bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Machine learning strategy for identifying altered gut microbiomes for diagnostic screening in myasthenia gravis
Authors: Chang Che-Cheng , Liu Tzu-Chi , Lu Chi-Jie , Chiu Hou-Chang , Lin Wei-Ning
Published: September 2023

Myasthenia gravis (MG) is a neuromuscular junction disease with a complex pathophysiology and clinical variation for which no clear biomarker has been discovered. We hypothesized that because changes in gut microbiome composition often occur in autoimmune diseases, the gut microbiome structures of patients with MG would differ from those without, and supervised machine learning (ML) analysis strategy could be trained using data from gut microbiota for diagnostic screening of MG. Genomic DNA from the stool samples of MG and those without were collected and established a sequencing library by constructing amplicon sequence variants (ASVs) and completing taxonomic classification of each representative DNA sequence. Four ML methods, namely least absolute shrinkage and selection operator, extreme gradient boosting (XGBoost), random forest, and classification and regression trees with nested leave-one-out cross-validation were trained using ASV taxon–based data and full ASV–based data to identify key ASVs in each data set. The results revealed XGBoost to have the best predicted performance. Overlapping key features extracted when XGBoost was trained using the full ASV–based and ASV taxon–based data were identified, and 31 high-importance ASVs (HIASVs) were obtained, assigned importance scores, and ranked. The most significant difference observed was in the abundance of bacteria in the Lachnospiraceae and Ruminococcaceae families. The 31 HIASVs were used to train the XGBoost algorithm to differentiate individuals with and without MG. The model had high diagnostic classification power and could accurately predict and identify patients with MG. In addition, the abundance of Lachnospiraceae was associated with limb weakness severity. In this study, we discovered that the composition of gut microbiomes differed between MG and non-MG subjects. In addition, the proposed XGBoost model trained using 31 HIASVs had the most favorable performance with respect to analyzing gut microbiomes. These HIASVs selected by the ML model may serve as biomarkers for clinical use and mechanistic study in the future. Our proposed ML model can identify several taxonomic markers and effectively discriminate patients with MG from those without with a high accuracy, the ML strategy can be applied as a benchmark to conduct noninvasive screening of MG.
Effects of compost as a soil amendment on bacterial community diversity in saline–alkali soil
Authors: Xu Daolong , Yu Xiaowen , Chen Jin , Li Xiufen , Chen Jian , Li JiangHua
Published: September 2023

Introduction

Soil salinization poses a worldwide challenge that hampers agricultural productivity.

Methods

Employing high-throughput sequencing technology, we conducted an investigation to examine the impact of compost on the diversity of bacterial communities in saline soils. Our study focused on exploring the diversity of bacterial communities in the inter-root soil of plants following composting and the subsequent addition of compost to saline soils.

Results

Compared to the initial composting stage, Alpha diversity results showed a greater diversity of bacteria during the rot stage. The germination index reaches 90% and the compost reaches maturity. The main bacterial genera in compost maturation stage are Flavobacterium, Saccharomonospora, Luteimonas and Streptomyces. Proteobacteria, Firmicutes, and Actinobacteria were the dominant phyla in the soil after the addition of compost. The application of compost has increased the abundance of Actinobacteria and Chloroflexi by 7.6 and 6.6%, respectively, but decreased the abundance of Firmicutes from 25.12 to 18.77%. Redundancy analysis revealed that soil factors pH, solid urease, organic matter, and total nitrogen were closely related to bacterial communities.

Discussion

The addition of compost effectively reduced soil pH and increased soil enzyme activity and organic matter content. An analysis of this study provides theoretical support for compost’s use as a saline soil amendment.
Comparing bacterial dynamics for the conversion of organics and humus components during manure composting from different sources
Authors: Li Yan , Li Jun , Chang Yuan , Li Ruoqi , Zhou Kaiyun , Zhan Yabin , Wei Renyue , Wei Yuquan
Published: September 2023

The study aimed to compare the differences in organic fractions transformation, humus components and bacterial community dynamics during manure composting from different sources, and to identify the key biotic and abiotic factors driving the humification process. Five types of manure [pig manure (PM), cow dung (CD), sheep manure (SM), chicken manure (CM), and duck manure (DM)] were used as raw materials for 30 days composting. The results showed the obvious difference of organic fractions decomposition with more cellulose degradation in CD and SM composting and more hemicellulose degradation in PM and CM composting. Composting of PM and CD contained significantly higher humus fractions than the other composts. Fluorescence spectra indicated that SM composting tended to form structurally stable humic acid fractions, while CM and DM tended to form structurally complex fulvic acid fractions. Pearson correlation analysis showed that humification process of composts in category A (PM, CD) with higher humification degree than category B (SM, CM, and DM) was positively correlated with lignin and hemicellulose degradation. Bioinformatics analysis found that Lysinibacillus promoted the degradation of hemicellulose and the conversion of fulvic to humic acid in the composts of category A, and in category B, Thermobifida, Lactobacillus, and Ureibacillus were key genera for humic acid formation. Network analysis indicated that bacterial interaction patterns had obvious differences in composting with different humus and humification levels.
Modulation of associations between education years and cortical volume in Alzheimer’s disease vulnerable brain regions by Aβ deposition and APOE ε4 carrier status in cognitively normal older adults
Authors: Kim Hak-Bin , Kim Sung-Hwan , Um Yoo Hyun , Wang Sheng-Min , Kim Regina E. Y. , Choe Yeong Sim , Lee Jiyeon , Kim Donghyeon , Lim Hyun Kook , Lee Chang Uk , Kang Dong Woo
Published: September 2023

Background

Education years, as a measure of cognitive reserve, have been shown to affect the progression of Alzheimer’s disease (AD), both pathologically and clinically. However, inconsistent results have been reported regarding the association between years of education and intermediate structural changes in AD-vulnerable brain regions, particularly when AD risk factors were not considered during the preclinical phase.

Objective

This study aimed to examine how Aβ deposition and APOE ε4 carrier status moderate the relationship between years of education and cortical volume in AD-vulnerable regions among cognitively normal older adults.

Methods

A total of 121 participants underwent structural MRI, [18F] flutemetamol PET-CT imaging, and neuropsychological battery assessment. Multiple regression analysis was conducted to examine the interaction between years of education and the effects of potential modifiers on cortical volume. The associations between cortical volume and neuropsychological performance were further explored in subgroups categorized based on AD risk factors.

Results

The cortical volume of the left lateral occipital cortex and bilateral fusiform gyrus demonstrated a significant differential association with years of education, depending on the presence of Aβ deposition and APOE ε4 carrier status. Furthermore, a significant relationship between the cortical volume of the bilateral fusiform gyrus and AD-nonspecific cognitive function was predominantly observed in individuals without AD risk factors.

Conclusion

AD risk factors exerted varying influences on the association between years of education and cortical volume during the preclinical phase. Further investigations into the long-term implications of these findings would enhance our understanding of cognitive reserves in the preclinical stages of AD.
Homosynaptic plasticity induction causes heterosynaptic changes at the unstimulated neighbors in an induction pattern and location-specific manner
Authors: Argunsah Ali Özgür , Israely Inbal
Published: September 2023

Dendritic spines are highly dynamic structures whose structural and functional fluctuations depend on multiple factors. Changes in synaptic strength are not limited to synapses directly involved in specific activity patterns. Unstimulated clusters of neighboring spines in and around the site of stimulation can also undergo alterations in strength. Usually, when plasticity is induced at single dendritic spines with glutamate uncaging, neighboring spines do not show any significant structural fluctuations. Here, using two-photon imaging and glutamate uncaging at single dendritic spines of hippocampal pyramidal neurons, we show that structural modifications at unstimulated neighboring spines occur and are a function of the temporal pattern of the plasticity-inducing stimulus. Further, the relative location of the unstimulated neighbors within the local dendritic segment correlates with the extent of heterosynaptic plasticity that is observed. These findings indicate that naturalistic patterns of activity at single spines can shape plasticity at nearby clusters of synapses, and may play a role in priming local inputs for further modifications.
Gradient-based feature-attribution explainability methods for spiking neural networks
Authors: Bitar Ammar , Rosales Rafael , Paulitsch Michael
Published: September 2023

Introduction

Spiking neural networks (SNNs) are a model of computation that mimics the behavior of biological neurons. SNNs process event data (spikes) and operate more sparsely than artificial neural networks (ANNs), resulting in ultra-low latency and small power consumption. This paper aims to adapt and evaluate gradient-based explainability methods for SNNs, which were originally developed for conventional ANNs.

Methods

The adapted methods aim to create input feature attribution maps for SNNs trained through backpropagation that process either event-based spiking data or real-valued data. The methods address the limitations of existing work on explainability methods for SNNs, such as poor scalability, limited to convolutional layers, requiring the training of another model, and providing maps of activation values instead of true attribution scores. The adapted methods are evaluated on classification tasks for both real-valued and spiking data, and the accuracy of the proposed methods is confirmed through perturbation experiments at the pixel and spike levels.

Results and discussion

The results reveal that gradient-based SNN attribution methods successfully identify highly contributing pixels and spikes with significantly less computation time than model-agnostic methods. Additionally, we observe that the chosen coding technique has a noticeable effect on the input features that will be most significant. These findings demonstrate the potential of gradient-based explainability methods for SNNs in improving our understanding of how these networks process information and contribute to the development of more efficient and accurate SNNs.
Learning-based sliding mode synchronization for fractional-order Hindmarsh-Rose neuronal models with deterministic learning
Authors: Chen Danfeng , Li Junsheng , Yuan Chengzhi , He Jun , Zhu Wenbo
Published: September 2023

Introduction

In recent years, extensive research has been conducted on the synchronous behavior of neural networks. It is found that the synchronization ability of neurons is related to the performance of signal reception and transmission between neurons, which in turn affects the function of the organism. However, most of the existing synchronization methods are faced with two difficulties, one is the structural parameter dependency, which limits the promotion and application of synchronous methods in practical problems. The other is the limited adaptability, that is, even when faced with the same control tasks, for most of the existing control methods, the control parameters still need to be retrained. To this end, the present study investigates the synchronization problem of the fractional-order HindmarshRose (FOHR) neuronal models in unknown dynamic environment.

Methods

Inspired by the human experience of knowledge acquiring, memorizing, and application, a learning-based sliding mode control algorithm is proposed by using the deterministic learning (DL) mechanism. Firstly, the unknown dynamics of the FOHR system under unknown dynamic environment is locally accurately identified and stored in the form of constant weight neural networks through deterministic learning without dependency of the system parameters. Then, based on the identified and stored system dynamics, the model-based and relearning-based sliding mode controller are designed for similar as well as new synchronization tasks, respectively.

Results

The synchronization process can be started quickly by recalling the empirical dynamics of neurons. Therefore, fast synchronization effect is achieved by reducing the online computing time. In addition, because of the convergence of the identification and synchronization process, the control experience can be constantly replenished and stored for reutilization, so as to improve the synchronization speed and accuracy continuously.

Discussion

The thought of this article will also bring inspiration to the related research in other fields.
A quest for the stereo-electronic requirements for selective agonism for the neurotrophin receptors TrkA and TrkB in 17-spirocyclic-dehydroepiandrosterone derivatives
Authors: Narducci Daniele , Charou Despoina , Rogdakis Thanasis , Zota Ioanna , Bafiti Vivi , Zervou Maria , Katsila Theodora , Gravanis Achille , Prousis Kyriakos C. , Charalampopoulos Ioannis , Calogeropoulou Theodora
Published: September 2023

Introduction

The neurotrophin system plays a pivotal role in the development, morphology, and survival of the nervous system, and its dysregulation has been manifested in numerous neurodegenerative and neuroinflammatory diseases. Neurotrophins NGF and BDNF are major growth factors that prevent neuronal death and synaptic loss through binding with high affinity to their specific tropomyosin-related kinase receptors namely, TrkA and TrkB, respectively. The poor pharmacokinetic properties prohibit the use of neurotrophins as therapeutic agents. Our group has previously synthesized BNN27, a prototype small molecule based on dehydroepiandrosterone, mimicking NGF through the activation of the TrkA receptor.

Methods

To obtain a better understanding of the stereo-electronic requirements for selective activation of TrkA and TrkB receptors, 27 new dehydroepiandrosterone derivatives bearing a C17-spiro-dihydropyran or cyclobutyl moiety were synthesized. The new compounds were evaluated for their ability (a) to selectively activate the TrkA receptor and its downstream signaling kinases Akt and Erk1/2 in PC12 cells, protecting these cells from serum deprivation-induced cell death, and (b) to induce phosphorylation of TrkB and to promote cell survival under serum deprivation conditions in NIH3T3 cells stable transfected with the TrkB receptor and primary cortical astrocytes. In addition the metabolic stability and CYP-mediated reaction was assessed.

Results

Among the novel derivatives, six were able to selectively protect PC12 cells through interaction with the TrkA receptor and five more to selectively protect TrkB-expressing cells via interaction with the TrkB receptor. In particular, compound ENT-A025 strongly induces TrkA and Erk1/2 phosphorylation, comparable to NGF, and can protect PC12 cells against serum deprivation-induced cell death. Furthermore, ENT-A065, ENT-A066, ENT-A068, ENT-A069, and ENT-A070 showed promising pro-survival effects in the PC12 cell line. Concerning TrkB agonists, ENT-A009 and ENT-A055 were able to induce phosphorylation of TrkB and reduce cell death levels in NIH3T3-TrkB cells. In addition, ENT-A076, ENT-A087, and ENT-A088 possessed antiapoptotic activity in NIH-3T3-TrkB cells exclusively mediated through the TrkB receptor. The metabolic stability and CYP-mediated reaction phenotyping of the potent analogs did not reveal any major liabilities.

Discussion

We have identified small molecule selective agonists of TrkA and TrkB receptors as promising lead neurotrophin mimetics for the development of potential therapeutics against neurodegenerative conditions.
Implementation and evaluation of a palliative care training unit for EMS providers
Authors: Hauch Holger , El Mohaui Naual , Sander Michael , Rellensmann Georg , Berthold Daniel , Kriwy Peter , Zernikow Boris , Wager Julia , Schneck Emmanuel
Published: September 2023

Background

The prevalence of children with life-limiting conditions (LLCs) is rising. It is characteristic for these children to require 24/7 care. In emergencies, families must decide to call the emergency medical service (EMS) or a palliative care team (PCT)—if available. For EMS teams, an emergency in a child with an LLC is a rare event. Therefore, EMS providers asked for a training unit (TU) to improve their knowledge and skills in pediatric palliative care.

Aim of the study

The questions were as follows: whether a TU is feasible, whether its integration into the EMS training program was accepted, and whether an improvement of knowledge can be achieved.

Methods

We designed and implemented a brief TU based on findings of a previous study that included 1,005 EMS providers. The topics covered were: (1) basics in palliative home care, (2) theoretical aspects, and (3) practical aspects. After participating in the TU, the participants were given a questionnaire to re-evaluate their learning gains and self-confidence in dealing with emergencies in pediatric patients with LLC.

Results

782 (77.8%) of 1,005 participants of the previous study responded to the questionnaire. The average age was 34.9 years (±10.7 years SD), and 75.3% were male. The average work experience was 11.4 years (±9.5 years SD), and 15.2% were medical doctors. We found an increase in theoretical knowledge and enhanced self-confidence in dealing with emergencies in patients with LLC (confidence: before training: 3.3 ± 2.0 SD; after training: 5.7 ± 2.1 SD; min.: 1; max.: 10; p < 0.001). The participants changed their approaches to a fictitious case report from more invasive to less invasive treatment. Most participants wanted to communicate directly with PCTs and demanded a standard operating procedure (SOP) for treating patients with LLC. We discussed a proposal for an SOP with the participants.

Conclusion

EMS providers want to be prepared for emergencies in children with LLCs. A brief TU can improve their knowledge and confidence to handle these situations adequately. This TU is the first step to improve collaboration between PCTs and EMS teams.
Transcriptome-wide analysis of trigeminal ganglion and subnucleus caudalis in a mouse model of chronic constriction injury-induced trigeminal neuralgia
Authors: Cui Xiaona , Qin Bo , Xia Chaoyun , Li Hong , Li Zhiye , Li Zhisong , Nasir Abdul , Bai Qian
Published: September 2023

Trigeminal neuropathic pain (TNP) induces mechanical allodynia and hyperalgesia, which are known to alter gene expression in injured dorsal root ganglia primary sensory neurons. Non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) have been linked to TNP. However, the functional mechanism underlying TNP and the expression profile of ncRNAs in the trigeminal ganglion (TG) and trigeminal subnucleus caudalis (Sp5C) are still unknown. We used RNA sequencing and bioinformatics analysis to examine the TG and Sp5C transcriptomes after infraorbital nerve chronic constrictive injury (IoN-CCI). The robust changes in the gene expression of lncRNAs, circRNAs, and mRNAs were observed within the TG and Sp5C from mice that underwent IoN-CCI and the sham-operated mice (day 7). In total, 111,003 lncRNAs were found in TG and 107,157 in Sp5C; 369 lncRNAs were differentially expressed in TG, and 279 lncRNAs were differentially expressed in Sp5C. In addition, 13,216 circRNAs in TG and 21,658 circRNAs in Sp5C were identified, with 1,155 circRNAs and 2,097 circRNAs differentially expressed in TG and Sp5C, respectively. Furthermore, 5,205 DE mRNAs in TG and 3,934 DE mRNAs in Sp5C were differentially expressed between IoN-CCI and sham groups. The study revealed a high correlation of pain-related differentially expressed genes in the TG and Sp5C to anxiety, depression, inflammation, neuroinflammation, and apoptosis. Gene Ontology analysis revealed that binding-related molecular functions and membrane-related cell components were significantly enriched. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes analysis shows the most significant enrichments in neurogenesis, nervous system development, neuron differentiation, adrenergic signaling, cAMP signaling, MAPK signaling, and PI3K-Akt signaling pathways. Furthermore, protein–protein interaction analysis showed that hub genes were implicated in neuropeptide signaling pathways. Functional analysis of DE ncRNA-targeting genes was mostly enriched with nociception-related signaling pathways underpinning TNP. Our findings suggest that ncRNAs are involved in TNP development and open new avenues for research and treatment.
Photodynamic therapy and associated targeting methods for treatment of brain cancer
Authors: Bartusik-Aebisher Dorota , Serafin Iga , Dynarowicz Klaudia , Aebisher David
Published: September 2023

Brain tumors, including glioblastoma multiforme, are currently a cause of suffering and death of tens of thousands of people worldwide. Despite advances in clinical treatment, the average patient survival time from the moment of diagnosis of glioblastoma multiforme and application of standard treatment methods such as surgical resection, radio- and chemotherapy, is less than 4 years. The continuing development of new therapeutic methods for targeting and treating brain tumors may extend life and provide greater comfort to patients. One such developing therapeutic method is photodynamic therapy. Photodynamic therapy is a progressive method of therapy used in dermatology, dentistry, ophthalmology, and has found use as an antimicrobial agent. It has also found wide application in photodiagnosis. Photodynamic therapy requires the presence of three necessary components: a clinically approved photosensitizer, oxygen and light. This paper is a review of selected literature from Pubmed and Scopus scientific databases in the field of photodynamic therapy in brain tumors with an emphasis on glioblastoma treatment.
Nitrogen balance and gap of a high yield tropical soybean crop under irrigation
Authors: Zambon Leandro Moraes , Umburanas Renan Caldas , Schwerz Felipe , Sousa Jackellyne Bruna , Barbosa Everton Servilho Teixeira , Inoue Letícia Pacheco , Dourado-Neto Durval , Reichardt Klaus
Published: September 2023

Nitrogen (N) is the most extracted and exported element by the soybean crop. In high yield tropical environments with irrigation, little is known about N accumulation in different soybean plant organs as well as the N balance. The objective of this study was to characterize soybean growth, N accumulation in plant organs, N balance, and N gap in a high yield tropical environment. This study was performed in a homogeneous field, in a soil with low organic matter, with 20 kg ha-1 of N, under furrow fertilization. Evaluations were performed ten times, temporally distributed from emergence to senescence. The soybean cultivar used was ‘RK7518 IPRO’ and was sown with row spacing of 0.45 m and a seeding rate of 300,000 plants ha-1. Plant N partition, N from the biological N fixation (BNF), grain yield, crop harvest index (HI), N harvest index (NHI) with and without root contribution were evaluated. Also, at the grain filling stage the N gap was evaluated from the soil by difference between whole plant accumulated N and the amount of N from BNF. The average grain yield was 6,470 kg ha-1 and leads to a negative partial balance of N of -33.4 and -42.8 kg[N] ha-1 with and without roots, respectively. The N gap from the soil was 231.7 kg[N] ha-1. It is recommended to adopt techniques that increase the efficiency of BNF and the soil N accumulation to balance these production systems in the medium to long term.
Genome-wide analysis of KIX gene family for organ size regulation in soybean (Glycine max L.)
Authors: Park Gyu Tae , Moon Jung-Kyung , Park Sewon , Park Soo-Kwon , Baek JeongHo , Seo Mi-Suk
Published: September 2023

The KIX domain, conserved among various nuclear and co-activator factors, acts as a binding site that interacts with other transcriptional activators and co-activators, playing a crucial role in gene expression regulation. In plants, the KIX domain is involved in plant hormone signaling, stress response regulation, cell cycle control, and differentiation, indicating its potential relevance to crop productivity. This study aims to identify and characterize KIX domains within the soybean (Glycine max L.) genome to predict their potential role in improving crop productivity. The conservation and evolutionary history of the KIX domains were explored in 59 plant species, confirming the presence of the KIX domains in diverse plants. Specifically, 13 KIX domains were identified within the soybean genome and classified into four main groups, namely GmKIX8/9, GmMED15, GmHAC, and GmRECQL, through sequence alignment, structural analysis, and phylogenetic tree construction. Association analysis was performed between KIX domain haplotypes and soybean seed-related agronomic traits using re-sequencing data from a core collection of 422 accessions. The results revealed correlations between SNP variations observed in GmKIX8-3 and GmMED15-4 and soybean seed phenotypic traits. Additionally, transcriptome analysis confirmed significant expression of the KIX domains during the early stages of soybean seed development. This study provides the first characterization of the structural, expression, genomic haplotype, and molecular features of the KIX domain in soybean, offering a foundation for functional analysis of the KIX domain in soybean and other plants.
FZL, a dynamin-like protein localized to curved grana edges, is required for efficient photosynthetic electron transfer in Arabidopsis
Authors: Ogawa Yu , Iwano Megumi , Shikanai Toshiharu , Sakamoto Wataru
Published: September 2023

Photosynthetic electron transfer and its regulation processes take place on thylakoid membranes, and the thylakoid of vascular plants exhibits particularly intricate structure consisting of stacked grana and flat stroma lamellae. It is known that several membrane remodeling proteins contribute to maintain the thylakoid structure, and one putative example is FUZZY ONION LIKE (FZL). In this study, we re-evaluated the controversial function of FZL in thylakoid membrane remodeling and in photosynthesis. We investigated the sub-membrane localization of FZL and found that it is enriched on curved grana edges of thylakoid membranes, consistent with the previously proposed model that FZL mediates fusion of grana and stroma lamellae at the interfaces. The mature fzl thylakoid morphology characterized with the staggered and less connected grana seems to agree with this model as well. In the photosynthetic analysis, the fzl knockout mutants in Arabidopsis displayed reduced electron flow, likely resulting in higher oxidative levels of Photosystem I (PSI) and smaller proton motive force (pmf). However, nonphotochemical quenching (NPQ) of chlorophyll fluorescence was excessively enhanced considering the pmf levels in fzl, and we found that introducing kea3-1 mutation, lowering pH in thylakoid lumen, synergistically reinforced the photosynthetic disorder in the fzl mutant background. We also showed that state transitions normally occurred in fzl, and that they were not involved in the photosynthetic disorders in fzl. We discuss the possible mechanisms by which the altered thylakoid morphology in fzl leads to the photosynthetic modifications.
How psychedelic-assisted therapy works for depression: expert views and practical implications from an exploratory Delphi study
Authors: Johansen Lauren , Liknaitzky Paul , Nedeljkovic Maja , Murray Greg
Published: September 2023

As investigations into the efficacy of psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy to treat depression continue, there is a need to study the possible mechanisms of action that may contribute to the treatment’s antidepressant effects. Through a two-round Delphi design, the current study investigated experts’ opinions on the psychological mechanisms of action associated with the antidepressant effects of psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy and the ways such mechanisms may be promoted through the preparation, dosing, and integration components of treatment. Fourteen and fifteen experts, including both clinical psychedelic researchers and therapists, participated in Round 1 and Round 2 of the study, respectively. Thematic analysis identified nine important or promising ‘mechanistic themes’ from Round 1 responses: psychological flexibility, self-compassion, mystical experiences, self-transcendence, meaning enhancement, cognitive reframing, awe, memory reconsolidation and ego dissolution. These mechanisms were presented back to experts in Round 2, where they rated ‘psychological flexibility’ and ‘self-compassion’ to be the most important psychological mechanisms in psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy for depression. Strategies or interventions recommended to promote identified mechanisms during the preparation, dosing, and integration components of treatment were nonspecific to the endorsed mechanism. The findings from this study provide direction for future confirmatory mechanistic research as well as provisional ideas for how to support these possible therapeutic mechanisms.
Preschool child growth attainment and velocity during an agriculture intervention in rural Panama may be diminished by soil-transmitted helminths
Authors: Krause Rachel J. , Scott Marilyn E. , Sinisterra Odalis T. , Koski Kristine G.
Published: September 2023

Background

Agricultural interventions are often recommended to address undernutrition in subsistence farming communities. However, intensified agriculture exposure can increase soil transmitted helminth (STH) infections, which are linked with poor child growth. This study examined impacts of the VERASAN public health and agricultural intervention program on preschool child growth attainment (HAZ and WAZ) and relative growth velocity over 7 months [change in height-for-age (∆HAD) and weight-for-age (∆WAD) difference].

Methods

VERASAN was initiated in 15 subsistence farming communities in rural Panama experiencing chronic undernutrition. Activities targeted improved household food security, preschool child diets and growth by intensifying and diversifying household agriculture. Our objectives were to explore the relationship between VERASAN and preschool child growth attainment (HAZ and WAZ) and velocity (∆HAD and ∆WAD) during one agricultural cycle in 238 households. We compared those new to VERASAN with those involved for 1 or 5 years, and identified if agricultural practices, food security, diet diversity and treatment of pre-existing STH infection were associated with growth attainment or velocity.

Results

Prior participation in VERASAN did not directly influence WAZ, HAZ or ΔHAD but VERASAN-related benefits had an indirect influence. ΔHAD was positively associated with VERASAN-associated improvements in diet diversity and food security. HAZ and WAZ during land preparation were positively associated with diet diversity and HAZ with food security during harvest. HAZ was negatively associated with children visiting the agricultural plot, consuming leafy green vegetables and pre-existing hookworm infections. Both agricultural season and STH influenced ΔWAD. Children in VERASAN for 1 or 5 years experienced growth faltering between land preparation and growing season, but not those new to VERASAN. In contrast, between growing and harvest, ∆WAD declined in children new to VERASAN compared to children in VERASAN for longer. ΔWAD from land preparation to harvest was higher with pre-existing Ascaris infection whereas it was lower between growing season and harvest for pre-existing hookworm infection.

Conclusion

In a context of preschool child growth faltering, malnutrition and STH infections, improved food security, agricultural production and diet diversity associated with VERASAN were associated with improved growth. In contrast, STH infections were negatively associated with some, but not all, growth outcomes.
A practical development protocol for evidence-based digital integrative arts therapy content in public mental health services: digital transformation of mandala art therapy
Authors: Kim Hyungsook , Choi Yoonyoung
Published: September 2023

Introduction

The fundamentals of digital transformation include the conversion of the traditional method into a digital format to develop a standardized system that collects, analyzes, and processes quantitative data. This study aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of the development process and key elements of evidence-based digital integrative arts therapy.

Methods

The “Digital Mandala” service in the “Mental Health App” produced as part of a national public mental health project for personalized depression management is adopted to explain how to convert the existing mandala art therapy into digital format. A living lab approach has been applied, which can be used to address the nation's mental health challenges by promoting collaboration, innovation, and evidence-based solutions.

Results

Evidence-based digital content requires evidence that covers the structural process, the effects of existing methods, and the components and meanings of each detailed scene. In this section, we provide five stages of the development process, including preliminary research, design, development, commercialization, and advancement. Consequently, clinical elements, integrative arts therapy features, and data factors are defined as the key principles of evidence-based digital integrative arts therapy.

Discussion

Based on the data factors found in this study, it will be possible to create an evaluation dataset of digital integrative arts therapy content for managing depression. Additionally, the large-scale public data can be analyzed through artificial intelligence technology, which is expected to be used as a basis for deriving significant results in a new form, going further than the existing evaluation method. This research is significant because it establishes the foundation for digital transformation in the field of art therapy for public mental health services and investigates its potential.
Possible functions of ecdysone signaling reiteratively used in the adult honey bee brain
Authors: Matsumura Yasuhiro , Kohno Hiroki , Kubo Takeo
Published: September 2023

The European honey bee is a model organism for investigating the molecular and neural bases of the brain underlying social behaviors. Mushroom bodies (MBs) are a higher-order center of memory, learning, and sensory integration in insect brains, and honey bee MBs are a model to study adult neuronal plasticity. In the honey bee, MBs comprise three Class I Kenyon cell (KC) subtypes: large-, middle-, and small-type KCs, which are distinguished based on the size and localization of their somata, and gene expression profiles. One of the unique characteristics of honey bee MBs is that genes for ecdysone signaling are expressed in a spatially and temporarily regulated manner in the adult brain, suggesting that they play a role in the functional specialization of each KC subtype and behavioral control. A recent study reported that the transcription factor Mblk-1/E93, which functions downstream of ecdysone signaling during metamorphosis, targets genes involved in synaptic plasticity underlying memory and learning ability in the adult honey bee brain. On the other hand, the ecdysone receptor (EcR), which is expressed in small-type KCs in the MBs, was reported to target genes involved in lipid metabolism in the brain during foraging flight. The target genes for Mblk-1 and EcR in the adult brains differed from those during metamorphosis, implying that the reiterative use of some transcription factors involved in ecdysone signaling, such as EcR and Mblk-1, has contributed to the acquisition of novel MB functions in Aculeata species, including the honey bee.
Spending on farms ripples into the region: agritourism impacts
Authors: Dhungana Purushottam , Khanal Aditya R.
Published: September 2023

Introduction/Purpose

Agritourism is gaining popularity throughout the United States and is an important part of rural and regional development. However, the economic contributions of agritourism, the interface of agriculture and tourism, has received limited attention in regional impact estimation studies. This study was purposed to estimates the regional economic impact of visitor spending in agritourism farms in Tennessee.

Methods

Primary survey data was used from sampled farms in Tennessee and secondary industry-level data. Economic impacts—direct, indirect, and induced—are estimated based on the economic input-output modeling application (IMPLAN) and the social accounting matrix framework.

Result and discussion

We found that an estimated $65 million from visitors' direct spending in agritourism farms contributes to the total industry output of $118.54 million in Tennessee. Additionally, we presented total value added, jobs created, labor incomes, and taxes generated through direct, indirect, and induced effects attributable to visitors' spending in agritourism farms. Our findings indicate that the expansion of agritourism could bring economic development at both the farm and state level, particularly in states like Tennessee, where agriculture is an important industry and tourism is expanding.
Process automation instantiation for intelligence orchestration
Authors: Ramos Edgar , Arumugam Senthamiz Selvi
Published: September 2023

Devices and use case heterogeneity in Internet of Things (IoT) make it challenging to streamline the creation of processes that orchestrate devices that work interactively through actuation and sensing (data generation and data processing) toward fulfilling a goal. This raises the question of what is needed to realize this vision using serverless technologies and leveraging semantic description tools that would eventually complement standards to describe such orchestration in a similar way to microservices (e.g., using TOSCA). This study analyzes the different requirements necessary in such automation description and tests them in some practical use cases in a particular application (vertical agriculture). It also provides a set of analyzed instructions that might be incorporated into a description language or become a definition format for an automation orchestration description to provide the necessary process deployment options and interaction chains between multiple devices and data sources. These instructions are analyzed by implementing an execution deployment engine from the intelligence orchestration concept. The practical utilization of such instructions is verified and tested with the use case.
The role of enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) in promoting quality improvement and patient safety in pediatric urology
Authors: Ha Darren , Harris Kelly T. , Brockel Megan A. , Rove Kyle O.
Published: September 2023

Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) is a set of evidence-based, multidisciplinary protocols that aim to improve the perioperative experience for patients by optimizing factors before, during, and after surgery. Originally developed for adult colorectal surgery, these protocols have expanded and been adopted into the pediatric surgical realm, including pediatric urology. Preoperative interventions are directed toward reducing physiologic and emotional stress prior to surgery, including preoperative education and decreased duration of fasting. Intraoperative interventions are designed to support physiologic homeostasis through maintenance of normothermia and euvolemia, use of regional anesthesia, and minimizing placement of drains. Postoperative interventions seek to reduce the physiologic burden of surgery and restore patients to their functional baseline through early oral intake, early mobilization, and opioid-sparing, multimodal analgesia. ERAS has demonstrated efficacy and safety across a wide variety of surgical subspecialties. In pediatric urology, ERAS has led to earlier return of bowel function, decreased opioid utilization, and shorter hospital length of stay, without an increase in complications compared to prior standard of care. ERAS can thus be seen as a system through which quality improvement (QI) initiatives can be designed and tailored to particular settings and patient populations. This review aims to summarize current data in pediatric urology regarding ERAS elements in the context of QI and patient safety. It will discuss the barriers and future directions of this field, including collaboration with implementation science to facilitate adoption of these protocolized measures more widely.
Edible oil-producing plants in the Sinja Valley, Jumla, Nepal
Authors: Khadka Dipak , Paudel Hem Raj , Luo Binsheng , Ding Mingyan , Basnet Neha , Bhatta Sijar , Aryal Prakash Chandra , Kunwar Ripu M. , Cui Dafang , Shi Shi
Published: September 2023

The indigenous people of Nepal have accumulated knowledge of plants and their uses spanning millennia of oral history, but the current sociodemographic trend threatens the transition of this knowledge. Recording the uses and knowledge of these plants is therefore imperative for revitalizing the traditions and culture and the sustainable use and availability of plant species. We interviewed a total of 80 Sinja Valley residents. We calculated the relative frequency of citations (RFC) of recorded edible oil plants. Using the Kruskal-Wallis test and the Wilcoxon test for gender, the difference in the use of edible oil plants mentioned by age group, education level, and occupation of the respondents was determined. These interviews yielded knowledge on 13 different edible oil-producing plant species (EOPPs) including nine indigenous species and six collected from the wild. EOPPs helped effectively treat 19 disorders with Prunus mira being considered a very good treatment for gastritis. Prinsepia utilis was the most common and frequently used (RFC = 0.99) edible oil-producing plant. Most respondents reported that oil-producing and oil-consuming cultures vary and are decreasing among Sinja Valley residents. The locals were subsistence farmers, and the edible oils for their household purposes were prepared using traditional knowledge. However, the tradition is scourged by commercially-available tawdry oil. In rural areas, the knowledge of edible oil-producing plants has been decimated due to outmigration and sociocultural transformation. Edible oil production from indigenous plants should continue for the culture and conservation of rural livelihood.
Diagnosis and treatment of HS after endoscopic thyroid surgery: case report and brief literature review
Authors: Deng Yuqing , Ding Guoqian
Published: September 2023

Background

Horner’s syndrome (HS) is a rare condition due to damage to the 3-neuron sympathetic pathway anywhere between the posterior-lateral nuclei of the hypothalamus and the oculosympathetic fiber, particularly as a post-thyroidectomy symptom. In this case report, we present a case of HS following endoscopic thyroid surgery (ETS) and briefly review the literature.

Case report

During a routine physical examination, a 29-year-old female patient was incidentally found to have multiple nodules in the right thyroid. She was subsequently admitted to the Department of General Surgery for further examinations and treatment. A fine-needle aspiration biopsy confirmed malignancy in these nodules. As a result, the patient underwent radical resection of the right thyroid and ipsilateral central lymph node dissection using endoscopy. Pathological diagnosis revealed papillary thyroid carcinoma. Unexpectedly, on the third day after the operation, the patient was diagnosed with Horner’s syndrome based on the presence of miosis and ptosis. After 1 week of follow-up, the symptoms related to HS significantly improved.

Conclusion

Horner’s syndrome is an uncommon complication of thyroidectomy in patients undergoing ETS. Therefore, it is crucial to perform careful operations and minimize iatrogenic surgical damage to reduce the incidence of HS. This case serves as a reminder that making rational judgments and implementing appropriate measures are essential for achieving a favorable prognosis and preserving facial esthetics.
Synthetic biology encompasses metagenomics, ecosystems, and biodiversity sustainability within its scope
Authors: Levin David B. , Budisa Nediljko
Published: September 2023

We envision the convergence of synthetic biology (SynBio) and metagenomics as a significant development for the engineering of complex biological systems. The entire biosphere with its diverse life forms can also be considered as a reservoir for evolutionary innovations and a source of modules for SynBio. Metagenomics, which is a large part of biodiversity, should be considered as an important source of modules. The abstraction hierarchy of amalgamating SynBio and metagenomics (“synthetic metagenomics”) entails the standardized integration of parts, devices, circuits, and modules into functional chassis. These principles transcend the boundaries of single cell design and apply to the engineering of biodiversity sustainability in multicellular entities, their interconnections, and their dynamics in communities and whole ecosystems. Examples include applications in environmental sustainability, such as analysis of antimicrobial resistance in waste management, bioremediation of oil spills, and degradation of plastics. Future research and experimental interventions will ultimately provide a strong link between bioengineering, metagenomics, microbial consortia, ecosystems, and biodiversity sustainability under the umbrella of synthetic biology.