bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Physiology and proteomics analyses reveal the response mechanisms of Rhizophora mucronata seedlings to prolonged complete submergence
Authors: Piro A. , Mazzuca S. , Phandee S. , Jenke M. , Buapet P.
Published: January 2023

Mangrove seedlings are subject to natural tidal inundation, while occasional flooding may lead to complete submergence. Complete submergence reduces light availability and limits gas exchange, affecting several plant metabolic processes. The present study focuses on Rhizophora mucronata, a common mangrove species found along the coasts of Thailand and the Malay Peninsula.

To reveal response mechanisms of R. mucronata seedlings to submergence, a physiological investigation coupled with proteomic analyses of leaf and root tissues was carried out in plants subjected to 20 days of control (drained) or submerged conditions.

Submerged seedlings showed decreased photosynthetic activity, lower stomatal conductance, higher total antioxidant capacity in leaves and higher lipid peroxidation in roots than control plants. At the same time, tissue nutrient ion content displayed organ‐specific responses. Proteome analysis revealed a significant change in 240 proteins in the leaves and 212 proteins in the roots. In leaves, most differentially accumulated proteins (DAPs) are associated with nucleic acids, stress response, protein transport, signal transduction, development and photosynthesis. In roots, most DAPs are associated with protein metabolic process, response to abiotic stimulus, nucleic acid metabolism and transport.

Our study provides a comprehensive understanding of submergence responses in R. mucronata seedlings. The results suggest that submergence induced multifaceted stresses related to light limitation, oxidative stress and osmotic stress, but the responses are organ specific. The results revealed many candidate proteins which may be essential for survival of R. mucronata under prolonged submergence.
Microbiome and metabolome reveal the metabolic and microbial variations induced by depression and constipation
Authors: Liu Xiaojie , Zhao Ziyu , Fan Yuhui , Zhao Di , Wang Yaze , Lv Meng , Qin Xuemei
Published: January 2023

Background

Depressed patients are often accompanied with constipation symptoms, and vice versa. However, the underlying mechanisms of such a bidirectional correlation have remained elusive. We aim to reveal the possible correlations between depression and constipation from the perspectives of gut microbiome and plasma metabolome.

Methods

We constructed the depressed model and the constipated model of rats, respectively. First, we measured the locomotor activity status and the gastrointestinal functions of rats. And then, nuclear magnetic resonance plasma metabolomics was applied to reveal the shared and the unique metabolites of depression and constipation. In addition, 16 S ribosomal RNA gene sequencing was used to detect the impacts of constipation and depression on gut microbiota of rats. Finally, a multiscale and multifactorial network, that is, the ‘phenotypes ‐ differential metabolites ‐ microbial biomarkers’ integrated network, was constructed to visualise the mechanisms of connections between depression and constipation.

Results

We found that spontaneous locomotor activity and gastrointestinal functions of both depressed rats and constipated rats significantly decreased. Further, eight metabolites and 14 metabolites were associated depression and constipation, respectively. Among them, seven metabolites and four metabolic pathways were shared by constipation and depression, mainly perturbing energy metabolism and amino acid metabolism. Additionally, depression and constipation significantly disordered the functions and the compositions of gut microbiota of rats, and decreased the ratio of Firmicutes to Bacteroidetes.

Conclusion

The current findings provide multiscale and multifactorial perspectives for understanding the correlations between depression and constipation, and demonstrate new mechanisms of comorbidity of depression and constipation.
Ethnography, Incongruity, History: Soviet Poetic Cinema
Authors: Papazian Elizabeth A.
Published: January 2023

This essay examines the entangling of the poetic and the ethnographic in the art cinema of the 1960s as an indicator of a broader collision of epistemological/discursive regimes in postwar Soviet cinema—and ultimately, a clash between two fundamentally opposed approaches to the discursive production of history. In the Soviet poetic cinema of the 1960s, the temporal‐spatial frameworks of the Stalin era are disrupted, shifting first of all, to what Tarkovsky called a lived experience of time—that is, to the subjective emotions and experiences of individual people; second, to localized histories that may not coincide with the supra‐national Soviet developmental narrative; and third, to the positing of an archaic, even pre‐historical temporality as a kind of lost ideal. I argue that poetic cinema serves as a site for playing out the contradiction among temporalities and spatialities in post‐Stalin culture, and therefore among opposed sense‐making projects and representational modes, creating the possibility for subverting the colonial function of Soviet cinema.
Remove unwanted variation retrieves unknown experimental designs
Authors: Lönnstedt Ingrid M. , Speed Terence P.
Published: January 2023

Remove unwanted variation (RUV) is an estimation and normalization system in which the underlying correlation structure of a multivariate dataset is estimated from negative control measurements, typically gene expression values, which are assumed to stay constant across experimental conditions. In this paper we derive the weight matrix which is estimated and incorporated into the generalized least squares estimates of RUV‐inverse, and show that this weight matrix estimates the average covariance matrix across negative control measurements. RUV‐inverse can thus be viewed as an estimation method adjusting for an unknown experimental design. We show that for a balanced incomplete block design (BIBD), RUV‐inverse recovers intra‐ and interblock estimates of the relevant parameters and combines them as a weighted sum just like the best linear unbiased estimator (BLUE), except that the weights are globally estimated from the negative control measurements instead of being individually optimized to each measurement as in the classical, single measurement BIBD BLUE.
Disrupted interoception in Military Service Members and Veterans with a history of suicidality
Authors: Smith April R. , Witte Tracy K. , Grunewald William , Kinkel‐Ram Shruti , Santivasci Celeste , Crosby Eric , Williams Tammy , Esche Aaron , Tubman David , Dretsch Michael
Published: January 2023

Introduction

This project tested whether Service Members (SM) and Veterans with current suicidal ideation or a history of suicide attempt had greater interoceptive dysfunction than SM and Veterans with past or no suicidal ideation.

Method

Participants (N = 195; 69% male) were SM (62%) and Veterans (38%) who completed measures of suicidal thoughts and behaviors and subjective and objective interoceptive dysfunction. Participants were split into the following suicide groups: no suicidality, lifetime ideation, current ideation, and past attempt. Planned orthogonal contrasts tested for differences.

Results

The combined suicidality group (lifetime ideation, current ideation, or past attempt) had worse body trust relative to the no suicidality group, and the current ideation group had worse body trust relative to those with lifetime ideation. Those with a history of suicide attempt had worse body appreciation than the combined group of ideators, and those with current ideation had worse body appreciation relative to those with lifetime ideation. The groups did not differ on objective interoception.

Conclusion

Interoception is disrupted among individuals with suicidality histories within a predominantly male‐identified military sample. Individuals with current suicidal ideation had both worse body trust and appreciation relative to those with past ideation. Suicide risk assessments may benefit from including questions related to body trust.
Simulating urban land‐use change based on the multi‐hierarchal planning–environment interaction process
Authors: Yang Jing , Sun Yizhong , Zhu Jie , Song Shuying
Published: January 2023

Urban land‐use change is the result of coupling interaction between planning and environment systems. The aim of our study was to construct an effective model to show how the urban land‐use changes under the planning–environment interaction system with multi‐hierarchy and major function oriented zoning. Combining the Cellular automata (CA) model with logistic regression model, the proposed multi‐hierarchal vector CA model (MH‐VCA3) was constructed by mining multi‐hierarchal land‐use transition rules under the planning–environment interaction system. Taking Jiangyin City (China) as an example, we compared the simulated result of the proposed model to those of the well‐accepted Logistic CA and traditional multi‐level CA models to demonstrate the effectiveness of the consideration of top‐down decomposition constraint and bottom‐up updating. Furthermore, by simulating the land‐use changes under different population regionalization scenarios, we found that in order to form the spatial pattern of “agglomeration in the north and ecology in the south,” the planned population growth at the global hierarchal level should be allocated to the district units according to the law of Central district > Chengxi district > Chengdong district > Chengnan district > Chengdongnan district. The proposed model is expected to provide scientific support for the formulation of urban planning schemes in the future.
The geographies of colonial infrastructures: Mobility, im/materiality, and politics on walking trails in the Middle East
Authors: Mason Olivia
Published: January 2023

The past 20 years have seen an expansion of walking trails across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, including the Abraham Path, Palestine Heritage Trail, Jordan Trail, Israel National Trail, Lebanon Mountain Trail, and Sinai Trail. Many of those who walk these trails do so primarily for leisure, yet to relegate these trails to being merely cultural or leisure sites is to miss the less visible but equally important entanglements of space, mobility, and colonialism. The growth of these trails coincides with a context of (post)colonial and settler‐colonial mobility restrictions and the associated material and imagined infrastructures that control that movement. By attending to the im/material and state/embodied tensions of walking trails, this paper demonstrates how an innocuous‐looking site can enrich understanding of infrastructures and work exploring the mobilities and temporalities of colonialism. To understand the relationships between infrastructure and colonialism through walking trails, I employ a mixed‐method approach combining participant observation, interviews, and discourse analysis of official material pertaining to trails. Such an approach enables the productive tension between official narratives and experiences to emerge. In doing so, this paper makes three arguments surrounding the geographies of colonial infrastructures. First, how nationalism is embedded in the mobilities of trails. Second, how exploring the intimacies of infrastructure can highlight ongoing connections of capitalism and colonialism. Third, how infrastructure might be refused and imagined otherwise. In these mobilities, intimacies, and refusals an expanded geography of colonial infrastructure emerges that makes two broader contributions to geographical scholarship. First, the need to centre attention on the MENA region beyond dominant foci that orientate more readily around state or geo/political practices. Second, how a focus on walking trails centres a site in which the discursive and representative is in constant relationship and tension with the experiential and embodied.
Seroepidemiological study of Toxoplasma gondii in equids in different European countries
Authors: Cano‐Terriza David , Franco Juan J. , Jose‐Cunilleras Eduard , Buono Francesco , Almería Sonia , Veneziano Vincenzo , Alguacil Eduardo , García Jesús , Villena Isabelle , Dubey Jitender P. , Jiménez‐Martín Débora , García‐Bocanegra Ignacio
Published: January 2023

Toxoplasmosis, caused by the obligate intracellular protozoan Toxoplasma gondii, is a worldwide parasitic zoonosis. A cross‐sectional study was carried out to determine the exposure to T. gondii in equids in Europe. Serum samples from 1399 equids (1085 horses, 238 donkeys, and 76 mules/hinnies) bred in four European countries (Italy, Spain, United Kingdom [UK], and Ireland) were collected during the period of 2013–2021. The overall seroprevalence of T. gondii was 18.9% (95% Confidence Interval [CI]: 16.9–21.0) by using the modified agglutination test (MAT) at a cut‐off of 1:25. Seropositivity by country was 27.1% in Italy, 16.6% in Spain, 12.0% in UK and 7.0% in Ireland. Anti‐T. gondii antibodies were detected in 12.8% of the horses, 43.7% of the donkeys, and in 28.9% of the mules/hinnies. A Generalized Estimating Equation (GEE) analysis was carried out to study the associations between seropositivity and explanatory variables related to individuals, herds, and management measures on these herds, selected based on the bivariate analysis. The risk for being seropositive for T. gondii was 5.3 and 2.7 times higher in donkeys and mules/hinnies than in horses, respectively. In addition, significantly higher seropositivity was observed in horses from herds that used disinfectants less than once a week (13.9%; p = 0.038, odds ratio [OR] = 1.6; 95% CI: 1.03–2.62) compared with those from herds that performed weekly disinfection of the facilities (9.4%). This is the first large‐scale seroepidemiological study on T. gondii comprising horses, donkeys, and mules/hinnies in Europe and the first report of T. gondii exposure in horses from Ireland and UK. We found a widespread distribution of T. gondii among equid populations in different European countries. The seroprevalence found in these species, especially in donkeys and mules/hinnies, highlights the potential risk of human infection through the consumption of their raw/undercooked milk or meat.
“People on TikTok aren’t afraid to share stories”: Examining College Students’ Perceptions Regarding Self-Disclosure Behaviors on TikTok
Authors: Brammer Sydney Elaine , Martinez Ryan J. , Punyanunt-Carter Narissra Maria
Published: January 2023

This study is an investigation into undergraduate students’ (N = 256) use of TikTok and perceptions surrounding self-disclosure on the social media platform. Online survey responses regarding mood management theory, uses and gratifications theory, and self-perception were used to identify some of the reasons that users may self-disclose on the platform. Further, the impacts of self-disclosure on self-esteem, belonging, and self-validation were assessed. Implications point to a need for a more comprehensive look at platform use as it affects the self, the self as seen by others, and how self-disclosure impacts important perceptions of worth and wellbeing.
A simple method for studying asymptotic stability of discrete dynamical systems and its applications
Authors: Hoang Manh Tuan , Ngo Thi Kim Quy , Truong Ha Hai
Published: January 2023

In this work, we introduce a simple method for investigating the asymptotic stability of discrete dynamical systems, which can be considered as an extension of the classical Lyapunov's indirect method. This method is constructed based on the classical Lyapunov's indirect method and the idea proposed by Ghaffari and Lasemi in a recent work. The new method can be applicable even when equilibia of dynamical systems are non-hyperbolic. Hence, in many cases, the classical Lyapunov's indirect method fails but the new one can be used simply. In addition, by combining the new stability method with the Mickens' methodology, we formulate some nonstandard finite difference (NSFD) methods which are able to preserve the asymptotic stability of some classes of differential equation models even when they have non-hyperbolic equilibrium points. As an important consequence, some well-known results on stability-preserving NSFD schemes for autonomous dynamical systems are improved and extended. Finally, a set of numerical examples are performed to illustrate and support the theoretical findings.
On Propagation of Material Property Uncertainty Through Signal Energy-Based Acoustic Source Localization in an Orthotropic Plate
Authors: Sen Novonil
Published: January 2023

A framework for quantifying the uncertainty propagating through the signal energy-based acoustic source localization approach in an orthotropic plate under an uncertainty in the properties of the plate material is presented. Seven mechanical properties of an orthotropic plate material, namely, density and six elastic constants, are considered as lognormally distributed and mutually independent random variables (RVs) with a fixed coefficient of variation for all seven random variables. Their means are considered such that the “mean” plate exhibits a strong anisotropy. Using Latin hypercube sampling, several design points in lognormal spaces of these random variables are selected. For each design point, an acoustic event is simulated in the corresponding plate using finite element analyses. The signal energy-based approach is applied to localize the acoustic source for each design point. The localization error for each design point is taken as the “response,” and a regression kriging metamodel is constructed through these response values at the design points. Monte Carlo (MC) points are selected in lognormal spaces of the random variables, and the response values at these Monte Carlo points are estimated using the regression kriging metamodel. The distribution parameters of the so-obtained response values are computed. Finally, a global sensitivity analysis of the random variables is carried out by computing the Sobol’ indices.
Influences of Engineering Student Backgrounds and Experiences on Conceptions of Product Design
Authors: Hoffenson Steven , Corby Adam , Zheng Steven , Pitterson Nicole
Published: January 2023

In undergraduate engineering programs, recent emphasis has been placed on a more holistic, interdisciplinary approach to engineering education. Some programs now teach product design within the context of the market, extending the curriculum to topics outside of scientific labs and computational analysis. However, it is unknown to what extent engineering students already understand the systems and contextual factors associated with product design, and also what characteristics or experiences have led students to these ways of thinking. This study analyzes survey and concept map data collected from 154 students in a third-year engineering design course. The aim is to understand how student backgrounds and experiences influence their mental models of product design. Data were gathered from surveys on student backgrounds and experiences, along with concept maps that were generated by the students at the beginning of a product design course. The concept maps were analyzed in a quantitative manner for structural and thematic elements. The findings show that several background attributes influence student conceptions of product design. Academic major appeared to have the largest impact on a variety of variables. Additionally, prior work experience, enrollment in a master’s program, and the presence of an engineering role model at home all showed significant impacts on design conceptions. By analyzing and understanding how the unique backgrounds of students lead to differences in thought, educators can adjust their curricula to more effectively teach design concepts to students of various backgrounds and experiences.
Single-Motor and Dual-Axis Solar Tracking System for Micro Photovoltaic Power Plants
Authors: Karabiber Abdulkerim , Güneş Yunus
Published: January 2023

Photovoltaic (PV) panels convert solar radiation into electrical energy in a clean and cost-effective way. PV panels are positioned against the Sun using fixed or solar tracking systems to generate electricity at maximum efficiency. Although solar tracking systems work with higher power efficiency than fixed solar systems, they do not attract commercial attention due to their high investment and maintenance costs. In this study, a single-motor and dual-axis solar tracking system called asymmetric solar tracker (AST) was designed. The most significant innovation of AST is the adjustable asymmetrical stand that carries the PV panels. Thanks to its asymmetrical stand, AST does not need concrete or heavy metal construction to carry PV panels, as in traditional solar tracking systems. In addition, AST can track the Sun on the dual axis by moving on a single axis owing to its asymmetrical stand. These features make AST approximately as cost-effective as fixed solar systems and as efficient as dual-axis solar tracking systems. As an experimental study, an AST for two PV panels was fabricated and compared with a fixed solar system under different weather conditions. A microcontroller was employed to control the AST and light-dependent resistor (LDR) sensors were used to track the instant position of the Sun. Experimental results reveal that, depending on the weather conditions, AST increases the daily electrical energy produced by PV panels between 25% and 38% compared to the fixed solar system.
Quantum frequency interferometry: With applications ranging from gravitational wave detection to dark matter searches
Authors: Howl R. , Fuentes I.
Published: January 2023

We introduce a quantum interferometric scheme that uses states that are sharp in frequency and delocalized in position. The states are frequency modes of a quantum field that is trapped at all times in a finite volume potential, such as a small box potential. This allows for significant miniaturization of interferometric devices. Since the modes are in contact at all times, it is possible to estimate physical parameters of global multimode channels. As an example, we introduce a three-mode scheme and calculate precision bounds in the estimation of parameters of two-mode Gaussian channels. This scheme can be implemented in several systems, including superconducting circuits, cavity-QED, and cold atoms. We consider a concrete implementation using the ground state and two phononic modes of a trapped Bose–Einstein condensate. We apply this to show that frequency interferometry can improve the sensitivity of phononic gravitational waves detectors by several orders of magnitude, even in the case that squeezing is much smaller than assumed previously, and that the system suffers from short phononic lifetimes. Other applications range from magnetometry, gravimetry, and gradiometry to dark matter/energy searches.
“A call to action”: Schrödinger's representation of quantum mechanics via Hamilton's principle
Authors: Marrocco Michele
Published: January 2023

A few years ago, one of the former Editors of this journal launched “a call to action” (E. F. Taylor, Am. J. Phys. 71, 423–425 (2003)) for a revision of teaching methods in physics in order to emphasize the importance of the principle of least action. In response, we suggest the use of Hamilton's principle of stationary action to introduce the Schrödinger equation. When considering the geometric interpretation of the Hamilton–Jacobi theory, the real part of the action S defines the phase of the wave function exp iS/ℏ, and requiring the Hamilton–Jacobi wave function to obey wave-front propagation (i.e., Re(S) is a constant of the motion) yields the Schrödinger equation.
Contemplating Electromagnetic Phenomena in Lived Experience Through Somatic Meditation
Authors: Krusberg Zosia , Coalson Elam , Feldman Andrew
Published: January 2023

One of the objectives of the undergraduate physics curriculum is for students to become aware of the connections between formal physical principles and personal experience. However, research has shown that awareness of connections between the abstract and the experiential tends to deteriorate, sometimes significantly, after instruction in undergraduate physics courses. Although this phenomenon has been discussed extensively in the literature, few pedagogical interventions have been designed or implemented to address this particular weakness in undergraduate physics instruction.
Picometer measurements of strain coefficients by quadrature interferometry and lock-in amplification
Authors: Nilson Alec , Wick Kurt
Published: January 2023

Modulated strain displacements were measured with a quadrature Michelson–Morley interferometer employing polarization optics and two lock-in amplifiers to filter noise and thermal drift. The advantages of the technique, its limitations, and estimates on the accuracy are discussed, including an algorithm to correct for non-ideal components and non-linear effects. Instructions for the construction and setup of the quadrature interferometer are provided. To test the interferometer, the dynamic converse piezoelectric effect was used, and by modulating the electric field across the sample, the d14 strain coefficient for x-cut quartz was determined to be 0.66±0.04 pC/N, which is within 1.5 standard deviations of the accepted standard. The measurements had a standard deviation of 4.1 pm, resulting in standard errors as low as 5 fm/V after fitting.
An even more “harmonic” version of Kepler’s third law
Authors: LoPresto Michael C.
Published: January 2023

One way to encourage interest in students of introductory, general education astronomy courses is to explore how some of the topics can relate to other subjects. Many students have experience with music, having participated in band or choir in high school, with some still doing so in college. Many such students enjoy hearing about Kepler’s attempts to relate his study of planetary orbits to musical notes and scales.
The Effect of Complex Training on Physical Performance in Rugby League Players
Authors: Scott David J. , Ditroilo Massimiliano , Orange Samuel T. , Marshall Phil
Published: January 2023

Purpose: To compare the effects of variable-resistance complex training (VRCT) versus traditional complex training (TCT) on strength, power, speed, and leg stiffness (Kleg) in rugby league players during a 6-week mesocycle. Methods: Twenty-four rugby league players competing in the British University and Colleges Sport Premier North Division were randomized to VRCT (n = 8), TCT (n = 8), or control (CON; n = 8). Experimental groups completed a 6-week lower-body complex training intervention (2×/wk) that involved alternating high-load resistance exercise with plyometric exercise within the same session. The VRCT group performed resistance exercises at 70% of 1-repetition maximum (1RM) + 0% to 23% of 1RM from band resistance with a 90-second intracontrast rest interval, whereas the TCT group performed resistance exercise at 93% of 1RM with a 4-minute intracontrast rest interval. Back-squat 1RM, countermovement jump peak power, reactive strength index, sprint times, and Kleg were assessed pretraining and posttraining. Results: VRCT and TCT significantly improved 1RM back squat, countermovement jump peak power, and 5-m sprint time (all P < .05). VRCT also improved Kleg, whereas TCT improved 10- and 20-m sprint times (all P < .05). Between groups, both VRCT and TCT improved 1RM back squat compared with CON (both P < .001). Additionally, VRCT improved Kleg compared with CON (right leg: P = .016) and TCT improved 20-m sprint time compared with CON (P = .042). Conclusions: VRCT and TCT can be implemented during the competitive season to improve strength, power, and 5-m sprint time. VRCT may lead to greater improvements in reactive strength index and Kleg, whereas TCT may enhance 10- and 20-m sprint times.
Impact of Resistance Training Volume on Physical and Perceptual Outcomes of Breast Cancer Survivors Submitted to a Combined Training Program: A Randomized, Single-Blinded Study
Authors: Calonego Chaiane , Alberton Cristine Lima , Santagnello Samarita Beraldo , Schaun Gustavo Zaccaria , Petrarca Cristiane Rios , Umpierre Daniel , Portella Elisa Gouvêa , Andrade Luana Siqueira , Pinheiro Rochele Barboza , Gomes Maria Laura Brizio , Häfele Mariana Silva , David Gabriela Barreto , Pinto Ronei Silveira , Henkin João Saldanha , Pinto Stephanie Santana
Published: January 2023

Background: To determine the effect of resistance training volume on physical and perceptual outcomes of breast cancer survivors submitted to a combined training program. Design: Randomized single-blinded study. Methods: Nineteen breast cancer survivor women were randomized to a single-set (SS) or a multiple-set (MS) group. Both groups completed an 8-week combined training intervention in which the SS and MS groups performed 1 and 3 sets per resistance exercise, respectively. The following outcomes were assessed preintervention and postintervention: maximal knee extension dynamic strength (1-repetition maximum), quadriceps muscle thickness, peak oxygen uptake, time to exhaustion, cancer-related fatigue, and quality of life. Results: Both interventions increased knee extension 1-repetition maximum (SS: 29.8% [37.5%]; MS: 19.3% [11.8%]), quadriceps muscle thickness (9.4% [4.1%]; 8.9% [5.9%]), and quality of life (4.3% [6.3%]; 7.9% [9.0%]), with no difference between the groups. However, only MS improved cancer-related fatigue (−2.1% [1.7%]) and time to exhaustion (21.3% [14.9%]), whereas peak oxygen uptake remained unchanged in both groups. Conclusions: Cancer-related fatigue and time to exhaustion, improved only in the MS group after the intervention. On the other hand, similar knee extension 1-repetition maximum, quadriceps muscle thickness, and quality of life improvements were observed in breast cancer survivors irrespective of the resistance training volume performed.
Altered Ankle Muscle Activation at 2-Year Post Achilles Tendon Repair: An Age, Gender, and Activity Level-Matched Comparison With Healthy Subjects
Authors: Tan Fırat , Guney-Deniz Hande , Harput Gulcan , Ulusoy Burak , Dönmez Gürhan , Nyland John , Doral Mahmut N.
Published: January 2023

Context: The study purpose was to compare the ankle muscle activation and dynamic ankle joint stability of subjects who underwent endoscopy-assisted Achilles tendon repair (ATR; at ≥ 2 y postsurgery) with age, gender, and activity level-matched healthy control group subjects. Design: Prospective, cross-sectional study. All functional tests were performed on the involved ankle of the ATR group, and at the matched side of healthy age, gender, and activity-level control group subjects. Methods: Fifteen men in each group were evaluated for medial and lateral gastrocnemius, soleus, tibialis anterior, and peroneus longus muscle activation during modified star excursion balance test and heel-rise test performance. The weight-bearing lunge test (ankle dorsiflexion) and heel-rise test distance (ankle plantar flexion) also determined weight-bearing, active ankle mobility magnitudes. The Achilles Tendon Total Rupture Score and Foot and Ankle Outcome Score provided patient-reported outcome perceptions specific to Achilles tendon rupture and comprehensive foot and ankle symptoms and function, respectively. Results: Medial (P = .005) and lateral (P = .012) gastrocnemius displayed greater activation amplitudes in the ATR group during the star excursion balance test, and peroneus longus displayed greater activation amplitudes during the heel-rise test (P = .006). The star excursion balance test reach distance was comparable between groups. Active weight-bearing ankle plantar flexion (heel-rise test) and dorsiflexion (weight-bearing lunge test) mobility magnitudes were lower in the ATR group. Conclusions: Subjects who underwent endoscopy-assisted percutaneous ATR had reduced active weight-bearing ankle dorsiflexion and plantar flexion mobility magnitudes and greater gastrocnemius and peroneus longus neuromuscular activation when performing the same tasks as healthy control group subjects. As surgical approaches evolve to less invasive, soft tissue preserving methods with less tissue morbidity and faster healing, rehabilitation approaches may likewise need to evolve. Level of Evidence: Level III.
Activity of Oral Tebipenem-Avibactam in a Mouse Model of Mycobacterium abscessus Lung Infection
Authors: Negatu Dereje A. , González del Río Rubén , Cacho-Izquierdo Mónica , Barros-Aguirre David , Lelievre Joël , Rullas Joaquín , Casado Patricia , Ganapathy Uday S. , Zimmerman Matthew D. , Gengenbacher Martin , Dartois Véronique , Dick Thomas
Published: January 2023

The combination of the β-lactam tebipenem and the β-lactamase inhibitor avibactam shows potent bactericidal activity against
Mycobacterium abscessus
in vitro
. Here, we report that the combination of the respective oral prodrugs tebipenem-pivoxil and avibactam ARX-1796 showed efficacy in a mouse model of
M. abscessus
lung infection.
Metagenome-Assembled Genome of a Novel
Cyclobacteriaceae
Epibiont of a Heterotrophic Diazotroph
Authors: DeMers Michelle , Graham Elaina D. , Heidelberg John F. , Webb Eric A.
Published: January 2023

Here, we describe the metagenome-assembled genome (MAG) HetDA_MAG_SS2, in the family
Cyclobacteriaceae
. It was found in association with a HetDA cyanobiont isolated from a Station ALOHA
Trichodesmium
colony. Annotation suggests that HetDA_MAG_SS2 is a chemoorganoheterotroph with the potential for lithoheterotrophy, containing genes for aerobic respiration, mixed acid fermentation, dissimilatory nitrate reduction to ammonium, and sulfide oxidation.
Complete Genome Sequence of Theileria equi NVSL354
Authors: Grimsley Malissa , Hicks Jessica , Zeineldin Mohamed , Murphy Gleeson , Sigafoose Teresa
Published: January 2023

We are reporting the nearly complete genome of
Theileria equi
(Piroplasmida, Apicomplexa), which contains four nuclear chromosomes, a mitochondrial genome, and an apicoplast from the NVSL354 reference isolate. This report includes all six genetic molecules.
Multifactorial Microvariability of the Italian Raw Milk Cheese Microbiota and Implication for Current Regulatory Scheme
Authors: Fontana Federico , Longhi Giulia , Alessandri Giulia , Lugli Gabriele Andrea , Mancabelli Leonardo , Tarracchini Chiara , Viappiani Alice , Anzalone Rosaria , Ventura Marco , Turroni Francesca , Milani Christian
Published: January 2023

The Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) guarantees the traceability of food production processes, and that the production takes place in a well-defined restricted geographical area. Nevertheless, the organoleptic qualities of the same dairy products, i.e., cheeses under the same PDO denomination, differ between manufacturers.
Adjunctive Probio-X Treatment Enhances the Therapeutic Effect of a Conventional Drug in Managing Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus by Promoting Short-Chain Fatty Acid-Producing Bacteria and Bile Acid Pathways
Authors: Chen Ye , Shen Xin , Ma Teng , Yu Xia , Kwok Lai-Yu , Li Yalin , Sun Zhihong , Li Dongmei , Zhang Heping
Published: January 2023

Metformin causes variable adverse gastrointestinal effects, especially after prolonged treatment. We found that cotreatment with Probio-X and metformin for the management of type 2 diabetes mellitus may promote gut SCFA-producing bacteria and the levels of specific bile acids, thus increasing the secretion of related gastrointestinal hormones and ultimately improving glucose homeostasis.
Clinical and Environmental Vibrio cholerae Non-O1, Non-O139 Strains from Australia Have Similar Virulence and Antimicrobial Resistance Gene Profiles
Authors: Bhandari Murari , Rathnayake Irani U. , Huygens Flavia , Jennison Amy V.
Published: January 2023

Australia has its own
V. cholerae
strains, both toxigenic and nontoxigenic, that are associated with cholera disease. This study aimed to characterize a collection of clinical and environmental NOVC strains from Australia to understand their virulence and antimicrobial resistance profile and to place strains from Australia in the genetic context of international strains.
Identification of 2-Amino Benzothiazoles with Bactericidal Activity against Mycobacterium tuberculosis
Authors: Bonnett Shilah , Jee Jo-Ann , Chettiar Somsundaram , Ovechkina Yulia , Korkegian Aaron , Greve Eric , Odingo Joshua , Parish Tanya
Published: January 2023

Mycobacterium tuberculosis
, the causative agent of tuberculosis, is a serious global health problem requiring the development of new therapeutics. We previously ran a high-throughput screen and identified a series of compounds with antitubercular activity.
Model-based estimation of burden of COVID-19 with disability-adjusted life years and value of statistical life in West Bengal, India
Authors: John Denny , Narassima M S , Bhattacharya Paramita , Mukherjee Nirmalya , Banerjee Amitava , Menon Jaideep
Published: January 2023

Objectives

The COVID-19 pandemic has posed unprecedented challenges to health systems and populations, particularly in India. Comprehensive, population-level studies of the burden of disease could inform planning, preparedness and policy, but are lacking in India. In West Bengal, India, we conducted a detailed analysis of the burden caused by COVID-19 from its onset to 7 January 2022.

Setting

Open-access, population-level and administrative data sets for West Bengal were used.

Primary and secondary outcome measures

Disability-adjusted life years (DALYs), years of potential productive life lost (YPPLL), cost of productivity lost (CPL: premature mortality and absenteeism), years of potential life lost (YPLL), premature years of potential life lost, working years of potential life lost (WYPLL) and value of statistical life (VSL) were estimated across scenarios (21 for DALY and 3 each for YPLL and VSL) to evaluate the effects of different factors.

Results

COVID-19 had a higher impact on the elderly population with 90.2% of deaths arising from people aged above 45. In males and females, respectively, DALYs were 190 568.1 and 117 310.0 years, YPPLL of the productive population was 28 714.7 and 16 355.4 years, CPL due to premature mortality was INR3 198 259 615.6 and INR583 397 335.1 and CPL due to morbidity was INR2 505 568 048.4 and INR763 720 886.1. For males and females, YPLL ranged from 189 103.2 to 272 787.5 years and 117 925.5 to 169 712.0 years for lower to higher age limits, and WYPLL was 54 333.9 and 30 942.2 years. VSL (INR million) for the lower, midpoint and upper life expectancies was 883 330.8; 882 936.4; and 880 631.3, respectively. Vaccination was associated with reduced mortality.

Conclusions

The losses incurred due to COVID-19 in terms of the computed estimates in West Bengal revealed a disproportionately higher impact on the elderly and males. Analysis of various age-gender subgroups enhances localised and targeted policymaking to minimise the losses for future pandemics.
Factors that influence the feasibility and implementation of a complex intervention to improve the treatment of peripheral arterial disease in primary and secondary care: a qualitative exploration of patient and provider perspectives
Authors: Le Boutillier Clair , Saratzis Athanasios , Saha Prakash , Benson Ruth , Bridgwood Bernadeta , Watson Emma , Lawrence Vanessa
Published: January 2023

Objectives

Our aim was to examine the feasibility and implementation of a complex intervention to improve the care of patients with peripheral arterial disease (the LEGS intervention) from the perspective of patients, general practitioners and secondary care clinicians.

Design

A qualitative study involving semistructured individual interviews with patients and providers to gain an understanding of the feasibility of the LEGS intervention as well the barriers and facilitators to implementation in secondary and primary care.

Setting

Primary and secondary care settings across two National Health Service Trusts.

Participants

Twenty-five semistructured telephone interviews were conducted with (1) patients who had received the intervention (n=11), (2) secondary care clinicians responsible for delivering the intervention (n=8) and (3) general practitioners (n=6).

Analysis

Data were initially analysed using inductive descriptive thematic analysis. The consolidated framework for implementation research was then used as a matrix to explore patterns in the data and to map connections between the three participant groups. Lastly, interpretive analysis allowed for refining, and a final coding frame was developed.

Results

Four overarching themes were identified: (1) the potential to make a difference, (2) a solution to address the gap in no man’s land, (3), prioritising and making it happen and (4) personalised information and supportive conversations for taking on the advice. The impetus for prioritising and delivering the intervention was further driven by its flexibility and adaptability to be tailored to the individual and to the environment.

Conclusions

The LEGS intervention can be tailored for use at early and late stages of peripheral arterial disease, provides an opportunity to meet patient needs and can be used to promote shared working across the primary–secondary care interface.
Neuromotor repertoires in infants exposed to maternal COVID-19 during pregnancy: a cohort study
Authors: Fajardo Martinez Viviana , Zhang Dajie , Paiola Sophia , Mok Thalia , Cambou Mary C , Kerin Tara , Rao Rashmi , Brasil Patricia , Ferreira Fatima , Fuller Trevon , Bhattacharya Debika , Foo Suan-Sin , Chen Weiqiang , Jung Jae , Einspieler Christa , Marschik Peter B , Nielsen-Saines Karin
Published: January 2023

Objective

To evaluate neuromotor repertoires and developmental milestones in infants exposed to antenatal COVID-19.

Design

Longitudinal cohort study.

Setting

Hospital-based study in Los Angeles, USA and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil between March 2020 and December 2021.

Participants

Infants born to mothers with COVID-19 during pregnancy and prepandemic control infants from the Graz University Database.

Interventions

General movement assessment (GMA) videos between 3 and 5 months post-term age were collected and clinical assessments/developmental milestones evaluated at 6–8 months of age. Cases were matched by gestational age, gender and post-term age to prepandemic neurotypical unexposed controls from the database.

Main outcome measures

Motor Optimality Scores Revised (MOS-R) at 3–5 months. Presence of developmental delay (DD) at 6–8 months.

Results

239 infants were enrolled; 124 cases (83 in the USA/41 in Brazil) and 115 controls. GMA was assessed in 115 cases and 115 controls; 25% were preterm. Median MOS-R in cases was 23 (IQR 21–24, range 9–28) vs 25 (IQR 24–26, range 20–28) in controls, p<0.001. Sixteen infants (14%) had MOS-R scores <20 vs zero controls, p<0.001. At 6–8 months, 13 of 109 case infants (12%) failed to attain developmental milestones; all 115 control infants had normal development. The timing of maternal infection in pregnancy (first, second or third trimester) or COVID-19 disease severity (NIH categories asymptomatic, mild/moderate or severe/critical) was not associated with suboptimal MOS-R or DD. Maternal fever in pregnancy was associated with DD (OR 3.7; 95% CI 1.12 to 12.60) but not suboptimal MOS-R (OR 0.25; 95% CI 0.04 to 0.96).

Conclusions

Compared with prepandemic controls, infants exposed to antenatal COVID-19 more frequently had suboptimal neuromotor development.
Evaluation of a critical incident management system on mental health in lifeguard organisations: a retrospective study
Authors: Breindahl Niklas , Strange Kirstine Friderichsen , Østergaard Doris , Collatz Christensen Helle
Published: January 2023

Background

Lifeguards may face many life-threatening situations during their careers and may be at increased risk of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Minimal evidence concerning critical incident management systems in lifeguard organisations exists.

Objectives

To develop, implement and evaluate an operational system for critical incident management in lifeguard organisations.

Methods

This retrospective study included data on occupational injury reports from 2013 to 2022 in TrygFonden Surf Lifesaving Denmark. All active lifeguards were invited to evaluate the system and the individual steps using an online questionnaire with three questions rated on a 5-point Likert scale. Primary outcome was a change in the frequency of psychological injury reports after system implementation in 2020. The secondary outcome was the lifeguards’ satisfaction with the system.

Results

After implementation, the average annual number of psychological injury reports increased 6.5-fold from 2 (2013–2019) to 13 (2020–2022), without changes to the number of critical incidents attended by the lifeguards. Sixty-six (33.8%) active lifeguards answered the questionnaire and agreed that follow-up after critical incidents was very important (mean score 4.7/5). Satisfaction with steps 1–2 and 3 of critical incident management among involved lifeguards was high (mean score 4.4/5 and 4.6/5, respectively). The system included an operational workflow diagram and incident report template presented in this study.

Conclusions

The operational system for critical incident management may improve early recognition of symptoms for the prevention of PTSD. It may be used as a screening and decision tool for referral to a mental health professional.
Diabetes insipidus and Guillain-Barré-like syndrome following CAR-T cell therapy: a case report
Authors: Koch Christian , Fleischer Juliane , Popov Todor , Frontzek Karl , Schreiner Bettina , Roth Patrick , Manz Markus G. , Unseld Simone , Müller Antonia M. S. , Russkamp Norman F.
Published: January 2023

Background

Immune effector cell-associated neurotoxicity syndrome (ICANS) is a common adverse event of CD19-directed chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell therapy. Other neurological adverse events, however, have not methodically been described and studied. Furthermore, safety data on CAR-T cell therapy in patients with central nervous system (CNS) lymphoma remain limited.

Main body

We here report occurrence of a Guillain-Barré-like syndrome (GBS) and central diabetes insipidus (cDI) following tisagenlecleucel therapy for relapsed high-grade lymphoma with CNS involvement. Both complications were refractory to standard treatment of ICANS. Weakness of respiratory muscles required mechanical ventilation and tracheostomy while cDI was treated with desmopressin substitution for several weeks. Muscle-nerve biopsy and nerve conduction studies confirmed an axonal pattern of nerve damage. T cell-rich infiltrates and detection of the CAR transgene in muscle-nerve sections imply a direct or indirect role of CAR-T cell-mediated inflammation. In line with current treatment guidelines for GBS, intravenous immunoglobulin was administered and gradual but incomplete recovery was observed over the course of several months.

Conclusions

This case report highlights the risk of rare but severe neurological adverse events, such as acute GBS or cDI, in patients treated with CAR-T cells. It further underlines the importance of appropriate patient surveillance and systematic reporting of rare complications to eventually improve treatment.
Complications of complications: diagnosis and treatment of recurrent macrophage activation syndrome in a patient with well-controlled systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis
Authors: Macaraeg Marci , Schulert Grant S
Published: January 2023

Macrophage activation syndrome (MAS) is a subtype of haemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH), and a well-described complication of systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis (SJIA), triggered by disease onset or flare, infection, or some medications. Here, we report a 20-year-old man with previously well-controlled SJIA, who developed first time MAS after acute Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection, with MAS recurrence due to a drug reaction, ‘3-week sulfasalazine syndrome’, secondary to prophylactic trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole. Both episodes of MAS were minimally responsive to pulse corticosteroids. Initial EBV-driven MAS was treated with multiple doses of emapalumab prior to resolution, while MAS secondary to sulfasalazine-induced 3-week syndrome required the initiation of ruxolitinib. This case exhibits two rare but life-threatening causes of MAS/secondary HLH in a single patient and the difficulties in their diagnosis and management.