bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Morin ameliorates myocardial injury in diabetic rats via modulation of inflammatory pathways
Authors: Verma Vipin Kumar , Malik Salma , Mutneja Ekta , Sahu Anil Kumar , Prajapati Vaishali , Mishra Prashant , Bhatia Jagriti , Arya Dharamveer Singh
Published: February 2024

Background

High blood glucose levels in diabetes lead to vascular inflammation which accelerates atherosclerosis. Herein, Morin was orally administered in male Wistar rats, at the dose of 40 mg/kg for 28 days, and on the 27th and 28th day, ISO was administered to designate groups at the dose of 85 mg/kg s.c., to induce myocardial infarction.

Results

Free radical generation, including ROS, in diabetes following ISO administration, leads to the activation of both intrinsic and extrinsic pathways of apoptosis. Morin significantly (p ≤ 0.05) reduced oxidative stress (GSH, MDA, SOD), cardiac injury markers (CK-MB, LDH), inflammation (TNF, IL-6), and apoptosis (Bax, BCl2, Caspase-3). In addition, it also reduced insulin and blood glucose levels. Akt/eNOS, Nrf2/HO-1, MAPK signaling pathways, and Insulin signal transduction pathways were positively modulated by morin pre-treatment.

Conclusions

Morin attenuated oxidative stress and inflammation and also modified the activity of various molecular pathways to mitigate cardiomyocyte damage during ISO-induced MI in diabetic rats.
Incidence and risk factors of peripheral nerve injuries 3 months after ICU discharge: a retrospective study comparing COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 critically ill survivors
Authors: Malengreaux C. , Minguet P. , Colson C. , Dardenne N. , Misset B. , Rousseau A. F.
Published: February 2024

Background

Peripheral nerve injuries (PNI) have been associated with prone positioning (PP) in mechanically ventilated (MV) patients with COVID-19 pneumonia. The aims of this retrospective study were to describe PNI prevalence 3 months (M3) after intensive care unit (ICU) discharge, whether patients survived COVID-19 or another critical illness, and to search for risk factors of PNI.

Results

A total of 55 COVID (62 [54–69] years) and 22 non-COVID (61.5 [48–71.5] years) patients were followed at M3, after an ICU stay of respectively 15 [9–26.5] and 13.5 [10–19.8] days. PNI symptoms were reported by 23/55 (42.6%) COVID-19 and 8/22 (36%) non-COVID-19 patients (p = 0.798). As the incidence of PNI was similar in both groups, the entire population was used to determine risk factors. The MV duration predicted PNI occurrence (OR (CI95%) = 1.05 (1.01–1.10), p = 0.028), but not the ICU length of stay, glucocorticoids, or inflammation biomarkers.

Conclusion

In the present cohort, PNI symptoms were reported in at least one-third of the ICU survivors, in similar proportion whether patients suffered from severe COVID-19 or not.
A novel two-dimensional all-carbon Dirac node-line semimetal
Authors: Wang Youjie , Gao Qian , Hu Zhenpeng
Published: February 2024

Carbon allotropes have vast potential in various applications, including superconductivity, energy storage, catalysis, and photoelectric semiconductor devices. Recently, there has been significant research interest in exploring new carbon materials that exhibit unique electronic structures. Here, we propose a novel two-dimensional (2D) carbon allotrope called TCH-SSH-2D, which possesses a Dirac node-line (DNL) semimetallic state. The structure of TCH-SSH-2D is derived from the TCH-type Archimedean polyhedral carbon cluster units, combined with the SSH lattice model, possessing a space group of tetragonal P4/mmm. Using first-principles calculations, we demonstrate that the system is dynamically, thermodynamically, and mechanically stable. It exhibits an energetically favorable structure with no imaginary frequency in the phonon dispersion curves and elastic constants satisfying the Born-Huang stability criterion. Our findings not only contribute to a deeper understanding of the carbon allotrope family but also provide an opportunity to explore unique Dirac states in two-dimensional pure carbon systems.
First-Attempt Success Between Anatomically and Physiologically Difficult Airways in the National Emergency Airway Registry
Authors: Nikolla Dhimitri A. , Offenbacher Joseph , Smith Silas W. , Genes Nicholas G. , Herrera Osmin A. , Carlson Jestin N. , Brown Calvin A.
Published: February 2024

BACKGROUND:

In the emergency department (ED), certain anatomical and physiological airway characteristics may predispose patients to tracheal intubation complications and poor outcomes. We hypothesized that both anatomically difficult airways (ADAs) and physiologically difficult airways (PDAs) would have lower first-attempt success than airways with neither in a cohort of ED intubations.

METHODS:

We performed a retrospective, observational study using the National Emergency Airway Registry (NEAR) to examine the association between anticipated difficult airways (ADA, PDA, and combined ADA and PDA) vs those without difficult airway findings (neither ADA nor PDA) with first-attempt success. We included adult (age ≥14 years) ED intubations performed with sedation and paralysis from January 1, 2016 to December 31, 2018 using either direct or video laryngoscopy. We excluded patients in cardiac arrest. The primary outcome was first-attempt success, while secondary outcomes included first-attempt success without adverse events, peri-intubation cardiac arrest, and the total number of airway attempts. Mixed-effects models were used to obtain adjusted estimates and confidence intervals (CIs) for each outcome. Fixed effects included the presence of a difficult airway type (independent variable) and covariates including laryngoscopy device type, intubator postgraduate year, trauma indication, and patient age as well as the site as a random effect. Multiplicative interaction between ADAs and PDAs was assessed using the likelihood ratio (LR) test.

RESULTS:

Of the 19,071 subjects intubated during the study period, 13,938 were included in the study. Compared to those without difficult airway findings (neither ADA nor PDA), the adjusted odds ratios (aORs) for first-attempt success were 0.53 (95% CI, 0.40–0.68) for ADAs alone, 0.96 (0.68–1.36) for PDAs alone, and 0.44 (0.34–0.56) for both. The aORs for first-attempt success without adverse events were 0.72 (95% CI, 0.59–0.89) for ADAs alone, 0.79 (0.62–1.01) for PDAs alone, and 0.44 (0.37–0.54) for both. There was no evidence that the interaction between ADAs and PDAs for first-attempt success with or without adverse events was different from additive (ie, not synergistic/multiplicative or antagonistic).

CONCLUSIONS:

Compared to no difficult airway characteristics, ADAs were inversely associated with first-attempt success, while PDAs were not. Both ADAs and PDAs, as well as their interaction, were inversely associated with first-attempt success without adverse events.
Vowel Pronunciation as an Ethnic Marker: Pacific Islander Teens in Salt Lake County, Utah
Authors: Johnson Lisa Morgan
Published: February 2024

This paper analyzes word list recordings from 37 Pacific Islander (PI) and 40 European American (EA) teens from two Salt Lake County (SLCo) high schools to address three questions: (1) Do the teens in the study participate in the linguistic practices previously described for Utah and for the American West? (2) Do EAs and PIs pattern together, or is there a distinctive PI pattern in SLCo? (3) How does the ethnic composition of the school context affect ethnic-based vowel patterns? The analysis focuses on a subset of vowel features associated with the West: the Low-Back-Merger Shift (LBMS) and the fronting of non-low back vowels. Results show the Utah teens employing many LBMS features, with statistical differences based on gender, ethnic group, and school (with school acting as a proxy for ethnic diversity). Non-low back vowel positions are generally consistent with historical baselines. BOAT vowel positions are farther back for PI participants, and there is a small difference in BUT vowel position based on gender, ethnicity, and school. The results of this ethnographically grounded study demonstrate how small phonetic differences may help construct ethnic identity and why it is important to include more participants of color in dialectal research.
Comparative Analysis of the Efficacy of Spinal Cord Stimulation and Traditional Debridement Care in the Treatment of Ischemic Diabetic Foot Ulcers: A Retrospective Cohort Study
Authors: Zhou Peng-Bo , Sun Hong-Tao , Bao Min
Published: February 2024

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES:

Spinal cord stimulation (SCS) is an effective treatment for diabetic peripheral neuropathy. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of SCS in the treatment of ischemic diabetic foot ulcers.

METHODS:

In this retrospective study, the SCS group comprised 102 patients with ischemic diabetic foot who were treated with SCS for foot ulcers and nonhealing wounds due to severe lower limb ischemia. The traditional debridement care (TDC) group comprised 104 patients with ischemic diabetic foot who received only TDC. Strict screening criteria were applied. The assignment of patients to either group depended solely on their willingness to be treated with SCS. Secondary end points were transcutaneous partial pressure of oxygen (PtcO2), ankle-brachial index (ABI), and color Doppler of the lower limb arteries in the feet at 6 months and 12 months after treatment. The primary end point was the amputation.

RESULTS:

The dorsal foot PtcO2 and ABI of the patients in the SCS group were significantly improved at 6 months and 12 months postoperation (P < .05). The therapeutic efficacy was significantly better than that of the TDC group over the same period of time (P < .05). The degree of vasodilation of the lower limb arteries (ie, femoral, popliteal, posterior tibial, and dorsalis pedis arteries) on color Doppler was higher in the SCS group than in the TDC group (P < .05). The odds ratios for total amputation at 6 and 12 months postoperatively in the SCS group were 0.45 (95% CI, 0.19-1.08) and 0.17 (95% CI, 0.08-0.37), respectively, compared with the TDC group.

CONCLUSION:

SCS improved symptoms of lower limb ischemia in ischemic diabetic feet and reduced the rate of toe amputation by increasing PtcO2, ABI, and arterial vasodilation in the lower limbs.
Hydroxytyrosol extraction and purification from olive leaves with physicochemical processes
Authors: Παπαγεωργίου-Φλάμπουρας Κωνσταντίνος-Σόλων
Published: February 2024

Η αποστροφή του κόσμου από τα πετροχημικά έχει ξυπνήσει καινούριες εναλλακτικές στην παραγωγή χημικών, καυσίμων και ενέργειας. Μία από αυτές είναι το μοντέλο του βιοδιυλιστηρίου. Σε αυτό, μια πηγή βιομάζας επεξεργάζεται για την παραγωγή χημικών και ενέργειας με σχεδόν μηδενικά απόβλητα. Το μοντέλο αυτό, ή τουλάχιστον μέρος αυτού μπορεί να βρει εφαρμογές σε ήδη ανεπτυγμένες και καθιερωμένες διεργασίες. Η ελαιοπαραγωγή είναι μία από τις σημαντικότερες οικονομικές δραστηριότητες στην Ελλάδα όπως και στις υπόλοιπες Μεσογειακές χώρες, κυρίως για την παραγωγή ελαιόλαδου. Η ελαιοπαραγωγή περιλαμβάνει σημαντικές πηγές βιομάζας σε όλο τον κύκλο επεξεργασίας από το χωράφι μέχρι το πυρηνελαιουργείο όπως κλαδέματα, φύλλα, ελαιοπυρήνας, πυρηνόξυλο και υδατικά απόβλητα πλούσια σε εκχυλισμένα συστατικά. Τα φαινολικά είναι ουσίες που βρίσκονται σε φυτικούς ιστούς, φύλλα και καρπούς. Πολλά από αυτά παρουσιάζουν αντιοξειδωτικές και άλλες ευεργετικές ιδιότητες για την υγεία και για αυτό έχει δημιουργηθεί μία συνεχώς αναπτυσσόμενη αγορά γύρω από αυτά. Τα φαινολικά της ελιάς παρουσιάζουν ιδιαίτερο ενδιαφέρον καθώς αυτά παρουσιάζουν μεγάλη αντιοξειδωτική ικανότητα και μόνο μερικά μη πολικά καταλήγουν στο τελικό προϊόν που είναι το ελαιόλαδο. Μεγάλες ποσότητες αυτών καταλήγουν στα υδατικά ή παραμένουν στην στερεή φάση όπως στον ελαιοπυρήνα και τα φύλλα ελιάς. Τα 2 κυριότερα φαινολικά είναι η τυροσόλη και υδροξυτυροσόλη, ενώ τα περισσότερα από τα υπόλοιπα είναι μεταβολίτες των πρώτων δύο. Στην παρούσα εργασία έγινε μια προσπάθεια εκμετάλλευσης του φαινολικού περιεχομένου των φύλλων ελιάς με σκοπό τη συμβολή στην ιδέα του βιοδιυλιστηρίου της ελιάς. Πιο συγκεκριμένα, η εργασία εστιάστηκε στην ελαιοευρωπαϊνη, η οποία είναι το κυριότερο συστατικό των φύλλων ελιάς και στην υδρόλυσή της ώστε να παραχθεί υδροξυτυροσόλη, η οποία είναι υπεύθυνη για τη δράση του μορίου της ελαιοευρωπαΐνης, απαλλαγμένη όμως από την πικρή γεύση της πρώτης. Για την παραγωγή εκχυλίσματος πλούσιου σε υδροξυτυροσόλη αναπτύχθηκε διεργασία σε πειραματική κλίμακα με ικανοποιητική απόδοση (15 g υδροξυτυροσόλη/kg φύλλων ελιάς και καθαρότητες έως 40% στο τελικό εκχύλισμα). Στη συνέχεια έγινε προσπάθεια ενίσχυσης της καθαρότητας του εκχυλίσματος με ένα επιπλέον βήμα διήθησης μέσω μεμβρανών, έχοντας ως αποτέλεσμα την αύξηση της καθαρότητας έως 68% σε κάποιες περιπτώσεις αλλά με κόστος τη μείωση στην ανακτώμενη ποσότητα υδροξυτυροσόλης. Τέλος, έγινε προσπάθεια μεταφοράς της διεργασίας σε ημιπιλοτική κλίμακα για παραγωγή ικανοποιητικής ποσότητας εκχυλίσματος, αλλά αυτή τη φορά με αρκετά μειωμένη ανάκτηση και καθαρότητα μέχρι 20% στο τελικό εκχύλισμα, κρίνοντας απαραίτητη την τροποποίηση της διεργασίας σε βαθμό που να εξυπηρετείται η μεγάλη κλίμακα.
Analysis of Albania's diplomatic relations with the Soviet Union during the years 1948-1959
Authors: Xhaferri Manjola , tase mirela
Published: February 2024

Background This paper aims to shed light on a very intense period of relations between Albania and the Soviet Union (USSR), focusing on the period from 1948 with the intensification of Albania’s relations with the USSR until the termination of diplomatic relations in 1959. The paper will overview the USSR’s relationship with Albania and its behaviour. Methods The paper analyses a specific period between 1948 and 1959 as a case study. The analysis is conducted on context, actors, and outcomes. The research aims to identify key indicators and the implications of the relationship in both domestic and international contexts. The data sources include various materials such as interviews, films, newspapers, and books. The researchers have requested permission to use the Archival resources of the Albanian Central State Archives (AQSH), where they have made some non-state secret resources accessible. However, some of these resources can only be accessed within the archive, but the researchers have been permitted to use them. Findings The facts show that the relations between Albania and the USSR benefitted Albania more. particularly with economic support from the USSR, which helped Albania emerge from the crisis and build the so-called ‘socialist state.’ Albania took its place in the international arena through these relations and contributions. Conclusions The study, regardless of the issues it addresses, does not aim to exhaust the paper’s topic but to contribute to the objective analysis and to have some impact on the continuation and deepening of the treatment of this topic. Albania’s relations with the Soviet Union are still not fully revealed as long as many documents found in Russian archives are not available for study. But further, numerous documents show that this could be the ‘best cover’ to safeguard the interests and personal power of the leadership.
Management of cultural tourism in Ban Toon, Muang District, Phayao Province, Thailand during the COVID-19 pandemic
Authors: Madhyamapurush Warach , Khawatkun Krantharat , Sreesoompong Phatpitta , Somyarone Nattawut , Sakboonruang Wongduan
Published: February 2024

Background Add ABSTRACT above the background The research aims to study the process of managing cultural tourism in the community and assess the socio-economic impact on the community with the help of eight key contributors to the project who play an essential role in the implementation of cultural tourism management. Methods We prepared field notes from interviews and observations, and provided details from data collection (in the form of transcripts). Thematic analysis was employed to answer the research questions using a content analysis tool to obtain the community context in cultural tourism and tourism management dimensions. Participatory Action Research (PAR) was employed to meet the needs of stakeholders and test tourism routes through such routes. The tourism route development was evaluated using descriptive statistics. Results There is one new cultural tourism route and the process of managing cultural tourism developed community-level organizations with spiritual leaders as the main advisors. The result of the net present value (NPV) analysis is 917,149 baht or 27,792$. The return from the implementation of this project (the internal rate of return (IRR)) is 11.32%. In addition, the ratio of the sum of the present value over the life of the project to the sum of the present value of the cost over the life of the project is 2.45 times, giving the project, if continued, an income 2.45 times greater than its expenditure. Conclusions Cultural tourism management in Ban Toon, Muang District, and Phayao Province during the COVID-19 pandemic can be used as a guideline in other communities with similar contexts.
Comparative analysis of identity management, access control, and authorization practices in public and private universities
Authors: Mollakuqe Elissa , Dimitrova Vesna
Published: February 2024

Background This research delves into the critical aspects of identity management, access control, and authorization practices within the domains of public and private universities. Identity management involves the meticulous management and control of user identities, encompassing the establishment and maintenance of user profiles, role assignments, and access privileges. Access control is the practice of defining and enforcing policies that govern who can access an IT system or application and which resources they can interact with. Authorization, meanwhile, determines the specific actions and privileges granted to users based on their roles and permissions. Methods To understand the variances in identity management and access control approaches, we conducted a comparative analysis between public and private universities. Our investigation scrutinized the user populations with access to university systems, the enforcement of access limitations, authentication methods, and password policies. Additionally, we examined the nuances of authorization processes, levels of authorization, access approval authorities, user status and role changes, unique user account management, account deletion procedures, user authentication methods, password complexity and expiration policies, password storage methods, and session termination policies. Results This study revealed that both public and private universities prioritize these security measures, with a common categorization of these processes. Nevertheless, there exist disparities, such as the inclusion of contractors and vendors in the user population at private universities, the manual deletion of user accounts in private institutions, and variations in password policies and storage methods. Private universities tend to enforce stricter password policies, employ more secure password storage methods, and implement automatic session termination features. Conclusions This research provides valuable insights into the practices and approaches adopted by public and private universities to safeguard their digital environments. The findings serve as a valuable resource for enhancing identity management, access control, and authorization protocols, enabling institutions to fortify their cybersecurity defenses in an ever-evolving threat landscape.
Szkoła. Esej o (nie)odpowiedzialności
Authors: Kożyczkowska Adela
Published: February 2024

Zachodni człowiek ściśle powiązał ze szkołą swoją biografię. Nie może on – w swojej wyobraźni – nie posiadać świadectwa potwierdzającego wykształcenie. Trudno też sobie wyobrazić, aby jakiekolwiek społeczeństwo mogło istnieć bez szkoły. Te przekonania powodują, że każda władza podejmuje próbę przejęcia kontroli nad szkołą i kształceniem młodych ludzi. Badania Bogusława Śliwerskiego potwierdzają, że każda z partii, która dochodzi do władzy, za pomocą szkoły realizuje własne interesy. Celem artykułu jest próba rozpoznania kondycji teraźniejszej szkoły i powiązanej z nią sprawy odpowiedzialności i nie(odpowiedzialności). Wypowiedź autorki koncentruje się na trzech zagadnieniach, które ujęto w formie pytań. Pierwsze: Czyja jest szkoła? Drugie: Kim jest człowiek w szkole? Trzecie: Jakiego człowieka wykształca szkoła?
How to critically read quantitative research
Authors: Ellis Peter
Published: February 2024

This paper provides an overview of how to critically read a quantitative research paper, explaining stage by stage what to look for in order to judge its quality.
Considering the impact of shift working on health
Authors: Bostock Faye , Mortimore Gerri
Published: February 2024

Shift work is necessary for the provision of health services, especially in hospitals as it is the only way to provide continuous care to patients. Working at night is inconsistent with the body's biological clock and night shift working hugely disrupts the circadian and sleep wake cycles. In 2020, the World Health Organization classified night shift working as being a ‘probable’ class 2A carcinogen and a number of independent cohort studies of both night workers and shift workers have observed increased incidence of certain cancers. Altered sleep timing, food timing and light exposure typical for shift workers leads to an acute circadian disruption and misalignment of regulatory hormones. This straying from synchronisation has been shown to result in individuals being more vulnerable to a number of chronic health conditions. Night shift work disrupts the normal sleep–wake cycle, often leading to shortened sleep duration and excessive fatigue and the results of this are far reaching. This article will explore the full impact of shift working, questioning if current practices employed within the NHS should continue.
Resilience and burnout of healthcare workers during the early COVID-19 pandemic
Authors: Siddique Haleema , Maweni Robert Munashe , Lupi Micol , Woods Shannan , Shirazi Shahram , Foley Robert William , Machando Debra
Published: February 2024

Introduction:

The COVID-19 pandemic has led to significantly more healthcare workers (HCWs) experiencing burnout than previously. This burnout is strongly associated with low resilience. Addressing organisational stresses and the introduction of resilience training will help to reduce the proportion of HCWs experiencing this phenomenon.

Aims:

The aim of this study was to assess the impact of the biopsychosocial changes and challenges associated with the COVID-19 pandemic on the healthcare workforce, exploring, specifically, the impact on and relationship between HCWs' resilience and burnout.

Methods:

An electronic opt-in survey was distributed to HCWs through hospital and professional association communications emails and websites, as well as social media. The survey consisted of demographic questions, the Oldenburg Burnout Inventory to assess burnout, Brief Resilience Scale to assess general resilience, and 10-item Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale to assess resilience during the pandemic. Univariate and multivariate analysis was undertaken to examine the relationship between these factors.

Results:

A total of 1370 HCWs completed the questionnaire, with 802 (58.5%) having burnout, 348 (25.4%) having low general resilience and 390 (28.5%) having low COVID resilience. Burnout was significantly associated with being public sector workers, low general resilience and low COVID resilience. Resilience training was found to be protective for burnout.

Conclusion:

The introduction of resilience training in the workplace is a fundamental tool that will significantly benefit HCWs when working under challenging conditions.
What will be our word of 2024?
Authors: Allingham Sue
Published: February 2024

Sue Allingham, author, trainer and consultant, discusses some of the latest articles published across the sector, and encourages practitioners to think about how they teach literacy skills to children.
Developing communication, language and literacy skills in Early Years Foundation Stage
Authors: Fuller Hayley
Published: February 2024

Hayley Fuller, founder of Creative Teaching Ideas, shares tips and strategies to help practitioners foster communication, language and literacy development in early years settings.
‘Witnessing children's innate curiosity, resilience and boundless creativity is humbling and inspiring’
Authors: Roberts Elly
Published: February 2024

The Woodland Nursery won Early Years Team of the Year at the Pearson National Teaching Awards in November 2023. Here Tracy Paskins, co-founder and manager shares more about the forest school nursery in Greenwich, London.
Structural control of the deposition and subsequent deformation of the Killary Habour-Joyce Country Silurian succession
Authors: Badley Michael E. , Graham John R. , Leake Bernard Elgey
Published: February 2024

Abstract: The Killary Harbour–Joyce Country succession of Silurian rocks forms the remnant of one of three successor basins that developed after the Grampian Orogeny and which are preserved in western Ireland. Its outcrop everywhere obscures the contact between the Dalradian rocks of Connemara and the Ordovician rocks of the South Mayo Trough. The outcrop is bisected by the prominent north-west trending Maam Valley Fault Zone that is shown to have a component of synsedimentary movement down-throwing to the southwest. The original basin margins lay well outside the current outcrop area. North-south shortening and inversion of the basin was accomplished by reactivation and inversion of earlier fault structures and was exclusively in the brittle zone. Folding of the Silurian rocks with weak to moderate cleavage and deformation of the basement rocks of Connemara was accomplished by largely vertical movements along numerous strike parallel and oblique fractures. Break-back inversion structures were developed along the southern margin of the South Mayo Trough, which include thrusting associated with footwall shortcut faults and clockwise rotation. Although the timing of deformation overlaps that of diorite sill emplacement, it remains poorly constrained in absolute terms.
SING 2019 Talking Circle: Indigenous Perspectives on Chronic Wasting Disease Research and Management in North America
Authors: Redsky Arlana M. , Northwest Latiya , Jensen-Fisk Ashlyn , Smith Tanelle , Neimeyer Katie , Newman-Simmons Avery , Healy Chyloe , Hyrcak Morgan , Burke Jenna , Clay Khalyd , Cardinal-McTeague Warren , Carriere Naomí , Turner John , Stewart K'alii , Cook Elder Grace
Published: February 2024

Abstract: The Summer Internship for Indigenous Peoples in Genomics Canada (SING Canada) is an annual, weeklong training program organized by the Indigenous Science, Technology, and Society program in the Faculty of Native Studies at the University of Alberta. During the 2019 annual program, Indigenous students, nation members, elders, and early career Indigenous scientists were invited to participate in an intensive training program on chronic wasting disease (CWD) of cervids (deer, moose, elk, and caribou). At the closing of SING Canada 2019, participants collaborated in a talking circle to capture their impressions on the directions of CWD management, research, and engagement of Indigenous peoples in these processes. The results of this discussion indicated that research on CWD lacks Indigenous input, resulting in adverse outcomes for Indigenous people. These findings point to a greater need for Indigenous engagement and consultation on CWD and inclusion of the more holistic Indigenous perspectives that place value and emphasis on the interconnection between living and nonliving beings. By engaging more critical Indigenous perspectives, future directions of CWD research and management can begin to identify and meaningfully address Indigenous peoples' needs.
A Tribute to Elizabeth Cook-Lynn
Authors: Lee Lanniko L.
Published: February 2024

Abstract: Elizabeth Cook-Lynn was a professor and writer of English literature and Native American Indian studies. Her writings contribute significantly to a growing body of Native American literature that addresses controversial issues pertaining to tribal sovereignty and treaty rights, but also to mindfully responsibilities of sovereign nations. She strengthened the Native voice when she helped to found the Wicazo Sa Review , a scholarly journal to inform subscribers nationally and internationally of the state of Native American affairs in the United States, especially those of the Oceti Sakowin Oyate, heretofore known people of the Great Sioux Nation. Always an engaging intellectual and thinker, she founded and co-chartered the Oak Lake Writers' Society, a one-of-a-kind tribal writers model, to assist aspiring writers to continue the revitalization of the Oceti Sakowin oral and written literary tradition. Dr. Cook-Lynn wrote curriculum and pedagogical strategies to help scaffold the emerging discipline of American Indian Studies. To raise awareness and respect for contributions of notable Oceti Sakowin leaders, activists, and writers, she helped to create the First Nations Sculpture Garden in Rapid City, South Dakota. In summary, Dr. Cook-Lynn lived and practiced her cultural values for which she received numerous prestigious awards and national recognition.
Thin flexible photoacoustic endoscopic probe with a distal-driven micro-step motor for pump-probe-based high-specific molecular imaging
Authors: Wang Bo , Zhong Hongwen , Zhang Jiaxi , Jiang Jinsheng , Xiao Jiaying
Published: February 2024

Conventional photoacoustic endoscopy (PAE) is mostly for structural imaging, and its molecular imaging ability is quite limited. In this work, we address this issue and present the development of a flexible acoustic-resolution-based photoacoustic endoscopic (AR-PAE) probe with an outer diameter of 8 mm. This probe is driven by a micro-step motor at the distal end, enabling flexible and precise angular step control to synchronize with the optical parametric oscillator (OPO) lasers. This probe retains the high spatial resolution, high penetration depth, and spectroscopic imaging ability of conventional AR-PAE. Moreover, it is capable for background-free high-specific photoacoustic molecular imaging with a novel pump-probe detection technique, as demonstrated by the distribution visualizing of the FDA approved contrast agent methylene blue (MB) in an ex-vivo pig ileum. This proposed method represents an important technical advancement in multimodal PAE, and can potentially make considerable contributions across various biomedical fields.
Configurable SNAP microresonators induced by axial pre-strain-assisted CO2 laser exposure
Authors: Yu Qi , Xu Zhenxiang , Xu Zuowei , Wang Yulong , Li Haosen , Miao Qi , Li Hongtao , Shu Xuewen , Lu Liang
Published: February 2024

Flexible engineering of the complex shapes of the surface nanoscale axial photonics (SNAP) bottle microresonators (SBMs) is challenging for future nanophotonic technology applications. Here, we experimentally propose a powerful approach for the one-step fabrication of SBMs with simultaneous negative and positive radius variations, exhibiting a distinctive “bump-well-bump” profile. It is executed by utilizing two focused and symmetrical CO2 laser beams exposed on the fiber surface for only several hundred milliseconds. The spectral characteristics of different eigenmodes are analyzed, providing deep insights into the complex physical processes during the CO2 laser exposure. The shapes of the SBMs can be flexibly adjusted by the exposure time, laser power, and applied pre-strains. As a proof of this technique, the developed approach enables the efficient production of a bat SBM, ensuring a uniform field amplitude of the bat mode over the length exceeding 120 µm with 7% deviation. Our proposed technique provides a powerful technique for the efficient fabrication of SBMs with predetermined shapes, laying the groundwork for its applications on microscale optical signal processing, quantum computing, and so on.
Optimizing numerical k-sampling for swept-source optical coherence tomography angiography
Authors: Huang Naixing , Hormel Tristan T. , Liang Guangru B. , Wei Xiang , Guo Yukun , Chen Siyu , Jia Yali
Published: February 2024

High-quality swept-source optical coherence tomography (SS-OCT) requires accurate k-sampling, which is equally vital for optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA). Most SS-OCT systems are equipped with hardware-driven k-sampling. However, this conventional approach raises concerns over system cost, optical alignment, imaging depth, and stability in the clocking circuit. This work introduces an optimized numerical k-sampling method to replace the additional k-clock hardware. Using this method, we can realize high axial resolution (4.9-µm full-width-half-maximum, in air) and low roll-off (2.3 dB loss) over a 4-mm imaging depth. The high axial resolution and sensitivity achieved by this simple numerical method can reveal anatomic and microvascular structures with structural OCT and OCTA in both macular and deeper tissues, including the lamina cribrosa, suggesting its usefulness in imaging retinopathy and optic neuropathy.
Nazo, the Drosophila homolog of the NBIA-mutated protein–c19orf12, is required for triglyceride homeostasis
Authors: Sreejith Perinthottathil , Lolo Sara , Patten Kristen R. , Gunasinghe Maduka , More Neya , Pallanck Leo J. , Bharadwaj Rajnish
Published: February 2024

Lipid dyshomeostasis has been implicated in a variety of diseases ranging from obesity to neurodegenerative disorders such as Neurodegeneration with Brain Iron Accumulation (NBIA). Here, we uncover the physiological role of Nazo, the Drosophila melanogaster homolog of the NBIA-mutated protein–c19orf12, whose function has been elusive. Ablation of Drosophila c19orf12 homologs leads to dysregulation of multiple lipid metabolism genes. nazo mutants exhibit markedly reduced gut lipid droplet and whole-body triglyceride contents. Consequently, they are sensitive to starvation and oxidative stress. Nazo is required for maintaining normal levels of Perilipin-2, an inhibitor of the lipase–Brummer. Concurrent knockdown of Brummer or overexpression of Perilipin-2 rescues the nazo phenotype, suggesting that this defect, at least in part, may arise from diminished Perilipin-2 on lipid droplets leading to aberrant Brummer-mediated lipolysis. Our findings potentially provide novel insights into the role of c19orf12 as a possible link between lipid dyshomeostasis and neurodegeneration, particularly in the context of NBIA.
A targeted amplicon next-generation sequencing assay for tryptase genotyping to support personalized therapy in mast cell-related disorders
Authors: Li Olga , Hackney Jason A. , Choy David F. , Chang Diana , Nersesian Rhea , Staton Tracy L. , Cai Fang , Toghi Eshghi Shadi
Published: February 2024

Tryptase, the most abundant mast cell granule protein, is elevated in severe asthma patients independent of type 2 inflammation status. Higher active β tryptase allele counts are associated with higher levels of peripheral tryptase and lower clinical benefit from anti-IgE therapies. Tryptase is a therapeutic target of interest in severe asthma and chronic spontaneous urticaria. Active and inactive allele counts may enable stratification to assess response to therapies in asthmatic patient subpopulations. Tryptase gene loci TPSAB1 and TPSB2 have high levels of sequence identity, which makes genotyping a challenging task. Here, we report a targeted next-generation sequencing (NGS) assay and downstream bioinformatics analysis for determining polymorphisms at tryptase TPSAB1 and TPSB2 loci. Machine learning modeling using multiple polymorphisms in the tryptase loci was used to improve the accuracy of genotyping calls. The assay was tested and qualified on DNA extracted from whole blood of healthy donors and asthma patients, achieving accuracy of 96%, 96% and 94% for estimation of inactive α and βΙΙΙFS tryptase alleles and α duplication on TPSAB1, respectively. The reported NGS assay is a cost-effective method that is more efficient than Sanger sequencing and provides coverage to evaluate known as well as unreported tryptase polymorphisms.
Land use is a stronger determinant of ecological network complexity than the number of trophic levels
Authors: Amarillo-Suárez Angela R. , Camacho-Erazo Mariana , Herrera Henri W.
Published: February 2024

Land modification causes biodiversity loss and ecosystem modification. Despite many studies on the impacts of this factor, there is little empirical evidence on how it affects the interaction networks of plants, herbivores and their natural enemies; likewise, there is little evidence on how those networks change due to differences in the complexity of the communities they comprise. We analyzed the effects of land use and number of trophic levels on the interaction networks of exotic legume species and their associated arthropods. We collected seedpods from five exotic legume species (one of them invasive) in four land use types (urbanization, roadside, L. leucocephala plantation, wooded pasture) on Santa Cruz Island in the Galapagos, and obtained all arthropods that emerged from the seeds. Then, we built and analyzed the interaction networks for each land use at two community scales, each with different numbers of trophic levels: (1) three levels: plant-seed beetle-parasitoid (PSP), and (2) more than three levels: plant-seed beetle-parasitoid-predator and other trophic guilds (PSPP). Land use was more relevant than number of trophic levels in the configuration of species interactions. The number of species and interactions was highest on roadsides at PSPP and lowest in plantations at PSP. We found a significant effect of land use on connectance and interaction evenness (IE), and no significant effect of number of trophic levels on connectance, diversity or IE. The simultaneous analysis of land use and number of trophic levels enabled the identification of more complex patterns of community structure. Comparison of the patterns we found among islands and between exotic and native legumes is recommended. Understanding the structure of the communities analyzed here, as well as the relative contribution of their determinants of change, would allow us to develop conservation plans according to the dynamics of these neo-ecosystems.
The influence of cultural friction on foreign divestment of multinational enterprises——the moderating role of formal institutional distance and political connections
Authors: Xu Zijing , Tian Ming , Zhang Yang
Published: February 2024

Multinational enterprises frequently divest their foreign assets in the current economic environment. Existing research, based on friction theory, has mainly focused on the impacts of political and economic disparities on foreign divestment while neglecting the nuanced influence of cultural factors. To address this gap, this paper draws on the cultural friction perspective to capture the diverse cultural resistance faced by each enterprise and explore the relationship between cultural friction and foreign divestment. Data from Chinese publicly listed enterprises engaged in foreign investment are leveraged, and a dual-level analysis is conducted using Logit panel regression and Cox survival analysis to examine the relationship between cultural friction and foreign divestment from both the viewpoints of the parent company and the overseas subsidiary. Additionally, the paper examines the marginal factors that affect the relationship between them from an institutional perspective. The findings reveal that cultural friction has a positive influence on the propensity of multinational enterprises to divest from foreign markets. Interestingly, a "formal institutional distance paradox" is demonstrated in our study, and politically connected enterprises are found to be more vulnerable to foreign divestment due to the "curse of political affiliations".
Flanged males have higher reproductive success in a completely wild orangutan population
Authors: Scott Amy M. , Banes Graham L. , Setiadi Wuryantari , Saragih Jessica R. , Susanto Tri Wahyu , Mitra Setia Tatang , Knott Cheryl D.
Published: February 2024

Male orangutans (Pongo spp.) exhibit bimaturism, an alternative reproductive tactic, with flanged and unflanged males displaying two distinct morphological and behavioral phenotypes. Flanged males are larger than unflanged males and display secondary sexual characteristics which unflanged males lack. The evolutionary explanation for alternative reproductive tactics in orangutans remains unclear because orangutan paternity studies to date have been from sites with ex-captive orangutans, provisioning via feeding stations and veterinary care, or that lack data on the identity of mothers. Here we demonstrate, using the first long-term paternity data from a site free of these limitations, that alternative reproductive tactics in orangutans are condition-dependent, not frequency-dependent. We found higher reproductive success by flanged males than by unflanged males, a pattern consistent with other Bornean orangutan (Pongo pygmaeus) paternity studies. Previous paternity studies disagree on the degree of male reproductive skew, but we found low reproductive skew among flanged males. We compare our findings and previous paternity studies from both Bornean and Sumatran orangutans (Pongo abelii) to understand why these differences exist, examining the possible roles of species differences, ecology, and human intervention. Additionally, we use long-term behavioral data to demonstrate that while flanged males can displace unflanged males in association with females, flanged males are unable to keep other males from associating with a female, and thus they are unable to completely mate guard females. Our results demonstrate that alternative reproductive tactics in Bornean orangutans are condition-dependent, supporting the understanding that the flanged male morph is indicative of good condition. Despite intense male-male competition and direct sexual coercion by males, female mate choice is effective in determining reproductive outcomes in this population of wild orangutans.
Disparities in pre-health advising across California’s public universities
Authors: Rios-Fetchko Francine , Carson Mariam , Tapia Manuel , Fernandez Alicia , Coffman Janet
Published: February 2024

Background

The Supreme Court’s decision in Students for Fair Admissions, Inc., v. Harvard College is likely to result in the matriculation of fewer students from historically excluded racial/ethnic groups at more selective colleges and universities and matriculation of more students at less selective colleges and universities. Because of this, it is important to understand how resources for pre-health advising, a modifiable factor that can help increase the diversity of the health workforce, vary across institutions with differing levels of selectivity. Colleges are known to vary in resources, structure, and investment in pre-health advising but data are lacking and there is no estimate of any pre-health advising resource gap.

Purpose

To quantify availability of advising resources and identify perceived challenges in pre-health advising in California’s highly diverse public and select private undergraduate institutions.

Methods

Structured 60-minute Zoom interviews from June 2022 –October 2022 at 18/23 CSU (California State Universities), 9/9 University of California (UC) institutions and 6 select private institutions with varying levels of selectivity. Two investigators independently analyzed interviews using a Grounded Theory Approach. The full study team reviewed transcripts and themes.

Key results

Pre-health advisor capacity varied greatly across the three types of institutions. CSU: mean = 1 FTE advisor: 24,620 graduates (range: 1: 1,059–1: 150,520); UC mean = 1 FTE advisor: 4,526 graduates (range: 1: 1,912–1: 10,920); private institutions mean = 1 FTE advisor:1,794 graduates (range: 1: 722–1: 5,300). Participants reported common challenges: advising capacity, lack of advisor training, advisor turnover, and student difficulties in accessing clinical opportunities and required coursework. CSU and UC participants noted that these had greatest impact for first generation and racially/ethnically underrepresented students for whom lack of informal professional networks, lack of other mentors, and financial responsibilities complicate college navigation and professional school application.

Conclusions

Students at CSU campuses had 5 times less access to pre-health advising per graduate than UC students, and 13 times less than students at private institutions. Much greater investment is needed in California’s public institutions, particularly CSUs, to increase equity in access to advising for pre-health professional students. Research should examine pre-health advising resource capacity in other states, especially those that are now facing race-neutral admissions policies at undergraduate institutions and health professions schools.
Comparison of stereopsis and foveal microstructure after internal limiting membrane peeling and inverted internal limiting membrane flap techniques in patients with macular hole
Authors: Morikawa Shohei , Okamoto Fumiki , Murakami Tomoya , Sugiura Yoshimi , Oshika Tetsuro
Published: February 2024

Purpose

To compare stereopsis and foveal microstructure after internal limiting membrane peeling and inverted internal limiting membrane flap technique in patients with macular hole.

Design

Retrospective observational study.

Methods

Sixty-six patients with macular hole were included, of whom 41 underwent 25-gauge pars-plana vitrectomy with complete internal limiting membrane peeling (Peeling group) and 25 with the inverted flap technique (Inverted group). We evaluated stereopsis using the Titmus Stereo Test and the TNO stereo test, best-corrected visual acuity, macular hole closure rate, and foveal microstructure with optical coherence tomography before and at 3, 6, and 12 months after surgery.

Main outcome measures

Stereopsis and foveal microstructure.

Results

Preoperatively, no difference was observed in the base and minimum diameters of macular hole, Titmus Stereo Test score, TNO stereo test score, and best-corrected visual acuity between the Peeling and Inverted groups. The macular hole closure rate in the Peeling and Inverted groups were 97.6% and 100%, respectively, with no significant difference between groups. At 12 months postoperatively, Titmus Stereo Test score (2.1 ± 0.4 in the peeling and 2.2 ± 0.4 in the inverted groups), TNO stereo test score (2.3 ± 0.4 and 2.2± 0.5), and best-corrected visual acuity (0.20 ± 0.18 and 0.24 ± 0.25) were not significantly different between groups (p = 0.596, 0.332, respectively). The defect of the external limiting membrane was more common in the Inverted group than in the Peeling group at 6 months after surgery (5.4 vs. 28.0%; p < 0.05). No statistically significant inter-group differences were noted in the ellipsoid zone defect ratio throughout the follow-up period.

Conclusions

There was no difference in postoperative stereopsis nor foveal microstructure between the internal limiting membrane peeling group and the inverted group in patients with macular hole.