bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
An Incomplete Recognition: An Analysis of Political Science Department Statements after the Murder of George Floyd
Authors: BROWN NADIA E. , TORMOS-APONTE FERNANDO , WONG JANELLE
Published: January 2024

As a discipline centered on power, political science provides an important window into potential responses to episodes of heightened attention to long-standing racial violence and inequality in the United States. During the summer of 2020, political science departments, like many other entities, issued public statements in response to the brutal murder of George Floyd and the long and ongoing history of deadly violence against Black people at the hands of law enforcement. This paper examines these statements, providing a descriptive analysis of themes raised and types of commitments to action. Rhetorical responses to racism constitute important sites for understanding how discursive power is deployed. Ultimately, we observe that proposed solutions contained in statements are not commensurate with the structural understanding of racism encapsulated in statements. These statements suggest that the status quo prevails even among those who study power. We document limited commitments to addressing racism in political statements.
Nutritional composition of ultra-processed plant-based foods in the out-of-home environment: a multi-country survey with plant-based burgers
Authors: Vellinga R. E. , Rippin H. L. , Gonzales B. G. , Temme E. H. M. , Farrand C. , Halloran A. , Clough B. , Wickramasinghe K. , Santos M. , Fontes T. , Pires M. J. , Nascimento A. C. , Santiago S. , Burt H. E. , Brown M. K. , Jenner K. H. , Alessandrini R. , Marczak A. M. , Flore R. , Sun Y. , Motta C.
Published: January 2024

Ultra-processed plant-based foods, such as plant-based burgers, have gained in popularity. Particularly in the out-of-home (OOH) environment, evidence regarding their nutritional profile and environmental sustainability is still evolving. Plant-based burgers available at selected OOH sites were randomly sampled in Amsterdam, Copenhagen, Lisbon and London. Plant-based burgers (patty, bread and condiment) (n 41) were lab analysed for their energy, macronutrients, amino acids and minerals content per 100 g and serving and were compared with reference values. For the plant-based burgers, the median values per 100 g were 234 kcal, 20·8 g carbohydrates, 3·5 g dietary fibre and 12·0 g fat, including 0·08 g TFS and 2·2 g SFA. Protein content was 8·9 g/100 g, with low protein quality according to amino acid composition. Median Na content was 389 mg/100 g, equivalent to 1 g salt. Compared with references, the median serving provided 31% of energy intake based on a 2000 kcal per day and contributed to carbohydrates (17–28%), dietary fibre (42%), protein (40%), total fat (48%), SFA (26%) and Na (54%). One serving provided 15–23% of the reference values for Ca, K and Mg, while higher contributions were found for Zn, Mn, P and Fe (30–67%). The ultra-processed plant-based burgers provide protein, dietary fibre and essential minerals and contain relatively high levels of energy, Na and total fats. The amino acid composition indicated low protein quality. The multifaceted nutritional profile of plant-based burgers highlights the need for manufacturers to implement improvements to better support healthy dietary habits, including reducing energy, Na and total fats.
Effect of vitamin D supplementation or fortification on bone turnover markers in women: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Nasimi Nasrin , Jamshidi Sanaz , Askari Aida , Zolfaghari Nazanin , Sadeghi Erfan , Nouri Mehran , Bellissimo Nick , Faghih Shiva
Published: January 2024

Vitamin D is a vital indicator of musculoskeletal health, as it plays an important role through the regulation of bone and mineral metabolism. This meta-analysis was performed to investigate the effects of vitamin D supplementation/fortification on bone turnover markers in women. All human randomised clinical trials reported changes in bone resorption markers (serum C-terminal telopeptide of type-I collagen (sCTX) and urinary type I collagen cross-linked N-telopeptide (uNTX)) or bone formation factors (osteocalcin (OC), bone alkaline phosphatase (BALP) and procollagen type-1 intact N-terminal propeptide (P1NP)) following vitamin D administration in women (aged ≥ 18 years) were considered. Mean differences (MD) and their respective 95 % CI were calculated based on fixed or random effects models according to the heterogeneity status. Subgroup analyses, meta-regression models, sensitivity analysis, risk of bias, publication bias and the quality of the included studies were also evaluated. We found that vitamin D supplementation had considerable effect on sCTX (MD: −0·038, n 22) and OC (MD: −0·610, n 24) with high heterogeneity and uNTX (MD: −8·188, n 6) without heterogeneity. Our results showed that age, sample size, dose, duration, baseline vitamin D level, study region and quality of studies might be sources of heterogeneity in this meta-analysis. Subgroup analysis also revealed significant reductions in P1NP level in dose less than 600 μg/d and larger study sample size (>100 participants). Moreover, no significant change was found in BALP level. Vitamin D supplementation/fortification significantly reduced bone resorption markers in women. However, results were inconsistent for bone formation markers.
TWO ‘ALSO-RANS’, 132–129 b.c.e.
Authors: Beness J. Lea , Hillard Tom
Published: January 2024

The electoral scene in the period from 133 to 129 b.c.e. was doubtless unpredictable, even in the centuriate assembly, and any prosopographical modelling based on the available data would be adventurous. The report that Appius Claudius Pulcher (cos. 143 and bitter opponent to Scipio Aemilianus) ran in 133 for a second consulship is not implausible, and the possibility of a thwarted candidature, whatever its duration and the reason for its termination, should be registered. The successful candidates were P. Popillius Laenas and P. Rupilius, the latter a close associate of Scipio. The unsuccessful consular candidacy of Rupilius’ brother Lucius should be dated to 132, 131 or 130. The elimination of the first of those options by F.X. Ryan (CQ 45 [1995], 263–5) is challenged.
Eustachian tube dysfunction after using different types of masks during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic
Authors: Yüksel Aslıer Nesibe Gül , Karataş Mesut
Published: January 2024

Objective

This study aimed to investigate the relationship between the use of different types of masks (N95/filtering facepiece type 2, surgical) and Eustachian tube dysfunction in healthcare workers.

Methods

The study included 37 healthcare workers using N95/filtering facepiece type 2 masks and 35 using surgical masks for at least 6 hours per day, and 42 volunteers who are not healthcare workers using surgical masks for less than 6 hours per day. Participants’ demographic features, clinical data and Eustachian Tube Dysfunction Questionnaire scores were compared.

Results

The frequencies of autophony and aural fullness were significantly higher in the healthcare workers using N95/filtering facepiece type 2 masks. Autophony and aural fullness were significantly greater in the post-mask period than the pre-mask period. Middle-ear peak pressures and Eustachian Tube Dysfunction Questionnaire scores were higher in healthcare workers who used N95/filtering facepiece type 2 masks.

Conclusion

Healthcare workers who used N95/filtering facepiece type 2 masks had worsened middle-ear pressures and Eustachian Tube Dysfunction Questionnaire scores. Use of N95/filtering facepiece type 2 masks was associated with higher rates of autophony, aural fullness and higher Eustachian Tube Dysfunction Questionnaire scores in the post-mask period.
The importance of social rejection as reputational sanction in fostering peace
Authors: Huang Hsuan-Che (Brad)
Published: January 2024

I challenge the idea by Glowacki that “strong sanctions” such as fines, physical punishment, or execution are more effective in promoting peace than “weak punishments” like social rejection. Reviewing evidence that social rejection can have significant social and psychological costs for norm violators, I propose that social rejection can serve as a powerful reputational sanction in fostering peace in society.
“We won't go back home!” Women's Experiences with Deindustrialization and Unemployment at Fiat and LIP, a Comparative Perspective
Authors: Frisone Anna
Published: January 2024

This article stems from a project aiming to investigate women's unemployment in the phase of deindustrialization that affected Western European countries from the aftermath of the 1973 oil crisis. Countries such as Italy and France, with both a strong working-class movement and a vibrant feminist movement, have had to face economic crises since the mid-seventies and from the eighties have witnessed how neoliberal capitalism started to heavily reshape the global labor market. The old stereotype of female salary as ‘pin money’ within the household budget was again publicly put forth. How did women experience unemployment? What did it mean in terms of their social status, economic independence, sense of self, relationship to the home? To answer these questions and to understand the reconfiguration of class and gender identities, I focus on two milestone cases of labour struggles that are recognized as turning points in the history of the affirmation of neoliberal dynamics: the crisis of FIAT in Italy and of LIP in France. Despite their being at the center of many academic investigations as fundamental sites of resistance, their outcomes in terms of unemployment and particularly the gender dimension of this phenomenon have been largely overlooked so far. I will delineate a comparison between the two cases by drawing on my past research about trade union feminism in the two countries, on archival sources, published accounts and oral histories of two key activists in these struggles. Key factors that will be analysed are: women's participation in the collective mobilisations in the face of unemployment, their relation to the domestic sphere and to care work, their ability to build female networks within their wounded communities.
Greenwashing “Modern Day Slavery” through the Mystique of Prison Farm Labor
Authors: Jou Chin
Published: January 2024

In Charleston, Maine, a town of about 1,500 near the center of the state, there is an orchard with 750 apple trees and a farm where a variety of produce is grown.1This bucolic setting is on the grounds of the Mountain View Correctional Facility, a 374-bed minimum- and medium-security state prison.2Incarcerated people tend to the apple trees and vegetables, and every year they cultivate 100,000 pounds of produce that wind up on their prison cafeteria, or chow hall, trays.3Writing for theNew York Timesin 2021, Patricia Leigh Brown highlighted how Mountain View's prison food service manager Mark McBrine, who also happened to be “an organic farmer with dirt under his fingernails,” was “making the prison a pioneer in a nascent farm-to-prison table movement.”4According to multiple media outlets that have reported on Mountain View's food system, it is a model to be emulated—both an antidote to dreary prison food and a cost-saver for the state of Maine.5
Clinical parameter-based prediction model for neurosyphilis risk stratification
Authors: Yang Yilan , Gu Xin , Zhu Lin , Cheng Yuanyuan , Lu Haikong , Guan Zhifang , Shi Mei , Ni Liyan , Peng Ruirui , Zhao Wei , Wu Juan , Qi Tengfei , Long Fuquan , Chai Zhe , Gong Weiming , Ye Meiping , Zhou Pingyu
Published: January 2024

Accurately predicting neurosyphilis prior to a lumbar puncture (LP) is critical for the prompt management of neurosyphilis. However, a valid and reliable model for this purpose is still lacking. This study aimed to develop a nomogram for the accurate identification of neurosyphilis in patients with syphilis. The training cohort included 9,504 syphilis patients who underwent initial neurosyphilis evaluation between 2009 and 2020, while the validation cohort comprised 526 patients whose data were prospectively collected from January 2021 to September 2021. Neurosyphilis was observed in 35.8% (3,400/9,504) of the training cohort and 37.6% (198/526) of the validation cohort. The nomogram incorporated factors such as age, male gender, neurological and psychiatric symptoms, serum RPR, a mucous plaque of the larynx and nose, a history of other STD infections, and co-diabetes. The model exhibited good performance with concordance indexes of 0.84 (95% CI, 0.83–0.85) and 0.82 (95% CI, 0.78–0.86) in the training and validation cohorts, respectively, along with well-fitted calibration curves. This study developed a precise nomogram to predict neurosyphilis risk in syphilis patients, with potential implications for early detection prior to an LP.
Principlism, Uncodifiability, and the Problem of Specification
Authors: Furlan Timothy J.
Published: January 2024

In this paper I critically examine the implications of the uncodifiability thesis for principlism as a pluralistic and non-absolute generalist ethical theory. In this regard, I begin with a brief overview of W.D. Ross’s ethical theory and his focus on general but defeasible prima facie principles before turning to 2) the revival of principlism in contemporary bioethics through the influential work of Tom Beauchamp and James Childress; 3) the widespread adoption of specification as a response to the indeterminacy of abstract general principles and the limitations of balancing and deductive approaches; 4) the challenges raised to fully specified principlism by the uncodifiability thesis and 5) finally offer a defense of the uncodifiability thesis against various critiques that have been raised.
The Ford Foundation and the Community Facilities Program in Chile: a proposal between local needs and foreign technical assistance (1964–1969)
Authors: Monti Alejandra , Exss Ursula
Published: January 2024

Between 1964 and 1969, the Ford Foundation developed the Community Facilities Program in Chile, which articulated technical and financial assistance in the field of architecture and the training of local experts, in addition to its action in the renovation of state structures related to housing and urban planning. In this context, the design strategy introduced innovations based on architectural research that were a pedagogical novelty, which contributed to the discussion on the role of technical assistance in the Southern Cone, redefining the relationship between philanthropy, state and University.
Utility of simultaneous triple balloon inflation technique through a single 6-French sheath in treating pulmonary vein stenosis
Authors: Mohammad Nijres Bassel , Aldoss Osamah
Published: January 2024

Pulmonary vein stenosis continues to pose significant challenges in children, frequently requiring repeated cardiac catheterisation procedures. This report describes a successful application of a “triple kissing balloon” technique to treat complex pulmonary vein stenosis in two patients, all accomplished with the use of a single 6-French sheath.
Suit Up: A Systematic Review of the Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Recommended and Utilized by Various Classes of Responders to Nuclear Radiological Disasters at Nuclear Power Plants
Authors: Noel Chaverle K. , Bruce Erica D. , Ryan Benjamin J.
Published: January 2024

Introduction:

Interest in nuclear power as a cleaner and alternative energy source is increasing in many countries. Despite the relative safety of nuclear power, large-scale disasters such as the Fukushima Daiichi (Japan) and Chernobyl (Ukraine) meltdowns are a reminder that emergency preparedness and safety should be a priority. In an emergency situation, there is a need to balance the tension between a rapid response, preventing harm, protecting communities, and safeguarding workers and responders. The first line of defense for workers and responders is personal protective equipment (PPE), but the needs vary by situation and location. Better understanding this is vital to inform PPE needs for workers and responders during nuclear and radiological power plant accidents and emergencies.

Study Objective:

The aim of this study was to identify and describe the PPE used by different categories of workers and responders during nuclear and radiological power plant accidents and emergencies.

Methods:

A systematic literature review format following the PRISMA 2020 guidelines was utilized. Databases SCOPUS, PubMed, EMBASE, INSPEC, and Web of Science were used to retrieve articles that examined the PPE recommended or utilized by responders to nuclear radiological disasters at nuclear power plants (NPPs).

Results:

The search terms yielded 6,682 publications. After removal of duplicates, 5,587 sources continued through the systematic review process. This yielded 23 total articles for review, and five articles were added manually for a total of 28 articles reviewed in this study. Plant workers, decontamination or decommissioning workers, paramedics, Emergency Medical Services (EMS), emergency medical technicians, military, and support staff were the categories of responders identified for this type of disaster. Literature revealed that protective suits were the most common item of PPE required or recommended, followed by respirators and gloves (among others). However, adherence issues, human errors, and physiological factors frequently emerged as hinderances to the efficacy of these equipment in preventing contamination or efficiency of these responders.

Conclusion:

If worn correctly and consistently, PPE will reduce exposure to ionizing radiation during a nuclear and radiological accident or disaster. For the best results, standardization of equipment recommendations, clear guidelines, and adequate training in its use is paramount. As fields related to nuclear power and nuclear medicine expand, responder safety should be at the forefront of emergency preparedness and response planning.
Undisciplining the Victorian Classroom: Activism as Community-Building in Action
Authors: Chaozon Bauer Pearl , Fong Ryan D. , Hsu Sophia , Wisnicki Adrian S.
Published: January 2024

This essay reflects on the first three years of Undisciplining the Victorian Classroom's work. While we initially perceived our project and corresponding website as a space to develop and circulate pedagogical materials, it has become clear that what we have accomplished since our launch goes far beyond mere content creation. In fact, the community-building portion of our project has become the driving force of our mission. For us, community-buildling is activism in action, as it allows us to change the conditions of academia in real time, by making intentional choices that foster more equitable interactions with one another and with our collaborators. Although the content we publish is, of course, important for ensuring Victorian studies centers questions of race, we view this content as the organic outgrowth of the careful and caring relationships we have been cultivating since our inception, commencing with the four of us and expanding outward to our contributors. Indeed, centering race in scholarship and teaching means little when students and teacher-scholars of color remain cast aside by academic norms, structures, and forms of relation that have been shaped by the increasingly commercialized neoliberal university.
Mary Carpenter, Frances Power Cobbe, “Noble Workers,” and Evangelical Discourse in Action
Authors: Booth Alison
Published: January 2024

Victorian activists Mary Carpenter (1807–1877) and Frances Power Cobbe (1822–1904) held different standing in their day: the international founder of reform schools, considered a devout “noble worker,” mentored the Theist journalist who is better known today for feminism and animal-rights organizing. The essay draws on contemporary and recent studies of both figures and the short versions collected in books in Collective Biographies of Women, a database with an XML schema annotating the narratives. Examining different treatment of Carpenter and Cobbe in varied texts, the essay especially focuses on keywords and phrases, “noble,” “worker,” “perishing and dangerous classes,” and tropes of a lady entering low or dark places. Evangelical discourse is disparaged in the current climate among academics and activists seeking health care, education, or rights for the poor, but affect and faith-based activism should not be discounted then or now.
Nuts and Bolts: Collective Action, the Divestment Movement, and Jane Addams
Authors: Levine Caroline
Published: January 2024

This essay describes the author's quest for effective, large-scale political actions to stop the burning of fossil fuels. What are the nuts and bolts of collective organizing at scales large enough to effect substantial change? Frustrated both by widespread public pessimism and by the politics most often articulated in literary studies, Levine finds a working political model in the divestment movement; a methodological model in formalist analysis; and a theory of collective aesthetics and politics in post-Victorian Jane Addams.
The European Capital of Culture and Transnational Networks
Authors: Liu Yi-De
Published: January 2024

In Europe, building transnational networks has become a crucial means for realizing bottom-up Europeanization and implementing the European Union (EU) policy at the grassroots. The value of transnational networks lies in clarifying political exchanges, decision making and policy transfer below the EU level. As a core element of the EU’s cultural action, the European Capital of Culture (ECOC) is an important vehicle to promote transnational cooperation. However, whether in theory or practice, transnational networks among ECOC host cities have not received much attention from academia. Based on a qualitative meta-analysis, this study offers a holistic overview of the experiences of the ECOC programme over 40 years. It aims to answer two sets of research questions: (1) What types of transnational networks have been established among ECOCs? How do they operate? What functions do they have, and what are their impacts and limitations? (2) How do these transnational networks reflect the multilayered nature of European governance and the dynamics of Europeanization? Through this article, ECOC research can have a closer relationship with recent innovations in disciplines that are studying the EU’s political and societal processes.
Digital Publishing and the New Academic Ecosystem: An ANT Approach to the Recent Disputes over a Chinese Journal Database Giant
Authors: He Chengzhou
Published: January 2024

As digital publishing gains momentum globally, it presents unique challenges in different regions and cultures. To address these challenges, it is important to understand the specificities of each local context. In light of Actor Network Theory (ANT), which advocates an interdisciplinary approach through an association of related factors from different fields, this article examines problems of Chinese digital publishing, focusing on one giant database, called the Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI). The discussion falls into three parts. First, the self-positioning of CNKI. As the sole academic database giant, it encounters a dilemma between making profits and serving the public – it has been criticized for charging high subscription fees and for committing intellectual property infringements. Second, the scholars, while becoming more dependent on digital publishing and such a giant database as CNKI, are bewildered by the fact that they become less capable of protecting their academic autonomy as well as their intellectual copyright. Third, CNKI’s near monopoly has damaged domestic academic justice, which becomes detrimental to the development of Chinese academic journals and the international transmission of Chinese scholarship. The article concludes with an inquiry into possible solutions for building a new academic ecosystem in the digital era, locally as well as globally.
The effect of age on executive functions in adults is not sex specific
Authors: Lemire Marilou , Soulières Isabelle , Saint-Amour Dave
Published: January 2024

Objective:

Numerous studies have shown a decrease in executive functions (EF) associated with aging. However, few investigations examined whether this decrease is similar between sexes throughout adulthood. The present study investigated if age-related decline in EF differs between men and women from early to late adulthood.

Methods:

A total of 302 participants (181 women) aged between 18 and 78 years old completed four computer-based cognitive tasks at home: an arrow-based Flanker task, a letter-based Visual search task, the Trail Making Test, and the Corsi task. These tasks measured inhibition, attention, cognitive flexibility, and working memory, respectively. To investigate the potential effects of age, sex, and their interaction on specific EF and a global EF score, we divided the sample population into five age groups (i.e., 18–30, 31–44, 45–54, 55–64, 65–78) and conducted analyses of covariance (MANCOVA and ANCOVA) with education and pointing device as control variables.

Results:

Sex did not significantly affect EF performance across age groups. However, in every task, participants from the three youngest groups (< 55 y/o) outperformed the ones from the two oldest. Results from the global score also suggest that an EF decrease is distinctly noticeable from 55 years old onward.

Conclusion:

Our results suggest that age-related decline in EF, including inhibition, attention, cognitive flexibility, and working memory, becomes apparent around the age of 55 and does not differ between sexes at any age. This study provides additional data regarding the effects of age and sex on EF across adulthood, filling a significant gap in the existing literature.
Factors associated with Mediterranean diet adherence in a sample of high socio-economic status children from southern Spain
Authors: Villodres Gracia Cristina , Salvador Pérez Federico , Muros José Joaquín
Published: January 2024

Objective:

The present study examined the association of BMI, fat mass, physical activity engagement (PA), maximal oxygen consumption (VO2max), screen time and academic performance (AP) with Mediterranean diet (MD) adherence in a sample of high socio-economic status (SES) children.

Design:

A non-randomised design was used. A multilinear regression model was developed using backward elimination. Analysis included variables pertaining to age, BMI, VO2max, fat percentage, AP, PA engagement and screen time. All participants had a high SES and so this variable was not included as a predictor. Data met the assumptions required for multiple regressions in terms of linearity, homoscedasticity, normality, independence and non-multicollinearity.

Setting:

Two state and three mixed funding schools in Granada, Spain.

Participants:

Data were collected from 244 children aged between 10 and 12 years.

Results:

Better AP, higher PA engagement and lower screen time were found to be predictive of MD adherence. These variables explained 22·9 % of the variance in data measuring adolescent MD adherence.

Conclusions:

The present study suggests that, in addition to SES, PA, AP and screen time are important components to consider when targeting improvements in MD adherence in children. It is, therefore, concluded that interventions targeting improvements in PA, AP and screen time are needed to promote MD adherence in children, regardless of SES.
A WEIGHTED ESTIMATE OF COMMUTATORS OF BOCHNER–RIESZ OPERATORS FOR HERMITE OPERATOR
Authors: CHEN PENG , LIN XIXI
Published: January 2024

Let H be the Hermite operator
$-\Delta +|x|^2$
on
$\mathbb {R}^n$
. We prove a weighted
$L^2$
estimate of the maximal commutator operator
$\sup _{R>0}|[b, S_R^\lambda (H)](f)|$
, where
$ [b, S_R^\lambda (H)](f) = bS_R^\lambda (H) f - S_R^\lambda (H)(bf) $
is the commutator of a BMO function b and the Bochner–Riesz means
$S_R^\lambda (H)$
for the Hermite operator H. As an application, we obtain the almost everywhere convergence of
$[b, S_R^\lambda (H)](f)$
for large
$\lambda $
and
$f\in L^p(\mathbb {R}^n)$
.
Effect of environmental, seed burial depth, and straw mulch on germination and seedling emergence in Cichorium glandulosum
Authors: Amini Rouhollah , Hasanfard Alireza , Ahmadian Nasrin , Zarei Yuzband Farzaneh
Published: January 2024

Cichorium glandulosum Boiss. et Huet is a species that has recently spread widely in the autumn crops of northwestern Iran. A study was conducted to evaluate the effect of environmental factors on the germination, emergence, and management of two populations of C. glandulosum. The effects of temperature, photoperiod, NaCl concentration, osmotic potential, seed burial depth, and straw mulch on seed germination and seedling emergence were evaluated for two populations of C. glandulosum from Tabriz and Marand, Iran. The highest germination percentage was observed in the Tabriz (93%) and Marand populations (94%) at 20/10 C (day/night). In both populations, germination was 82% to 93% across a wide range of light/dark periods (8 to 24 h of light). However, germination was significantly reduced (∼70%) under continuous darkness. The osmotic potential required to inhibit 50% of germination was 0.68 MPa for the Tabriz population and 0.62 MPa for the Marand population. The concentration of NaCl required to inhibit 50% of germination was 4.76 dS m−1 for the Tabriz population and 3.81 dS m−1 for the Marand population. The seed burial depths that caused a 50% decrease in emergence for the Tabriz and Marand populations were 1.86 cm and 2.22 cm, respectively. In the Tabriz and Marand populations, the application of 6000 kg ha−1 of straw mulch resulted in a decrease in C. glandulosum emergence to 3% and 10%, respectively. This study’s results inform the conditions required for C. glandulosum germination and establish a theoretical and practical foundation for predicting, preventing, and managing this species using scientific principles.
Relative contribution of shade avoidance and resource competition to early-season sugar beet yield loss due to weeds
Authors: Ballenger Joe G. , Adjesiwor Albert T. , Claypool David A. , Kniss Andrew R.
Published: January 2024

Shade avoidance alters the way plants grow, usually causing them to grow taller at the expense of placing resources into leaves, roots, seeds, and other harvestable materials. Sugar beet (Beta vulgaris L.) is a rosette-forming biennial species that has limited capacity to grow tall in the first year of growth. In the context of crop–weed competition, it is mostly unknown to what extent shade avoidance reduces yield in sugar beet relative to other effects like resource competition. To determine the extent of yield loss due to shade avoidance in a field-relevant situation, sugar beets were grown alongside Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis L.) sod in a field study. Roots were separated with a steel root barrier placed into the ground between the grass and beets. Four treatments included a weed-free control (no root barrier or grass), a root barrier control (with root barrier but no grass), shade avoidance (with root barrier and grass), and full competition (with grass but no root barrier). The presence versus absence of grass was the primary driver of effects on measured sugar beet growth and yield parameters, regardless of whether a root barrier was present. Leaf number and root length were also impacted by the presence of the root barrier. These results suggest that shade avoidance is at least as important as root interactions and resource depletion in the context of early-season sugar beet yield loss due to weeds.
The potential of seaweeds as a rich natural source for novel bioherbicide formulation/development
Authors: Chukwuma Onyedika C. , Tan Shiau Pin , Hughes Helen , McLoughlin Peter , O’Toole Niall , McCarthy Nick
Published: January 2024

Recently, there has been emphasis on the need to shift away from the use of synthetic chemical herbicides to low-risk alternatives derived from natural sources. This is aimed at lowering or averting the negative impact synthetic herbicides have on the environment and dealing with the emergence of weed species resistant to these chemicals. As a result, more stringent measures or outright bans on the use of most synthetic herbicides have been put in place by regulatory bodies. As seaweeds are abundant resources in the marine environment that have the capacity to produce diverse bioactive compounds, they could serve as sustainably viable, natural, and low-risk alternatives/sources to explore for potential phytotoxic capabilities. This could in turn help to enhance or boost the availability of effective solutions in the global bioherbicide market. This review highlights the prospects of using seaweeds as novel biopesticides for the control and management of various plant pests, including weed species, and for the development of sustainable agriculture/forestry practices. More specifically, it focuses on their use as a rich natural source for novel bioherbicide development, a potential that has remained underexplored for many years. However, to unlock the full potential of seaweed-derived bioherbicides and to create a potential path toward their development, increased research and development efforts are urgently needed to tackle and overcome possible constraints posed in this novel area, such as variability in seaweed chemical composition, formulation technologies, stability and efficacy of seaweed bioactive compounds, cost and scalability, and environmental considerations.
Kasuistik einer früh im Lebensverlauf an Morbus Addison erkrankten 14 Jahre alten Patientin bei Verdachtsdiagnose einer Anorexia nervosa
Authors: Bonnekoh Linda M. , Fellmeth Ruth , Dübbers Angelika , Oesingmann-Weirich Sandra , Fernholz Judith , Omran Heymut , Romer Georg
Published: January 2024

Zusammenfassung: Zielsetzung: Die primäre Nebennierenrindeninsuffizienz (Morbus Addison) stellt eine seltene Differenzialdiagnose der Anorexia nervosa dar. Der hier vorgestellte Case Report verfolgt die Zielsetzung, wichtige differenzialdiagnostische Aspekte darzulegen. Methoden: Ein Case Report über eine 14-jährige Patientin wurde gemäß der CARE-Guidelines erarbeitet. Patientinnensicht sowie Sicht der Kindseltern wurden berücksichtigt. Ergebnisse: Durch eine gezielte Labordiagnostik konnte die Diagnose einer primären Nebennierenrindeninsuffizienz ca. 9 Monate nach Beginn der Symptomatik mit plötzlichem Gewichtsverlust gestellt werden. Hilfreiche differenzialdiagnostische Aspekte waren das Nichtvorhandensein einer Körperschemastörung bei der Patientin sowie dermale Hyperpigmentierungen, die in der körperlichen Untersuchung auffielen. Es bestand eine hohe psychosoziale Belastung durch die unklare Diagnosestellung über 9 Monate. Diagnosestellung und sofortige Substitutionstherapie mit Hydrocortison konnten eine rapide Besserung der körperlichen und psychischen Symptome bewirken. Schlussfolgerung: Die Kasuistik unterstreicht die Bedeutung einer gründlichen somatischen Differenzialdiagnostik im Rahmen der Abklärung eines Verdachts auf Anorexia nervosa.
Corpus callosum long-term biometry in very preterm children related to cognitive and motor outcomes
Authors: Lubián-Gutiérrez Manuel , Benavente-Fernández Isabel , Marín-Almagro Yolanda , Jiménez-Luque Natalia , Zuazo-Ojeda Amaya , Sánchez-Sandoval Yolanda , Lubián-López Simón P.
Published: January 2024

Background

The corpus callosum (CC) is suggested as an indirect biomarker of white matter volume, which is often affected in preterm birth. However, diagnosing mild white matter injury is challenging.

Methods

We studied 124 children born preterm (mean age: 8.4 ± 1.1 years), using MRI to assess CC measurements and cognitive/motor outcomes based on the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-V (WPPSI-V) and Movement Assessment Battery for Children-2 (MABC-2).

Results

Children with normal outcomes exhibited greater height (10.2 ± 2.1 mm vs. 9.4 ± 2.3 mm; p = 0.01) and fractional anisotropy at splenium (895[680–1000] vs 860.5[342–1000]) and total CC length (69.1 ± 4.8 mm vs. 67.3 ± 5.1 mm; p = 0.02) compared to those with adverse outcomes. All measured CC areas were smaller in the adverse outcome group. Models incorporating posterior CC measurements demonstrated the highest specificity (83.3% Sp, AUC: 0.65) for predicting neurological outcomes. CC length and splenium height were the only linear measurements associated with manual dexterity and total MABC-2 score while both the latter and genu were related with Full-Scale Intelligence Quotient.

Conclusions

CC biometry in children born very preterm at school-age is associated with outcomes and exhibits a specific subregion alteration pattern. The posterior CC may serve as an important neurodevelopmental biomarker in very preterm infants.

Impact

The corpus callosum has the potential to serve as a reliable and easily measurable biomarker of white matter integrity in very preterm children.

Estimating diffuse white matter injury in preterm infants using conventional MRI sequences is not always conclusive.

The biometry of the posterior part of the corpus callosum is associated with cognitive and certain motor outcomes at school age in children born very preterm.

Length and splenium measurements seem to serve as reliable biomarkers for assessing neurological outcomes in this population.
Low-grade inflammation from prenatal period to age 6–8 years in a Vitamin D trial
Authors: Hauta-alus Helena H. , Rosendahl Jenni , Holmlund-Suila Elisa M. , Valkama Saara M. , Enlund-Cerullo Maria , Nurhonen Markku , Kajantie Eero , Mäkitie Outi , Andersson Sture
Published: January 2024

Background

Low-grade systemic inflammation measured as high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) has been associated with non-communicable disease risk. We assessed whether prenatal inflammation and early-childhood vitamin D are associated with inflammation until age 6–8.

Methods

We analyzed blood hs-CRP and 25-hydroxy vitamin D [25(OH)D] in pregnancy, at birth from umbilical cord blood (UCB), from offspring at ages 1, 2, and 6–8 years in the Vitamin D Intervention in Infants (VIDI) study. VIDI was a randomized-controlled trial of vitamin D supplementation of 10 μg/day or 30 μg/day from age 2 weeks until 2 years in 975 infants recruited in 2013–14, with follow-up at age 6–8 in 2019–21 (n = 283).

Results

Pregnancy hs-CRP was associated with UCB hs-CRP (r = 0.18, p < 0.001) but not independently with childhood hs-CRP (Estimate [95% CI] 0.04 [<−0.00, 0.09]). Higher UCB hs-CRP was associated independently with higher hs-CRP until 6–8 years (0.20 [0.12, 0.29]). Infant vitamin D dose had no effect on longitudinal hs-CRP (6–8 years, 0.11 [−0.04, 0.25]). Childhood 25(OH)D were associated positively with hs-CRP until age 6–8 (0.01 [>0.00, 0.01]).

Conclusion

Our results indicate that in children, inflammation, assessed by hs-CRP, persists from birth until 6–8 years. We observed positive associations between 25(OH)D and hs-CRP in vitamin D-sufficient children.

Impact

High sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) concentrations tract from birth to age 8 years

Our novel finding suggests a long-lasting pro-inflammatory phenotype in the child

Higher vitamin D concentration - but not dose – is associated with higher childhood hs-CRP

Chronic disease risk related to inflammation may in part originate from the prenatal period or early childhood

Further studies are needed to investigate the effects of inflammation on long-term clinical health outcomes
Genetic differences associated with dopamine and serotonin release mediate fear-induced bradycardia in the human brain
Authors: Battaglia Simone , Nazzi Claudio , Thayer Julian F.
Published: January 2024

Fear-induced bradycardia, a transient heartbeat deceleration following exposure to threat, is a physiological index observable in humans, especially in fear conditioning experiments. While gaining interest in recent years, it is still currently underemployed in neuroscientific research compared to more popular physiological indices. Besides its use in research, it could also constitute a valuable resource in a clinical psychiatry setting, as many disorders are also characterized by altered heart rate responses. However, differences in fear-induced bradycardia may also be subtended by genetic interindividual differences, thus suggesting precaution when recommending its use in the clinical setting. Here, we discussed the first endeavors that aimed at clarifying the genetic underpinnings of heart rate variations, which suggest that individual genetic differences have a role in defining the characteristics of heart rate responses. Given this, translating heart rate measurements in the clinical setting must be implemented with caution. Future endeavors in this field will aim at identifying these differences even further, thus allowing for more precise clinical interventions.
Association of amyloid-beta with depression or depressive symptoms in older adults without dementia: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Twait Emma L. , Wu Jen-Hao , Kamarioti Maria , Basten Maartje , van der Flier Wiesje M. , Gerritsen Lotte , Geerlings Mirjam I.
Published: January 2024

Several lines of evidence have indicated that depression might be a prodromal symptom of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). This systematic review and meta-analysis investigated the cross-sectional association between amyloid-beta, one of the key pathologies defining AD, and depression or depressive symptoms in older adults without dementia. A systematic search in PubMed yielded 689 peer-reviewed articles. After full-text screening, nine CSF studies, 11 PET studies, and five plasma studies were included. No association between amyloid-beta and depression or depressive symptoms were found using cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) (0.15; 95% CI: −0.08; 0.37), positron emission topography (PET) (Cohen’s d: 0.09; 95% CI: −0.05; 0.24), or plasma (−0.01; 95% CI: −0.23; 0.22). However, subgroup analyses revealed an association in plasma studies of individuals with cognitive impairment. A trend of an association was found in the studies using CSF and PET. This systematic review and meta-analysis suggested that depressive symptoms may be part of the prodromal stage of dementia.
MicroRNA-146a-loaded magnesium silicate nanospheres promote bone regeneration in an inflammatory microenvironment
Authors: Yang Jiakang , Shuai Jing , Siow Lixuen , Lu Jingyi , Sun Miao , An Wenyue , Yu Mengfei , Wang Baixiang , Chen Qianming
Published: January 2024

Reconstruction of irregular oral-maxillofacial bone defects with an inflammatory microenvironment remains a challenge, as chronic local inflammation can largely impair bone healing. Here, we used magnesium silicate nanospheres (MSNs) to load microRNA-146a-5p (miR-146a) to fabricate a nanobiomaterial, MSN+miR-146a, which showed synergistic promoting effects on the osteogenic differentiation of human dental pulp stem cells (hDPSCs). In addition, miR-146a exhibited an anti-inflammatory effect on mouse bone marrow-derived macrophages (BMMs) under lipopolysaccharide (LPS) stimulation by inhibiting the NF-κB pathway via targeting tumor necrosis factor receptor-associated factor 6 (TRAF6), and MSNs could simultaneously promote M2 polarization of BMMs. MiR-146a was also found to inhibit osteoclast formation. Finally, the dual osteogenic-promoting and immunoregulatory effects of MSN+miR-146a were further validated in a stimulated infected mouse mandibular bone defect model via delivery by a photocuring hydrogel. Collectively, the MSN+miR-146a complex revealed good potential in treating inflammatory irregular oral-maxillofacial bone defects.
Is team-based learning an alternative approach for UK undergraduate dental education? A scoping review of the literature
Authors: James Trill Benjamin , Panesar Bal , Dave Manas , Vahid Roudsari Reza , Javidi Hanieh
Published: January 2024

Introduction Team-based learning (TBL) is a dialectic, student-focused method of teaching which has become increasingly popular in international institutions for delivering undergraduate dental education. Despite several dental schools in the UK using dialectic teaching methods, such as problem-based learning, none appear to use TBL.

Aims This scoping review aims to identify the literature investigating the use of TBL compared with other teaching pedagogies in delivering undergraduate dental education.

Methods The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Extension for Scoping Reviews guidelines were adopted. A search strategy was developed using appropriate MeSH (medical subject headings) terms and key words. Medline, Scopus and the Cochrane Databases were searched.

Results Overall, five studies were identified for inclusion. Of these, three studies compared TBL to traditional, didactic teaching methods (such as lectures) and found both student satisfaction and student performance to be greater with TBL. The remaining two studies compared TBL to other dialectic methods of teaching. The results on student performance in these studies were conflicting.

Conclusions There is some limited but promising evidence that TBL is effective at delivering undergraduate dental education; however, the scarcity of research evidence highlights the need for more robust exploration.
Tolerable glycometabolic stress boosts cancer cell resilience through altered N-glycosylation and Notch signaling activation
Authors: Iwamoto Shungo , Kobayashi Takashi , Hanamatsu Hisatoshi , Yokota Ikuko , Teranishi Yukiko , Iwamoto Akiho , Kitagawa Miyu , Ashida Sawako , Sakurai Ayane , Matsuo Suguru , Myokan Yuma , Sugimoto Aiyu , Ushioda Ryo , Nagata Kazuhiro , Gotoh Noriko , Nakajima Kazuki , Nishikaze Takashi , Furukawa Jun-ichi , Itano Naoki
Published: January 2024

Chronic metabolic stress paradoxically elicits pro-tumorigenic signals that facilitate cancer stem cell (CSC) development. Therefore, elucidating the metabolic sensing and signaling mechanisms governing cancer cell stemness can provide insights into ameliorating cancer relapse and therapeutic resistance. Here, we provide convincing evidence that chronic metabolic stress triggered by hyaluronan production augments CSC-like traits and chemoresistance by partially impairing nucleotide sugar metabolism, dolichol lipid-linked oligosaccharide (LLO) biosynthesis and N-glycan assembly. Notably, preconditioning with either low-dose tunicamycin or 2-deoxy-D-glucose, which partially interferes with LLO biosynthesis, reproduced the promoting effects of hyaluronan production on CSCs. Multi-omics revealed characteristic changes in N-glycan profiles and Notch signaling activation in cancer cells exposed to mild glycometabolic stress. Restoration of N-glycan assembly with glucosamine and mannose supplementation and Notch signaling blockade attenuated CSC-like properties and further enhanced the therapeutic efficacy of cisplatin. Therefore, our findings uncover a novel mechanism by which tolerable glycometabolic stress boosts cancer cell resilience through altered N-glycosylation and Notch signaling activation.