bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Cigarette smoke depletes alveolar macrophages and delays clearance of Legionella pneumophila
Authors: Fleischmann Markus , Jarnicki Andrew G. , Brown Andrew S. , Yang Chao , Anderson Gary P. , Garbi Natalio , Hartland Elizabeth L. , van Driel Ian R. , Ng Garrett Z.
Published: January 2023

Legionella pneumophila is the main etiological agent of Legionnaires’ disease, a severe bacterial pneumonia. L. pneumophila is initially engulfed by alveolar macrophages (AMs) and subvert normal cellular functions to establish a replicative vacuole. Cigarette smokers are particularly susceptible to developing Legionnaires’ disease and other pulmonary infections; however, little is known about the cellular mechanisms underlying this susceptibility. To investigate this, we used a mouse model of acute cigarette smoke exposure to examine the immune response to cigarette smoke and subsequent L. pneumophila infection. Contrary to previous reports, we show that cigarette smoke exposure alone causes a significant depletion of AMs using enzymatic digestion to extract cells, or via imaging intact lung lobes by light-sheet microscopy. Furthermore, treatment of mice deficient in specific types of cell death with smoke suggests that NLRP3-driven pyroptosis is a contributor to smoke-induced death of AMs. After infection, smoke-exposed mice displayed increased pulmonary L. pneumophila loads and developed more severe disease compared with air-exposed controls. We tested if depletion of AMs was related to this phenotype by directly depleting them with clodronate liposomes and found that this also resulted in increased L. pneumophila loads. In summary, our results showed that cigarette smoke depleted AMs from the lung and that this likely contributed to more severe Legionnaires’ disease. Furthermore, the role of AMs in L. pneumophila infection is more nuanced than simply providing a replicative niche, and our studies suggest they play a major role in bacterial clearance.
Hyperoxia impairs intraflagellar transport and causes dysregulated metabolism with resultant decreased cilia length
Authors: Teape Daniella , Peterson Abigail , Ahsan Nagib , Ellis Kimberlyn , Correia Nicholas , Luo Ryan , Hegarty Katy , Yao Hongwei , Dennery Phyllis
Published: January 2023

Supplemental oxygen is a lifesaving measure in infants born premature to facilitate oxygenation. Unfortunately, it may lead to alveolar simplification and loss of proximal airway epithelial cilia. Little is known about the mechanism by which hyperoxia causes ciliary dysfunction in the proximal respiratory tract. We hypothesized that hyperoxia causes intraflagellar transport (IFT) dysfunction with resultant decreased cilia length. Differentiated basal human airway epithelial cells (HAEC) were exposed to hyperoxia or air for up to 48 h. Neonatal mice (<12 h old) were exposed to hyperoxia for 72 h and recovered in room air until postnatal day (PND) 60. Cilia length was measured from scanning electron microscopy images using a MATLAB-derived program. Proteomics and metabolomics were carried out in cells after hyperoxia. After hyperoxia, there was a significant time-dependent reduction in cilia length after hyperoxia in HAEC. Proteomic analysis showed decreased abundance of multiple proteins related to IFT including dynein motor proteins. In neonatal mice exposed to hyperoxia, there was a significant decrease in acetylated α tubulin at PND10 followed by recovery to normal levels at PND60. In HAEC, hyperoxia decreased the abundance of multiple proteins associated with complex I of the electron transport chain. In HAEC, hyperoxia increased levels of malate, fumarate, and citrate, and reduced the ATP/ADP ratio at 24 h with a subsequent increase at 36 h. Exposure to hyperoxia reduced cilia length, and this was associated with aberrant IFT protein expression and dysregulated metabolism. This suggests that hyperoxic exposure leads to aberrant IFT protein expression in the respiratory epithelium resulting in shortened cilia.
Analysis of a genetic region affecting mouse body weight
Authors: Leung Connie L. K. , Karunakaran Subashini , Atser Michael G. , Innala Leyla , Hu Xiaoke , Viau Victor , Johnson James D. , Clee Susanne M.
Published: January 2023

Genetic factors affect an individual’s risk of developing obesity, but in most cases each genetic variant has a small effect. Discovery of genes that regulate obesity may provide clues about its underlying biological processes and point to new ways the disease can be treated. Preclinical animal models facilitate genetic discovery in obesity because environmental factors can be better controlled compared with the human population. We studied inbred mouse strains to identify novel genes affecting obesity and glucose metabolism. BTBR T+ Itpr3tf/J (BTBR) mice are fatter and more glucose intolerant than C57BL/6J (B6) mice. Prior genetic studies of these strains identified an obesity locus on chromosome 2. Using congenic mice, we found that obesity was affected by a ∼316 kb region, with only two known genes, pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase 1 ( Pdk1) and integrin α 6 ( Itga6). Both genes had mutations affecting their amino acid sequence and reducing mRNA levels. Both genes have known functions that could modulate obesity, lipid metabolism, insulin secretion, and/or glucose homeostasis. We hypothesized that genetic variation in or near Pdk1 or Itga6 causing reduced Pdk1 and Itga6 expression would promote obesity and impaired glucose tolerance. We used knockout mice lacking Pdk1 or Itga6 fed an obesigenic diet to test this hypothesis. Under the conditions we studied, we were unable to detect an individual contribution of either Pdk1 or Itga6 to body weight. During our studies, with conditions outside our control, we were unable to reproduce some of our previous body weight data. However, we identified a previously unknown role for Pdk1 in cardiac cholesterol metabolism providing the basis for future investigations. The studies described in this paper highlight the importance and the challenge using physiological outcomes to study obesity genes in mice.
Trajectory Planning and Collision Control of a Mobile Robot: A Penalty‐Based PSO Approach
Authors: Pandey Krishna Kant , Kumbhar Chandrashekhar , Parhi Dayal R. , Mathivanan Sandeep Kumar , Jayagopal Prabhu , Haque Aminul
Published: January 2023

In this paper, trajectory planning and navigation control problems have been addressed for a mobile robot. To achieve the objective of the research, an adaptive PSO (Particle Swarm Optimization) motion algorithm is developed using a penalty‐based methodology. To deliver the best or collision‐free position to the robot, fitness values of the all‐random‐positioned particles are compared at the same time during the target search action. By comparing the fitness values, the robot occupies the best position in the search space till it reaches the target. The new work integrated with conventional PSO is varying a velocity event that plays a vital role during the position acquisition (continuous change in position during the obstacle negotiation with the communication through random‐positioned particles). The obstacle‐negotiating angle and positional velocity of the robot are considered as input parameters of the controller whereas the robot′s best position according to the target position is considered as the output of the controller. Simulation results are presented through the MATLAB environment. To validate simulation results, real‐time experiments have been conducted in a similar workspace. The results of the adaptive PSO technique are also compared with the results of the existing navigational techniques. Improvements in results between the proposed navigation technique and existing navigation techniques are found to be 4.66% and 11.30%, respectively.
Impacts of Curcumin Treatment on Experimental Sepsis: A Systematic Review
Authors: Vieira Barbara Martins , Caetano Marcos Antonio Ferreira , de Carvalho Mara Taís , dos Santos Arruda Felipe , Tomé Fernanda Dias , de Oliveira Jordana Fernandes , Soave Danilo Figueiredo , Pereira Jonathas Xavier , Celes Mara Rubia Nunes
Published: January 2023

Background and Aims. Sepsis is defined as a life-threatening organ dysfunction due to a dysregulated host immune response to an infection. Curcumin is a yellow polyphenol derived from the rhizome of Curcuma longa with anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties scientifically proven, a condition that allowed its use as a tool in the treatment of sepsis. Thus, the purpose of this article was to systematically review the evidence on the impact of curcumin’s anti-inflammatory effect on experimental sepsis. Methods. For this, the PubMed, MEDLINE, EMBASE, Scopus, Web of Science, and LILACS databases were used, and the research was not limited to a specific publication period. Only original articles in English using in vivo experimental models (rats or mice) of sepsis induction performed by administration of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) or cecal ligation and perforation surgery (CLP) were included in the study. Studies using curcumin in dry extract or with a high degree of purity were included. At initial screening, 546 articles were selected, and of these, 223 were eligible for primary evaluation. Finally, 12 articles with full text met all inclusion criteria. Our results showed that curcumin may inhibit sepsis-induced complications such as brain, heart, liver, lungs, and kidney damage. Curcumin can inhibit inflammatory factors, prevent oxidative stress, and regulate immune responses in sepsis. Additionally, curcumin increased significantly the survival rates after experimental sepsis in several studies. The modulation of the immune response and mortality by curcumin reinforces its protective effect on sepsis and indicates a potential therapeutic tool for the treatment of sepsis.
Chromatin Regulator-Related Gene Signature for Predicting Prognosis and Immunotherapy Efficacy in Breast Cancer
Authors: Feng Dongxu , Li Wenbing , Wu Wei , Kahlert Ulf Dietrich , Gao Pingfa , Hu Gangfeng , Huang Xia , Shi Wenjie , Li Huichao
Published: January 2023

Background. Many studies have found that chromatin regulators (CRs) are correlated with tumorigenesis and disease prognosis. Here, we attempted to build a new CR-related gene model to predict breast cancer (BC) survival status. Methods. First, the CR-related differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were screened in normal and tumor breast tissues, and the potential mechanism of CR-related DEGs was determined by function analysis. Based on the prognostic DEGs, the Cox regression model was applied to build a signature for BC. Then, survival and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were performed to validate the signature’s efficacy and identify its independent prognostic value. The CIBERSORT and tumor immune dysfunction and exclusion (TIDE) algorithms were used to assess the immune cells infiltration and immunotherapy efficacy for this signature, respectively. Additionally, a novel nomogram was also built for clinical decisions. Results. We identified 98 CR-related DEGs in breast tissues and constructed a novel 6 CR-related gene signature (ARID5A, ASCL1, IKZF3, KDM4B, PRDM11, and TFF1) to predict the outcome of BC patients. The prognostic value of this CR-related gene signature was validated with outstanding predictive performance. The TIDE analysis revealed that the high-risk group patients had a better response to immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) therapy. Conclusion. A new CR-related gene signature was built, and this signature could provide the independent predictive capability of prognosis and immunotherapy efficacy for BC patients.
Elective Cesarean Section during Preterm Prevents Pulmonary Hypoplasia Development in Potter Sequence
Authors: Kinoshita Yuya , Sakamoto Rieko , Hattori Yusuke , Furuie Keishiro , Kuraoka Shohei , Hidaka Yuko , Tamura Hiroshi , Mitsubuchi Hiroshi , Nakamura Kimitoshi
Published: January 2023

Potter syndrome, first reported in 1946 by Edith Potter, refers to fatal cases of bilateral renal aplasia with pulmonary hypoplasia, peculiar facial features, and limb deformities. Presently, patients with oligohydramnios showing similar pathological manifestations due to oligohydramnios caused by conditions other than bilateral renal aplasia have been reported, and are known as the Potter sequence. There are limited studies and unclear guidelines on the safest delivery time and detailed postpartum management for patients with the Potter sequence. We experienced a case of Potter sequence, in which the patient was born by elective cesarean section at gestational age (GA) of 34 weeks. Fetal ultrasound at GA of 26 weeks 4 days showed oligohydramnios, multilocular cystic lesions in the left kidney, and an absent right kidney. Prenatal fetal MRI at GA of 33 weeks and 3 days showed pulmonary hypoplasia, and the ratio of fetal lung volume (FLV) to fetal body weight (FBW) was 0.0135 ml/g. We suspected that the fetal lung could not grow because of persistent oligohydramnios, which leads to a further decline in the ratio of FLV to FBW during pregnancy. We performed a cesarean section at GA of 34 weeks to prevent the exacerbation of the imbalance between lung volume and physique. We struggled to keep her condition stabilized with strict management of her respiratory condition, dialysis, and nutrition. She was discharged from the hospital at 169 days of age. Elective caesarean section in the term of premature birth prevented the progression of pulmonary hypoplasia and made it possible to save her life. Potter sequence is still relatively unknown, and it is necessary for more studies to be conducted in the future.
Identifying the Impact of Industrial Agglomeration on China’s Carbon Emissions Based on the Spatial Econometric Analysis
Authors: Xu Xianpu
Published: January 2023

China’s rapid economic growth is accompanied by industrial agglomeration (IA) and environmental pollution. Although IA has played an important role in reducing environmental pollution, its effect on carbon emissions is still debatable and deserves further study. In this context, this paper constructs a two-sector general equilibrium model including households and firms to explore the mechanisms of IA on carbon emissions and finds that IA mainly affects carbon emissions through the agglomeration effect and congestion effect. Then, based on the balanced panel data for 30 Chinese provinces from 2003 to 2019, this study employs the dynamic spatial panel model to investigate the nexus between different types of IA and carbon emissions. The empirical results reveal that a significant positive spatial dependence is verified in the regional carbon emissions of China, indicating that carbon emissions exhibit a remarkably spatial spillover effect. Meanwhile, there are significant variations in the influence of different types of IA on carbon emissions. Specifically, specialized agglomeration (SA) positively affects carbon emissions, while the impact of diversified agglomeration (DA) on carbon emissions is negative, implying that China’s DA may contribute to carbon emission control. In addition, there is regional heterogeneity in the effect of IA on carbon emissions, with the western region having a significantly greater effect than the eastern and central regions. Therefore, the Chinese government should follow the notion of integrating territory administration and interregional communication and formulate regionally differentiated environmental governance policies to promote carbon emission reduction in the future.
Effectiveness of Inexpensive Cloth Facemasks and Their Amendments to Reduce Ambient Particulate Exposures: A Case of Kathmandu, Nepal
Authors: Neupane Prasidha R. , Bajracharya Iswor , Khatry Sunil B.
Published: January 2023

Inexpensive cloth masks are widely used to reduce particulate exposures, but their use became ubiquitous after the outbreak of COVID-19. A custom experimental setup (semiactive at 5.1 m/s airflow rate) was fabricated to examine the efficiency of different types of commercial facemasks collected randomly from street vendors. The sample (N = 27) including (n = 16) cloth masks (CMs), (n = 7) surgical masks (SMs), and (n = 4) N95 filtering facepiece respirators (FFRs), of which SMs and N95 FFRs taken as a standard for efficiency comparison were all tested against ambient aerosols (PM2.5 and PM10 μg/m3). The prototype cloth masks (PTCMs) (N = 5) design was tailored, and their performance was assessed and compared with that of standard commercial masks. The filtering efficiency tested against ambient coarse particulates (PM10) ranged from (5% to 34%) for CMs with an average of 16%, (37% to 46%) for SMs with an average of 42%, (59% to 72%) for PTCMs with an average of 65%, and (70% to 75%) for N95 FFRs with an average of 71%, whereas against fine particulates (PM2.5), efficacy ranged from (4% to 29%) for CMs with an average of 13%, (34% to 44%) for SMs with an average of 39%, (53% to 68%) for PTCMs with an average of 60%, and (68% to 73%) for N95 FFRs with an average of 70%, respectively. The efficiency followed the order N95 FFRs > PTCMs > SMs > CMs showing poor exposure reduction potential in CMs and high exposure reduction potential in N95 FFRs and PTCMs. Amendment in existing CMs using eco-friendly cotton fabric with better facial adherence can protect human health from exposure to fine particulates <2.5 μm and can reduce the risk of micro-plastic pollution caused by polypropylene (PP) facemasks.
Development of Decellularized Fish Skin Scaffold Decorated with Biosynthesized Silver Nanoparticles for Accelerated Burn Wound Healing
Authors: Adhikari Surya Prasad , Paudel Astha , Sharma Anisha , Thapa Baruna , Khanal Neha , Shastri Nisha , Rai Sourav , Adhikari Rameshwar
Published: January 2023

In this study, decellularized fish skin (DFS) scaffold decorated with silver nanoparticles was prepared for accelerating burn wound healing. The silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) synthesized by the green and facile method using Aloe vera leaf at different incubating times were characterized by using X-ray Diffraction (XRD), Fourier Transform Infrared (FT-IR) Spectroscopy, and Ultraviolet-Visible Spectroscopy (UV-Vis spectroscopy). The different characterizations confirmed that the sizes of AgNPs prepared by incubating for 6 hours and 12 hours were 29.1 nm and 35.2 nm, respectively. After that, the different concentrations of the smallest AgNPs were used to dope the DFS scaffold to determine the cell viability. Additionally, an agar well diffusion method was used to screen for antimicrobial activity. Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) were used to correlate the concentration of AgNPs with its bactericidal effect which was seen from 50 μg/ml. Then, the toxicity with human cells was investigated using a 3-(4, 5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2, 5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay with no significant cell viability from the concentration of 50 μg/ml to 200 μg/ml compared to the cocultured and commercial treatments.
An Optimisation Method of Construction for Warping Copper Plates and Engines Using Complete Block Designs with Some Special Types of Graphs
Authors: Karthikeyan P. , Kalaiselvi K. , Pachamuthu M. , Karthik Kanulla , Johnson Santhosh A.
Published: January 2023

The application of bipartite and regular graphs plays a vital role in the area of engineering, mathematical sciences, design of experiments, and medical fields. This study proposes an optimization method for constriction of randomized block design and Latin square design using bipartite and regular graphs with applications of warping copper plates in specimens and comparing them to burners and engines on different days. The construction methods and analysis are performed as follows: the first method is a construction of randomized block design using bipartite and complete bipartite graphs with applications for the amount of warping copper plates and different laboratories are taken to test any significant difference that exists between the mean number of responses for the labs and copper specimens. The second method is the construction of a Latin square design using regular graphs to test whether there is any significant difference between the burners, engines, and some days in statistical analysis of interaction plots, contour plots, and 3D surface plots.
Antisynthetase Syndrome in a Patient with Pulmonary Embolism and Nonbacterial Thrombotic Endocarditis
Authors: Vege Anusha , Beery Jesse , Kara Areeba
Published: January 2023

Antisynthetase syndrome is a rare autoimmune disease within the subset of idiopathic inflammatory myopathies. The diagnostic criteria include the presence of an aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase antibody, and typical clinical findings, including myositis, mechanic’s hands, Raynaud phenomenon, unexplained fever, and interstitial lung disease. We describe a case of a 59-year-old male who presented with a 1-month history of progressive purplish discoloration and pain of the fingertips, dyspnea, cough, weight loss, fatigue, and who developed progressive proximal muscle weakness and dysphagia. Investigations revealed pulmonic valve and mitral valve marantic endocarditis, pulmonary embolism, myositis, organizing pneumonia, and elevation of anti-OJ antibodies. He was diagnosed with antisynthetase syndrome and treated with high dose corticosteroids and mycophenolate mofetil with a fair response.
Mindfulness and Motivation in Self-Transformation: Thich Nhat Hanh’s Teachings on the Interbeing
Authors: Lim Hui Ling
Published: January 2023

This paper aims to explore the relationship of mindfulness and motivation in self-transformation based on the teachings of Thich Nhat Hanh. It discusses mind and meditation, the application and impact of mindfulness on body and mind, the Buddhist’s roots of motivation in meditation, the dynamics of motivation in mindfulness practice and Thich Nhat Hanh’s teachings on interbeing. He argues that it is not necessary to hold the original Buddhist intention with the goal to attain enlightenment when practicing mindfulness because mindfulness is not only a means but also an end in itself. My discussion will highlight this interconnectedness of mindfulness and motivation where one’s motivation can affect mindfulness and mindfulness practice can further shape one’s motivation. The continuous practice of mindfulness has the ability to develop one’s motivation to change one’s mental state and life perspective, as the transformation will occur when the mind becomes more aware and more insightful.
First report of two eulophid genera (Hymenoptera: Chalcidoidea: Eulophidae) from India with the description of two new species
Authors: RANJITH A.P. , BURKS ROGER A. , FEMI E.B. , PRIYADARSANAN DHARMA RAJAN
Published: January 2023

The eulophid genera Dermatopelte Erdös & Novicky and Iniostichus Kamijo & Ikeda are reported for the first time from India. Two new species, Dermatopelte striata n. sp. and Iniostichus proximus n. sp. are described and illustrated. A revised key to the Indo-Malayan species of Dermatopelte and a key to the extant species of Iniostichus are included.
First record of Neorthostigma Belokobylskij (Hymenoptera: Braconidae: Alysiinae) from Neotropical region with description of two new species
Authors: DE OLIVEIRA FRANCIÉLLE DIAS , PENTEADO-DIAS ANGÉLICA MARIA
Published: January 2023

The genus Neorthostigma Belokobylskij, 1998 is recorded in the Neotropical region for the first time, with description of two new species from Brazil viz. Neorthostigma neotropicalis sp. nov. and Neorthostigma signifrons sp. nov. A dichotomous identification key for the known species of Neorthostigma is provided.
Contribution of PDO to Decadal Variations of Glaze Dipole Pattern in China
Authors: Liu Yong , Yu Shui , Chen Huopo
Published: January 2023

Based on the in situ observations, reanalysis, and model simulation, the variations in glaze dipole pattern in China and its underlying physical mechanism have been explored. The glaze dipole pattern features an out-of-phase relationship between winter glaze in the south of the Yangtze River valley (YRV) and northern China, accompanied by pronounced interdecadal variation around the late 1970s. The results from synoptic analyses suggest that cold air brought by the northerly winds and warm moist air by the southwesterly winds, as well as the occurrence of inversion layer are vital to the glaze weather in the south of YRV. Further analyses indicate that the interdecadal shift of the Pacific decadal oscillation (PDO) contributes largely to variations in glaze dipole pattern. Specifically, the warm PDO provides a beneficial environment for the occurrence of glaze dipole pattern by stimulating the tropical–extratropical circulation configuration with the deepened East Asian trough, strengthened East Asian westerly jet, anomalous anticyclone over the tropical western Pacific Ocean, and cyclone over the southern Tibetan Plateau at the decadal time scale. Consequently, the enhanced moisture transport brought by southwesterly and cold air intrusion induced by the deepened East Asian trough benefit the glaze weather in the south of YRV, while the decreased precipitation and a much lower temperature in northern China depress the generation of glaze. Moreover, the results from the CAM4 model simulation indicate the atmospheric circulation anomalies forced by PDO-like SST can roughly reproduce the extratropical configuration related to the glaze, but it has difficulties in capturing the tropical circulation anomalies.

Significance Statement

The purpose of this study is to better understand how the glaze dipole pattern in China responds to climate anomalies, which focuses on the spatial–temporal evolution of glaze days and its underlying physical mechanism. This study highlights the important role of Pacific Ocean sea surface temperature anomalies in the interdecadal variations in glaze dipole pattern, and it gives a clear clarification to demonstrate the impacts of Pacific decadal oscillation on the climatological background for the occurrence of glaze. Our results provide a guide on what drives the interdecadal variation in the glaze dipole pattern and help to understand the climate dynamic mechanism of variations in freezing events in China.
Examining Health Disparities in Orthopedic Care During COVID-19
Authors: Pond Kristina , Samuels Kaitlyn , Meinhardt Gerek , Jacobs Cale
Published: January 2023

Background

Demographics and socioeconomic status affect the delivery of medical care resulting in healthcare disparities. The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of COVID-19 on existing healthcare disparities, including access to healthcare in the outpatient orthopedic surgery clinic.

Methods

The medical records of 3006 patients treated at the University of Kentucky Orthopedic Surgery Department prior to COVID-19 (April 2018, 2019), and during the COVID-19 pandemic (2020) were retrospectively reviewed for demographic data, distance to clinic, and type of visit. We then compared the total number of patient visits, new patient visits, telehealth visits, and the patient’s insurance provider (public or private) between the time period prior to and during the pandemic.

Results

During the COVID-19 pandemic, there were significant declines in the number of patients seen, new patient presentations, and publicly insured patients. Thirty-three percent of visits were telemedicine visits in 2020 compared to 0% pre-COVID ( P < .0001). There was a lower proportion of initial visits in 2020 ( P < .0001). The majority of patients paid via private/commercial insurance (1798, 59.8%), with a greater proportion paying via private/commercial insurance in 2020 ( P < .001). The median average household income was increased in 2020 ( P < .001).

Discussion

While COVID-19 resulted in a significant decline in overall access to care, there were negative ramifications particularly on patients with new complaints and those of lower socioeconomic status. Future endeavors should be focused on correcting the obstacles to accessing care, exacerbated by the pandemic, that these vulnerable populations face.
Depressive symptoms and social support among Australian men: A 7-year longitudinal study
Authors: Rowland Bosco , Swami Neha , Prattley Jennifer , Duffy Jacob , Macdonald Jacqui A , Perales Francisco , Mansour Kayla A , Quinn Brendan
Published: January 2023

Background:

Mental health disorders are ranked globally as the single largest contributor to non-fatal ill-health. Social support can be a means of reducing and managing depression. However, depression can also impact on a person’s level of social support.

Objective:

As men typically have fewer sources of social support than females, this study investigated the bi-directional associations between depressive symptoms and perceived levels of social support among Australian males, aged 18–63.

Methods:

Three waves of panel data from Ten to Men: The Australian Longitudinal Study on Male Health collected over 7 years (2013–2020) were used. A random intercept cross-lagged panel analysis with 5112 participants was undertaken. Mediating effects and indirect and total effects for lagged and cross-lagged pathways were also examined.

Results:

Over time, greater social support was found to be associated with lower depression levels, and simultaneously greater levels of depression was found to be associated with lower levels of social support. Standardised cross-lagged effects between waves were mostly similar (β = 0.10). However, mediation analyses identified that only the total effect size of the association for depression at wave 1 predicting social support at wave 3 (β = −0.29) was significant. Mediated effects of social support at wave 1 predicting depression at wave 3 were not significant.

Limitations:

These include the number of years between each wave, and data were collected during the COVID pandemic.

Conclusion:

The study provides robust longitudinal evidence supporting the notion that social support and depression are both a cause and consequence of the other. However, the long-term effects of depression reducing social support were longer lasting than the effects of social support reducing depression.
The gambling business from the point of view of Catholic moral and social teachings
Authors: Iglesias-Rodríguez Pablo
Published: January 2023

Is the gambling business compatible with Christianity? Catholicism, the largest Christian denomination, does not provide a clear answer to this question, which has also been largely dismissed by scholars from gambling studies and religious studies alike. This article fills this gap through an assessment of the gambling business in light of Catholic moral and social teachings. It offers two main findings. First, it challenges the widespread notion of the neutrality of the Catechism towards gambling and argues that contemporary commercial gambling is in contravention of core Catholic moral teachings. Second, it offers a novel assessment of the legitimacy of the gambling enterprise through the application of the concept of ‘social usefulness’. It proposes that any positive social outcomes resulting from gambling, regardless of their entity, do not render the gambling enterprise socially useful and legitimate – from a Catholic social-teaching perspective – since gambling also brings about significant gross social costs. This article contributes to a better understanding of the place of gambling within Catholicism, and hence within Christianity more broadly. Likewise, it offers suggestions on how the Catholic Church could embrace a more accurate assessment of the gambling enterprise that better reflects Catholic social doctrine so as to mitigate problem gambling, which is particularly salient among Catholics.
Psychosocial Aspects of Deliberate Physical Suicide Attempts by Children and Adolescents
Authors: Kinciniene Odeta , Sambaras Rokas , Lesinskaite Auge , Zilinskaite Virginija , Lesinskiene Sigita
Published: January 2023

Suicide is the second most common cause of death among young people in Lithuania. This study aimed to evaluate circumstance, and conditions possibly related to suicide attempt in adolescents. Study was performed at the tertiary Children’s Hospital. Medical documentation of the suicide attempts from January 2011 to April 2018 was analyzed. There were 102 cases included in the study: 83.8% female and 16.2% male patients (average age of 15.02 ± 1.9); 40.6% of patients lived in divorced families, 17.7% in orphanages, 4.2% in foster care; 36.4% suffered from parental alcoholism, and 17.2% experienced suicide in close surroundings; 54.1% experienced bullying or violence (26.0%), and 85.4% showed signs of other types of self-harm, girls more often ( P < .001). In 52.8% of cases, the attempt was spontaneous, and 34% relapsed. In summary female gender, living in orphanages, and signs of other self-harm were significantly related to suicide attempt.
Hustle in the Sidewalk: Triangular Contestations Between Hawkers, Walkers, and Coppers in the Kathmandu Valley
Authors: Acharya Nirmal , Jagari Roshan Bahadur
Published: January 2023

Sidewalks in the Kathmandu Valley are punctuated with vendors busy selling their merchandise to the pedestrians. Notwithstanding that street vending provides thriving opportunities for earning to the lower class, it takes a heavy toll on their health due to the relentless inhale of pernicious air. Disinterested pedestrians feel their spaces being thronged and contested by the vendors and their customers who generally take more time to make a deal through bargaining. The city police, on the other hand, treat the vendors, in many places and occasions, as the “wretched of the earth” in their routine patrols. The resistance of the vendors is complex and dynamic, and entails layered responses varying from symbolic, talking violence of the pedestrians to the batons of city police. Through interviews and observation, this research aims to shed light on the vendor negotiations, and resistance strategies vis-à-vis pedestrians, and the city police.
Urban mobility infrastructures as public spaces: The uses of Sé subway station in downtown São Paulo
Authors: Martin Cristiana
Published: January 2023

This article aims to contribute to the discussion on the publicness of public spaces by focusing on the uses of free access areas in urban mobility infrastructures such as subway stations, especially those uses not associated with mobility, transit and passenger flow – I call them ‘non-transit uses’. I also focus specifically on people at the station whose behaviour differs from a ‘typical passenger’. Instead of entering the station and heading to platforms, the ones I call ‘non-passengers’ do not ride the subway, do not arrive there by subway and remain at the station for long periods. To study the uses of space, I suggest an investigation framework that allows a focus on how these free access areas and their publicness are a product of these specific uses. The paper is based on Lefebvre’s dialectic assumption on space, particularly his analytical triad of ‘perceived’, ‘conceived’ and ‘lived’ spaces, and Frehse’s specific definition of uses (patterns of bodily behaviour and social interactions). I then investigate what the non-transit uses of non-passengers can reveal about the Sé subway station in downtown São Paulo by studying them in every aspect of Lefebvre’s triad, thus revealing conceived, perceived and lived uses of the station. Finally, I conclude that the ‘non-passengers’ use the station in similar ways to a public square and that the ‘publicness’ of this station lies in the relation of its non-transit uses with the Sé square placed above the station.
Governed by atmospheres: Affect, materiality and everyday benevolence in homeless encampments during the COVID-19 pandemic
Authors: Vašát Petr , Váně Jan
Published: January 2023

This article explores the operation of homeless encampments as a part of governance by highlighting the role of affective atmospheres. The COVID-19 pandemic and the imposition of lockdowns have seen the introduction of unprecedented measures into homelessness governance in Czech cities. Some have set up temporary homeless encampments as a response to the declaration of the state of emergency. Relying on interviews and observations, this article reveals that such measures in cities differed significantly in both character and outcomes. Based on a repeated instances comparison of the socio-material and affective entanglements of operating two emergency encampments – one in the regional city of Pilsen and the other in the capital city of Prague – the article argues that affective atmospheres play a vital role in their practical operations and perceived outcomes. While no simple dichotomy is implied, in Pilsen, order was implemented through a surveillance logic that instigated conflicts and created an atmosphere of frustration, while in Prague, the benevolence and mutuality of people in the camp led to a relaxed atmosphere. The article introduces the notion of ‘governed by atmospheres’ and argues that it opens space for a more complex and nuanced examination of the unintended outcomes of particular policies and politics in homelessness governance.
The Aesthetic Needs of the Masses: Cultural Work in the Aftermath of the Great Leap Forward
Authors: Inwald Minerva
Published: January 2023

In the early 1960s, as part of a suite of policies intended to rectify the failures of the Great Leap Forward, the Propaganda Department and the Ministry of Culture launched new cultural policies that inaugurated a relatively liberal period for the arts in the People’s Republic of China. This article explores how these new policies reconceptualized the relationship between art and politics to emphasize the importance of providing audiences with experiences of enjoyment, relaxation, and aesthetic pleasure, as well as how state-run media reporting on the newly opened Museum of Chinese Art and its inaugural exhibition embodied the aspirations of these new policies by describing and imagining visitors indulging in the beauty of the museum and the artworks on display. By examining the brief expansion of what it meant for art to serve socialism in the early 1960s, this article reveals that cultural officials experimented with multiple configurations of the relationship between art and politics during the Mao Zedong era.
The secondary pore development model of coarse-grained deposition: A case study of the Xiazijie Formation in the Northwestern Margin of the Junggar Basin
Authors: Ma Yongping , Zhang Xianwen , Wang Guodong , Xu Duonian , Guan Xin , Pan Shuxin , Qu Yongqiang
Published: January 2023

The coarse-grained glutenite rock mass of the proximal fan delta is characterized by the blocky texture, mixing of gravels with varied sizes, high mud content, and low porosity and permeability, leading to difficulties in assessment and exploration of oil and gas enrichment regularities of tight glutenite. The Permian Xiazijie Formation in the northwest margin of Junggar Basin has a set of tight glutenite reservoirs, and the reservoir quality is an important controlling factor for oil and gas enrichment. Based on three-dimensional earthquake, casting thin sections, rock physical property, geochemistry, the sedimentary facies division, petrologic features, physical property regularities, pore types and diagenesis of Xiazijie Formation were analyzed. This research develops the pore evolution model of the coarse-grained deposition via the quantitative analysis of porosity evolution. First, during the rapid compaction, intensive mechanical compaction results in reduction of the original porosity from 29.8% to 15.1%. Secondly, the cement formed during the eodiagenesis destructs the reservoir space and leads to an average porosity loss of 6.5%. Third, dissolution effectively improves reservoir quality. It mainly dissolves the zeolite cement, and the porosity grows to 12.1% from 8.6%. The dissolution occurs during the main hydrocarbon expulsion stage of the source rock, which is in favor of hydrocarbon emplacement. Fourth, during the telodiagenesis with the deepening burial and intensifying pressure solution, siliceous and carbonate cement precipitate, the reservoir physical property is degraded again, the porosity loss is about 3.4%. After a series of complex diagenetic processes, the current tight glutenite reservoir comes into being, with the porosity of about 8.7%. The research results provide theoretical reference for coarse-grained glutenite reservoir prediction.
Capillary Hemangioma Involving the External Auditory Canal: Case Report and Review of the Literature
Authors: Binhazzaa Amal , Alshalan Afrah
Published: January 2023

Hemangioma is a frequently observed soft tissue tumor that can be classified into cavernous, capillary, and venous subtypes. It occurs frequently in the head and neck; however, with rare reports of hemangiomas in the external auditory canal (EAC). The present study describes the case of a 57-year-old male patient who presented to our center with a subsequent diagnosis of capillary hemangioma of the EAC. The entire lesion was surgically removed, with no evidence of recurrence on the subsequent follow-up.
Student-directed learning in popular musicianship: An action research study of university music students
Authors: Woody Robert H
Published: January 2023

This action research study provides insight into the learning of university music education students who participated in a popular musicianship experience. The participants were thirty-four music education students (i.e. pre-service music educators) at an American university enrolled in a student-directed Popular Musicianship course. Although given access to “rock band” instruments and sound equipment during the semester-long experience, they did not receive any direct instruction from the faculty instructor of record. After organizing into bands, the participants were challenged to prepare for performance two or three songs, including one cover and one original song. They also indicated the confidence they had in their ability to lead their future students in popular music making. This measure of self-efficacy was collected at the beginning, middle, and end of the experience. Also, participant written descriptions of their experiences was analyzed qualitatively. The findings of the study indicated that participants believed their overall musicianship benefited from the experience due to the challenging nature of vernacular music making, which was also enjoyable and rewarding. The experience also appeared to impact their teaching philosophies for the future. Finally, their self-efficacy increased significantly across the experience.
In vivo synaptic density loss correlates with impaired functional and related structural connectivity in Alzheimer’s disease
Authors: Zhang Junfang , Wang Jie , Xu Xiaomeng , You Zhiwen , Huang Qi , Huang Yiyun , Guo Qihao , Guan Yihui , Zhao Jun , Liu Jun , Xu Wei , Deng Yulei , Xie Fang , Li Binyin
Published: January 2023

Synapse loss has been considered as a major pathological change in Alzheimer’s disease (AD). It remains unclear about whether and how synapse loss relates to functional and structural connectivity dysfunction in AD. We measured synaptic vesicle glycoprotein 2 A (SV2A) binding using 18F-SynVesT-1 PET to evaluate synaptic alterations in 33 participants with AD, 31 with mild cognitive impairment (MCI), and 30 controls. We examined the correlation between synaptic density and cognitive function. Functional MRI was performed to analyze functional connectivity in lower synaptic density regions. We tracked the white matter tracts between impaired functional connectivity regions using Diffusion MRI. In AD group, lower synaptic density in bilateral cortex and hippocampus was found when compared with controls. The synaptic density changes in right insular cortex and bilateral caudal middle frontal gyrus (MFG) were correlated with cognitive decline. Among them, right MFG synaptic density was positively associated with right MFG - bilateral superior frontal gyrus (SFG) functional connectivity. AD had lower probability of tract (POT) between right MFG and SFG than controls, which was significantly associated with global cognition. These findings provide evidence supporting synapse loss contributes to functional and related structural connectivity alterations underlying cognitive impairment of AD.
Comparison of diagnostic quality of 3D ultrashort-echo-time techniques for pulmonary magnetic resonance imaging in free-breathing
Authors: Metz Corona , Weng Andreas Max , Böckle David , Heidenreich Julius Frederik , Slawig Anne , Benkert Thomas , Kraus Sabrina , Köstler Herbert , Veldhoen Simon
Published: January 2023

Background

Ultrashort-echo-time (UTE) sequences have been developed to overcome technical limitations of pulmonary magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Recently, it has been shown that UTE sequences with breath-hold allow rapid image acquisition with sufficient image quality. However, patients with impaired respiration require alternative acquisition strategies while breathing freely.

Purpose

To compare the diagnostic performance of free-breathing three-dimensional (3D)-UTE sequences with different trajectories based on pulmonary imaging of immunocompromised patients.

Material and Methods

In a prospective study setting, two 3D-UTE sequences performed in free-breathing and exploiting non-Cartesian trajectories—one using a stack-of-spirals and the other exploiting a radial trajectory—were acquired at 3 T in patients undergoing hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Two radiologists assessed the images regarding presence of pleural effusions and pulmonary infiltrations. Computed tomography (CT) was used as reference.

Results

A total of 28 datasets, each consisting of free-breathing 3D-UTE MRI with the two sequence techniques and a reference CT scan, were acquired in 20 patients. Interrater agreement was substantial for pulmonary infiltrations using both sequence techniques (κ = 0.77 − 0.78). Regarding pleural effusions, agreement was almost perfect in the stack-of-spirals (κ = 0.81) and moderate in the radial sequence (κ = 0.59). No significant differences in detectability of the assessed pulmonary pathologies were observed between both 3D-UTE sequence techniques ( P > 0.05), and their level of agreement was substantial throughout (κ = 0.62–0.81). Both techniques provided high sensitivities and specificities (79%–100%) for the detection of pulmonary infiltrations and pleural effusions compared to reference CT.

Conclusion

The diagnostic performance of the assessed 3D-UTE MRI sequences was similar. Both sequences enable the detection of typical inflammatory lung pathologies.
Improved outcomes following addition of bedaquiline and clofazimine to a treatment regimen for multidrug-resistant tuberculosis
Authors: Yao Ge , Zhu Muxin , Nie Qi , Chen Nanshan , Tu Shengjin , Zhou Yong , Xiao Fan , Liu Yuan , Li Xi , Chen Hua
Published: January 2023

Objective

To investigate if the addition of bedaquiline and clofazimine to a treatment regimen for multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) could improve patient outcomes.

Methods

A prospective, randomized, controlled study was conducted in patients with MDR-TB. Treatment was for 18 months. Patients in the experimental group received bedaquiline and clofazimine in addition to their regular treatment regimen whereas patients in the control group did not.

Results

68 patients with MDR-TB were randomised to treatment, 34 to each group. At the end of treatment, cure rates were statistically significantly greater for the experimental group compared with the control group (82% vs. 56%). There was no difference between groups in the number of severe adverse events (3[9%]) in both groups and none were skin-related.

Conclusions

The addition of bedaquiline and clofazimine to the treatment regimen significantly improves outcomes for patients with MDR-TB. Clinicians should be aware of the clinical benefits of this addition but be mindful of contraindications and adverse effects.