bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Transgenic expression of Arabidopsis ELONGATION FACTOR-TU RECEPTOR (AtEFR) gene in banana enhances resistance against Xanthomonas campestris pv. musacearum
Authors: Adero Mark , Tripathi Jaindra Nath , Oduor Richard , Zipfel Cyril , Tripathi Leena
Published: September 2023

Banana Xanthomonas wilt (BXW) caused byXanthomonas campestrispv.musacearum(Xcm) is a severe bacterial disease affecting banana production in East and Central Africa, where banana is cultivated as a staple crop. Classical breeding of banana is challenging because the crop is clonally propagated and has limited genetic diversity. Thus, genetic engineering serves as a viable alternative for banana improvement. Studies have shown that transfer of theelongation factor Tu receptorgene (AtEFR) fromArabidopsis thalianato other plant species can enhance resistance against bacterial diseases. However,AtEFRactivity in banana and its efficacy againstXcmhas not been demonstrated. In this study, transgenic events of banana (Musa acuminata) cultivar dwarf Cavendish expressing theAtEFRgene were generated and evaluated for resistance againstXcmunder greenhouse conditions. The transgenic banana events were responsive to the EF-Tu-derived elf18 peptide and exhibited enhanced resistance to BXW disease compared to non-transgenic control plants. This study suggests that the functionality ofAtEFRis retained in banana with the potential of enhancing resistance to BXW under field conditions.
Did the evidence-based intervention (EBI) programme reduce inappropriate procedures, lessen unwarranted variation or lead to spill-over effects in the National Health Service?
Authors: Glynn Joel , Jones Timothy , Bell Mike , Blazeby Jane , Burton Christopher , Conefrey Carmel , Donovan Jenny L. , Farrar Nicola , Morley Josie , McNair Angus , Owen-Smith Amanda , Rule Ellen , Thornton Gail , Tucker Victoria , Williams Iestyn , Rooshenas Leila , Hollingworth William
Published: September 2023

Background

Health systems are under pressure to maintain services within limited resources. The Evidence-Based Interventions (EBI) programme published a first list of guidelines in 2019, which aimed to reduce inappropriate use of interventions within the NHS in England, reducing potential harm and optimising the use of limited resources. Seventeen procedures were selected in the first round, published in April 2019.

Methods

We evaluated changes in the trends for each procedure after its inclusion in the EBI’s first list of guidelines using interrupted time series analysis. We explored whether there was any evidence of spill-over effects onto related or substitute procedures, as well as exploring changes in geographical variation following the publication of national guidance.

Results

Most procedures were experiencing downward trends in the years prior to the launch of EBI. We found no evidence of a trend change in any of the 17 procedures following the introduction of the guidance. No evidence of spill-over increases in substitute or related procedures was found. Geographic variation in the number of procedures performed across English CCGs remained at similar levels before and after EBI.

Conclusions

The EBI programme had little success in its aim to further reduce the use of the 17 procedures it deemed inappropriate in all or certain circumstances. Most procedure rates were already decreasing before EBI and all continued with a similar trend afterwards. Geographical variation in the number of procedures remained at a similar level post EBI. De-adoption of inappropriate care is essential in maintaining health systems across the world. However, further research is needed to explore context specific enablers and barriers to effective identification and de-adoption of such inappropriate health care to support future de-adoption endeavours.
Reduced racial disparity in receipt of optimal locoregional treatment for women with early-stage breast cancer
Authors: Nadeem Hasan , Romley John A. , Warren Andersen Shaneda
Published: September 2023

Introduction

Racial disparities in breast cancer treatment contribute to Black women having the worst breast cancer survival rates in the U.S. We investigated whether differences in receipt of optimal locoregional treatment (OLT), defined as receipt of mastectomy, breast-conserving surgery, or no surgery when contraindicated, existed between Black and White women with early-stage breast cancer from 2008–2018.

Methods

In this retrospective cohort study, data from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) Program Incidence Database was utilized to identify tumor cases from Black and White women aged 20–64 years old with stage I-II breast cancer. Logistic regression analyses were used to evaluate the associations between race and receipt of OLT as well as potential effect modification by tumor characteristics, and year of diagnosis.

Results

Among 177,234 women diagnosed with early-stage breast tumors, disparities in OLT between Black and White women were present from 2008–2010 (2008: 82.1% Black vs. 85.7% White, p<0.001; 2009: 82.1% Black vs. 85.8% White, p<0.001; 2010: 82.2% Black vs. 87.2% White, p<0.001). This disparity was eliminated between 2010–2011 (86.3% Black vs. 87.5% White, p = 0.15), and did not reoccur during the remainder of the study period. From 2010–2011, more Black women received radiation therapy following breast-conserving surgery (43.4% to 48.9%; p = 0.001), which accounted for an overall increased receipt of OLT.

Conclusion

Increased receipt of radiation therapy with breast-conserving surgery appeared to drive a substantial increase in OLT for Black women from 2010–2011 that lasted throughout the study period. Further research on the underlying mechanisms that reduced this disparity is warranted.
Short dual antiplatelet therapy duration after percutaneous coronary intervention in high bleeding risk patients: Systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Bainey Kevin R. , Marquis-Gravel Guillaume , MacDonald Blair J. , Bewick David , Yan Andrew , Turgeon Ricky D.
Published: September 2023

Introduction

Dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) following percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) reduces major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) and stent thrombosis. However, DAPT duration is a concern in high bleeding risk (HBR) patients. We evaluated the effect of short DAPT (1–3 months) compared to standard DAPT (6–12 months) on bleeding and ischemic events in HBR PCI.

Methods

We searched MEDLINE, Embase and CENTRAL up to August 18, 2022. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing short DAPT (1–3 months) versus standard DAPT in HBR PCI were included. We assessed risk of bias (RoB) using the Cochrane RoB2 tool, and certainty of evidence using GRADE criteria. Outcomes included MACE, all-cause death, stent thrombosis, major bleeding, and the composite of major or clinically-relevant non-major bleeding. We estimated risk ratios (RR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) using a random-effects model.

Results

From 503 articles, we included five RCTs (n = 7,242) at overall low risk of bias with median follow-up of 12-months. Compared to standard DAPT, short DAPT did not increase MACE (RR 1.02, 95% CI 0.84–1.23), all-cause death (RR 0.92, 95% CI 0.71–1.20) or stent thrombosis (RR 1.47, 95% CI 0.73–2.93). Short DAPT reduced major bleeding (RR 0.34, 95% CI 0.13–0.90) and the composite of major or clinically-relevant non-major bleeding (RR 0.60, 95% CI 0.44–0.81), translating to 21 and 34 fewer events, respectively, per 1000 patients.

Conclusions

In HBR PCI, DAPT for 1–3 months compared to 6–12 months reduced clinically-relevant bleeding events without jeopardizing ischemic risk. Short DAPT should be considered in HBR patients receiving PCI.
Designing infographics in health research with patients and the public: A scoping review protocol
Authors: Beecher Blaze , O’Doherty Alan , Goulao Beatriz , Jalali Amirhossein , Salsberg Jon , Dore Liz , Hannigan Ailish
Published: September 2023

Information graphics or infographics combine visual representations of information or data with text. They have been used in health research to disseminate research findings, translate knowledge and address challenges in health communication to lay audiences. There is emerging evidence of the design of infographics with the involvement of patients and the public in health research. Approaches to involvement include public and patient involvement, patient engagement and participatory research approaches. To date, there has been no comprehensive review of the literature on the design of infographics with patients and the public in health research. This paper presents a protocol and methodological framework for a scoping review to identify and map the available evidence for the involvement of patients and the public in infographics design in health research. It has been informed by preliminary searches and discussions and will guide the conduct and reporting of this review.
Modelling the mass consumption potential of organic food: Evidence from an emerging economy
Authors: Yang Qing , Xinyue Lyu , Hoque Mohammad Enamul , Al Mamun Abdullah , Rahman Muhammad Khalilur , Yao Jian
Published: September 2023

The deterioration of the environment, shortage of resources, and frequent occurrence of food safety issues have made people increasingly concerned about themselves while maintaining their health and protecting the environment through food. Organic food, as a healthy and eco-friendly option, is gradually gaining attention. Based on the value-belief-norm theory, this study explores why individuals consume organic food and the range of factors that lead to this consumer behavior. This study adopted a cross-sectional design and collected quantitative data from conveniently selected 300 youth participants in Bangladesh using an online survey. The findings revealed that health values and motivation have a significant positive effect on healthy eating beliefs, which, together with the awareness of the consequences, affect personal norms toward organic food consumption. Personal norms also have a significant positive effect on organic food consumption behavior among Bangladeshi youth. Finally, trust on organic food positively moderates the effect of personal norms on organic food consumption. The findings of this study are expected to foster the development of a comprehensive framework to promote programs and policies focused on organic and healthy food consumption culture among youth in developing nations.
Socio-economic differences among low-birthweight infants in Hungary. Results of the Cohort ‘18 –Growing Up in Hungary birth cohort study
Authors: Szabó Laura , Boros Julianna
Published: September 2023

Background

As Hungary had the fifth-highest rate of low-birthweight (LBW) in the EU27 in 2020, LBW still remains a public health problem for the country.

Objective

Our goal is to examine whether LBW in Hungary is determined by the mothers’ educational attainment, adjusted for other maternal characteristics (SES, health behaviour and psychological status during pregnancy) among mothers who gave birth in 2018–2019 in Hungary.

Methods

Source of data is the first and second wave of the Cohort ‘18 –Growing Up in Hungary longitudinal birth cohort study (n = 8185). It is based on a nationwide representative sample of pregnant women who gave birth between March 2018 and April 2019. All data were self-reported by mothers. We examined the association between maternal educational attainment and the risk of giving birth to an LBW-child (<2500g) by using logistic regression analysis. The highest educational attainment of the mother is measured by a five-value categorical variable (ISCED 97: 0–1; 2; 3C; 3–4; 5–6).

Results

5.9% of women had LBW children. This rate is 18.0% among the lowest educated women with ISCED 97: 0–1; and it is 3.6% among the highest educated women with ISCED 97: 5–6. The adjusted predicted probabilities of LBW for these two groups of women are 13.5%, and 3.4% respectively, adjusted for household income quantiles, Roma ethnic background, residence place, smoking, alcohol consumption, and depression during pregnancy; controlled for mother’s height, age at birth, parity and child’s sex. Compared to women with the lowest level of education, the risk of giving birth to an LBW child decreases by 34.6% for those with the second level of education, by 60.1% for those with the third level of education, by 72.5% for those with the fourth level of education and by 77.2% for those with the highest level of education. Smoking during pregnancy significantly increases the risk of giving birth to an LBW by 54.9%. Being depressed at 7th month of pregnancy decreased the risk of giving birth to an LBW child in our sample by 13.2%, however the relationship is not significant.

Conclusion

Our analysis confirmed that maternal educational attainment has a significant impact on the risk of LBW net of by other maternal SES and health behaviour factors. Nevertheless, even after adjusting for these covariates, inequality in LBW by maternal educational attainment persists.
Gendered bodies: Feminism and Chineseness in the work of Li Xinmo, Xiao Lu and Xie Rong
Authors: Guest Luise
Published: September 2023

From its emergence in the post-Mao era of gaige kaifang (Reform and Opening) the performing body in Chinese xingwei yishu (‘performance art’) was most often assumed to be male. The representation of performance practices in exhibitions, festivals – and in the art historical literature – has too often been dominated by male artists. This article turns the gaze onto three women artists, examining their work through lenses of gender, feminism and ‘Chineseness’: Performance artists Xiao Lu (b. 1962), Li Xinmo (b. 1976) and Xie Rong (b. 1983) explore aspects of embodied lived experience in often-encoded ways. Li Xinmo explores experiences of gendered violence through theatrical, immersive performances that have often used ink or pigmented fluids as metaphors for blood and trauma – and through a series of paintings made with actual menstrual blood. In The Death of the Xinkai River (2007) she first explicitly links an embodied feminism with her distress at the destruction of the natural environment. Xiao Lu’s post-menopausal performances move beyond her previously more literal explorations of gender. Works such as Ren (2016) and Suspension () employ ink and water in poetic reference to shufa (‘calligraphy’) and shuimo hua (‘ink-wash painting’). Inserting herself into the visual language of literati scholar painters, an artistic lineage from which she would have been excluded by virtue of her gender, Xiao’s liquid materiality becomes a feminist embodiment. Xie Rong (also known until recently by her English name, Echo Morgan) ‘writes’ ink painting using her hair as her brush in I Am a Brush (2011), Painting Until it Becomes Marble (2019) and Anatomy of . She paints her naked body with images of birds and flowers and blue-and-white porcelain motifs to perform lamentations of grief, loss and longing in works such as Be The Inside of the Vase (2012) and Echo of Posidonia (2022). Framed by Anne Anlin Cheng’s concept of ‘ornamentalism’, Ella Shohat’s notion of a non-western ‘subterranean’ feminism and early twentieth-century anarcho-feminist He-Yin Zhen’s gendering category of nannü, the artists’ embodied practices are understood as creating nannü spaces that reveal female subjectivities and reposition them within the discourses of Chinese performance practice. Emerging from encounters with the artists, in studio visits and (during the pandemic years) online conversations, analysis of their counter-patriarchal work reveals not merely the ghostly presences and absences of women in narratives of performance art in China that have tended to marginalize them, but also the significance of their contributions.
Enacting care: Feminist interventions and social activism in the work of Hong Kong artist Jaffa Lam
Authors: Sung Doris
Published: September 2023

This article focuses on the intersectionality of feminist interventions and social activism in the works by Hong Kong artist Jaffa Lam (b. 1973). Using the dialogical aesthetics approach, Lam engages with people of disenfranchised groups and collaborates with them to produce installations and public participatory works. While the works aim to build relations between art and local communities, they also consider the profound social-cultural changes in Hong Kong and reflect on the city’s identity through exploring the notions of gender, class, migration and language. Through interacting with collaborators and audience participants of various regions, generations and social-economic backgrounds, Lam creates space for dialogues, enacting care, building valuable relations and questioning the hierarchies of value attributions in neo-liberal society.
Relationship Between Landscape Management, Land Use and Ecological Network in Nagykörű
Authors: Kutnyánszky Virág , Szilvácsku Zsolt Miklós
Published: September 2023

In the summer of 2022, we experienced an extreme water shortage in the Great Hungarian Plain and the consequences influenced and still influence our lives in several ways. The long-term solution to the problem of drought is sustainable landscape management, which builds on the natural characteristics of the area – climate, soil, topography, hydrographic conditions and opportunities. The ecological network can provide a suitable framework for this concept, since the original idea intended to create balance between intensive and extensive land use. Our goal was to define the focus areas where the current cultivation is in conflict with the features of the landscape, and we identified the areas where it is necessary to change the cultivation method and those where other water retention proposals can gain space, thus ensuring water even in drier periods. The resulting land use will be in line with the water cycle, thereby increasing the area's resilience against drought. In our research, we chose the municipality of Nagykörű and its surroundings along the Tisza River as our study area, which - like the rest of the Great Plain - was hit by an exceptionally severe drought in the summer of 2022. On the 90 km2 research area, after fieldwork, we performed various GIS analyses. Based on these we examined the possibilities and suitability of the cultivation methods in the given area and worded our proposals. In the course of our research, we consulted with water management experts and local farmers in order to get a more accurate picture of the area's features, problems, and the feasibility of our proposals. The landscape architecture master students of MATE also helped us in preparing the analyses. The results showed that currently a significant part of the area is not managed in accordance with the geographical conditions. The deeper fields in the middle of the area, which currently are under intensive farming, would belo9ng, under natural conditions to the floodplain of the river Tisza. Here the extensive cultivation methods, such as orchards, gardens, or meadows are recommended. At the same time, the flood-free parts of the sample area are suitable for agriculture. If water retention strategies are used in the suitable areas, these will be more protected against the effects of drought.
The Impact of Awarding Incentives on Posyandu Cadre Performance
Authors: Farokah Atik , Khusmitha Qatrunnada Naqiyyah , Putri Herdian Fitria Widyanto , Kurniasari Eri
Published: September 2023

Background:Stunting is a condition of failure to thrive due to chronic malnutrition that occurs in toddlers. Posyandu is an intervention facility for a specific nutrition program carried out by the Ministry of Health. The role of posyandu cadres is very important in efforts to reduce the prevalence of stunting. The Government of Malang Regency implements a cash incentive program for all posyandu cadres to improve their performance.Objective:This study aims to compare the effect of giving cash incentives on the performance of cadres of Pagelaran Health Center and Gedangan Health Center, Malang Regency.Methods:This study used an observational analytic design using a proportional cluster random sampling technique on 125 Pagelaran Health Center cadres and 125 Gedangan Health Center cadres. The research results were analyzed and interpreted using the SPSS Windows release version 2.1 computer program.Results:The results of this study prove that giving incentives to posyandu cadres in the Pagelaran Health Center work area has no effect on cadre performance with a significance value of 0.98 and giving incentives to posyandu cadres in the Gedangan Health Center work area has no effect on cadre performance with a significance value of 0.657.Conclusion:It can be concluded that the provision of incentives has no direct effect on the performance of posyandu cadres in the work area of Pagelaran Health Center and Gedangan Health Center.
Sense of Place Masyarakat untuk Keberlanjutan Aktivitas Sosial-Budaya di Kampung Jawi sebagai Destinasi Wisata
Authors: Shifa Bella , Kurniati Rina , Rahdriawan Mardwi
Published: September 2023

Kampung Jawi merupakan salah satu destinasi wisata budaya di Kota Semarang. Saat ini keberlanjutan aktivitas sosial-budaya Kampung Jawi dihadapkan oleh beberapa permasalahan antara lain: (i) Partisipasi masyarakat lokal dalam aktivitas sosial-budaya belum optimal, (ii) Pandemi Covid-19 yang membatasi dan mempengaruhi pelaksanaan aktivitas sosial-budaya. Pengkajian berbasis pendekatan masyarakat dibutuhkan karena masyarakat merupakan pelaku utama pengembangan wisata. Tujuan penelitian ini adalah mengkaji sense of place masyarakat untuk keberlanjutan aktivitas sosial-budaya. Penelitian ini menggunakan metode kuantitatif dengan teknik analisis skoring dan deskriptif kuantitatif. Analisis skoring digunakan untuk mengukur tingkat place attachment dan tingkat keberlanjutan aktivitas sosial-budaya. Analisis deskriptif kuantitatif digunakan untuk menganalisis sense of place masyarakat dalam konsep keberlanjutan. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa place attachment masyarakat termasuk dalam kategori “Keterikatan Kuat”. Place attachment yang kuat membentuk kesadaran dan rasa kepedulian terhadap keadaan yang terjadi di Kampung Jawi. Sedangkan tingkat keberlanjutan aktivitas sosial-budaya saat ini adalah “Keberlanjutan Sedang”. Dapat disimpulkan bahwa place attachment dan sense of place masyarakat menjadi potensi yang mendorong masyarakat bertindak untuk meningkatkan keberlanjutan aktivitas sosial-budaya.
Resilient Urban Design Approach for Coastal Settlement (Case Study: Kampung Bahari Tambak Lorok, Semarang)
Authors: Saffana Khansa , Putra Febri Guinensa , Pandani Ananda Amelia , Poerbo Heru Wibowo
Published: September 2023

Kampung Bahari Tambak Lorok is a coastal settlement in Semarang that has a vulnerability to disaster. The main problem of the vulnerability is the tidal and annual flooding every rainy season. The flooding is caused by the location of Kampung Bahari, the land subsidence issue, and the effect of climate change that causes extreme weather and sea-level rise (SLR). Kampung Bahari is located in North Semarang and is formed by the young alluvial deposits that trigger subsidence, while the subsidence itself is not only caused by geology reason but also geotechnical reasons, such as excessive water consumption, consolidation, and excessive land loads. This paper aims to examine the design approach that is most probable to be implied due to the vulnerability of Kampung Bahari towards the tidal and annual flood caused by the reasons mentioned above. The research will be carried out by data collection about Kampung Bahari, finding the actual settlement condition, and describing the problems deeper. The result will focus on the physical intervention consisting of implementing water-sensitive design principles, especially in the spatial planning of the settlements, urban system efficiency, building prototype guidelines, and infrastructure.
An alternative approach for the excess lifetime cancer risk and prediction of radiological parameters
Authors: Uyanık Nurten Ayten
Published: September 2023

As one of the most important parameters to express radiation's harmful effects is excess lifetime cancer risk, which is presented in the literature with the empirical relationship, an alternative association was developed for excess lifetime cancer risk in this study. This relationship included radiological risk parameters and the average life expectancy and also does not require a coefficient recommended by organizations. The selected area is Çünür district of Isparta province in Türkiye, which is approximately 12.5 km2. The gamma-ray spectrometry studies were carried out at 270 different points. In this study, the radioactive elements (U, Th, and K) are directly measured on the geological materials (trachyandesite, flysch, limestone, and soil) using a gamma-ray spectrometer device. Maps were created to compare the outcomes of excess lifetime cancer risk determined with the new approach and calculated using the existing relationship in the literature. Also, the calculated radiological risk parameters were mapped to evaluate the study area in general. In addition to these, the relationships between each other radioactive elements and the relationships between the radioactive elements and the radiological risk parameters were investigated.
Effects of CYP2D6 allelic variants on therapy with tamsulosin in patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia
Authors: Abdullaev Skokhrukh P. , Shatokhin Maksim N. , Tuchkova Svetlana N. , Abdullaev Sherzod P. , Teodorovich Oleg V. , Loran Oleg B. , Sychev Dmitry A.
Published: September 2023

Objectives

Tamsulosin is a first-line drug for the treatment of lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) associated with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). Despite its high ratings for efficacy and safety, these parameters may vary due to genetic polymorphisms of CYP2D6 enzyme, which is involved in the metabolism of the drug. This variability may have great impact on the therapy of LUTS associated with BPH and may require an individualized approach to drug selection. The aim of the study was to assess the impact of genetic polymorphisms in CYP2D6 on the efficacy and safety of tamsulosin therapy in patients with LUTS associated with BPH.

Methods

The study included 106 patients with LUTS/BPH (N40 according to ICD-10). All patients received monotherapy with tamsulosin 0.4 mg/day for at least 8 weeks. Depending on the severity of symptoms, all patients were divided into 2 groups based on the IPSS score: the first group of patients had moderate symptoms (n=57), and the second group of patients had severe symptoms (n=49). The results of treatment were assessed using the IPSS questionnaire with determination of quality of life (QoL), transrectal ultrasound of the prostate with determination of prostate volume and postvoid residual urine volume, and uroflowmetry. The carriage of allelic variants of CYP2D6 (*3, *4, *9, *10, and *41) were determined by polymerase chain reaction in all patients.

Results

In patients with moderate symptoms who was classified as «intermediate» metabolizers by CYP2D6, a statistically significant greater reduction in symptoms according to the overall IPSS scale at 8 weeks (p=0.046) and the obstructive symptom subscale starting from 4 weeks of treatment (p<0.05) was shown. Allelic variants of the CYP2D6 gene did not affect the frequency of adverse reactions to tamsulosin.

Conclusions

The results of the study show that in patients with moderate LUTS associated with BPH who are «intermediate» metabolizers by CYP2D6, there is a better therapeutic effect of tamsulosin.
Semiotic rhetoric of gift giving in ancient China
Authors: Zhao Xingzhi , Xue Chen
Published: September 2023

This paper examines the signifying mechanism of gift-giving in ancient China from the perspective of semiotic rhetoric, aiming to answer the question of what can be regarded as li (roughly meaning ceremony, rite, courtesy, or gift) or, in other words, how the social meaning of gifts is constructed in giving semiosis. It describes four dominant rhetorical devices that existed in ritual and non-ritual gift exchanges in ancient China. The ritual gift tended to adopt simile and conceit as its meaning-construction device, becoming a symbolic good beyond ‘thingness’ and thus fulfilling the sociocultural function of ritual. Non-ritual giving activity made use of semiotic metonymy and synecdoche as a strategy of ‘indirectness’ to maintain the relationship between the giver and receiver in daily communications.
The effects of progesterone on the healing of obstetric anal sphincter damage in female rats
Authors: Şenyuva İrem , Acar Duygu Baki , Demirel Hasan Hüseyin , Tunç Ece
Published: September 2023

We aimed to evaluate the effects of postpartum progesterone on obstetric anal sphincter injury (OASI) healing in female rats using an experimental OASI model. Twenty-eight female rats were divided into four groups after birth: sham-30, sham-90, progesterone (P4)-30, and P4-90. Moreover, OASI model was established in all groups. Subsequently, except for the sham groups, medroxyprogesterone acetate (0.15 mg) was intramuscularly injected into the P4 groups. After 30 and 90 days, the rats were euthanized under general anesthesia after recording the data. The anal sphincter region was collected for histopathological examination. Progesterone and thiol/disulfide homeostasis studies were performed on blood samples. No significant differences were observed between the groups regarding the external anal sphincter (EAS), internal anal sphincter (IAS), or connective tissue thickness (p = 0.714, p = 0.135, and p = 0.314, respectively). No statistically significant differences in the total thiol, native thiol, disulfide, and progesterone levels were found between the groups (p = 0.917, p = 0.503, p = 0.361, and p = 0.294, respectively). The endometrial thickness was lower in the P4 groups than in the sham groups (p = 0.031). Postpartum progesterone administration did not affect IAS and EAS or connective tissue thickness or disrupt the thiol–disulfide balance. However, this administration led to endometrial thinning.
The crystal structure of 2-anilino-1,4-naphthoquinone, C10H11NO2
Authors: Elmakki Mohammed A. , Taoana Thato N. , Jacobs Frederick J. F. , Venter Johan A.
Published: September 2023

C10H11NO2, monoclinic, P21/n (no. 14), a = 3.7617(3) Å, b = 12.9267(10) Å, c = 23.4609(17) Å, β = 92.337(3)°, V = 1139.87(15) Å3, Z = 4, R

gt
(F) = 0.0413, wR

ref
(F
2) = 0.1071, T = 100 K.
Research methodology of the zolnik (ash hill) at the Scythian cultural circle hillfort in Chotyniec
Authors: Czopek Sylwester , Tokarczyk Tomasz , Trybała-Zawiślak Katarzyna , Adamik-Proksa Joanna , Burghardt Marcin , Ocadryga-Tokarczyk Ewelina , Rajpold Wojciech
Published: September 2023

The article presents the methodology of archaeological research on the hillfort in Chotyniec in south-eastern Poland. In addition to other elements, the research project included the discovery and examination of an object known as a zolnik. A zolnik is a unique object which functioned as a cult place where rituals took the form of communal feasts. Similar objects can be found among those located in the forest-steppe zone of Eastern Europe, which in the early Iron Age was influenced by the Scythian culture. The research methodology presented in the article deviates significantly from that used so far in relation to the investigation of zolniks. This is due to the focus on identifying the most complete spatial and functional context possible, as well as creating a permanent excavation documentation for further analysis and verification. Particular emphasis was placed on the accuracy and meticulousness of documenting the discoveries, which would not have been possible without the application and implementation of spatial information systems. Due to its innovative nature, the article is also intended to start a discussion about the way in which the proposed change in the methods of zolnik examination translates into greater interpretation possibilities. This applies to both functional and chronological issues, which in turn leads to a fuller knowledge and reconstruction of these objects.
Divergent Population-Specific Effects of Chronic Ethanol Exposure on Excitability and Inhibitory Transmission in Male and Female Rat Central Amygdala
Authors: Crofton Elizabeth J. , O'Buckley Todd K. , Bohnsack John P. , Morrow A. Leslie , Herman Melissa A.
Published: September 2023

The central nucleus of the amygdala (CeA) is implicated in alcohol use disorder (AUD) and AUD-associated plasticity. The CeA is a primarily GABAergic nucleus that is subdivided into lateral and medial compartments with genetically diverse subpopulations. GABAAreceptors are heteromeric pentamers with subunits conferring distinct physiological characteristics. GABAAreceptor signaling in the CeA has been implicated in ethanol-associated plasticity; however, population-specific changes in inhibitory signaling and subunit expression remain unclear. Here, we combined electrophysiology with single-cell gene expression analysis of population markers and GABAAreceptor subunits to examine population-specific changes in inhibitory control in male and female rats following chronic ethanol exposure. We found that chronic ethanol exposure and withdrawal produced global changes in GABAAreceptor subunit expression at the transcript and protein levels, increased excitability in female CeA neurons, and increased inhibitory synaptic transmission in male CeA neurons. When we examined CeA neurons at the single-cell level we found heterogenous populations, as previously reported. We observed ethanol-induced increases in excitability only in somatostatin neurons in the CeA of females, decreases in excitability only in the protein kinase C delta (PKCd) population in males, and ethanol-induced increases in inhibitory transmission in male PKCd and calbindin 2-expressing CeA neurons. There were no population-specific differences in GABAAreceptor (Gabr) subunits in males but reduced GabrA5 expression in female somatostatin neurons. Collectively, these findings suggest that defined CeA populations display differential ethanol sensitivity in males and females, which may play a role in sex differences in vulnerability to AUD or expression of AUD pathology.

SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENTThe CeA is involved in the effects of ethanol in the brain; however, the population-specific changes in CeA activity remain unclear. We used recordings of CeA neuronal activity and single-cell gene expression to examine population-specific changes in inhibitory control in male and female rats following chronic ethanol exposure and found sex- and population-specific effects of chronic ethanol exposure and withdrawal. Specifically, female CeA neurons displayed increased excitability in the somatostatin CeA population, whereas male CeA neurons displayed increased inhibitory control in both PKCd and calbindin populations and decreased excitability in the PKCd population. These findings identify CeA populations that display differential sensitivity to ethanol exposure, which may contribute to sex differences in vulnerability to alcohol use disorder.
Outcomes of single- vs two-stage primary joint arthroplasty for septic arthritis: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Luo Hua , He Congcong , Zhao Yong , Yang Guangyong , Hong Hainan
Published: September 2023

Purpose

Septic arthritis (SA) is an intra-articular infection caused by purulent bacteria and the only effective method is surgical intervention. Two-stage arthroplasty is considered the gold standard treatment for SA, but recent studies have found that single-stage arthroplasty can achieve the same efficacy as two-stage arthroplasty. This study aimed to compare the efficacy of single- vs two-stage arthroplasty in the treatment of (acute or quiescent) SA.

Methods

The review process was conducted according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. We searched the PubMed, EMBASE, Medline, and Cochrane Library databases to identify all literature on the treatment of SA using single- and two-stage arthroplasty from the date of database inception to November 10, 2022. Data on reinfection rates were expressed as odds ratios and 95% CIs.

Results

Seven retrospective studies with a total of 413 patients were included. Pooled analysis showed no difference in the reinfection rate between single- and two-stage arthroplasty. Subgroup analysis found no difference between the single- and two-stage arthroplasty groups in the incidence of purulent infection of the hip and knee. Cumulative meta-analysis showed gradual stabilization of outcomes.

Conclusions

Based on our meta-analysis of available retrospective studies, we found no significant difference in reinfection rates between single- and two-stage arthroplasty for SA. Further prospective cohort studies are needed to confirm our results, although our meta-analysis provides important insights into the current literature on this topic.
Las emociones de los docentes del Colegio de Bibliotecología y Archivología de la UNAM en tiempos del Covid-19
Authors: Guevara Villanueva Angélica , Rosas Gutiérrez Angélica María , Zamora Cruz Felipe , Cabral Vargas Brenda
Published: September 2023

The article shows part of the results of a survey applied to 115 teachers at the end of 2021 and the beginning of 2022 assigned to the College of Library Science and Archives of the Faculty of Philosophy and Letters of the National Autonomous University of Mexico. The objective was to know the emotions involved in the online teaching process during and at the end of lockdown based on four thematic axes: physical space; technological equipment and Internet connection; interaction with students and post-pandemic. The results reflect a higher frequency of positive emotions rather than negative related to the physical space, with the technological equipment and Internet connection in teachers, which allows inferring a favorable emotional state. Likewise, the teachers expressed empathy and solidarity towards the problems that affect the interaction with their students. However, despite the fact that there is a positive emotion for the return to face-to-face classes, even in a hybrid modality, the teachers reaffirmed the importance of having specialized support in managing emotions.
Causal Inference Applied to Explaining the Appearance of Shadow Phenomena in an Image
Authors: Vélez Bedoya Jairo Ivan , González Bedia Manuel Andres , Castillo Ossa Luis Fernando , Arango López Jeferson , Moreira Fernando
Published: September 2023

Due to the complexity and lack of transparency of recent advances in artificial intelligence, Explainable AI (XAI) emerged as a solution to enable the development of causal image-based models. This study examines shadow detection across several fields, including computer vision and visual effects. Three-fold approaches were used to construct a diverse dataset, integrate structural causal models with shadow detection, and apply interventions simultaneously for detection and inferences. While confounding factors have only a minimal impact on cause identification, this study illustrates how shadow detection enhances understanding of both causal inference and confounding variables.
ETNOMATEMATIKA GERAKAN TARI KRETEK KUDUS PADA PEMBELAJARAN MATEMATIKA
Authors: Sa’adah Nurus , Haqiqi Arghob Khofya , Malasari Putri Nur
Published: September 2023

Ethnomathematics plays an important role to support a more meaningful concepts understanding in learning mathematics. The Kudus kretek dance is one of the entomathematics that supports understanding the concept of geometry. This study aims to examine the ethnomathematics of kretek dance which involves mathematical activities in learning mathematics. This research is a qualitative descriptive with an ethnographic approach. Data were collected by interview, documentation, and observation techniques. The results showed that the concept of the 900 angle was obtained through the movements of nampeni, milahi, melembar, mbathil, nggiling, sembahan, mrikso rokok, ngepak, pemasaran; the concept of acute angle is obtained through the movements of ngiteri, melembar, pemasaran; the concept of obtuse angle is obtained through ngayak, sembahan, ngiping, mrikso rokok, ngepak, pemasaran; and the concept of 1800 angle is obtained through a nggiling. The kretek dance is demonstrated in a certain beat accompaniment notation, the concept of two-dimensional geometry is found in the position of the feet of the dancers when they are doing the movement, while the concept of transformational geometry is obtained through twisting movements.
ANALISIS KEMAMPUAN BERPIKIR KRITIS MATEMATIS SISWA DALAM MENYELESAIKAN SOAL BERBASIS AKM
Authors: Anggraini Nora Pika , Siagian Teddy Alfra , Agustinsa Ringki
Published: September 2023

Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui sebaran tingkat kemampuan berpikir kritis matematis dalam menyelesaikan soal berbasis AKM kelas VIII di SMP Negeri 1 Kota Bengkulu. Kemampuan berpikir kritis terdiri dari 4 indikator yaitu: (1) interpretasi,     (2) analisis, (3) evaluasi, dan (4) inferensi. Jenis penelitian ini adalah penelitian deskriptif dengan pendekatan kualitatif.  Teknik Pemilihan subjek berdasrkan teknik purposive sampling., dengan subjek  yaitu 30 orang siswa kelas VIII SMPN 1 Kota Bengkulu pada semester genap tahun ajaran 2021/2022.  Teknik analisis data yang digunakan adalah deskriptif kualitatif. Instrumen yang digunakan adalah instrumen tes dan instrumen wawancara. Hasil penelitian menunjukan bahwa rata-rata kemampuan berpikir kritis matematis dalam menyelesaikan soal berbasis AKM kelas VIII di SMP Negeri 1 Kota Bengkulu adalah 31,42% (rendah).  Sebaran tingkat kemampuan berpikir kritis pada setiap kategorinya yaitu: 1)   kategori tinggi 1 siswa (3,33% ), 2) kategori sedang ada 2 siswa (6,67%), 3) kategori rendah ada 21 siswa (70%) 4) kategori sangat rendah ada 6 siswa (20%). Jadi dapat disimpulkan bahwa kemampuan berpikir kritis siswa masih rendah.
The Role of the Neonatologist in Fetuses Diagnosed with Congenital Heart Disease
Authors: Udine Michelle , Donofrio Mary T.
Published: September 2023

Prenatal diagnosis of congenital heart disease (CHD) can decrease preoperative morbidity and mortality. Delivery room planning can improve cardiac hemodynamics and time to critical catheter and surgical interventions. Care algorithms have defined lesion-specific level-of-care assignments and delivery room action plans that can facilitate team-based approaches to safe deliveries. Neonatologists play critical roles in the care of fetuses diagnosed with CHD, from the time of diagnosis through the postnatal intensive care unit (ICU) stays. Prenatally, neonatologists are members of the multidisciplinary counseling teams, with expertise to counsel expectant parents about what to expect during the ICU stay, which is especially valuable in CHD associated with extracardiac or genetic anomalies. Neonatologists’ role in delivery planning includes identification of the optimal delivery location and allocation of appropriate personnel and resources. After delivery, postnatal care considerations include hemodynamic stability, optimization of end-organ function, genetics consultation, developmentally appropriate care practices to encourage caregiver bonding, and optimization of care to improve neurodevelopmental outcomes of neonates with CHD.
Impacts on gut microbiota of rats with high-fat diet supplemented by herbs of Melissa officinalis, Lavandula angustifolia and Salvia officinalis
Authors: Bilan M. V. , Lieshchova M. A. , Brygadyrenko V. V.
Published: September 2023

Medicinal plants are used in traditional, folk medicine and veterinary practice to treat and prevent exacerbations of chronic diseases, diseases of the cardiovascular and nervous systems, respiratory and digestive organs, liver, bile ducts, kidneys, urinary tract, to regulate metabolism and to boost immunity, etc. The therapeutic effect on the body is exerted by biologically active substances (alkaloids, glycosides, tannins, essential oils, and others) that are present in various parts of plants. Understanding the issue of interaction between the intestinal microbiota and drugs based on medicinal plants will contribute to the development of treatment protocols for various diseases, including chronic ones, by the normalization of impaired functions due to plant origin substances. In this study, we determined the effect of Melissa officinalis, Lavandula angustifolia, Salvia officinalis on the intestinal microbiota of white rats fed a high-fat diet. The addition of 5% crushed young dry shoots of S. officinalis, L. angustifolia, M. officinalis to the high-fat diet of laboratory rats significantly changed the quantitative ratio of Escherichia coli with normal and altered enzymatic properties in the intestinal content. The number of typical E. coli in rats fed with S. officinalis and L. angustifolia decreased by 1.7 and 1.6 times; non-lactose fermenting form of E. coli, on the contrary, increased by 1.8–2.1 times in rats fed with any of the medicinal plants compared to the control. Amid the addition of medicinal plants to the diet, it was not possible to isolate opportunistic enterobacteria of the genus Citrobacter, however, an increase in the number of the genus Candida fungi was observed.
Adaptation of gooseberry varieties to the changed agro-climatic conditions of Kyiv Polissia
Authors: Lagutenko O. T. , Nasteka T. M. , Shevchenko V. G. , Krivoshapka V. A. , Hrusha V. V. , Makarova D. G. , Bomok S. K.
Published: September 2023

In connection with global warming, the study of plant adaptation to climate change, resistance to lack of moisture and high temperatures becomes relevant. Meteorological and phenological observations prove that a change in temperature conditions leads to an earlier start of vegetation and a lengthening of the growing season in all investigated gooseberry varieties. To assess the functional state of the photosynthetic apparatus of plants, a minimally invasive instrumental method of determining the intensity of chlorophyll fluorescence in plant leaves, adapted to work on the domestic photofluorimeter "Floratest", was used. Based on the results of the analysis of the parameters of the chlorophyll fluorescence induction curves (Fo, Fpl, Fmax, Ft) and the comparison of the coefficients for these values (Kpl, K1, K2), it was established that Fo and Kpl are the most informative. A strong correlation dependence of the indicator of the background level of fluorescence at the time of full opening of the shutter (Fo) was established. The value of Fо correlates positively with indicators of the moisture regime, negatively – with temperature indicators. Correlations between the fluorescence growth index and the variable (Kpl) showed the opposite: the largest positive correlation was observed with mean maximum temperature, the smallest with precipitation. On the basis of mathematical analysis and modeling of the obtained FIC curves and indicators of agro-climatic conditions, the values of the maximum temperature and the minimum amount of precipitation, which are critical for the functioning of the gooseberry photosynthetic apparatus, were determined. Such a study makes it possible to evaluate the course of photochemical reactions associated with the work of plant photosystems according to standard coefficients of photochemical activity, which have already been tested in numerous works of domestic researchers on a wide range of agricultural crops.