zahradník David , Casula Victor , Nieminen Miika T. , Land William M. , Iwatsuki Takehiro , Abdollahipour Reza
Published: August 2024

The aim of the present study was to examine the effects of attentional focus instructions on acute changes in the transverse relaxation time (T2) of the femorotibial cartilage and in cartilage volume during repeated drop‐jump landings. Ten healthy females (Mage = 20.4 ± 0.8 years) performed a drop landing task from a 50 cm high box over the course of 3 days (50 repetitions each day) across three attentional focus conditions: external focus (EF: focus on landing as soft as possible), internal focus (IF: focus on bending your knees when you land), and control (CON: no‐focus instruction), which was counterbalanced across focus conditions. T2 mapping and the volume of femorotibial cartilage were determined from magnetic resonance imaging scans at 1.5 T for the dominant knee before and after completing the drop landings in each attentional focus condition per day. Results indicated a smaller change in cartilage T2 relaxation time and volumetry in the central load‐bearing lateral cartilage under the EF, compared to IF and CON. Moreover, the change in T2 and cartilage volume was greater for lateral tibial cartilage as compared to femoral cartilage and was independent of attentional focus instructions. No significant acute quantitative changes were observed in the medial compartment. The peak vertical ground reaction force was found to be the lowest under the EF, compared to IF and CON. These findings suggest that external focus of attention may reduce cartilage load, potentially aiding in the control or management of cartilage injuries during landing in female athletes.
Prehospital central venous catheters
Authors: Studer Nicholas M. , Pickett Jason R. , Winckler C. J. , Smith William R. , Cap Andrew P. , Cunningham Cord W.
Published: August 2024

KEY IDEAS

The use of whole blood in the prehospital setting is increasing.

Currently available intraosseous and peripheral venous catheters limit the flow of blood products and fluid during resuscitation.

Central venous catheters can be effectively placed in the prehospital environment.

Rapid, high‐volume infusion of blood products can be lifesaving.
REVOLUTIONIZING POWER TRANSFORMER FAULT DIAGNOSIS THROUGH COGNITIVE ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE AND DISSOLVED GAS ANALYSIS INTEGRATION
Authors: Souvannalath Phoumsavath , Premrudeepreechacharn Suttichai , Ngamsanroaj Kanchit
Published: August 2024

The research introduces a cognitive artificial intelligence (CAI) model that leverages dissolved gas analysis (DGA) to investigate power transformer faults. Conventional fault interpretation methods using DGA are limited in accuracy and uncertainty. In response, the proposed CAI model utilizes cognitive learning and direct interaction to achieve remarkably accurate fault identification without the need for supervised training. By extracting fault features through key gas ratio limitations. However, the CAI model also has a gap in data perception due to the information sensory challenges. Using gas ratios based on the conventional fault interpretation methods in the latest study still limited data perception of the CAI model to only three or four gas ratios. Thus, this study aims to increase data perception by extracting fault features through ten gas ratio limitations. The proposed CAI model's performance is validated, outperforming traditional methods like the Duval triangle method, Duval pentagon method, Doernenburg ratio method, and Roger ratio method, as well as common AI approaches including artificial neuron network, long short-term memory, nearest neighbor classifiers, support vector machine, ensemble classifiers, and decision trees. Notably, the CAI model's success rate in fault type identification stands at an impressive 98.04%. A distinctive trait of the CAI model is its autonomous knowledge accumulation and enhancement, enabled by inferring-fusion information and sensor-based knowledge integration. This intrinsic learning ability further contributes to its exceptional fault diagnosis accuracy. The proposed CAI model showcases promising potential for revolutionizing power transformer fault investigation and diagnosis, mitigating unplanned outages, and ultimately bolstering power system reliability.
A NOVEL COST-EFFECTIVE PRESSURE SENSOR BASED FLOOD MONITORING SYSTEM WITH IOT
Authors: Dublin Aaron Clyde , Arce Merardo , Ortiz Enrique , Wong Ludi Mae , Villaruel Kirk Patrick , Arante Hero , Co Davenson , Chua Alvin , Sybingco Edwin , Roque Maria Antonette
Published: August 2024

Floods are one of the most frequent and destructive natural hazards in the world.  Early warning and flood monitoring is beneficial in the response and preparedness for this hazard. This paper presents a novel, low-cost flood monitoring system for disaster prevention, based on a pressure sensor. The system comprises a state-of-the-art microcontroller, a pressure sensor, and a security element. It is connected to an Internet of Things (IoT) cloud service, allowing for further data processing, interaction, and storage. The sensor data is processed to provide real-time flood measurements. The calibration data obtained from the designed system demonstrates a linear correlation between the water level and the sensor output. Additionally, the system was able to provide flood level measurements with an average error of 4.08% using the calibration equation, whereas a 4.40% error was obtained when using theoretical equations to determine the flood height.
GROUNDWATER RESPONSE TO TIDES ON A SANDY BEACH
Authors: Rahim N.S. , Othman Ilya K. , Jamal M.H. Jamal , Ismail Z.
Published: August 2024

Beach profile formation and morphology have been widely studied in recent years. A key point of understanding the dynamics of sandy beaches is the knowledge of the interactions between tides and groundwater with the beach profile, despite the challenges of conducting high-quality measurements. This study aims to clarify the response of groundwater levels to tides during two fieldworks: inter-monsoon (2017) and Southwest monsoon (2018) at Desaru Beach. Four monitoring wells were installed perpendicular to the beach, alongside a tide gauge, a wave buoy, and an underwater current meter. The findings showed that the water table was generally not flat but fluctuated with time following the tidal pattern at a tangent. Lag times observed in all wells ranged from 3 hours 20 minutes to no lag times during the spring and from about 4 hours 40 minutes to no lag times during the neap. The groundwater closest to the sea indicated a shorter lag time at high tides than low tides during the inter-monsoon and Southwest monsoon. This study indicated that the beach groundwater filled up faster than it drained between rising and falling tides. The time lags of groundwater levels established in this study can be utilised in coastal flood forecasting for similar beach conditions.
 
Keywords: Sandy beach, water table, tides, morphology, waves
 
Kajian mengenai pembentukan dan morfologi profil pantai dijalankan secara meluas sejak kebelakangan ini. Satu perkara penting dalam memahami dinamik pantai berpasir adalah pengetahuan tentang interaksi antara pasang surut dan air bumi terhadap profil pantai, meskipun terdapat kesukaran dalam melakukan pengukuran berkualiti tinggi. Kajian ini bertujuan untuk menjelaskan respons paras air bumi terhadap pasang surut semasa dua kerja lapangan dijalankan iaitu antara-musim (2017) dan musim barat daya (2018). Empat perigi pemantauan dipasang secara serenjang dengan pantai, bersama-sama dengan tolok pasang surut, boya gelombang dan meter arus. Hasil kajian menunjukkan aras air secara umumnya tidak rata tetapi berubah mengikut corak pasang surut dengan tangen. Air bumi yang terdekat dengan laut menunjukkan masa lengah yang dicerap dalam semua perigi berjulat antara 12 minit hingga 3 jam 35 minit semasa pasang surut perbani dan dari 5 minit hingga 3 jam 55 minit semasa pasang anak. Air bumi yang terdekat dengan laut menunjukkan masa lengah yang lebih pendek semasa pasang tinggi berbanding pasang surut semasa antara-musim, sementara keadaan tersebut kekal relatif konsisten semasa musim barat daya. Kajian ini menunjukkan bahawa air bumi memenuhi dengan lebih cepat daripada mengalir keluar antara pasang naik dan pasang surut. Masa lengah paras air bumi yang ditetapkan dalam kajian ini boleh digunakan dalam meramal banjir pantai untuk keadaan pantai yang serupa.
 
Kata kunci: Pantai berpasir, aras air, pasang surut, morfologi, gelombang
DEVELOPING A LOCALIZED OPTIMAL FLOOD BARRIER IN THE PHILIPPINES
Authors: A. Gutierrez Alma Maria Jennifer , C. Chan Aaron , Del Pilar Eunice , Z. Mansilla Maria Mikaela , L. Tee Madeline
Published: August 2024

In the Philippines, flood is a usual experience due to its geographical location near the equator. This calls for governmental units to establish flood control protocols that utilize equipment to effectively mitigate the impact of the floods. However, the existing protocols lack proper equipment integrated in their flood protocols that effectively handle flood occurrences. This research aims to improvise the current practices of the Philippine local government units in combating flood by proposing the optimal flood barrier design to be deployed for flood control and damage mitigation and investigate the optimal flood barrier for deployment. The methodology involves revisiting operational manuals of the target community of the Philippine governmental units and exploring existing flood barrier designs in literature and the market, whether in or out of the Philippines. Barriers designed in the literature and market were investigated, where there is a physical experiment conducted for the optimal design using physics concepts and past tests performed by studies. Results demonstrated the amount of force that can be resisted by the barriers, the amount of flood water until it floats, and the maximum velocity until barriers move. This is the first study to investigate the designs of flood barriers that are suitable for deployment and selects the optimal barrier for flood control for the Philippine setting while integrating it to the Philippine flood protocols. This research will be valuable to studies in regards with flood emergency disaster management planning.
COMPARISON OF OZONATION (O3) AND AOPS (O3/H2O2) IN PURIFICATION OF WELL WATER IN KLUMPRIT VILLAGE, CENTRAL JAVA, INDONESIA
Authors: Wulansarie Ria , Imani Nadya Alfa Cahaya , Pita Rengga Wara Dyah , Fariqoh Toifahtul , Nurlaely Nurlaely , Wulandari Vennita Rahayu , Putri Diptya Anindita
Published: August 2024

Water is a very important need for human life. The need for clean water has increased due to changes in people's behavior during the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite the increasing need for clean water during the pandemic, access to it remains unequal. One of the areas with poor water sources is Klumprit Village, Nusawungu, Cilacap, Central Java, where the water is cloudy, yellow in color, and a rustic smell. According to the Regulation of Ministry of Health of the Republic of Indonesia Number 32 of 2017, water that is suitable for sanitation needs is water that is odorless, tasteless, not cloudy or has a low level of turbidity. Ozone is an environmentally friendly technology because it does not produce harmful by-products. In addition to ozone, the production of clean water can use Advanced Oxidation Processes (AOPs) with (O3/H2O2). The existence of H2O2 will increase the ability of ozone in the production of clean water or water purification. In this study, ozonation and AOPs (O3/H2O2) were carried out to purify the yellow and cloudy well water in Klumprit Village, Cilacap, Central Java as an effort to improve public health during the COVID-19 pandemic. The research method was to compare ozonation and AOPs (O3/H2O2). The study will include variations in pH levels, specifically neutral pH (untreated sample) and alkaline, as well as different concentrations of H2O2. The experimental data included Fe and Mn content in water before and after the treatment process. Based on the results of this study, it was found that the yellow color of the groundwater in Klumprit village is caused by high levels of manganese (Mn). The lowest concentration of Mn was achieved after 60 minutes of ozonation at an alkaline pH of 9, with a concentration of 0.266 mg/L. The iron (Fe) content showed fluctuation for both treatment methods, ozonation (O3) and advanced oxidation processes (O3/H2O2).
ESTIMATION OF LENGTH AND SLOPE FACTOR (LS) AS EROSION PREDICTION IN WAY PUBIAN SUB WATERSHED
Authors: Romdania Yuda , Herison Ahmad
Published: August 2024

Erosion caused by land degradation is one of the main challenges to soil quality around the world. One way to prevent erosion is by analyzing the length and slope factor (LS). The increasing length of the slope causes the higher amount of cumulative runoff and also the increasing steepness of the soil slope causes the higher speed of runoff that contributes to erosion. The purpose of this research is to analyze the LS factor value of Moore and Burch (1986) method and LS Nomograph for Way Pubian Subwatershed. The research method was done with Moore and Burch method and Nomograf LS. Moore and Burch (1986) method used the flow accumulation on DEM data as the main input in ArcGIS and the result shows the LS value ranged from 0 to 765.625 with an average (mean) value of 4.427.  Meanwhile, the nomograph LS method resulted in high LS values and is not compatible with the Jakarta RTL-RLKT Preparation Implementation Guidelines (1986). Slope conditions affect the amount of surface flow so that it also affects the contribution of erosion and LS value.  Way Pubian sub-watershed also classified as steep, resulting in a high LS value. Based on the method of Moore and Burch (1986) using ArcGIS software, we can conclude that the results of LS factor values can be used in Indonesia compared to the nomograph LS method which the results are less suitable due to topographic factors. As a result, the LS value from Moore and Burch (1986) method can be used in erosion prediction calculation.
SYNTHESIS OF PRECIPITATED CALCIUM CARBONATE IN THE FORM OF CALCITE CRYSTALS AS A VALORIZATION OF LIME CARBIDE SLAG WASTE
Authors: Provito Wahyu Tri Amaliah , Taufany Fadlilatul , Altway Ali
Published: August 2024

The presence of high level of calcium oxide (CaO) has been detected in lime carbide (LC) slag waste generated form the acetylene gas industry. There is untapped potential for the valorization of LC-slag waste, where the calcium oxide content can be converted into Precipitated Calcium Carbonate (PCC/CaCO3) which is valuable and can contribute to carbon dioxide sequestration. Calcium carbonate has unique advantages as a carrier, but some critical problems need to be addressed, such as low productivity, disordered structure, and weak adsorption ability. In this study, the desired type of crystal is calcite which has the most stable characteristics from the other types of crystals. Micro-bubble reactor is used as a method of dispersing CO2 in converting CaO to PCC/CaCO3. This method has the advantage of being able to maintain CO2 gas bubbles longer in solution so that the reaction time that occurs can also be optimize. The LC-Slag valorization process was carried out by varying the LC-slag concentration between 3-7% w/w and the reaction time between 15 - 35 minutes. The dispersion of CO2 gas is fixed at a flow rate of 2.5 L/m. From the yield, it can be seen that the longer the reaction time, the yield of PCC/CaCO3 produced is also greater. At 35 minute reaction time and concentration LC-Slag Waste varied 3, 5, and 7% w/w, the produced yields were 89.44, 95.00, and 93.76%, respectively. This is evidenced by the results of SEM and XRD analysis. In the future, this treatment method is expected to provide more insight and guidance for the valorization of LC-slag waste and CO2 mineralization in the acetylene gas industry.
ONE-STEP ETHANOL EXTRACTION FOR PRODUCING PURIFIED GLUCOMANNAN FLOUR FROM PORANG CHIPS (AMORPHOPHALLUS ONCOPHYLLUS)
Authors: Nurkhamidah Siti , Cahyarani Heksa Ayu , Widjaja Tri , Ni'mah Hikmatun , Wardhono Endarto
Published: August 2024

Porang (Amorphophallus oncophyllus) is unable to be consumed directly due to high calcium oxalate content.  Two methods commonly used to reduce calcium oxalate contents are a mechanical method by grinding and sieving and in chemical process by using sodium chloride immersion.  Most studies focused on how to increase glucomannan content in porang flour. Glucomannan is a hydrocolloid complex sugar used as dietary fiber. It is utilized as a thickening agent, gel-forming agent, and applied in the food and pharmaceutical industries. In previous studies, purification of glucomannan has been done by milling fresh tuber and extraction with multilevel ethanol concentration. In this study, extraction with ethanol 50% and 70% have been done with a variation of extraction time: 15, 30, 45 and 60 minutes. For preparation, porang chips are ground and sieved into 40 mesh flour. After extraction, glucomannan flour was filtered and dried, then characterized. Glucomannan content, calcium oxalate content, moisture content, ash content, viscosity, morphology, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis were conducted. The experiment results show that the longer duration of extraction significantly decreased calcium oxalate content. Moisture content ranged from 9.99 – 10.85%. Better ash content was obtained at 50% ethanol, which exhibited under 3% of all immersion duration. The morphology of purified glucomannan flour observed through Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) showed a small amount of calcium oxalate as indicated by a needle-like structure. Ethanol concentrations and extraction duration effects on the purity and characterization of glucomannan flour from porang chips have been discussed in detail in this study.
Myosin ATPase inhibition fails to rescue the metabolically dysregulated proteome of nebulin‐deficient muscle
Authors: Laitila Jenni , Seaborne Robert A. E. , Ranu Natasha , Kolb Justin S. , Wallgren‐Pettersson Carina , Witting Nanna , Vissing John , Vilchez Juan Jesus , Zanoteli Edmar , Palmio Johanna , Huovinen Sanna , Granzier Henk , Ochala Julien
Published: August 2024

Nemaline myopathy (NM) is a genetic muscle disease, primarily caused by mutations in the NEB gene (NEB‐NM) and with muscle myosin dysfunction as a major molecular pathogenic mechanism. Recently, we have observed that the myosin biochemical super‐relaxed state was significantly impaired in NEB‐NM, inducing an aberrant increase in ATP consumption and remodelling of the energy proteome in diseased muscle fibres. Because the small‐molecule Mavacamten is known to promote the myosin super‐relaxed state and reduce the ATP demand, we tested its potency in the context of NEB‐NM. We first conducted in vitro experiments in isolated single myofibres from patients and found that Mavacamten successfully reversed the myosin ATP overconsumption. Following this, we assessed its short‐term in vivo effects using the conditional nebulin knockout (cNeb KO) mouse model and subsequently performing global proteomics profiling in dissected soleus myofibres. After a 4 week treatment period, we observed a remodelling of a large number of proteins in both cNeb KO mice and their wild‐type siblings. Nevertheless, these changes were not related to the energy proteome, indicating that short‐term Mavacamten treatment is not sufficient to properly counterbalance the metabolically dysregulated proteome of cNeb KO mice. Taken together, our findings emphasize Mavacamten potency in vitro but challenge its short‐term efficacy in vivo.

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Key points

No cure exists for nemaline myopathy, a type of genetic skeletal muscle disease mainly derived from mutations in genes encoding myofilament proteins.

Applying Mavacamten, a small molecule directly targeting the myofilaments, to isolated membrane‐permeabilized muscle fibres from human patients restored myosin energetic disturbances.

Treating a mouse model of nemaline myopathy in vivo with Mavacamten for 4 weeks, remodelled the skeletal muscle fibre proteome without any noticeable effects on energetic proteins.

Short‐term Mavacamten treatment may not be sufficient to reverse the muscle phenotype in nemaline myopathy.
Reductions in functional muscle mass and ability to ambulate in Duchenne muscular dystrophy from ages 4 to 24 years
Authors: Evans William J. , Hellerstein Marc , Butterfield Russell J. , Smith Edward , Guglieri Michela , Katz Natalie , Nave Brittany , Branigan Lauren , Thera Stephanie , Vordos Kalista L. , Behar Laura , Schiava Marianela , James Meredith K. , Field Tyler , Mohammed Hussein , Shankaran Mahalakshmi
Published: August 2024

Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) results in a progressive loss of functional skeletal muscle mass (MM) and replacement with fibrofatty tissue. Accurate evaluation of MM in DMD patients has not previously been available. Our objective was to measure MM using the D3creatine (D3Cr) dilution method and determine its relationship with strength and functional capacity in patients with DMD over a wide range of ages. Subjects were recruited for participation in a 12 month, longitudinal, observational study. Here, we report the baseline data. A 20 mg dose of D3Cr dissolved in water was ingested by 92 patients with DMD (ages 4–25 years) followed later with a fasting urine sample. Enrichment of D3creatinine was determined by liquid chromatography‐mass spectrometry analysis. The North Star Ambulatory Assessment (NSAA) total score was determined for ambulatory participants, and the Performance of Upper Limb (PUL 2.0) total score and grip strength for all participants. We observed a significant age‐associated increase in body weight along with a substantial decrease in MM/body weight (%MM). MM and %MM were associated with PUL score (r = 0.517, P < 0.0001 and r = 0.764, P < 0.0001 respectively). The age‐associated decrease in MM and %MM was strongly associated with ambulatory status. We observed very little overlap in %MM between ambulant and non‐ambulant subjects, suggesting a threshold of 18–22% associated with loss of ambulation. MM is substantially diminished with advancing age and is highly related to clinically meaningful functional status. The D3Cr dilution method may provide a biomarker of disease progression and therapeutic efficacy in patients with DMD or other neuromuscular disorders.

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Key points

The non‐invasive D3creatine dilution method provides novel data on whole body functional muscle mass (MM) in a wide range of ages in patients with DMD and reveals profoundly low functional MM in older non‐ambulant patients.

The difference in %MM between ambulant and non‐ambulant subjects suggests a threshold for loss of ambulatory ability between 18 and 22% MM.

The data suggest that as functional MM declines with age, maintaining a lower body weight may help to conserve ambulatory ability.
AGE STRUCTURE OF RHAPONTICUM SERRATULOIDES (GEORGI) BOBR. POPULATIONS. IN NORTHERN AND CENTRAL KAZAKHSTAN
Authors: Ishmuratova M. , Mamyrova S. , Kuprijanov A. , Kubentayev S.
Published: August 2024

The article presents the results of studying the ontogenetic structure of seven cenopopulations of Rhaponticum serratuloides in Karaganda and Akmola regions of Kazakhstan (Northern and Central Kazakhstan). The majority of surveyed cenopopulations belong to normal incomplete populations. Their ontogenetic structure has two main types of spectrum - centered two-vertex spectrum, where the maximum falls on virginal and middle-generative individuals, as well as left-sided spectrum with predominance of pre-generative individuals. The condition of cenopopulations was assessed using the "delta-omega" criterion of L. A. Zhivotovsky. According to this criterion, most of the cenopopulations are mature (CP 1-2, CP 4-5), only two (CP6 and CP7) are young. The presence of a significant number of young plants in CP6 indicates its high capacity for maintenance and self-restoration. In CP7, unfavorable conditions prevailed and potentially generative plants remained in virginile age state. CP3 occupies an intermediate position between mature and young populations. In all cenopopulations there was almost complete absence of senile and sub-senile individuals, and only in some of them - deposition of juvenile and immature individuals. Incompleteness of cenopopulations is associated with increasing anthropogenic load and narrow ecological amplitude of Rh. serratuloides.
Out-of-season, multiserotype acute coxsackie B myocarditis with concomitant thyrotoxicity
Authors: Manongi Ngoda , Gulati Neha , Volodarskiy Alexander , Shah Tara
Published: August 2024

Acute viral myocarditis and hyperthyroidism can present with acute coronary syndrome. However, the link between hyperthyroidism and myocarditis has hardly been explored apart from a small collection of published case reports. We report a case where a patient presents with severe chest pain and was found to have concomitant severe coronary vasospasm and acute myocarditis and was diagnosed with Graves’ disease.
Ibrutinib-induced spinal haematoma in a patient with marginal zone lymphoma
Authors: Vojjala Nikhil , Roberson Fazela , Yadav Sumeet Kumar , Krishnamoorthy Geetha
Published: August 2024

Bleeding diathesis is an uncommon side effect of ibrutinib use and is seen in less than 5% of the population. We describe a case of an elderly woman with ibrutinib-induced spontaneous major extradural haematoma presenting as acute compressive myelopathy. She is a known case of splenic marginal zone lymphoma with multiple extramedullary relapses and presented to the emergency department with acute-onset low backache, followed by urinary retention. MRI revealed extradural haemorrhage. After possible evaluation, she was diagnosed with ibrutinib-induced extradural haematoma.
Hepatocellular carcinoma as a complication of chronic Budd-Chiari syndrome (BCS) in a child
Authors: Sharma Divyanshi , Khera Sanjeev , Saravagi Ganesh , Dhaman Pawan Kumar
Published: August 2024

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is an extremely rare long-term complication of Budd-Chiari syndrome (BCS) which may occur due to long-term venous congestion causing fibrosis, cirrhosis and subsequent hepatocellular dysplasia or anaplasia. This complication is even rarer in paediatric BCS and warrants early diagnosis for a favourable prognosis. Benign regenerative nodules seen with BCS are difficult to differentiate from malignant nodular lesion of HCC, thereby making serial imaging less sensitive for early diagnosis of HCC in BCS. Surveillance guidelines like adults do not exist in monitoring chronic paediatric BCS due to rarity of this complication. Six monthly serum alpha-fetoprotein monitoring in addition to radiological surveillance improves the sensitivity of early detection of HCC transformation in BCS and should be the way ahead in paediatric BCS as well. We describe a paediatric patient who presented with advanced HCC after 25-month follow-up for BCS.
Effect of myofunctional exercise combined with laser-assisted frenectomy in the management of paediatric tongue tie
Authors: Sahoo Subhashree , Balaji Shalini , Haridoss Selvakumar , Swaminathan Kavitha
Published: August 2024

We present three cases for the management of paediatric tongue tie (ankyloglossia) through laser-assisted frenectomy and postoperative oral myofunctional exercises. Ankyloglossia, characterised by a restricted lingual frenulum, poses challenges in tongue movement and is traditionally treated with surgical interventions. Laser technology, particularly diode lasers, has shown promise in paediatric cases due to reduced bleeding, minimal discomfort and faster recovery. The case series presents three instances where patients underwent laser-assisted frenectomy, demonstrating improved tongue function and speech outcomes. The comprehensive approach includes adherence to safety protocols, meticulous surgical techniques and the integration of postoperative exercises. Results indicate significant improvement in speech and tongue mobility, with no reported pain or complications. The study underscores the efficacy, safety and patient-centric nature of the combined laser and exercise strategy in addressing ankyloglossia in paediatric dentistry, emphasising the need for further research and long-term follow-up studies to validate its sustained effectiveness.
MED12 loss activates endogenous retroelements to sensitise immunotherapy in pancreatic cancer
Authors: Tang Yingying , Tang Shijie , Yang Wenjuan , Zhang Zhengyan , Wang Teng , Wu Yuyun , Xu Junyi , Pilarsky Christian , Mazzone Massimiliano , Wang Lei-Wei , Sun Yongwei , Tian Ruijun , Tang Yujie , Wang Yu , Wang Chaochen , Xue Jing
Published: August 2024

Objective

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) stands as one of the most lethal cancers, marked by its lethality and limited treatment options, including the utilisation of checkpoint blockade (ICB) immunotherapy. Epigenetic dysregulation is a defining feature of tumourigenesis that is implicated in immune surveillance, but remains elusive in PDAC.

Design

To identify the factors that modulate immune surveillance, we employedin vivoepigenetic-focused CRISPR-Cas9 screen in mouse PDAC tumour models engrafted in either immunocompetent or immunodeficient mice.

Results

Here, we identified MED12 as a top hit, emerging as a potent negative modulator of immune tumour microenviroment (TME) in PDAC. Loss ofMed12significantly promoted infiltration and cytotoxicity of immune cells including CD8+T cells, natural killer (NK) and NK1.1+T cells in tumours, thereby heightening the sensitivity of ICB treatment in a mouse model of PDAC. Mechanistically, MED12 stabilised heterochromatin protein HP1A to repress H3K9me3-marked endogenous retroelements. The derepression of retrotransposons induced byMED12loss triggered cytosolic nucleic acid sensing and subsequent activation of type I interferon pathways, ultimately leading to robust inflamed TME . Moreover, we uncovered a negative correlation between MED12 expression and immune resposne pathways, retrotransposon levels as well as the prognosis of patients with PDAC undergoing ICB therapy.

Conclusion

In summary, our findings underscore the pivotal role of MED12 in remodelling immnue TME through the epigenetic silencing of retrotransposons, offering a potential therapeutic target for enhancing tumour immunogenicity and overcoming immunotherapy resistance in PDAC.
Bioethics and the value of disagreement
Authors: Parker Michael J
Published: August 2024

What does it mean to be a bioethicist? How should the role(s) of bioethics be understood in the context of a world of intense value conflict and polarisation? Bioethics is—in all its various forms and traditions—potentially well-positioned to contribute to addressing many of the most pressing challenges of value polarisation and conflict in diverse societies. However, realising this potential is going to require moving beyond currently foregrounded methods and developing new models for engaging with moral disagreement. This paper proposes an approach, ‘adversarial cooperation,’ drawing on the concepts of ‘adversarial collaboration’ from the sciences and ‘antagonistic cooperation’ from the humanities. Adversarial cooperation aims to combine the rigour and structured methodology of adversarial collaboration with the cultural sensitivity and expansive vision of antagonistic cooperation. The paper also addresses key challenges to adversarial cooperation, including ethical considerations, tensions between substantive and procedural values, the problem of misinformation and the need for decision-making amidst ongoing disagreement. Ultimately, adversarial cooperation suggests a reimagining of bioethical expertise, emphasising skills in mediation, the arts and humanities and participatory decision-making alongside established philosophical competencies. This implies a model of normative bioethical authority grounded in the ability to facilitate inclusive and trustworthy processes of moral deliberation. Realising the potential of adversarial cooperation will require significant changes in bioethics training and practice, as well as a commitment to reflexivity, humility and the amplification of marginalised voices. By embracing this approach, bioethics can play a vital role in navigating the complex moral landscapes of pluralistic societies.
High fibrin and platelet clot predicts stroke recurrence or mortality after thrombectomy in patients with active cancer
Authors: Fu Chuan-Hsiu , Chen Chih-Hao , Lin Yen-Heng , Lee Chung-Wei , Tsai Li-Kai , Tang Sung-Chun , Shun Chia-Tung , Jeng Jiann-Shing
Published: August 2024

Background

Fibrin and platelet (FP)-rich clots have been shown to be associated with cancer-related stroke. This study aims to investigate the prognostic role of thrombus composition in clinical outcomes among cancer patients who experienced stroke and received endovascular thrombectomy (EVT).

Methods

We included acute ischemic stroke patients who underwent EVT between March 2015 and November 2021. These patients were categorized into three groups: those with active cancer, those with non-active cancer, and those without cancer. The percentages of FP in clots were quantified under hematoxylin and eosin staining. The primary outcome was defined as any stroke recurrence or mortality within 90 days following the index stroke event.

Results

A total of 420 patients with retrieved clots were included in the study. This cohort comprised 50 patients with active cancer, 23 patients with non-active cancer, and 347 patients without cancer. The percentage of FP was significantly higher in thrombi retrieved from patients with active cancer compared with the other two groups. Patients in the active cancer group exhibited a higher rate of the primary outcome compared with the other groups. After adjusting for clinical variables, a higher percentage of FP in thrombi remained significantly associated with the primary outcome in the active cancer group (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) =1.03 (1.00–1.06), P=0.028), but not in the other two groups.

Conclusion

Among stroke patients receiving EVT, thrombi with a higher percentage of FP not only identify individuals with active cancer but also predict stroke recurrence or mortality within 90 days.