bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Nutritional quality and microbial diversity of Chhurpe from different milk sources: an ethnic fermented food of high-altitude regions of the Western Himalayas
Authors: Choudhary Sahdev , Shanu Kumari , Hegde Athrinandan S. , Kesarwani Veerbhan , Kumar Raman , shankar Ravi , Devi Sarita , Srivatsan Vidyashankar
Published: February 2024

Chhurpe is a naturally fermented traditional dairy food of high altitude Western Himalayan region. They are generally prepared from cow or yak milk and are consumed during harsh winters. The present study was conducted to characterize the different Chhurpe samples traditionally prepared by the ethnic groups utilizing milk from different animal breeds such as cow, yak, Zomo (cow × yak), and Germo (Zomo × yak). Nutritional characterization revealed that 100 g of Chhurpe could completely meet the dietary protein requirements of children and adults with high concentrations of methionine and lysine. Tryptophan and valine were the limiting amino acids among all the Chhurpe samples. Palmitic, stearic, and oleic acids were the predominant fatty acids. The Chhurpe samples were a rich source of micronutrients such as calcium, iron, and zinc meeting above 70% of recommended dietary allowances (RDA) among children (3–10 years) and up to 20% RDA for adults. Culture-independent metagenomic analysis revealed that lactic acid bacteria were the predominant group, consisting of genera such as Lactobacillus, Leuconostoc, Lactococcus, and Streptococcus followed by acetic acid bacteria, mainly Acetobacter. At the species level, Lactobacillus delbrueckii was the abundant strain among all the Chhurpe samples. Species diversity was significantly higher in Chhurpe prepared from Zomo milk. Probiotic bacterial strains such as Lactobacillus helveticus, L. delbrueckii, L. brevis, and Leuconostoc mesenteroides were identified in the Zomo Chhurpe indicating their superior quality. The present study was an attempt to popularize Chhurpe and promote its wider consumption by highlighting its nutritional properties.
A new performance-based measure of personality functioning impairment: development and preliminary evaluation of reliability and validity
Authors: Natoli Adam P. , Rodriguez Chloe M.
Published: February 2024

Personality functioning impairment is at the center of many dimensional models of personality. Available measures of personality functioning impairment are limited to self-report, clinician-/informant-rated, and interview methods. Although researchers have begun investigating established performance-based instruments’ potential for assessing personality functioning impairment, administration and scoring of these instruments is complex and the latent variables they measure diverge from personality functioning impairment as described in the ICD-11 and the Alternative Model for Personality Disorders (AMPD) of the DSM. We address this absence by developing and psychometrically evaluating the Level of Personality Functioning Scale-Questionnaire-based Implicit Association Test (LPFS-qIAT). The LPFS-qIAT’s psychometric properties were evaluated across four studies, producing initial evidence supporting the new instrument’s reliability as well as its convergent, discriminant, and criterion-related validity. As the first performance-based measure of personality functioning impairment that aligns with the AMPD and, to a degree the ICD-11, that is easily administered, scored, and interpreted, the LPFS-qIAT shows potential to become a valuable tool in both research and clinical practice.
Heavy metal contamination in medicinal plants: assessing carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic health risks
Authors: Sulaiman Mohammad Bashir , Adamu Auwal M. , Ali Sulaiman Babayo , Ezenobi Uzoamaka Virginia , Gimba Abdullahi Muhammad , Akinlotan Oluyinka Omoyeni , Abubakar Auwal
Published: February 2024

Medicinal plants have played an undeniable role in treating diseases in mankind. However, these plants may be contaminated by toxic substances like heavy metals. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the contamination and health risks (carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic) of heavy metals in economically important medicinal plants mostly in Northern Nigeria. A total of 72 samples from 12 medical plants were purchased and analyzed for heavy metal (Pb, Cr, As, Cd, Zn, Cu, Ni and Fe) contamination using Atomic Absorption Spectrometry (AAS) after wet digestion. The concentrations of the heavy metals (mg·kg−1) were in the range of 1.71–9.01 for Pb, 0.23–2.08 for Cr, 0.00–0.05 for As, 0.00–0.51 for Cd, 5.08–23.67 for Zn, 1.28–13.45 for Cu, 0.96–1.95 for Ni and 20.58–108.50 for Fe. The results revealed that the plant under study contained unsafe levels of Cr and Cd being higher than the World Health Organization (WHO) permissible limits. The hazard index (HI) was < 1, suggesting a probable non-carcinogenic effect. Similarly, the cancer risk (CR) for children and adults was below the (1.0 × 10–4) acceptable limit, indicating non-probable cancer development for consumers. Based on the studied results, the samples may not pose a carcinogenic health risk. However, there is a need for the regulatory agency to continuously monitor medicine plants available in the markets for the safety of consumers.
Microalgae: an emerging source of bioplastics production
Authors: A Anli Dino , G Kishore
Published: February 2024

Bioplastics has gained attention as a sustainable alternative to traditional petroleum-based plastics. Microalgae have become one of the more promising and environmentally benign feedstocks to produce bioplastics. The goal of this in-depth review study is to address both the possibilities and the difficulties of manufacturing microalgae-based bioplastics. The review begins by discussing the negative impacts that commercial plastics have on the environment, pollution, and resource depletion. It then introduces the idea of bioplastics and discusses their importance in reducing the previously mentioned issues brought on by plastics. The article discusses the distinctive qualities of microalgae as a sustainable biomass source, noting their rapid development, high lipid content, and low need for both land and water. The various production processes and procedures used to create microalgae-based bioplastics are thoroughly explored. To determine whether the mechanical, thermal, and barrier qualities were appropriate for different applications, they were examined. Biodegradability and shelf life are factors in environmental impact assessments that highlight their potential to help mitigate the negative effects of plastics. Economic viability is a crucial factor that is examined through cost analyses and discussions of the prospects and incentives for market growth. To provide a glimpse into the future of microalgae-based bioplastics as a sustainable material option, current trends and innovations are emphasized. This review advances our knowledge of microalgae-based bioplastics in the race for a more sustainable plastics industry by offering a fair evaluation of their advantages, disadvantages, and uses.

Graphical Abstract
Genetic diversity, correlation and genotype × yield × trait (GYT) analysis of grain yield and nutritional quality traits in sorghum (Sorghum bicolor [L.] Moench) genotypes in Tigray, northern Ethiopia
Authors: Welderufael Shushay , Abay Fetien , Ayana Amsalu , Amede Tilahun
Published: February 2024

Selecting sorghum genotypes with higher grain yield and nutritional quality is essential to tackle food insecurity and malnutrition in arid and semi-arid areas. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the genetic diversity, trait association and genotype by yield by trait (GYT) analysis and to select superior sorghum genotypes. One hundred and ten sorghum genotypes were evaluated at three locations in Tigray during the 2018 and 2019 growing seasons using alpha lattice design. Traits such as grain yield, protein content, ash content, starch content, zinc content, iron content, calcium content and magnesium content were profiled. Results showed that wide range and highly significant (p < 0.001) genotype mean performance in each environment as well as combined environments. Several highly performing genotypes were distinguished for each trait studied that could be exploited as breeding parents or direct use. This study further detected highly significant variation (p < 0.001) among the test genotypes for all the traits studied in individual environments and across environments suggesting the presence of sufficient genetic diversity for selection. The high broad-sense heritability (H2 > 0.9) in all individual environments and moderate to high (H2 > 0.0.41 < 0.82) in pooled environments recorded in the present study assured the possibility of effective selection among the genotypes. Besides, strong positive and negative associations were detected between some of the traits in individual and across environments. The significant positive association between traits indicates that both the traits can be improved concurrently through direct selection. Using the GYT analysis, we suggest ten promising sorghum genotypes for direct use or breeding programs in arid and semi-arid areas in general and in Tigray in particular.
Holocene peopling and sea-level changes along the northern coast of the Arabian Sea (Pakistan)
Authors: Biagi Paolo
Published: February 2024

Surveys carried out in the provinces of Las Bela and Lower Sindh (Pakistan) have led to the discovery of many concentrations of knapped stone artefacts associated with mangrove and sea shells. The most important group of sites has been discovered along the shores of Lake Siranda (Balochistan) and on the limestone terraces that rise from the Indus Plain in Lower Sindh. The radiocarbon dates obtained from the Lake Siranda sites have shown that the ancient lagoon was seasonally settled between the last two centuries of the 8th and the end of the 5th millennium uncal BP that is from the beginning of the Neolithic to the Bronze Age. Although more research is needed, we now know the important role played by the coastal zones of Las Bela and Lower Sindh in the Holocene archaeology of the Arabian Sea, the only region of the northern coastline that has provided evidence of Neolithic and Chalcolithic settlement. The Neolithic knapped stones discovered during the surveys consist of bladelet artefacts and geometric microliths made from local cherts, while the Chalcolithic Amri Culture implements are obtained from exotic flint. Since the beginning of the Holocene the coastal zone has been affected by dramatic events among which are sea-level rise, tectonic activity, subsidence, and the advance of the Indus Delta. The present landscape shaped around the end of the Bronze Age, when arid conditions established and the Indus Civilisation declined. Unfortunately many of the coastal sites are in danger or have been destroyed by industrial development.
Philosophical, Medical, and Legal Controversies About Brain Death
Authors: Johnson L. Syd M
Published: February 2024

This Element considers current legal, ethical, metaphysical, and medical controversies concerning brain death. It examines the implicit metaphysical and moral commitments and dualism implied by neurological criteria for death. When these commitments and worldview are not shared by patients and surrogates, they give rise to distrust in healthcare providers and systems, and to injustice, particularly when medicolegal definitions of death are coercively imposed on those who reject them. Ethical obligations to respect persons and patient autonomy, promote patient-centered care, foster and maintain trust, and respond to the demands of justice provide compelling ethical reasons for recognizing reasonable objections. Each section illustrates how seemingly academic debates about brain death have real, on-the-ground implications for patients and their families.
Ritual, Spectacle, and Theatre in Late Medieval Seville
Authors: Swift Christopher
Published: February 2024

From the fall of Islamic Išbīliya in 1248 to the conquest of the New World, Seville was a nexus of economic and religious power where interconfessional living among Christians, Jews, and Muslims was negotiated on public stages. From out of seemingly irreconcilable ideologies of faith, hybrid performance culture emerged in spectacles of miraculous transformation, disciplinary processionals, and representations of religious identity.

Ritual, Spectacle, and Theatre in Late Medieval Seville reinvigorates the study of medieval Iberian theatre by revealing the ways in which public expressions of devotion, penance, and power fostered cultural reciprocity, rehearsed religious difference, and ultimately helped establish Seville as the imperial centre of Christian Spain.
East Asia Observed
Authors: Hoare James
Published: February 2024

This collection brings together themes in East Asian history, diplomacy, culture and politics written by J. E. Hoare since the early 1970s. His writings derive from his training as a historian, from his time as a Research Analyst in the British Foreign Office from 1969-2003, and from his experiences as a diplomat in the Republic of Korea (South Korea), the People's Republic of China, and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (North Korea). The writings selected for this volume include academic papers, book reviews and some quasi-journalistic articles which reflect both historical research and analysis of current events and issues. The wide-ranging content speaks to the author's specialist fields of interest including diplomacy, biography, extraterritoriality and architecture on which he has published extensively.
Identifying core global mental health professional competencies: A multi-sectoral perspective
Authors: Karadzhov Dimitar , Lee Joanne , Hatton George , White Ross G. , Sharp Laura , Jalloh Abdul , Langan Martin Julie
Published: February 2024

Concerned with sustainably alleviating mental distress and promoting the right to health worldwide, global mental health (GMH) is practised across various contexts spanning the humanitarian-development-peace nexus. The inherently intersectoral and multidisciplinary nature of GMH calls for competency frameworks and training programmes that embody diversity, decolonisation and multiprofessionalism. Existing competency frameworks have failed to capture the multi-sectoral, inter-professional nature of contemporary GMH practice. In response to these needs, a qualitative content analysis of relevant job advertisements was conducted to distil a comprehensive set of professional competencies in contemporary GMH practice. Approximately 200 distinct skills and competencies were extracted from 70 job advertisements and organised into four meta-dimensions: ‘skills’, ‘sector’, ‘self’ and ‘subject’. The first known systematic attempt at a multi-sectoral GMH competency framework, it offers a springboard for exploring vital yet overlooked professional competencies such as resilience, self-reflection, political skills and entrepreneurialism. On this basis, recommendations for building a competent, agile and effective GMH workforce with diversified and future-proof skillsets are proposed. The framework can also inform inter-professional training and curriculum design, and capacity-building initiatives aimed at early-career professional development, particularly in low- and middle-income settings.
The Nation-State and the (Re)Construction of Religious, Ethnic and Gender Relations
Authors: Kian Azadeh
Published: February 2024

Nationalism, nationhood, and ethnicity, as Eric Hobsbawm argued, are social processes constructed essentially from above, yet cannot be understood unless also analyzed from below.1 Inspired by European Orientalism, the intellectual advocates of Western-oriented nationalism attempted to establish a new Iranian identity based on Persian language and Iran's pre-Islamic past.2 This made Iranian nationalism an attractive ideology for some political elites, and was later endorsed by the Pahlavi dynasty (1925–79) when nationalist ideology replaced Iranianness with Persianity. In this conception, there was no room for the ethnic diversity of a nation-state that is the heir of an ancient empire. The elites’ aspirations to uniformity put pressure on members of ethnic groups to conform their way of life to a new model of Iranianness, Persianized and pro-Western. Every nonconforming element was regarded as a sign of backwardness and possible threat to the modern nation and its territorial integrity.
The Populist Backlash Against Globalization: A Meta-Analysis of the Causal Evidence
Authors: Scheiring Gábor , Serrano-Alarcón Manuel , Moise Alexandru , McNamara Courtney , Stuckler David
Published: February 2024

The literature on populism is divided on whether economic factors are significant and robust causes of populism. To clarify this, we performed the first systematic review and meta-analysis of the evidence of a causal association between economic insecurity and populism. We combined database searches with searching the citations of eligible studies and recently published reviews. We identified and reviewed thirty-six studies and presented a concise narrative summary and numerical synthesis of the key findings. Although we found significant heterogeneity in several dimensions, all studies reported a significant causal association. A recurrent magnitude was that economic insecurity explained around one-third of recent surges in populism. We tested for publication bias by conducting a funnel-plot asymmetry test and a density discontinuity test of the distribution of t-statistics. We found significant evidence of publication bias; however, the causal association between economic insecurity and populism remains significant after controlling for it.
Medical exemptions to mandatory vaccinations: The state of play in Australia and a pressure point to watch
Authors: Yap William Kouji , Attwell Katie
Published: February 2024

Australia’s mandatory vaccination policies have historically allowed for non-medical exemptions (NMEs), but this changed in 2016 when the Federal Government discontinued NMEs for childhood vaccination requirements. Australian states introduced further mandatory vaccination policies during the COVID-19 pandemic for a range of occupations including healthcare workers (HCWs). There is global evidence to suggest that medical exemptions (MEs) increase following the discontinuation of NMEs; the new swathe of COVID-19 mandatory vaccination policies likely also placed further pressure on ME systems in many jurisdictions. This paper examines the state of play of mandatory vaccination and ME policies in Australia by outlining the structure and operation of these policies for childhood vaccines, then for COVID-19, with a case study of HCW mandates. Next, the paper explores HCWs’ experiences in providing vaccine exemptions to patients (and MEs in particular). Finally, the paper synthesizes existing literature and reflects on the challenges of MEs as a pressure point for people who do not want to vaccinate and for the clinicians who care for them, proposing areas for future research and action.
The pernicious role of stress on intergenerational continuity of psychopathology
Authors: Leve Leslie D. , Oro Veronica , Natsuaki Misaki N. , Harold Gordon T. , Neiderhiser Jenae M. , Ganiban Jody M. , Shaw Daniel S. , DeGarmo David S.
Published: February 2024

Development and Psychopathology has been a premier resource for understanding stressful childhood experiences and the intergenerational continuity of psychopathology. Building on that tradition, we examined the unique and joint influences of maternal stress on children’s effortful control (age 7) and externalizing behavior (age 11) as transmitted via genetics, the prenatal environment, and the postnatal environment. The sample included N = 561 adopted children and their biological and adoptive parents. Path models identified a direct effect of biological mother life stress on children’s effortful control (β = −.08) and an indirect effect of her life stress on child externalizing behavior via effortful control (β = .52), but no main or indirect effects of biological parent psychopathology, prenatal stress, or adoptive mother adverse childhood experiences (ACES). Adoptive mother ACES amplified the association between biological mother life stress and child effortful control (β = −.08), externalizing behavior (β = 1.41), and the indirect effect via effortful control, strengthening associations when adoptive mothers reported average or high ACES during their own childhoods. Results suggest that novel study designs are needed to enhance the understanding of how life stress gets “under the skin” to affect psychopathology in the offspring of adults who have experienced stress.
Ultra‐Fast Kelvin Wave Packets in Mars' Atmosphere and Their Interactions With Tides as Viewed by MAVEN/NGIMS and MRO/MCS
Authors: Gasperini Federico , Hughes J. , Forbes J. M. , Thiemann E. M. B.
Published: February 2024

A key element of successful aerobraking operations at Mars is accurate thermospheric density predictions. Evidence suggests that much of the longitude variability in Mars' aerobraking region is associated with atmospheric tides, and the day‐to‐day variability is connected with tidal modulation by longer‐period global‐scale waves. Specifically, ultra‐fast Kelvin waves (UFKWs) and their modulation of the tidal spectrum play a key role in coupling Mars' lower (<∼80 km) and middle (∼80–100 km) atmosphere with the aerobraking region above. In this study, over 5 years of Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution Neutral Gas and Ion Mass Spectrometer CO2 density observations are employed to reveal prominent, frequent, and persistent 2.5‐ to 4.5‐day UFKW packets in the whole Martian middle and upper thermosphere (ca. 150–200 km), and large secondary waves arising from their nonlinear interactions with the tidal spectrum. Detailed analyses focusing on a prominent ∼2.5‐day UFKW event in late 2015 demonstrate primary and secondary wave amplitudes growing twofold with altitude from ∼7%–14% near 150 km to ∼12%–25% near 200 km and their combined effects to account for ∼60%–80% of the altitude‐longitudinal variability of Mars' thermospheric density. Concurrent temperature measurements from Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter Mars Climate Sounder reveal consistent wave signatures near 80 km altitude suggesting propagation of both primary and secondary waves from the lower atmosphere. This study demonstrates that UFKWs and secondary waves from UFKW‐tide interactions are sources of significant altitude‐longitude variability in the Mars' aerobraking region that should be accounted for when analyzing satellite observations and nonlinear models.
Observations of cold-induced vasodilation in persons with spinal cord injuries
Authors: Fujita Yasuhisa , Kamijo Yoshi-ichiro , Kinoshita Tokio , Hashizaki Takamasa , Murai Kouta , Yoshikawa Tatsuya , Umemoto Yasunori , Kaminaka Chikako , Shibasaki Manabu , Tajima Fumihiro , Nishimura Yukihide
Published: February 2024

Study design

Acute experimental study.

Objectives

Cold-induced vasodilation is a local mechanism of protection against frostbite in non-injured persons. We assessed whether an increase in skin blood flow (SkBF) during local cooling (LC) was observed in individuals with spinal cord injuries (SCIs) and if the response patterns differed between region levels or sites.

Setting

Laboratory of Wakayama Medical University and the affiliated clinics, Japan.

Methods

A local cooler device (diameter 4 cm) was placed on the chest (sensate) and right thigh (non-sensate) in persons with cervical (SCIC; n = 9) and thoracolumbar SCIs (SCITL; n = 9). After the surface temperature under the device was controlled at 33 °C for 10 min (baseline), LC (−0.045 °C/s) was applied and the skin temperature was maintained at 15 and 8 °C for 15 min of each stage. SkBF (laser Doppler flowmetry) was monitored using a 1-mm needle-type probe inserted into its center.

Results

The percent change in SkBF (%ΔSkBF) on the chest remained unchanged until the end of 15 °C stage; thereafter, it increased to a level at least 70% greater than the baseline during the 8 °C stage in both groups. The %ΔSkBF on the thigh in both SCIC and SCITL notably increased from 8 and 6 min respectively, during the 8°C stage, compared to 1 min before the stage; however, it did not exceed the baseline level.

Conclusions

An increase in SkBF during LC was observed both in the sensate and non-sensate areas in SCIs, although the magnitude was larger in the sensate area.
Interorgan communication in neurogenic heterotopic ossification: the role of brain-derived extracellular vesicles
Authors: Lu Weicheng , Yan Jianfei , Wang Chenyu , Qin Wenpin , Han Xiaoxiao , Qin Zixuan , Wei Yu , Xu Haoqing , Gao Jialu , Gao Changhe , Ye Tao , Tay Franklin R. , Niu Lina , Jiao Kai
Published: February 2024

Brain-derived extracellular vesicles participate in interorgan communication after traumatic brain injury by transporting pathogens to initiate secondary injury. Inflammasome-related proteins encapsulated in brain-derived extracellular vesicles can cross the blood‒brain barrier to reach distal tissues. These proteins initiate inflammatory dysfunction, such as neurogenic heterotopic ossification. This recurrent condition is highly debilitating to patients because of its relatively unknown pathogenesis and the lack of effective prophylactic intervention strategies. Accordingly, a rat model of neurogenic heterotopic ossification induced by combined traumatic brain injury and achillotenotomy was developed to address these two issues. Histological examination of the injured tendon revealed the coexistence of ectopic calcification and fibroblast pyroptosis. The relationships among brain-derived extracellular vesicles, fibroblast pyroptosis and ectopic calcification were further investigated in vitro and in vivo. Intravenous injection of the pyroptosis inhibitor Ac-YVAD-cmk reversed the development of neurogenic heterotopic ossification in vivo. The present work highlights the role of brain-derived extracellular vesicles in the pathogenesis of neurogenic heterotopic ossification and offers a potential strategy for preventing neurogenic heterotopic ossification after traumatic brain injury.
CDK4/6i-treated HR+/HER2- breast cancer tumors show higher ESR1 mutation prevalence and more altered genomic landscape
Authors: Chaudhary Nayan , Chibly Alejandro M. , Collier Ann , Martinalbo Jorge , Perez-Moreno Pablo , Moore Heather M. , Luhn Patricia , Metcalfe Ciara , Hafner Marc
Published: February 2024

As CDK4/6 inhibitor (CDK4/6i) approval changed treatment strategies for patients with hormone receptor-positive HER2-negative (HR+/HER2-) breast cancer (BC), understanding how exposure to CDK4/6i affects the tumor genomic landscape is critical for precision oncology. Using real-world data (RWD) with tumor genomic profiling from 5910 patients with metastatic HR+/HER2- BC, we investigated the evolution of alteration prevalence in commonly mutated genes across patient journeys. We found that ESR1 is more often altered in tumors exposed to at least 1 year of adjuvant endocrine therapy, contrasting with TP53 alterations. We observed a similar trend after first-line treatments in the advanced setting, but strikingly exposure to aromatase inhibitors (AI) combined with CDK4/6i led to significantly higher ESR1 alteration prevalence compared to AI alone, independent of treatment duration. Further, CDK4/6i exposure was associated with higher occurrence of concomitant alterations in multiple oncogenic pathways. Differences based on CDK4/6i exposure were confirmed in samples collected after 2L and validated in samples from the acelERA BC clinical trial. In conclusion, our work uncovers opportunities for further treatment personalization and stresses the need for effective combination treatments to address the altered tumor genomic landscape following AI+CDK4/6i exposure. Further, we demonstrated the potential of RWD for refining patient treatment strategy and guiding clinical trial design.
Linking childhood trauma to the psychopathology of schizophrenia: the role of oxytocin
Authors: Chen Yuan-Jung , Lu Mong-Liang , Chiu Yi-Hang , Chen Chenyi , Santos Vitor Hugo Jesus , Goh Kah Kheng
Published: February 2024

Childhood trauma has been linked to schizophrenia, but underlying biological mechanisms remain elusive. This study explored the potential role of plasma oxytocin as a mediator in the relationship between childhood trauma and the psychopathology of schizophrenia. 160 patients with schizophrenia and 80 age- and sex-matched healthy controls were assessed for childhood trauma experiences using the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire and structured interviews. Psychopathology was evaluated using the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale and plasma oxytocin levels were measured. Results showed that patients with schizophrenia had lower oxytocin levels and higher childhood trauma scores than healthy controls. There was a significant correlation between childhood trauma scores and psychopathology, with plasma oxytocin levels being inversely associated with psychopathology, except for positive symptoms. Hierarchical regression analysis indicated that both childhood trauma scores and plasma oxytocin levels significantly predicted psychopathology. Plasma oxytocin levels partially mediated the relationship between childhood trauma and schizophrenia psychopathology. This study underscores the potential role of oxytocin in bridging the gap between childhood trauma and schizophrenia.
Dance/movement therapy for improving metabolic parameters in long-term veterans with schizophrenia
Authors: Zhou Zhaoxia , Guan Hengyong , Xiu Meihong , Wu Fengchun
Published: February 2024

Accumulating evidence has supported the implementation of dance/movement therapy (DMT) as a promising intervention for patients with schizophrenia (SCZ). However, its effect on body weight and metabolic profile in SCZ remains unclear. This study aimed to evaluate the outcome of a 12-week DMT session on weight and lipid profile in patients with SCZ using a randomized, single-blinded, controlled trial design. This study encompassed two groups of long-term hospitalized patients with SCZ, who were randomly assigned to the DMT intervention (n = 30) or the treatment as usual (TAU) group (n = 30). Metabolic markers, including weight, body mass index (BMI), fasting glucose, triglycerides, and total cholesterol were measured in both groups at two measurement points (at baseline and the end of the 12-week treatment). We found that DMT intervention significantly decreased body weight (F = 5.5, p = 0.02) and BMI (F = 5.7, p = 0.02) as compared to the TAU group. However, no significance was observed in other metabolic markers, including fasting glucose, triglycerides, and total cholesterol after treatment (all p > 0.05). Our study indicates that a 12-week, 24-session DMT program may be effective in decreasing body weight and BMI in long-term hospitalized patients with SCZ. DMT intervention may be a promising treatment strategy for long-term inpatients in the psychiatric department.
No link between type I interferon autoantibody positivity and adverse reactions to COVID-19 vaccines
Authors: Yalcinkaya Ahmet , Cavalli Marco , Cederholm Axel , Aranda-Guillén Maribel , Behere Anish , Mildner Hedvig , Lakshmikanth Tadepally , Gonzalez Laura , Mugabo Constantin Habimana , Johnsson Anette , Ekwall Olov , Kämpe Olle , Bensing Sophie , Brodin Petter , Hallberg Pär , Wadelius Mia , Landegren Nils
Published: February 2024

Type I interferons act as gatekeepers against viral infection, and autoantibodies that neutralize these signaling molecules have been associated with COVID-19 severity and adverse reactions to the live-attenuated yellow fever vaccine. On this background, we sought to examine whether autoantibodies against type I interferons were associated with adverse events following COVID-19 vaccination. Our nationwide analysis suggests that type I interferon autoantibodies were not associated with adverse events after mRNA or viral-vector COVID-19 vaccines.
Cracking the code of seasonal seawater biofouling: enhanced biofouling control with quorum sensing inhibitor-functionalized membranes
Authors: Chen Chao , Yang Yu , Choo Kwang-Ho , Ng How Yong , Takizawa Satoshi , Hou Li-an
Published: February 2024

Membrane biofouling poses an ongoing challenge in seawater reverse osmosis (SWRO) desalination. Here we delved into the impact of seasonal variations in microbial communities on membrane biofouling and innovatively fabricated quorum sensing inhibitors (acylase (AC) and methyl anthranilate (MA))-modified membranes to combat it. Results indicated that Proteobacteria dominated in seawater and membrane biofilm across all seasons, while other phyla varied seasonally. At the class level, the two leading bacteria on the membrane were Gamma- and Alphaproteobacteria, constituting 14–48% and 4–27%, respectively. Genera like Arcobacter, Vibrio, and Rhodobacteraceae were identified as keystone species that exhibited a significant positive correlation with extracellular polymeric substance (EPS) and biofilm formation, leading to a substantive reduction in membrane flux by 70 to 77%. The introduction of AC and MA inhibitors on the membrane suppressed keystone bacteria Rhodobacteraceae and Arcobacter and affected their metabolism, thereby significantly reducing EPS by 65–69% and 55–59%, respectively, and alleviating membrane flux decline by 30–32% and 18–22%, respectively, compared to the pristine membrane. These findings shed new light on the seasonal patterns of membrane biofouling and provide valuable insights into anti-biofouling strategies based on QS inhibition for collaborative biofilm formation.
Factors associated with the use of liquefied petroleum gas in Ghana vary at different stages of transition
Authors: Kar Abhishek , Tawiah Theresa , Graham Linnea , Owusu-Amankwah Georgette , Daouda Misbath , Malagutti Flavio , Chillrud Steve , Harned Erin E. , Iddrisu Seidu , Apraku Edward A. , Tetteh Richard , Awuni Sule , Jack Kelsey , Abubakari Sulemana W. , Jack Darby , Asante Kwaku P.
Published: February 2024

Clean-cooking transitions have the potential to generate large public health, environmental and societal gains for 2.6 billion people in the Global South. Here we use data from Ghana’s largest household energy survey (n = 7,389) to provide two main insights. First, regression analysis of 13 commonly cited socio-economic and demographic determinants of household fuel use indicates remarkably different relationships with clean-fuel use at different stages of the transition process. We propose a stage-based transition framework that can help inform the rollout of clean-cooking interventions. Second, we identify factors that are associated with the exclusive use of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) using a statistically powered sample of exclusive LPG users (n = 693). We show that, all else equal, increases in wealth and urbanicity are not—contrary to conventional wisdom—associated with a transition from primary to exclusive LPG use. Whereas further research is needed to determine causality, our findings highlight the potential for more careful measurement, isolating each stage of the clean-cooking transition, to inform new insights and policy opportunities.
Chromosome evolution screens recapitulate tissue-specific tumor aneuploidy patterns
Authors: Watson Emma V. , Lee Jake June-Koo , Gulhan Doga C. , Melloni Giorgio E. M. , Venev Sergey V. , Magesh Rayna Y. , Frederick Abdulrazak , Chiba Kunitoshi , Wooten Eric C. , Naxerova Kamila , Dekker Job , Park Peter J. , Elledge Stephen J.
Published: February 2024

Whole chromosome and arm-level copy number alterations occur at high frequencies in tumors, but their selective advantages, if any, are poorly understood. Here, utilizing unbiased whole chromosome genetic screens combined with in vitro evolution to generate arm- and subarm-level events, we iteratively selected the fittest karyotypes from aneuploidized human renal and mammary epithelial cells. Proliferation-based karyotype selection in these epithelial lines modeled tissue-specific tumor aneuploidy patterns in patient cohorts in the absence of driver mutations. Hi-C-based translocation mapping revealed that arm-level events usually emerged in multiples of two via centromeric translocations and occurred more frequently in tetraploids than diploids, contributing to the increased diversity in evolving tetraploid populations. Isogenic clonal lineages enabled elucidation of pro-tumorigenic mechanisms associated with common copy number alterations, revealing Notch signaling potentiation as a driver of 1q gain in breast cancer. We propose that intrinsic, tissue-specific proliferative effects underlie tumor copy number patterns in cancer.
Blood–brain barrier disruption and sustained systemic inflammation in individuals with long COVID-associated cognitive impairment
Authors: Greene Chris , Connolly Ruairi , Brennan Declan , Laffan Aoife , O’Keeffe Eoin , Zaporojan Lilia , O’Callaghan Jeffrey , Thomson Bennett , Connolly Emma , Argue Ruth , Meaney James F. M. , Martin-Loeches Ignacio , Long Aideen , Cheallaigh Cliona Ni , Conlon Niall , Doherty Colin P. , Campbell Matthew
Published: February 2024

Vascular disruption has been implicated in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pathogenesis and may predispose to the neurological sequelae associated with long COVID, yet it is unclear how blood–brain barrier (BBB) function is affected in these conditions. Here we show that BBB disruption is evident during acute infection and in patients with long COVID with cognitive impairment, commonly referred to as brain fog. Using dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging, we show BBB disruption in patients with long COVID-associated brain fog. Transcriptomic analysis of peripheral blood mononuclear cells revealed dysregulation of the coagulation system and a dampened adaptive immune response in individuals with brain fog. Accordingly, peripheral blood mononuclear cells showed increased adhesion to human brain endothelial cells in vitro, while exposure of brain endothelial cells to serum from patients with long COVID induced expression of inflammatory markers. Together, our data suggest that sustained systemic inflammation and persistent localized BBB dysfunction is a key feature of long COVID-associated brain fog.
Incidence and predictors of attrition among human immunodeficiency virus infected children on antiretroviral therapy in Amhara comprehensive specialized hospitals, Northwest Ethiopia, 2022: a retrospective cohort study
Authors: Zemariam Alemu Birara , Abebe Gebremeskel Kibret , Alamaw Addis Wondmagegn
Published: February 2024

Attrition rate is higher in developing nations and it leftovers a major obstacle to enhance the benefits of therapy and achieve the 90–90–90 plan targets. Despite this fact, data on the incidence and its predictors of attrition among human immune deficiency virus infected children on antiretroviral therapy are limited in developing countries including Ethiopia especially after the test and treat strategy implemented. This study aimed to assess the incidence and predictors of attrition among human immune deficiency virus infected children on antiretroviral therapy in Amhara Comprehensive Specialized Hospitals, Northwest Ethiopia. A retrospective follow-up study was conducted among 359 children on ART from June 14, 2014, to June 14, 2022. Study participants were selected using simple random sampling method and the data were collected using Kobo Toolbox software and analysis was done by STATA version 14. Both bi-variable and multivariable Cox regression models were fitted to ascertain predictors. Lastly, an AHR with a 95% CI was computed and variables with a p-value of < 0.05 were took an account statistically key predictors of attrition. The overall incidence of attrition rate was 9.8 (95% CI 7.9, 11.9) per 100 PYO. Children having baseline hemoglobin < 10 mg/dl (AHR 3.94; 95% CI 2.32, 6.7), suboptimal adherence (AHR 1.96; 95% CI 1.23, 3.13), baseline opportunistic infection (AHR 1.8; 95% CI 1.17, 2.96), and children who had experienced drug side effects (AHR 8.3; 95% CI 4.93, 13.84) were established to be a significant predictors of attrition. The attrition rate was relatively high. Decreased hemoglobin, suboptimal adherence, presence of drug side effects and baseline opportunistic infection were predictors of attrition. Therefore, it is crucial to detect and give special emphasis to those identified predictors promptly.
Enantioselective synthesis of a two-fold inherently chiral molecular nanographene
Authors: Buendía Manuel , Fernández-García Jesús M. , Perles Josefina , Filippone Salvatore , Martín Nazario
Published: February 2024

The introduction and precise control of stereogenic elements in chemical structures is typically a challenging task. Most asymmetric methods require the presence of a heteroatom in the starting substrates acting as an anchor point for the successful transfer of chiral information. For this reason, compounds comprising only carbon atoms, such as optically active molecular nanographenes, are usually obtained as racemates, and isolated by chiral chromatographic separation. Here, we report an enantioselective strategy that uses three stereocontrolled synthetic steps to introduce and extend three different types of stereogenic elements, namely central, axial and helicoidal chirality, into a polycyclic aromatic structure. Thus, two chiral nanographene layers are covalently connected through a chiral triindane core. The final stereocontrolled graphitization Scholl reaction affords the formation of chiral nanographene units with remarkable enantiomeric excesses, high stereochemical stability and good chiroptical properties.
Microtubule-binding protein MAP1B regulates interstitial axon branching of cortical neurons via the tubulin tyrosination cycle
Authors: Ziak Jakub , Dorskind Joelle M , Trigg Brian , Sudarsanam Sriram , Jin Xinyu O , Hand Randal A , Kolodkin Alex L
Published: February 2024

Regulation of directed axon guidance and branching during development is essential for the generation of neuronal networks. However, the molecular mechanisms that underlie interstitial (or collateral) axon branching in the mammalian brain remain unresolved. Here, we investigate interstitial axon branching in vivo using an approach for precise labeling of layer 2/3 callosal projection neurons (CPNs). This method allows for quantitative analysis of axonal morphology at high acuity and also manipulation of gene expression in well-defined temporal windows. We find that the GSK3β serine/threonine kinase promotes interstitial axon branching in layer 2/3 CPNs by releasing MAP1B-mediated inhibition of axon branching. Further, we find that the tubulin tyrosination cycle is a key downstream component of GSK3β/MAP1B signaling. These data suggest a cell-autonomous molecular regulation of cortical neuron axon morphology, in which GSK3β can release a MAP1B-mediated brake on interstitial axon branching upstream of the posttranslational tubulin code.
Recent advances and applications in high-throughput continuous flow
Authors: Yu Jiaping , Liu Jiaying , Li Chaoyi , Huang Junrong , Zhu Yuxiang , You Hengzhi
Published: February 2024

High-throughput continuous flow technology has emerged as a revolutionary approach in chemical synthesis, offering accelerated experimentation and improved efficiency.
Boron-containing fullerene-based salts with cyclic carbonate solvents as electrolytes for Li-ion batteries and beyond
Authors: Giri Piyusaranjan , Barath V. Sourab , Dhurua Shakuntala , Maity Sankar , Gazi Rabiul , Jana Madhurima
Published: February 2024

Introducing B-doped fullerene-based, C59B−, and C58B22− counteranions of Li+, Na+, and Mg2+ to act as emerging electrolytes in cyclic carbonate solvents for metal-ion batteries.
Weak hydrogen bonding to halogens and chirality communication in propanols: Raman and microwave spectroscopy benchmark theory
Authors: Hartwig Beppo , Schnell Melanie , Suhm Martin A. , Obenchain Daniel A.
Published: February 2024

Raman and rotational spectroscopy allow us to benchmark different properties with theory and indirectly helps understanding chirality recognition. A possible correlation between OH stretching frequencies and the asymmetry parameter η is explored.
Composition design and optimization of Fe–C–Mn–Al steel based on machine learning
Authors: Cheng Hong , He Zhongping , Ge Meiling , Che Lun , Zheng Kaiyuan , Si Tianyu , Zhao Feng
Published: February 2024

The purpose of this study is to explore the composition space of Fe–C–Mn–Al steel using machine learning in order to identify materials with high-strength mechanical properties.
Biogenic synthesis of dual-emission chlorophyll-rich carbon quantum dots for detection of toxic heavy metal ions – Hg(ii) and As(iii) in water and mouse fibroblast cell line NIH-3T3
Authors: Pratap Ravi , Hassan Nurul , Yadav Monika , Srivastava Saurabh Kumar , Chaudhary Shilpi , Verma Anita Kamra , Lahiri Jayeeta , Parmar Avanish S.
Published: February 2024

Due to the excessive residues and serious adverse effects, it is urgent to develop an efficient method to detect Hg2+ and As3+ in drinking water to protect human health.
Encapsulation of bioactive compounds extracted from haritaki pulp (Terminalia chebula Retzius): characterization of physical, thermal, and morphological properties
Authors: Jha Avinash Kumar , Sit Nandan
Published: February 2024

The bioactive compounds of haritaki (Terminalia chebula Retzius) were microencapsulated using zein and starch as the encapsulating agents, utilizing both conventional (encapsulator) and advanced (freeze drying) techniques.
Tetraquinolines; four linked quinoline units or porphyrinoids
Authors: Badri Zahra , Nourigheimasi Farnoush , Foroutan-Nejad Cina
Published: February 2024

3D current density distribution in TEQ2+ suggests a transformation from antiaromaticity to aromaticity.
Stabilization of intermediate Mo oxidation states by Nb doping enhancing methane aromatization on Mo/HZSM-5 catalysts
Authors: Peters Stefan , Bartling Stephan , Parlinska-Wojtan Magdalena , Wotzka Alexander , Buzanich Ana Guilherme , Wohlrab Sebastian , Abdel-Mageed Ali M.
Published: February 2024

The dehydroaromatization of methane is a promising process to produce aromatics and ultra-pure hydrogen. Increased yields and stability of Mo/HZSM-5 against irreversible deactivation were achieved via a redox interaction by doping with otherwise inert Nb.
Correction and new understanding of the reactivity of illuminated tungsten trioxide in the dark: antecedents and consequences of photo-storage electrons triggering Fenton reactions
Authors: Huang Hao , Wang Hui-Long , Jiang Wen-Feng
Published: February 2024

The shortcomings of reported WO3-based all-weather mechanisms were pointed out. Additionally, a novel photochromism and dark-Fenton reaction mechanism based on photo-storage electrons in illuminated h-WO3·0.46H2O were proposed.
Evaluation of soft tissue simulant performance against economic and environmental impact
Authors: Read James , McNaught Ken , Hazael Rachael , Critchley Richard
Published: February 2024

Soft tissue simulants are traditionally used to provide a post impact medium suitable for replicating human anatomy. The information provided within this study provides both economic and environmental assessment and compares its results against material performance.
An electrospun three-layer nanofibrous membrane-based in situ gel separator for efficient lithium-organic batteries
Authors: Yin Mingyu , Liu Xi , Li Caiting , Liao Deyi , Yang Yichao , Han Shaobo , Fan Longfei , Zhao Jing , Yu Hui , Zeng Qingguang , Wang Da
Published: February 2024

An in situ gel separator based on an electrospun three-layer nanofibrous membrane (PSE11-Gel) with efficient shuttle effect inhibition ability is developed for high-performance lithium-organic batteries.
Double pyramid stacked CoO nano-crystals induced by graphene at low temperatures as highly efficient Fenton-like catalysts
Authors: Lu Kui , Ding Tao , Zhu Mengxiang , Chen Junjie , Yue Dongting , Liu Xing , Fang Xiaoqin , Xia Junfang , Qin Zhiyuan , Wu Minghong , Shi Guosheng
Published: February 2024

CaO@graphene improves the Fention-like reaction by absorbing contaminants and activated species.