bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Environmental sustainability in the online media discourses of Saudi Arabia: A corpus-based study of keyness, intertextuality, and interdiscursivity
Authors: Almaghlouth Shrouq
Published: November 2022

This paper investigates the online discourses on “sustainability” and explores how environmental sustainability has been constructed within the Saudi online discourse. In doing so, the study focuses on the potential of the Saudi Green Initiative (SGI), along with Green Riyadh and King Salman Park, to promote sustainability awareness in the kingdom. The corpus of the study comprises news articles and Twitter hashtags. In addition, the study uses corpus-based discourse analysis to examine the keyness and intertextuality. The results of the study convey a contextualized national identity while communicating internationally within discursive circles. It is also identified that interdiscursivity is central in the corpus, although the discourse of action especially dominated other smaller discourses, such as consequences/risks, economy, and tourism. The results also indicate the prominent construction of officials, which could be linked to the dynamics of change in the Saudi scene. Finally, the study emphasizes the action-oriented nature of such discourse while drawing attention to some of the challenging issues to long-term advocacy in the country.
Experimental and numerical investigation of the transient thermal characteristics of twisted nitinol wires in a continuous torsional refrigeration system
Authors: Zhao Haibo , Wu Kun
Published: November 2022

Twistocaloric cooling technology is a novel solid elastocaloric refrigeration to be promising alternatives to conventional compression refrigeration. The transient thermal characteristics of the twistocaloric-effect material and its cooling capacity are critical for this technology. A test rig of the continuous torsional refrigeration system (CTRS) using nitinol wires twisted by a stepping motor was built. The experimental tests show that, the surface temperatures increased as the stepping motor twisted the nitinol wires clockwise, and decreased by untwisting them counterclockwise under the stepping motor speed of 40, 45 and 45rpm. The maximum temperature rise and drop relative to the ambient temperature for the two-twisted-nitinol-wire combinations were 7.1 and 2.6°C, higher than those of 1.4 and 0.6°C for the single nitinol wire, respectively. An optimization program based on a heat conduction model was constructed to attain the potential cooling and heating capacities (PHCCs) of the nitinol wires. Then, PHCCs were introduced into the coupled flow and convective heat transfer model to predict the actual cooling and heating capacities of the CTRS. They were discovered to increase as the number of nitinol wires, the stepping motor speed, and the air velocity. The results can be referred in developing a continuous torsional refrigeration prototype.
The patterns, trends and major risk factors of suicide among Indian adolescents—A scoping review protocol
Authors: Senapati Rachel Elizabeth , Parida Jayashree , Badamali Jagatdarshi , Jena Susangita , Patsani Pranita , Panda Arpita , Behera Swati Sukalyani , Pradhan Abinash , Singh Prashant Kumar , Mishra Bijaya Kumar , Patra Prasanna Kumar , Pati Sanghamitra , Kaur Harpreet , Acharya Subhendu Kumar
Published: November 2022

Introduction

Suicide is one of the serious health problems among Indian adolescents. Adolescence helps with the transition of an individual into an adult, so it is important to understand the suicidal behavior of adolescents. Several studies have been carried out in different states in India on the suicidal behavior of adolescents, but there is no review that studied the national patterns, trends, and major risk factors. Therefore, this review aims to study the patterns, trends, and major risk factors of suicidal behavior among Indian adolescents.

Methods

The study will be conducted as per the Arksey and O’Malley scoping review framework and the Joanna Briggs institute Reviewers’ manual. The Population, Concept and Context strategy (PCC) will ensure the review questions, eligibility criteria and search strategy. The Systematic Review and Meta-analysis: Extension for Scoping Review (PRISMA-ScR) will be used for the findings of the study of Scoping Review. The literature search will be done using electronic databases: PubMed, Google Scholar, SCOPUS, EMBASE, Psycinfo, Web of Science, Google, and Cochrane library by specific keywords such as “patterns”; “suicide”; “trends”; “risk factors”; “depression”; “anxiety”; “mental health”; “adolescent”; “teenager”; and “youth”;” India” etc. Additional studies will be considered using cross-references.

Ethics and dissemination

This study does not involve the collection of primary data; there is no requirement of any ethical approval.

Strengths and limitations of the study

The proposed scoping review is the first study on patterns, trends, and major risk factors of adolescent suicide in India as per the information available on the online platforms.

This proposed scoping review will bring together all the previously available data into one place for better study.

This evidence-based study will be highly helpful for healthcare professionals and policymakers. This study will be limited to English language and electronically available evidence.
A novel fractional model for the projection of households using wealth index quintiles
Authors: Ahmad Shakoor , Javeed Shumaila , Raza Saqlain , Baleanu Dumitru
Published: November 2022

Forecasting household assets provides a better opportunity to plan their socioeconomic activities for the future. Fractional mathematical models offer to model the asset-holding data into a piece of scientific evidence in addition to forecasting their future value. This research focuses on the development of a new fractional mathematical model based on the wealth index quintile (WIQ) data. To accomplish the objective, we used the system of coupled fractional differential equations by defining the fractional term with the Caputo derivative and verified it with the stability tests considering the steady-state solution. A numerical solution of the model was obtained using the Adams-Bashforth-Moulton method. To validate the model, we used real-time data obtained from the household series of surveys in Punjab, Pakistan. Different case studies that elucidate the effect of quintiles on the population are also presented. The accuracy of results between real-world and simulated data was compared using absolute and relative errors. The synchronization between the simulated results and real-time data verifies the formulation of the fractional WIQ model. This fractional model can be utilized to predict the approximation of the asset-holding of the households. Due to its relative nature, the model also provides the opportunity for the researchers to use the WIQs of their respective regions to forecast the households’ socioeconomic conditions.
Use of health care services according to functional performance in community-dwelling older adults in Spain. An approach using GAMLSS models
Authors: Mateo-Abad Maider , Vrotsou Kalliopi , Padilla Ruiz María , Montiel-Luque Alonso , Saucedo Figueredo María del Carmen , Machón Mónica , Rivas Ruiz Francisco , Vergara Itziar
Published: November 2022

Functional performance in older adults is a predictor of survival and other health outcomes and its measurement is highly recommended in primary care settings. Functional performance and frailty are closely related concepts, and frailty status is associated with the use of health care services. However, there is insufficient evidence on the utilization of services profile according to the functional performance of older adults. The aim of this study was to assess the relationship between functional performance and the use of a wide range of health services in community-dwelling older adults. Generalized additive models for location, scale and shape were used to study these complex data of services utilization, from primary to hospital care. A total of 749 participants from two Spanish regions were followed up for 2 years. Of those, 276 (37%) presented low functional performance and 473 (63%) normal performance according to the Timed Up and Go test. The results showed that even after adjusting for burden of comorbidity and polypharmacy, participants with low functional performance used primary and secondary care health services more intensively, visited emergency rooms more often, and were hospitalized more frequently and for longer periods of time. A negative binomial distribution and a variant thereof were found to be the best models to describe health service utilization data. In conclusion, functionality should be considered as an important health indicator for tailoring the provision of health services for older adults.
Molecular dynamics study on the strengthening behavior of Delta and Omicron SARS-CoV-2 spike RBD improved receptor-binding affinity
Authors: Kodchakorn Kanchanok , Kongtawelert Prachya
Published: November 2022

The COVID-19 pandemic caused by a virus that can be transmitted from human to human via air droplets has changed the quality of life and economic systems all over the world. The viral DNA has mutated naturally over time leading to the diversity of coronavirus victims which has posed a serious threat to human security on a massive scale. The current variants have developed in a dominant way and are considered “Variants of Concern” by the World Health Organization (WHO). In this work, Kappa (B.1.617.1), Delta (B.1.617.2), and Omicron (B.1.1.529) variants were obtained to evaluate whether naturally occurring mutations have strengthened viral infectivity. We apply reliable in silico structural dynamics and energetic frameworks of the mutated S-RBD protein for ACE2-binding to analyze and compare the structural information related to the wild-type. In particular, the hotspot residues at Q493, Q498, and N501 on the S-RBD protein were determined as contributing factors to the employment stability of the relevant binding interface. The L452R mutation induces an increment of the hydrogen bonds formed by changing the Q493 environment for ACE2 binding. Moreover, the Q493K exchange in Omicron enables the formation of two additional salt bridges, leading to a strong binding affinity by increased electrostatic interaction energy. These results could be used in proposing concrete informative data for a structure-based design engaged in finding better therapeutics against novel variants.
Interchanges and movements of humpback whales in Japanese waters: Okinawa, Ogasawara, Amami, and Hokkaido, using an automated matching system
Authors: Kobayashi Nozomi , Kondo Satomi , Tsujii Koki , Oki Katsuki , Hida Masami , Okabe Haruna , Yoshikawa Takashi , Ogawa Ryuta , Lee Chonho , Higashi Naoto , Okamoto Ryosuke , Ozawa Sachie , Uchida Senzo , Mitani Yoko
Published: November 2022

Humpback whales in the western North Pacific are considered endangered due to their small population size and lack of information. Although previous studies have reported interchanges between regions within a population, the relationship between the geographic regions of a population in Japan is poorly understood. Using 3,532 fluke photo IDs of unique individuals obtained from four areas in Japan: Hokkaido, six IDs (2009–2019); Ogasawara, 1,477 IDs, from two organizations (1) Everlasting nature of Asia (1987–2020) and (2) Ogasawara Whale Watching Association, (1990–2020); Amami, 373 IDs (1992–1994, 2005–2016); Okinawa, 1,676 IDs (1990–2018), interchanges were analyzed. The ID matchings were conducted using an automated system with an 80.9% matching accuracy. Interchange and within-region return indices were also calculated. As a result, number of matches and interchange indices follow locations, Hokkaido-Okinawa (3, 0.31), Amami-Ogasawara (36, 0.06), Amami-Okinawa (222, 0.37), and Okinawa-Ogasawara (225, 0.08), respectively. Interchange indices among Japanese areas were much higher than the indices between Ogasawara/Okinawa and Hawaii (0.01) and Mexico (0.00) reported in previous studies, indicating that the Japanese regions are utilized by the same population. At the same time, the frequency of interchanges among the three breeding areas vary, and the high within-region return indices in respective breeding areas suggest the site fidelity of the whales in each area at some level. These results indicate the existence of several groups within the population which are possibly be divided into at least two groups based on geographical features: one tend to utilize Ogasawara and the Mariana Archipelago; the other utilize Amami, Okinawa, and the Philippines, migrating along the Ryukyu and Philippine Trench. The matching results also suggest that Hokkaido is possibly be utilized as a corridor between northern feeding areas and southern breeding areas at least by individuals migrating to Okinawa area.
An experimental model of contusion injury in humans
Authors: Barnes Matthew J. , Lomiwes Dominic , Parry David A. D. , Mackintosh Stephen
Published: November 2022

Introduction

Contusion injuries are common in sport, but our knowledge of the responses to injury primarily come from animal studies and research using eccentric exercise. Therefore, the aim of this study was to develop a model of contusion injury in human participants and, additionally, investigate and compare physiological responses to four impact loads.

Methods

Thirty-two males were exposed to a single impact of either 4.2, 5.2, 6.2 or 7.2kg, dropped from 67 cm, on to the vastus lateralis of one leg. Maximum voluntary and electrically induced quadriceps force, and pressure pain threshold were measured, and blood sampling carried out, prior to and 30min, 24, 48 and 72h post-impact. Magnetic resonance imaging was carried out 24h post-impact to quantify oedema.

Results

Despite impact force with 7.2kg (1681.4 ± 235.6 N) not being different to 6.2kg (1690.7 ± 117.6 N), 7.2kg resulted in greater volume of oedema, voluntary force loss, pain and elevations in creatine kinase than the other loads. Although electrically induced force changed over time, post-hoc analysis failed to identify any changes. Interleukin-6 and prostaglandin-E2 did not change over time for any of the loads. Significant correlations were found between oedema volume, pressure pain threshold and maximum voluntary contraction force.

Conclusions

This is the first experimental study to investigate traumatic loading of skeletal muscle and the subsequent physiological responses associated with contusion injuries in humans. The absence of immediate elevations in creatine kinase and changes in electrically induced force suggest impact, with forces similar to those experienced in contact sport, does not cause significant, direct damage to skeletal muscle. However, the relationship between oedema volume, changes in pressure pain threshold and maximum voluntary contraction force suggests central inhibition plays a role in contusion-related muscle dysfunction.
How does digital economy drive industrial structure upgrading: An empirical study based on 249 prefecture-level cities in China
Authors: Wu Tingli , Shao Wei
Published: November 2022

China is in a critical period of economic restructuring and optimization, and the vigorous development of the digital economy plays a vital role in the transformation and upgrading of the industrial structure. Using the panel data of 249 prefecture-level cities from 2011 to 2018, this study empirically investigates the relationship and mechanism between digital economy and industrial structure upgrading. The results show that the digital economy significantly promotes the upgrading of the industrial structure, and this conclusion is still valid after robustness tests such as selecting historical data as instrumental variables. The analysis of the mechanism of action shows that the improvement of labor efficiency and the promotion of technology spillover are the important mechanisms of the digital economy to promote industrial structure upgrading. Finally, the study of regional differences shows that the eastern region has the most obvious promotion effect of digital economy development, the central region is the second, and the western region has the least impact. The research here promotes the understanding of the motivation of industrial structure upgrading and the effect, mechanism, and regional differences of the digital economy enabling the development of a modern industrial system.
The validity and reliability of wearable devices for the measurement of vertical oscillation for running
Authors: Smith Craig P. , Fullerton Elliott , Walton Liam , Funnell Emelia , Pantazis Dimitrios , Lugo Heinz
Published: November 2022

Wearable devices are a popular training tool to measure biomechanical performance indicators during running, including vertical oscillation (VO). VO is a contributing factor in running economy and injury risk, therefore VO feedback can have a positive impact on running performance. The validity and reliability of the VO measurements from wearable devices is crucial for them to be an effective training tool. The aims of this study were to test the validity and reliability of VO measurements from wearable devices against video analysis of a single trunk marker. Four wearable devices were compared: the INCUS NOVA, Garmin Heart Rate Monitor-Pro (HRM), Garmin Running Dynamics Pod (RDP), and Stryd Running Power Meter Footpod (Footpod). Fifteen participants completed treadmill running at five different self-selected speeds for one minute at each speed. Each speed interval was completed twice. VO was recorded simultaneously by video and the wearables devices. There was significant effect of measurement method on VO (p < 0.001), with the NOVA and Footpod underestimating VO compared to video analysis, while the HRM and RDP overestimated. Although there were significant differences in the average VO values, all devices were significantly correlated with the video analysis (R > = 0.51, p < 0.001). Significant agreement between repeated VO measurements for all devices, revealed the devices to be reliable (ICC > = 0.948, p < 0.001). There was also significant agreement for VO measurements between each device and the video analysis (ICC > = 0.731, p < = 0.001), therefore validating the devices for VO measurement during running. These results demonstrate that wearable devices are valid and reliable tools to detect changes in VO during running. However, VO measurements varied significantly between the different wearables tested and this should be considered when comparing VO values between devices.
Infectious origin of Alzheimer’s disease: Amyloid beta as a component of brain antimicrobial immunity
Authors: Vojtechova Iveta , Machacek Tomas , Kristofikova Zdenka , Stuchlik Ales , Petrasek Tomas
Published: November 2022

The amyloid cascade hypothesis, focusing on pathological proteins aggregation, has so far failed to uncover the root cause of Alzheimer’s disease (AD), or to provide an effective therapy. This traditional paradigm essentially explains amechanisminvolved in the development of sporadic AD rather than itscause. The failure of an overwhelming majority of clinical studies (99.6%) demonstrates that a breakthrough in therapy would be difficult if not impossible without understanding the etiology of AD. It becomes more and more apparent that the AD pathology might originate from brain infection. In this review, we discuss a potential role of bacteria, viruses, fungi, and eukaryotic parasites as triggers of AD pathology. We show evidence from the current literature that amyloid beta, traditionally viewed as pathological, actually acts as an antimicrobial peptide, protecting the brain against pathogens. However, in case of a prolonged or excessive activation of a senescent immune system, amyloid beta accumulation and aggregation becomes damaging and supports runaway neurodegenerative processes in AD. This is paralleled by the recent study by Alam and colleagues (2022) who showed that alpha-synuclein, the protein accumulating in synucleinopathies, also plays a critical physiological role in immune reactions and inflammation, showing an unforeseen link between the 2 unrelated classes of neurodegenerative disorders. The multiplication of theamyloid precursor proteingene, recently described by Lee and collegues (2018), and possible reactivation of human endogenous retroviruses by pathogens fits well into the same picture. We discuss these new findings from the viewpoint of the infection hypothesis of AD and offer suggestions for future research.
L’essai Sur la Cécité de Saramago
Authors: Dos Santos Reinan Ramos
Published: November 2022

Le but de cet article est de lire L’Aveuglement ou l’Essai sur la cécité (1994) de Saramago suivant deux fils conducteurs. Le premier est celui de la critique de la métaphore de la lumière : à notre avis, Saramago tente dans l’Essai de tirer toutes les conséquences que l’hypothèse fictionnelle d’une épidémie de cécité par excès de lumière pourrait avoir sur la réalité de la vie sociale moderne. C’est l’occasion aussi pour Saramago de critiquer le projet moderne de civilisation des « Lumières », et d’élaborer une nouvelle interprétation des concepts d’ « état de nature » et de « contrat social ». Le second fil est celui de la conception d’intersubjectivité acoustique implicite, mais présente dans l’Essai. À notre avis, Saramago propose une approche originale du phénomène intersubjectif, qui jusque-là avait été toujours compris à partir du primat du visible et dans une vision subjectiviste. Dans l’Essai, il est possible de penser l’émergence d’une réalité commune et anonyme constituée comme audible au premier abord, et qui conditionne par la suite l’individuation et la socialisation humaines. Dans cette étude, nous voulons mesurer les implications de cet essai littéraire pour la pensée de l’intersubjectivité, en prenant au sérieux philosophiquement la réalité qui en découlerait.
Investigation of the association between serum uric acid levels and HEART risk score in patients with acute coronary syndrome
Authors: Khameneh Bagheri Ramin , Najafi Mona Najaf , Ahmadi Mostafa , Saberi Mohsen , Maleki Mina , Baradaran Rahimi Vafa
Published: November 2022

The association between uric acid (UA) and cardio‐metabolic conditions has been recognized for a long time. However, recently, a body of evidence has highlighted the independent role of UA in a series of conditions, including renal and cardiovascular diseases. In this light, data regarding the prognostic role of UA in acute coronary syndrome (ACS) is scarce. A total number of 100 patients, 59 males and 41 females, diagnosed with ACS were recruited in this study. At the time of admission to the hospital, the serum level of UA was measured. In addition, the HEART score was calculated based on each patients' profile. Participants were on average 61.37 ± 12.08 years old. The most prevalent risk factors were hypertension (48%), a history of coronary artery disease (40%), and diabetes mellitus (33%). The average serum level of UA was 5.81 ± 1.81 mg/dl, and the calculated HEART score had a median of six (minimum of two and maximum of ten). A positive yet statistically insignificant correlation was found between the measured UA level and the calculated HEART score (R = 0.375, p = 0.090). However, further studies with larger sample size are required to assess the direct association of UA level with major adverse cardiac events in patients with cardiovascular disease.
Infinite Mirrors - Appendices
Authors: Papp Reed Zsuzsanna
Published: November 2022

Zsuzsanna Papp Reed, Matthew Paris on
the Mongol Invasion in Europe, CELAMA 38 (Turnhout: Brepols, 2022)

This is a novel, interdisciplinary study of
the Mongol military campaign in Eastern Europe (1241-1242) — the North, as thirteenth-century Europeans saw the region — through the lens of
contemporary English chronicler, Matthew Paris of St Albans Monastery. Tracing
the journey of his sources, Papp Reed explores thirteenth-century information
networks against the backdrop of the struggle between Emperor Frederick II and
Pope Innocent IV. Parallel to the history of information, the subject of the
study is the Chronica majora and its afterlife, Matthew’s chronicle
world where the sometimes fictitious (and often very real) episodes of the
Mongol story unfold. Tracing major landmarks in the meta-history of the Chronica
majora, the author wishes to emancipate Matthew Paris as a historian — one in the series of a multitude of others who continue to write
and rewrite the history of the Mongol invasion across centuries of
historiography. The volume is a handy companion both to scholars of English
historiography and those who want to read critically the oft-cited primary
sources of the history of the Mongol military operations in Europe.

Zsuzsanna Papp Reed is a literary historian and medievalist, currently teaching at the
Central European University, Vienna.
Appendix 2: Mongol-related content in the Chronica majora

Appendix 3: Comparative table of various descriptions
of Mongols in Matthew Paris’s texts
Chitosan edible coating incorporated with resveratrol and Satureja bachtiarica essential oil as natural active packaging: In vitro antibacterial and antioxidant properties, and its impact on the shelf life of fresh chicken fillet and growth of inoculated Escherichia coli O157:H7
Authors: Abdalbeygi Sepehr , Aminzare Majid , Hassanzad Azar Hassan
Published: November 2022

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of chitosan coating containing resveratrol (RES) and Satureja bachtiarica essential oil (SEO) on the microbial quality, oxidative stability, and sensory properties of chicken meat as well as inoculated Escherichia coli O157:H7 during 12 day storage at 4 °C. The synergistic in vitro antioxidant effects between RES and SEO in chitosan coatings were observed. Moreover, chicken coated with chitosan solution containing RES 0.001% + SEO 2% indicated better results compared with the control group with the following scores (p≤0.05): Total viable count (6.11 log10 CFU/g), total psychrotrophic count (5.39 log10 CFU/g), Lactic acid bacteria (5.36 log10 CFU/g), pH (6.25), peroxide value (4.32 meq/kg lipid), thiobarbituric acid reactive substance (1.03 mg MDA/kg), sensory analysis (overall acceptability: 5.5), and inoculated E.coli O157:H7 (6.01 log10 CFU/g). The finding of the present study can contribute to the meat industry as a natural active packaging system.
Intraoperative ultrasound during repeat cesarean delivery facilitates sampling of uterine scar tissue
Authors: Paping Alexander , Basler Clara , Melchior Kerstin , Ehrlich Loreen , Thiele Mario , Duda Georg N. , Henrich Wolfgang , Braun Thorsten
Published: November 2022

Objectives

Histological examination of uterine scars provides insight into uterine wound healing and helps to develop prevention methods of uterine wall rupture after previous uterine surgery. Therefore, exact intraoperative scar identification is needed for specimen collection from the actual scar tissue. The aim of this study was to correlate pre- and intraoperative ultrasound measurements of the lower uterine segment (LUS) with histological findings of scar tissue and to evaluate the relevance of intraoperative ultrasound.

Methods

In a prospective observational study, preoperative and intraoperative sonographic measurements of the LUS thickness were performed in 33 women with a history of at least one cesarean delivery. Intraoperative ultrasound with a linear transducer placed directly on the uterus identified the scar area and uterotomy was performed 2 cm cranially. Tissue samples were taken after extraction of the fetus, embedded in paraffin wax, and stained according to Gomori Trichrome to identify scar tissue. Collagen content was evaluated with imaging software Fiji (NIH, Bethesda, USA). Preoperative and intraoperative sonographic measurements were correlated with histologic evidence of scar tissue.

Results

Histological evidence of scar tissue was found in 11 out of 33 samples with significantly lower ultrasonographic thickness of the lower uterine segment compared to the other 22 samples, both antepartum (1.4 mm [1.3–1.9] vs. 2.0 mm [1.6–2.6], p=0.03) and intrapartum (1.6 mm [1.3–1.9] vs. 3.7 mm [2.0–4.7], p<0.01). Intraoperative ultrasound had a significantly higher predictive power (AUC difference 0.18 [0.03–0.33], p=0.01).

Conclusions

Intraoperative sonography identifies the uterine wall area with histologically confirmable scar tissue far better than preoperative sonography.
The evolving state of food security in Nigeria amidst the COVID-19 pandemic – A review
Authors: Agbugba Ikechi K. , Agbagwa Sunday K. , Anumudu Christian K. , Ekwebelem Osmond C. , Al-Sharify Zainab T. , Isaac-Bamgboye Folayemi J. , Onyeaka Helen
Published: November 2022

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought about a variety of challenges to Nigeria, the most populous country in Africa, especially in the area of health protection, food security, and availability. Food security is a concept that encompasses the availability and accessibility of safe nutritious foods to everyone and is dependent on the maintenance of the food supply chain. The food security status of Nigeria, a developing country that previously was problematic, has been worsened by the COVID-19 pandemic through several fronts including the disruption of the food supply chain, reduced agricultural output as a result of the global lockdown, and lack of access to agricultural facilities and products, such as fertilisers, manpower, and restrictive policies. These factors have generally resulted in food scarcity and price inflations, which increasingly threaten the political and economic stability of households within the country, leading to an insecure future for the people. This review examines how the food security status of households in Nigeria has been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and the effects of the lockdown and changing business environment on farmers’ food production operations and marketing activities. It further evaluates the pandemics impacts on agro-industrial projects and governments’ efforts in making the agriculture sector more sustainable. Strategies to improve local food production, accessibility and availability, through interventions, including financial incentives/grants to farmers, the revival of moribund agricultural agencies, and encouraging local production and processing of foods are explored.
The role of analytical chemistry in poultry science
Authors: Kosobucki Przemysław , Studziński Waldemar , Zuo Sanling
Published: November 2022

Due to the intensification of food production methods, an increase in the importance of analytical chemistry can be observed. Analytical chemistry is on the one hand a scientific activity that brings new elements to the methodology of analytical chemistry, e.g. theoretical fundamentals of analytical methods, and on the other hand, this field of chemistry cannot exist without practical applications. Currently, it is used in all aspects of our life, including food production of particular importance.
Scipione Gonzaga, Fürst von Bozzolo, kaiserlicher Gesandter in Rom 1634–1641
Authors: Becker Rotraud
Published: November 2022

In the first half of the 17th century, the image of the imperial embassy in Rome was dominated by the long-standing service of the brothers Paolo and Federico Savelli. In comparison, the period in between, during which Scipione Gonzaga held the office, has left hardly any traces. Yet a closer look at his years of service reveals the political problems of those years and shows the prince of Bozzolo to be a committed diplomat. Furthermore, the circumstances of his life show the envoy’s activity in an unusual context, that of a lower-ranking prince in Imperial Italy who sought to gain stature for the empire in order to maintain the limited power attained by himself and his family, and to improve their overall status by acquiring another ancestral entail that had fallen into other hands. Beyond his personal involvement in the costly office, his brothers and other relatives placed themselves at the service of the empire and also entered a network of influential noble families close to the imperial court through marriage. The Gonzaga reigns in Bozzolo and Mantua ended with the War of the Spanish Succession. However, the social and cultural influence they had accumulated lasted longer. Through their family connections, the relatives of the former imperial envoy contributed to the pervasive adoption of the Italian language and way of life, which had become established among the upper classes of Austria, Bohemia and Hungary and remained dominant throughout the reign of Emperor Leopold I.
La ricerca sulle fonti e le sue sfide
Authors: Rando Daniela
Published: November 2022

This essay presents a reflection on the so-called auxiliary sciences, starting from the volume published by the Monumenta Germaniae Historica on the occasion of its foundation 200 years ago. The papers of the volume are integrated into the broader international debate on the prospects of medieval studies, both in relation to the „digital turn“ and to the risk that the Middle Ages will become marginalized in university curricula and „irrelevant“ to contemporary society and politics.
Accounting for Bias in the Estimation ofr2between Two Sets of Noisy Neural Responses
Authors: Pospisil Dean A. , Bair Wyeth
Published: November 2022

The Pearson correlation coefficient squared,r2, is an important tool used in the analysis of neural data to quantify the similarity between neural tuning curves. Yet this metric is biased by trial-to-trial variability; as trial-to-trial variability increases, measured correlation decreases. Major lines of research are confounded by this bias, including those involving the study of invariance of neural tuning across conditions and the analysis of the similarity of tuning across neurons. To address this, we extend an estimator,r̂ER2, that was recently developed for estimating model-to-neuron correlation, in which a noisy signal is compared with a noise-free prediction, to the case of neuron-to-neuron correlation, in which two noisy signals are compared with each other. We compare the performance of our novel estimator to a prior method developed by Spearman, commonly used in other fields but widely overlooked in neuroscience, and find that our method has less bias. We then apply our estimator to demonstrate how it avoids drastic confounds introduced by trial-to-trial variability using data collected in two prior studies (macaque, both sexes) that examined two different forms of invariance in the neural encoding of visual inputs—translation invariance and fill-outline invariance. Our results quantify for the first time the gradual falloff with spatial offset of translation-invariant shape selectivity within visual cortical neuronal receptive fields and offer a principled method to compare invariance in noisy biological systems to that in noise-free models.

SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENTQuantifying the similarity between two sets of averaged neural responses is fundamental to the analysis of neural data. A ubiquitous metric of similarity, the correlation coefficient, is attenuated by trial-to-trial variability that arises from many irrelevant factors. Spearman recognized this problem and proposed corrected methods that have been extended over a century. We show this method has large asymptotic biases that can be overcome using a novel estimator. Despite the frequent use of the correlation coefficient in neuroscience, consensus on how to address this fundamental statistical issue has not been reached. We provide an accurate estimator of the correlation coefficient and apply it to gain insight into visual invariance.
The Neural Signature of Impaired Inhibitory Control in Individuals with Heroin Use Disorder
Authors: Ceceli Ahmet O. , King Sarah G. , McClain Natalie , Alia-Klein Nelly , Goldstein Rita Z.
Published: November 2022

Heroin addiction imposes a devastating toll on society, with little known about its neurobiology. Excessive salience attribution to drug over nondrug cues/reinforcers, with concomitant inhibitory control decreases, are common mechanisms underlying drug addiction. Although inhibitory control alterations generally culminate in prefrontal cortex (PFC) hypoactivations across drugs of abuse, patterns in individuals with heroin addiction (iHUDs) remain unknown. We used a stop-signal fMRI task designed to meet recent consensus guidelines in mapping inhibitory control in 41 iHUDs and 24 age- and sex-matched healthy controls (HCs). Despite group similarities in the stop-signal response time (SSRT; the classic inhibitory control measure), compared with HCs, iHUDs exhibited impaired target detection sensitivity (proportion of hits in go vs false alarms in stop trials;p= 0.003). Additionally, iHUDs exhibited lower right anterior PFC (aPFC) and dorsolateral PFC (dlPFC) activity during successful versus failed stops (the hallmark inhibitory control contrast). Lower left dlPFC/supplementary motor area (SMA) activity was associated with slower SSRT specifically in iHUDs and lower left aPFC activity with worse target sensitivity across all participants (p< 0.05 corrected). Importantly, in iHUDs, lower left SMA and aPFC activity during inhibitory control was associated with shorter time since last use and higher severity of dependence, respectively (p< 0.05 corrected). Together, results revealed lower perceptual sensitivity and hypoactivations during inhibitory control in cognitive control regions (e.g., aPFC, dlPFC, SMA) as associated with task performance and heroin use severity measures in iHUDs. Such neurobehavioral inhibitory control deficits may contribute to self-control lapses in heroin addiction, constituting targets for prevention and intervention efforts to enhance recovery.

SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENTHeroin addiction continues its deadly impact, with little known about the neurobiology of this disorder. Although behavioral and prefrontal cortical impairments in inhibitory control characterize addiction across drugs of abuse, these patterns remain underexplored in heroin addiction. Here, we illustrate a significant behavioral impairment in target discrimination in individuals with heroin addiction compared with matched healthy controls. We further show lower engagement during inhibitory control in the anterior and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (key regions that regulate cognitive control) as associated with slower stopping, worse discrimination, and heroin use measures. Mapping the neurobiology of inhibitory control in heroin addiction for the first time, we identify potential treatment targets inclusive of prefrontal cortex-mediated cognitive control amenable for neuromodulation en route to recovery.
Isolating Microplastics from Biofilm Communities
Authors: Meiller Jesse , Sosa Ana , May Eva , Frederick J. Adam
Published: November 2022

Plastic debris in aquatic and marine environments often breaks up into fragments that are smaller than 5 millimeters, which are then classified as microplastics. While there is not yet a standardized and validated methodology for characterizing microplastics, the protocol developed in this study uses methods for isolating and observing microplastics and for the investigation of how they interact with organisms present in biofilms from urban waterways. Project-based learning (PBL) has been proven to be a successful strategy in K–12 science education; the implementation of PBL provides opportunities for student-driven inquiry and provides teachers with a means to integrate curriculum with current research and to consider the effects of human impacts on the environment. This paper describes the protocol developed for high school teachers to educate students about microplastics and how to successfully isolate and observe them. Teachers and students in Maryland successfully isolated microplastics from biofilm samples from the Inner Harbor, Baltimore, Maryland, and shared their results. International teachers and students in Barcelona, Spain, involved in a related project, had similar results and shared experiences through images, video, and online meetings. These collaborations provide important opportunities for student-driven inquiry and for them to engage in methods of current scientific research.
Microglial TNFα orchestrates protein phosphorylation in the cortex during the sleep period and controls homeostatic sleep
Authors: Pinto Maria J , Cottin Léa , Dingli Florent , Laigle Victor , Ribeiro Luís F , Triller Antoine , Henderson Fiona , Loew Damarys , Fabre Véronique , Bessis Alain
Published: November 2022

Sleep intensity is adjusted by the length of previous awake time, and under tight homeostatic control by protein phosphorylation. Here, we establish microglia as a new cellular component of the sleep homeostasis circuit. Using quantitative phosphoproteomics of the mouse frontal cortex, we demonstrate that microglia‐specific deletion of TNFα perturbs thousands of phosphorylation sites during the sleep period. Substrates of microglial TNFα comprise sleep‐related kinases such as MAPKs and MARKs, and numerous synaptic proteins, including a subset whose phosphorylation status encodes sleep need and determines sleep duration. As a result, microglial TNFα loss attenuates the build‐up of sleep need, as measured by electroencephalogram slow‐wave activity and prevents immediate compensation for loss of sleep. Our data suggest that microglia control sleep homeostasis by releasing TNFα which acts on neuronal circuitry through dynamic control of phosphorylation.
Structural and biochemical basis of interdependent FANCI‐FANCD2 ubiquitination
Authors: Lemonidis Kimon , Rennie Martin L , Arkinson Connor , Chaugule Viduth K , Clarke Mairi , Streetley James , Walden Helen
Published: November 2022

Di‐monoubiquitination of the FANCI‐FANCD2 (ID2) complex is a central and crucial step for the repair of DNA interstrand crosslinks via the Fanconi anaemia pathway. While FANCD2 ubiquitination precedes FANCI ubiquitination, FANCD2 is also deubiquitinated at a faster rate than FANCI, which can result in a FANCI‐ubiquitinated ID2 complex (IUbD2). Here, we present a 4.1 Å cryo‐EM structure of IUbD2 complex bound to double‐stranded DNA. We show that this complex, like ID2Ub and IUbD2Ub, is also in the closed ID2 conformation and clamps on DNA. The target lysine of FANCD2 (K561) becomes fully exposed in the IUbD2‐DNA structure and is thus primed for ubiquitination. Similarly, FANCI's target lysine (K523) is also primed for ubiquitination in the ID2Ub‐DNA complex. The IUbD2‐DNA complex exhibits deubiquitination resistance, conferred by the presence of DNA and FANCD2. ID2Ub‐DNA, on the other hand, can be efficiently deubiquitinated by USP1‐UAF1, unless further ubiquitination on FANCI occurs. Therefore, FANCI ubiquitination effectively maintains FANCD2 ubiquitination in two ways: it prevents excessive FANCD2 deubiquitination within an IUbD2Ub‐DNA complex, and it enables re‐ubiquitination of FANCD2 within a transient, closed‐on‐DNA, IUbD2 complex.
XAF1 prevents hyperproduction of type I interferon upon viral infection by targeting IRF7
Authors: Liu Bao‐qin , Liu Rong‐bei , Li Wen‐ping , Mao Xin‐tao , Li Yi‐ning , Huang Tao , Wang Hao‐li , Chen Hao‐tian , Zhong Jiang‐yan , Yang Bing , Chai Ren‐jie , Cao Qian , Jin Jin , Li Yi‐yuan
Published: November 2022

Interferon regulatory factor (IRF) 3 and IRF7 are master regulators of type I interferon (IFN‐I)‐dependent antiviral innate immunity. Upon viral infection, a positive feedback loop is formed, wherein IRF7 promotes further induction of IFN‐I in the later stage. Thus, it is critical to maintain a suitably low level of IRF7 to avoid the hyperproduction of IFN‐I. In this study, we find that early expression of IFN‐I‐dependent STAT1 promotes the expression of XAF1 and that XAF1 is associated specifically with IRF7 and inhibits the activity of XIAP. XAF1‐knockout and XIAP‐transgenic mice display resistance to viral infection, and this resistance is accompanied by increases in IFN‐I production and IRF7 stability. Mechanistically, we find that the XAF1‐XIAP axis controls the activity of KLHL22, an adaptor of the BTB‐CUL3‐RBX1 E3 ligase complex through a ubiquitin‐dependent pathway. CUL3‐KLHL22 directly targets IRF7 and catalyzes its K48‐linked ubiquitination and proteasomal degradation. These findings reveal unexpected functions of the XAF1‐XIAP axis and KLHL22 in the regulation of IRF7 stability and highlight an important target for antiviral innate immunity.
A genome‐wide association study identifies a transporter for zinc uploading to maize kernels
Authors: Chao Zhen‐Fei , Chen Yuan‐Yuan , Ji Chen , Wang Ya‐Ling , Huang Xing , Zhang Chu‐Ying , Yang Jun , Song Tao , Wu Jia‐Chen , Guo Liang‐Xing , Liu Chu‐Bin , Han Mei‐Ling , Wu Yong‐Rui , Yan Jianbing , Chao Dai‐Yin
Published: November 2022

The Zn content in cereal seeds is an important trait for crop production as well as for human health. However, little is known about how Zn is loaded to plant seeds. Here, through a genome‐wide association study (GWAS), we identify the Zn‐NA (nicotianamine) transporter gene ZmYSL2 that is responsible for loading Zn to maize kernels. High promoter sequence variation in ZmYSL2 most likely drives the natural variation in Zn concentrations in maize kernels. ZmYSL2 is specifically localized on the plasma membrane facing the maternal tissue of the basal endosperm transfer cell layer (BETL) and functions in loading Zn‐NA into the BETL. Overexpression of ZmYSL2 increases the Zn concentration in the kernels by 31.6%, which achieves the goal of Zn biofortification of maize. These findings resolve the mystery underlying the loading of Zn into plant seeds, providing an efficient strategy for breeding or engineering maize varieties with enriched Zn nutrition.
Acetate supplementation restores cognitive deficits caused by ARID1A haploinsufficiency in excitatory neurons
Authors: Liu Pei‐Pei , Dai Shang‐Kun , Mi Ting‐Wei , Tang Gang‐Bin , Wang Zhuo , Wang Hui , Du Hong‐Zhen , Tang Yi , Teng Zhao‐Qian , Liu Chang‐Mei
Published: November 2022

Mutations in AT‐rich interactive domain‐containing protein 1A (ARID1A) cause Coffin‐Siris syndrome (CSS), a rare genetic disorder that results in mild to severe intellectual disabilities. However, the biological role of ARID1A in the brain remains unclear. In this study, we report that the haploinsufficiency of ARID1A in excitatory neurons causes cognitive impairment and defects in hippocampal synaptic transmission and dendritic morphology in mice. Similarly, human embryonic stem cell‐derived excitatory neurons with deleted ARID1A exhibit fewer dendritic branches and spines, and abnormal electrophysiological activity. Importantly, supplementation of acetate, an epigenetic metabolite, can ameliorate the morphological and electrophysiological deficits observed in mice with Arid1a haploinsufficiency, as well as in ARID1A‐null human excitatory neurons. Mechanistically, transcriptomic and ChIP‐seq analyses demonstrate that acetate supplementation can increase the levels of H3K27 acetylation at the promoters of key regulatory genes associated with neural development and synaptic transmission. Collectively, these findings support the essential roles of ARID1A in the excitatory neurons and cognition and suggest that acetate supplementation could be a potential therapeutic intervention for CSS.