bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Life as Aftermath: Social Theory for an Age of Anthropogenic Biology
Authors: Landecker Hannah
Published: March 2024

Anthropogenic pressures now shape the development, interrelations, and evolution of microbes, plants, animals, and humans. In an age of oxidative stress and failures of DNA repair, cytokine storms and microbial dysbiosis, social scientific theory stutters in the face of biological consequences of forces it masterfully detailed, from biopower to looping kinds. Concepts of the fallibility of knowledge from the unanticipated consequence to the wicked problem are too generic to fathom the nature of the living within reconfigured biotic-abiotic relations in the aftermath of industrialization. Working through examples—genetic modification in weed control, and solvents in cryobiology—this paper offers a novel analytic for anthropogenic biology specific to the relations between knowledge and life in the wake of the industrial twentieth century: a novel patterning of living matter and process from the molecular to the ecological arising with forms of biological control. Changes in pathogens and hosts, targets and bystanders are specific to the form of control but not anticipated by it, illegible within its originating logics. Hubris gone moldy, anthropogenic biology grows from forms of power that overestimate the comprehensiveness of their own efficacy, mistaking the ability to temporarily control living things for full knowledge of them.
Venturing into a New Business: Do Self-efficacy and Risk-taking Propensity Help?
Authors: Shukla Shalini , Kumar Rakesh
Published: March 2024

India, the most populated country, faces the challenges of providing jobs to eligible candidates. Therefore, the promotion of entrepreneurship and the development of an ecosystem of start-ups are highly required. For any country, start-ups and new business ventures are important pillars of economic development. Therefore, college students must be encouraged and trained to become job-givers rather than job-seekers by venturing into a new business. Keeping the present scenario of India as a pivotal point, the study aims to examine the entrepreneurial intention (EI) of college students towards venturing into new businesses. The current study utilizes Ajzen’s (1991) theory of planned behaviour (TPB model), which is a widely used theoretical framework in entrepreneurship research. The study mainly investigates the role of entrepreneurial self-efficacy and risk-taking propensity in developing EIs among college students. A quantitative research design was used to achieve the stated objective of the study. An extensive literature review has been conducted to formulate the questionnaire. All variables were measured using the five-point Likert scale. Moreover, age, gender and exposure to family business were taken as control variables. Three hundred seventy-four responses were collected and analysed using structural equation modelling with Amos 22.0. The results demonstrated that all three variables concerning the TPB model, i.e., attitude, subjective norms and perceived feasibility, positively influence EIs. In addition, entrepreneurial self-efficacy affects EIs both directly and indirectly through perceived feasibility, while the effect of risk-taking propensity is fully mediated by attitude. The study produced meaningful theoretical and practical implications. Theoretically, the study contributes to entrepreneurial literature by signifying the role of self-efficacy and risk-taking propensity in forming EIs. The study also provides insights that may benefit policymakers and governments in formulating appropriate plans to boost EIs among students.
Reminding May Not Be Enough: Overcoming the Male Dominance of the Generic Masculine
Authors: Rothermund Patrick , Strack Fritz
Published: March 2024

In gender-marked languages, masculine and feminine grammatical forms are distinct, with the masculine form also used for gender-mixed groups (generic masculine). Previous research indicates that the generic masculine elicits male-biased representations. Psychologically, this may be due to a misunderstanding of the communicative intention, an automatic activation of male associations, or both. In two preregistered experiments, we tested whether the male bias is affected by emphasizing the generic intention. Adding contextual information that conveyed a group's gender-mixed composition eliminated the male bias (Study 1). However, the male bias remained robust when continuously reminding participants of the generic intention via a novel grammatical marker (Study 2). These results suggest that the male bias is partly driven by associative processes that are immune against a purely explicit disambiguation of the generic intention.
True and False Worship in the Prophecy of Zephaniah
Authors: Goswell Gregory
Published: March 2024

In the prophecy of Zephaniah, the fate of Judah and that of foreign nations in the purposes of God are intertwined, both in regard to judgement and salvation. Judah needs to learn from God’s dealings with the nations. God’s verdict and judgement on the nations (1.14–18; 2.4–15) are lessons for sinful Jerusalem, which is under the same threat (2.1–3; 3.1–8). Likewise, but more positively, and this is the focus of the present article, cultic unfaithfulness in contemporary Judah (1.4–6) is set in contrast to the prospect of future cultic devotion to Yhwh by the nations of the world (2.11b; 3.9–10). The prediction of God’s favourable dealings with the nations of the world is a salutary lesson to the Judahites and should motivate them to reform the cult and faithfully serve Yhwh.
Public Harassment of Runners in the United States: Differences by Gender and Sexual Orientation
Authors: Davis Cassandra N. , Huber Kayla A. , Frazier Patricia A.
Published: March 2024

We investigated runners’ experiences of public harassment and the association between gender and sexual orientation and harassment. We hypothesized that cisgender women and LGBQ+ individuals would report more harassment, fear of harassment, and behavioral changes than cisgender men and straight individuals. Adult United States runners ( N = 1,645, primarily cisgender women) completed an online survey assessing lifetime and past-year experiences of harassment, fear, behavioral changes, and harassment attributions. Most participants (84.2%) reported at least one form of harassment while running ( M = 3.55 types). Gender interacted with sexual orientation such that sexual minority cisgender women reported significantly more lifetime and past-year harassment than straight cisgender women ( gs = 0.44–0.45). For fear and behavioral changes, only gender was significant, with cisgender women reporting more fear and behavioral changes than cisgender men ( gs = 0.99–1.06). Cisgender women also were more likely than cisgender men to attribute the harassment to gender (ϕ = .70). LGBQ+ individuals reported significantly more attributions to sexual orientation (ϕ = .16) than straight individuals but not more fear or behavioral changes. This study, the largest investigation of harassment among runners, highlights the need for prevention campaigns to make public spaces safer for all runners.
Influence of rotor impeller structure on performance improvement of suspended axial flow blood pumps
Authors: Wang Liang , Yun Zhong , Tang Xiaoyan , Xiang Chuang
Published: March 2024

Background:

The hydrodynamic suspension structure design of the axial blood pump impeller can avoid the problems associated with using mechanical bearings. However, the particular impeller structure will impact the hydraulic performance and hemolysis of the blood pump.

Method:

This article combines computational fluid dynamics (CFD) with the Lagrange particle tracking method, aiming to improve the blood pump’s hydraulic and hemolysis performance. It analyzes the flow characteristics and hemolysis performance inside the pump. It optimizes the taper of the impeller hub, the number of blades, and the inclination angle of the circumferential groove at the top of the blade.

Results:

Under certain rotational speed conditions, an increase in the taper of the impeller hub or the number of blades can increase the pumping pressure of a blood pump, but an increase in the number of blades will reduce the flow rate. The design of circumferential grooves at the top of the blade can increase the pumping pressure to a certain extent, with little impact on the hemolysis performance. The impeller structure is optimized based on the estimated hemolysis of each impeller model blood pump. It could be seen that when the pump blood pressure and flow rate were reached, the optimized impeller speed was reduced by 11.4%, and the estimated hemolysis value was reduced by 10.5%.

Conclusion:

In this paper, the rotor impeller structure of the blood pump was optimized to improve the hydraulic and hemolytic performance effectively, which can provide a reference for the related research of the axial flow blood pump using hydraulic suspension.
Interpretable Siamese dual attention enhancement transfer compound diagnostic model for unbalanced samples
Authors: Xu Kun , Li Shunming , Miao Xiaodong , Wang Hua , Li Ranran
Published: March 2024

The intelligent transfer diagnosis model is used to address the issue of feature drift caused by the changing working conditions of rotating parts in engineering. However, few models can perform transfer diagnosis on multiple unbalanced samples of rotating parts simultaneously, and even fewer models can visually enhance the domain-invariant features, making them more interpretable. To address these issues, we propose a novel interpretable Siamese dual attention enhancement transfer compound diagnosis model for unbalanced samples. The model can diagnose multiple rotating parts simultaneously and consists of a channel feature attention enhancement (CFAE) network, a fragment feature attention enhancement (FFAE) network, and a Siamese feature fusion (SFF) network. The CFAE network enhances features of different convolutional channels, the FFAE network improves segment features in various frequency domains, and the SFF network extracts domain-invariant features of diverse rotating components under varying working conditions. The model is validated using bearing fault data collected under different loads and planetary gear fault data obtained at varying speeds. Its diagnostic accuracy remains above 96.4%, and the diagnostic variance is controlled within 1.0%. The model has good interpretability for imbalanced sample domain-invariant features, providing an effective tool for interpretable transfer diagnosis in this compound engineering situation.
Influence of different verbal cue types on countermovement jump performance in youth female athletes
Authors: Drury B , Singh H , Larkin H , Behm D , Protheroe L , Moran J
Published: March 2024

Although external (EXT) verbal cues have been shown to improve jump performance, limited research has been conducted in youth athletes. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate how different EXT verbal cue types influenced countermovement jump (CMJ) performance in youth athletes. Ten young trained female athletes (16.80 ± 0.60 years) performed the CMJ using four different EXT verbal cues including external-distal (DIST), external-proximal (PROX), analogy (ANA) and holistic (HOL) as well as a neutral cue (CON). Jump height, reactive strength index modified (RSIMOD), countermovement depth, jump time and force-time measures from eccentric and concentric CMJ subphases were measured. No significant differences between cue types were found for RSIMOD. ANA resulted in significantly higher jump height compared to CON ( g = 0.37). PROX significantly increased jump time ( g = 0.60), concentric time ( g = 0.47) and braking time ( g = 0.52), as well as significantly decreasing eccentric braking mean force ( g = 0.43) and eccentric braking rate of force development ( g = 0.59) compared to CON. Countermovement depth significantly increased when using PROX ( g = 0.60), HOL ( g = 0.46) and ANA ( g = 0.51) compared to CON. These results suggest that compared to a neutral cue, EXT verbal cues result in similar CMJ performance in trained youth athletes. However, PROX verbal cues appear to result in reduced performance in many CMJ force-time measures.
Histological sarcomatoid transformation in a lung adenocarcinoma patient following immune checkpoint blockade
Authors: Liang Xiuju , Guan Yaping , Wang Baocheng , Liu Xiaohong , Wang Jun
Published: March 2024

Histological transformation is a phenomenon that is well described as one of the causes of tyrosine kinase inhibitor resistance in oncogene-driven non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The use of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) as a potential mechanism of acquired resistance to immunotherapy in NSCLC to small-cell lung cancer was also recently found. Here, we report the histological transformation of sarcomatoid carcinoma and metastasis in a lung adenocarcinoma patient without targetable genetic alterations who experienced long-term disease remission after nivolumab therapy. The patient subsequently developed rapid progression in the mediastinal and retroperitoneal lymph nodes, bones, and small intestine. Surgical resection of the small intestine lesion due to acute small intestine bleeding revealed the transformation of NSCLC to sarcomatoid carcinoma. The patient died 3 months after sarcomatoid carcinoma transformation and extensive disease progression, although he was rechallenged with immunotherapy. Genomic and immunohistochemical analyses revealed a comparable abundance of gene mutations and a limited number of immune cells in the tumor microenvironment, with low infiltration of CD8+ T cells, CD4+ T cells, regulatory T cells, and PD-L1+ macrophages in metastatic tumors, revealing a noninflamed immune microenvironment for ICI-resistant tumors.
Comparison of conventional mathematical model and machine learning model based on recent advances in mathematical models for predicting diabetic kidney disease
Authors: Sheng Yingda , Zhang Caimei , Huang Jing , Wang Dan , Xiao Qian , Zhang Haocheng , Ha Xiaoqin
Published: March 2024

Previous research suggests that mathematical models could serve as valuable tools for diagnosing or predicting diseases like diabetic kidney disease, which often necessitate invasive examinations for conclusive diagnosis. In the big-data era, there are several mathematical modeling methods, but generally, two types are recognized: conventional mathematical model and machine learning model. Each modeling method has its advantages and disadvantages, but a thorough comparison of the two models is lacking. In this article, we describe and briefly compare the conventional mathematical model and machine learning model, and provide research prospects in this field.
Animal Enjoinments and the Social Control of Animal Offenders: Geographic Hot–Cold Spot Evidence of Racial and Income Bias in the Enforcement of Animal Protection Regulations
Authors: Lynch Michael , Genco Leo J.
Published: March 2024

A large body of research examining crimes against animals exists. An overlooked question in that literature is whether animal social control responses contain race, class and ethnicity processing biases against offenders similar to those found in criminal justice outcomes. Addressing that possibility, the current study examined the geographic distribution of civil animal enjoinments employed to suspend an individual's pet ownership rights. SaTScan© was employed to identify census-tract level hot/cold spots for animal enjoinments. The analysis indicated that hot/cold spots were statistically associated with census-tract race, ethnicity and income characteristics. Thus, while enjoinments may protect some animals from harm, the enjoinment process itself contains evidence of discrimination, suggesting that enjoinments may reflect perceptions of social disorganization rather than the actual distribution of animal crimes.
LAMinar Flow: Sterol Transport in a Pathogenic Yeast
Authors: Choy Hau Lam , Gaylord Elizabeth Anne , Doering Tamara Lea
Published: March 2024

Cryptococcus neoformans is an important fungal pathogen, responsible for over 140,000 deaths per year worldwide. Like other yeasts, C. neoformans relies on ergosterol as its major membrane sterol and carefully regulates its synthesis and distribution. Ergosterol is also targeted by two of the three compound classes currently used to treat cryptococcal infection. We recently reported the discovery and characterization in C. neoformans of a single retrograde ergosterol transporter of the LAM family, Ysp2. Here we review these findings and discuss directions for future research, including the connections between processes that are perturbed by the absence of Ysp2 (which also abrogates cryptococcal virulence) and possible roles for Ysp2 and other, as yet unknown, lipid transport proteins in this organism.
Protocol of a cross-sectional, multicentre and multidisciplinary study describing phenotype and burden of a midfacial segment pain
Authors: Straburzyński Marcin , Agius Adrian M , Boczarska-Jedynak Magdalena , Brożek-Mądry Eliza , Dżaman Karolina , Kwinta Elżbieta Gradek , Gryglas-Dworak Anna , Nowaczewska Magdalena , Sama Anshul , Smardz Joanna , Tsang Hoo Kee , Więckiewicz Mieszko , Waliszewska-Prosół Marta
Published: March 2024

Background:

Midfacial segment pain is a term used in the past in the diagnosis of patients mainly from ear, nose and throat clinics. This type of pain cannot be attributed to other primary or secondary facial pain, but is to a large extent similar to tension-type headache with midfacial location. The purpose of this study is to describe midfacial segment pain phenotype, burden and comorbidities in a multicentre and multidisciplinary setting. The ultimate goal is a comprehensive description of this type of pain allowing for its implementation in future classifications.

Methods:

This cross-sectional study is designed to describe midfacial segment pain in a clinical setting. Patients from rhinologic, headache and facial pain or oral medicine/dentistry secondary care centres will be recruited during a 1 year period. Individuals with other facial pain according to current classification such as sinonasal disorders, neoplasms, local infections, history of significant trauma associated with pain onset will be excluded. Data will be collected through a structured questionnaire covering pain characteristics, coexisting diagnoses, pain-related burden and consequences, physical examination and paranasal sinuses imaging.
Site-specific stochastic ground motion model utilizing deterministic physics-informed simulations: A Bayesian approach
Authors: Senthil Naveen , Lin Ting
Published: March 2024

Limited availability of recorded ground motions poses a challenge for reliable probabilistic seismic-hazard analysis (PSHA), even in highly seismic regions like the Western United States. Stochastic ground motions are commonly employed to address this challenge. However, the stochastic ground motion models (GMMs) may not consistently generate ground motions compatible with the site hazard due to their calibration using global data, failing to capture site-specific characteristics adequately. In the absence of recorded motions, physics-informed simulations provide a viable alternative but are deterministic with limitations of their own that makes them challenging to support PSHA. This article introduces a Bayesian framework that combines prior knowledge from a stochastic GMM, calibrated with global data, with site-specific data obtained from deterministic physics-informed simulations. The proposed framework utilizes the Rezaeian–Der Kiureghian (2010) model as the stochastic GMM and incorporates site-specific data from the CyberShake 15.12 study. By updating the mean and variance of the predictive relationships, along with the marginal distribution of the model parameters, through Bayesian inference, this framework allows for the simulation of site-specific ground motions consistent with the site characteristics. The statistics of peak ground acceleration distributions, as well as both the median and variability of the elastic response spectra, obtained from the calibrated stochastic GMM, demonstrate consistency with those derived using GMMs based on the Next Generation Attenuation (NGA) database.
Liquefaction-induced ground and building interactions in İskenderun from the 2023 Kahramanmaraş earthquake sequence
Authors: Moug Diane M , Bray Jonathan D , Bassal Patrick , Macedo Jorge , Ulmer Kristin , Cetin K Önder , Kendır Sena Begüm , Şahin Arda , Arnold Cody , Bikçe Murat
Published: March 2024

Significant and widespread liquefaction occurred in İskenderun during the 2023 moment magnitude (Mw) 7.8 Kahramanmaraş earthquake. Liquefaction effects on buildings were observed in several areas of İskenderun, predominantly in areas of reclaimed land and near historic shorelines. Liquefaction-induced building settlements were particularly concentrated in the Çay District, which is almost entirely reclaimed land. Liquefaction-induced ground and building settlements were either marginal or not apparent in areas away from the historical shorelines. Building settlement and ground deformation were documented at 26 buildings in İskenderun through lidar scans and laser-level hand measurements. Liquefaction-induced building settlements ranged from 0 to 740 mm. Building-ground interactions were evident from hogging ground deformations, including cases where buildings deformed nearby ground and damaged nearby buildings, and sagging buildings. Historic land development affected the spatial extent of observed liquefaction-induced building damage. Representative liquefaction-induced building settlement and building interaction case histories are discussed and key insights are shared.
Fully semantic segmentation for rectal cancer based on post-nCRT MRl modality and deep learning framework
Authors: Xia Shaojun , Li Qingyang , Zhu Hai-Tao , Zhang Xiao-Yan , Shi Yan-Jie , Yang Ding , Wu Jiaqi , Guan Zhen , Lu Qiaoyuan , Li Xiao-Ting , Sun Ying-Shi
Published: March 2024

Purpose

Rectal tumor segmentation on post neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (nCRT) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has great significance for tumor measurement, radiomics analysis, treatment planning, and operative strategy. In this study, we developed and evaluated segmentation potential exclusively on post-chemoradiation T2-weighted MRI using convolutional neural networks, with the aim of reducing the detection workload for radiologists and clinicians.

Methods

A total of 372 consecutive patients with LARC were retrospectively enrolled from October 2015 to December 2017. The standard-of-care neoadjuvant process included 22-fraction intensity-modulated radiation therapy and oral capecitabine. Further, 243 patients (3061 slices) were grouped into training and validation datasets with a random 80:20 split, and 41 patients (408 slices) were used as the test dataset. A symmetric eight-layer deep network was developed using the nnU-Net Framework, which outputs the segmentation result with the same size. The trained deep learning (DL) network was examined using fivefold cross-validation and tumor lesions with different TRGs.

Results

At the stage of testing, the Dice similarity coefficient (DSC), 95% Hausdorff distance (HD95), and mean surface distance (MSD) were applied to quantitatively evaluate the performance of generalization. Considering the test dataset (41 patients, 408 slices), the average DSC, HD95, and MSD were 0.700 (95% CI: 0.680–0.720), 17.73 mm (95% CI: 16.08–19.39), and 3.11 mm (95% CI: 2.67–3.56), respectively. Eighty-two percent of the MSD values were less than 5 mm, and fifty-five percent were less than 2 mm (median 1.62 mm, minimum 0.07 mm).

Conclusions

The experimental results indicated that the constructed pipeline could achieve relatively high accuracy. Future work will focus on assessing the performances with multicentre external validation.
Retinochoroiditis secondary to Rickettsia typhi infection: a case report
Authors: Makhoul Joanne , Ben-Arie-Weintrob Yael , Ben Ephraim Noyman Dror
Published: March 2024

Background

To report a case of unusual presentation of retinochoroiditis caused by Rickettsia typhi in a patient without prior uveitis.

Case presentation

In this case, we describe a 24-year-old male soldier with no previous eye disease, who was referred to our ophthalmology department due to bilateral retinochoroiditis and vitritis. The patient initially presented with a paracentral scotoma in his right eye persisting for 7 days and scattered dark spots in his left eye for 2 days in June 2023. Preceding these ocular symptoms, he experienced a two-week episode of fever, headaches, night sweats, and rapid weight loss of 10 kg. A transient rash covered his body briefly. His mother had a history of recurrent eye inflammation.

Physical examination revealed bilateral keratic precipitates on the lower corneal periphery, 1 + anterior vitreous cells, small retinal lesions and mild optic discs elevation. Fluorescein angiography indicated mild discs hyperfluorescence, and the clinically visible round punctate lesions on OCT showed inner retinal hyper-reflective lesion with a depth till outer plexiform layer possibly suggestive of a retinitis lesion. Laboratory tests were normal except thrombocytosis, elevated ESR, liver enzymes and ACE levels, with positive Rickettsia typhi serology tests.

Rheumatology and infectious disease consultations ruled out autoimmune diseases, confirming Rickettsia typhi infection. Treatment included systemic doxycycline and prednisone, with improvement of visual acuity, ocular symptoms, OCT abnormalities and resolution of inflammation. Prednisone was discontinued, and after two months, additional improvement was seen clinically, with preserved retinal structures on OCT.

Conclusion

This study explores retinochoroiditis as a rare ocular presentation of Rickettsia typhi, an unusual infection in the Middle East. Previously reported ocular manifestations include conjunctivitis, vitritis, post infectious optic neuropathy and a few cases of uveitis. Ocular symptoms followed systemic illness, highlighting the need for awareness among clinicians. Diagnosis relies on seroconversion, with fluorescein angiography and OCT aiding in assessment. Empiric doxycycline and systemic corticosteroid therapy is recommended. Ocular symptoms resolved in two months. Awareness of these ocular manifestations is essential for timely diagnosis and management. Further research is needed to fully understand this aspect of murine typhus.
Differences of respiratory mechanics in mechanical ventilation of acute respiratory distress syndrome between patients with COVID-19 and Influenza A
Authors: Chung Eunki , Leem Ah Young , Chung Kyung Soo , Kang Young Ae , Park Moo Suk , Kim Young Sam , Jang Hye Jin , Lee Su Hwan
Published: March 2024

Background

Whether COVID-19-induced acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) should be approached differently in terms of mechanical ventilation therapy compared to other virus-induced ARDS is debatable. Therefore, we aimed to ascertain whether the respiratory mechanical characteristics of COVID-19-induced ARDS differ from those of influenza A induced ARDS, in order to establish a rationale for mechanical ventilation therapy in COVID-19-induced ARDS.

Methods

This was a retrospective cohort study comparing patients with COVID-19-induced ARDS and influenza A induced ARDS. We included intensive care unit (ICU) patients with COVID-19 or Influenza A aged ≥ 19, who were diagnosed with ARDS according to the Berlin definition between January 2015 and July 2021. Ventilation parameters for respiratory mechanics were collected at specific times on days one, three, and seven after intubation.

Results

The median age of the 87 participants was 71.0 (62.0–78.0) years old, and 63.2% were male. The ratio of partial pressure of oxygen in arterial blood to the fractional of inspiratory oxygen concentration in COVID-19-induced ARDS was lower than that in influenza A induced ARDS during the initial stages of mechanical ventilation (influenza A induced ARDS 216.1 vs. COVID-19-induced ARDS 167.9, p = 0.009, day 1). The positive end expiratory pressure remained consistently higher in the COVID-19 group throughout the follow-up period (7.0 vs. 10.0, p < 0.001, day 1). COVID-19 and influenza A initially showed different directions for peak inspiratory pressure and dynamic compliance; however, after day 3, both groups exhibited similar directions. Dynamic driving pressure exhibited opposite trends between the two groups during mechanical ventilation.

Conclusions

Respiratory mechanics show clear differences between COVID-19-induced ARDS and influenza A induced ARDS. Based on these findings, we can consider future treatment strategies for COVID-19-induced ARDS.
Role of myeloid cells in ischemic retinopathies: recent advances and unanswered questions
Authors: Shahror Rami A. , Morris Carol A. , Mohammed Aya A. , Wild Melissa , Zaman Bushra , Mitchell Christian D. , Phillips Paul H. , Rusch Nancy J. , Shosha Esraa , Fouda Abdelrahman Y.
Published: March 2024

Myeloid cells including microglia and macrophages play crucial roles in retinal homeostasis by clearing cellular debris and regulating inflammation. These cells are activated in several blinding ischemic retinal diseases including diabetic retinopathy, where they may exert both beneficial and detrimental effects on neurovascular function and angiogenesis. Myeloid cells impact the progression of retinal pathologies and recent studies suggest that targeting myeloid cells is a promising therapeutic strategy to mitigate diabetic retinopathy and other ischemic retinal diseases. This review summarizes the recent advances in our understanding of the role of microglia and macrophages in retinal diseases and focuses on the effects of myeloid cells on neurovascular injury and angiogenesis in ischemic retinopathies. We highlight gaps in knowledge and advocate for a more detailed understanding of the role of myeloid cells in retinal ischemic injury to fully unlock the potential of targeting myeloid cells as a therapeutic strategy for retinal ischemia.
Validating the accuracy of real-time phase-contrast MRI and quantifying the effects of free breathing on cerebrospinal fluid dynamics
Authors: Liu Pan , Owashi Kimi , Monnier Heimiri , Metanbou Serge , Capel Cyrille , Balédent Olivier
Published: March 2024

Background

Understanding of the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) circulation is essential for physiological studies and clinical diagnosis. Real-time phase contrast sequences (RT-PC) can quantify beat-to-beat CSF flow signals. However, the detailed effects of free-breathing on CSF parameters are not fully understood. This study aims to validate RT-PC’s accuracy by comparing it with the conventional phase-contrast sequence (CINE-PC) and quantify the effect of free-breathing on CSF parameters at the intracranial and extracranial levels using a time-domain multiparametric analysis method.

Methods

Thirty-six healthy participants underwent MRI in a 3T scanner for CSF oscillations quantification at the cervical spine (C2-C3) and Sylvian aqueduct, using CINE-PC and RT-PC. CINE-PC uses 32 velocity maps to represent dynamic CSF flow over an average cardiac cycle, while RT-PC continuously quantifies CSF flow over 45-seconds. Free-breathing signals were recorded from 25 participants. RT-PC signal was segmented into independent cardiac cycle flow curves (Qt) and reconstructed into an averaged Qt. To assess RT-PC’s accuracy, parameters such as segmented area, flow amplitude, and stroke volume (SV) of the reconstructed Qt from RT-PC were compared with those derived from the averaged Qt generated by CINE-PC. The breathing signal was used to categorize the Qt into expiratory or inspiratory phases, enabling the reconstruction of two Qt for inspiration and expiration. The breathing effects on various CSF parameters can be quantified by comparing these two reconstructed Qt.

Results

RT-PC overestimated CSF area (82.7% at aqueduct, 11.5% at C2-C3) compared to CINE-PC. Stroke volumes for CINE-PC were 615 mm³ (aqueduct) and 43 mm³ (spinal), and 581 mm³ (aqueduct) and 46 mm³ (spinal) for RT-PC. During thoracic pressure increase, spinal CSF net flow, flow amplitude, SV, and cardiac period increased by 6.3%, 6.8%, 14%, and 6%, respectively. Breathing effects on net flow showed a significant phase difference compared to the other parameters. Aqueduct-CSF flows were more affected by breathing than spinal-CSF.

Conclusions

RT-PC accurately quantifies CSF oscillations in real-time and eliminates the need for cardiac synchronization, enabling the quantification of the cardiac and breathing components of CSF flow. This study quantifies the impact of free-breathing on CSF parameters, offering valuable physiological references for understanding the effects of breathing on CSF dynamics.
Effects of ultrasound-guided lumbar plexus and sacral plexus block combined with general anesthesia on the anesthetic efficacy and surgical outcomes in elderly patients undergoing intertrochanteric fracture surgery: a randomized controlled trial
Authors: Feng Ji , Tang Guangyan , Shui Yunhua , Xiang Jilin , Qin Zhijun
Published: March 2024

Background

Surgery for intertrochanteric fractures in elderly patients is challenging due to the risk of severe pain and significant stress responses. We investigated the effects of a combined approach of ultrasound-guided lumbar plexus and sacral plexus block with general anesthesia on anesthetic efficacy and surgical outcomes in these patients.

Methods

A randomized controlled trial was conducted involving 150 elderly patients, divided into two groups: the combined anesthesia group (receiving ultrasound-guided lumbar plexus and sacral plexus block along with general anesthesia) and the general anesthesia alone group. Outcome measures included hemodynamic parameters, postoperative pain levels (VAS scores), postoperative recovery times, and incidence of adverse reactions.

Results

In the combined anesthesia group, the patients had more stable intraoperative hemodynamics, lower postoperative VAS scores at 1, 3, and 6 h, and faster recovery times (eye-opening upon command and return of respiratory function) compared to the general anesthesia group. Furthermore, the incidence of adverse reactions was significantly lower in the combined anesthesia group.

Conclusions

Ultrasound-guided lumbar plexus and sacral plexus block combined with general anesthesia enhanced the anesthetic efficacy and improved surgical outcomes in elderly patients undergoing intertrochanteric fracture surgery.
Pathophysiology of acute lung injury in patients with acute brain injury: the triple-hit hypothesis
Authors: Ziaka Mairi , Exadaktylos Aristomenis
Published: March 2024

It has been convincingly demonstrated in recent years that isolated acute brain injury (ABI) may cause severe dysfunction of peripheral extracranial organs and systems. Of all potential target organs and systems, the lung appears to be the most vulnerable to damage after ABI. The pathophysiology of the bidirectional brain–lung interactions is multifactorial and involves inflammatory cascades, immune suppression, and dysfunction of the autonomic system. Indeed, the systemic effects of inflammatory mediators in patients with ABI create a systemic inflammatory environment (“first hit”) that makes extracranial organs vulnerable to secondary procedures that enhance inflammation, such as mechanical ventilation (MV), surgery, and infections (“second hit”). Moreover, accumulating evidence supports the knowledge that gut microbiota constitutes a critical superorganism and an organ on its own, potentially modifying various physiological functions of the host. Furthermore, experimental and clinical data suggest the existence of a communication network among the brain, gastrointestinal tract, and its microbiome, which appears to regulate immune responses, gastrointestinal function, brain function, behavior, and stress responses, also named the “gut-microbiome–brain axis.” Additionally, recent research evidence has highlighted a crucial interplay between the intestinal microbiota and the lungs, referred to as the “gut-lung axis,” in which alterations during critical illness could result in bacterial translocation, sustained inflammation, lung injury, and pulmonary fibrosis. In the present work, we aimed to further elucidate the pathophysiology of acute lung injury (ALI) in patients with ABI by attempting to develop the “double-hit” theory, proposing the “triple-hit” hypothesis, focused on the influence of the gut–lung axis on the lung. Particularly, we propose, in addition to sympathetic hyperactivity, blast theory, and double-hit theory, that dysbiosis and intestinal dysfunction in the context of ABI alter the gut–lung axis, resulting in the development or further aggravation of existing ALI, which constitutes the “third hit.”
Applicability and improvement of different potential evapotranspiration models in different climate zones of China
Authors: Li Zedong , Li Yiran , Yu Xinxiao , Jia Guodong , Chen Peng , Zheng Pengfei , Wang Yusong , Ding Bingbing
Published: March 2024

Background

Accurate estimation of potential evapotranspiration (PET) is the key for studying land-air interaction hydrological processes. Several models are used to estimate the PET based on standardized meteorological data. Although combination-based models have the highest level performance estimation of PET, they require more meteorological data and may therefore be difficult to apply in areas lacking meteorological observation data.

Results

The results showed significant differences in the spatial trends of PET calculated by different models in China, the Doorenbots–Pruitts model revealed the highest PET (1902.6 mm), and the Kuzmin model revealed the lowest PET (349.6 mm), with the largest difference being 5.5 times. The Romanenko and the Rohwer models were the recommended temperature-based and aerodynamic-based models. On the other hand, the Abtew model was more suitable for arid and semi-arid regions, while the Priestley–Taylor model was more suitable for humid regions. Combination-based models revealed ideal calculation accuracies, among which the Penman–Monteith model was the best option for PET calculation.

Conclusions

The accuracy range of Romanenko, Rohwer, Abten, Priestley Taylor, and Penman Monteith models improved in MPZ and TCZ is higher than that improved in TMZ and SMZ. This does not mean that the improved models have higher accuracy in MPZ and TCZ than in TMZ and SMZ. On the contrary, the original model performed poorly in MPZ and TCZ, so the improved accuracy was relatively large. The unimproved model was already more suitable in TMZ and SMZ, so the improved accuracy was relatively small. Therefore, regional calibration of the PET models can improve the accuracy and applicability of PET calculation, providing a reference for studying hydrological processes in different climatic zones.
Impact of participation in social capital networks on the technical efficiency of maize producers in Southwest Nigeria
Authors: Kehinde Ayodeji D. , Ojo Temitope O. , Ogundeji Abiodun A.
Published: March 2024

Maize is a staple food and one of the important sources of starch for many households. However, maize yield in Nigeria remains one of the lowest in sub-Saharan Africa. Providing agricultural credit to farmers cannot be disregarded because it has a significant impact on maize productivity. As a result of this capital investment through social capital networks is needed to improve maize productivity. This study investigated the impact of participation in social capital networks on the technical efficiency of maize producers in Southwestern Nigeria. The multistage sampling procedure was to select about 300 respondents for the study. The data were analysed using Hurdle Negative Binomial (HNB) and Endogeneity Stochastic Frontier models. According to the first hurdle result, the decision to join social capital networks is significantly influenced by age, age square, household size, gender, and access to credit. According to the second hurdle results, the level of participation in social capital networks is significantly influenced by age, age squared, household size, experience, gender, and access to credit. The Endogeneity Stochastic frontier model shows that the average technical efficiency of 65% in maize production. Maize seed, fertilizer, agrochemicals, labour, and farm size influence the technical efficiency of maize farmers. However, participation in social capital networks, as well as socioeconomic characteristics of the farmers including household size, years of education, years of experience, and extension contact, are the sources of technical inefficiencies in maize production. The study concludes that participation in social capital networks has a positive and significant effect on the technical efficiency of maize farmers. This study recommends that agricultural programmes targeted at efficient maize production should consider maize farmers participating in social groups. Therefore, more social capital networks should be established and participation of maize farmers in the social capital networks should be encouraged to access social capital and improve their production.
The astounding exhaustiveness and speed of the Astral mass analyzer for highly complex samples is a quantum leap in the functional analysis of microbiomes
Authors: Dumas Thibaut , Martinez Pinna Roxana , Lozano Clément , Radau Sonja , Pible Olivier , Grenga Lucia , Armengaud Jean
Published: March 2024

Background

By analyzing the proteins which are the workhorses of biological systems, metaproteomics allows us to list the taxa present in any microbiota, monitor their relative biomass, and characterize the functioning of complex biological systems.

Results

Here, we present a new strategy for rapidly determining the microbial community structure of a given sample and designing a customized protein sequence database to optimally exploit extensive tandem mass spectrometry data. This approach leverages the capabilities of the first generation of Quadrupole Orbitrap mass spectrometer incorporating an asymmetric track lossless (Astral) analyzer, offering rapid MS/MS scan speed and sensitivity. We took advantage of data-dependent acquisition and data-independent acquisition strategies using a peptide extract from a human fecal sample spiked with precise amounts of peptides from two reference bacteria.

Conclusions

Our approach, which combines both acquisition methods, proves to be time-efficient while processing extensive generic databases and massive datasets, achieving a coverage of more than 122,000 unique peptides and 38,000 protein groups within a 30-min DIA run. This marks a significant departure from current state-of-the-art metaproteomics methodologies, resulting in broader coverage of the metabolic pathways governing the biological system. In combination, our strategy and the Astral mass analyzer represent a quantum leap in the functional analysis of microbiomes.
Enhancing the endo-activity of the thermophilic chitinase to yield chitooligosaccharides with high degrees of polymerization
Authors: Guan Feifei , Tian Xiaoqian , Zhang Ruohan , Zhang Yan , Wu Ningfeng , Sun Jilu , Zhang Honglian , Tu Tao , Luo Huiying , Yao Bin , Tian Jian , Huang Huoqing
Published: March 2024

Thermophilic endo-chitinases are essential for production of highly polymerized chitooligosaccharides, which are advantageous for plant immunity, animal nutrition and health. However, thermophilic endo-chitinases are scarce and the transformation from exo- to endo-activity of chitinases is still a challenging problem. In this study, to enhance the endo-activity of the thermophilic chitinase Chi304, we proposed two approaches for rational design based on comprehensive structural and evolutionary analyses. Four effective single-point mutants were identified among 28 designed mutations. The ratio of (GlcNAc)3 to (GlcNAc)2 quantity (DP3/2) in the hydrolysates of the four single-point mutants undertaking colloidal chitin degradation were 1.89, 1.65, 1.24, and 1.38 times that of Chi304, respectively. When combining to double-point mutants, the DP3/2 proportions produced by F79A/W140R, F79A/M264L, F79A/W272R, and M264L/W272R were 2.06, 1.67, 1.82, and 1.86 times that of Chi304 and all four double-point mutants exhibited enhanced endo-activity. When applied to produce chitooligosaccharides (DP ≥ 3), F79A/W140R accumulated the most (GlcNAc)4, while M264L/W272R was the best to produce (GlcNAc)3, which was 2.28 times that of Chi304. The two mutants had exposed shallower substrate-binding pockets and stronger binding abilities to shape the substrate. Overall, this research offers a practical approach to altering the cutting pattern of a chitinase to generate functional chitooligosaccharides.

Graphical abstract
Child-eating behaviour as predictor of anthropometric status of preschool children aged 2–4 years in Umuahia South LGA Abia State, Nigeria
Authors: Okorie Ijioma , Nwofia Blessing K. , Ngonadi Chinaza , Okorie Adaeze C. , Nnam Ngozi M.
Published: March 2024

Introduction and objective

Eating behaviour at the childhood level plays a vital role in the outcome of the nutritional status and the overall health of an individual. The study was focused on the association between anthropometric status and child eating behaviour.

Methodology

A community-based cross-sectional survey purposively enrolled consenting participants from 256 households with preschool children aged 2–4 years. The parents/legal guardians were interviewed on the eating behaviour of their children using a validated semi-structured child-eating behaviour scale, and anthropometric measurement of the children were taken. WHO Anthro-software for child growth standards was used to categorize anthropometric status of the preschool children. Paired sample t-test was performed to compare child-eating behaviour by gender, while regression and correlation analysis was performed to determine the extent to which child-eating behaviour predicted anthropometric status at 5% level of significance.

Results

Mean comparison of child eating behaviour by gender showed significant difference (P < 0.05) between male and female children in their eating behaviour with respect to enjoyment of food and satiety responsiveness. Some of the children were wasted (26.6%), stunted (20.7%) and underweight (16.4%). A significant association (P < 0.05) was observed between body mass index-for-age and food fussiness behaviour of the children. There was also a significant difference (P < 0.05) between weight-for-age and food fussiness behaviour of the children.

Conclusion

The study showed that child eating behaviour may have contributed to the anthropometric status of the children, however, differences in their eating behaviours by gender was observed.