bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Peningkatan Minat Belajar Anak melalui Bimbingan Belajar dengan Metode Pembelajaran AKSI (Aktif, Kreatif, Santai dan Inovatif) di Desa Sumber Blimbing tahun 2023
Authors: Pujiharti Yulita , Mukarom Mukarom , Sofian Heru , Tina Yunita , Asmarita Ani , Santi Mei
Published: October 2023

The aim of the Teaching Village Program is to provide learning guidance to students at SDN 03 Purwodadi and children aged 6-12 years in Purwodadi Village to provide learning. The results of this activity are learning guidance provided by PMBP IKIP Budi Utomo Malang students using the AKSI method to increase children's interest in learning. ACTION (active, creative, relaxed and innovative) is a strategy in teaching that makes the atmosphere in the teaching and learning process safe and comfortable so that the learning carried out by students is focused. The learning process carried out by teachers currently tends to be teacher-dominated activities. This teaching village program uses the classroom action research method. The existence of a teaching program can help children in the learning process, such as providing assistance and guidance in the learning process which aims to increase students' enthusiasm and interest in learning
Black Cinematic Poethics
Authors: Brown William
Published: October 2023

Drawing upon the work of various critical race theorists, including Frantz Fanon, Kevin Quashie, Hortense J. Spillers, Calvin L. Warren and Sylvia Wynter, this article suggests that if Blackness has historically been, and continues to be, cast outside of being and into being, or what Wynter terms désêtre, then for Blackness to give expression to itself and/or to prove (or improvise) its “aliveness” is a necessarily “poetic” process, given that poetry/ poiesis is the bringing into being of that which previously did not exist. Looking at a range of films, including Arthur Jafa’s Dreams are colder than Death (USA, 2014) and Love Is the Message, The Message Is Death (USA, 2016), Barry Jenkins’s The Gaze (USA, 2021) and Paige Taul’s I am (USA, 2017), the article considers this cinematic poiesis in the light of Martin Heidegger’s philosophy of poetry, drawing out the structuring antiblackness at work in the latter and in modernity more generally, before suggesting that cinematically to present Blackness in a loving fashion/to love Blackness through film is what Denise Ferreira da Silva might term a radical and “poethical” gesture, using poetry to decolonise our white supremacist world.
Doctoral Teaching and Mentoring in Digital Humanities: Changing Approaches to Graduate Pedagogy in Times of Multiple Crises
Authors: Betik Bailey , Cors Alexander
Published: October 2023

Focusing on graduate student education and professional development in the humanities, we examine how crises of the last few years – COVID-19, precarious employment and racial reckoning, among others – exposed iniquities in digital humanities (DH) and pedagogical training. This article explores how Emory Center for Digital Scholarship’s (ECDS) outreach initiatives operated through and responded to recent years’ crises post-2020. ECDS is committed to creating equitable opportunities for DH and pedagogical training for graduate students through long-term training, six-week intensives and an evolving open educational repository. The Digital Scholarship Training Program (DSTP) is a paid training programme for graduate students to learn digital skills through project-based learning. For students who cannot commit to a long-term practicum, ECDS offers two six-week intensives to provide equal opportunities for pedagogical training with emphasis on digital methods and tools. Currently, ECDS is building a repository hosted on WordPress to provide more flexible graduate training opportunities. By attuning ECDS offerings to varying levels of time and access, this suite of options aims to create equitable opportunities for graduate professional development that could serve as examples for other institutions. We conclude that DH methods and modalities can be deployed effectively to help address gaps in graduate student training.
Female Protagonism and Multilingualism in Spanish Byzantine Novels Analysed Using Character Networks
Authors: Palenzuela José Luis Losada
Published: October 2023

The rediscovery of Greek novels in Europe, in particular Heliodorus’ Aethiopica, together with its literary emulations by Lope de Vega or Miguel de Cervantes, had a deep impact in the renewal of motifs, fictional devices and character descriptions, for example the explicit or implicit presence of foreign languages or the predominance of female characters. The analysis seeks to quantitatively identify the multilingual character and the position of the female protagonists in novels using network analysis. We have approached both aspects from a twofold methodological perspective – first, using taxonomies that help to describe more precisely the concept of multilingualism for quantitative studies; second, making use of measures of centrality to locate the protagonist. Taking into consideration various network metrics together with the language attribution, we can compare the correlation between character importance and languages. The results validate the hypothesis that the novels show a strong thematization of foreign languages, but the female heroines fall behind their male counterparts in protagonism.
Blood Meridian's Chronotopic Gates: Reading Cormac McCarthy through the Lens of a Literary-Historical GIS
Authors: Travis Charles
Published: October 2023

This geographical information systems (GIS) reading of Cormac McCarthy’s Blood Meridian: Or the Evening Redness in the West (1985) provides a literary geography analysis that plots latitude and longitude coordinates in conjunction with Mikhail M. Bakhtin’s chronotopes of the Road, the Rabelaisian, the Petty-Bourgeois Provincial Town, the Threshold and the political cartography of the United States–Mexico border established by the 1849 Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo to map the emergence of an American Imperial chronotope. Blood Meridian is a fictionalized account of historical events carried out by the Glanton Gang, a band of mercenaries contracted by Governor Trias in 1849 to counter the threat of Apache raids in Chihuahua province, Mexico. Viewed through the lenses of a GIS/MAXQDA platform, Blood Meridian comes into focus as ‘cartographical novel’ illuminating its literary geography as a melange, spun from allusions to and spatial remediations of Classical, medieval and Indigenous mythologies. The GIS/MAXQDA platform frames Blood Meridian as deep chronotopic map that, in tracing the spiralling lifepath of its protagonist, the ‘Kid’, across the terra damnata of the American Southwest and northern Mexico, creates an analogy and spatial metaphor for the violent geographical teleology of US nineteenth-century westward expansion which unfolded between the 1830s and 1880s.
Pengaruh Kualitas Aplikasi Sikepo Terhadap Kinerja Aparatur Sipil Negara Di Kabupaten Batang Hari Provinsi Jambi
Authors: Sinaga Anggi Rulyana , Novella Yessy
Published: October 2023

Peraturan Bupati Nomor 54 Tahun 2019 Pasal 5A tentang Disiplin Pegawai Negeri Sipil di Lingkungan Pemerintah Kabupaten Batang Hari yang menjadi dasar lahirnya aplikasi Sistem Informasi Kehadiran Pegawai Online (SiKEPO) yang bertujuan untuk meningkatkan kinerja Aparatur Sipil di Kabupaten Batang Hari. Masih terdapat kendala dalam pelaksanaannya, sehingga mempengaruhi kinerja Aparatur Sipil Negara, kualitas perangkat lunak yang dihasilkan menjadi faktor penting yang harus diperhatikan dalam pengembangannya supaya tujuan dari penggunaan aplikasi SiKEPO tercapai. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui seberapa besar pengaruh kualitas aplikasi SiKEPO terhadap kinerja ASN di Kabupaten Batang Hari. Metode yang digunakan dalam penelitian ini adalah metode kuantitatif. Responden penelitian yang diambil berjumlah 98 orang ASN di Kabupaten Batang Hari dengan teknik Simple Random Sampling. Adapun alat uji analisis yang digunakan menggunakan analisis regresi sederhana dengan menggunakan aplikasi Software Product and Service Solutionak (SPSS) 25.0 for Windows. Hipotesis nol adalah suatu spekulasi atau tebakan (hipotesis) yang dimana dalam pengujian antara variabel satu dengan yang lain menyatakan tidak adanya hubungan atau keterkaitan antara dua variabel dan Hipotesis alternatif (Ha) adalah hipotesis yang menyatakan adanya hubungan atau pengaruh antara variabel dengan variabel lain. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa H0 ditolak dan Ha diterima atau kualitas aplikasi SiKEPO berpengaruh positif dan signifikan terhadap kinerja Aparatur Sipil Negara di Kabupaten Batang Hari. Hal ini juga menjelaskan bahwa semakin baik kualitas aplikasi SiKEPO maka kinerja Aparatur Sipil Negara juga akan semakin meningkat.Kata Kunci: Kualitas Aplikasi SiKEPO, Kinerja Aparatur Sipil Negara, Kehadiran Pegawai Online.
Analisis Dimensi Kualitas Teknis Website Sipenduduk Dinas Kependudukan dan Pencatatan Sipil Kota Pekanbaru
Authors: Wannery Albert , Nurrahman Agung , Sabaruddin Sabaruddin
Published: October 2023

Tingkat implementasi perkembangan teknologi yang tinggi pada pemerintahan ditandai diantaranya dengan bermunculannya banyak website, namun seringkali hal tersbutdikompromikan dengan kualitas dari website tersebut. Kecenderungan tersebut membuat penelitian mengenai kualitas suatu website pemerintahan menjadi hal yang cukup penting untuk dikaji. Diantaranya, peneliti mengambil contoh pada website Dinas Kependudukan dan Pencatatan Sipil Kota Pekanbaru yang memiliki sebuah inovasi berupa aplikasi Sipenduduk yang dapat diakses melalui sipenduduk.pekanbaru.go.id. dengan harapan untuk meningkatkan digitalisasi pelayanan publik administrasi kependudukan kepada masyarakat Kota Pekanbaru. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui dan menggambarkan bagaimana kualitas website tersebut. Adapun peneliti menggunakan teori Alvaro Rocha yang memiliki tiga dimensi, dimana pada artikel ini hanya difokuskan pada satu dimensi saja, yaitu dimensi kualitas teknis. Metode yang digunakan dalam penelitian ini adalah metode campuran. Hal tersebut diantaranya dilakukan dengan melakukan uji indicator didalam dimensi kualitas teknis tersebut dengan menggunakan aplikasi., serta melakukan cek silang dengan bertanya pada informan baik dari pemerintah maupun Masyarakat mengenai indicator tersebut. Adapun indicator tersebut diantaranya adalah aksesibilitas, kegunaa, mesin telusur, kompatiblitas browser dan tautan. Kesimpulan dari penelitian ini didapati bahwa kualitas website tersebut masih perlu dioptimalkan dalam dimensi kualitas teknisnya, karena dari lima indikator terdapat tiga indicator yang dinilai masih kurang.

 

Kata Kunci: Disdukcapil, Aksesibilitas Website, Kecepatan Website.
Identification of novel monoclonal antibodies specific for the conserved epitopes in the E2 protein of genotype 2 classical swine fever virus: implication for differential diagnosis
Authors: Zhang Jun , Guo Zeming , Zhao Yulin , Yang Yida , Huang Pan , Wang Ning , Qian Zhuoyu , He Menghan , Wu Jianmin , Luo Lv , Li Zhongsheng , Pan Chungen
Published: October 2023

Since the last century, the spread of the genotype 2 classical swine fever virus (CSFV) has caused significant issues for the pig breeding industries. Ideal strategies for controlling CSFV include vaccination and keeping farms free of CSFV. For vaccination, several attenuated CSFV viruses originating from genotype 1 are widely used; for the latter, accurate diagnosis is required for detection of the CSFV infection. Nucleic acid testing for CSFV usually uses tonsil samples, which requires an inconvenient sampling operation that injures pigs. Commercial serological tests for CSFV antibodies or antigens are unable to distinguish the genotype for originating virus. In this study, 20 mAbs were developed from the mice hybridoma cells. Four of the mAbs were identified to have the ability to only recognize the peptides derived from sub-genotype 2.1 strain, and two of them, MM1 and MM5, were further studied to identify critical binding sites (epitopes) on the E2 protein of CSFV. A total of 353 genotype 2 collections were made worldwide in GeneBank, 90.9% of which contained MM1 or MM5 epitopes. Moreover, 95.1% of sub-genotype 2.1 isolations contained MM5 epitope. Therefore, MM1 and MM5 have the potential to be developed as a diagnostic tool for detection of genotype 2 virus antigen by indirect ELISA or antibodies by competitive ELISA.
Association between diabetes at different diagnostic ages and risk of cancer incidence and mortality: a cohort study
Authors: Peng Yu , Liu Fubin , Wang Peng , Qiao Yating , Si Changyu , Wang Xixuan , Gong Jianxiao , Zhou Huijun , Song Fengju , Song Fangfang
Published: October 2023

Background

Different ages for diagnosis of diabetes have diverse effects on risks of cardiovascular disease, dementia, and mortality, but there is little evidence of cancer. This study investigated the relationship between diabetes at different diagnostic ages and risks of cancer incidence and mortality in people aged 37–73 years.

Methods

Participants with diabetes in the UK Biobank prospective cohort were divided into four groups: ≤40, 41–50, 51–60, and >60 years according to age at diagnosis. A total of 26,318 diabetics and 105,272 controls (1:4 randomly selected for each diabetic matched by the same baseline age) were included. We calculated the incidence density, standardized incidence, and mortality rates of cancer. Cox proportional hazard model was used to examine the associations of diabetes at different diagnostic ages with cancer incidence and mortality, followed by subgroup analyses.

Results

Compared to corresponding controls, standardized incidence and mortality rates of overall and digestive system cancers were higher in diabetes diagnosed at age 41–50, 51–60, and >60 years, especially at 51–60 years. Individuals diagnosed with diabetes at different ages were at higher risk to develop site-specific cancers, with a prominently increased risk of liver cancer since the diagnosis age of >40 years. Significantly, participants with diabetes diagnosed at 51–60 years were correlated with various site-specific cancer risks [hazard ratio (HR) for incidence: 1.088–2.416, HR for mortality: 1.276–3.269]. Moreover, for mortality of digestive system cancers, we observed an interaction effect between smoking and diabetes diagnosed at 51–60 years.

Conclusion

Our findings highlighted that the age at diagnosis of diabetes, especially 51–60 years, was critical risks of cancer incidence and mortality and may represent a potential preventative window for cancer.
The complex genetic landscape of southwestern Chinese populations contributed to their extensive ethnolinguistic diversity
Authors: Wang Mengge , Duan Shuhan , Sun Qiuxia , Liu Yan , Tang Renkuan , Yang Junbao , Chen Pengyu , Liu Chao , Sun Hongyu , He Guanglin
Published: October 2023

The comprehensive characterization of the fine-scale genetic background of ethnolinguistically diverse populations can gain new insights into the population admixture processes, which is essential for evolutionary and medical genomic research. However, the genetic diversity and population history of southern Chinese indigenous people are underrepresented in human genetics research and their interaction with historical immigrants remains unknown. Here, we collected genome-wide SNP data from 20 Guizhou populations belonging to three primary language families [Tai-Kadai (TK), Hmong-Mien (HM), and Tibeto-Burman (TB)], including four groups newly collected here, and merged them with publicly available data from 218 modern and ancient East Asian groups to perform one comprehensive demographic and evolutionary history reconstruction. We comprehensively characterized the genetic signatures of geographically diverse populations and found language-related population stratification. We identified the unique HM genetic lineage in Southwest China and Southeast Asia as their shared ancestral component in the demographic history reconstruction. TK and TB people showed a differentiated genetic structure from HM people. Our identified admixture signals and times further supported the hypothesis that HM people originated from the Yungui Plateau and then migrated southward during the historical period. Admixture models focused on Sino-Tibetan and TK people supported their intense interaction, and these populations harbored the most extensive gene flows consistent with their shared linguistic and cultural characteristics and lifestyles. Estimates of identity-by-descent sharing and effective population size showed the extensive population stratification and gene flow events in different time scales. In short, we presented one complete landscape of the evolutionary history of ethnolinguistically different southern Chinese people and filled the gap of missing diversity in South China.
How genome editing changed the world of large animal research
Authors: Fischer Konrad , Schnieke Angelika
Published: October 2023

The first genetically modified large animals were developed in 1985 by microinjection to increase the growth of agricultural livestock such as pigs. Since then, it has been a difficult trail due to the lack of genetic tools. Although methods and technologies were developed quickly for the main experimental mammal, the mouse, e.g., efficient pronuclear microinjection, gene targeting in embryonic stem cells, and omics data, most of it was—and in part still is—lacking when it comes to livestock. Over the next few decades, progress in genetic engineering of large animals was driven less by research for agriculture but more for biomedical applications, such as the production of pharmaceutical proteins in the milk of sheep, goats, or cows, xeno-organ transplantation, and modeling human diseases. Available technologies determined if a desired animal model could be realized, and efficiencies were generally low. Presented here is a short review of how genome editing tools, specifically CRISPR/Cas, have impacted the large animal field in recent years. Although there will be a focus on genome engineering of pigs for biomedical applications, the general principles and experimental approaches also apply to other livestock species or applications.
Moving policy to practice: role of advocacy in enabling provision of injectable contraceptives by pharmacists in Kenya
Authors: Njiri Sally , Mulyanga Sam , Choge Irene , Kwachi Beatrice , Mwalimu Rammah , Ontiri Susan
Published: October 2023

Expanding access to contraceptive services by making them available in pharmacies and drug shops is a family planning high-impact practice. In 2018, Kenya's Ministry of Health amended its family planning guidelines to allow pharmacists and pharmaceutical technologists throughout the country to provide subcutaneous and intramuscular depot medroxyprogesterone acetate. Amending the policy did not necessarily mean that the policy would be implemented. The Advance Family Planning project launched an advocacy campaign to engage key stakeholders to work with the Ministry of Health to implement the policy. Consequently, a family planning training package for pharmacists and pharmaceutical technologists was developed and rolled out. The advocacy process also led to strengthening family planning reporting by the trained pharmacists and pharmaceutical technologists. To further enhance sustainability by ensuring a continuous pool of pharmacy professionals equipped with skills to provide family planning services, Advance Family Planning and its partners advocated with universities and the Pharmacy and Poisons Board to revise the pre-service training curriculum to include family planning as a competence area for pharmacists and pharmaceutical technologists. A key lesson learned is that policy formulation does not necessarily translate to policy implementation. Advocacy is often needed to move policy to practice, especially where resources are required. Policy implementation also requires incremental achievement of milestones and the need for advocacy for each step in the process. Implementation of the policy provision that allows pharmacists and pharmaceutical technologists to provide injectable contraceptives has implications beyond family planning programs. It provides a point of reference for allowing pharmacists to offer other primary health care services, such as immunization, injectable HIV prophylaxis, and other interventions that might not be provided for in policy.
The first case report of complement component 7 deficiency in Qatar and a 10-year follow-up
Authors: Khalil Sally Mahgoub , Aqel Sami , Mudawi Dalal Sideeg , Mobayed Hassan , Al-Nesf Maryam Ali
Published: October 2023

Introduction

Neisseria meningitidis is a significant cause of bacterial meningitis and septicemia worldwide. Recurrent Neisseria meningitidis is frequently associated with terminal complement protein deficiency, including Complement component 7. This report discusses the first case of C7 deficiency in Qatar.

Case report

A 30-year-old Qatari man presented with a meningococcal infection, which was verified by a blood culture. He experienced two episodes of meningitis caused by an undetermined organism. His blood tests revealed low levels of CH50 and C7. His C7 gene testing revealed a homozygous mutation in exon 10 (c.1135G>C p.Gly379Arg), a mutation that has not been previously documented in Qatar. However, it has been observed in 1% of Moroccan-origin Israeli Jews who also exhibit C7 deficiency. Regular prophylactic quadrivalent vaccinations against types A, C, Y, and W-135 with azithromycin tabs were administered. Over the last 10 years of follow-up, he remained in good health, with no further meningitis episodes.

Conclusion

To our knowledge, this is the first confirmed case of C7 deficiency reported in the Arabian Gulf countries. Such rare diseases should be a public health priority. Awareness among medical practitioners and the community should help with early detection of C7 deficiency and the prevention of its consequences.
From bench to bedside – current clinical and translational challenges in fibula free flap reconstruction
Authors: Baecher Helena , Hoch Cosima C. , Knoedler Samuel , Maheta Bhagvat J. , Kauke-Navarro Martin , Safi Ali-Farid , Alfertshofer Michael , Knoedler Leonard
Published: October 2023

Fibula free flaps (FFF) represent a working horse for different reconstructive scenarios in facial surgery. While FFF were initially established for mandible reconstruction, advancements in planning for microsurgical techniques have paved the way toward a broader spectrum of indications, including maxillary defects. Essential factors to improve patient outcomes following FFF include minimal donor site morbidity, adequate bone length, and dual blood supply. Yet, persisting clinical and translational challenges hamper the effectiveness of FFF. In the preoperative phase, virtual surgical planning and artificial intelligence tools carry untapped potential, while the intraoperative role of individualized surgical templates and bioprinted prostheses remains to be summarized. Further, the integration of novel flap monitoring technologies into postoperative patient management has been subject to translational and clinical research efforts. Overall, there is a paucity of studies condensing the body of knowledge on emerging technologies and techniques in FFF surgery. Herein, we aim to review current challenges and solution possibilities in FFF. This line of research may serve as a pocket guide on cutting-edge developments and facilitate future targeted research in FFF.
Microbial ecosystem assessment and hydrogen oxidation potential of newly discovered vent systems from the Central and South-East Indian Ridge
Authors: Adam-Beyer Nicole , Laufer-Meiser Katja , Fuchs Sebastian , Schippers Axel , Indenbirken Daniela , Garbe-Schönberg Dieter , Petersen Sven , Perner Mirjam
Published: October 2023

In order to expand the knowledge of microbial ecosystems from deep-sea hydrothermal vent systems located on the Central and South-East Indian Ridge, we sampled hydrothermal fluids, massive sulfides, ambient water and sediments of six distinct vent fields. Most of these vent sites were only recently discovered in the course of the German exploration program for massive sulfide deposits and no previous studies of the respective microbial communities exist. Apart from typically vent-associated chemosynthetic members of the orders Campylobacterales, Mariprofundales, and Thiomicrospirales, high numbers of uncultured and unspecified Bacteria were identified via 16S rRNA gene analyses in hydrothermal fluid and massive sulfide samples. The sampled sediments however, were characterized by an overall lack of chemosynthetic Bacteria and the presence of high proportions of low abundant bacterial groups. The archaeal communities were generally less diverse and mostly dominated by members of Nitrosopumilales and Woesearchaeales, partly exhibiting high proportions of unassigned Archaea. Correlations with environmental parameters were primarily observed for sediment communities and for microbial species (associated with the nitrogen cycle) in samples from a recently identified vent field, which was geochemically distinct from all other sampled sites. Enrichment cultures of diffuse fluids demonstrated a great potential for hydrogen oxidation coupled to the reduction of various electron-acceptors with high abundances of Hydrogenovibrio and Sulfurimonas species. Overall, given the large number of currently uncultured and unspecified microorganisms identified in the vent communities, their respective metabolic traits, ecosystem functions and mediated biogeochemical processes have still to be resolved for estimating consequences of potential environmental disturbances by future mining activities.
Characterization of Pseudomonas capsici strains from pepper and tomato
Authors: Zhao Mei , Gitaitis Ron , Dutta Bhabesh
Published: October 2023

Disease outbreaks of bacterial leaf spot and blight of pepper and tomato often occur in both transplant- and field-production systems worldwide. In some cases, the outbreaks are caused by novel bacterial species. Characterization of these novel bacterial species are critical in developing diagnostic assays and identifying management options for pathogen monitoring and sustainable production, respectively. We characterized strains belonging to novel Pseudomonas species that are responsible for outbreaks in pepper and tomato both in transplant-houses and in production fields in Georgia, USA. Phylogenomic analyses and whole genome sequence indices demonstrated that the pepper and tomato strains belonged to P. capsici. The whole-genome comparison revealed that 13 Pseudomonas strains from diverse isolation sources that were curated in NCBI were indeed P. capsici indicating a potential wide-host range for this bacterial species. Our greenhouse-based host-range assay also indicated that P. capsici strains were pathogenic on pepper, tomato, eggplant, cabbage, lettuce, and watermelon corroborating a wide-host-range. A phylogenetic tree inferred from the whole genome sequence data showed that the P. capsici strains from Georgia (pepper and tomato) were genetically diverse, and were closely related to tomato P. capsici strains from Florida. Genomic presence of traditional bacterial virulence factors in P. capsici strains was also determined. Pseudomonascapsici strains encode one set of type I secretion system, two sets of type II secretion systems, one set of type III secretion system, two sets of type V secretion systems, three sets of type VI secretion systems, and various secondary metabolite gene clusters including lipopeptides. In in-vitro assays, it was demonstrated that six out of seven P. capsici strains (pepper and tomato strains from Georgia) were not sensitive to 0.8 mM CuSO4. When the genomes of copper-tolerant strains were compared with the copper-sensitive strains, it was observed that the former strains encode a cluster of genes related to copper tolerance, which were absent in the genomes of copper-sensitive strains. Considering the ability of P. capsici strains to infect a range of vegetable hosts and possession of a wide range of bacterial virulence factors, secondary metabolites, and copper-tolerance genes, we envision that the management of this pathogen might potentially be a challenge.
Quantitative GABA magnetic resonance spectroscopy as a measure of motor learning function in the motor cortex after subarachnoid hemorrhage
Authors: Sugita Kenji , Anan Mitsuhiro , Matsuta Hiroyuki , Shimomura Tsuyoshi , Fudaba Hirotaka , Hata Nobuhiro , Fujiki Minoru
Published: October 2023

The neural mechanisms underlying gross and fine motor dysfunction after subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) remain unknown. The γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) deficit hypothesis proposes that reduced neuronal GABA concentrations and the subsequent lack of GABA-mediated inhibition cause motor impairment after SAH. This study aimed to explore the correlation between GABA levels and a behavioral measure of motor performance in patients with SAH. Motor cortical GABA levels were assessed in 40 patients with SAH and 10 age-matched healthy controls using proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy. The GABA and N-acetylasparate (NAA) ratio was measured in the normal gray matter within the primary motor cortex. The relationship between GABA concentration and hand-motor performance was also evaluated. Results showed significantly lower GABA levels in patients with SAH's left motor cortex than in controls (GABA/NAA ratio: 0.282 ± 0.085 vs. 0.341 ± 0.031, respectively; p = 0.041). Reaction times (RTs), a behavioral measure of motor performance potentially dependent on GABAergic synaptic transmission, were significantly longer in patients than in controls (936.8 ± 303.8 vs. 440.2 ± 67.3 ms, respectively; p < 0.001). Moreover, motor cortical GABA levels and RTs exhibited a significant positive linear correlation among patients (r = 0.572, rs = 0.327, p = 0.0001). Therefore, a decrease in GABA levels in the primary motor cortex after SAH may lead to impaired cortical inhibition of neuronal function and indicates that GABA-mediated synaptic transmission in the motor cortex is critical for RT.
Biologically plausible local synaptic learning rules robustly implement deep supervised learning
Authors: Konishi Masataka , Igarashi Kei M. , Miura Keiji
Published: October 2023

In deep neural networks, representational learning in the middle layer is essential for achieving efficient learning. However, the currently prevailing backpropagation learning rules (BP) are not necessarily biologically plausible and cannot be implemented in the brain in their current form. Therefore, to elucidate the learning rules used by the brain, it is critical to establish biologically plausible learning rules for practical memory tasks. For example, learning rules that result in a learning performance worse than that of animals observed in experimental studies may not be computations used in real brains and should be ruled out. Using numerical simulations, we developed biologically plausible learning rules to solve a task that replicates a laboratory experiment where mice learned to predict the correct reward amount. Although the extreme learning machine (ELM) and weight perturbation (WP) learning rules performed worse than the mice, the feedback alignment (FA) rule achieved a performance equal to that of BP. To obtain a more biologically plausible model, we developed a variant of FA, FA_Ex-100%, which implements direct dopamine inputs that provide error signals locally in the layer of focus, as found in the mouse entorhinal cortex. The performance of FA_Ex-100% was comparable to that of conventional BP. Finally, we tested whether FA_Ex-100% was robust against rule perturbations and biologically inevitable noise. FA_Ex-100% worked even when subjected to perturbations, presumably because it could calibrate the correct prediction error (e.g., dopaminergic signals) in the next step as a teaching signal if the perturbation created a deviation. These results suggest that simplified and biologically plausible learning rules, such as FA_Ex-100%, can robustly facilitate deep supervised learning when the error signal, possibly conveyed by dopaminergic neurons, is accurate.
Identification of diagnostic markers for ASD: a restrictive interest analysis based on EEG combined with eye tracking
Authors: Sun Binbin , Wang Bryan , Wei Zhen , Feng Zhe , Wu Zhi-Liu , Yassin Walid , Stone William S. , Lin Yan , Kong Xue-Jun
Published: October 2023

Electroencephalography (EEG) functional connectivity (EFC) and eye tracking (ET) have been explored as objective screening methods for autism spectrum disorder (ASD), but no study has yet evaluated restricted and repetitive behavior (RRBs) simultaneously to infer early ASD diagnosis. Typically developing (TD) children (n = 27) and ASD (n = 32), age- and sex-matched, were evaluated with EFC and ET simultaneously, using the restricted interest stimulus paradigm. Network-based machine learning prediction (NBS-predict) was used to identify ASD. Correlations between EFC, ET, and Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule-Second Edition (ADOS-2) were performed. The Area Under the Curve (AUC) of receiver-operating characteristics (ROC) was measured to evaluate the predictive performance. Under high restrictive interest stimuli (HRIS), ASD children have significantly higher α band connectivity and significantly more total fixation time (TFT)/pupil enlargement of ET relative to TD children (p = 0.04299). These biomarkers were not only significantly positively correlated with each other (R = 0.716, p = 8.26e−4), but also with ADOS total scores (R = 0.749, p = 34e-4) and RRBs sub-score (R = 0.770, p = 1.87e-4) for EFC (R = 0.641, p = 0.0148) for TFT. The accuracy of NBS-predict in identifying ASD was 63.4%. ROC curve demonstrated TFT with 91 and 90% sensitivity, and 78.7% and 77.4% specificity for ADOS total and RRB sub-scores, respectively. Simultaneous EFC and ET evaluation in ASD is highly correlated with RRB symptoms measured by ADOS-2. NBS-predict of EFC offered a direct prediction of ASD. The use of both EFC and ET improve early ASD diagnosis.
Mortui vivos docent: a modern revival of temporal bone plug harvests
Authors: Sagi Varun , Kosaraju Nikitha , Moore Lindsay S. , Mulders Jip Y. , Solyali Mehmet , Ma Xiaojie , Regula Donald P. , Hooper Jody E. , Stankovic Konstantina M.
Published: October 2023

Human temporal bones (HTBs) are invaluable resources for the study of otologic disorders and for evaluating novel treatment approaches. Given the high costs and technical expertise required to collect and process HTBs, there has been a decline in the number of otopathology laboratories. Our objective is to encourage ongoing study of HTBs by outlining the necessary steps to establish a pipeline for collection and processing of HTBs. In this methods manuscript, we: (1) provide the design of a temporal bone plug sawblade that can be used to collect specimens from autopsy donors; (2) establish that decalcification time can be dramatically reduced from 9 to 3 months if ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid is combined with microwave tissue processing and periodic bone trimming; (3) show that serial sections of relatively-rapidly decalcified HTBs can be successfully immunostained for key inner ear proteins; (4) demonstrate how to drill down a HTB to the otic capsule within a few hours so that subsequent decalcification time can be further reduced to only weeks. We include photographs and videos to facilitate rapid dissemination of the developed methods. Collected HTBs can be used for many purposes, including, but not limited to device testing, imaging studies, education, histopathology, and molecular studies. As new technology develops, it is imperative to continue studying HTBs to further our understanding of the cellular and molecular underpinnings of otologic disorders.
Safe and effective delivery of supplemental iron to healthy adults: a two-phase, randomized, double-blind trial – the safe iron study
Authors: Lewis Erin D. , Ortega Edwin F. , Dao Maria Carlota , Barger Kathryn , Mason Joel B. , Leong John M. , Osburne Marcia S. , Magoun Loranne , Nepveux V Felix J. , Chishti Athar H. , Schwake Christopher , Quynh Anh , Gilhooly Cheryl H. , Petty Gayle , Guo Weimin , Matuszek Gregory , Pereira Dora , Reddy Manju , Wang Jifan , Wu Dayong , Meydani Simin N. , Combs Gerald F.
Published: October 2023

Introduction

The safety of novel forms of iron in healthy, iron-replete adults as might occur if used in population-based iron supplementation programs was examined. We tested the hypotheses that supplementation with nanoparticulate iron hydroxide adipate tartrate (IHAT), an iron-enriched Aspergillus oryzae product (ASP), or ferrous sulphate heptahydrate (FS) are safe as indicated by erythrocyte susceptibility to malarial infection, bacterial proliferation, and gut inflammation. Responses to FS administered daily or weekly, and with or without other micronutrients were compared.

Methods

Two phases of randomized, double-blinded trials were conducted in Boston, MA. Phase I randomized 160 volunteers to six treatments: placebo, IHAT, ASP, FS, and FS plus a micronutrient powder (MNP) administrated daily at 60 mg Fe/day; and FS administered as a single weekly dose of 420 mg Fe. Phase II randomized 86 volunteers to IHAT, ASP, or FS administered at 120 mg Fe/day. Completing these phases were 151 and 77 participants, respectively. The study was powered to detect effects on primary endpoints: susceptibility of participant erythrocytes to infection by Plasmodium falciparum, the proliferation potential of selected pathogenic bacteria in sera, and markers of gut inflammation. Secondary endpoints for which the study was not powered included indicators of iron status and gastrointestinal symptoms.

Results

Supplementation with any form of iron did not affect any primary endpoint. Regarding secondary endpoints, in Phase I participants taking IHAT more frequently reported abdominal pain (27%, p = 0.008) than other iron forms; those taking the weekly FS dose more frequently reported nausea (20%, p = 0.009) than the other forms and modes of administration. In phase II, no such differences were observed.

Discussion

With respect to the primary endpoints, few differences were found when comparing these forms of iron, indicating that 28 days of 60 or 120 mg/day of IHAT, ASP, or FS may be safe for healthy, iron-replete adults. With respect to other endpoints, subjects receiving IHAT more frequently reported abdominal pain and nausea, suggesting the need for further study.

Clinical Trial Registration

ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT03212677; registered: 11 July 2017.
Comprehensive improvement of nutrients and volatile compounds of black/purple rice by extrusion-puffing technology
Authors: Ma Yanrong , Li Jiaxing , Xue Yan , Xu Yunbi , Liu Chunming , Su Dingding
Published: October 2023

Introduction

Black/purple rice is a pigmented rice variety that contains high levels of anthocyanins, flavonoids, and other valuable bioactive compounds. Owing to its robust anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, black/purple rice exerts a beneficial effect on human health. Extrusion puffing technology has emerged as a promising means of improving rice flavor with lesser effect on nutrient content. In this study, metabolomics approach was used to conduct comprehensive metabolomics analyses aimed at examining the impact of extrusion puffing on black/purple rice nutritional value and flavor.

Methods

Firstly, the basic nutrient composition contents and extrudate characteristics of black/purple rice and Extrusion puffed black/purple rice were conducted. Then metabolomics profiling analyses of black/purple rice samples were performed to explore the impact of the extrusion puffing process on nutrient content and bioactive properties, in which we quantitatively determined the flavonoids and evaluated relative contents of volatile compounds.

Results

These analyses revealed that following extrusion puffing, black/purple rice exhibited significant improvements in the content of nutrients including flavonoids, minerals, and proteins together. Extrusion puffing additionally increased the diversity of volatile compounds within black/purple rice.

Discussion

These results suggest that extrusion puffing represents an effective means of substantially improving the functional and nutritional properties of black/purple rice, offering beneficial effects on consumer health. Overall, these data provide novel insights into the quality of extrusion puffed black/purple rice that will guide future efforts to establish how extrusion puffing can alter the nutrient content in a range of foods, thereby supporting the further development of a range of healthy food products.
Proteomic analysis of leaves and roots during drought stress and recovery in Setaria italica L.
Authors: Gao Hui , Ge Weina , Bai Lin , Zhang Ting , Zhao Ling , Li Jingshi , Shen Jiangjie , Xu Ningwei , Zhang Haoshan , Wang Genping , Lin Xiaohu
Published: October 2023

Drought is a major environmental factor that limits agricultural crop productivity and threatens food security. Foxtail millet is a model crop with excellent abiotic stress tolerance and is consequently an important subject for obtaining a better understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying plant responses to drought and recovery. Here the physiological and proteomic responses of foxtail millet (cultivar Yugu1) leaves and roots to drought treatments and recovery were evaluated. Drought-treated foxtail millet exhibited increased relative electrolyte leakage and decreased relative water content and chlorophyll content compared to control and rewatering plants. A global analysis of protein profiles was evaluated for drought-treated and recovery treatment leaves and roots. We also identified differentially abundant proteins in drought and recovery groups, enabling comparisons between leaf and root tissue responses to the conditions. The principal component analysis suggested a clear distinction between leaf and root proteomes for the drought-treated and recovery treatment plants. Gene Ontology enrichment and co-expression analyses indicated that the biological responses of leaves differed from those in roots after drought and drought recovery. These results provide new insights and data resources to investigate the molecular basis of tissue-specific functional responses of foxtail millet during drought and recovery, thereby significantly informing crop breeding.
Comparative transcriptomic analyses of two sugarcane Saccharum L. cultivars differing in drought tolerance
Authors: Li Haibi , Gui Yiyun , Zhu Kai , Wei Jinju , Zhang Ronghua , Yang Rongzhong , Tang Liqiu , Zhou Hui , Liu Xihui
Published: October 2023

Sugarcane (Saccharum spp.) is an important cash crop, and drought is an important factors limiting its yield. To study the drought resistance mechanism of sugarcane, the transcriptomes of two sugarcane varieties with different levels of drought resistance were compared under different water shortage levels. The results showed that the transcriptomes of the two varieties were significantly different. The differentially expressed genes were enriched in starch and sucrose metabolism, linoleic acid metabolism, glycolysis/gluconeogenesis, and glyoxylate and dicarboxylate metabolic pathways. Unique trend genes of the variety with strong drought resistance (F172) were significantly enriched in photosynthesis, mitogen-activated protein kinases signaling pathway, biosynthesis of various plant secondary metabolites, and cyanoamino acid metabolism pathways. Weighted correlation network analysis indicated that the blue4 and plum1 modules correlated with drought conditions, whereas the tan and salmon4 modules correlated with variety. The unique trend genes expressed in F172 and mapped to the blue4 module were enriched in photosynthesis, purine metabolism, starch and sucrose metabolism, beta-alanine metabolism, photosynthesis-antenna proteins, and plant hormone signal transduction pathways. The expression of genes involved in the photosynthesis-antenna protein and photosynthesis pathways decreased in response to water deficit, indicating that reducing photosynthesis might be a means for sugarcane to respond to drought stress. The results of this study provide insights into drought resistance mechanisms in plants, and the related genes and metabolic pathways identified may be helpful for sugarcane breeding in the future.
SARS-CoV-2 incidence, seroprevalence, and COVID-19 vaccination coverage in the homeless population: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Liang Yuanhao , Sun Qian , Liu Quanxun , Pang Yulian , Tang Shixing
Published: October 2023

Objectives

SARS-CoV-2 infection and COVID-19 vaccination of homeless people are a serious public health concern during COVID-19 pandemic. We aimed to systematically assess SARS-CoV-2 incidence, seroprevalence, and COVID-19 vaccination coverage in homeless people, which are important to inform resource allocation and policy adjustment for the prevention and control of COVID-19.

Methods

We searched PubMed, Web of Science, and the World Health Organization COVID-19 database for the studies of SARS-CoV-2 incidence, seroprevalence, and COVID-19 vaccination coverage in the homeless population. Subgroup analyses were conducted to pool SARS-CoV-2 incidence and seroprevalence in sheltered homeless, unsheltered homeless, and mixed population, respectively. Potential sources of heterogeneity in the estimates were explored by meta-regression analysis.

Results

Forty-nine eligible studies with a total of 75,402 homeless individuals and 5,000 shelter staff were included in the meta-analysis. The pooled incidence of SARS-CoV-2 infection was 10% (95% CI: 7 to 12%) in the homeless population and 8% (5 to 12%) for shelter staff. In addition, the overall estimated SARS-CoV-2 specific seroprevalence was 19% (8 to 33%) for homeless populations and 22% (3 to 52%) for shelter staff, respectively. Moreover, for the homeless subjects, the pooled incidence was 10% (4 to 23%) for asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infections, 6% (1 to 12%) for symptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infections, 3% (1 to 4%) for hospitalization for COVID-19, and 1% (0 to 2%) for severe COVID-19 cases, respectively while no COVID-19-related death was reported. Furthermore, the data derived from 12 included studies involving 225,448 homeless individuals revealed that the pooled proportion of one dose COVID-19 vaccination was 41% (35 to 47%), which was significantly lower than those in the general population.

Conclusion

Our study results indicate that the homeless people remain highly susceptible to SARS-CoV-2 infection, but COVID-19 vaccination coverage was lower than the general population, underscoring the need for prioritizing vaccine deployment and implementing enhanced preventive measures targeting this vulnerable group.