bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Cationic proteins from eosinophils bind bone morphogenetic protein receptors promoting vascular calcification and atherogenesis
Authors: Meng Zhaojie , Zhang Shuya , Li Wei , Wang Yunzhe , Wang Minjie , Liu Xin , Liu Cong-Lin , Liao Sha , Liu Tianxiao , Yang Chongzhe , Lindholt Jes S , Rasmussen Lars M , Obel Lasse M , Stubbe Jane , Diederichsen Axel C , Sun Yong , Chen Yabing , Yu Paul B , Libby Peter , Shi Guo-Ping , Guo Junli
Published: June 2023

Aims

Blood eosinophil count and eosinophil cationic protein (ECP) concentration are risk factors of cardiovascular diseases. This study tested whether and how eosinophils and ECP contribute to vascular calcification and atherogenesis.

Methods and results

Immunostaining revealed eosinophil accumulation in human and mouse atherosclerotic lesions. Eosinophil deficiency in ΔdblGATA mice slowed atherogenesis with increased lesion smooth muscle cell (SMC) content and reduced calcification. This protection in ΔdblGATA mice was muted when mice received donor eosinophils from wild-type (WT), Il4−/−, and Il13−/− mice or mouse eosinophil-associated-ribonuclease-1 (mEar1), a murine homologue of ECP. Eosinophils or mEar1 but not interleukin (IL) 4 or IL13 increased the calcification of SMC from WT mice but not those from Runt-related transcription factor-2 (Runx2) knockout mice. Immunoblot analyses showed that eosinophils and mEar1 activated Smad-1/5/8 but did not affect Smad-2/3 activation or expression of bone morphogenetic protein receptors (BMPR-1A/1B/2) or transforming growth factor (TGF)-β receptors (TGFBR1/2) in SMC from WT and Runx2 knockout mice. Immunoprecipitation showed that mEar1 formed immune complexes with BMPR-1A/1B but not TGFBR1/2. Immunofluorescence double-staining, ligand binding, and Scatchard plot analysis demonstrated that mEar1 bound to BMPR-1A and BMPR-1B with similar affinity. Likewise, human ECP and eosinophil-derived neurotoxin (EDN) also bound to BMPR-1A/1B on human vascular SMC and promoted SMC osteogenic differentiation. In a cohort of 5864 men from the Danish Cardiovascular Screening trial and its subpopulation of 394 participants, blood eosinophil counts and ECP levels correlated with the calcification scores of different arterial segments from coronary arteries to iliac arteries.

Conclusion

Eosinophils release cationic proteins that can promote SMC calcification and atherogenesis using the BMPR-1A/1B-Smad-1/5/8-Runx2 signalling pathway.
Host body size, not host population size, predicts genome-wide effective population size of parasites
Authors: Doña Jorge , Johnson Kevin P
Published: June 2023

The effective population size (Ne) of an organism is expected to be generally proportional to the total number of individuals in a population. In parasites, we might expect the effective population size to be proportional to host population size and host body size, because both are expected to increase the number of parasite individuals. However, among other factors, parasite populations are sometimes so extremely subdivided that high levels of inbreeding may distort these predicted relationships. Here, we used whole-genome sequence data from dove parasites (71 feather louse species of the genus Columbicola) and phylogenetic comparative methods to study the relationship between parasite effective population size and host population size and body size. We found that parasite effective population size is largely explained by host body size but not host population size. These results suggest the potential local population size (infrapopulation or deme size) is more predictive of the long-term effective population size of parasites than is the total number of potential parasite infrapopulations (i.e., host individuals).
Rapidly evolved traits enable new conservation tools: perspectives from the cane toad invasion of Australia
Authors: Shine Richard , Baeckens Simon
Published: June 2023

Natural populations can show rapid adaptive responses to intense (human-mediated) environmental change. The potential for exploiting rapidly evolved traits for conservation management has been often discussed but rarely implemented. Capitalizing on a well-studied biological invasion, we here explore the idea that rapid phenotypic change in the invaders, their pathogens, and the native biota provide opportunities for managers to control invader abundance and buffer adverse impacts on native wildlife. Intensive studies of the invasion of tropical Australia by cane toads (Rhinella marina) have identified newly evolved vulnerabilities that we could exploit for toad control; and newly evolved resilience of native wildlife that we could exploit for impact reduction. For example, distinctive phenotypes of toads at the expanding range edge enhance dispersal rate but reduce reproductive output, intraspecific competitive ability, and immunocompetence; and the evolution of larval cannibalism creates opportunities not only for species-specific trapping of toad tadpoles, but also could be exploited (when allied to emerging CRISPR-Cas9 techniques) to intensify intraspecific conflict in invasive toads. That is, we could use the invasive species to control their own populations. This case study illustrates the potential of detailed basic research to identify novel approaches for conservation.
The application of Melissa officinalis L. essential oil nanoemulsions protects sea bass (Lateolabrax japonicus) against myofibrillar protein and lipid oxidation during refrigeration
Authors: Xie Yao , Yu Huijie , Zhao Xin , Bian Chuhan , Cheng Hao , Mei Jun , Xie Jing
Published: June 2023

Objectives

The nutrient rich sea bass is prone to oxidation of lipid and protein during refrigeration.

Materials and Methods

The research was to investigate the effect of different concentrations of Melissa officinalis L. essential oil (MOEO) nanoemulsions on myofibrillar protein (MP) and lipid oxidation in sea bass (Lateolabrax japonicus) during refrigeration at 4 °C.

Results

The results of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances and mitochondrial membrane potential showed that carboxymethyl chitosan/locust bean gum active coating solutions incorporating 2% MOEO nanoemulsions (C/L-2M) was the most effective in inhibiting lipid oxidation that occurred in sea bass under attack by reactive oxygen species. Low-field nuclear magnetic resonance results showed that C/L-2M maximally slowed the conversion of bound water to free water during storage. The oxidation of lipids and MP disrupted the secondary and tertiary conformations of MP and accelerated protein aggregation and degradation.

Conclusions

C/L-2M slowed the oxidation of lipids and proteins by inhibiting the oxidation of reactive oxygen species. C/L-2M is a very promising preservative emulsion for the preservation of sea bass.
Expanding on Our Knowledge of Ecdysozoan Genomes: A Contiguous Assembly of the Meiofaunal Priapulan Tubiluchus corallicola
Authors: Lord Arianna , Cunha Tauana J , de Medeiros Bruno A S , Sato Shoyo , Khost Danielle E , Sackton Timothy B , Giribet Gonzalo
Published: June 2023

Genomic data for priapulans are limited to a single species, restricting broad comparative analyses and thorough interrogation of questions spanning phylogenomics, ecdysozoan physiology, and development. To help fill this void, we present here a high-quality priapulan genome for the meiofaunal species Tubiluchus corallicola. Our assembly combines Nanopore and Illumina sequencing technologies and makes use of a whole-genome amplification, to generate enough DNA to sequence this small meiofaunal species. We generated a moderately contiguous assembly (2,547 scaffolds), with a high level of completeness (metazoan BUSCOs n = 954, single-copy complete = 89.6%, duplicated = 3.9%, fragmented = 3.5%, and missing = 3.0%). We then screened the genome for homologs of the Halloween genes, key genes implicated in the ecdysis (molting) pathway of arthropods, recovering a putative homolog of shadow. The presence of a shadow ortholog in two priapulan genomes suggests that the Halloween genes may not have evolved in a stepwise manner in Panarthropoda, as previously thought, but may have a deeper origin at the base of Ecdysozoa.
Genome of the Lord Howe Island Stick Insect Reveals a Highly Conserved Phasmid X Chromosome
Authors: Stuart Oliver P , Cleave Rohan , Magrath Michael J L , Mikheyev Alexander S
Published: June 2023

We present a chromosome-scale genome assembly for Dryococelus australis, a critically endangered Australian phasmid. The assembly, constructed with Pacific Biosciences continuous long reads and chromatin conformation capture (Omni-C) data, is 3.42 Gb in length with a scaffold N50 of 262.27 Mb and L50 of 5. Over 99% of the assembly is contained in 17 major scaffolds, which corresponds to the species’ karyotype. The assembly contains 96.3% of insect Benchmarking Unique Single Copy Ortholog genes in single copy. A custom repeat library identified 63.29% of the genome covered by repetitive elements; most were not identifiable based on similarity to sequences in existing databases. A total of 33,793 putative protein-coding genes were annotated. Despite the high contiguity and single-copy Benchmarking Unique Single Copy Ortholog content of the assembly, over 1 Gb of the flow-cytometry-estimated genome size is not represented, likely due to the large and repetitive nature of the genome. We identified the X chromosome with a coverage-based analysis and searched for homologs of genes known to be X-linked across the genus Timema. We found 59% of these genes on the putative X chromosome, indicating strong conservation of X-chromosomal content across 120 million years of phasmid evolution.
De Novo Structural Variations of Escherichia coli Detected by Nanopore Long-Read Sequencing
Authors: Zhou Xia , Pan Jiao , Wang Yaohai , Lynch Michael , Long Hongan , Zhang Yu
Published: June 2023

Spontaneous mutations power evolution, whereas large-scale structural variations (SVs) remain poorly studied, primarily because of the lack of long-read sequencing techniques and powerful analytical tools. Here, we explore the SVs of Escherichia coli by running 67 wild-type (WT) and 37 mismatch repair (MMR)–deficient (ΔmutS) mutation accumulation lines, each experiencing more than 4,000 cell divisions, by applying Nanopore long-read sequencing and Illumina PE150 sequencing and verifying the results by Sanger sequencing. In addition to precisely repeating previous mutation rates of base-pair substitutions and insertion and deletion (indel) mutation rates, we do find significant improvement in insertion and deletion detection using long-read sequencing. The long-read sequencing and corresponding software can particularly detect bacterial SVs in both simulated and real data sets with high accuracy. These lead to SV rates of 2.77 × 10−4 (WT) and 5.26 × 10−4 (MMR-deficient) per cell division per genome, which is comparable with previous reports. This study provides the SV rates of E. coli by applying long-read sequencing and SV detection programs, revealing a broader and more accurate picture of spontaneous mutations in bacteria.
Discovery of Paralogous GnRH and Corazonin Signaling Systems in an Invertebrate Chordate
Authors: Yañez Guerra Luis Alfonso , Zandawala Meet
Published: June 2023

Gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) is a key regulator of reproductive function in vertebrates. GnRH is related to the corazonin (CRZ) neuropeptide which influences metabolism and stress responses in insects. Recent evidence suggests that GnRH and CRZ are paralogous and arose by a gene duplication in a common ancestor of bilaterians. Here, we report the identification and complete characterization of the GnRH and CRZ signaling systems in the amphioxus Branchiostoma floridae. We have identified a novel GnRH peptide (YSYSYGFAP-NH2) that specifically activates two GnRH receptors and a CRZ peptide (FTYTHTW-NH2) that activates three CRZ receptors in B. floridae. The latter appear to be promiscuous, as two CRZ receptors can also be activated by GnRH in the physiological range. Hence, there is a potential for cross-talk between these closely related signaling systems. Discovery of both the GnRH and CRZ signaling systems in one of the closest living relatives of vertebrates provides a framework to discover their roles at the transition from invertebrates to vertebrates.
How flower development genes were identified using forward genetic screens in Arabidopsis thaliana
Authors: Smyth David R
Published: June 2023

In the later part of the 1980s, the time was ripe for identifying genes controlling flower development. In that pregenomic era, the easiest way to do this was to induce random mutations in seeds by chemical mutagens (or irradiation) and to screen thousands of plants for those with phenotypes specifically defective in floral morphogenesis. Here, we discuss the results of premolecular screens for flower development mutants in Arabidopsis thaliana, carried out at Caltech and Monash University, emphasizing the usefulness of saturation mutagenesis, multiple alleles to identify full loss-of-function, conclusions based on multiple mutant analyses, and from screens for enhancer and suppressor modifiers of original mutant phenotypes. One outcome was a series of mutants that led to the ABC floral organ identity model (AP1, AP2, AP3, PI, and AG). In addition, genes controlling flower meristem identity (AP1, CAL, and LFY), floral meristem size (CLV1 and CLV3), development of individual floral organ types (CRC, SPT, and PTL), and inflorescence meristem properties (TFL1, PIN1, and PID) were defined. These occurrences formed targets for cloning that eventually helped lead to an understanding of transcriptional control of the identity of floral organs and flower meristems, signaling within meristems, and the role of auxin in initiating floral organogenesis. These findings in Arabidopsis are now being applied to investigate how orthologous and paralogous genes act in other flowering plants, allowing us to wander in the fertile fields of evo-devo.
A dual, catalytic role for the fission yeast Ccr4-Not complex in gene silencing and heterochromatin spreading
Authors: Challal Drice , Menant Alexandra , Goksal Can , Leroy Estelle , Al-Sady Bassem , Rougemaille Mathieu
Published: June 2023

Heterochromatic gene silencing relies on combinatorial control by specific histone modifications, the occurrence of transcription, and/or RNA degradation. Once nucleated, heterochromatin propagates within defined chromosomal regions and is maintained throughout cell divisions to warrant proper genome expression and integrity. In the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe, the Ccr4-Not complex partakes in gene silencing, but its relative contribution to distinct heterochromatin domains and its role in nucleation versus spreading have remained elusive. Here, we unveil major functions for Ccr4-Not in silencing and heterochromatin spreading at the mating type locus and subtelomeres. Mutations of the catalytic subunits Caf1 or Mot2, involved in RNA deadenylation and protein ubiquitinylation, respectively, result in impaired propagation of H3K9me3 and massive accumulation of nucleation-distal heterochromatic transcripts. Both silencing and spreading defects are suppressed upon disruption of the heterochromatin antagonizing factor Epe1. Overall, our results position the Ccr4-Not complex as a critical, dual regulator of heterochromatic gene silencing and spreading.
Introduction: Material Cultures and Communities in the Holy Roman Empire
Authors: Hill Kat , Rublack Ulinka
Published: June 2023

This introduction outlines the key themes of this Special Issue, which responds to a need to formulate nuanced accounts of material cultures in relation to social life, religion and politics in the Holy Roman Empire. It approaches ‘the material’ through different themes in relation to sites of production, consumption and practices that created specific material regimes and communities throughout time. It also explores fundamental changes in the connection of materials, bodies and people.
Association of Neighborhood Deprivation and Depressive Symptoms With Epigenetic Age Acceleration: Evidence From the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging
Authors: Joshi Divya , van Lenthe Frank J , Huisman Martijn , Sund Erik R , Krokstad Steinar , Avendano Mauricio , Raina Parminder
Published: June 2023

Background

Neighborhood deprivation and depression have been linked to epigenetic age acceleration. The next-generation epigenetic clocks including the DNA methylation (DNAm) GrimAge, and PhenoAge have incorporated clinical biomarkers of physiological dysregulation by selecting cytosine–phosphate–guanine sites that are associated with risk factors for disease, and have shown improved accuracy in predicting morbidity and time-to-mortality compared to the first-generation clocks. The aim of this study is to examine the association between neighborhood deprivation and DNAm GrimAge and PhenoAge acceleration in adults, and assess interaction with depressive symptoms.

Methods

The Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging recruited 51 338 participants aged 45–85 years across provinces in Canada. This cross-sectional analysis is based on a subsample of 1 445 participants at baseline (2011–2015) for whom epigenetic data were available. Epigenetic age acceleration (years) was assessed using the DNAm GrimAge and PhenoAge, and measured as residuals from regression of the biological age on chronological age.

Results

A greater neighborhood material and/or social deprivation compared to lower deprivation (b = 0.66; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.21, 1.12) and depressive symptoms scores (b = 0.07; 95% CI = 0.01, 0.13) were associated with higher DNAm GrimAge acceleration. The regression estimates for these associations were higher but not statistically significant when epigenetic age acceleration was estimated using DNAm PhenoAge. There was no evidence of a statistical interaction between neighborhood deprivation and depressive symptoms.

Conclusions

Depressive symptoms and neighborhood deprivation are independently associated with premature biological aging. Policies that improve neighborhood environments and address depression in older age may contribute to healthy aging among older adults living in predominantly urban areas.
Historical and Cross-Country Differences in Life Satisfaction Across Retirement in Germany and Switzerland From 2000 to 2019
Authors: Henning Georg , Baumann Isabel , Huxhold Oliver
Published: June 2023

Objectives

Recent trends, such as changes in pension systems or cohort differences in individual resources, have altered the face of retirement transitions. Little is known about how these trends have affected older people’s life satisfaction around retirement age in the past decades. In this study, we investigated how levels and changes in life satisfaction before and after retirement changed over historical time in Germany and Switzerland.

Methods

We used longitudinal data from the German Socioeconomic Panel Study and the Swiss Household Panel (SHP) from 2000 to 2019. Level, preretirement change, and short- and long-term change in life satisfaction (0–10) after retirement were predicted by year of retirement (2001–2019) in a multigroup piecewise growth curve model.

Results

We found improvements in levels of life satisfaction and preretirement changes in life satisfaction with historical time in both countries. Furthermore, we found that unlike in Switzerland, short-time changes in life satisfaction across retirement improved over historical time in Germany.

Discussion

Our findings imply that life satisfaction trajectories around retirement age have improved over the last 20 years. These findings may be explained by general improvements in the health and psychosocial functioning of older people. More research is needed to show for whom these improvements are stronger or weaker and if they will be maintained in a changing retirement landscape.
Educational Disparities in Hypertension Prevalence and Blood Pressure Percentiles in the Health and Retirement Study
Authors: Zacher Meghan
Published: June 2023

Objectives

Hypertension and uncontrolled high blood pressure (BP) are more prevalent among less-educated older adults than those with more schooling. However, these dichotomous indicators may fail to fully characterize educational disparities in BP, a continuous measure that predicts morbidity and mortality across much of its range. This study therefore focuses on the distribution of BP, assessing educational disparities across BP percentiles in addition to disparities in hypertension and uncontrolled BP.

Methods

Data are from the 2014–2016 Health and Retirement Study, a nationally representative survey of older U.S. adults (n = 14,498, ages 51–89). To examine associations between education, hypertension, and uncontrolled BP, I estimate linear probability models. To assess relationships between education and BP, I fit linear and unconditional quantile regression models.

Results

Less-educated older adults are not only more likely to have hypertension and uncontrolled BP than those with more schooling, they also have higher systolic BP across nearly the entire BP distribution. Educational disparities in systolic BP increase in magnitude across BP percentiles and are largest at the highest levels of BP. This pattern is observed for those with and without diagnosed hypertension, is robust to early-life confounders, and is only partially explained by socioeconomic and health-related circumstances in adulthood.

Discussion

Among older U.S. adults, the distribution of BP is compressed at lower, healthier levels for those with more education, and skewed toward the highest, most harmful levels among those with less education. Educational inequities in hypertension awareness and treatment efficacy may underlie these patterns. Implications for fundamental cause theory are discussed.
Surface wave dispersion curve inversion using mixture density networks
Authors: Keil Sabrina , Wassermann Joachim
Published: June 2023

In many seismological, environmental and engineering applications a detailed S-wave velocity model of the shallow subsurface is required. This is generally achieved by the inversion of surface wave dispersion curves using various inversion methods. The classical inversion approaches suffer from several shortcomings, such as inaccurate solutions due to local minima or large computation times in case of a wide parameter space. A number of machine learning (ML) approaches have been suggested to tackle these problems, which however do not provide probabilistic solutions and/or constrain layer number and layer thickness to a fixed value. In this study, we develop a novel neural network (NN) approach in order to characterize the shallow velocity structure from Love and Rayleigh wave dispersion curves. The novelty of our method lies in the simultaneous estimation of layer numbers, layer depth and a complete probability distribution of the S-wave velocity structure. This is achieved by a two-step ML approach, where (1) a regular NN classifies the number of layers within the upper 100 m of the subsurface and (2) a mixture density network outputs the depth estimates together with a fully probabilistic solution of the S-wave velocity structure. We show the advantages of our ML approach compared to a conventional neighbourhood inversion and a Markov chain Monte Carlo algorithm. Our ML approach is then applied to dispersion curves extracted from recorded noise data in Munich, Germany. The resulting velocity profile is in accordance with lithologic information at the site, which highlights the potential of our approach.
Strengthening routine data reporting in private hospitals in Lagos, Nigeria
Authors: Ohiri Kelechi , Makinde Olasunmbo , Ogundeji Yewande , Mobisson Nneka , Oludipe Modupe
Published: June 2023

The availability of routine health information is critical for effective health planning, especially in resource-limited countries. Nigeria adopted the web-based District Health Information System (DHIS) to harmonize the collection, analysis and storage of data for informed decision-making. However, only 44% of all private hospitals in Lagos State reported to the DHIS despite constituting 90% of all health facilities in the state. To bridge this gap, this study implemented targeted interventions. This paper describes (1) the implemented interventions, (2) the effects of the interventions on data reporting on DHIS during the intervention period and (3) the evaluation of data reporting on DHIS after the intervention period in select private hospitals in Lagos State. A five-pronged intervention was implemented in 55 private hospitals (intervention hospitals), which entailed stakeholder engagement, on-the-job training, in-facility mentoring and the provision of data tools and job aids, to improve data reporting on DHIS from 2014 to 2017. A controlled before-and-after study design was employed to assess the effectiveness of the implemented interventions. A comparable cohort of 55 non-intervention private hospitals was selected, and data were extracted from both groups. Data analysis was conducted using paired and independent t-tests to assess the effect and measure the difference between both groups of hospitals, respectively. An average increase of 65.28% (P < 0.01) in reporting rate and 50.31% (P < 0.01) in the timeliness of reporting on DHIS was seen among intervention hospitals. Similarly, the difference between intervention and non-intervention hospitals post-intervention was significantly different for both data reporting (mean difference = −22.38, P < 0.01) and timeliness (mean difference = −18.81, P < 0.01), respectively. Furthermore, a sustained improvement in data reporting and timeliness of reporting on DHIS was observed among intervention hospitals 24 months after interventions. Thus, implementing targeted interventions can strengthen routine data reporting for better performance and informed decision-making.
Sex Differences in Suicidal Ideation: Mediating Effects of Alcohol Abuse/Dependence on Suicidal Ideation through Psychological Distress and Hopelessness
Authors: Kim Yi Jin , Burlaka Viktor , Yoon Susan
Published: June 2023

This article aims to investigate the impact of psychological distress and hopelessness as mediators in the relationship between alcohol use disorder (AUD) and suicidal ideation among young adults. The study employed data from the 2019 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, focusing on participants aged 18 to 25. The PROCESS macro was used to conduct a moderated mediation analysis. The findings revealed that AUD, psychological distress, and hopelessness were all significant risk factors for suicidal ideation among young adults. Furthermore, psychological distress and hopelessness served as significant mediators in the relationship between AUD and suicidal ideation. The study highlights the need for interventions and treatments that address co-occurring alcohol use and psychological distress/hopelessness in both sexes, for young adults at risk of suicide. In summary, the study underscores the importance of recognizing the underlying factors that contribute to suicidal ideation among young adults, especially those with AUD, psychological distress, and hopelessness.
Leadership aspirations versus reality: Germany's self-concept in Europe
Authors: Schoeller Magnus G
Published: June 2023

Leadership by powerful states is considered crucial to the success of regional integration. Since the European Union (EU) entered a ‘polycrisis’, many eyes have therefore been on Germany. But does the German political elite see itself as a leader in Europe? To date, whether German political elite members have cast off their much-cited ‘leadership avoidance reflex’ has not been empirically investigated. Based on an original elite survey, this article therefore investigates the extent to which Germany conceives of itself as a leading power in the EU. The findings show that the time of a ‘leadership avoidance reflex’ is gone. Instead, there is a high level of agreement across EU policies that Germany should take on a leadership role. However, the study also exposes a gap between leadership aspirations and perceived reality, especially when it comes to Germany providing a vision for the future of Europe. In contrast to previous research, the article therefore argues that it is not the lack of desire for leadership, but the inability to realize such a role that keeps Germany from taking the lead in Europe.
New Zealand's ‘Maori foreign policy’ and China: a case of instrumental relationality?
Authors: Smith Nicholas Ross , Holster Bonnie
Published: June 2023

In 2021, Aotearoa New Zealand's Foreign Minister, Nanaia Mahuta, sketched out a kaupapa Māori (collective Māori vision) foreign policy for New Zealand based on four tikanga Māori (Māori customary practices and behaviours): manaakitanga (hospitality), whanaungatanga (connectedness), mahi tahi and kotahitanga (unity through collaboration), and kaitiakitanga (guardianship and the protection of intergenerational wellbeing). This article makes a novel contribution to the global International Relations body of literature by questioning to what extent New Zealand's ‘Māori foreign policy’ has been applied to its relationship with China. Through assessing the communications of Mahuta and other officials, it is found that New Zealand is utilizing a kaupapa Māori framework towards China: ‘the taniwha and the dragon’. It is argued that New Zealand is attempting to consolidate the maturity of the Sino-New Zealand relationship, as well as differentiate itself from the other Anglosphere countries that have recently pushed back on China. In doing so, not only is New Zealand something of an outlier, it is demonstrating how eschewing a western-centric understanding of foreign policy for a more relational view based on indigenous knowledge and perspectives (in this case, from te ao Māori: the Māori worldview) can be applied at a time of increasing great power competition.
How do honeyeaters drink nectar?
Authors: Hewes Amanda E , Baldwin Maude W , Buttemer William A , Rico-Guevara Alejandro
Published: June 2023

Synopsis

We investigated the kinematics and biomechanics of nectar feeding in five species of honeyeater (Phylidonyris novaehollandiae, Acanthagenys rufogularis, Ptilotula penicillata, Certhionyx variegatus, Manorina flavigula). There is abundant information on honeyeater foraging behaviors and ecological relationships with plants, but there has never been an examination of their nectar-feeding from kinematic and biomechanical perspectives. We analyzed high-speed video of feeding in captive individuals to describe the kinematics of their nectar feeding, with specific focus on describing tongue movements and bill-tongue coordination, and to characterize the mechanism of nectar uptake in the tongue. We found clear interspecific variation in kinematics and tongue filling mechanics. Species varied in lick frequency, tongue velocity, and protrusion and retraction duration, which, in some cases, are relevant for differences in tongue filling mechanisms. We found support for the use of capillary filling in Certhionyx variegatus only. By contrast, Phylidonyris novaehollandiae, Acanthagenys rufogularis, Ptilotula penicillata, and Manorina flavigula employed a modified version of the expansive filling mechanism seen in hummingbirds, as there was dorsoventral expansion of the tongue body, even the portions that remain outside the nectar, once the tongue tip entered the nectar. All species use fluid trapping in the distal fimbriated portion of the tongue, which supports previous hypotheses describing the honeyeater tongue as a “paintbrush.”
Scaling of Gait, Limb Posture, Forces, and Inertial Properties in Terrestrial Locomotion of American Alligators Across a Thousand-Fold Increase in Body Mass
Authors: Iijima Masaya , Darlington Jim , Munteanu V David , Vliet Kent A , Blob Richard W
Published: June 2023

Synopsis

Scaling of body shape, gait, limb kinematics, and kinetics can inform about mechanical and energetic constraints influencing animal locomotion on land. However, our knowledge of terrestrial locomotion among tetrapods is biased toward animals that use parasagittal limb postures (mammals and birds). Whether species that use non-parasagittal limb postures (e.g., crocodylians and lizards) share similar scaling principles remains uncertain, especially toward the larger end of the body size spectrum. Here, we compare new data from large adult American alligators (140–223 kg) with previous data from smaller individuals (0.2–5.6 kg) to evaluate the scaling of gait, limb posture, ground reaction forces, and inertial properties of body segments over a size range spanning three orders of magnitude. Larger alligators walked with higher relative stride frequencies and shorter relative stride lengths at equal dimensionless speeds, suggesting that alligators prioritize stance phase mechanical work reduction at the expense of higher costs for swing as they increase in size. Limb posture also changed with body mass: ∼1 kg and larger alligators typically used more adducted and extended limbs, which is expected to mitigate limb muscle forces during stance. Ground reaction forces were increasingly hindlimb dominant as alligators grow to larger size, paralleled by a posterior shift in the center of mass. Counterintuitively, the forelimb grew faster in mass than the hindlimb, possibly because recruited muscle volume is closer to its maximum capacity in the forelimb, compelling larger alligators to keep up with increased mechanical demands via muscle growth more for the forelimb than the hindlimb. These results highlight the numerous changes in body proportions and locomotor performance that are required among animals that use non-parasagittal limb posture, as they grow from neonatal sizes into large adults.
Mechanosensory Control of Locomotion in Animals and Robots: Moving Forward
Authors: Dallmann Chris J , Dickerson Bradley H , Simpson Julie H , Wyart Claire , Jayaram Kaushik
Published: June 2023

Synopsis

While animals swim, crawl, walk, and fly with apparent ease, building robots capable of robust locomotion remains a significant challenge. In this review, we draw attention to mechanosensation—the sensing of mechanical forces generated within and outside the body—as a key sense that enables robust locomotion in animals. We discuss differences between mechanosensation in animals and current robots with respect to (1) the encoding properties and distribution of mechanosensors and (2) the integration and regulation of mechanosensory feedback. We argue that robotics would benefit greatly from a detailed understanding of these aspects in animals. To that end, we highlight promising experimental and engineering approaches to study mechanosensation, emphasizing the mutual benefits for biologists and engineers that emerge from moving forward together.
Efficiency of non-operative management for pectus deformities in children using an X-ray-free protocol
Authors: Belgacem Alexis , Tricard Jérémy , Dutoit Alexandre , Grosos Céline , Auditeau Emilie , Masselin Mathilde Casson , Fourcade Laurent , Ballouhey Quentin
Published: June 2023

OBJECTIVES

The aim of this study was to explore the correlation between the Haller index (HI), the external depth of protrusion and the external Haller index (EHI) for both pectus excavatum (PE) and pectus carinatum (PC) and to assess the variation in the HI during this first year of non-operative treatment for pectus deformities in children.

METHODS

From January 2018 to December 2022, all children treated for PE by vacuum bell and for PC by compression therapy at our institution were evaluated by external gauge, 3D scanning (iPad with Structure Sensor and Captevia—Rodin4D) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The main objectives were to assess the effectiveness of the treatment during the first year and to compare the HI determined by MRI to the EHI evaluated with 3D scanning and external measurements. The HI determined by MRI was compared to the EHI evaluated with 3D scanning and external measurements at M0 and M12.

RESULTS

A total of 118 patients (80 PE and 38 PC) had been referred for pectus deformity. Of these, 79 met the inclusion criteria (median age 13.7 years, 8.6–17.8). There was a statistically significant difference in the external measurements of the depth for PE between M0 and M12: 23.0 ± 7.2 vs 13.8 ± 6.1 mm, respectively, P < 0.05, and for PC 31.1 ± 10.6 vs 16.7 ± 8.9 mm, respectively, P < 0.01. During this first year of treatment, the reduction in the external measurement increased more rapidly for PE compared with PC. We found a strong correlation between the HI by MRI and the EHI by 3D scanning for PE (Pearson coefficient = 0.910, P < 0.001) and for PC (Pearson coefficient = 0.934, P < 0.001). A correlation between the EHI by 3D scanning and the external measurements by profile gauge was found for PE (Pearson coefficient = 0.663, P < 0.001) but not for PC.

CONCLUSIONS

Excellent results were observed as soon as the sixth month for both PE and PC. Measurement of protrusion is a reliable monitoring tool at clinical consultation but caution is required for PC as it does not appear to be correlated to the HI by MRI.
Characterizing COVID-19 transmission risk factors among frontline health-care workers using the WHO risk assessment tool: insights from a tertiary care center in South India
Authors: Moni Melin , Kulirankal Kiran G , Prasanna Preetha , Mary Ann , Thomas Elizabeth Mary , Sreelakshmi R , Sundaram Rejitha P , Babu Binil , Bindu Veena , Edathadathil Fabia , Madathil Sai Bala , Beena K V , Sathyapalan Dipu T
Published: June 2023

Background

The objective of this study was to assess the exposure risk factors for transmission of and subsequent infection caused by Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (COVID-19) among the frontline health-care workers (HCWs) in a South Indian tertiary care center during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods

This retrospective, observational study was conducted over a period of 6 months, from June 2020 to November 2020. Participants included HCWs who completed a risk assessment to identify encounters with COVID-19-positive individuals using a modified World Health Organization COVID-19 risk assessment tool.

Results

A total of 4744 HCWs who had exposure to COVID-19-positive individuals were assessed during the study period. There were 942 (19.8%) participants identified as having had high-risk exposure and 3802 (80.2%) identified as having had low-risk exposure. There were 106 (2.2%) participants who became infected with COVID-19 during the surveillance period of 14 days; 4.8% of high risk and 1.5% of low risk tested positive. Among the HCWs working in high-risk COVID-19 areas, only one HCW had contracted the illness (N = 1, 0.9%). Shared spaces (70%) and infection protection and control breaches (66%) were found to be highly prevalent modes of exposure in the COVID-19-positive cohort. The attack rate among COVID-19 cluster groups (two or more confirmed or probable cases of COVID-19 who are linked by the same location of exposure) (5.5%) was higher than the attack rate (2.2%) noted among the total contacts screened, and no significant association was observed between risk categories in the clustered groups.

Conclusion

This study highlights higher risk of COVID-19 positivity among high-risk contacts as compared to low-risk contacts.
A retrospective evaluation of a multidisciplinary management strategy implemented to optimize outpatient care, hospitalization rates and clinical outcomes in a single-centre cohort of COVID-19-positive pregnant women in Australia during the Omicron BA.1 surge
Authors: Bishop Emma Jane , Ford Jolyon , Rosengarten Pamela , McGee Fergus , Griffin Kelly , Churchill Travis , Sehu Marjoree M
Published: June 2023

Background

During the Omicron BA.1 surge between 12 January and 18 February 2022, 189 COVID-19-positive pregnant women were managed by the Peninsula Health Positive Pathways program, in the Mornington Peninsula, Victoria, Australia. A multidisciplinary specialist team was rapidly assembled to work in conjunction with the Pathways COVID-19 physicians and monitoring team, to optimize patient care.

Objective

The aim is to describe the processes utilized to care for the pregnancy cohort from the time of enrolment to the COVID Monitor until recovery including outpatient monitoring, treatment strategies, hospital review criteria, and clinical outcomes including rate of hospitalization, oxygen requirements, and maternal and foetal outcomes during the study period.

Method

Outpatients were monitored daily by the Pathways program, while COVID-19 physicians and obstetricians conducted early telehealth review of patients after diagnosis. Members of the multidisciplinary team met on a virtual platform twice daily, and institution-specific treatment guidelines and hospital review criteria were established. Enoxaparin prophylaxis was delivered to the homes of selected patients, and inhaled budesonide was utilized for patients who did not require oxygen, who were immunocompromised, and who had significant respiratory symptoms or risk factors for deterioration. Sotrovimab was offered to women as per the existing Australian National COVID-19 Clinical Evidence Taskforce eligibility criteria. A service evaluation was undertaken adopting a retrospective cohort approach.

Results

There was minimal maternal morbidity and no mortality with 24/189 (12.7%) women requiring hospitalization, 18/189 (9.5%) requiring same-day emergency department presentations only, and 4/189 (2.1%) requiring oxygen, with no requirement for non-invasive ventilation or intensive care unit admission. Sixteen patients delivered live newborns during the study period, and there were two pregnancy losses at 7 and 19 weeks gestation, respectively, in patients with prior pregnancy complications.

Conclusion

A multidisciplinary approach involving virtual communication twice daily between treating specialist physicians may be a broadly applicable model to optimize care of pregnant women with COVID-19.
Media Choice and Response Patterns to Questions About Political Knowledge
Authors: Asano Taka-aki
Published: June 2023

Previous studies have examined not only whether people answer correctly to questions about political knowledge, but also whether “don’t know” (DK) is a response that implies low self-confidence in their knowledge. However, while it has become clear that different people have accurate knowledge in different topics, there has been little discussion of whether knowledge on specific facts promotes self-confidence. Furthermore, it is believed that people learn about politics through news media, but it is unclear whether the type of media consumption correlates with patterns of correct, incorrect, or DK responses on political knowledge questions. We conducted a survey that asks about knowledge on a variety of topics, such as the political system and current affairs, to (1) categorize patterns of correct, incorrect, and DK answers, and (2) examine their relationship to media choices. We find that those who read newspapers or online news are more knowledgeable about the political system and tend not to choose DK even on questions about knowledge they do not know accurately. In contrast, those who gain knowledge of current issues from watching TV have less confidence in their knowledge and answer DK to questions for which they do not know the correct answer.
Does the Glucocorticoid Stress Response Make Toads More Toxic? An Experimental Study on the Regulation of Bufadienolide Toxin Synthesis
Authors: Üveges B , Kalina C , Szabó K , Móricz Á M , Holly D , Gabor C R , Hettyey A , Bókony V
Published: June 2023

Synopsis

Chemical defense is a crucial component of fitness in many organisms, yet the physiological regulation of defensive toxin synthesis is poorly understood, especially in vertebrates. Bufadienolides, the main defensive compounds of toads, are toxic to many predators and other natural enemies, and their synthesis can be upregulated by stressors, including predation risk, high conspecific density, and pollutants. Thus, higher toxin content may be the consequence of a general endocrine stress response in toads. Therefore, we hypothesized that bufadienolide synthesis may be stimulated by elevated levels of corticosterone (CORT), the main glucocorticoid hormone of amphibians, or by upstream regulators that stimulate CORT production. To test these alternatives, we treated common toad tadpoles with exogenous CORT (exoCORT) or metyrapone (MTP, a CORT-synthesis inhibitor that stimulates upstream regulators of CORT by negative feedback) in the presence or absence of predation cues for 2 or 6 days, and subsequently measured their CORT release rates and bufadienolide content. We found that CORT release rates were elevated by exoCORT, and to a lesser extent also by MTP, regardless of treatment length. Bufadienolide content was significantly decreased by treatment with exoCORT for 6 days but was unaffected by exposure to exoCORT for 2 days or to MTP for either 6 or 2 days. The presence or absence of predation cues affected neither CORT release rate nor bufadienolide content. Our results suggest that changes in bufadienolide synthesis in response to environmental challenges are not driven by CORT but may rather be regulated by upstream hormones of the stress response.
High-Density Geometric Morphometric Analysis of Intraspecific Cranial Integration in the Barred Grass Snake (Natrix helvetica) and Green Anole (Anolis carolinensis)
Authors: Tharakan S , Shepherd N , Gower D J , Stanley E L , Felice R N , Goswami A , Watanabe A
Published: June 2023

Synopsis

How do phenotypic associations intrinsic to an organism, such as developmental and mechanical processes, direct morphological evolution? Comparisons of intraspecific and clade-wide patterns of phenotypic covariation could inform how population-level trends ultimately dictate macroevolutionary changes. However, most studies have focused on analyzing integration and modularity either at macroevolutionary or intraspecific levels, without a shared analytical framework unifying these temporal scales. In this study, we investigate the intraspecific patterns of cranial integration in two squamate species: Natrix helvetica and Anolis carolinensis. We analyze their cranial integration patterns using the same high-density three-dimensional geometric morphometric approach used in a prior squamate-wide evolutionary study. Our results indicate that Natrix and Anolis exhibit shared intraspecific cranial integration patterns, with some differences, including a more integrated rostrum in the latter. Notably, these differences in intraspecific patterns correspond to their respective interspecific patterns in snakes and lizards, with few exceptions. These results suggest that interspecific patterns of cranial integration reflect intraspecific patterns. Hence, our study suggests that the phenotypic associations that direct morphological variation within species extend across micro- and macroevolutionary levels, bridging these two scales.
Adaptive E-Learning and Dyslexia: an Empirical Evaluation and Recommendations for Future Work
Authors: Alghabban Weam Gaoud , Hendley Robert
Published: June 2023

Adaptive e-learning is becoming increasingly popular as a tool to help learners with dyslexia. It provides more customized learning experiences based on the learners’ characteristics. Each learner with dyslexia has unique characteristics for which material should ideally be suitably tailored. However, adaptation to the characteristics of learners with dyslexia—in particular, their dyslexia type and reading skill level—is limited. By examining the learning effectiveness of adaptation of learning material based on the learner’s type of dyslexia and reading skill, this study fills a knowledge vacuum in this under-researched area. An empirical evaluation through a controlled experiment with 47 Arabic subjects has been undertaken and assessed using the following metrics: learning gain and learner satisfaction. The findings reveal that adapting learning material to the combination of dyslexia type and reading skill level yields significantly better short- and long-term learning gains and improves the learners’ satisfaction compared to non-adapted material. There is evidence that this benefit also extends to how well learners read unseen material. This paper also discusses implications and important avenues for future research and practice related to how adaptation influences learners with dyslexia.