bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
LTX-315 triggers anticancer immunity by inducing MyD88-dependent maturation of dendritic cells
Authors: Li Xiao-Qing , Yamazaki Takahiro , He Tianzhen , Alam Md Masud , Liu Jia , Trivett Anna L. , Sveinbjørnsson Baldur , Rekdal Øystein , Galluzzi Lorenzo , Oppenheim Joost J. , Yang De
Published: March 2024

LTX-315 is a synthetic cationic oncolytic peptide with potent anticancer activity but limited toxicity for non-malignant cells. LTX-315 induces both immunogenic tumor cell death and generation of tumor-specific immune responses in multiple experimental tumor models. Given the central role of dendritic cell (DC) maturation in the induction of antigen-specific immunity, we investigated the effect of LTX-315 treatment on the maturation of tumor-infiltrating DCs (TiDCs) and the generation of anti-melanoma immunity. We found that LTX-315 treatment induces the maturation of DCs, both indirectly through the release of cancer cell-derived damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs)/alarmins and nucleic acids (DNA and RNA) capable of triggering distinct Toll-like receptor (TLR) signaling, and, directly by activating TLR7. The latter results in the ignition of multiple intracellular signaling pathways that promotes DC maturation, including NF-κB, mitogen activated protein kinases (MAPKs), and inflammasome signaling, as well as increased type 1 interferon production. Critically, the effects of LTX-315 on DCs the consequent promotion of anti-melanoma immunity depend on the cytosolic signal transducer myeloid differentiation response gene 88 (MyD88). These results cast light on the mechanisms by which LTX-315 induces DC maturation and hence elicits anticancer immunity, with important implications for the use of LTX-315 as an anticancer immunotherapeutic.
The effects of vitamin D supplementation on inflammatory biomarkers in patients with asthma: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials
Authors: El Abd Asmae , Dasari Harika , Dodin Philippe , Trottier Helen , Ducharme Francine M.
Published: March 2024

Background

While the association between vitamin D and several inflammatory biomarkers in asthma patients has been extensively reported, it remains unclear whether supplementation modifies these biomarkers. This review aims to evaluate the impact of vitamin D supplementation on inflammatory biomarkers measured in vivo in individuals with asthma.

Methods

We conducted a systematic review of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) published until November 2022 in six electronic databases evaluating the impact of vitamin D supplementation (any dose, form, administration route, frequency, or duration) compared to placebo in children or adults. The two co-primary outcomes were serum IgE and blood eosinophils reported at the endpoint. Secondary outcomes included other markers of type 2 inflammation (e.g., sputum eosinophils, fractional exhaled nitric oxide, etc.), anti-inflammatory biomarkers (e.g., interleukin (IL)-10, etc.), markers of non-type 2 inflammation (e.g., high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, etc.), and non-specific biomarkers (e.g., macrophages, etc.). Data were aggregated using fixed or random effect models.

Results

Thirteen RCTs (5 in adults, 5 in pediatric patients, and 3 in mixed age groups) testing doses of vitamin D supplementation ranging from 800 to 400,000 IU over periods of 6 weeks to 12 months were included. Eight studies provided data on serum IgE and four on blood eosinophils. As secondary outcomes, three studies reported on sputum eosinophils, four on FeNO, five on serum IL-10, and two on airway IL-10. Compared to placebo, vitamin D supplementation had no significant effect on serum IgE (Mean difference [MD] [95% CI]: 0.06 [-0.13, 0.26] IU/mL), blood eosinophils (MD [95% CI]: - 0.02 [-0.11, 0.07] 103/μL), or FeNO (MD [95% CI]: -4.10 [-10.95, 2.75] ppb) at the endpoint. However, the vitamin D supplementation group showed higher serum IL-10 levels compared to placebo (MD [95% CI]: 18.85 [1.11, 36.59] pg/ml) at the endpoint. Although data could not be aggregated, narrative synthesis suggested no significant effect of supplementation on sputum eosinophils and IL-10 in both sputum and exhaled breath condensate, at the endpoint.

Conclusion

Vitamin D supplementation in individuals with asthma was not associated with lower inflammatory biomarkers related to type 2 inflammation. However, it was significantly associated with higher serum IL-10 compared to placebo.

Systematic review registration

https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/, identifier CRD42022365666.
Immune cell expression patterns of CD39/CD73 ectonucleotidases in rodent models of cardiac arrest and resuscitation
Authors: Aoki Tomoaki , Wong Vanessa , Yin Tai , Nakamura Eriko , Endo Yusuke , Hayashida Kei , Robson Simon C. , Nandurkar Harshal , Diamond Betty , Kim Sun Jung , Murao Atsushi , Wang Ping , Becker Lance B. , Shinozaki Koichiro
Published: March 2024

Background

Cardiac arrest (CA) is a significant public health concern. There is the high imminent mortality and survival in those who are resuscitated is substantively compromised by the post-CA syndrome (PCAS), characterized by multiorgan ischemia–reperfusion injury (IRI). The inflammatory response in PCAS is complex and involves various immune cell types, including lymphocytes and myeloid cells that have been shown to exacerbate organ IRI, such as myocardial infarction. Purinergic signaling, as regulated by CD39 and CD73, has emerged as centrally important in the context of organ-specific IRI. Hence, comprehensive understanding of such purinergic responses may be likewise imperative for improving outcomes in PCAS.

Methods

We have investigated alterations of immune cell populations after CA by utilizing rodent models of PCAS. Blood and spleen were collected after CA and resuscitation and underwent flow cytometry analysis to evaluate shifts in CD3+CD4+ helper T cells, CD3+CD8a+ cytotoxic T cells, and CD4/CD8a ratios. We then examined the expression of CD39 and CD73 across diverse cell types, including myeloid cells, T lymphocytes, and B lymphocytes.

Results

In both rat and mouse models, there were significant increases in the frequency of CD3+CD4+ T lymphocytes in PCAS (rat, P < 0.01; mouse, P < 0.001), with consequently elevated CD4/CD8a ratios in whole blood (both, P < 0.001). Moreover, CD39 and CD73 expression on blood leukocytes were markedly increased (rat, P < 0.05; mouse, P < 0.01 at 24h). Further analysis in the experimental mouse model revealed that CD11b+ myeloid cells, with significant increase in their population (P < 0.01), had high level of CD39 (88.80 ± 2.05 %) and increased expression of CD73 (P < 0.05). CD19+ B lymphocytes showed slight increases of CD39 (P < 0.05 at 2h) and CD73 (P < 0.05 at 2h), while, CD3+ T lymphocytes had decreased levels of them. These findings suggested a distinct patterns of expression of CD39 and CD73 in these specific immune cell populations after CA.

Conclusions

These data have provided comprehensive insights into the immune response after CA, highlighting high-level expressions of CD39 and CD73 in myeloid cells.
Global malaria predictors at a localized scale
Authors: Skinner Eloise B. , Childs Marissa L. , Thomas Matthew B. , Cook Jackie , Sternberg Eleanore D. , Koffi Alphonsine A. , N’Guessan Raphael , Wolie Rosine Z. , Oumbouke Welbeck A. , Ahoua Alou Ludovic P. , Brice Serge , Mordecai Erin A.
Published: March 2024

Malaria is a life-threatening disease caused by Plasmodium parasites transmitted by Anopheles mosquitoes. In 2022, more than 249 million cases of malaria were reported worldwide, with an estimated 608,000 deaths. While malaria incidence has decreased globally in recent decades, some public health gains have plateaued, and many endemic hotspots still face high transmission rates. Understanding local drivers of malaria transmission is crucial but challenging due to the complex interactions between climate, entomological and human variables, and land use. This study focuses on highly climatically suitable and endemic areas in Côte d’Ivoire to assess the explanatory power of coarse climatic predictors of malaria transmission at a fine scale. Using data from 40 villages participating in a randomized controlled trial of a household malaria intervention, the study examines the effects of climate variation over time on malaria transmission. Through panel regressions and statistical modeling, the study investigates which variable (temperature, precipitation, or entomological inoculation rate) and its form (linear or unimodal) best explains seasonal malaria transmission and the factors predicting spatial variation in transmission. The results highlight the importance of temperature and rainfall, with quadratic temperature and all precipitation models performing well, but the causal influence of each driver remains unclear due to their strong correlation. Further, an independent, mechanistic temperature-dependent R0 model based on laboratory data, which predicts that malaria transmission peaks at 25°C and declines at lower and higher temperatures, aligns well with observed malaria incidence rates, emphasizing the significance and predictability of temperature suitability across scales. By contrast, entomological variables, such as entomological inoculation rate, were not strong predictors of human incidence in this context. Finally, the study explores the predictors of spatial variation in malaria, considering land use, intervention, and entomological variables. The findings contribute to a better understanding of malaria transmission dynamics at local scales, aiding in the development of effective control strategies in endemic regions.
Underwater acoustic signal classification based on a spatial–temporal fusion neural network
Authors: Wang Yan , Xiao Jing , Cheng Xiao , Wei Qiang , Tang Ning
Published: March 2024

In this paper, a novel fusion network for automatic modulation classification (AMC) is proposed in underwater acoustic communication, which consists of a Transformer and depth-wise convolution (DWC) network. Transformer breaks the limitation of sequential signal input and establishes the connection between different modulations in a parallel manner. Its attention mechanism can improve the modulation recognition ability by focusing on the key information. DWC is regularly inserted in the Transformer network to constitute a spatial–temporal structure, which can enhance the classification results at lower signal-to-noise ratios (SNRs). The proposed method can obtain more deep features of underwater acoustic signals. The experiment results achieve an average of 92.1% at −4 dB ≤ SNR ≤ 0 dB, which exceed other state-of-the-art neural networks.
Development of a nature-based solution for mitigation of Pacific oyster summer mortality: use of the intertidal zone to improve resilience to environmental stressors
Authors: Mackenzie Clara L. , Raap Monique R. , Leduc Sarah , Walker Chen Yin V. , Green Timothy J. , Kim Eliah , Montgomery Emaline M. , Gray Sierra L. M. , Long Amy , Pearce Christopher M.
Published: March 2024

In recent years, Pacific oyster growers in British Columbia (BC), Canada have experienced devastating losses due to summer mortality syndrome. While anecdotal evidence suggests that intertidally-grown oysters may fare better during mass mortality events than deep-water counterparts, there remains a lack of research examining how different culture conditions may influence severity. To address this, we compared growth, condition, histopathology, reproductive status, and survival between intertidally- and deep-water-cultured oysters over 2 years at three oyster farms in Baynes Sound (BC). A reciprocal transplant was carried out after 1 year to test the use of the intertidal as a mechanism for promotion of physiological resilience prior to deep-water deployment. Field trial results showed significantly higher final survival in oysters transferred from the intertidal to deep water (83.5%) compared to those maintained in deep water (63.6%), but only at one farm, likely as a consequence of varying physical and/or biological characteristics associated with particular farm locations. Histopathology showed little role of disease with regards to varying survival among treatments, though higher occurrence of Viral Gametocytic Hypertrophy was observed in Year 1 oysters under deep-water (62.2%) versus intertidal (37.8%) conditions. Additionally, after 2 years, there was no significant difference in oyster size nor condition index between oysters transplanted from the intertidal to deep water and those solely cultured in deep water. A laboratory-challenge experiment determined significantly different survival curves of Year 1 intertidally- and deep-water-cultured oysters under immersion/emersion and warming conditions, with final survival of 88% and 64%, respectively, under conditions of high temperature (25°C) and immersion. Likewise, Year 2 (i.e. post-transfer) intertidally- and deep-water-cultured oysters showed significantly different survival curves under laboratory-based Vibrio challenge conditions (16°C) with final survival of 63% and 34%, respectively. Results suggest that partial culture in the intertidal at some farms may be an effective method for conferring resilience to summer mortality in Pacific oysters.
Aerodynamic characteristics of a delta wing aircraft under ground effect
Authors: Shams Taleghani Arash , Ghajar Arsalan
Published: March 2024

The main objective of this study is to investigate the impact of ground effects on the aerodynamic coefficients of a delta wing aircraft model. Since the flow on the delta wing exhibits vortical flow inherently, it is crucial to examine the influence of ground effects under these conditions. An experimental study was conducted to enhance understanding of the aerodynamic behavior of an aircraft model incorporating a delta wing-body-vertical tail. Experiments were conducted in a subsonic wind tunnel with a test section measuring 2.8 m × 2.2 m. Measurements were taken using a sting type balance to determine the aerodynamic forces and moments. All experimental tests were performed at a Reynolds number of 1.5 × 106, with the specific aim of examining and identifying the influence of the ground on aerodynamic coefficients. To investigate how ground effect affects the aerodynamic performance of the model, a fixed plate with an adjustable height was placed underneath it. The distance between the model and the ground was varied, and resulting data indicated that increased proximity to the ground improved longitudinal static stability. The results revealed that the presence of the ground plane resulted in a 6% increase in the maximum lift coefficient. Meanwhile, the lift increases around 25% due to ground effects at an angle of attack of 14° as it approaches the ground. The lift coefficient was enhanced across all angles of attack, while the induced drag coefficient decreased, resulting in an overall increase in aerodynamic efficiency. The lift curve slope saw a 16.9% increase when the model’s height from the ground plane was less than half of the wing span. As the height decreased further, the aerodynamic center shifted backward, leading to an increase in longitudinal static stability. The rolling moment and yawing moment coefficients becomes unstable at angles of attack above 30°.
Preoperative hemoglobin thresholds for survival equity in women and men
Authors: Rumpf Florian , Hof Lotta , Old Oliver , Friederich Patrick , Friedrich Jens , Thoma Josef , Wittmann Maria , Zacharowski Kai , Choorapoikayil Suma , Meybohm Patrick ,   German Patient Blood Management Network Collaborators
Published: March 2024

Anemia affects humans throughout life, and is linked to higher morbidity and mortality. Unclear is whether hemoglobin values are equivalent between women and men. This study evaluates the association of preoperative hemoglobin levels with in-hospital mortality and estimates thresholds for survival equity between men and women. All adult patients undergoing surgery between 2010 and 2019 from 14 German hospitals were included in the study. Thresholds for survival equity were determined with generalized additive models. In total, 842,130 patients with a median in-hospital follow-up time of 7 days were analyzed. During follow-up 20,370 deaths occurred. Preoperative hemoglobin stratified in-hospital mortality (log-rank test p < 0.001) and was associated with mortality independently of demographic risk, surgical risk and health status. For each 1 g/dL reduction in preoperative hemoglobin, the odds of mortality increased by a factor of 1.22 (95% CI 1.21–1.23, p < 0.001). A preoperative hemoglobin threshold of 10.5 g/dL reflected equivalent risk for both male and female patients. Hemoglobin levels below 10.5 g/dL had higher risk of mortality for women than for men. The findings from this study aid evidence-based thresholds, inform anemia management and promote equitable care, thus enhancing patient outcomes.
Mapping the tRNA modification landscape of Bartonella henselae Houston I and Bartonella quintana Toulouse
Authors: Quaiyum Samia , Sun Jingjing , Marchand Virginie , Sun Guangxin , Reed Colbie J. , Motorin Yuri , Dedon Peter C. , Minnick Michael F. , de Crécy-Lagard Valérie
Published: March 2024

Transfer RNA (tRNA) modifications play a crucial role in maintaining translational fidelity and efficiency, and they may function as regulatory elements in stress response and virulence. Despite their pivotal roles, a comprehensive mapping of tRNA modifications and their associated synthesis genes is still limited, with a predominant focus on free-living bacteria. In this study, we employed a multidisciplinary approach, incorporating comparative genomics, mass spectrometry, and next-generation sequencing, to predict the set of tRNA modification genes responsible for tRNA maturation in two intracellular pathogens—Bartonella henselae Houston I and Bartonella quintana Toulouse, which are causative agents of cat-scratch disease and trench fever, respectively. This analysis presented challenges, particularly because of host RNA contamination, which served as a potential source of error. However, our approach predicted 26 genes responsible for synthesizing 23 distinct tRNA modifications in B. henselae and 22 genes associated with 23 modifications in B. quintana. Notably, akin to other intracellular and symbiotic bacteria, both Bartonella species have undergone substantial reductions in tRNA modification genes, mostly by simplifying the hypermodifications present at positions 34 and 37. Bartonella quintana exhibited the additional loss of four modifications and these were linked to examples of gene decay, providing snapshots of reductive evolution.
Real-time EEG-based emotion recognition for neurohumanities: perspectives from principal component analysis and tree-based algorithms
Authors: Blanco-Ríos Miguel Alejandro , Candela-Leal Milton Osiel , Orozco-Romo Cecilia , Remis-Serna Paulina , Vélez-Saboyá Carol Stefany , Lozoya-Santos Jorge de Jesús , Cebral-Loureda Manuel , Ramírez-Moreno Mauricio Adolfo
Published: March 2024

Within the field of Humanities, there is a recognized need for educational innovation, as there are currently no reported tools available that enable individuals to interact with their environment to create an enhanced learning experience in the humanities (e.g., immersive spaces). This project proposes a solution to address this gap by integrating technology and promoting the development of teaching methodologies in the humanities, specifically by incorporating emotional monitoring during the learning process of humanistic context inside an immersive space. In order to achieve this goal, a real-time emotion recognition EEG-based system was developed to interpret and classify specific emotions. These emotions aligned with the early proposal by Descartes (Passions), including admiration, love, hate, desire, joy, and sadness. This system aims to integrate emotional data into the Neurohumanities Lab interactive platform, creating a comprehensive and immersive learning environment. This work developed a ML, real-time emotion recognition model that provided Valence, Arousal, and Dominance (VAD) estimations every 5 seconds. Using PCA, PSD, RF, and Extra-Trees, the best 8 channels and their respective best band powers were extracted; furthermore, multiple models were evaluated using shift-based data division and cross-validations. After assessing their performance, Extra-Trees achieved a general accuracy of 94%, higher than the reported in the literature (88% accuracy). The proposed model provided real-time predictions of VAD variables and was adapted to classify Descartes' six main passions. However, with the VAD values obtained, more than 15 emotions can be classified (reported in the VAD emotion mapping) and extend the range of this application.
Vernonia amygdalina: a comprehensive review of the nutritional makeup, traditional medicinal use, and pharmacology of isolated phytochemicals and compounds
Authors: Degu Sileshi , Meresa Asfaw , Animaw Zelalem , Jegnie Mihretu , Asfaw Asaye , Tegegn Getachew
Published: March 2024

Vernonia amygdalina is a perennial shrub that belongs to the family Asteraceae. The herb is an indigenous African plant that grows in most parts of sub-Saharan Africa. It is probably the most used medicinal plant in the genus Vernonia. Previous studies on the traditional medicinal value, nutritional composition, classes of phytochemical or compound isolation, and evaluation of their pharmacology activity are numerous. This provokes us to review and provide up-to-date evidence-based information on the study plant. A systematic online search using the databases of Google Scholar, PubMed, Science Direct, Wiley, Elsevier and Sci-Hub was carefully applied, using some important key words to get appropriate information. The leafy part of Vernonia amygdalina contributes greatly to the nutritional requirements for human health and to food security since it contains enough concentrations of proximate composition, minerals, and vitamins. The plant parts are used in traditional medicine for many human and animal healthcare purposes, including diarrhea, diabetes, wound healing, tonsillitis, evil eye, retained placenta, headache, eye disease, intestinal parasite, bloating, hepatitis, toothache, anthrax, malaria, urine retention, gastritis, stomach disorders, and snake bites. The chemical analysis revealed the presence of flavonoids, alkaloids, saponins, tannins, triterpenoids, sesquiterpene lactones, steroids, cardiac glycosides, oxalates, phytates, cyanogenic glycosides, and phenols. Additionally, various compounds such as vernolide, luteolin, vernodalol, vernoamyoside A, vernoamyoside B, isorhamnetin, glucuronolactone, and 1-Heneicosenol O-β-D-glucopyranoside were isolated. Some of the isolated compounds pharmacological activity was evaluated against some diseases and showed antioxidant, antibacterial, antifungal, antihelmintic, anticancer, and anti-inflammatory potencies. Thus, the review provides comprehensive information about ethnomedicinal value, nutritional composition, isolated classes of phytochemicals, and compounds, including an evaluation of the pharmacological activity of the isolated compounds of Vernonia amygdalina. A review with this much information could be extremely valuable for future research on developing innovative nutraceutical products.
Priority nutrients to address malnutrition and diet-related diseases in Australia and New Zealand
Authors: Starck Carlene S. , Cassettari Tim , Beckett Emma , Marshall Skye , Fayet-Moore Flavia
Published: March 2024

Background

The double burden of malnutrition and diet-related disease has been attributed to diets high in ultra-processed and discretionary foods, with increased sugars, saturated fats, and sodium, and insufficient dietary fibre. There is a limited understanding of the role of other macronutrients and micronutrients.

Objective

Determine the highest priority nutrients to address both malnutrition and diet-related disease in Australia and New Zealand, for each demographic group and the total population.

Methods

A novel four-step methodological approach was undertaken to identify: 1. Demographic (age-sex) groups; 2. Health priorities; 3. Potential nutrients based on inadequacy, increased requirements, and health priority association; and 4. Priority nutrients. Nutrient intake data was obtained from the most recent Australian and New Zealand nutrition surveys. Health priorities were based on national statistical data and expert consultation. High-level scientific literature (systematic reviews) was scoped for associations with health priorities and the suitability of recommended intakes. A quantitative scoring matrix was developed and used to determine the highest priority nutrients, with scoring over three domains: extent of inadequacy; consensus for increased requirements; and degree of association with health priorities.

Results

Nutritional inadequacies were common, with 22 of 31 essential nutrients consumed below recommended levels. Nine priority nutrients were identified across the demographic groups, with each demographic group characterised by a specific subset of these. Six nutrients were highest priority within the total population: vitamin D, calcium, omega-3 fatty acids, magnesium, folate, dietary fibre.

Conclusion

The extent of nutritional inadequacies in Australia and New Zealand is high, both within each demographic group and the entire population, relative to both recommended intakes and key health outcomes. The methodology can be applied to other countries and globally. Findings make a significant contribution to understanding the nutrients to prioritise in future-proofing the health of the Australian and New Zealand populations. Guidelines and policies can target priority nutrients to address the malnutrition and diet-related disease double burden.
Unusual presentation of glioblastoma in the brainstem: a case report of a diffuse pontine glioblastoma multiforme and surgical management
Authors: Edelbach Brandon , Gospodarev Vadim , Lopez-Gonzalez Miguel , Deisch Jeremy , Kaur Maninder
Published: March 2024

Diffuse pontine glioblastoma multiforme is a rare subtype of glioblastoma associated with a poor prognosis. In this case report, we present a unique case of diffuse primary pontine glioblastoma multiforme in a patient without any supratentorial lesions. We review the symptoms, treatment options, and case management of patients with infratentorial glioblastoma multiforme and compare these with our patient. Our patient presented with symptoms including progressive diplopia, gait disturbance, and lower extremity weakness. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed a diffuse lesion involving the pons and biopsy revealed only mildly-atypical glial infiltrates. Consequentially, diagnosis was driven by genetic analysis. Due to the location of the tumor, surgery was not considered a viable option. Instead, the patient received radiation therapy along with concomitant and adjuvant temozolomide chemotherapy which has resulted in improvement of symptoms. This case highlights the challenges of managing diffuse primary pontine glioblastoma multiforme and the need for more effective treatment options for this rare subtype of glioblastoma. Despite aggressive treatment, the prognosis for patients with infratentorial glioblastoma multiforme remains poor, with a median survival time of less than a year. Further research is needed to improve our understanding of the biology and optimal management of this disease.
Diuretic drug utilization in neonates: a French prescription database analysis
Authors: Iacobelli Silvia , Lorrain Simon , Rabe Ezira , Gouyon Béatrice , Gouyon Jean-Bernard , Bonsante Francesco
Published: March 2024

Background: The use of diuretics is extremely common in infants cared for in neonatal wards, despite the lack of proven efficacy for many conditions. The main objective of this study was to assess the rate of diuretics exposure in a multicenter French cohort. The secondary objectives were to describe the evolution of this exposure over time, the indications, the prescription practices, and the exposure rates among centers.

Methods: An observational study was conducted in 40 Level 3 French neonatal intensive care units using the same computerized order-entry system. Neonates hospitalized between January 2017 to December 2021 with a corrected age between 24 and 44 weeks of gestation at admission were eligible.

Results: A total of 86,032 patients were included. The exposure rate was 8.5%, more specifically 29.4% for children born at < 32 weeks of gestation and 3.7% for neonates born at term. There was no significant variation over the study period, but the exposure ranged from 2.4% to 26.5% depending on the center. The main drugs prescribed were furosemide, spironolactone and dopamine with a diuretic purpose. The main indications were “fluid retention,” and to a lesser extent “bronchopulmonary dysplasia” and “post-transfusion.” For furosemide, the first exposure occurred in mean at 16.5 (±17.8) days of life, mean duration of exposure was 6.2 (±9.5) days, and the cumulative dose was in mean 10.7 (23.9) mg/kg.

Conclusion: Diuretic prescription practices vary between centers. The administration of these drugs is often non-evidence based, doses and duration of treatment easily exceed toxic thresholds.
Evolution of world running record performances for men and women: physiological characteristics
Authors: Emig Thorsten , Adam Guillaume
Published: March 2024

Running world records (WRs) contain information about physiological characteristics that determine running performance. The progression of WRs over time encode the evolution of these characteristics. Here we demonstrate that a previously established model for running performance describes WRs since 1918 for men and since 1984 for women with high accuracy. The physiological parameters extracted from WR for each year are interpreted in terms of historical changes in training approaches and corresponding physiological adaptions, technological progress, social effects, and also the use of performance enhancing drugs. While the last two decades had witnessed stagnation of WRs, recent improvements in endurance have enable new WRs, presumably aided by recent technological advancements.
Simple promotion of Cas9 and Cas12a expression improves gene targeting via an all-in-one strategy
Authors: Cheng Yiqiu , Zhang Lei , Li Jing , Dang Xiaofei , Zhu Jian-Kang , Shimada Hiroaki , Miki Daisuke
Published: March 2024

Gene targeting (GT) is a promising tool for precise manipulation of genome sequences, however, GT in seed plants remains a challenging task. The simple and direct way to improve the efficiency of GT via homology-directed repair (HDR) is to increase the frequency of double-strand breaks (DSBs) at target sites in plants. Here we report an all-in-one approach of GT in Arabidopsis by combining a transcriptional and a translational enhancer for the Cas expression. We find that facilitating the expression of Cas9 and Cas12a variant by using enhancers can improve DSB and subsequent knock-in efficiency in the Arabidopsis genome. These results indicate that simply increasing Cas protein expression at specific timings - egg cells and early embryos - can improve the establishment of heritable GTs. This simple approach allows for routine genome engineering in plants.
Multi-omics analysis of pigmentation related to proanthocyanidin biosynthesis in brown cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.)
Authors: Hinchliffe Doug J. , Naoumkina Marina , Thyssen Gregory N. , Nam Sunghyun , Chang SeChin , McCarty Jack C. , Jenkins Johnie N.
Published: March 2024

Naturally-colored brown cotton (NBC) fiber is an environmentally friendly raw source of fiber for textile applications. The fiber of some NBC cultivars exhibits flame-retardant properties, which can be used in textiles that require flame resistance. Proanthocyanidins or their derivatives are responsible for the brown pigment in NBC; however, how flame retardancy is related to pigmentation in NBC is poorly understood. To gain insight into brown pigment biosynthesis, we conducted comparative transcripts and metabolites profiling analysis of developing cotton fibers between the brown (MC-BL) and white (MC-WL) cotton near-isogenic lines (NILs), genetically different only in the Lc1 locus. In this study, mass spectrometry was used to detect metabolites in BL and WL developing fibers at 8, 12, 16, 20, 24, 36, and 40 days post anthesis (DPA) and mature fibers. Transcripts analysis was performed at two critical fiber developmental points, 8 DPA (fiber elongation) and 20 DPA (secondary cell wall deposition). We found 5836 (ESI MS positive mode) and 4541 (ESI MS negative mode) metabolites significantly different accumulated between BL and WL. Among them, 142 were known non-redundant metabolites, including organic acids, amino acids, and derivatives of the phenylpropanoid pathway. Transcript analysis determined 1691 (8 DPA) and 5073 (20 DPA) differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between BL and WL, with the majority of DEGs down-regulated at 20 DPA. Organic acids of the citric acid cycle were induced, while most of the detected amino acids were reduced in the MC-BL line. Both cis- and trans-stereoisomers of flavan-3-ols were detected in developing MC-WL and MC-BL fibers; however, the gallocatechin and catechin accumulated multiple times higher. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis of fatty acids determined that palmitic acid long-chain alcohols were the main constituents of waxes of mature fibers. Energy-dispersive X-ray spectrometry (EDS) analysis of mature fibers revealed that potassium accumulated three times greater in MC-BL than in MC-WL mature fibers. This study provides novel insights into the biosynthesis of pigments and its association with flame retardancy in NBC fibers.
Why teachers do (or do not) implement recommended teaching practices? An application of the theory of planned behavior
Authors: Dierendonck Christophe , Poncelet Débora , Tinnes-Vigne Mélanie
Published: March 2024

Introduction

In Luxembourg, competency-based practices (CBP), differentiated instruction (DI), and formative assessment (FA) have been imposed by the 2009 school law. Referring to the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB), this study examined factors influencing the implementation of these practices in classrooms.

Methods

Teachers participated in an online survey assessing their attitudes, subjective norm, perception of behavioral control, intention, and pedagogical practices regarding CBP, DI, or FA. Measurement models were used in structural equation models testing the TPB.

Results

If the main relationships postulated by the theory were confirmed, some inconstancies were observed depending on the targeted practices. Structural equation TPB models controlling for gender, experience, teaching level, and socio-economic level of the school population explained between 20 and 45% of the variance in teachers’ practices, and between 65 and 75% of the variance in teachers’ intention to use these practices.

Discussion

The relevance of the TPB for studying teaching practices and implications for professional training are discussed.
Assessing the social impacts of the COVID-19 crisis using phone helplines. The case of the Balearic Islands, Spain
Authors: Ramos Monserrat Maria , Ramón Molinas Jeronia , Fuster Truyol Marta , Bonet Manresa Aina , Planas Juan Trinidad , Montaño Moreno Juan José , Pérez Martín María de los Ángeles , Ruíz Armengol Patricia , Personat Labrador Almudena , Lamilla Buades Carlota María , Carrión García Verónica María , Salvá Garví Miguel , Nuñez Jiménez Catalina , Cabeza Irigoyen Elena
Published: March 2024

Background

Crises and health policies to tackle them can increase health inequalities. We explored the scope and usefulness of helplines set up during the COVID-19 crisis and characterised the vulnerability of their users. This study explored the geographic and socioeconomic effects of the telephone helplines set up by the Balearic Islands Government and aimed to characterise the vulnerability of their users.

Methods

Telephonic survey combined with a geographical analysis of a sample of calls made between 15th of March and 30th of June of 2020 to five helplines: COVID-19 general information; psychological, social (minimum vital income), labour (temporary employment regulation), and housing (rental assistance) helps. The questionnaire included sociodemographic and housing characteristics, type of problem, and if it was solved or not. We used multinomial regression to explore factors associated with having solved the problem. We calculated the standardised rate of calls by municipality using Chi-squared and z-test to test differences.

Results

1,321 interviews from 2,678 selected (231 excluded, 608 untraceable, and 518 refusals). 63.8% of women, 48.7% were born in another country. They had no internet at home in 3.1%, only on the phone in 17.3%. The 23.5% had no income at home. The Problem was solved in 25.4%, and partly in 30.9%. Factors associated with not solving the problem were not having income at home (p = 0.021), labour (p = 0.008), economic (p = 0.000) or housing (p = 0.000) problems. People from 55 of 67 municipalities did at least one call. The highest rates of calls were from coastal tourist municipalities.

Conclusion

Helplines reached most of the territory of the Balearic Islands and were used mainly in tourist municipalities. It probably has not been helpful for families with more significant deprivation. Digital inequalities have emerged.
Toward revolutionizing water-energy-food nexus composite index model: from availability, accessibility, and governance
Authors: He Bowen , Zheng Han , Guan Qun
Published: March 2024

The water-energy-food (WEF) nexus has emerged as a critical research interest to support integrated resource planning, management, and security. For this reason, many tools have been developed recently to evaluate the WEF nexus security and monitor progress toward the WEF-related sustainable development goals. Among these, calculating the WEF composite index model is critical since it can provide a quantitative approach to demonstrate the WEF nexus security status. However, the current WEF nexus index model framework needs to include the incorporation of governance indicators, neglecting the importance of governance in the WEF nexus framework. Thus, this article develops a new WEF nexus composite index model that incorporates governance indicators in each subpillar. The principal component analysis (PCA) is adopted to reduce the variables’ collinearity and the model’s dimensionality. A quasi-Monte Carlo-based uncertainty and global sensitivity analysis are applied to the index model to assess its effectiveness. Finally, the new WEF index model is applied to the 16 South African Development Community (SADC) countries as a case study. A critical synergy effect within the WEF nexus framework is identified that nations with better WEF governance ability tend to perform better in improving the WEF accessibility capability, suggesting the importance of governance in the WEF nexus security framework.
Colombian coffee (Coffea arabica L.) plantations: a taxonomic and functional survey of soil fungi
Authors: Ochoa-Henriquez Victor Hugo , Faggioli Valeria , Gómez-Godínez Lorena Jacqueline , Rivarola Maximo , Cristancho Marco
Published: March 2024

Fungi are essential players in the maintenance of global coffee productivity, but their taxonomic and functional diversity in tropical and subtropical soils of Latin America remains largely unexplored. To address this concern, soil fungi were surveyed in six farms in three traditional coffee-growing regions of Colombia (Cauca, Magdalena, and Risaralda). Five farms were organic and newly established (<1 to 15 years) with low shade, and one farm was under long-term conventional management (>30 years old) with higher shade cover. We used amplicon sequencing and functional prediction based on the FUNGuild annotation tool. Fungal community composition diverged among farms, with Mortierella (Mortierellomycota) and Saitozyma (Basidiomycota) among the most prevalent genera. Functional prediction revealed the predominance of saprotroph-symbiotroph and pathotroph fungi. The endophyte and litter decomposer Mortierella genus was dominant within the saprotrophs and symbiotrophs. The pathotroph community was characterized by insect pathogen species belonging to the Metarhizium (Ascomycota) genus. Indeed, M. anisopliae and M. marquandii were identified as indicator species in the conventional long-term shaded farm. This study revealed that coffee plantations studied sustain a diverse fungal community and nurture potentially beneficial species. Further studies are needed to elucidate how particular management practices can nourish beneficial fungi, suppress detrimental species, and promote more sustainable coffee production.
Gender-Specific Health-Adjusted Life Expectancy of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Among the Rural Elderly Population
Authors: Hou Yitan , Hu Ze , Jiang Feng , Zhao Qiuling , Wang Chongjian , Zhang Yuxiao
Published: March 2024

Objectives: This study aimed to estimate the life expectancy (LE) and health-adjusted life expectancy (HALE) of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) among the rural elderly population.

Methods: A total of 10,318 participants aged 65 to 79 were derived from the Henan Rural Cohort. The LE and HALE were calculated via the Sullivan method and multistate life table.

Results: Among 10,318 subjects, 1,325 suffered from T2DM at the baseline, and 394 participants had newly-developed T2DM. The results from the Sullivan method showed that the LE, HALE, and HALE/LE were 17.98, 16.18 years, and 89.95% for men aged 65 to 69, and the corresponding estimates for women were 21.81, 18.73 years, and 85.86%, respectively. The LE, HALE and HALE/LE calculated via multistate life table were 19.86, 17.53 years, and 88.29% for men at aged 65, and the corresponding values for women were 25.01, 20.87 years, and 83.44%, respectively.

Conclusion: Rural elderly women have a longer LE and HALE of T2DM, but they have lower quality of life than men. More attention should be paid to T2DM among rural elderly people, especially in women.

Clinical Trial Registration: The Henan Rural Cohort Study has been registered at Chinese Clinical Trial Register (Registration number: ChiCTR-OOC-15006699). Date of registration: 06 July 2015. http://www.chictr.org.cn/showproj.aspx?proj=11375.
Lanthanum-Modified Phosphogypsum Red Mud Composite for the Co-Adsorption of Cadmium and Arsenic: Mechanism Study and Soil Remediation
Authors: Shang Chengmei , Geng Zhixi , Sun Yuanyuan , Che Dongxue , Zhao Qingjiao , Chen Ting , Tang Ming , Huo Lijuan
Published: March 2024

With the development of industrial activities and the agricultural and mining industries, farmland soils are facing serious problems related to heavy metal contamination, especially cadmium (Cd) and arsenic (As) contamination. In this study, two industrial by-products, phosphogypsum (PG) and red mud (RM), were modified by lanthanum (La) impregnation to form a new composite (L-PR) to investigate the adsorption performance of Cd(II)/As(V) in both single and binary systems. The adsorption mechanisms of Cd(II)/As(V) on L-PR were analyzed using SEM, XRD, FTIR, and XPS. The passivation effect of L-PR on the Cd-As composite contaminated soil was confirmed through a soil cultivation experiment. The adsorption experiments revealed that L-PR showed superior adsorption capabilities for Cd(II) and As(V) compared to PG and RM. Additionally, L-PR was found to be less affected by changes in pH. The kinetic studies indicated that Cd(II) and As(V) adsorption by L-PR followed the second-order kinetic model most accurately. Isothermal adsorption experiments revealed that the adsorption of Cd(II) by L-PR was more in accordance with the Freundlich model, while As(V) was more in accordance with the Langmuir model. The mechanisms of Cd(II) and As(V) adsorption on L-PR involved electrostatic attraction, ion exchange, complexation, and precipitation. The adsorption of Cd(II) is dominated by complexation and precipitation, and the adsorption of As(V) is dominated by ion exchange and complexation. Soil cultivation experiments showed that L-PR significantly reduced the available Cd and As concentrations in soil by 86.01% and 27.80%, respectively, and it could induce the transformation of non-stable Cd(II)/As(V) to the more stable residual. In summary, L-PR exhibits facile preparation, excellent adsorption performance, and is capable of simultaneously removing Cd(II) and As(V) from aqueous solutions while immobilizing these contaminants in soil. These remarkable attributes made it a highly promising alternative for the simultaneous treatment of various toxic metal contaminants.
Lightweight Small-Tailed Han Sheep Facial Recognition Based on Improved SSD Algorithm
Authors: Hao Min , Sun Quan , Xuan Chuanzhong , Zhang Xiwen , Zhao Minghui , Song Shuo
Published: March 2024

We propose a lightweight detection algorithm based on the Single Shot MultiBox Detector (SSD) algorithm in order to facilitate sheep management and to realize sheep facial identification, and we take the self-constructed dataset as the research object. First, the SSD replaces the VGG16 backbone network with MobileNetv3, a lightweight neural network, to create a hybrid model that is much smaller. Second, the ECA attention mechanism is incorporated into the backend of the 72 × 160 bottleneck layer. Finally, the SmoothL1 loss function is substituted with the BalancedL1 loss function. The optimized model’s size decreases significantly from the original SSD’s 132 MB to just 22.4 MB. It achieves a mean average precision of 83.47% and maintains an average frame rate of 68.53 frames per second. Compared to the basic SSD model, the mean average precision has increased by 3.25 percentage points, the model size has decreased by 109.6 MB, and the detection speed has improved by 9.55 frames per second. In comparative experiments using the same dataset with different object detection models, the proposed model outperforms the SSD, Faster R-CNN, Retinanet, and CenterNet in terms of mean average precision, with improvements of 3.25 percentage points, 4.71 percentage points, 2.38 percentage points, and 8.13 percentage points, respectively. The detection speed has shown significant improvements, increasing by 9.55, 58.55, 53.1, and 12.37 frames per second, respectively. The improved model presented in this paper significantly reduces the model’s size and computational requirements while maintaining an excellent performance. This provides a valuable reference for the digitalization of animal husbandry and livestock farming.