bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Role of urinary H2O2, 8-iso-PGF2α, and serum oxLDL/β2GP1 complex in the diabetic kidney disease
Authors: Sauriasari Rani , Zulfa Afina Irsyania , Sekar Andisyah Putri , Azmi Nuriza Ulul , Tan Xian Wen , Matsuura Eiji
Published: April 2022

Oxidant species is reported as a major determinant in the pathophysiology of diabetic kidney disease. However, reactive oxygen species (ROS) formation in the initial phase and progressing phase of diabetic kidney disease remains unclear. Therefore, we conducted this study to find out what ROS and their modified product are associated with eGFR in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients. A cross-sectional study was performed on 227 T2DM patients. The study subjects were divided into three groups based on their eGFR stage (Group 1, eGFR > 89 ml/min/1.73 m2; Group 2, eGFR = 60–89 ml/min/1.73 m2; and Group 3, eGFR < 60 ml/min/1.73 m2). Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to measure serum oxLDL/β2GPI complex and urinary 8-iso-PGF2α, while ferrous ion oxidation xylenol orange method 1 (FOX-1) was used to measure urinary hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). H2O2 significantly decreased across the groups, whereas OxLDL/β2GPI complex increased, but not significant, and there was no trend for 8-iso-PGF2α. Consistently, in the total study population, only H2O2 showed correlation with eGFR (r = 0.161, p = 0.015). Multiple linear regression analysis showed that significant factors for increased eGFR were H2O2, diastolic blood pressure, and female. Whereas increased systolic blood pressure and age were significant factors affecting the decrease of eGFR. We also found that urinary H2O2 had correlation with serum oxLDL/β2GPI complex in total population. This finding could lead to further research on urinary H2O2 for early detection and research on novel therapies of diabetic kidney disease.
Predicting wildlife corridors for multiple species in an East African ungulate community
Authors: Riggio Jason , Foreman Katie , Freedman Ethan , Gottlieb Becky , Hendler David , Radomille Danielle , Rodriguez Ryan , Yamashita Thomas , Kioko John , Kiffner Christian
Published: April 2022

Wildlife corridors are typically designed for single species, yet holistic conservation approaches require corridors suitable for multiple species. Modelling habitat linkages for wildlife is based on several modelling steps (each involving multiple choices), and in the case of multi-species corridors, an approach to optimize single species corridors to few or a single functional corridor for multiple species. To model robust corridors for multiple species and simultaneously evaluate the impact of methodological choices, we develop a multi-method approach to delineate corridors that effectively capture movement of multiple wildlife species, while limiting the area required. Using wildlife presence data collected along ground-based line transects between Lake Manyara and Tarangire National Parks, Tanzania, we assessed species-habitat association in both ensemble and stacked species distribution frameworks and used these to estimate linearly and non-linearly scaled landscape resistances for seven ungulate species. We evaluated habitat suitability and least-cost and circuit theory-based connectivity models for each species individually and generated a multi-species corridor. Our results revealed that species-habitat relationships and subsequent corridors differed across species, but the pattern of predicted landscape connectivity across the study area was similar for all seven species regardless of method (circuit theory or least-cost) and scaling of the habitat suitability-based cost surface (linear or non-linear). Stacked species distribution models were highly correlated with the seven species for all model outputs (r = 0.79 to 0.97), while having the greatest overlap with the individual species least-cost corridors (linear model: 61.6%; non-linear model: 60.2%). Zebra was the best single-species proxy for landscape connectivity. Overall, we show that multi-species corridors based on stacked species distribution models achieve relatively low cumulative costs for savanna ungulates as compared to their respective single-species corridors. Given the challenges and costs involved in acquiring data and parameterizing corridor models for multiple species, zebra may act as a suitable proxy species for ungulate corridor conservation in this system.
What is the subtype of dementia in patients with fragility hip fracture?
Authors: Uchiyama Shigeharu , Kamoi Fumiki , Tanaka Manabu , Joko Itsuo , Kasuga Kazuo , Suzuki Kenta , Tachibana Naoko , Kaneko Tomoki , Amano Naoji
Published: April 2022

Introduction

Cognitive function is an important factor that affects functional recovery after hip fracture (HipFx) surgery. The literature on the pathophysiology of dementia in HipFx patients is scarce. We performed a differential diagnosis of dementia in HipFx patients using clinical and brain MRI findings.

Methods

This is a prospective study in which brain MRI was evaluated for patients with HipFx for research purposes. One-hundred-and-five HipFx patients (85 females and 20 males) who underwent surgery and were subsequently able to undergo brain MRI at our hospital were evaluated. The mean age was 84 years. The presence of dementia was determined based on clinical findings and whether the patient meets its diagnostic criteria according to the International Classification of Diseases 10th Edition (ICD-10). The differential diagnosis of dementia was made based on brain MRI findings and the dementia diagnostic flow chart published in the Clinical Practice Guideline for Dementia 2017 (Japanese Society of Neurology). The Voxel-based Specific Regional Analysis System for Alzheimer’s Disease (VSRAD) advance 2 diagnostic software was used to evaluate atrophy of the para-hippocampal gyrus.

Results

Fifty-six (53%) patients were clinically diagnosed with dementia according to the ICD-10 criteria. The MRI findings were diverse: Alzheimer’s disease (AD)-type, asymptomatic multiple ischemic cerebral lesions, past symptomatic cerebral infarction or cerebral hemorrhage, Binswanger’s disease (BW)-type, chronic subdural hematoma, disproportionately enlarged subarachnoidal hydrocephalus (DESH), and their combinations thereof. A combination of MRI and clinical findings of dementia patients demonstrated the following distribution of dementia subtypes: AD (n = 20), vascular dementia (n = 33), AD and BW vascular dementia (n = 3).

Conclusion

This study revealed that the brain MRI findings of HipFx patients were diverse. Although vascular dementia is found to be common in this particular population, this could be an incidental finding. Further study is warranted to clarify the specificity of our findings by increasing the number of patients, setting the control, and investigating whether dementia subtypes affect postoperative gait acquisition and fall risk.
An optimized approach for processing of frozen lung and lavage samples for microbiome studies
Authors: Wiscovitch-Russo Rosana , Singh Harinder , Oldfield Lauren M. , Fedulov Alexey V. , Gonzalez-Juarbe Norberto
Published: April 2022

The respiratory tract has a resident microbiome with low biomass and limited diversity. This results in difficulties with sample preparation for sequencing due to uneven bacteria-to-host DNA ratio, especially for small tissue samples such as mouse lungs. We compared effectiveness of current procedures used for DNA extraction in microbiome studies. Bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) and lung tissue samples were collected to test different forms of sample pre-treatment and extraction methods to increase bacterial DNA yield and optimize library preparation. DNA extraction using a pre-treatment method of mechanical lysis (lung tissue) and one-step centrifugation (BALF) increased DNA yield and bacterial content of samples. In contrast, a significant increase of environmental contamination was detected after phenol chloroform isoamyl alcohol (PCI) extraction and nested PCR. While PCI has been a standard procedure used in microbiome studies, our data suggests that it is not efficient for DNA extraction of frozen low biomass samples. Finally, a DNA Enrichment kit was tested and found to improve the 16S copy number of lung tissue with a minor shift in microbial composition. Overall, we present a standardized method to provide high yielding DNA and improve sequencing coverage of low microbial biomass frozen samples with minimal contamination.
Lessons learned from academic medical centers’ response to the COVID-19 pandemic in partnership with the Navajo Nation
Authors: Bongiovanni Tasce , Shamasunder Sriram , Brown William , Rivera Carpenter Cristina , Pantell Matthew , Ghali Bassem , Harrison James D.
Published: April 2022

Introduction

Structural forces that drive health inequalities are magnified in crises. This was especially true during the COVID-19 pandemic, and minority communities were particularly affected. The University of California San Francisco and Health, Equity, Action, Leadership Initiative jointly sent volunteer teams of nurses and doctors to work in the Navajo Nation during the COVID-19 pandemic. This presented an opportunity to explore how academic medical centers (AMCs) could effectively partner with vulnerable communities to provide support during healthcare crises. Therefore, the aims of this study were to describe volunteers’ perspectives of academic-community partnerships by exploring their personal, professional and societal insights and lessons learned based on their time in the Navajo Nation during COVID-19.

Methods

We recruited key informants using purposeful sampling of physicians and nurses who volunteered to go to the Navajo Nation during the spring 2020 COVID-19 surge, as well as hospital administrators and leaders involved in organizing the COVID-19 efforts. We used in-depth qualitative interviews to explore key informants’ experiences pre-departure, during their stay, and after their return, as well as perspectives of the partnership between an AMC and the Navajo Nation. We used thematic analysis to systematically identify, analyze and report patterns (themes) within the data.

Results

In total, 37 clinicians and hospital administrators were interviewed including 14 physicians, 16 nurses, and 7 health system leaders. Overall, we found 4 main themes each with several subthemes that defined the partnership between the AMC and the Navajo Nation. Mission and values incorporated civic duty, community engagement, leadership commitment and employee dedication. Solidarity, trust and humility encompassed pre-existing trust, workforce sustainability, humility and erasure of ‘savior narratives.’ Coordination included logistical coordination, flexibility, selectivity of who and what traveled to the response and coordination around media response. Workforce preparation and support encompassed understanding of historical context and providing healthcare in limited settings, dangers of inadequate preparation and the need for emotional support.

Conclusion

This study provides guidelines which AMCs might use to develop and improve partnerships they have or would like to develop with vulnerable communities. These guidelines may even be broadly applied to partnerships outside of a pandemic response. Importantly, such partnerships need to be built with trust and with an eye towards sustainability and long-term relationships as opposed to ‘medical missions’.
Vampyrum spectrum (Phyllostomidae) movement and prey revealed by radio-telemetry and DNA metabarcoding
Authors: Martínez-Fonseca José Gabriel , Mau Rebecca , Walker Faith M. , Medina-Fitoria Arnulfo , Yasuda Kei , Chambers Carol L.
Published: April 2022

The spectral bat (Vampyrum spectrum), the largest bat species in the Americas, is considered Near Threatened by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and is listed as a species of special concern or endangered in several countries throughout its range. Although the species is known as carnivorous, data on basic ecology, including habitat selection and primary diet items, are limited owing to its relative rarity and difficulty in capturing the species. Leveraging advances in DNA metabarcoding and using radio-telemetry, we present novel information on the diet and movement ofV.spectrumbased on locations of a radio-collared individual and fecal samples collected from its communal roost (three individuals) in the Lowland Dry Forest of southern Nicaragua. Using a non-invasive approach, we explored the diet of the species with genetic markers designed to capture a range of arthropods and vertebrate targets from fecal samples. We identified 27 species of vertebrate prey which included birds, rodents, and other bat species. Our evidence suggested thatV.spectrumcan forage on a variety of species, from those associated with mature forests to forest edge-dwellers. Characteristics of the roost and our telemetry data underscore the importance of large trees for roosting in mature forest patches for the species. These data can inform conservation efforts for preserving both the habitat and the prey items in remnants of mature forest required byVampyrum spectrumto survive in landscape mosaics.
Processed ready-to-eat (RTE) foods sold in Yenagoa Nigeria were colonized by diarrheagenic Escherichia coli which constitute a probable hazard to human health
Authors: Beshiru Abeni , Okoh Anthony I. , Igbinosa Etinosa O.
Published: April 2022

The study aimed to recover diarrheagenic Escherichia coli strains from processed ready-to-eat (RTE) foods in Yenagoa, Nigeria and characterize them using culture-based and molecular methods. Three hundred RTE food samples were collected randomly from different food outlets between February 2021 and August 2021 and assessed for the occurrence of E. coli using standard bacteriological procedures. The virulence factor formation and antibiotic susceptibility profile of the isolates was carried out using standard microbiological procedures. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used to confirm the identity of the isolates via specific primers and further used to assay the diarrheagenic determinants of the E. coli isolates. The prevalence of E. coli positive samples based on the proliferation of E. coli on Chromocult coliform agar forming purple to violet colonies was 80(26.7%). The population density of E. coli from the RTE foods ranged from 0–4.3 × 104 ± 1.47 CFU/g. The recovered E. coli isolates (n = 62) were resistant to antibiotics in different proportions such as ampicillin 62(100%), aztreonam 47(75.81%) and chloramphenicol 43(69.35%). All the recovered E. coli isolates were resistant to ≥ 2 antibiotics. The multiple antibiotic-resistant index (MARI) ranged from 0.13–0.94 with 47(75.8%) of isolates having MARI >2. A total of 48(77.4%) of the isolates were multidrug-resistant (MDR). The proportion of extracellular virulence factor formation is as follows: protease 12(19.35%), curli 39(62.9%), cellulose 21(33.89%), ornithine decarboxylase 19(30.65%) and aesculin hydrolysis 14(22.58%). The overall proportion of diarrheagenic E. coli was 33/62(53.2%). The distributions of typical diarrheagenic E. coli includes: tETEC 9(14.5%), tEPEC 13(20.9%), tEAEC 6(9.7%), tEIEC 2(3.2%) and tEHEC 3(4.8%). The proportions of atypical strains include aETEC 10(16.1%), aEAEC 5(8.1%), aEPEC 1(1.6%) and aEIEC 3(4.8%). This study demonstrated that some RTE foods sold in Yenagoa, Nigeria, are contaminated and constitute a probable human health hazard. Thus, there is a need for intensive surveillance of this isolate in RTE foods variety to spot evolving AMR phenotypes and avert food-borne infections.
Association of HIV infection and antiretroviral therapy with the occurrence of an unfavorable TB treatment outcome in a rural district hospital in Eastern Cape, South Africa: A retrospective cohort study
Authors: van de Water Brittney J. , Fulcher Isabel , Cilliers Suretha , Meyer Nadishani , Wilson Michael , Young Catherine , Gaunt Ben , le Roux Karl
Published: April 2022

Background

Our objective was to assess differences in TB treatment outcomes between individuals who were HIV negative, HIV positive on anti-retroviral treatment (ART) and HIV positive not on ART, at TB treatment initiation at a rural district hospital in Eastern Cape, South Africa.

Methods

This was a retrospective cohort study of individuals diagnosed with TB between January 2017 and April 2020 at a district hospital. Adults 15 years and over with reported HIV status and treatment outcome were included (N = 711). A categorical outcome with three levels was considered: unfavorable, down referral, and success. We report descriptive statistics for the association between HIV and ART status and treatment outcome using Chi-square and Fisher’s exact tests. A multinomial baseline logit model was used to estimate odds ratios for treatment outcomes.

Results

Overall, 59% of included patients were HIV positive with 75% on ART. Eighty-eight patients 12% had an unfavorable outcome. Half of all patients were down referred with an additional 37% having a successful outcome. Individuals without HIV were more likely to be down referred (versus unfavorable) compared to individuals with untreated HIV (2.90 OR, 1.36, 6.17 95% CI). There was a greater likelihood for individuals without HIV having a successful TB treatment outcome compared to individuals with untreated HIV (4.98 OR, 2.07, 11.25 95% CI).

Conclusion

The majority of individuals had positive TB treatment outcomes (down referred or success). However, people without HIV had nearly five times greater odds of having successful outcomes than those with untreated HIV.
The deterioration of the Pueblo Bonito Great House in the Chaco Culture National Historical Park, New Mexico, USA
Authors: Short Henry L.
Published: April 2022

Pueblo Bonito is the iconic pre- Columbian structure in Chaco Culture National Historical Park, a World Heritage Site in northwestern New Mexico, USA. The structure, dating to about 850–1150 Current Era, and built of quarried sandstones, wooden timbers and a mud mortar, has been the subject of archaeological investigations for over a century. The present study is based on the examination of historical photographs of Pueblo Bonito dating from 1887 to the 1920s. It is a retrospective assessment to determine if structural damages, depicted on the photographs, could be attributed to identifiable agents that might have been present at the time of Pueblo Bonito occupancy. A likely causal agent of deterioration at Pueblo Bonito was the inability of Ancestral Puebloan engineers to manage the impacts from the annual precipitation, presently measured at about 220 mm. A resulting time-dependent event was rot to wetted roof and ceiling timbers, lintels, and wall support beams which required decades of incubation by wood decay fungi to reduce wood tensile strength to levels leading to roof and wall collapse. Important time- independent events that could occur any time after construction include water action on the mud mortar which resulted in unstable gravity load paths in stone walls, ponding of water in walls which when frozen would lead to the blowout of wall segments, and the occasional flood that disrupted foundations. Pueblo Bonito may have been an occupation site for centuries but the lifetime of individually constructed rooms may have only been decades, resulting in several build- repair- or abandon cycles being part of the history of that Great House.
A proposed cigarette emissions topography protocol reflecting smokers’ natural environment use behavior
Authors: Hensel Edward C. , Robinson Risa J.
Published: April 2022

Background

The FTC, in 2008, rescinded its 1966 guidance regarding use of the Cambridge Filter Method, noting the yields from the method are relatively poor indicators of tar, nicotine, and carbon monoxide exposure. This article proposes a set of puffing conditions for cigarette emissions testing, with the goal of developing product-specific emissions characterizations which can subsequently be used to realistically model the yield of particulate matter and constituents to the mouth of a smoker, while accounting for the actual puffing behavior of the smoker.

Methods

Synthesis of data was conducted on data collected from a prior one-week observation of 26 adult cigarette smokers, using their usual brand cigarette in each smokers’ natural environment including the puff flow rate, duration, volume and time of day of each puff taken were recorded with a cigarette topography monitor. Data was analyzed to determine the empirical joint probability function and cumulative distribution function of mean puff flow rate and puff duration. The joint CDF was used to define an emissions topography protocol using concepts common to computational grid generation.

Results

Analysis of 8,250 cigarette puffs indicated the middle 95% of mean puff flow rates varied between 15 and 121 [mL/s] while the middle 95% of puff duration varied from 0.55 to 3.42 [s].

Conclusions

Thirteen conditions of varying mean puff flow rate and puff duration are proposed for a comprehensive cigarette emissions topography protocol. The proposed protocol addresses inadequacies associated with common machine-puffing profiles used for generating cigarette emissions.
An ensemble of parameters from a robust Markov-based model reproduces L-type calcium currents from different human cardiac myocytes
Authors: Novaes Gustavo Montes , Alvarez-Lacalle Enrique , Muñoz Sergio Alonso , dos Santos Rodrigo Weber
Published: April 2022

The development of modeling structures at the channel level that can integrate subcellular and cell models and properly reproduce different experimental data is of utmost importance in cardiac electrophysiology. In contrast to gate-based models, Markov Chain models are well suited to promote the integration of the subcellular level of the cardiomyocyte to the whole cell. In this paper, we develop Markov Chain models for the L-type Calcium current that can reproduce the electrophysiology of two established human models for the ventricular and Purkinje cells. In addition, instead of presenting a single set of parameters, we present a collection of set of parameters employing Differential Evolution algorithms that can properly reproduce very different protocol data. We show the importance of using an ensemble of a set of parameter values to obtain proper results when considering a second protocol that suppresses calcium inactivation and mimics a pathological condition. We discuss how model discrepancy, data availability, and parameter identifiability can influence the choice of the size of the collection. In summary, we have modified two cardiac models by proposing new Markov Chain models for the L-type Calcium. We keep the original whole-cell dynamics by reproducing the same characteristic action potential and calcium dynamics, whereas the Markov chain-based description of the L-type Calcium channels allows novel small spatial scale simulations of subcellular processes. Finally, the use of collections of parameters was crucial for addressing model discrepancy, identifiability issues, and avoiding fitting parameters overly precisely, i.e., overfitting.
Nutritional intakes of highly trained adolescent swimmers before, during, and after a national lockdown in the COVID-19 pandemic
Authors: Newbury Josh W. , Foo Wee Lun , Cole Matthew , Kelly Adam L. , Chessor Richard J. , Sparks S. Andy , Faghy Mark A. , Gough Hannah C. , Gough Lewis A.
Published: April 2022

Strict lockdown measures were introduced in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, which caused mass disruption to adolescent swimmers’ daily routines. To measure how lockdown impacted nutritional practices in this cohort, three-day photograph food diaries were analysed at three time points: before (January), during (April), and after (September) the first UK lockdown. Thirteen swimmers (aged 15 ± 1 years) from a high-performance swimming club submitted satisfactory food diaries at all time points. During lockdown, lower amounts of energy (45.3 ± 9.8 vs. 31.1 ± 7.7 kcal∙kg BM∙day-1, p<0.001), carbohydrate (5.4 ± 1.2 vs. 3.5 ± 1.1 g∙kg BM∙day-1, p<0.001), protein (2.3 ± 0.4 vs. 1.7 ± 0.4 g∙kg BM∙day-1, p = 0.002), and fat (1.6 ± 0.4 vs. 1.1 ± 0.3 g∙kg BM∙day-1, p = 0.011) were reported. After lockdown, no nutritional differences were found in comparison compared to before lockdown (energy: 44.0 ± 12.1 kcal∙kg BM∙day-1; carbohydrate: 5.4 ± 1.4 g∙kg BM∙day-1; protein: 2.1 ± 0.6 g∙kg BM∙day-1; fat: 1.5 ± 0.6 g ∙kg BM∙day-1, all p>0.05), despite fewer training hours being completed (15.0 ± 1.4 vs. 19.1 ± 2.2 h∙week-1, p<0.001). These findings highlight the ability of adolescent swimmers to alter their nutrition based on their changing training circumstances when receiving sport nutrition support. However, some individuals displayed signs of suboptimal nutrition during lockdown that were not corrected once training resumed. This warrants future research to develop interactive education workshops that maintain focus and motivation towards optimal nutrition practices in isolated periods away from training.
Large-scale serosurveillance of COVID-19 in Japan: Acquisition of neutralizing antibodies for Delta but not for Omicron and requirement of booster vaccination to overcome the Omicron’s outbreak
Authors: Ren Zhenxiao , Nishimura Mitsuhiro , Tjan Lidya Handayani , Furukawa Koichi , Kurahashi Yukiya , Sutandhio Silvia , Aoki Kaito , Hasegawa Natsumi , Arii Jun , Uto Kenichi , Matsui Keiji , Sato Itsuko , Saegusa Jun , Godai Nonoka , Takeshita Kohei , Yamamoto Masaki , Nagashima Tatsuya , Mori Yasuko
Published: April 2022

Continuous appearance of SARS-CoV-2 variants and mass vaccination have been intricately influencing on the COVID-19 situation. To elucidate the current status in Japan, we analyzed totally 2,000 sera in August (n = 1,000) and December (n = 1,000) 2021 collected from individuals who underwent a health check-up. The anti-N seropositive rate were 2.1% and 3.9% in August and December 2021, respectively, demonstrating a Delta variant endemic during that time; it was approximately twofold higher than the rate based on the PCR-based diagnosis. The anti-S seropositive rate was 38.7% in August and it reached 90.8% in December, in concordance with the vaccination rate in Japan. In the December cohort, 78.7% of the sera showed neutralizing activity against the Delta variant, whereas that against the Omicron was much lower at 36.6%. These analyses revealed that effective immunity against the Delta variant was established in December 2021, however, prompt three-dose vaccination is needed to overcome Omicron’s outbreak.
Fast continuous streaming sort in big streaming data environment under fixed-size single storage
Authors: Chaikhan Suluk , Phimoltares Suphakant , Lursinsap Chidchanok
Published: April 2022

Big streaming data environment concerns a complicated scenario where data to be processed continuously flow into a processing unit and certainly cause a memory overflow problem. This obstructs the adaptation of deploying all existing classic sorting algorithms because the data to be sorted must be entirely stored inside the fixed-size storage including the space in internal and external storage devices. Generally, it is always assumed that the size of each data chunk is not larger than the size of storage (M) but in fact the size of the entire stream (n) is usually much larger than M. In this paper, a new fast continuous streaming sorting is proposed to cope with the constraint of storage overflow. The algorithm was tested with various real data sets consisting of 10,000 to 17,000,000 numbers and different storage sizes ranging from 0.01n to 0.50n. It was found that the feasible lower bound of storage size is 0.35n with 100% sorting accuracy. The sorting time outperforms bubble sort, quick sort, insertion sort, and merge sort when data size is greater than 1,000,000 numbers. Remarkably, the sorting time of the proposed algorithm is 1,452 times less than the sorting time of external merge sort and 28.1767 times less than the sorting time of streaming data sort. The time complexity of proposed algorithm is O(n) while the space complexity is O(M).
Standardizing norms for 180 coloured Snodgrass and Vanderwart pictures in Kannada language
Authors: Bangalore Shrilekha , Robson Holly , Astell Arlene J.
Published: April 2022

This study presents normative data in Kannada for 180 coloured Snodgrass & Vanderwart pictures. Data are presented for naming latency, image agreement, picture-name agreement, familiarity, visual complexity, and age of acquisition (AoA). Sixty-eight native Kannada speaking adults completed all tasks. The effects of the rated variables on naming latency were examined and compared with data on the same variables in other languages. A regression analysis revealed that image agreement, name agreement, familiarity, and age of acquisition all had a significant impact on naming latency, while visual complexity and frequency did not. Although, the correlations among rated variables in Kannada were equivalent to previous normative studies, the cross-linguistic comparison revealed that only AoA was strongly correlated with other studies. The findings point to the importance of understanding the interplay of psycholinguistic variables on naming latency in different languages.
Multilevel predictors of climate change beliefs in Africa
Authors: González Juan B. , Sánchez Alfonso
Published: April 2022

Although Africa is the most vulnerable region to climate change, little research has focused on how climate change is perceived by Africans. Using random forest methodology, we analyze survey and climate data from second-order political boundaries to explore what predicts climate change beliefs in Africa. We include five different dimensions of climate change beliefs: climate change awareness, belief in anthropogenic climate change, risk perception, the need to stop climate change, and self-efficacy. Based on these criteria we identify five key results: (1) climate change in Africa is largely perceived through its negative impacts on agriculture; (2) actual changes in local climate conditions are related to climate change beliefs; (3) authoritarian and intolerant ideologies are associated to less climate change awareness, and a diminished risk perception and belief that it must be stopped; (4) women are less likely to be aware of climate change, and (5) not speaking French, English or Portuguese is linked to a hindered understanding of climate beliefs. Our combined results can help policy makers better understand the need to jointly consider the multilevel complexities of individual beliefs and hydroclimatic data for the development of more accurate adaptation and mitigation strategies to combat the impacts of climate change in Africa.
Mitonuclear genetic patterns of divergence in the marbled crab, Pachygrapsus marmoratus (Fabricius, 1787) along the Turkish seas
Authors: Çetin Cansu , Furman Andrzej , Kalkan Evrim , Bilgin Raşit
Published: April 2022

Biogeographical transition zones present good opportunities for studying the effect of the past ice ages on genetic structure of species because secondary contact zones of post-glacial lineages can be formed. In this study, we investigated the population genetic structure of the marbled rock crab, Pachygrapsus marmoratus along the coasts of Turkey. We genotyped 334 individuals from the Black Sea, the Turkish Straits System (TSS), the Aegean, and the Eastern Mediterranean basins. In order to reveal its evolutionary history and its population connectivity, we used mitochondrial CO1 region and five microsatellite loci. CO1 analyzes also included 610 additional samples from Genbank, which covered most of its distribution range. Both microsatellites and mtDNA showed decreased diversity in sampling sites of the TSS and the Black Sea as compared to those along the Aegean and the Levantine coasts. There is an especially strong geographical pattern in distributions of haplotypes in mtDNA, most probably as a result of genetic drift in the Black Sea and the Sea of Marmara (SoM). Microsatellite data analyses revealed two genetically distinct clusters of P. marmoratus (clusters C and M). While individuals belonging to cluster C are present in all the sampling locations, those belonging to cluster M are only detected along the Mediterranean coasts including the Aegean and the Levantine basins. These clusters shared similar haplotypes in the Mediterranean. Haplotypes of two sympatric clusters could be similar due to incomplete lineage sorting of ancestral polymorphisms. In order to retrieve the complex demographic history and to investigate evolutionary processes resulting in sympatric clusters in the Aegean Sea and the Levantine basin, mitochondrial markers with faster mutation rates than CO1 and/or SNP data will be useful.
Early strong predictors of decline in instrumental activities of daily living in community-dwelling older Japanese people
Authors: Masugi Yohei , Kawai Hisashi , Ejiri Manami , Hirano Hirohiko , Fujiwara Yoshinori , Tanaka Tomoki , Iijima Katsuya , Inomata Takashi , Obuchi Shuichi P.
Published: April 2022

Objective

Our aim is to determine the strong predictors of the onset of instrumental activities of daily living (IADL) decline in community-dwelling older people.

Design

A prospective cohort study with a two-year follow-up.

Setting

Kashiwa City, Chiba Prefecture, Japan and Toshima Ward, Tokyo Metropolitan, Japan.

Participants

The data were acquired from two cohorts. The final sample comprised 1,523 community-dwelling older people aged 65–94 years (681 men, 842 women). They were individuals who were independent in IADL at baseline and participated in follow-up IADL assessments two years later.

Measurements

At baseline, comprehensive assessments were performed including: health interview, gait function, hand-grip strength, skeletal muscle mass, balance function, oral function, dietary lifestyle, cognitive function, quality of life, mental status, and social network. When the two-year follow-up was performed, IADL declines were observed in 53 out of 1,523 people. The association of each Z-transformed parameter with the occurrence of IADL decline was examined by employing a binominal logistic regression model adjusting for age, gender, body weight, body height, and medical history. An odds ratio (OR) and a 95% confidence interval were calculated and compared between different parameters.

Results

A decrease in walking speed and one-legged stance time, whereas an increased timed up & go test time was associated with significant ORs for the occurrence of IADL decline.

Conclusion

Gait-related parameters appear to be the strong predictors of the onset of IADL decline in community-dwelling older people.
Research advances in climate and environmental change impacts on inland fisheries of India: status, vulnerability and mitigation strategies
Authors: Sarkar U.K. , Das B. K.
Published: April 2022

Climatic variability threatens inland ecosystems, fisheries, societies and economies globally. The impacts are evident in India as manifested by altered geographic distribution, loss of species, change in breeding period, life cycle and physiological behaviour of inland fishes. In India, several inland fisheries research advancements have been made including development of innovative environmental, climatological and biological thresholds associated with successful spawning of fish species in the Ganges River basin, which is a landmark in predicting reproductive adaptation and minimum fitness required for natural breeding. The innovative concept of determining a threshold condition factor of the female fish population to indicate readiness for spawning, expressed as pre-spawning fitness (Kspawn50), has been used to map and benchmark several freshwater fish species and thereby identify potential climate resilient species. A flow chart showing the impact of climatic variability in inland fisheries and climate resilient fisheries have been conceptualized. Moreover, research pertaining to climate change and its impact on aquatic ecology and fisheries, heat wave studies, climate resilient adaptation techniques, carbon sequestration potential of wetlands, and vulnerability assessment framework at various levels has also been reported. In the present compilation we synthesize, report, and discuss the status of scientific advancements on the impact of the climate change, and associated impacts on inland ecosystems and fisheries at various levels, which would help in developing mitigation and adaptation strategies.
How does the initial sward height and the grazing period influence the spatial variability of vegetation in deferred signal grass pastures?
Authors: Santos Manoel Eduardo Rozalino , Márcia Cristina Teixeira Silveira  , Dilermando Miranda da Fonseca  , Flávia de Oliveira Scarpino van Cleef  , Bruno Humberto Rezende Carvalho  , Gabriel de Oliveira Rocha
Published: April 2022

The objective of this study was to evaluate the spatial variability of structural characteristics of deferred pastures of Brachiaria decumbens cv. Basilisk (signal grass) subjected to associations of sward heights (10, 20, 30, and 40 cm) at the beginning of deferment and grazing periods (1, 28, 56, 85, and 113 days). The experiment was arranged in a split-plot and completely randomized-block design with two replicates. Pastures remained deferred from March to June 2010. From June to the beginning of October 2010, deferred pastures were utilized by steers under continuous grazing and at a fixed initial stocking rate of 3.5 AU ha-1. At the beginning of the deferment, the coefficient of variation (CV) for pasture height was reduced linearly with the pasture height. During the grazing period, in the winter, the CV for pasture height was not influenced by initial pasture height; however, it responded quadratically to the grazing period, with a maximum value of 36.4% at 71 days of the period of utilization. The CV for tiller height was reduced linearly with pasture height at the beginning of deferment but increased linearly along with the grazing period. The initial pasture height did not change the CV of the falling index. However, the latter was quadratically influenced by the grazing period, with a maximum value of 59.5% at 67 days of the utilization period. Signal grass pastures deferred at a lower height have a higher spatial variability of the vegetation. In the grazing period, there are changes in the spatial variability of the vegetation of the deferred signal grass.
Detecção de 'CA. Phytoplasma phoenicium' em plantas de pervinca (Cathranthus roseus) em Uttar Pradesh, Índia
Authors: Tiwari Niraj Nath , Jain Ravindra Kumar , Ajay Kumar Tiwari
Published: April 2022

Cathranthus roseus also known as periwinkle, an ornamental plant contains several medicinal values, was found with the symptoms of little leaf and witches’ broom at Shahjahanpur location with the incidence of up to 8%. The phytoplasma etiology was confirmed through scanning electron microscopy examination in all the four-leaf samples. Molecular analysis through PCR with universal primer pairs P1/P6 followed by nested PCR with R16F2n/R16r2 primers yielded ~1.2kbp amplicons in all the four symptomatic leaf samples. One amplicon was eluted, purified, sequenced, and used in BLASTn searches, which showed maximum identity of periwinkle isolate with several isolates of 16SrIX group of phytoplasma. Further, phylogenic analysis and in silico RFLP confirmed the association of 16SrIX-C subgroup phytoplasma in little leaf and witches broom plants which is the first report from India.
The Japan Health Physics Society Guideline on Dose Monitoring for the Lens of the Eye
Authors: Yokoyama Sumi , Tsujimura Norio , Hashimoto Makoto , Yoshitomi Hiroshi , Kato Masahiro , Kurosawa Tadahiro , Tatsuzaki Hideo , Sekiguchi Hiroshi , Koguchi Yasuhiro , Ono Koji , Akiyoshi Masahumi , Kunugita Naoki , Natsuhori Masahiro , Natsume Yoshinori , Nabatame Kuniaki , Kawashima Tsunenori , Takagi Shunji , Ohno Kazuko , Iwai Satoshi
Published: April 2022

Background: In Japan, new regulations that revise the dose limit for the lens of the eye (hereafter the lens), operational quantities, and measurement positions for the lens dose were enforced in April 2021. Based on the international safety standards, national guidelines, the results of the Radiation Safety Research Promotion Fund of the Nuclear Regulation Authority, and other studies, the Working Group of Radiation Protection Standardization Committee, the Japan Health Physics Society (JHPS) developed a guideline for radiation dose monitoring for the lens.Materials and Methods: The Working Group of the JHPS discussed the criteria of non-uniform exposure and the management criteria set not to exceed the dose limit for the lens.Results and Discussion: In July 2020, the JHPS guideline was published. The guideline consists of three parts: main text, explanations, and 26 examples. In the questions, the corresponding answers were prepared, and specific examples were provided to enable similar cases to be addressed.Conclusion: With the development of the guideline on radiation dose monitoring of the lens, radiation managers and workers will be able to smoothly comply with revised regulations and optimize radiation protection.
Effect of Different Hydrothermal Temperatures on the Properties on Nano-Silica (SiO2) of Rice Husk
Authors: Irzaman Irzaman , Irmansyah Irmansyah , Aisyah Siti , Har Nazopatul Patonah , Aminullah Aminullah
Published: April 2022

Rice husk has high silica (SiO2) content and can be used as the primary material for making nano-silica. One of the methods for synthesizing nano-silica was the hydrothermal method. The objective of this study was to synthesize nano-silica from rice husks by observing the effect of temperature in the hydrothermal process on the structure, electrical and particle properties of nano-silica. The hydrothermal process temperature was 150, 200, and 250 °C for 4 hours. The results showed that all nano-silicas were in the amorphous phase. The particle size was in the range of 0.16-13.49 nm with more uniform size distribution on nano-silicas of 200 °C and 250 °C than nano-silica at 150 °C. These three nano-silicas were included in the semiconductor category by increasing temperature and frequency. In addition, these treatment variations resulted 200 °C for 4 hours and pressure of 2 atm as the optimum treatment for manufacturing nano-silica of rice husk ash. This nano-silica could be used as semiconductor material for electronic industry.
Operational Planning and Design of Market-Based Virtual Power Plant with High Penetration of Renewable Energy Sources
Authors: Ullah Zahid , Baseer Muhammad
Published: April 2022

Renewable energy sources (RESs) are becoming more prevalent as a source of clean energy, and their integration into the power market is speeding up. The fundamental reason for this is the growing global concern about climate change. However, their weather-dependent and uncertain nature raise questions about grid reliability particularly, when photovoltaics (PVs) and wind turbines (WTs) technologies are used. As a result, rationally managing Energy Storage Systems (ESSs) under the virtual power plant (VPP) setting is being encouraged as a way of minimizing the impact of the uncertain nature of renewable energies. A VPP is comparatively a new concept that aggregates the capacities of dispatchable and non-dispatchable energy sources, electrical loads, and energy storage systems for the purpose of improving energy supply and demand imbalance. It enables individual consumers and producers to participate in the power markets. In this study, a new market-based (MB)-VPP operational planning model is designed and developed with the aim to evaluate the optimal active power dispatched by (WT, PV, and ESS) operating in the day-ahead power market to maximize the social welfare (SW) of the market. SW can be described as the maximization of the consumer’s benefit function minus the cost of energy generation. The optimization process was carried out by using a scenario-based approach to model the uncertainties of renewable energy sources (i.e, WTs & PVs) and load demand. The proposed model and method performance is validated by simulation studies on a 16-bus UK generic distribution system (UKGDS). The simulation results reveal that the proposed approach maximizes overall system social welfare. The capacity of total active power dispatched by (WT, PV, and ESS) has a positive impact on the VPP profit maximization. This empirical study could be used as a reference baseline model for other energy services providers interested in conducting similar research in the future.
The Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms as an International Treaty and a Source of Individual Rights
Authors: Gadkowski Aleksander
Published: April 2022

The aim of this paper is to present the legal nature of the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms as a special treaty under international human rights law. The article focuses on the twofold nature of the Convention. First, it presents the Convention as an international treaty, and thus as a source of specific obligations of states-parties. Second, it presents the Convention as the source of fundamental individual human rights. The article also discusses the role of ECtHR case law in the context of fundamental individual human rights.
Loss of cardiac myosin light chain kinase contributes to contractile dysfunction in right ventricular pressure overload
Authors: Prasad Vidhya , Makkaoui Nour , Rajan Rohan , Patel Alisha , Mainali Bipul , Bagchi Pritha , Kumar Rhea , Rogers Julia , Diamond Jake , Maxwell Joshua T.
Published: April 2022

Nearly 1 in every 100 children born have a congenital heart defect. Many of these defects primarily affect the right heart causing pressure overload of the right ventricle (RV). The RV maintains function by adapting to the increased pressure; however, many of these adaptations eventually lead to RV hypertrophy and failure. In this study, we aim to identify the cellular and molecular mechanisms of these adaptions. We utilized a surgical animal model of pulmonary artery banding (PAB) in juvenile rats that has been shown to accurately recapitulate the physiology of right ventricular pressure overload in young hearts. Using this model, we examined changes in cardiac myocyte protein expression as a result of pressure overload with mass spectrometry 4 weeks post‐banding. We found pressure overload of the RV induced significant downregulation of cardiac myosin light chain kinase (cMLCK). Single myocyte calcium and contractility recordings showed impaired contraction and relaxation in PAB RV myocytes, consistent with the loss of cMLCK. In the PAB myocytes, calcium transients were of smaller amplitude and decayed at a slower rate compared to controls. We also identified miR‐200c, which has been shown to regulate cMLCK expression, as upregulated in the RV in response to pressure overload. These results indicate the loss of cMLCK is a critical maladaptation of the RV to pressure overload and represents a novel target for therapeutic approaches to treat RV hypertrophy and failure associated with congenital heart defects.