bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Influence of CReatine supplementation on mUScle mass and strength after stroke (ICaRUS Stroke Trial): study protocol for a randomized controlled trial
Authors: de Souza Juli Thomaz , Minicucci Marcos F. , Ferreira Natália C. , Polegato Bertha F. , Okoshi Marina Politi , Modolo Gabriel P. , Phillips Bethan E. , Atherton Philip J. , Smith Kenneth , Wilkinson Daniel , Gordon Adam , Tanni Suzana E. , Costa Vladimir Eliodoro , Fernandes Maria Fernanda P. , Bazan Silméia G. Zanati , Zornoff Leonardo A. M. , Bazan Rodrigo , de Paiva Sérgio A. Rupp , Azevedo Paula Schmidt
Published: March 2023

Background

Stroke is a leading cause of mortality and disability, and its sequelae are associated with inadequate food intake which can lead to sarcopenia. The aim of this study is to verify the effectiveness of creatine supplementation on functional capacity, strength, and changes in muscle mass during hospitalization for stroke compared to usual care. An exploratory subanalysis will be performed to assess the inflammatory profiles of all participants, in addition to a follow-up 90 days after stroke, to verify functional capacity, muscle strength, mortality, and quality of life.

Methods

Randomized, double-blind, unicenter, parallel-group trial including individuals with ischemic stroke in the acute phase. The duration of the trial for the individual subject will be approximately 90 days, and each subject will attend a maximum of three visits. Clinical, biochemical, anthropometric, body composition, muscle strength, functional capacity, degree of dependence, and quality of life assessments will be performed. Thirty participants will be divided into two groups: intervention (patients will intake one sachet containing 10g of creatine twice a day) and control (patients will intake one sachet containing 10g of placebo [maltodextrin] twice a day). Both groups will receive supplementation with powdered milk protein serum isolate to achieve the goal of 1.5g of protein/kg of body weight/day and daily physiotherapy according to the current rehabilitation guidelines for patients with stroke. Supplementation will be offered during the 7-day hospitalization. The primary outcomes will be functional capacity, strength, and changes in muscle mass after the intervention as assessed by the Modified Rankin Scale, Timed Up and Go test, handgrip strength, 30-s chair stand test, muscle ultrasonography, electrical bioimpedance, and identification of muscle degradation markers by D3-methylhistidine. Follow-up will be performed 90 days after stroke to verify functional capacity, muscle strength, mortality, and quality of life.

Discussion

The older population has specific nutrient needs, especially for muscle mass and function maintenance. Considering that stroke is a potentially disabling event that can lead the affected individual to present with numerous sequelae, it is crucial to study the mechanisms of muscle mass loss and understand how adequate supplementation can help these patients to better recover.

Trial registration

The Brazilian Clinical Trials Registry (ReBEC) RBR-9q7gg4. Registered on 21 January 2019.
A proposed framework for point of care musculoskeletal ultrasound and ultrasound image-guided interventions by physiotherapists: scope of practice, education and governance
Authors: Smith Mike , Innes Sue , Wildman Stuart , Baker David
Published: March 2023

Background

The use of point of care ultrasound (PoCUS) in the management of musculoskeletal (MSK) disorders is a diverse area of PoCUS practice. Its use by clinicians, such as physiotherapists, can occur across a wide range of roles and care pathway configurations; however, professional, educational and regulatory uncertainties can leave clinicians, managers and patients at risk.

Main body

A PoCUS framework approach (previously applied to support PoCUS consolidation and expansion) is used to frame these proposals. Central to this is the defining of (clinical and sonographic) scope of practice (ScoP). A number of indicative ScoPs are described to both (i) illustrate application of the principles and (ii) provide templates for ScoP derivations for individual services or clinicians. Image-guided MSK interventions are increasingly an aspect of MSK physiotherapy PoCUS. Given the utility of physiotherapists drawing upon their imaging to fully inform the selection (and performance) of such techniques, we present a rationale for competency in undertaking sonographic differentials as a pre-cursor to performing ultrasound image-guided MSK interventions. Alignment of ScoP with the relevant education and formal competency assessments are a cornerstone of the PoCUS framework approach; as such, key aspects of MSK PoCUS education and competency assessment are outlined. Strategies for addressing such requirements in healthcare settings where formal provision is not accessible, are also presented. Governance considerations are aligned with the regulatory environment, including those pertaining to professional guidance and insurance considerations. In addition, generic quality assurance elements are emphasised, as core aspects of high-quality service provision. Whilst the paper clarifies the situation for MSK physiotherapists using PoCUS in the UK, prompts are provided to support other professional groups working in MSK services in the United Kingdom (UK) and MSK physiotherapists/physical therapists in other countries—to facilitate their application of the principles.

Conclusion

Acknowledging the breadth of MSK physiotherapy PoCUS practice, this paper draws upon a framework approach to provide integrated ScoP, education/competency and governance solutions, along with mechanisms for other professions working with MSK PoCUS—and physiotherapists/physical therapists outside of the UK—to consolidate and expand their practice.
Same same but different: dopamine transporter SPECT on scanners with CZT vs. NaI detectors
Authors: Thiele Felix , Schau Franziska , Rogasch Julian M. M. , Wetz Christoph , Bluemel Stephanie , Brenner Winfried , Amthauer Holger , Lange Catharina , Schatka Imke
Published: March 2023

Background

The aims of this study were to establish a normal database (NDB) for semiquantification of dopamine transporter (DAT) single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) with [123I]FP-CIT on a cadmium zinc telluride (CZT) camera, test the preexisting NaI-derived NDB for use in CZT scans, and compare the diagnostic findings in subjects imaged with a CZT scanner with either the preexisting NaI-based NDB or our newly defined CZT NDB.

Methods

The sample comprised 73 subjects with clinically uncertain parkinsonian syndrome (PS) who prospectively underwent [123I]FP-CIT SPECT on a CZT camera according to standard guidelines with identical acquisition and reconstruction protocols (DaTQUANT). Two experienced readers visually assessed the images and binarized the subjects into “non-neurodegenerative PS” and “neurodegenerative PS”. Twenty-five subjects from the “non-neurodegenerative PS” subgroup were randomly selected to establish a CZT NDB. The remaining 48 subjects were defined as “test group”. DaTQUANT was used to determine the specific binding ratio (SBR). For the test group, SBR values were transformed to z-scores for the putamen utilizing both the CZT NDB and the manufacturer-provided NaI-based NDB (GE NDB). A predefined fixed cut-off of -2 was used for dichotomization of z-scores to classify neurodegenerative and non-neurodegenerative PS. Performance of semiquantification using the two NDB to identify subjects with neurodegenerative PS was assessed in comparison with the visual rating. Furthermore, a randomized head-to-head comparison of both detector systems was performed semiquantitatively in a subset of 32 out of all 73 subjects.

Results

Compared to the visual rating as reference, semiquantification based on the dedicated CZT NDB led to fewer discordant ratings than the GE NDB in CZT scans (3 vs. 8 out of 48 subjects). This can be attributed to the putaminal z-scores being consistently higher with the GE NDB on a CZT camera (median absolute difference of 1.68), suggesting an optimal cut-off of -0.5 for the GE NDB instead of -2.0. Average binding ratios and z-scores were significantly lower in CZT compared to NaI data.

Conclusions

Use of a dedicated, CZT-derived NDB is recommended in [123I]FP-CIT SPECT with a CZT camera since it improves agreement between semiquantification and visual assessment.
Spatial distribution of invasive large fever berry trees (Croton megalobotrys) in Sengwa Wildlife Research Area: Gokwe, Zimbabwe
Authors: Matsa Mark , Mugogo Kudzai Andrew , Mahakata Innocent , Dzawanda Beauty , Mavugara Roberta
Published: March 2023

Background

The invasion of rangelands by invasive plant species is a major threat to biodiversity in most parts of Zimbabwe posing not only an ecological challenge but a growing management and eradication challenge as well. However, there is sparse information relating to the spatial distribution of these species and the conditions promoting their growth and development particularly in Sothern Africa. The study assessed the spatial distribution of the invasive large fever berry tree and associated soil type in Sengwa Wildlife Research Area. A mixed methods research design triangulating qualitative and quantitative methods was utilized. All known sites occupied by large fever berry trees were obtained from the Sengwa Wildlife Research Institute’s records on invasive plant species. Ground truthing was done for all sites and global positioning system coordinates of occupied areas were collected. Mapping of invaded areas by the large fever berry tree was done using Quantum GIS software. Coordinates were imported to show points with the large fever berry tree. Altitude of invaded areas and soil samples were also collected for soil analysis and a soil texture triangle was used to come up with the soil type associated with the growth and spread of the large fever berry trees.

Results

The results show that the large fever berry tree occupied areas along major rivers and streams on loam soils. An area of 16.5km2 which is 4.4% of the Sengwa Wildlife Research Area is invaded by the large fever berry tree. Results further indicated that sandy- loam soils were associated with the growth and development of the large fever berry tree in Sengwa Wildlife Research Area. Veld fires were also identified as a factor influencing the spread of the large fever berry tree species in the Sengwa Wildlife Research Area.

Conclusion

In conclusion, a holistic framework was developed to curb the invasion of the large fever berry tree in Sengwa Wildlife Research Area. It is recommended that further studies be conducted outside the protected area to establish soil characteristics and invasion rates in order to fully understand drivers of its invasion.
Realising respiratory microbiomic meta-analyses: time for a standardised framework
Authors: Broderick David , Marsh Robyn , Waite David , Pillarisetti Naveen , Chang Anne B. , Taylor Michael W.
Published: March 2023

In microbiome fields of study, meta-analyses have proven to be a valuable tool for identifying the technical drivers of variation among studies and results of investigations in several diseases, such as those of the gut and sinuses. Meta-analyses also represent a powerful and efficient approach to leverage existing scientific data to both reaffirm existing findings and generate new hypotheses within the field. However, there are currently limited data in other fields, such as the paediatric respiratory tract, where extension of original data becomes even more critical due to samples often being difficult to obtain and process for a range of both technical and ethical reasons. Performing such analyses in an evolving field comes with challenges related to data accessibility and heterogeneity. This is particularly the case in paediatric respiratory microbiomics — a field in which best microbiome-related practices are not yet firmly established, clinical heterogeneity abounds and ethical challenges can complicate sharing of patient data. Having recently conducted a large-scale, individual participant data meta-analysis of the paediatric respiratory microbiota (n = 2624 children from 20 studies), we discuss here some of the unique barriers facing these studies and open and invite a dialogue towards future opportunities.
A study on improving turnover intention forecasting by solving imbalanced data problems: focusing on SMOTE and generative adversarial networks
Authors: Park Jungryeol , Kwon Sundong , Jeong Seon-Phil
Published: March 2023

This study aims to improve the accuracy of forecasting the turnover intention of new college graduates by solving the imbalance data problem. For this purpose, data from the Korea Employment Information Service's Job Mobility Survey (Graduates Occupations Mobility Survey: GOMS) for college graduates were used. This data includes various items such as turnover intention, personal characteristics, and job characteristics of new college graduates, and the class ratio of turnover intention is imbalanced. For solving the imbalance data problem, the synthetic minority over-sampling technique (SMOTE) and generative adversarial networks (GAN) were used to balance class variables to examine the improvement of turnover intention prediction accuracy. After deriving the factors affecting the turnover intention by referring to previous studies, a turnover intention prediction model was constructed, and the model's prediction accuracy was analyzed by reflecting each data. As a result of the analysis, the highest predictive accuracy was found in class balanced data through generative adversarial networks rather than class imbalanced original data and class balanced data through SMOTE. The academic implication of this study is that first, the diversity of data sampling methods was presented by expanding and applying GAN, which are widely used in unstructured data sampling fields such as images and images, to structured data in business administration fields such as this study. Second, two refining processes were performed on data generated using generative adversarial networks to suggest a method for refining only data corresponding to a more minority class. The practical implication of this study is that it suggested a plan to predict the turnover intention of new college graduates early through the establishment of a predictive model using public data and machine learning.
QuantImage v2: a comprehensive and integrated physician-centered cloud platform for radiomics and machine learning research
Authors: Abler Daniel , Schaer Roger , Oreiller Valentin , Verma Himanshu , Reichenbach Julien , Aidonopoulos Orfeas , Evéquoz Florian , Jreige Mario , Prior John O. , Depeursinge Adrien
Published: March 2023

Background

Radiomics, the field of image-based computational medical biomarker research, has experienced rapid growth over the past decade due to its potential to revolutionize the development of personalized decision support models. However, despite its research momentum and important advances toward methodological standardization, the translation of radiomics prediction models into clinical practice only progresses slowly. The lack of physicians leading the development of radiomics models and insufficient integration of radiomics tools in the clinical workflow contributes to this slow uptake.

Methods

We propose a physician-centered vision of radiomics research and derive minimal functional requirements for radiomics research software to support this vision. Free-to-access radiomics tools and frameworks were reviewed to identify best practices and reveal the shortcomings of existing software solutions to optimally support physician-driven radiomics research in a clinical environment.

Results

Support for user-friendly development and evaluation of radiomics prediction models via machine learning was found to be missing in most tools. QuantImage v2 (QI2) was designed and implemented to address these shortcomings. QI2 relies on well-established existing tools and open-source libraries to realize and concretely demonstrate the potential of a one-stop tool for physician-driven radiomics research. It provides web-based access to cohort management, feature extraction, and visualization and supports “no-code” development and evaluation of machine learning models against patient-specific outcome data.

Conclusions

QI2 fills a gap in the radiomics software landscape by enabling “no-code” radiomics research, including model validation, in a clinical environment. Further information about QI2, a public instance of the system, and its source code is available at https://medgift.github.io/quantimage-v2-info/.

Key points

As domain experts, physicians play a key role in the development of radiomics models.

Existing software solutions do not support physician-driven research optimally.

QuantImage v2 implements a physician-centered vision for radiomics research.

QuantImage v2 is a web-based, “no-code” radiomics research platform.
The role of proteasome in muscle wasting of experimental arthritis
Authors: Teixeira Vivian Oliveira Nunes , Bartikoski Bárbara Jonson , do Espirito Santo Rafaela Cavalheiro , Alabarse Paulo Vinícius Gil , Ghannan Khetam , Silva Jordana Miranda Souza , Filippin Lidiane Isabel , Visioli Fernanda , Martinez-Gamboa Lorena , Feist Eugen , Xavier Ricardo Machado
Published: March 2023

Background

Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune inflammatory disease that often leads patients to muscle impairment and physical disability. This study aimed to evaluate changes in the activity of proteasome system in skeletal muscles of mice with collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) and treated with etanercept or methotrexate.

Methods

Male DBA1/J mice were divided into four groups (n = 8 each): CIA-Vehicle (treated with saline), CIA-ETN (treated with etanercept, 5.5 mg/kg), CIA-MTX (treated with methotrexate, 35 mg/kg) and CO (healthy control group). Mice were treated two times a week for 6 weeks. Clinical score and hind paw edema were measured. Muscles were weighted after euthanasia and used to quantify proteasome activity, gene (MuRF-1, PMSα4, PSMβ5, PMSβ6, PSMβ7, PSMβ8, PSMβ9, and PSMβ10), and protein (PSMβ1, PSMβ5, PSMβ1i, PSMβ5i) expression of proteasome subunits.

Results

Both treatments slowed disease development, but only CIA-ETN maintained muscle weight compared to CIA-MTX and CIA-Vehicle groups. Etanercept treatment showed caspase-like activity of 26S proteasome similar to CO group, while CIA-Vehicle and CIA-MTX had higher activity compared to CO group (p: 0.0057). MuRF-1 mRNA expression was decreased after etanercept administration compared to CIA-Vehicle and CO groups (p: 0.002, p: 0.007, respectively). PSMβ8 and PSMβ9 mRNA levels were increased in CIA-Vehicle and CIA-MTX compared to CO group, while CIA-ETN presented no difference from CO. PMSβ6 mRNA expression was higher in CIA-Vehicle and CIA-MTX groups than in CO group. Protein levels of the PSMβ5 subunit were increased in CO group compared to CIA-Vehicle; after both etanercept and methotrexate treatments, PSMβ5 expression was higher than in CIA-Vehicle group and did not differ from CO group expression (p: 0.0025, p: 0.001, respectively). The inflammation-induced subunit β1 (LMP2) was enhanced after methotrexate treatment compared to CO group (p: 0.043).

Conclusions

The results of CIA-Vehicle show that arthritis increases muscle proteasome activation by enhanced caspase-like activity of 26S proteasome and increased PSMβ8 and PSMβ9 mRNA levels. Etanercept treatment was able to maintain the muscle weight and to modulate proteasome so that its activity and gene expression were compared to CO after TNF inhibition. The protein expression of inflammation-induced proteasome subunit was increased in muscle of CIA-MTX group but not following etanercept treatment. Thus, anti-TNF treatment may be an interesting approach to attenuate the arthritis-related muscle wasting.
Preemptive Impunity: The Constituent Power of Trump's Make America Great Again Movement
Authors: Pease Donald E.
Published: March 2023

How and why have freedom and social hierarchies and exclusions become fused in Trump's America? What causative factors can explain the emergence within twenty-first century US political culture of a movement notorious for its attacks on basic norms of tolerance, civility, and human decency? In their efforts to respond to such questions, prominent historians, political commentators, and theorists have correlated Trump's rise to political power in terms of his transmogrification of a large segment of the American populace into US liberal democracy's fascist totalitarian Other. While Trump's illiberal pronouncements and actions do indeed bear a resemblance to the political behavior of European fascists, the Americanness of Trump's conquest disposition might be better understood as his resurrection of an archaic variant of liberalism practiced by American settler colonists throughout the expansionist era of US history. How did President Trump persuade or provoke a broad swath of US citizens, who were for the most part accustomed to consider the principles and institutions of liberal democracy essential components of American democracy, to regard his settler conquest disposition as representatively American? What enabled Trump to advocate with preemptive impunity the demolition of liberal institutions and principles? How could he serve simultaneously as the president of the world's most powerful liberal democracy and leader of an insurrectionary movement of latter-day settler colonists? In an effort to address these questions, this essay engages Trump's March 23, 2011, endorsement of Birtherism; Trump's unauthorized transfer of power at the January 20, 2017, inauguration; Trump's August 12–15, 2017, statements about the Charlottesville protest; and Trump's role in the January 6, 2021, insurrection as distinct but interrelated moments in Trump's production of this settler-colonist conquest disposition.
The Grannies of Shaheen Bagh: Hindutva Power and the Poetics of Dissent in Contemporary India
Authors: Mufti Aamir R.
Published: March 2023

This essay focuses on contemporary India and the rise to near hegemony of “Hindutva power,” which works through both the transformation of the exercise of sovereign power and the inculcation of a distinct habitus, or structure of predispositions, in more and more sectors of society. This Hindu supremacist and nationalist habitus marks a far-reaching transformation not only of democratic political culture but of religious belief and practice as well. But despite their sense of inevitability, these developments are part of a scene of contestation and the staging of prodemocracy and anti-fascist dissent.
Western lifestyle as a driver of dysbiosis in colorectal cancer
Authors: Foegeding Nora J. , Jones Zachary S. , Byndloss Mariana X.
Published: March 2023

Landmark discoveries in the gut microbiome field have paved the way for new research aimed at illuminating the influence of microbiota in colorectal cancer. A major challenge is to account for the effect of inherently variable environmental factors on the host and the gut microbiome, while concurrently determining their contribution to carcinogenesis. Here, we briefly discuss the role of the gut microbial community in colorectal cancer and elaborate on the recent insight that environmental factors related to a Western diet and lifestyle may drive the bloom of tumorigenic members of the gut microbiota. We also discuss how future research focused on untangling host-microbe interactions in the colon may influence medical insights that relate to the prevention and treatment of colorectal cancer.
The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic in nursing homes – the experience of care workers in Poland
Authors: Necel Ryszard
Published: March 2023

Background: Nursing homes in Poland are the most common formal care institutions for dependent people. During the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, nursing homes had particularly high infection rates. In this context, it is important to ask about the experiences of the care workers working in these institutions.

Methods: This research was conducted using the computer-assisted web interviewing (CAWI) technique in five provinces in Poland. The field research was carried out in April 2021. The research sample included, among others, nurses, care workers, therapists, social workers and the management staff of institutions whose representatives worked during the COVID-19 pandemic. Respondents were asked to assess the care provided to residents.

Results: It turned out that the vast majority of respondents positively assessed the fulfillment of the basic living needs of residents and the availability of care. The assessment of the organization of residents’ leisure time, the fulfillment of their religious and cultural needs, and the issue of maintaining contacts with the social environment was less satisfactory. The article also describes the results of care institution employees’ self-assessment of their mental health. For the majority, the most stressful factor was the need to work in a health-threatening environment and the sense of responsibility for the residents. Regarding the availability of the forms of support offered to workers experiencing deteriorating mental health due to working in the pandemic situation, more than a third said that their institution did not offer any form of assistance.

Conclusions: The article lists a number of recommendations. In the light of the data obtained, it is necessary to increase the intensity of services provided to residents of nursing homes in terms of organizing their free time, meeting their religious and cultural needs and maintaining contact with the social environment.
Management of metacarpal and phalangeal fractures
Authors: Chae Seungbum , Park Il-Jung
Published: March 2023

Hand fractures are the most common fractures in orthopedic surgery. In most cases, conservative treatment is sufficient for stable fractures, but surgical treatment is required for unstable fractures, fractures that cannot be maintained after reduction, and fractures with severe soft tissue injuries. In the management of hand fractures, the focus should be on restoring the function of the hand after fracture healing. Rapid rehabilitation exercises are an important factor in restoring the function of the hand by reducing swelling at the fracture site, preventing joint stiffness, and reducing soft tissue adhesion. Therefore, conservative treatment that can minimize soft tissue damage is usually prioritized, and in specific situations, if surgical intervention can help facilitate early rehabilitation exercises, then it could be a desirable choice. This review article aims to help readers decide on a treatment method by presenting various treatment methods for hand fractures and the academic basis for those options.
Game-Based Learning Kit Method in Isometric Transformations: Usability and Effects on Students’ Achievement and Motivation
Authors: Nasir Siti Munirah Mohd , Zamzamir Zamzana , Tajudin Nor’ain Mohd , Shafie Sabarina , Ahmat Norhayati , Hasan Norsida
Published: March 2023

This study focused on the development of teaching aids for the topic of Isometric Transformations for Form 2 students in Malaysia. The first objective was to determine the usability of teaching aids in the isometric transformations kit integrates game-based learning (GBL) Method (KitTI Method) and the second objective was to examine the effectiveness of using the KitTI Method on students’ achievement and motivation. This study was directed by the Design and Development Research (DDR) model with survey and quasi-experimental designs. The sample selection was conducted by cluster sampling involving Form 2 students from schools in the district of Muallim and Batang Padang in the state of Perak. The instruments used were KitTI Method Teaching Aids Usability Questionnaire (KMTAUQ), Isometric Transformations Topic Achievement Test (ITTAT), and KitTI Method Motivation Questionnaire (KMMQ). The findings showed that the mean score of KitTI Method‘s usability was high, the treatment group obtained significantly higher improvement in achievement compared to the control group while the mean scores of pre-test achievement as a covariate and students’ motivation in learning Isometric Transformations were high. Therefore, the KitTI Method is suitable to be implemented as a guide for mathematics teachers in designing dynamic teaching and learning and is able to improve students’ achievement and motivation.
Proportional and Non-Proportional Situation: How to Make Sense of Them
Authors: Nugraha Yandika , Sa'dijah Cholis , Susiswo Susiswo , Chandra Tjang Daniel
Published: March 2023

Teacher knowledge is one of the main factors in the quality of mathematics learning. Many mathematics teachers have difficulty using proportional reasoning. Proportional reasoning is one of the essential aspects of the middle school mathematics curriculum to develop students' mathematical thinking. Teachers should realize that developing proportional reasoning is not an easy task. In this study, we investigated how teachers give proportional reasoning about the concept of proportional and non-proportional situations, especially in making sense of them. The research subjects were mathematics teachers who had taught proportional-related material. Data was collected using task-based interviews outside the teacher's working hours. Data analysis and interpretation were completed using a framework meaning-based approach. The results of the data analysis showed that the teacher is careful in understanding information, is aware of multiple meanings, and knows key information in understanding the contextual structure of proportional and non-proportional situations. Furthermore, they are also able to identify additive and multiplication relationships, have flexibility in understanding proportional and non-proportional situations separately or collectively, and understand problem-solving systematics in detail.
Intercomparison of bidirectional reflectance distribution function measurements at in- and out-of-plane geometries
Authors: Basic N. , Molloy E. , Koo A. , Ferrero A. , Santafé Gabarda P. , Gevaux L. , Porrovecchio G. , Schirmacher A. , Šmíd M. , Blattner P. , Hauer K.-O. , Quast T. , Campos J. , Obein G.
Published: March 2023

In recent years, there has been a growing interest in the measurements
of the bidirectional reflectance distribution function (BRDF) in
industry and research and development. However, there is currently no
dedicated key comparison to demonstrate the scale conformity. To date,
scale conformity has been proved only for classical in-plane
geometries, in comparisons between different national metrology
institutes (NMIs) and designated institutes (DIs). This study aims at
expanding that with nonclassical geometries, including, for the first
time, to the best of our knowledge, two out-of-plane geometries. A
total of four NMIs and two DIs participated in a scale comparison of
the BRDF measurements of three achromatic samples at 550 nm in five
measurement geometries. The realization of the scale of BRDF is a
well-understood procedure, as explained in this paper, but the
comparison of the measured values presents slight inconsistencies in
some geometries, most likely due to the underestimation of measurement
uncertainties. This underestimation was revealed and indirectly
quantified using the Mandel–Paule method, which provides the
interlaboratory uncertainty. The results from the presented comparison
allow the present state of the BRDF scale realization to be evaluated,
not only for classical in-plane geometries, but also for out-of-plane
geometries.
FGF signaling promotes spreading of fat body precursors necessary for adult adipogenesis in Drosophila
Authors: Lei Yuting , Huang Yuwei , Yang Ke , Cao Xueya , Song Yuzhao , Martín-Blanco Enrique , Pastor-Pareja José Carlos
Published: March 2023

Knowledge of adipogenetic mechanisms is essential to understand and treat conditions affecting organismal metabolism and adipose tissue health. In Drosophila, mature adipose tissue (fat body) exists in larvae and adults. In contrast to the well-known development of the larval fat body from the embryonic mesoderm, adult adipogenesis has remained mysterious. Furthermore, conclusive proof of its physiological significance is lacking. Here, we show that the adult fat body originates from a pool of undifferentiated mesodermal precursors that migrate from the thorax into the abdomen during metamorphosis. Through in vivo imaging, we found that these precursors spread from the ventral midline and cover the inner surface of the abdomen in a process strikingly reminiscent of embryonic mesoderm migration, requiring fibroblast growth factor (FGF) signaling as well. FGF signaling guides migration dorsally and regulates adhesion to the substrate. After spreading is complete, precursor differentiation involves fat accumulation and cell fusion that produces mature binucleate and tetranucleate adipocytes. Finally, we show that flies where adult adipogenesis is impaired by knock down of FGF receptor Heartless or transcription factor Serpent display ectopic fat accumulation in oenocytes and decreased resistance to starvation. Our results reveal that adult adipogenesis occurs de novo during metamorphosis and demonstrate its crucial physiological role.
Moral leniency towards belief-consistent disinformation may help explain its spread on social media
Authors: Joyner Laura , Buchanan Tom , Yetkili Orkun
Published: March 2023

The spread of false and misleading information on social media is largely dependent on human action. Understanding the factors that lead social media users to amplify (or indeed intervene in) the spread of this content is an ongoing challenge. Prior research suggests that users are not only more likely to interact with misinformation that supports their ideology or their political beliefs, they may also feel it is more acceptable to spread. However, less is known about the influence of newer, issue-specific beliefs. Two online studies explored the relationship between the degree of belief-consistency of disinformation on users’ moral judgements and intentions to spread disinformation further. Four disinformation narratives were presented: disinformation that supported or undermined the UK Government’s handling of COVID-19, and disinformation that minimised or maximised the perceived risk of COVID-19. A novel scale for measuring intentions to contribute to the spread of social media content was also used in study 2. Participants reported greater likelihood of spreading false material that was consistent with their beliefs. More lenient moral judgements related to the degree of belief-consistency with disinformation, even when participants were aware the material was false or misleading. These moral judgements partially mediated the relationship between belief-consistency of content and intentions to spread it further on social media. While people are concerned about the spread of disinformation generally, they may evaluate belief-consistent disinformation differently from others in a way that permits them to spread it further. As social media platforms prioritise the ordering of feeds based on personal relevance, there is a risk that users could be being presented with disinformation that they are more tolerant of.
Classification of truck-involved crash severity: Dealing with missing, imbalanced, and high dimensional safety data
Authors: Mohammadpour Seyed Iman , Khedmati Majid , Zada Mohammad Javad Hassan
Published: March 2023

While the cost of road traffic fatalities in the U.S. surpasses $240 billion a year, the availability of high-resolution datasets allows meticulous investigation of the contributing factors to crash severity. In this paper, the dataset for Trucks Involved in Fatal Accidents in 2010 (TIFA 2010) is utilized to classify the truck-involved crash severity where there exist different issues including missing values, imbalanced classes, and high dimensionality. First, a decision tree-based algorithm, the Synthetic Minority Oversampling Technique (SMOTE), and the Random Forest (RF) feature importance approach are employed for missing value imputation, minority class oversampling, and dimensionality reduction, respectively. Afterward, a variety of classification algorithms, including RF, K-Nearest Neighbors (KNN), Multi-Layer Perceptron (MLP), Gradient-Boosted Decision Trees (GBDT), and Support Vector Machine (SVM) are developed to reveal the influence of the introduced data preprocessing framework on the output quality of ML classifiers. The results show that the GBDT model outperforms all the other competing algorithms for the non-preprocessed crash data based on the G-mean performance measure, but the RF makes the most accurate prediction for the treated dataset. This finding indicates that after the feature selection is conducted to alleviate the computational cost of the machine learning algorithms, bagging (bootstrap aggregating) of decision trees in RF leads to a better model rather than boosting them via GBDT. Besides, the adopted feature importance approach decreases the overall accuracy by only up to 5% in most of the estimated models. Moreover, the worst class recall value of the RF algorithm without prior oversampling is only 34.4% compared to the corresponding value of 90.3% in the up-sampled model which validates the proposed multi-step preprocessing scheme. This study also identifies the temporal and spatial (roadway) attributes, as well as crash characteristics, and Emergency Medical Service (EMS) as the most critical factors in truck crash severity.
Parents’ differential susceptibility to a “micro” parenting intervention: Rationale and study protocol for a randomized controlled microtrial
Authors: Chhangur Rabia R. , Belsky Jay
Published: March 2023

Background

Given evidence that parenting can influence children’s development, parenting interventions are often the strategy of choice when it comes to treating children’s disruptive behavior problems—or preventing problems from developing in the first place. What remains under appreciated, however, is that some parents appear to be more responsive to interventions to foster skilled parenting than others. Notable in this regard is the ever-increasing observational and, perhaps more importantly, experimental evidence indicating that some children prove more susceptible to parenting interventions than others. So, while the experimental evidence clearly indicates that “susceptibility factors” which children carry seem to affect their likelihood of benefiting from a parenting intervention (and other environmental influences), what remains unclear is why the parenting interventions in question prove more effective in changing the behavior of some parents more than others. Could it be as a result of their own parental characteristics?

Objective

The Parfective Microtrial in a randomized controlled microtrial, in which we focus not just on parental (and child) responsiveness but also on an underlying physiological mechanism hypothesized to contribute to heightened susceptibility to parenting interventions.

Methods

Participants are 120 families, with children aged 4–5 years, recruited from the community. Of these, 60 are randomly assigned to the “micro” intervention condition (i.e., immediate positive parenting feedback) and 60 families to the care-as-usual control condition. Assessments in both conditions will be conducted at baseline (pretest), after 2 weeks (posttest), and after 4 weeks (follow-up). Primary outcomes are the hypothesized moderating effects of physiology on the anticipated “micro” intervention effect (i.e., decrease in negative parenting behavior and/or increase in positive parenting behavior). Secondary outcomes are the observed (changes in) child behavior in response to the parenting intervention, such that those parents and children—in the same family—who manifest these physiological attributes will prove most susceptible to the beneficial effects of the intervention.

Trial registration

This study protocol is registered at ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT05539170).
Anti-inflammatory effects of chlorogenic acid from Taraxacum officinale on LTA-stimulated bovine mammary epithelial cells via the TLR2/NF-κB pathway
Authors: Xu Ping , Xu Xiaobo , Fotina Hanna , Fotina Tetiana
Published: March 2023

Mastitis is an inflammatory disease caused by microbial infection. Chlorogenic acid (CGA), one of the major phenolic acids inTaraxacum officinale, has natural antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties in various cell types; however, the effects of CGA on Lipoteichoic acid (LTA)-induced bovine mammary epithelial cells (BMECs) have not been investigated. In this study, the CGA content inT.officinalewas determined by High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). BMECs were infected with LTA to induce the mastitis model. Different concentrations of CGA were administered after establishing the LTA infection. The results showed that theT.officinalecontained CGA 1.36 mg/g. CGA significantly reduced the pro-inflammatory gene and protein expression of TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-1β. In addition, CGA downregulated the NO, TLR2, and NF-κB signaling pathways in LTA-infected bovine mammary epithelial cells. Our results indicate that CGA reduced the expression of TNF-α, IL-6, IL-1β, and TLR2 by inhibiting the phosphorylation of proteins in the NF-κB signaling pathways in a dose-dependent manner. This finding suggests that CGA may be a potential agent for the treatment of mastitis in dairy cows.
Yeast associated with flower longicorn beetle Leptura ochraceofasciata (Cerambycidae: Lepturinae), with implication for its function in symbiosis
Authors: Kishigami Mako , Matsuoka Fumiaki , Maeno Akiteru , Yamagishi Shohei , Abe Hisashi , Toki Wataru
Published: March 2023

Wood is difficult for most animals to digest due to large amounts of indigestible polymers, but some wood-feeding insects are considered to be able to utilize it as food with the aid of microbial symbionts. Most members of flower longicorn beetles (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae: Lepturinae) feed on nectar and pollen of flowers as adults and wood as larvae. In some lepturines, associations with yeasts are known: female adults possess fungus-storing organs (termed mycetangia) at ovipositors, and larvae also possess such organs (termed mycetomes) in their midguts to carry the associated yeasts. Despite the high diversity of Lepturinae in the world, lepturine-yeast associations, such as the consistency of associated yeasts among the beetle’s developmental stages and ecological function of yeast symbionts, have been poorly documented. Here, we investigated the yeast symbiont of the Japanese common lepturineLeptura ochraceofasciata. X-ray computed microtomography revealed that a pair of tube-like, S-shaped mycetangia was located at the basal part of the ovipositor and that a muscle bundle joined the apex of the mycetangium to spiculum ventrale of sternum VIII. All female adults harbored only one yeast species,Scheffersomyces insectosa, in the mycetangia. All larvae harboredS.insectosaexclusively in the mycetomes.Scheffersomyces insectosawas also recovered from surfaces of eggs.Scheffersomyces insectosaassimilated wood-associated sugars including xylose, cellobiose, and xylan in culture. These results suggest the intimate association betweenL.ochraceofasciataandS.insectosa:S.insectosais transmitted from the mother to offspring during oviposition and may be related to larval growth in wood.
Magnetic microrheometry of tumor-relevant stiffness levels and probabilistic quantification of viscoelasticity differences inside 3D cell culture matrices
Authors: Lehtonen Arttu J. , Arasalo Ossi , Srbova Linda , Heilala Maria , Pokki Juho
Published: March 2023

The progression of breast cancer involves cancer-cell invasions of extracellular matrices. To investigate the progression, 3D cell cultures are widely used along with different types of matrices. Currently, the matrices are often characterized using parallel-plate rheometry for matrix viscoelasticity, or liquid-like viscous and stiffness-related elastic characteristics. The characterization reveals averaged information and sample-to-sample variation, yet, it neglects internal heterogeneity within matrices, experienced by cancer cells in 3D culture. Techniques using optical tweezers and magnetic microrheometry have measured heterogeneity in viscoelasticity in 3D culture. However, there is a lack of probabilistic heterogeneity quantification and cell-size-relevant, microscale-viscoelasticity measurements at breast-tumor tissue stiffness up to ≃10 kPa in Young’s modulus. Here, we have advanced methods, for the purpose, which use a magnetic microrheometer that applies forces on magnetic spheres within matrices, and detects the spheres displacements. We present probabilistic heterogeneity quantification using microscale-viscoelasticity measurements in 3D culture matrices at breast-tumor-relevant stiffness levels. Bayesian multilevel modeling was employed to distinguish heterogeneity in viscoelasticity from the effects of experimental design and measurement errors. We report about the heterogeneity of breast-tumor-relevant agarose, GrowDex, GrowDex–collagen and fibrin matrices. The degree of heterogeneity differs for stiffness, and phase angle (i.e. ratio between viscous and elastic characteristics). Concerning stiffness, agarose and GrowDex show the lowest and highest heterogeneity, respectively. Concerning phase angle, fibrin and GrowDex–collagen present the lowest and the highest heterogeneity, respectively. While this heterogeneity information involves softer matrices, probed by ≃30 μm magnetic spheres, we employ larger ≃100 μm spheres to increase magnetic forces and acquire a sufficient displacement signal-to-noise ratio in stiffer matrices. Thus, we show pointwise microscale viscoelasticity measurements within agarose matrices up to Young’s moduli of 10 kPa. These results establish methods that combine magnetic microrheometry and Bayesian multilevel modeling for enhanced heterogeneity analysis within 3D culture matrices.
Divergences, commonalities and convergences: Nationalism and the poetics of identity in Nigerian fiction
Authors: Ogunrotimi Olumide
Published: March 2023

With more than 200 nations yoked together by the British solely for the purpose of colonialism in Nigeria, little wonder that questions bordering on lack of converging ideologies have consistently informed the nation’s narrative. If what unite the several ethnicities are paradigms that are vestiges of colonialism, and other scaffolding commonalities that necessitate the creation of a new identity, the question then is are these constructs synergistic enough to smoothen over the differing schisms and create long-lasting unifying parameters that moderate true nationalism? Using sections from selected novels, this article attempts to appraise the nebulous narratives that connect Nigeria’s various ethnicities, despite the presence of seemingly irreconcilable ethnic divergences. The study traces the manifestation of ethnicity in Nigerian fiction from the biased presentation by the first generation of writers to the ‘national’ fictionalization by contemporary writers. It discovers that though there is improvement in the presentation of multiculturalism and ethnicity in contemporary Nigerian fiction, there is still much to be written about the multicultural aspect of Nigeria’s postcolonial experience. The article concludes by theorizing that failure to harness the merits of the commonalities has been the bane of Nigeria since independence and proposes a re-engineering of multicultural ethics and also admonishes for a reconstruction of a new national character.
Identity, Ignorance, Innovation: Why the Old Politics is Useless and What to do about It, Matthew D’Ancona (2021)
Authors: Davies Ian
Published: March 2023

Review of: Identity, Ignorance, Innovation: Why the Old Politics is Useless and What to do about It, Matthew D’Ancona (2021)

London: Hodder and Stoughton, 279 pp.,

ISBN 978-1-52930-399-5, h/bk, GBP 20