bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Analysis of Mitochondrial Calcium Retention Capacity in Cultured Cells: Permeabilized Cells Versus Isolated Mitochondria
Authors: Jang Sehwan , Chapa-Dubocq Xavier R. , Fossati Silvia , Javadov Sabzali
Published: December 2021

In response to various pathological stimuli, such as oxidative and energy stress accompanied by high Ca2+, mitochondria undergo permeability transition (PT) leading to the opening of the non-selective PT pores (PTP) in the inner mitochondrial membrane. Opening of the pores at high conductance allows the passage of ions and solutes <1.5 kD across the membrane, that increases colloid osmotic pressure in the matrix leading to excessive mitochondrial swelling. Calcium retention capacity (CRC) reflects maximum Ca2+ overload of mitochondria that occurs just before PTP opening. Quantification of CRC is important for elucidating the effects of different pathological stimuli and the efficacy of pharmacological agents on the mitochondria. Here, we performed a comparative analysis of CRC in mitochondria isolated from H9c2 cardioblasts, and in permeabilized H9c2 cells in situ to highlight the strengths and weaknesses of the CRC technique in isolated cell mitochondria vs. permeabilized cells. The cells were permeabilized by digitonin or saponin, and the Ca2+-sensitive fluorescence probe Calcium Green-5N was used in both preparations. Results demonstrated the interference of dye-associated fluorescence signals with saponin and the adverse effects of digitonin on mitochondria at high concentrations. Analysis of the CRC in permeabilized cells revealed a higher CRC in the saponin-permeabilized cells in comparison with the digitonin-permeabilized cells. In addition, the mitochondrial CRC in saponin-permeabilized cells was higher than in isolated mitochondria. Altogether, these data demonstrate that the quantification of the mitochondrial CRC in cultured cells permeabilized by saponin has more advantages compared to the isolated mitochondria.
High-Fat Diet-Induced Renal Proximal Tubular Inflammatory Injury: Emerging Risk Factor of Chronic Kidney Disease
Authors: Chen Shuxian , Chen Jinxia , Li Shangmei , Guo Fengbiao , Li Aifen , Wu Han , Chen Jiaxuan , Pan Quanren , Liao Shuzhen , Liu Hua-feng , Pan Qingjun
Published: December 2021

Nowadays, with the improvements in living standards and changes in living habits, high-fat diet (HFD) has become much more common in the populations worldwide. Recent studies have shown that HFD could induce lipid accumulation, and structural and functional abnormalities, accompanied by the release of large amounts of pro-inflammatory cytokines, in proximal tubular epithelial cells (PTECs). These findings indicate that, as an emerging risk factor, PTEC injury-induced by HFD may be closely related to inflammation; however, the potential mechanisms underlying this phenomenon is still not well-known, but may involve the several inflammatory pathways, including oxidative stress-related signaling pathways, mitochondrial dysfunction, the myeloid differentiation factor 2/Toll like receptor 4 (MD2/TLR4) signaling pathway, the ERK1/2-kidney injury molecule 1 (KIM-1)-related pathway, and nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) activation, etc., and the detailed molecular mechanisms underlying these pathways still need further investigated in the future. Based on lipid abnormalities-induced inflammation is closely related to the development and progression of chronic kidney disease (CKD), to summarize the potential mechanisms underlying HFD-induced renal proximal tubular inflammatory injury, may provide novel approaches for CKD treatment.
Direct Foliar Application of dsRNA Derived From the Full-Length Gene of NSs of Groundnut Bud Necrosis Virus Limits Virus Accumulation and Symptom Expression
Authors: Gupta Dipinte , Singh Oinam Washington , Basavaraj Y. B. , Roy Anirban , Mukherjee Sunil Kumar , Mandal Bikash
Published: December 2021

Groundnut bud necrosis virus (GBNV) is the most significant member of the genus Orthotospovirus occurring in the Indian subcontinent. There is hardly any effective measure to prevent GBNV in crop plants. In order to develop GBNV infection prevention procedure, we examined the effect of the direct foliar application of double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) derived from the full-length NSs gene (1,320 nucleotides) of GBNV. The bacterially expressed dsRNA to the non-structural (dsNSs) gene of GBNV was purified and delivered to plants as an aqueous suspension containing 0.01% Celite for evaluating its efficacy in preventing GBNV infection in systemic host, Nicotiana benthamiana as well as in local lesion and systemic host, cowpea cv. Pusa Komal (Vigna unguiculata). The dsNSs application and challenge-inoculation were conducted in three different combinations, where plants were challenge-inoculated with GBNV a day after, immediately, and a day before the application of dsNSs. N. benthamiana plants, which were not treated with dsRNA showed severe systemic wilting and death by 9–16 days post-inoculation (dpi). The non-treated cowpea plants exhibited many chlorotic and necrotic lesions on the cotyledonary leaves followed by systemic necrosis and death of the plants by 14–16 dpi. The dsNSs treated plants in all the combinations showed significant reduction of disease severity index in both N. benthamiana and cowpea. The treatment combination where the GBNV inoculation was conducted immediately after the dsNSs treatment was found to be the most effective treatment in preventing symptom expression. The viral RNA analysis by real time PCR also showed 20 and 12.5 fold reduction of GBNV in cowpea and N. benthamiana, respectively. Our results suggest that the foliar application of dsRNA derived from the full-length NSs gene of GBNV through Celite is successful in delivering long dsRNA leading to effective prevention of GBNV infection.
The Genetic Landscape of Fiber Flax
Authors: Duk Maria , Kanapin Alexander , Rozhmina Tatyana , Bankin Mikhail , Surkova Svetlana , Samsonova Anastasia , Samsonova Maria
Published: December 2021

Genetic diversity in a breeding program is essential to overcome modern-day environmental challenges faced by humanity and produce robust, resilient crop cultivars with improved agronomic characteristics, as well as to trace crop domestication history. Flax (Linum usitatissimum), one of the first crops domesticated by mankind, has been traditionally cultivated for fiber as well as for medicinal purposes and as a nutritional product. The origins of fiber flax are hidden in the mists of time and can be hypothetically traced back to either the Indo-Afghan region or Fertile Crescent. To shed new light on fiber flax genetic diversity and breeding history, in this study, we presented a comprehensive analysis of the core collection of flax (306 accessions) of different morphotypes and geographic origins maintained by the Russian Federal Research Center for Bast Fiber Crops. We observed significant population differentiation between oilseed and fiber morphotypes, as well as mapped genomic regions affected by recent breeding efforts. We also sought to unravel the origins of kryazhs, Russian heritage landraces, and their genetic relatedness to modern fiber flax cultivars. For the first time, our results provide strong genetic evidence in favor of the hypothesis on kryazh’s mixed origin from both the Indo-Afghan diversity center and Fertile Crescent. Finally, we showed predominant contribution from Russian landraces and kryazhs into the ancestry of modern fiber flax varieties. Taken together, these findings may have practical implications on the development of new improved flax varieties with desirable traits that give farmers greater choice in crop management and meet the aspirations of breeders.
Changes in Morphology, Metabolism and Composition of Cuticular Wax in Zucchini Fruit During Postharvest Cold Storage
Authors: Carvajal Fátima , Castro-Cegrí Alejandro , Jiménez-Muñoz Raquel , Jamilena Manuel , Garrido Dolores , Palma Francisco
Published: December 2021

Cuticle composition is an important economic trait in agriculture, as it is the first protective barrier of the plant against environmental conditions. The main goal of this work was to study the role of the cuticular wax in maintaining the postharvest quality of zucchini fruit, by comparing two commercial varieties with contrasting behavior against low temperatures; the cold-tolerant variety ‘Natura’, and the cold-sensitive ‘Sinatra’, as well as ‘Sinatra’ fruit with induced-chilling tolerance through a preconditioning treatment (15°C for 48 h). The freshly-harvested ‘Natura’ fruit had a well-detectable cuticle with a significant lower permeability and a subset of 15 up-regulated cuticle-related genes. SEM showed that zucchini epicuticular waxes mainly consisted of round-shaped crystals and clusters of them, and areas with more dense crystal deposition were found in fruit of ‘Natura’ and of preconditioned ‘Sinatra’. The cuticular wax load per surface was higher in ‘Natura’ than in ‘Sinatra’ fruit at harvest and after 14 days at 4°C. In addition, total cuticular wax load only increased in ‘Natura’ and preconditioned ‘Sinatra’ fruit with cold storage. With respect to the chemical composition of the waxes, the most abundant components were alkanes, in both ‘Natura’ and ‘Sinatra’, with similar values at harvest. The total alkane content only increased in ‘Natura’ fruit and in the preconditioned ‘Sinatra’ fruit after cold storage, whereas the amount of total acids decreased, with the lowest values observed in the fruit that showed less chilling injury (CI) and weight loss. Two esters were detected, and their content also decreased with the storage in both varieties, with a greater reduction observed in the cold-tolerant variety in response to low temperature. Gene expression analysis showed significant differences between varieties, especially in CpCER1-like and CpCER3-like genes, involved in alkane production, as well as in the transcription factors CpWIN1-like and CpFUL1-like, associated with cuticle development and epidermal wax accumulation in other species. These results suggest an important role of the alkane biosynthetic pathway and cuticle morphology in maintaining the postharvest quality of zucchini fruit during the storage at low temperatures.
The Development and Validation of a Cognitive Diversity Scale for Chinese Academic Research Teams
Authors: Dong Feng , Peng Jian , Wang Xiao , Tang Minhui
Published: December 2021

Cognitive diversity is an important concept stemming from western management research in the 1990s. With the rapid development of science and technology, there is a growing interest in the composition of an academic research team, such as team diversity. However, there is no tool available for measuring team cognitive diversity (TCD) for academic research teams. Based on Van der Vegt’s theoretical model of TCD, an Academic Research Team Cognitive Diversity Scale (ATCDS) is developed and validated for an academic research team in our research with two studies (N=737). In Study One, in-depth interviews and panel discussions were conducted to generate a preliminary questionnaire. In Study Two, the questionnaire was administered among academic research teams. Exploratory factor analysis revealed four factors regarding cognitive diversity: (1) the way of thinking, (2) knowledge and skills, (3) the view of the world, and (4) beliefs about what is right and wrong. The factor structure was further validated by confirmatory factor analysis. Moreover, correlation and regression analyses showed that academic research TCD was positively related to team creativity (r=0.306,p<0.01) and performance (r=0.204,p<0.10). To sum up, our newly developed 15-item ATCDS is sufficiently reliable and valid to be used for understanding cognitive diversity among academic research teams.
Educational Data Mining Techniques for Student Performance Prediction: Method Review and Comparison Analysis
Authors: Zhang Yupei , Yun Yue , An Rui , Cui Jiaqi , Dai Huan , Shang Xuequn
Published: December 2021

Student performance prediction (SPP) aims to evaluate the grade that a student will reach before enrolling in a course or taking an exam. This prediction problem is a kernel task toward personalized education and has attracted increasing attention in the field of artificial intelligence and educational data mining (EDM). This paper provides a systematic review of the SPP study from the perspective of machine learning and data mining. This review partitions SPP into five stages, i.e., data collection, problem formalization, model, prediction, and application. To have an intuition on these involved methods, we conducted experiments on a data set from our institute and a public data set. Our educational dataset composed of 1,325 students, and 832 courses was collected from the information system, which represents a typical higher education in China. With the experimental results, discussions on current shortcomings and interesting future works are finally summarized from data collections to practices. This work provides developments and challenges in the study task of SPP and facilitates the progress of personalized education.
The Impact of Regional Culture on the Psychological Characteristics, Startup Behaviors and Regional Economy of Modern Chinese Business Gangs
Authors: Li Jun , Li Wanrong , Shi Yongchuan
Published: December 2021

Business gang refers to the enterprise cluster formed by geographical relationship, which has always been the focus of research on entrepreneurship and regional economic development. The research of new institutional economics shows that culture, as an informal system, will change the social psychology, thinking mode and behavior of economic individuals, and provide a good environment for the growth of start-ups, thus affecting economic activities and economic development. Taking the five modern business gangs in China as the research subject, this paper uses the comparative method to analyze the regional cultural differences of the five modern business gangs, as well as the differences of the entrepreneurs’ psychological characteristics and startup behaviors. Through the analysis of the economic data of the provinces where the modern business gangs are located, this paper summarizes the differences of economic development in different regions. It is concluded that regional culture has a significant impact on the development of modern business gangs and regional economy. It is necessary to give full play to the advantages of regional culture and promote the high-quality development of modern business gangs and regional economy.
Are the Items of the Starkstein Apathy Scale Fit for the Purpose of Measuring Apathy Post-stroke?
Authors: Hum Stanley , Fellows Lesley K. , Lourenco Christiane , Mayo Nancy E.
Published: December 2021

Importance: Given the importance of apathy for stroke, we felt it was time to scrutinize the psychometric properties of the commonly used Starkstein Apathy Scale (SAS) for this purpose.

Objectives: The objectives were to: (i) estimate the extent to which the SAS items fit a hierarchical continuum of the Rasch Model; and (ii) estimate the strength of the relationships between the Rasch analyzed SAS and converging constructs related to stroke outcomes.

Methods: Data was from a clinical trial of a community-based intervention targeting participation. A total of 857 SAS questionnaires were completed by 238 people with stroke from up to 5 time points. SAS has 14 items, rated on a 4-point scale with higher values indicating more apathy. Psychometric properties were tested using Rasch partial-credit model, correlation, and regression. Items were rescored so higher scores are interpreted as lower apathy levels.

Results: Rasch analysis indicated that the response options were disordered for 8/14 items, pointing to unreliability in the interpretation of the response options; they were consequently reduced from 4 to 3. Only 9/14 items fit the Rasch model and therefore suitable for creating a total score. The new rSAS was deemed unidimensional (residual correlations: < 0.3), reasonably reliable (person separation index: 0.74), with item-locations uniform across time, age, sex, and education. However, 30% of scores were > 2 SD above the standardized mean but only 2/9 items covered this range (construct mistargeting). Apathy (rSAS/SAS) was correlated weakly with anxiety/depression and uncorrelated with physical capacity. Regression showed that the effect of apathy on participation and health perception was similar for rSAS/SAS versions: R2 participation measures ranged from 0.11 to 0.29; R2 for health perception was ∼0.25. When placed on the same scale (0–42), rSAS value was 6.5 units lower than SAS value with minimal floor/ceiling effects. Estimated change over time was identical (0.12 units/month) which was not substantial (1.44 units/year) but greater than expected assuming no change (t: 3.6 and 2.4).

Conclusion: The retained items of the rSAS targeted domains of behaviors more than beliefs and results support the rSAS as a robust measure of apathy in people with chronic stroke.
Champion Position Analysis in Short Track Speed Skating Competitions From 2007 to 2019
Authors: Sun Lixin , Guo Tianxiao , Liu Fei , Tao Kuan
Published: December 2021

Purpose: Short track speed skating is a racing sport with racing tactics are equally crucial to speed and technical skating skills. Therefore, to investigate the relationship between starting and finishing positions for elite skaters and subsequently, explore pacing patterns for champions are necessary.

Methods: To investigate a pattern of effective tactical positioning strategy, Kendall’s tau-b correlations between starting and finishing position were calculated, with 500 m races having the most positive correlation (0.347, P < 0.05).

Results: Furthermore, starting position distributions of winners in each round, as well as the fluctuations in champion starting positions across rounds were analyzed. Our findings showed that skaters on the first track were inclined to win the rounds in 500, 1,000, and 1,500 m (28, 28, and 22%, respectively), and the differences between starting and finishing positions for champions were minimized in semi-finals. Meanwhile, the pacing patterns were gaining more fluctuations by the increase of race distances for champions, as the average standard deviation of lap rankings equaled 0.90, 1.15, and 2.21 for 500, 1,000, and 1,500 m races, respectively.

Conclusion: In conclusion, elite skaters should adopt flexible tactics at the lowest cost of energy consumption. The overall variability of lap ranking in long-distance races were distinctly higher than it in short distance.
Reliability, and Convergent and Discriminant Validity of Gaming Disorder Scales: A Meta-Analysis
Authors: Yoon Seowon , Yang Yeji , Ro Eunbin , Ahn Woo-Young , Kim Jueun , Shin Suk-Ho , Chey Jeanyung , Choi Kee-Hong
Published: December 2021

Background: An association between gaming disorder (GD) and the symptoms of common mental disorders is unraveled yet. In this preregistered study, we quantitatively synthesized reliability, convergent and discriminant validity of GD scales to examine association between GD and other constructs.

Methods: Five representative GD instruments (GAS-7, AICA, IGDT-10, Lemmens IGD-9, and IGDS9-SF) were chosen based on recommendations by the previous systematic review study to conduct correlation meta-analyses and reliability generalization. A systematic literature search was conducted through Pubmed, Proquest, Embase, and Google Scholar to identify studies that reported information on either reliability or correlation with related variables. 2,124 studies were full-text assessed as of October 2020, and 184 were quantitatively synthesized. Conventional Hedges two-level meta-analytic method was utilized.

Results: The result of reliability generalization reported a mean coefficient alpha of 0.86 (95% CI = 0.85–0.87) and a mean test-retest estimate of 0.86 (95% CI = 0.81–0.89). Estimated effect sizes of correlation between GD and the variables were as follows: 0.33 with depression (k = 45; number of effect sizes), 0.29 with anxiety (k = 37), 0.30 with aggression (k = 19), –0.22 with quality of life (k = 18), 0.29 with loneliness (k = 18), 0.56 with internet addiction (k = 20), and 0.40 with game playtime (k = 53), respectively. The result of moderator analyses, funnel and forest plots, and publication bias analyses were also presented.

Discussion and Conclusion: All five GD instruments have good internal consistency and test-retest reliability. Relatively few studies reported the test-retest reliability. The result of correlation meta-analysis revealed that GD scores were only moderately associated with game playtime. Common psychological problems such as depression and anxiety were found to have a slightly smaller association with GD than the gaming behavior. GD scores were strongly correlated with internet addiction. Further studies should adopt a rigorous methodological procedure to unravel the bidirectional relationship between GD and other psychopathologies.

Limitations: The current study did not include gray literature. The representativeness of the five tools included in the current study could be questioned. High heterogeneity is another limitation of the study.

Systematic Review Registration: [https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/], identifier [CRD42020219781].
Which Emergent Medication Should I Give Next? Repeated Use of Emergent Medications to Treat Acute Agitation
Authors: Searles Quick Veronica B. , Herbst Ellen D. , Kalapatapu Raj K.
Published: December 2021

Agitation is a common symptom encountered among patients treated in psychiatric emergency settings. While there are many guidelines available for initial management of the acutely agitated patient, there is a notable dearth of guidelines that delineate recommended approaches to the acutely agitated patient in whom an initial medication intervention has failed. This manuscript aims to fill this gap by examining evidence available in the literature and providing clinical algorithms suggested by the authors for sequential medication administration in patients with persistent acute agitation in psychiatric emergency settings. We discuss risk factors for medication-related adverse events and provide options for patients who are able to take oral medications and for patients who require parenteral intervention. We conclude with a discussion of the current need for well-designed studies that examine sequential medication options in patients with persistent acute agitation.
Rating Opportunity for Long-Acting Injectable Antipsychotic Initiation Index (ROLIN)
Authors: Ifteni Petru , Petric Paula-Simina , Teodorescu Andreea
Published: December 2021

Background: Schizophrenia is a severe psychiatric condition with devastating consequences for the individual's functionality and leading to severe disability. Lack of insight and non-adherence to treatment remain the most important factors in the progression of the disease to chronicity. Despite their proven effectiveness in preventing relapses, reducing morbidity and mortality, long-acting injectable antipsychotics (LAIs) are still underused. One of the causes invoked is the lack of guidelines or protocols for initiating LAIs.

Objective: The aim of this article is to present Rating Opportunity for Long-Acting Injectable Antipsychotic Initiation Index (ROLIN), a clinician-rated index that rates the important factors of the disorder across seven items: age, duration of illness, relapses, antipsychotic treatment response, family support, antipsychotic existing formulation and adherence.

Method: A retrospective study in which all patients with schizophrenia discharged on oral antipsychotics without LAIs treatment lifetime were evaluated with ROLIN for opportunity for LAIs initiation.

Results: Of 225 consecutive patients, 126 patients (56%) had a strong indication for initiating LAI (score between 25 and 35). Kolmogorov-Smirnov test was used for checking the normal distribution of values (95% CI for the mean = 9.5781 to 20.4219; 95% CI for the median = 6.5920 to 24.8161; SD = 9.7907; Coefficient of Skewness = 0.0743; Coefficient of Kurtosis = −1.1377).

Conclusion: This paper proposed an instrument designed to improve treatment in schizophrenia using a simple conceptual model which integrates important predictors of good or poor outcomes.
COVID-19 Vaccine-Related Psychological Stress Among General Public in China
Authors: Zheng Yong-Bo , Sun Jie , Liu Lin , Zhao Yi-Miao , Yan Wei , Yuan Kai , Su Si-Zhen , Lu Zheng-An , Huang Yue-Tong , Liu Lin , Zeng Na , Zhu Xi-Mei , Gong Yi-Miao , Lin Xiao , Meng Shi-Qiu , Wong Samuel Yeung Shan , Ran Mao-Sheng , Shi Jie , Shi Le , Kosten Thomas , Bao Yan-Ping , Lu Lin
Published: December 2021

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic is our generation's greatest global challenge to our public health system. Vaccines are considered one of the most effective tools available for preventing COVID-19 infection and its complications and sequelae. Understanding and addressing the psychological stress related to COVID-19 vaccination may promote acceptance of these vaccines.

Methods: We conducted an online survey from January 29 to April 26, 2021 to explore stress levels related to COVID-19 vaccination among the general public in China. Participants were asked to evaluate their psychological stress of considering whether or not to get vaccinated at the beginning period of the COVID-19 mass vaccination, after getting access to the information about the vaccine, as well as after getting vaccinated, using visual analog stress scale. Multiple linear regression analysis was performed to explore factors potentially associated with COVID-19-related psychological stress levels before and after getting vaccinated.

Results: A total of 34,041 participants were included in the final analysis. The mean stress score concerning COVID-19 vaccination was 3.90 ± 2.60 among all participants, and significantly decreased over time. In addition, the vaccine-related stress level significantly decreased after accessing information about the COVID-19 vaccine (N = 29,396), as well as after getting vaccinated (N = 5,103). Multivariable regression analysis showed higher stress levels related to COVID-19 vaccination in participants who were younger, having lower education level, having history of chronic diseases, mistrusting vaccine's efficacy, experience of vaccine allergy events, being affected by the COVID-19 epidemic, and having mental illness symptoms. Moreover, mistrust in vaccine efficacy and experience of vaccine allergy events had a long-term impact on psychological stress levels about COVID-19 vaccination even after getting vaccinated.

Conclusions: The current findings profiled the COVID-19 vaccine-related psychological stress among the general public in China. Population-specific management and interventions targeting the stress related to COVID-19 vaccination are needed to help governments and policy makers promote individual's willingness to get vaccinations for public well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Discrete Roles for Impulsivity and Compulsivity in Gambling Disorder
Authors: Mestre-Bach Gemma , Steward Trevor , Balodis Iris M. , DeVito Elise E. , Yip Sarah W. , George Tony P. , Reynolds Brady A. , Granero Roser , Fernandez-Aranda Fernando , Jimenez-Murcia Susana , Potenza Marc N.
Published: December 2021

Background and Objective: Complex associations between gambling disorder (GD) and impulsivity have been identified. However, little is known regarding how compulsivity associates with different impulsivity domains in GD. In this study, we examined associations between self-reported and behavioral measures of impulsivity–assessed through the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale (BIS-11) and the Experiential Discounting Task (EDT), respectively- and compulsivity-measured using the Padua Inventory and the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST), respectively-, in an adult sample with GD (N = 132, 94 men and 38 women, ages ranging from 18 to 69 years). GD severity was assessed using the South Oaks Gambling Screen.

Methods: Structural Equation Modeling was used to examine relationships between impulsivity and compulsivity measures, age, and GD severity.

Results: BIS-11 non-planning and BIS-11 total scores positively correlated with GD severity. The standardized coefficients for the SEM showed direct positive contributions of BIS-11 non-planning, Padua and EDT scores to GD severity. Only participants' ages directly contributed to WCST perseverative errors, and no direct or indirect effects were found with respect to GD severity.

Conclusion: The findings suggest that specific aspects of impulsivity and compulsivity contribute to GD severity. Interventions specifically targeting domains that are most relevant to GD severity may improve treatment outcomes.
Characterization of the Ovine Vaginal Microbiome and Inflammation Patterns as an Improved Testing Model of Human Vaginal Irritation
Authors: Pyles Richard B. , Miller Aaron L. , Maxwell Carrie , Dawson Lauren , Richardson-Harman Nicola , Swartz Glenn , O'Neill Cynthia , Walker Cattlena , Milligan Gregg N. , Madsen Timothy , Motamedi Massoud , Vargas Gracie , Vincent Kathleen L.
Published: December 2021

The development of therapies targeted to improve the health of women has utilized direct vaginal delivery as a more effective and less toxic method of protection from HIV and other pathogens. Vaginal applicants and delivery devices that provide sustained effects have been met with increasing acceptability, but the efficacy and toxicity outcomes have not been successfully predicted by preclinical in vitro studies and animal modeling. We have explored the utilization of sheep as a model for testing the safety of vaginal applicants and devices based on spatial and structural similarities to the human vagina. As recently noted by the FDA, an additional safety measure is an impact on the vaginal microbiome (VMB) that is known to contribute to vaginal health and influence pathogen susceptibility and drug metabolism. To advance the utility of the sheep vaginal model, we completed a thorough molecular characterization of the ovine VMB utilizing both next-generation sequencing (NGS) and PCR methods. The process also created a custom PCR array to quantify ovine VMB community profiles in an affordable, higher throughput fashion. The results from vaginal swabs (>475 samples) collected from non-pregnant crossbred Dorset and Merino ewes treated with selected vaginal applicants or collected as sham samples established 16 VMB community types (VMB CTs). To associate VMB CTs with eubiosis or dysbiosis, we also completed custom ELISAs for six cytokines identifying IL1B, IL8, TNFa, and CXCL10 as useful markers to support the characterization of ovine vaginal inflammation. The results indicated that Pasteurella, Actinobacillus, Pseudomonas, Bacteroides, Leptotrichia, and E. coli were common markers of eubiosis (low inflammatory marker expression), and that Haemophilus, Ureaplasma, and Corynebacterium were associated with dysbiosis (high cytokine levels). Utilizing the optimized workflow, we also confirmed the utility of three commonly used vaginal applicants for impact on the VMB and inflammatory state, producing a dataset that supports the recommendation for the use of sheep for testing of vaginal applicants and devices as part of preclinical pipelines.
Comparisons of Sustainability Behaviors Pre- and Early Pandemic Among Botanical Garden Members
Authors: Mascatelli Katilyn , Drummond Otten Caitlin , Piacentini Richard V. , Wong-Parodi Gabrielle , States Sarah L.
Published: December 2021

The COVID-19 outbreak drastically altered the behaviors of millions of Americans in 2020, including behaviors that contribute to carbon emissions. As many Americans stayed home midyear, environmental groups noted the decrease in driving and transportation-related pollution, theorizing that the pandemic could have a positive impact on the environment by decreasing individuals' carbon emissions. However, it is dubious that individuals will behave in a more eco-friendly manner under the uncertain and stressful conditions of a global pandemic simply because they are more likely to be confined to their homes. We examined sustainability behaviors in 2018 and in the early pandemic in 2020 among a sample of members of a U.S., botanical garden. We surveyed members in May–July 2018, asking whether they had or had not done 11 sustainability behaviors (e.g., used alternative transportation, took shorter showers) in the past month. We resurveyed members about their engagement in those behaviors in April 2020 as well as to recall their engagement in those behaviors pre-pandemic in February 2020. We examined differences in self-reported behaviors among respondents who had taken both the May–July 2018 and April 2020 surveys (matched groupn= 227), and then among respondents who had taken either the May–July (n= 1057) or the April 2020 survey (n= 881), but not both. Respondents in the matched group were more likely to report recycling, reducing red meat consumption, eating a plant-based diet, and reducing food waste in April 2020 compared to May–July 2018; they were less likely to compost, check the air in their tires, and use a smart thermostat. However, these differences also emerged when examining recalled behavior in February 2020, suggesting that matched group respondents' self-reports may reflect changes in behavior over time rather than due to the pandemic. The unmatched group was more likely to reduce food waste but less likely to use alternative transportation to commute, check the air in their tires for fuel efficiency, and recycle in April 2020 compared to May–July 2018. Thus, few changes in sustainability behaviors can be attributed to the pandemic, but those that do involve personal travel or home confinement.
Gastrocnemius Muscle Architecture in Elite Basketballers and Cyclists: A Cross-Sectional Cohort Study
Authors: May Samantha , Locke Simon , Kingsley Michael
Published: December 2021

Eccentric and concentric actions produce distinct mechanical stimuli and result in different adaptations in skeletal muscle architecture. Cycling predominantly involves concentric activity of the gastrocnemius muscles, while playing basketball requires both concentric and eccentric actions to support running, jumping, and landing. The aim of this study was to examine differences in the architecture of gastrocnemius medialis (GM) and gastrocnemius lateralis (GL) between elite basketballers and cyclists. A trained sonographer obtained three B-mode ultrasound images from GM and GL muscles in 44 athletes (25 basketballers and 19 cyclists; 24 ± 5 years of age). The images were digitized and average fascicle length (FL), pennation angle (θ), and muscle thickness were calculated from three images per muscle. The ratio of FL to tibial length (FL/TL) and muscle thickness to tibial length (MT/TL) was also calculated to account for the potential scaling effect of stature. In males, no significant differences were identified between the athletic groups in all parameters in the GM, but a significant difference existed in muscle thickness in the GL. In basketballers, GL was 2.5 mm thicker (95% CI: 0.7–4.3 mm,p= 0.011) on the left side and 2.6 mm thicker (95% CI: 0.6–5.7 mm,p= 0.012) on the right side; however, these differences were not significant when stature was accounted for (MT/TL). In females, significant differences existed in the GM for all parameters including FL/TL and MT/TL. Female cyclists had longer FL in both limbs (MD: 11.2 and 11.3 mm), narrower θ (MD: 2.1 and 1.8°), and thicker muscles (MD: 2.1 and 2.5 mm). For the GL, female cyclists had significantly longer FL (MD: 5.2 and 5.8 mm) and narrower θ (MD: 1.7 and 2.3°) in both limbs; no differences were observed in absolute muscle thickness or MT/TL ratio. Differences in gastrocnemius muscle architecture were observed between female cyclists and basketballers, but not between males. These findings suggest that participation in sport-specific training might influence gastrocnemius muscle architecture in elite female athletes; however, it remains unclear as to whether gastrocnemius architecture is systematically influenced by the different modes of muscle activation between these respective sports.
Genuine Movement Learning Through a Deleuzian Approach
Authors: Larsson Håkan , Nyberg Gunn , Barker Dean
Published: December 2021

The purpose of the article is to outline how Deleuzian concepts, notably the notions of apprenticeship in signs based on a pedagogy of the concept, can stimulate thinking and understanding of movement learning, and provide insights about pedagogical implications in various movement educational settings. Methodologically, the article falls somewhere in between theoretical exposition and presentation of original empirical research, i.e., a “theoreticoempirical” exposition. We borrowed some ideas formulated by Deleuze (and Guattari), which have been further developed by educational researchers, about “an apprenticeship in signs” based on “a pedagogy of the concept,” to analyse situations where students explore new movements. We use material generated from pedagogical interventions comprising of exploration of kinescapes. In these interventions, school and university students are encouraged to explore, and learn, juggling, unicycling and dancing. Findings indicate how students pass through interpretative illusions until some of them grasp difference in itself in what could be called its immanent differentiation of the actual, i.e., they learn how to juggle, unicycle or dance. This is what we designate genuine learning. The triadic relation between concepts, percepts and affects offer us clues to what juggling, unicycling or dancing mean to learners (concepts), what learners pay attention to while practising (percepts), and what gets them moving (affects). Importantly, through viewing learning as an apprenticeship in signs, the Deleuzian approach reminds us that the triadic relation is open-ended, meaning that concepts, percepts and affects are never final but always a potential actualisation. Concepts, percepts and affects are constantly in the process of becoming. Since genuine learning is not about narrowing down how a movement should be executed and experienced, the task of a movement educator could, then, be to accompany learners in explorative pursuits. In this way, teachers can help learners escape preconceptions about movements (who can do what and when) and instead explore new movement opportunities.
Development of Nutraceutical Ice Creams Using Flour Yellow Worm Larvae (Tenebrio molitor), Chia (Salvia hispanica), and Quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa)
Authors: Hernández Toxqui Ana Gabriela , Ramírez Ramírez Jazmín , Pino Moreno José Manuel , Talamantes Gómez José Moisés , Angeles Campos Sergio C. , Ramírez Orejel Juan Carlos
Published: December 2021

Functional ice creams were developed by adding larvae of the insect Tenebrio molitor mixed with a seed (Salvia hispanica) and a pseudocereal (Chenopodium quinoa) to strawberry–cranberry ice cream. The objective was to increase micronutrients, macronutrients, and antioxidants, thus rendering the product a food complement. Four ice cream formulations were manufactured: the control strawberry–cranberry ice cream and three experimental mixtures, one of them with an addition of Tenebrio larvae (HT) and two others with a combination of Tenebrio larvae, chia (HTC), and quinoa (HTQ). The ice creams were submitted to proximate chemical analysis: mineral, fatty acid, vitamin, and one antioxidant (cyanidin 3 glucoside) determination. The strawberry–cranberry ice cream was used as a control formulation to evaluate if there were significant differences among nutrients, to which a Dunnett test with a critical value of α = 0.05% was applied. The three formulations that were studied showed a significant increase in the analyzed micronutrients and macronutrients compared to the control formulation. We observed increases of up to 62% in lipid content in the HTC formulation, while an increase of 41% in the protein content of the HT formulation was observed. We quantified an increase and enrichment of vitamins and minerals in the manufactured products, so that their nutritional value was significantly enhanced. In the determination of cyanidin 3 glucoside, we found that the formulation to which chia had been added showed an increase of 74% as compared to the control ice cream; this is important because anthocyanins are a group of flavonoids that stand out for their antioxidant and antimutagenic capabilities.
Comprehensive Opportunity Assessment Using Commercial and Moral Intensities
Authors: Arend Richard J.
Published: December 2021

We propose a partial theory explaining the processing of opportunities by individuals in organizations, specifically for opportunities with both commercial and moral significance (measured as intensities). The goal of such theorizing is to identify and analyze the range of interactions that the ethical and economic impacts of an opportunity can have so that managers can make better decisions on their exploitation and modification. We explain why and how there is variance in the processing of the ideas behind such opportunities as caused by their moral and commercial intensities. We explain the likely interactions between those two intensities, and when they occur and what can result. Doing so complements work in social entrepreneurship and corporate social responsibility by filling the gaps of the possible combinations of economic and ethical interactions. We provide these explanations by leveraging a precedent model that had adapted a standard knowledge-processing method to ethical decision-making issues. The explanations resonate because our model leverages the traditional textbook entrepreneurship opportunity evaluation criteria to provide a holistic view of an underlying idea’s commercial intensity, a view that aligns with the driving assumption that the focal decision-makers are boundedly rational.
Efficacy and Function of Feathers, Hair, and Glabrous Skin in the Thermoregulation Strategies of Domestic Animals
Authors: Mota-Rojas Daniel , Titto Cristiane Gonçalves , de Mira Geraldo Ana , Martínez-Burnes Julio , Gómez Jocelyn , Hernández-Ávalos Ismael , Casas Alejandro , Domínguez Adriana , José Nancy , Bertoni Aldo , Reyes Brenda , Pereira Alfredo M. F.
Published: December 2021

The objective of this review is to describe and analyze the effect of feathers, hair, and glabrous (hairless) skin on the thermoregulation of domestic and endotherm animals, especially concerning the uses and scope of infrared thermography (IRT), scientific findings on heat and cold stress, and differences among species of domestic animals. Clinical medicine considers thermoregulation a mechanism that allows animals to adapt to varying thermal environmental conditions, a process in which the presence of feathers, hair, or glabrous skin influences heat loss or heat retention, respectively, under hot and cold environmental conditions. Evaluating body temperature provides vital information on an individual’s physiological state and health status since variations in euthermia maintenance in vertebrates reflect a significant cellular metabolism deviation that needs to be assessed and quantified. IRT is a non-invasive tool for evaluating thermal responses under thermal stress conditions in animals, where the presence or absence of feathers, hair, and glabrous skin can affect readings and the differences detected. Therefore, anatomical regions, the characteristics of feathers, hair, glabrous skin such as structure, length, color, and extension, and strategies for dissipating or retaining heat together constitute a broad area of opportunity for future research into the phenomena of dermal thermoregulation in domestic species.
The Use of Intrinsic Markers for Studying the Migratory Movements of Bats
Authors: Brewer Caralie T. , Rauch-Davis William A. , Fraser Erin E.
Published: December 2021

Mortality of migratory bat species at wind energy facilities is a well-documented phenomenon, and mitigation and management are partially constrained by the current limited knowledge of bat migratory movements. Analyses of biochemical signatures in bat tissues (“intrinsic markers”) can provide information about the migratory origins of individual bats. Many tissue samples for intrinsic marker analysis may be collected from living and dead bats, including carcasses collected at wind energy facilities. In this paper, we review the full suite of available intrinsic marker analysis techniques that may be used to study bat migration, with the goal of summarizing the current literature and highlighting knowledge gaps and opportunities. We discuss applications of the stable isotopes of hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, carbon, sulfur; radiogenic strontium isotopes; trace elements and contaminants; and the combination of these markers with each other and with other extrinsic markers. We further discuss the tissue types that may be analyzed for each and provide a synthesis of the generalized workflow required to link bats to origins using intrinsic markers. While stable hydrogen isotope techniques have clearly been the leading approach to infer migratory bat movement patterns across the landscape, here we emphasize a variety of lesser used intrinsic markers (i.e., strontium, trace elements, contaminants) that may address new study areas or answer novel research questions.
Twenty Years after De Ley and Blaxter—How Far Did We Progress in Understanding the Phylogeny of the Phylum Nematoda?
Authors: Ahmed Mohammed , Holovachov Oleksandr
Published: December 2021

Molecular phylogenetics brought radical changes to our understanding of nematode evolution, resulting in substantial modifications to nematode classification implemented by De Ley and Blaxter and widely accepted now. Numerous phylogenetic studies were subsequently published that both improved and challenged this classification. Here we present a summary of these changes. We created cladograms that summarise phylogenetic relationships within Nematoda using phylum-wide to superfamily-wide molecular phylogenies published in since 2005, and supplemented with the phylogenetic analyses for Enoplia and Chromadoria with the aim of clarifying the position of several taxa. The results show which parts of the Nematode tree are well resolved and understood, and which parts require more research, either by adding taxa that have not been included yet (increasing taxon coverage), or by changing the phylogenetic approach (improving data quality, using different types of data or different methods of analysis). The currently used classification of the phylum Nematoda in many cases does not reflect the phylogeny and in itself requires numerous improvements and rearrangements.
Nutritive Value Variation and In Vitro Digestibility of Hempseed Meal
Authors: Jacobson Kristen June , Kinman Lea Ann , Owsley Walter Franklin , Muir James Pierre , Smith William Brandon
Published: December 2021

Hempseed meal (HSM) is left after oil extraction of hemp and may act as a protein source in livestock. The first phase of this research evaluated variation in nutritive value and in vitro dry matter digestibility (IVDMD) of HSM from various sources in North America; the second phase utilized IVDMD to evaluate the efficacy of hempseed meal as an ingredient in ruminant feed. In phase one, the source had no contribution to variance for neutral detergent fiber (NDF), acid detergent fiber (ADF), acid detergent lignin (ADL), or crude protein (CP) (p ≥ 0.20). However, batch within source contributed to variation for NDF (50%), ADF (37%), ADL (13%), and CP (31%; p ≤ 0.01). Irrespective of differences in nutritive value, there was no contribution to variation (p = 0.23) of any measured response on in vitro true digestibility (53.0%). In phase two, two experiments evaluated HSM IVDMD as (1) a concentrate replacement or (2) a protein replacement in rations at varying rates. In the first experiment, IVDMD decreased (p < 0.05) with increasing levels of HSM. In the second experiment, IVDMD decreased (p < 0.01) as HSM inclusion increased. Although IVDMD decreased as HSM inclusion increased, values still met the digestibility threshold for ruminant rations, indicating that HSM has potential as an alternative protein ingredient.