bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Centering Social Justice and Equity in Research on Accessibility to Public Buildings for Individuals with Mobility Disabilities: A scoping review
Authors: Mohapatra Sidhiprada , Maiya G. Arun , Nayak Ullas U , Benny Leno , Watson Joanne , Kinjawadekar Amit , Nandineni Rama Devi
Published: August 2024

Purpose To explore how principles of social justice and equity are integrated into research concerning accessibility to public buildings for individuals with mobility disabilities. Methods Utilising a scoping review methodology to assess literature based on the criteria set by the Joanna Briggs Institute, seven databases were screened. Studies were selected using the framework: “persons with mobility disabilities” AND “accessibility” AND “public buildings”. A theoretical framework helped to extract codes and develop themes through an inductive-deductive analysis method. The results are presented descriptively. Results The examination of 84 studies uncovered a complex interplay between agencies, systemic challenges, discriminatory practices, and societal attitudes perpetuating marginalisation of individuals with mobility disabilities in their access to public buildings. The recommendations emphasize importance of practical measures, research imperatives, and policy developments to promote inclusivity. We present a ‘Ten-step approach’ to integrate social justice and equity into research on accessibility in public buildings for people with mobility disabilities. Conclusion Integrating diversity, active participation, and inclusive methodologies are essential to address systemic issues, discriminatory practices, and societal attitudes that hinder accessibility and inclusion. Collaborations with diverse stakeholders are crucial for policy changes, resource allocation, and advancing social justice and equity in accessibility research and practice.
O surgimento do jardim de infância no Maranhão:
Authors: Costa Vieira Isabela de Cássia , Costa Gonçalves Valéria Luíza , Martins Dutra Rosyane de Moraes
Published: August 2024

O presente artigo originou-se a partir dos conhecimentos levantados e debatidos no âmbito do grupo temático de História da Infância maranhense, no seio do Grupo de Estudos e Pesquisas Infâncias e Brincadeiras, vinculado à Universidade Federal do Maranhão. Objetivamos examinar a educação de bebês e crianças pequenas ao longo do século XIX no Estado do Maranhão. Para isso, utilizamos o estudo bibliográfico e documental de jornais e revistas encontrados nos acervos do arquivo online da Biblioteca Benedito Leite, localizada na capital São Luís. O século XIX testemunhou o desejo por uma educação popular, mas também a escassez de recursos que manteve muitas crianças em situação de não-escolarização. Dentre os resultados da presente pesquisa podemos demarcar o processo de institucionalização do jardim de infância como segregacionista, na qual se tornou uma inovação às classes abastadas e uma luta social para a população pobre. A criação do jardim de infância público tornou-se uma realidade depois de muito anseio social, todavia essa educação ainda enfatizava o papel moralizador à criança em vulnerabilidade socioeconômica.
Cross-scale surface shape error correction in the bonnet polishing of a freeform surface
Authors: Peng Lirong , Wang Yiren , Chen Hao , Li Longxiang , Cheng Qiang , Zhou Xiaoqin , Zhang Xuejun
Published: August 2024

High-precision freeform surfaces are widely used in ultra-precision optical systems to improve imaging performance and reduce optical system weight. With the development of short wavelength optics represented by extreme ultraviolet lithography, the high-precision requirements for the full frequency errors and geometrical complexity of optical freeform surfaces pose great challenges to optical processing and are difficult to achieve by traditional manufacturing processes. This paper proposes a cross-scale surface shape error correction method to correct surface shape errors in different cycles in bonnet polishing. First, the material removal mechanism based on physical and chemical effects was discussed to obtain the method of cross-scale removal functions. Secondly, the analysis method of the frequency response characteristics of the tool based on power spectral density was discussed to analyze, evaluate, and guide the bonnet polishing process of freeform surfaces. Finally, the proposed method was verified by the experiments in processing a fused silica freeform surface of 120 mm diameter; the final root-mean-square (RMS) of surface shape accuracy was better than λ/100.
Design and analysis of an electro-optic effect-driven directional coupler for realization of an optical BCD to excess-3 code converter circuit
Authors: Yadav Ajay , Prakash Amit , Kumar Santosh , Kumar Ajay
Published: August 2024

This research investigates the application of an electro-optic effect-driven directional coupler in the design of an optical binary-coded decimal (BCD) to excess-3 code converter circuit. The work explores electro-optic modulation in GaAlAs 3µm×3µm modulators with directional couplers. A theoretical study and practical validation demonstrate that achieving 100% modulation requires minimal changes in the refractive index difference (Δn
g
). For a 1 cm length GaAlAs modulator with a directional coupler configuration, a fluctuation of approximately Δn
g
≈1×10−4 can entirely switch light of a 900 nm vacuum wavelength from one waveguide to another. The required electric field is expected to be roughly 3×104V/cm equivalent to a voltage of 10 V across the 3 µm thick channel, as derived from the coupled wave theory. This study presents a comprehensive analysis of the extinction ratio, contrast ratio, and amplitude modulation characteristics of the proposed optical code converter circuit. These findings illustrate that electro-optic effect-driven directional couplers can efficiently process signals, paving the way for advances in optical computing and digital electronics.
Polynomial modal method for crossed slanted gratings
Authors: Edee Kofi , Granet Gérard
Published: August 2024

Slanted gratings have emerged as a promising area of research due to their distinct properties, such as polarization control, beam steering, and enhanced interactions between light and matter. However, accurately and efficiently modeling these structures, particularly in the case of two-dimensional (2D) slanted gratings, has proven to be challenging. Traditional methods like the Fourier modal method (FMM or RCWA) and finite difference time domain (FDTD) are commonly used but involve approximations of the geometry to accommodate the slant effect. In this study, we address these challenges by employing the polynomial modal method (PMM) for 2D slanted gratings, which, to our knowledge, is a novel approach not previously explored for this type of grating. We introduce a 2D slanted coordinate system to rigorously handle the grating profile. For 2D slanted gratings, the PMM offers several advantages over the FMM, as it overcomes limitations associated with factorization rules and/or staircase approximation of the profile.
Conical conformal OAM-generating transmitarray with high transmission double C-shaped grating metasurface
Authors: Rao Jiayu , Wang Chao , Yu Hang , Xu Guanghui , Ren Xingang , Zhao Luyu , Li Yingsong , Huang Zhixiang
Published: August 2024

This paper presents a conical conformal transmitarray (CCTA) with high transmission double C-shaped grating metasurface for generating orbital angular momentum (OAM) vortex waves. A double C-shaped grating metasurface element is proposed to achieve the 360° phase coverage in the 11-13 GHz bandwidth with a high transmission coefficient of more than 0.92. The ring layout method is adopted for the CCTA and its corresponding phase compensation formula is given. Additionally, to ensure the uniformity and consistency of coupling between adjacent elements, a calculation formula for the element number of each ring is derived. To validate the conformal design method, three prototypes of the proposed CCTA were simulated, fabricated, and measured to generate OAM vortex beams, respectively. The measured results indicate that the proposed CCTAs are in good agreement with the simulated results, verifying the effectiveness of the method. The proposed CCTAs will pave the way for an OAM-generating design method on conformal platforms for future communications and detection applications.
Scaling narrowband THz generation to large apertures in LiNbO3 and KTP
Authors: Matlis N. H. , Olgun H. T. , Rentschler C. , Ravi K. , Taira T. , Ishizuki H. , Kärtner F. X.
Published: August 2024

Millijoule-scale pulses of multicycle terahertz radiation (MC-THz) are increasingly being pursued as drivers for applications requiring high-fields and high spectral brightness. An attractive approach for generating high peak-power MC-THz pulses is nonlinear optical down-conversion of laser pulses in periodically-poled crystals. A principal limitation to the yield, however, is the small (sub-centimeter) apertures of commercially-available crystals which restrict the amount of laser energy that can be used. Here, we explore MC-THz generation by down conversion in two types of large-aperture media for which periodic poling has been achieved in different ways: (1) extension of traditional, voltage-based poling of bulk material to larger (centimeter) scales; and (2) manual poling by assembly of large aperture sub-millimeter thick wafers in alternating orientations. We explore the dependence of efficiency on laser peak fluence and crystal length for both types of media and extend upon previous work with the wafer approach by increasing the number of wafers in the stack, implementing cryogenic cooling and testing an alternate material: potassium titanyl phosphate (KTP). Driving with up to 0.2 J, half-picosecond laser pulses centered at 1,030 nm, we obtain conversion efficiencies of up to 0.14%, resulting in ∼1% bandwidth MC-THz pulses of up to 207 μJ.
Coarsely scannable comb-locked ECDL with fixed local oscillator for CRDS measurement of CO line strength
Authors: Kim Yera , Soo Han Noh , Lim Jeong Sik
Published: August 2024

This study introduces a simplified method for scanning the optical frequency of an external cavity diode laser (ECDL) locked to an optical frequency comb (OFC) with a repetition rate of 250 MHz. Previous techniques have often been intricate, especially when dealing with a task of comb-mode hopping. In contrast, our method simplifies the mode-hoping method by tuning the piezoelectric transducer (PZT) at a rate of frep/2, while keeping the diode current locked to a fixed-frequency local oscillator (LO) at frep/4. This approach provides a reasonable sampling interval suitable for spectroscopic measurements of gas lines, typically spanning a few gigahertz. Our demonstration effectively improved the noise level of the ringdown traces in cavity ringdown spectroscopy (CRDS), even when using a passively stabilized optical cavity. Additionally, we report the line strength of the 12C16O R23 line, yielding results that closely align with previous research studies.
Finemap-MiXeR: A variational Bayesian approach for genetic finemapping
Authors: Akdeniz Bayram Cevdet , Frei Oleksandr , Shadrin Alexey , Vetrov Dmitry , Kropotov Dmitry , Hovig Eivind , Andreassen Ole A. , Dale Anders M.
Published: August 2024

Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) implicate broad genomic loci containing clusters of highly correlated genetic variants. Finemapping techniques can select and prioritize variants within each GWAS locus which are more likely to have a functional influence on the trait. Here, we present a novel method, Finemap-MiXeR, for finemapping causal variants from GWAS summary statistics, controlling for correlation among variants due to linkage disequilibrium. Our method is based on a variational Bayesian approach and direct optimization of the Evidence Lower Bound (ELBO) of the likelihood function derived from the MiXeR model. After obtaining the analytical expression for ELBO’s gradient, we apply Adaptive Moment Estimation (ADAM) algorithm for optimization, allowing us to obtain the posterior causal probability of each variant. Using these posterior causal probabilities, we validated Finemap-MiXeR across a wide range of scenarios using both synthetic data, and real data on height from the UK Biobank. Comparison of Finemap-MiXeR with two existing methods, FINEMAP and SuSiE RSS, demonstrated similar or improved accuracy. Furthermore, our method is computationally efficient in several aspects. For example, unlike many other methods in the literature, its computational complexity does not increase with the number of true causal variants in a locus and it does not require any matrix inversion operation. The mathematical framework of Finemap-MiXeR is flexible and may also be applied to other problems including cross-trait and cross-ancestry finemapping.
Comprehensive analysis of the functional impact of single nucleotide variants of human CHEK2
Authors: McCarthy-Leo Claire E. , Brush George S. , Pique-Regi Roger , Luca Francesca , Tainsky Michael A. , Finley Russell L.
Published: August 2024

Loss of function mutations in the checkpoint kinase gene CHEK2 are associated with increased risk of breast and other cancers. Most of the 3,188 unique amino acid changes that can result from non-synonymous single nucleotide variants (SNVs) of CHEK2, however, have not been tested for their impact on the function of the CHEK2-enocded protein (CHK2). One successful approach to testing the function of variants has been to test for their ability to complement mutations in the yeast ortholog of CHEK2, RAD53. This approach has been used to provide functional information on over 100 CHEK2 SNVs and the results align with functional assays in human cells and known pathogenicity. Here we tested all but two of the 4,887 possible SNVs in the CHEK2 open reading frame for their ability to complement RAD53 mutants using a high throughput technique of deep mutational scanning (DMS). Among the non-synonymous changes, 770 were damaging to protein function while 2,417 were tolerated. The results correlate well with previous structure and function data and provide a first or additional functional assay for all the variants of uncertain significance identified in clinical databases. Combined, this approach can be used to help predict the pathogenicity of CHEK2 variants of uncertain significance that are found in susceptibility screening and could be applied to other cancer risk genes.
Analyzing blank cutting edge efficiency associated with the adoption of microblade technology: A case study from Tolbor-17, Mongolia
Authors: Johnson Corey L. , Bolorbat Tsedendorj , Grote Mark N. , Paine Clea H. , Lkhundev Guunii , Odsuren Davaakhuu , Izuho Masami , Gunchinsuren Byambaa , Zwyns Nicolas
Published: August 2024

The phenomenon of lithic miniaturization during the Late Pleistocene at times coincided with increased artifact standardization and cutting edge efficiency–likely reflecting the use of small, sharp artifacts as interchangeable inserts for composite cutting tools and hunting weapons. During Marine Isotope Stage 2, Upper Paleolithic toolmakers in northern East Asia specifically used pressure techniques to make small, highly standardized lithic artifacts called microblades. However, little is currently known about how microblades affected the cutting edge efficiency of the toolkits they were a part of. We applied three methods of analyzing cutting edge efficiency to two Upper Paleolithic assemblages recently excavated from Tolbor-17, Mongolia, that document the periods before and after the introduction of microblade technology to the Tolbor Valley. A model incorporating allometric relationships between blank cutting edge length and mass suggests no difference in efficiency between the two periods, while two more conventional approaches both indicate a significant increase. The potential for improved cutting edge efficiency is only observed when the microblade sample is artificially inflated via simulation. Our results highlight challenges related to detecting and interpreting archaeological differences in cutting edge efficiency at the assemblage level.
Comprehensive transcriptomic analysis of prostate cancer lung metastases
Authors: Saraji Alireza , Wulf Katharina , Stegmann-Frehse Janine , Kang Duan , Offermann Anne , Jonigk Danny , Kuehnel Mark Philipp , Kirfel Jutta , Perner Sven , Sailer Verena Wilbeth
Published: August 2024

Metastatic prostate cancer (mPCa) is a widespread disease with high mortality. Unraveling molecular mechanisms of disease progression is of utmost importance. The microenvironment in visceral organs and the skeletal system is of particular interest as a harbinger of metastatic spread. Therefore, we performed a comprehensive transcriptomic analysis of prostate cancer lung metastases with a special focus on differentially expressed genes attributable to the microenvironment. Digital gene expression analysis using the NanoString nCounter analysis system was performed on formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissue from prostate cancer (PCa) lung metastases (n = 24). Data were compared to gene expression data from primary PCa and PCa bone metastases. Bioinformatic analysis was performed using several publicly available tools. In comparison to prostate cancer bone metastases, 209 genes were significantly upregulated, and 100 genes were significantly downregulated in prostate cancer lung metastases. Among the up-regulated genes, the top 10 genes with the most significant P-value were HLA-DPB1, PTPRC, ITGB7, C3, CCL21, CCL5, ITGAM, SERPINA1, MFAP4, ARAP2 and among the down-regulated genes, the top 10 genes with the most significant P-value were FOXC2, TWIST1, CDK14, CHAD, IBSP, EPN3, VIT, HAPLN1, SLC44A4, TBX1. In PCa lung metastases genes associated with immunogenic responses were upregulated while genes associated with epithelial-mesenchymal transition were down-regulated. We also showed that CXCR3/CXCL10 axis plays a significant role in prostate cancer lung metastases in comparison to bone metastases. In this study, we comprehensively explored transcriptomic alterations in PCa lung metastases in comparison to primary PCa and PCa bone metastases. In PCa lung metastases genes associated with immunogenic responses are upregulated while genes associated with epithelial-mesenchymal transition are down-regulated. This points to a more immunogenic phenotype of PCa lung metastases thus potentially making patients more susceptible to immunotherapeutic approaches.
Optimising the public health benefits of sex work regulation in Senegal: Results from qualitative interviews with policy stakeholders
Authors: Lépine Aurélia , Procureur Fanny , Szawlowski Sandie , Treibich Carole , Mbaye El Hadj , Gueye Khady , Ndour Cheikh Tidiane
Published: August 2024

Context

There is compelling evidence that eliminating sexually transmitted infections (STIs) among female sex workers (FSWs) is a cost-effective approach to reducing the spread of HIV/AIDS. Although many countries recognise sex work as a public health issue, few have implemented public health policies specifically aimed at controlling the transmission of HIV/AIDS among FSWs. In particular, Senegal stands out as the only African country to regulate sex work through a specific public health policy that requires FSWs to register with a health centre. Despite the potential health and legal benefits associated with registration, a staggering 80% of FSWs in Senegal remain unregistered. This low registration rate hinders the realisation of the policy’s full potential for public health benefits. The reluctance of FSWs to register is due to inherent flaws in the policy design, where the disadvantages of registration outweigh the benefits for FSWs.

Objective

To identify which modifications to the current registration policy have the potential to increase uptake of registration by FSWs and to assess their feasibility in the context of Senegal.

Method

We conducted a qualitative policy research study using semi-structured in-depth interviews with 22 national stakeholders in this policy, including representatives from the police, government and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) in Dakar, Senegal, as well as FSWs’ leaders. The interview data were thematically coded using the interview topic guide and other recurring themes and analysed using thematic analysis on Nvivo 12.

Results

A total of 20 relevant themes were selected, focusing primarily on assessing the feasibility of potential interventions and identifying potential barriers and associated risks. We found that, without changing current legislation, improving relationships between FSWs and police officers, providing accurate and accessible information about the rules and benefits of the policy, and offering psychosocial support have the potential to improve both the registration rate of FSWs and their wellbeing. Policy features designed to increase registration by improving FSWs’ confidentiality, and thus their confidence in the services offered, were also discussed.

Conclusions

The study highlighted that several national public health policies could be changed to increase the registration rate of FSWs and improve their wellbeing without overturning constitutional law.
The dual path effect mechanism study of digital-HRM on employee innovative performance and cyberloafing
Authors: Hu Dongmei , Lan Yuting
Published: August 2024

In recent years, an increasing number of companies have begun implementing digital-HRM. However, much of the existing research primarily discusses digital-HRM from a “thing” perspective or explores its consequences at the organizational level. There has been limited research focusing on individual employees, particularly on how digital-HRM impacts their psychological states and performance. Drawing on job demands-resources theory, this study examines the relationship between digital-HRM and employee innovative performance, as well as cyberloafing. We conducted a time-lagged study involving 487 employees across various industries in China and employed partial least squares path modeling. The results suggest that digital-HRM enhances employee innovative performance by increasing the sense of work gain, while it reduces cyberloafing by decreasing relative deprivation. Perceived ease of technology use was found to positively moderate these relationships. By rigorously investigating the critical psychological mechanisms of the sense of work gain and relative deprivation, and the essential boundary condition of perceived ease of technology use, this study aims to develop a comprehensive conceptual framework that deepens our understanding of how digital-HRM, as an emerging job resource in the digital era, influences employee behavior. Adopting a human-centered approach, the research theoretically extends the study of digital-HRM’s impact at the individual level and finds that digital-HRM influences employee performance in a mutually beneficial manner. These findings provide practical insights for organizations to actively implement digital-HRM and maximize its benefits.
Supporting the working life exposome: Annotating occupational exposure for enhanced literature search
Authors: Thompson Paul , Ananiadou Sophia , Basinas Ioannis , Brinchmann Bendik C. , Cramer Christine , Galea Karen S. , Ge Calvin , Georgiadis Panagiotis , Kirkeleit Jorunn , Kuijpers Eelco , Nguyen Nhung , Nuñez Roberto , Schlünssen Vivi , Stokholm Zara Ann , Taher Evana Amir , Tinnerberg Håkan , Van Tongeren Martie , Xie Qianqian
Published: August 2024

An individual’s likelihood of developing non-communicable diseases is often influenced by the types, intensities and duration of exposures at work. Job exposure matrices provide exposure estimates associated with different occupations. However, due to their time-consuming expert curation process, job exposure matrices currently cover only a subset of possible workplace exposures and may not be regularly updated. Scientific literature articles describing exposure studies provide important supporting evidence for developing and updating job exposure matrices, since they report on exposures in a variety of occupational scenarios. However, the constant growth of scientific literature is increasing the challenges of efficiently identifying relevant articles and important content within them. Natural language processing methods emulate the human process of reading and understanding texts, but in a fraction of the time. Such methods can increase the efficiency of both finding relevant documents and pinpointing specific information within them, which could streamline the process of developing and updating job exposure matrices. Named entity recognition is a fundamental natural language processing method for language understanding, which automatically identifies mentions of domain-specific concepts (named entities) in documents, e.g., exposures, occupations and job tasks. State-of-the-art machine learning models typically use evidence from an annotated corpus, i.e., a set of documents in which named entities are manually marked up (annotated) by experts, to learn how to detect named entities automatically in new documents. We have developed a novel annotated corpus of scientific articles to support machine learning based named entity recognition relevant to occupational substance exposures. Through incremental refinements to the annotation process, we demonstrate that expert annotators can attain high levels of agreement, and that the corpus can be used to train high-performance named entity recognition models. The corpus thus constitutes an important foundation for the wider development of natural language processing tools to support the study of occupational exposures.
Spatio-temporal variation in prostate cancer testing in Stockholm: A population-based study
Authors: Rai Balram , Nordström Tobias , Lantz Anna , Lund Rolf Lyneborg , Kuja-Halkola Ralf , Rado Marta , Öberg Sara , Hao Shuang , Du Xiaoyang , Clements Mark
Published: August 2024

Prostate cancer screening using prostate-specific antigen (PSA) testing is controversial but remains prevalent in many countries. There is little information in Sweden or elsewhere on the spatial variation in PSA testing. This study aims to describe the spatio-temporal variation in PSA testing prior to a prostate cancer diagnosis in the Stockholm region at the municipality and small area levels. A population-based register study comprised men aged 40 years and over living in the Stockholm region during 2007–2016. For Stockholm in 2016, we reported the proportion of men who had a PSA test for the preceding one, two, five and ten years by ten-year age groups. The age-standardised proportion of men having a PSA test was reported for municipalities by calendar years. We used spatial smoothing for calculating the age-standardised proportion of men having a PSA test in a small area for each calendar year. In 2016, 74.0% and 77.8% of men aged 60–69 and 70–79 years respectively had taken a PSA test in the previous ten years. The municipalities of Danderyd and Ekerö showed high proportions of PSA testing. A marked heterogeneity in such proportions within each municipality was observed. The odds ratio for having a PSA test for those born in Sweden was 2.22 (95% CI 2.00–2.52). Opportunistic PSA testing is widespread with three quarters of men in their sixties and seventies having had a test in the preceding decade. We found evidence for marked geographical heterogeneity, where more affluent and metropolitan areas had higher levels of testing. Variations in PSA testing was associated with socio-economic position and demographic factors including education, income and country of birth.
Atorvastatin inhibits Lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced vascular inflammation to protect endothelium by inducing Heme Oxygenase-1 (HO-1) expression
Authors: Luo Jian , Zhu Qian , Huang Keming , Wen Xue , Peng Yongquan , Chen Gong , Wei Gang
Published: August 2024

Purpose

This study aimed to explore the differential effects of varying doses of atorvastatin on antagonizing lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced endothelial inflammation based on heme oxygenase 1 (HO-1) expression.

Method

Vascular endothelial inflammatory injury was induced in 40 Sprague-Dawley rats by intraperitoneal injection of LPS. These rats were randomly divided into control, low-dose atorvastatin, high-dose atorvastatin, and HO-1 blocking groups. Seven days after treatment, all rats were sacrificed, and heart-derived peripheral blood was collected to measure the serum concentrations of bilirubin, alanine aminotransferase (ALT), total cholesterol, malondialdehyde, endothelial cell protein C receptor, endothelin-1, von Willebrand factor, and soluble thrombomodulin. Meanwhile, the number of circulating endothelial cells was determined using flow cytometry. Vascular tissues from descending aorta of rats from each group were extracted to detect the expression level of HO-1.

Results

After different doses of atorvastatin intervention, the above inflammatory indices were decreased, and HO-1 expression and ALT concentration were increased in the atorvastatin-treated group of rats compared with the control group. These changes were more pronounced in the high-dose statin group (P < 0.05). Conversely, no significant decrease in the above inflammatory indices and no significant increase in HO-1 expression were observed in rats in the blocking group (P > 0.05).

Conclusion

For LPS-induced vascular inflammation, high-dose atorvastatin exerts potent anti-inflammatory and vascular endothelial protection effects by inducing HO-1 expression.
Experimental nerve block study on painful withdrawal reflex responses in humans
Authors: Thorell Oumie , Mahns David , Otto Jan , Liljencrantz Jaquette , Svantesson Mats , Olausson Håkan , Nagi Saad
Published: August 2024

The nociceptive withdrawal reflex (NWR) is a protective limb withdrawal response triggered by painful stimuli, used to assess spinal nociceptive excitability. Conventionally, the NWR is understood as having two reflex responses: a short-latency Aβ-mediated response, considered tactile, and a longer-latency Aδ-mediated response, considered nociceptive. However, nociceptors with conduction velocities similar to Aβ tactile afferents have been identified in human skin. In this study, we investigated the effect of a preferential conduction block of Aβ fibers on pain perception and NWR signaling evoked by intradermal electrical stimulation in healthy participants. We recorded a total of 198 NWR responses in the intact condition, and no dual reflex responses occurred within our latency bandwidth (50–150 ms). The current required to elicit the NWR was higher than the perceptual pain threshold, indicating that NWR did not occur before pain was felt. In the block condition, when the Aβ-mediated tuning fork sensation was lost while Aδ-mediated nonpainful cooling was still detectable (albeit reduced), we observed that the reflex was abolished. Further, short-latency electrical pain intensity at pre-block thresholds was greatly reduced, with any residual pain sensation having a longer latency. Although electrical pain was unaffected at suprathreshold current, the reflex could not be evoked despite a two-fold increase in the pre-block current and a five-fold increase in the pre-block pulse duration. These observations lend support to the possible involvement of Aβ-fiber inputs in pain and reflex signaling.
Biomolecular condensates as stress sensors and modulators of bacterial signaling
Authors: Sasazawa Moeka , Tomares Dylan T. , Childers W. Seth , Saurabh Saumya
Published: August 2024

Microbes exhibit remarkable adaptability to environmental fluctuations. Signaling mechanisms, such as two-component systems and secondary messengers, have long been recognized as critical for sensing and responding to environmental cues. However, recent research has illuminated the potential of a physical adaptation mechanism in signaling—phase separation, which may represent a ubiquitous mechanism for compartmentalizing biochemistry within the cytoplasm in the context of bacteria that frequently lack membrane-bound organelles. This review considers the broader prospect that phase separation may play critical roles as rapid stress sensing and response mechanisms within pathogens. It is well established that weak multivalent interactions between disordered regions, coiled-coils, and other structured domains can form condensates via phase separation and be regulated by specific environmental parameters in some cases. The process of phase separation itself acts as a responsive sensor, influenced by changes in protein concentration, posttranslational modifications, temperature, salts, pH, and oxidative stresses. This environmentally triggered phase separation can, in turn, regulate the functions of recruited biomolecules, providing a rapid response to stressful conditions. As examples, we describe biochemical pathways organized by condensates that are essential for cell physiology and exhibit signaling features. These include proteins that organize and modify the chromosome (Dps, Hu, SSB), regulate the decay, and modification of RNA (RNase E, Hfq, Rho, RNA polymerase), those involved in signal transduction (PopZ, PodJ, and SpmX) and stress response (aggresomes and polyphosphate granules). We also summarize the potential of proteins within pathogens to function as condensates and the potential and challenges in targeting biomolecular condensates for next-generation antimicrobial therapeutics. Together, this review illuminates the emerging significance of biomolecular condensates in microbial signaling, stress responses, and regulation of cell physiology and provides a framework for microbiologists to consider the function of biomolecular condensates in microbial adaptation and response to diverse environmental conditions.
Characterization of a CXCR4 antagonist TIQ-15 with dual tropic HIV entry inhibition properties
Authors: Zhou Zheng , Guo Jia , Hetrick Brian , Tiwari Sameer , Haikerwal Amrita , Han Yang , Bond Vincent C. , Huang Ming B. , Mankowski Marie K. , Snyder Beth A. , Hogan Priscilla A. , Sharma Savita K. , Liotta Dennis C. , Reid Terry-Elinor , Wilson Lawrence J. , Wu Yuntao
Published: August 2024

The chemokine co-receptors CXCR4 and CCR5 mediate HIV entry and signal transduction necessary for viral infection. However, to date only the CCR5 antagonist maraviroc is approved for treating HIV-1 infection. Given that approximately 50% of late-stage HIV patients also develop CXCR4-tropic virus, clinical anti-HIV CXCR4 antagonists are needed. Here, we describe a novel allosteric CXCR4 antagonist TIQ-15 which inhibits CXCR4-tropic HIV-1 infection of primary and transformed CD4 T cells. TIQ-15 blocks HIV entry with an IC50 of 13 nM. TIQ-15 also inhibits SDF-1α/CXCR4-mediated cAMP production, cofilin activation, and chemotactic signaling. In addition, TIQ-15 induces CXCR4 receptor internalization without affecting the levels of the CD4 receptor, suggesting that TIQ-15 may act through a novel allosteric site on CXCR4 for blocking HIV entry. Furthermore, TIQ-15 did not inhibit VSV-G pseudotyped HIV-1 infection, demonstrating its specificity in blocking CXCR4-tropic virus entry, but not CXCR4-independent endocytosis or post-entry steps. When tested against a panel of clinical isolates, TIQ-15 showed potent inhibition against CXCR4-tropic and dual-tropic viruses, and moderate inhibition against CCR5-tropic isolates. This observation was followed by a co-dosing study with maraviroc, and TIQ-15 demonstrated synergistic activity. In summary, here we describe a novel HIV-1 entry inhibitor, TIQ-15, which potently inhibits CXCR4-tropic viruses while possessing low-level synergistic activities against CCR5-tropic viruses. TIQ-15 could potentially be co-dosed with the CCR5 inhibitor maraviroc to block viruses of mixed tropisms.
Correlates of disease severity in bluetongue as a model of acute arbovirus infection
Authors: Herder Vanessa , Caporale Marco , MacLean Oscar A. , Pintus Davide , Huang Xinyi , Nomikou Kyriaki , Palmalux Natasha , Nichols Jenna , Scivoli Rosario , Boutell Chris , Taggart Aislynn , Allan Jay , Malik Haris , Ilia Georgios , Gu Quan , Ronchi Gaetano Federico , Furnon Wilhelm , Zientara Stephan , Bréard Emmanuel , Antonucci Daniela , Capista Sara , Giansante Daniele , Cocco Antonio , Mercante Maria Teresa , Di Ventura Mauro , Da Silva Filipe Ana , Puggioni Giantonella , Sevilla Noemi , Stewart Meredith E. , Ligios Ciriaco , Palmarini Massimo
Published: August 2024

Most viral diseases display a variable clinical outcome due to differences in virus strain virulence and/or individual host susceptibility to infection. Understanding the biological mechanisms differentiating a viral infection displaying severe clinical manifestations from its milder forms can provide the intellectual framework toward therapies and early prognostic markers. This is especially true in arbovirus infections, where most clinical cases are present as mild febrile illness. Here, we used a naturally occurring vector-borne viral disease of ruminants, bluetongue, as an experimental system to uncover the fundamental mechanisms of virus-host interactions resulting in distinct clinical outcomes. As with most viral diseases, clinical symptoms in bluetongue can vary dramatically. We reproduced experimentally distinct clinical forms of bluetongue infection in sheep using three bluetongue virus (BTV) strains (BTV-1IT2006, BTV-1IT2013 and BTV-8FRA2017). Infected animals displayed clinical signs varying from clinically unapparent, to mild and severe disease. We collected and integrated clinical, haematological, virological, and histopathological data resulting in the analyses of 332 individual parameters from each infected and uninfected control animal. We subsequently used machine learning to select the key viral and host processes associated with disease pathogenesis. We identified and experimentally validated five different fundamental processes affecting the severity of bluetongue: (i) virus load and replication in target organs, (ii) modulation of the host type-I IFN response, (iii) pro-inflammatory responses, (iv) vascular damage, and (v) immunosuppression. Overall, we showed that an agnostic machine learning approach can be used to prioritise the different pathogenetic mechanisms affecting the disease outcome of an arbovirus infection.
Flowering and production of Palmer mango trees under organic compound and paclobutrazol application
Authors: Prates Paola Junayra Lima , Pereira Marlon Cristian Toledo , Jesus Mariana Oliveira de , Pimenta Samy , Araújo Xavier Helisson Robert , Oliveira Moacir Brito de
Published: August 2024

The objective of this work was to evaluate the effects of applications of humified organic compound rates combined with paclobutrazol (PBZ) rates on the flowering, production, and fruit quality of Palmer mango trees grown in two production seasons (Seasons 1 and 2). Two experiments were conducted in different production seasons and areas in Matias Cardoso, MG, Brazil. A randomized block experimental design with four replications was used, in a 4×2+1 factorial arrangement, consisted of 4 humidified organic compound rates (10, 15, 20, and 25 mL plant-1), 2 PBZ rates (0.7 and 0.85 g per meter of canopy diameter), and a control (application of PBZ at 0.85 g per meter of canopy diameter). Vegetative, physiological, reproductive, production, and post-harvest fruit quality characteristics were evaluated. The data were subjected to analysis of variance and regression or mean tests. The treatments had significant effects on some characteristics in Season 1. Plants treated with the organic compound combined with PBZ had higher chlorophyll contents than those in the control. The increase in the organic compound rate linearly increased the total number of flowers and number of male flowers per axillary panicle, but decreased soluble solids content. The application of the lowest PBZ rate resulted in higher soluble solids content and titratable acidity in mango fruits. The treatments did not affect the evaluated characteristics in Season 2. The application of humidified organic compound combined with paclobutrazol showed no benefits for the management of floral induction in Palmer mango trees.
Yield and composition of rosemary essential oil cultivated with different doses of nitrogen and sulfur
Authors: Souza Aline dos Anjos , Santos Anacleto Ranulfo dos , Souza Girlene Santos de , Alves Pericles Barreto , Oliveira Uasley Caldas de , Cardoso Alves Aglair
Published: August 2024

Essential oils have great commercial importance for the pharmaceutical, cosmetic and food industries. Because they have therapeutic, flavoring and antioxidant properties, due to their active principles. Studies on the form of cultivation, as well as fertilization management are necessary, since information related to the production of secondary metabolites is still insufficient. Thus, the objective of this work was to evaluate the yield, content and composition of rosemary essential oil cultivated with different concentrations of nitrogen and sulfur in the soil. The treatments were distributed in a 4x2 factorial scheme with four nitrogen doses: 105, 210, 315 and 420 mg dm3, combined with two sulfur doses: 32 and 64 mg dm3 and with seven replications, totaling 56 experimental units. According to the results obtained, the combination of doses 420 of N and 64 S provided the best contents and yield of rosemary essential oil. a-pinene and 1,8-cineole had the highest concentrations for all treatments studied, with about 85% to 95% of the total constituents of the oils.
Analisis Kemampuan Berbicara Siswa Melalui Storytelling di MTs Negeri 7 Sleman
Authors: Hidayat Rahmi
Published: August 2024

This study aims to describe and analyse the development of students' speaking skills through the story telling method at MTs Negeri 7 Sleman. This research is qualitative research with data collection techniques sourced from observation, interviews, and documentation. The results of the study show that there are still many students who have difficulty speaking or using the right words to convey ideas. This phenomenon says that teachers in madrassas usually emphasize more on teaching language theory. The teaching of speaking skills in madrassas generally has a lack of quality. In fact, students are still hesitant to express their opinions and are shy when asking questions, indicating that students' speaking skills have not reached their full potential and have not improved. The use of storytelling can be a significant learning tool because it can help teachers manage students' speaking practice procedures. Thus, the strategy of utilizing students to tell stories is useful and provides opportunities for students to listen and understand what they have heard, students can speak fluently, dare to ask, and dare to answer questions.
Peningkatan Hasil Belajar Siswa di MTs Negeri 3 Sleman melalui Penggunaan Metode Pembelajaran Card Sort
Authors: Arbanginah Miftakhatul
Published: August 2024

This study aims to identify improvements in learning outcomes of the Quran Hadith through the active sort card learning method in students of grade VIII-C MTs Negeri 3 Sleman Odd Semester of the 2023/2024 academic year. This research is a type of classroom action research through two cycles. The subject of the study was a grade VIII-C student at MTs Negeri 3 Sleman. Data collection techniques in the form of learning outcomes tests taken from giving test questions in each cycle, questionnaire results and interviews with students to provide input on the course of the research process. The results showed that the use of active sort card learning methods can improve the learning outcomes of the Quran Hadith. In pretest cycle 1, the grade point average was 72.50 while at the time of post-test the grade point average was 80.00. While in cycle 2 the average pretest score was 73.50 while the post-test average score was 82.00. The classical completeness criteria also increased by 75% (24 students) in cycle 1 and 93.75% (30 students) in cycle 2.
Analisis Kesejahteraan Hewan dan Status Halal Daging Kultur Laboratorium dalam Perspektif Iptek dan Hukum Islam
Authors: Ririn Nur Rahmawati
Published: August 2024

The demand for meat continues to increase along with the increase in population. This triggers the emergence of land availability issues and environmental problems. The development of increasingly advanced technology has given rise to new ideas related to alternatives to fulfilling meat needs, namely making culture-based meat in the laboratory. This research was conducted to reveal how the perspective of Islamic law and scientific and technological progress point towards laboratory-cultured meat as a substitute for conventional meat. The method used in this research is a literature review method in national and international journals that discuss laboratory-cultured meat in perspective of science and technology and Islamic law with analog meat as an exclusion, which limits this research. Based on analysis from several journals, it was concluded that laboratory-cultured meat is considered a promising innovation for the future, and the halal status of laboratory-cultured meat depends on the source and method of obtaining stem cell source. The laboratory-cultured meat is said halal if the stem cells come from animals that are halal and slaughtered in the name of Allah, and are said to be haram if the stem cells come from living animals and unclean
Anthropomorphism of the Character Kitsune in Mukashi Banashi
Authors: Unsriana Linda , Euginia Felita
Published: August 2024

Japanese folktales (mukashi banashi) have many characters that are animals or non-living things acting as if they are humans, such as racoons (tanuki) that can talk, birds that can dance, or even persimmons and cow’s feces that can talk. One of the most famous animals in Japanese folklore that behave like humans is the kitsune. Kitsune are also depicted as characters that are wicked or evil, and at other times, they are depicted as being good. The purpose of this research is to find out the anthropomorphism of kitsune characters and whether they are depicted as good or evil in mukashi banashi. This research uses a library research method that is done qualitatively. This research also analyzes dialogues and narratives in chosen mukashi banashi, with the theory of anthropomorphism, taken from mukashi banashi websites Gongitsune, Sanboneda no Kamisori Kitsune, and Bakekurabe. This research has found that: (2) Kitsune act, talk, have human feelings, and even know human culture; (2) Kitsune are characters that are morally ambiguous.
PRIME LABELING OF SOME WEB GRAPHS WITHOUT CENTER
Authors: Scada Jovanco Albertha , Susanti Yeni
Published: August 2024

The prime labeling of a graph  \(G\) of order \(n\) is a bijection function from the set of vertices in \(G\) to the set of the first \(n\) positive integers, such that any two adjacent points in \(G\) have labels that are coprime to each other. In this paper  we discuss the primality of the graph \(W_0(2,n)\) along with its combinations with similar graphs and various types of edges subdivisions in the graph \(W_0(2,n)\). Moreover, it is also presented the necessary and sufficient conditions for the graph to be prime.
MIXTURE PURIFICATION MODEL WITH CASCADING TANK CONFIGURATION
Authors: Tama Yanuar Bhakti Wira , Robby Robby
Published: August 2024

Consider mixing problems which are often found in Calculus or Differential Equation courses. Under some assumptions, this problem can be used to model the purification process in a polluted mixture. In this case, the cascading configuration will be investigated for modelling the spread of pollution from one mixture to another. There are two main problems: finding time needed so the amount of pollutant in mixture inside the certain tank does not exceed certain threshold and finding the number of tanks needed so that the amount of mixture in the last tank does not exceed certain threshold. The solution for the second problem will be simplified by using Stirling approximation, which approximates factorial into exponential term. For the first problem, the time needed depends on the number of tanks, initial value of the pollutant, the rate of flow, and the volume of solution inside the tanks. For the second problem, the number of tanks only depends on the initial value of the pollutant.