bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Genome-Wide Identification and Stage-Specific Expression Profile Analysis Reveal the Function of Ribosomal Proteins for Oogenesis of Spodoptera litura
Authors: Sun Ranran , Liu Jin , Xu Yuanhao , Jiang Liwei , Li Yun , Zhong Guohua , Yi Xin
Published: June 2022

Ribosomal proteins (Rps) are indispensable in ribosome biogenesis and protein synthesis, which tightly correlate with cell growth and proliferation in different physiological processes across species. Up to now, genes coding for Rps have been identified and studied in many species, however, their information still remains elusive in many insect species, especially in Spodoptera litura. In this study, 81 Rp genes were identified from S. litura genome and were mapped to their positions on the chromosomes. In addition, their physical and chemical properties, gene structure, phylogenetic relationships, targeted microRNAs were also analyzed. Gene ontology analysis disclosed that Rp genes were closely associated with processes related to ribosome biosynthesis, proteins translation processing, molecular binding activities. The quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) revealed expression profiles of Rp genes varied in different stages of oogenesis, and found that most Rp genes accumulated in previtellogenesis stage. This study described the comprehensive genome-wide analysis of Rp gene family in agricultural pests, which provided foundation for further characterizing the roles of Rps in oogenesis of insects, and some Rp genes may further serve as targets for innovative pest control.
Farmers’ Participatory Plant Selection of Lablab (Lablab purpureus (L.) Sweet) in Tanzania
Authors: Letting Fanuel K. , Venkataramana Pavithravani B. , Ndakidemi Patrick A.
Published: June 2022

Farmer-participatory breeding approach is an important component in the crop improvement of lablab (Lablab purpureus (L.) Sweet). The study was carried out to obtain the knowledge, practices and preferences of lablab through 31 lablab growing-farmers from Arusha, Kondoa, Karatu, Same and Babati districts of Tanzania toward initiating a lablab breeding program. Semi-structured questionnaires were administered and focused group discussions were held to collect data on the socio-demographic factors, production practices, constraints and farmer’s preferred traits of lablab. Selection of preferred traits and accessions was also done by the farmers in the field. Results showed that the chief constraints of lablab production are pests and diseases, poor marketability, low seed quality, inadequate rainfall, expensive agrochemicals, low yield, and poor storage facilities. The major pests are pod borer (field) and bruchids (storage). Preferred traits for lablab improvement include the development of insect pests and disease-resistant varieties, early maturing, high yield, black colored seed for market, short cooking time, and dense foliage. Genotypes EK2, D360, HA4, and D96 with preferred traits were identified by farmers, which forms critical decisions in crop improvement. This study describes the current view of lablab production and generates the understanding of farmers’ perceptions and preferences vital for breeding priorities and programs to increase its production, utilization and consumption.
CAM Models: Lessons and Implications for CAM Evolution
Authors: Burgos Asdrubal , Miranda Enoc , Vilaprinyo Ester , Meza-Canales Iván David , Alves Rui
Published: June 2022

The evolution of Crassulacean acid metabolism (CAM) by plants has been one of the most successful strategies in response to aridity. On the onset of climate change, expanding the use of water efficient crops and engineering higher water use efficiency into C3 and C4 crops constitute a plausible solution for the problems of agriculture in hotter and drier environments. A firm understanding of CAM is thus crucial for the development of agricultural responses to climate change. Computational models on CAM can contribute significantly to this understanding. Two types of models have been used so far. Early CAM models based on ordinary differential equations (ODE) reproduced the typical diel CAM features with a minimal set of components and investigated endogenous day/night rhythmicity. This line of research brought to light the preponderant role of vacuolar malate accumulation in diel rhythms. A second wave of CAM models used flux balance analysis (FBA) to better understand the role of CO2 uptake in flux distribution. They showed that flux distributions resembling CAM metabolism emerge upon constraining CO2 uptake by the system. We discuss the evolutionary implications of this and also how CAM components from unrelated pathways could have integrated along evolution.
An Empirical Study on the Factors Influencing the Number of Fans of Female-Oriented Accounts on Chinese Tik Tok
Authors: Du Yanyan , Lin Shengliang , Zhang Xueli
Published: June 2022

This paper selects 500 samples through a recommendation algorithm and, on the basis of content analysis, examines the factors that affect the number of fans of female-oriented accounts on Chinese TikTok in terms of intrinsic attributes, surface form, and deep content. The results show that in order to increase the number of fans of female-oriented accounts on Chinese TikTok, there are four variables of the intrinsic attribute with statistically significant differences, 13 variables of the surface form with statistically significant differences, and 9 variables of the deep content with statistically significant differences. Beauty-related content is not the best means to attract fans. It requires TikTok creators to get rid of stereotyped and conceptual female impressions, display the rich social roles of women, and build true, complete, and harmonious female images in innovative ways in accordance with the humanistic communication concept.
A Systematic Review of Foreign Language Listening Anxiety: Focus on the Theoretical Definitions and Measurements
Authors: Ji Suhe , Qin Xiaoqing , LI Ke
Published: June 2022

A considerable amount of research on foreign language (FL) listening anxiety has emerged since 1986, yet a lack of sufficient attention on the conceptual definitions of FL listening anxiety and inappropriate employment of instruments to measure FL listening anxiety cause confusion in the research to a certain extent. This study presents a systematic review of 35 years of FL listening anxiety research. After initially searching 2,172 studies in 7 databases, 76 studies were identified for in-depth analysis. The results verified that the definitions of FL listening anxiety can be categorized into psychological, social, and situation-specific approaches, but the measure of FL listening anxiety was not only examined under these three approaches, but also additionally examined by sources of anxiety, learner characteristics, FL listening ability, and physiological factors. The results also showed that the definition of FL listening anxiety was not clear-cut nor that the measure was accurate, and to a great extent, the measure and the definition were inconsistent. This inconsistency can attribute to conceptual fuzziness in theoretical defining and casual utilization of scales without justification or explanation. We argue that future research needs to provide a tighter link between a more precise definition based on different situations and a valid measure of FL listening anxiety.
Validation of the Japanese Big Five Scale Short Form in a University Student Sample
Authors: Toyomoto Rie , Sakata Masatsugu , Yoshida Kazufumi , Luo Yan , Nakagami Yukako , Iwami Taku , Aoki Shuntaro , Irie Tomonari , Sakano Yuji , Suga Hidemichi , Sumi Michihisa , Ichikawa Hiroshi , Watanabe Takafumi , Tajika Aran , Uwatoko Teruhisa , Sahker Ethan , Furukawa Toshi A.
Published: June 2022

The Japanese Big Five Scale Short Form (JBFS-SF), a 29-item self-report scale, has recently been used to measure the Big Five personality traits. However, the scale lacks psychometric validation. This study examined the validity and reliability of the JBFS-SF with data collected from 1,626 Japanese university students participating in a randomized controlled clinical trial. Structural validity was tested with exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis and measurement invariance tests were conducted across sex. Internal consistency was evaluated with McDonald’s omega. Additionally, construct validity was estimated across factors using the PHQ-9, GAD-7, AQ-J-10, and SSQ. EFA results showed that the JBFS-SF can be classified according to the expected five-factor structure, while three items had small loadings. Therefore, we dropped these three items and tested the reliability and validity of the 26-item version. CFA results found that a 26-item JBFS-FS has adequate structural validity (GFI = 0.907, AGFI = 0.886, CFI = 0.907, and RMSEA = 0.057). The omega of each factor was 0.74–0.85. Each JBFS-SF factor was specifically correlated with the PHQ-9, GAD-7, and SSQ. This research has shown that the JBFS-SF can be a clinically useful measure for assessing personality characteristics.
A Low-Cost Method for Understanding How Nature-Based Early Learning and Childcare Impacts Children’s Health and Wellbeing
Authors: Traynor Oliver , Martin Anne , Johnstone Avril , Chng Nai Rui , Kenny Jessica , McCrorie Paul
Published: June 2022

Nature-based play and learning provision is becoming increasingly popular across the early learning and childcare (ELC) sector in Scotland. However, there remains a lack of understanding of how the program is expected to function. This has implications for program learning and may affect wider rollout of the program. Secondary data analysis of parent interviews (n = 22) and observations (n = 7) in Scottish ELC settings, and review of internationally published studies (n = 33) were triangulated to develop a program theory using the Theory of Change approach. This approach makes a program’s underlying assumptions explicit by systematically demonstrating the relationship between each component: inputs, activities, outcomes, impact, and the contexts of the program. Findings suggested that location of outdoor nature space, affordances, availability of trained practitioners, and transport to location lead to activities such as free play, educator-led activities, and interactions with nature, resulting in longer durations of physical activity, interactions with peers and educators, and increased engagement with the natural environment. These activities are vital for supporting children’s physical, cognitive, social, and emotional development. Our results demonstrate the value of using secondary data analysis to improve our understanding of the underlying theory of nature-based ELC which can support future evaluation designs. These findings will be of interest to program evaluators, researchers, practitioners, and funders, who find themselves with limited resources and want to better understand their program before investing in an evaluation. We encourage researchers and evaluators in the field of early years and outdoor play in other countries to refine this logic model in their own context-specific setting.
A Metacontrol Perspective on Neurocognitive Atypicality: From Unipolar to Bipolar Accounts
Authors: Colzato Lorenza S. , Beste Christian , Zhang Wenxin , Hommel Bernhard
Published: June 2022

Standard clinical and psychiatric thinking follows a unipolar logic that is centered at “normal” conditions characterized by optimal performance in everyday life, with more atypical conditions being defined by the (degree of) absence of “normality.” A similar logic has been used to describe cognitive control, assuming that optimal control abilities are characterized by a strong focus on the current goal and ignorance of goal-irrelevant information (the concept of willpower), while difficulties in focusing and ignoring are considered indications of the absence of control abilities. However, there is increasing evidence that willpower represents only one side of the control coin. While a strong focus on the current goal can be beneficial under some conditions, other conditions would benefit from a more open mind, from flexibility to consider alternative goals and information related to them. According to the metacontrol model, people can vary in their cognitive processing style, on a dimension with the extreme poles of “persistence” on the one hand and “flexibility” on the other. Whereas a high degree of persistence corresponds to the original idea of cognitive control as willpower, with a strong focus on one goal and the information related to it, a high degree of flexibility is characterized by a more integrative, less selective and exclusive processing style, which facilitates switching between tasks, ideas, and actions, and taking into consideration a broader range of possibilities. We argue that this approach calls for a more bipolar account in the clinical sciences as well. Rather than considering individuals as typical or atypical, it would theoretically and practically make more sense to characterize their cognitive abilities in terms of underlying dimensions, such as the persistence/flexibility dimension. This would reveal that possible weaknesses with respect to one pole, such as persistence, and tasks relying thereupon, may come with corresponding strengths with respect to the other pole, such as flexibility, and respective tasks. We bolster our claim by discussing available evidence suggesting that neurodevelopmental atypicality often comes with weaknesses in tasks related to one pole but strengths in tasks related to the other.
Science With Purpose: 50 Years of the Institute of Occupational Medicine
Authors: Seaton Anthony , Cherrie John W. , Cowie Hilary , Aitken Robert J.
Published: June 2022

The Institute of Occupational Medicine (IOM) was founded in 1969 by the then UK National Coal Board to complete its nation-wide epidemiological study of lung disease in coal miners, the Pneumoconiosis Field Research. The results quantified risks in the industry and were influential across the world in setting preventive standards. The research, based on epidemiology, was multidisciplinary from the start, and the IOM's broad scientific expertise was applied across many other industries with an increasing focus on environmental measurement and ergonomics. In 1990, as the coal industry declined, IOM became a self-funding research charity with a strong commercial arm. It has expanded its research, often with European collaborators and funding from governments, and has achieved wide recognition. This has most recently been applied during the pandemic in areas of hospital ventilation, personal protection, and viral exposure research, illustrating IOM's ability to respond to new environmental or occupational challenges.
Using Computers to Improve Biofuel Production
Authors: Mariano Diego , Santos Lucianna Helene , Meleiro Luana Parras , de Lima Leonardo Henrique França , Marins Luis Fernando , de Melo-Minardi Raquel Cardoso
Published: June 2022

Petroleum is the most-used energy source in the world. However, as you probably know, petroleum is a fossil fuel that is very harmful to the environment, in addition to not being renewable. Biofuels are a type of fuel produced from plant material. Biofuels are considered an excellent alternative energy source because they are less polluting than fossil fuels. However, biofuel production is expensive. Therefore, scientists are working on many strategies to reduce biofuel costs, particularly using computers to discover new biotechnological products, or improve existing ones, to produce more biofuel with fewer costs. In this article, we will tell you how computers can be used to improve biofuel production.
How Does the Brain Help us Understand Others?
Authors: Van Zwet Joyce Lysanne , Schretzmeir Jule , Hunnius Sabine , Grossmann Tobias , Meyer Marlene
Published: June 2022

What do you think your friends are thinking when they get a compliment? How do they feel when they get a good grade at school? Thinking about other people and what they know, believe, or want is called social cognition. Certain parts of the brain are important for social cognition, and those parts work together in a network to allow us to think about others. How do we develop these social skills, starting as babies? In this article, we will introduce the parts of the brain that are important for social cognition, and we will explain how the network of brain regions that perform social cognition develops over the years, from a new-born baby to an adult.
Towards the Identification and Classification of Solar Granulation Structures Using Semantic Segmentation
Authors: Díaz Castillo S. M. , Asensio Ramos A. , Fischer C. E. , Berdyugina S. V.
Published: June 2022

Solar granulation is the visible signature of convective cells at the solar surface. The granulation cellular pattern observed in the continuum intensity images is characterised by diverse structures e.g., bright individual granules of hot rising gas or dark intergranular lanes. Recently, the access to new instrumentation capabilities has given us the possibility to obtain high-resolution images, which have revealed the overwhelming complexity of granulation (e.g., exploding granules and granular lanes). In that sense, any research focused on understanding solar small-scale phenomena on the solar surface is sustained on the effective identification and localization of the different resolved structures. In this work, we present the initial results of a proposed classification model of solar granulation structures based on neural semantic segmentation. We inspect the ability of the U-net architecture, a convolutional neural network initially proposed for biomedical image segmentation, to be applied to the dense segmentation of solar granulation. We use continuum intensity maps of the IMaX instrument onboard the Sunrise I balloon-borne solar observatory and their corresponding segmented maps as a training set. The training data have been labeled using the multiple-level technique (MLT) and also by hand. We performed several tests of the performance and precision of this approach in order to evaluate the versatility of the U-net architecture. We found an appealing potential of the U-net architecture to identify cellular patterns in solar granulation images reaching an average accuracy above 80% in the initial training experiments.
Perceptions of Sexual Abuse in Sport: A Qualitative Study in the Portuguese Sports Community
Authors: Alexandre Joana , Castro Catarina , Gama Maria , Antunes Patrícia
Published: June 2022

Child sexual abuse is a complex issue that can take place in different contexts. Sports settings have specific features which pose increased risk for sexual abuse to occur. Recently, a country-specific roadmap for effective child safeguarding in sport was launched. Considering the need to achieve a comprehensive picture of violence against children in sports settings in Portugal, we analyzed the perceptions of the sports community in Portugal regarding child sexual abuse, its victims and perpetrators, and the specific risk factors in sports settings, as studies about this specific topic are scarce at the national level. A descriptive exploratory study was conducted using an online questionnaire with open-ended questions. Three hundred participants, i.e., sports managers, coaches, and athletes over 18 years of age (M = 33.13; SD = 13.062), of which 55.7% were female, answered. A thematic analysis of these data was conducted using NVivo software. Inter-rater agreement was strong for almost all variables. Results indicated that sexual abuse is perceived as being associated with physical and emotional abusive behaviors for which there is no consent from the victim, in a relationship that is guided by a relationship with power imbalances. Victims were mainly perceived as being female children, and perpetrators as adult males in a powerful position over the victim. As to possible signs of sexual abuse victimization, results showed that the participants identify behaviors, such as isolation, and physical evidence, such as marks and injuries. Risk factors specific to sports setting included the physical contact involved in many modalities, as well as the close and trustful relationship established between coach and athlete. Results are in line with previous studies showing that coaches, athletes, and sports managers share a common understanding of sexual abuse, although not always accurate. These results shed light on important practical and policy implications relevant to country-specific sport policies for effectively safeguarding children.
Effects of Yoga on Blood Glucose and Lipid Profile of Type 2 Diabetes Patients Without Complications: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Chen Shanshan , Deng Shilin , Liu Yang , Yin Tiantian
Published: June 2022

Background

Type II diabetes mellitus (T2DM) has become a worldwide public health problem. Although it has been empirically established that physical activity is a promising therapeutical approach to the prevention and management of T2DM, the effectiveness of yoga on T2DM has not yet reached an agreement across studies and also needs an updated synthetic examination.

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of yoga training on diabetes-related indicators compared with usual care.

Methods

The review protocol of this study has been registered in the PROSPERO with a registration number CRD42021267868. A systematic literature search through electronic databases was conducted to identify yoga-based intervention (i.e., randomized controlled trial [RCT]; e.g., yogic postures, movements, breathing, and meditation) studies reporting outcomes on glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c), fasting blood glucose (FBG), postprandial blood glucose (PPBG), total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), and body mass index (BMI). A number of two researchers manually reviewed and assessed each article using the Cochrane Risk of Bias Tool 2.0. The literature search identified 296 eligible entries, of which 13 were finalized after screening using predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria. The extracted data (group mean and standard deviation at posttest) were synthesized using random-effects meta-analyses. Finally, potential moderators were explored using subgroup analysis and sensitivity analysis.

Results

The standardized mean difference for the effects of yoga was significant on HbA1c (MD = −0.47; 95%CI: −0.77, −0.16; Z = 3.02, p = 0.003), FBG (SMD = −0.92; 95%CI: −1.55, −0.29; Z = 2.87, p = 0.004), PPBG (SMD = −0.53; 95%CI: −0.86, −0.21; Z = 3.20, p = 0.001), and TG (SMD = −0.32; 95%CI: −0.54, −0.10; Z = 2.86, p = 0.004). However, yoga effect was not observed on TC (SMD = −0.84; 95%CI: −1.71, 0.04; Z = 1.87, p = 0.06) and BMI (MD = −0.63; 95%CI: −1.42, 0.16; Z = 1.57, p = 0.12).

Conclusion

The findings suggest that yoga can improve the biochemical indices of blood glucose and the lipid profile of patients with T2DM. Therefore, yoga can be prescribed as an effective and active complementary treatment for T2DM. However, this study only tested yoga as a short-term treatment. In the future, rigorous RCTs with a larger sample size may be carried out to examine the long-term effect of yoga on T2DM.

Systematic Review Registration

https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/display_record.php?RecordID=267868, identifier: CRD42021267868.
Perspectives of Meat Eaters on the Consumption of Cultured Beef (in vitro Production) From the Eastern Cape of South Africa
Authors: Falowo Bamidele Andrew , Hosu Yiseyon Sunday , Idamokoro Emrobowansan Monday
Published: June 2022

The creation and growing popularity of cultured meat has raised mixed reactions among consumers about its originality, acceptability, edibility, and nutritional quality across the world. The perception and reaction of consumers to novel meat are influenced by a variety of factors, such as geographical location, media coverage, educational status, culture, and religion. Therefore, this study was designed to examine the perceptions of consumers on the consumption of natural vs. cultured beef in the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa. A total of 255 respondents were interviewed using structured questionnaires, and the data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and X2 tests. Interviewees included representatives from University (educated), urban (literate), and rural (semi-literate) communities. The results revealed the majority (63%) of the respondents had not heard about the concept of cultured beef production, of which 27% of them were men and 36% were women. More than half (53%) of the respondents indicated their willingness to eat cultured beef if offered to them after explaining the concept and process of making cultured beef to them. Among all factors that were analyzed, the participant level of education was found to significantly influence their willingness to eat cultured beef when available commercially. It is therefore concluded that the majority of consumers in this study supported the concept of cultured meat as an alternative way to complement conventional meat production and would be willing to eat it when provided.
A Novel, Cleaved Probe-Based Reverse Transcription Loop-Mediated Isothermal Amplification Method for Specific and Sensitive Detection of Porcine Deltacoronavirus
Authors: Shen Haiyan , Wang Songqi , Huang Jun , Lin Qijie , Zhang Chunhong , Liu Zhicheng , Zhang Jianfeng , Liao Ming
Published: June 2022

Porcine deltacoronavirus (PDCoV) causes watery diarrhea, vomiting, and 30–40% mortality in newborn piglets. A simple, rapid, and sensitive method for PDCoV detection is valuable in its surveillance and control. Here, we developed a novel, cleaved probe-based reverse transcription loop-mediated isothermal amplification (CP-RT-LAMP) method for PDCoV detection. A cleaved probe with a ribonucleotide insertion that targeted the N gene of PDCoV was designed. During the reaction, the enzyme ribonuclease H2 is activated only when the cleaved probe is perfectly complementary to the template, leading to the hydrolytic release of a quencher moiety and signal output. This method can be easily used on a real-time fluorescence quantitative equipment or an on-site isothermal instrument combined with a smartphone. The specificity assay showed no cross-reactivity with other porcine enteric pathogens. This method had a detection limit of 25 copies/μL, suggesting comparable sensitivity with reverse transcription quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR). In detecting 100 clinical samples (48 fecal swab specimens and 52 intestinal specimens), the detection rate of the CP-RT-LAMP method (26%) was higher than that of RT-qPCR (17%). Thus, it is a highly specific and sensitive diagnostic method for PDCoV, with a great application potential for monitoring PDCoV in the laboratory or point-of-care testing in the field.
Use of a Point-of-Care Progesterone Assay to Predict Onset of Parturition in the Bitch
Authors: Nöthling Johan O. , Joonè Carolynne J. , Hegarty Evan , Schooley Elizabeth K. , De Cramer Kurt G. M.
Published: June 2022

An assay of circulating progesterone (P4) is commonly used to estimate progress through late gestation in the bitch. Point-of-care assays provide rapid results, a major advantage over laboratory-based assays. This study aims to compare P4 levels determined by the Catalyst® Progesterone point-of-care assay with those determined by chemiluminescent immunoassay (CLIA) and to identify the expected distribution of Catalyst P4 levels at time intervals 3 days prior to the onset of parturition in pregnant bitches. Twenty-eight pregnant bitches carrying two or more fetuses were admitted to a specialist veterinary reproduction hospital 53 days after the onset of cytological diestrus or, when that date was not known, 57 days after the last mating. Vaginal speculum examinations were performed every 6 h until the onset of cervical dilatation (TCD). Serum samples were collected twice daily (08h00 and 18h00) until TCD. For most samples, fresh serum was assayed for P4 immediately using the Catalyst assay (CatP4), then frozen until assayed by CLIA (IMMULITE 2000; ImmP4). However, for some samples, CatP4 was not analyzed prior to freezing. For these data points (n = 33), CatP4 for fresh serum was estimated from CatP4 assayed on frozen-thawed serum, based on a comparison between CatP4 on fresh vs. frozen-thawed sera. In comparison to ImmP4, CatP4 levels up to and including 7 nmol/L appear to have a constant bias of −1.69 nmol/L (limits of agreement −4.91 to 1.52), while levels >7 nmol/L appear to have a proportional bias of −17.9% (limits of agreement −68.6% to 32.7%). Bootstrapped percentiles of CatP4 results spanned 0.4–9 nmol/L within 12 h of TCD, 0.9–11 nmol/L 12–24 h from TCD, and 2.2–13.5 nmol/L 24–36 h from TCD. A CatP4 >9 nmol/L indicates a bitch that is unlikely to reach TCD within 12 h. Bitches with CatP4s below 3.5 nmol/L are likely to reach TCD within 36 h and bitches with a CatP4 below 2.2 nmol/L are likely to reach TCD within 24 h. In conclusion, the Catalyst Progesterone assay provides rapid assessment of circulating P4 in the bitch, with clinical application in the monitoring of late term pregnant bitches.
Reference Values of M-mode Echocardiographic Parameter in Adult Toy Breed Dogs
Authors: Isayama Noriko , Uchimura Yusuke , Sasaki Kenta , Maeda Erika , Takahashi Toshihisa , Watanabe Megumi
Published: June 2022

Introduction:

Myxomatous mitral valve disease (MMVD) is one of the most common heart diseases in dogs, and there is a dearth of reports that have investigated reference values for left ventricular end-diastolic internal diameter corrected for body weight (LVIDDN) exclusively in toy breeds.

Animals

Eighty-six client-owned healthy dogs weighing <5 kg, including Toy Poodles, Chihuahuas, Yorkshire Terriers, Papillon, and other small breeds or small mixed breeds (mixed breed, Pomeranian, dachshund, Shih Tzu, and Maltese). In this retrospective single-center study, data were collected from dogs attending clinic for annual checkup between April 2014 and March 2021.

Materials and Methods

Experienced echocardiographers performed transthoracic echocardiography, with reference ranges established using healthy dogs. Measurements of body weight (BW), heart rate, and several echocardiographic variables were obtained. The association between BW and echocardiographic parameters was assessed by linear regression analyses. M-mode measurements were obtained and normalized using equations developed from the regression analyses.

Results

The LVIDDN value for 95% of dogs weighing <5 kg was achieved by dividing the M-mode measurement by BW raised to the power 0.332. The upper limit of the prediction interval for breeds weighing <5 kg was much lower than the value currently applied.

Conclusions

We propose a reference LVIDDN value of ≥1.6 for the diagnosis of stage B2 MMVD in toy breed dogs. The results of our study will guide clinicians in deciding when to start treatment for MMVD in small breed dogs.
Characterization of Redox Environment and Tryptophan Catabolism through Kynurenine Pathway in Military Divers’ and Swimmers’ Serum Samples
Authors: Sánchez Chapul Laura , Pérez de la Cruz Gonzalo , Ramos Chávez Lucio Antonio , Valencia León Jesús F. , Torres Beltrán Joel , Estrada Camarena Erika , Carillo Mora Paul , Ramírez Ortega Daniela , Baños Vázquez José U. , Martínez Nava Gabriela , Luna Angulo Alexandra , Martínez Canseco Carlos , Wences Chirino Tiffany Y. , Ríos Martínez Juan , Pérez de la Cruz Verónica
Published: June 2022

Endurance and resistance exercises, alone or in combination, induce metabolic changes that affect tryptophan (Trp) catabolism. The kynurenine pathway (KP) is the main route of Trp degradation, and it is modulated by the inflammatory and redox environments. Previous studies have shown that KP metabolites work as myokines that mediate the positive systemic effects related to exercise. However, it is poorly understood how different exercise modalities and intensities impact the KP. The aim of this study was to characterize the effect of two different exercise modalities, military diving and swimming, on the KP and the redox environment. A total of 34 healthy men from the Mexican Navy were included in the study, 20 divers and 14 swimmers, who started and stayed in military training consistently during the six months of the study; 12 Mexican men without fitness training were used as the control group. Physical fitness was determined at the beginning and after 6 months of training; criteria included body composition; serum levels of Trp, kynurenine (KYN), kynurenic acid (KYNA) and 3-hydroxykynurenine (3-HK); the glutathione ratio (GSH/GSSG); and malondialdehyde (MDA).. Results showed a significant loss of body fat in both the diver and swimmer groups. Compared with the control group, divers showed a decrease in Trp and 3-HK levels, but no changes were observed in the KYN/Trp, KYNA/Trp or 3-HK/Trp ratios, while swimmers showed a decrease in KYN levels and an increase in the KYNA and 3-HK levels. Additionally, divers showed a decrease in the GSH/GSSG ratio and an increase in MDA levels, in contrast to the swimmers, who showed a decrease in MDA levels and an increase in GSH/GSSG levels. Our findings suggest a differential shift in the KP and redox environment induced by diving and swimming. Swimming promotes an antioxidant environment and a peripheral overactivation of the KP.
Ultrasensitive Detection of COVID-19 Virus N Protein Based on p-Toluenesulfonyl Modified Fluorescent Microspheres Immunoassay
Authors: Mao Mao , Wu Feng , Shi Xueying , Huang Yulan , Ma Lan
Published: June 2022

The pandemic of new coronary pneumonia caused by the COVID-19 virus continues to ravage the world. Large-scale population testing is the key to controlling infection and related mortality worldwide. Lateral flow immunochromatographic assay (LFIA) is fast, inexpensive, simple to operate, and easy to carry, very suitable for detection sites. This study developed a COVID-19 N protein detect strip based on p-toluenesulfonyl modified rare earth fluorescent microspheres. The p-toluenesulfonyl-activated nanomaterials provide reactive sulfonyl esters to covalently attach antibodies or other ligands containing primary amino or sulfhydryl groups to the nanomaterial surface. Antibodies are immobilized on these nanomaterials through the Fc region, which ensures optimal orientation of the antibody, thereby increasing the capture rate of the target analyte. The use of buffers with high ionic strength can promote hydrophobic binding; in addition, higher pH could promote the reactivity of the tosyl group. The detection limit of the prepared COVID-19 N protein strips can reach 0.01 ng/mL, so it has great application potential in large-scale population screening.
The Surgical Risk Factors of Giant Intracranial Meningiomas: A Multi-Centric Retrospective Analysis of Large Case Serie
Authors: Armocida Daniele , Catapano Antonia , Palmieri Mauro , Arcidiacono Umberto Aldo , Pesce Alessandro , Cofano Fabio , Picotti Veronica , Salvati Maurizio , Garbossa Diego , D’Andrea Giancarlo , Santoro Antonio , Frati Alessandro
Published: June 2022

Giant intracranial meningiomas (GIMs) are a subgroup of meningiomas with huge dimensions with a maximum diameter of more than 5 cm. The mechanisms by which a meningioma can grow to be defined as a “giant” are unknown, and the biological, radiological profile and the different outcomes are poorly investigated. We performed a multi-centric retrospective study of a series of surgically treated patients suffering from intracranial meningioma. All the patients were assigned on the grounds of the preoperative imaging to giant and medium/large meningioma groups with a cut-off of 5 cm. We investigated whether the presence of large diameter and peritumoral brain edema (PBE) on radiological diagnosis indicates different mortality rates, grading, characteristics, and outcomes in a multi-variate analysis. We found a higher risk of developing complications for GIMs (29.9% versus 14.8%; p < 0.01). The direct proportional relationship between PBE volume and tumor volume was present only in the medium/large group (Pearson correlation with p < 0.01) and not in the GIM group (p = 0.47). In conclusion, GIMs have a higher risk of developing complications in the postoperative phase than medium/large meningioma without higher risk of mortality and recurrence.
Dysregulated Immune and Metabolic Microenvironment Is Associated with the Post-Operative Relapse in Stage I Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer
Authors: Zhang Shirong , Xiao Xiao , Zhu Xiuli , Chen Xueqin , Zhang Xiaochen , Xiang Jingjing , Xu Rujun , Shao Zhuo , Bai Jing , Xun Yanping , Jiang Yanping , Chen Zhengzheng , Xia Xuefeng , Jiang Hong , Ma Shenglin
Published: June 2022

The underlying mechanism of post-operative relapse of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) remains poorly understood. We enrolled 57 stage I NSCLC patients with or without relapse and performed whole-exome sequencing (WES) and RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) on available primary and recurrent tumors, as well as on matched tumor-adjacent tissues (TATs). The WES analysis revealed that primary tumors from patients with relapse were enriched with USH2A mutation and 2q31.1 amplification. RNA-seq data showed that the relapse risk was associated with aberrant immune response and metabolism in the microenvironment of primary lesions. TATs from the patients with relapse showed an immunosuppression state. Moreover, recurrent lesions exhibited downregulated immune response compared with their paired primary tumors. Genomic and transcriptomic features were further subjected to build a prediction model classifying patients into groups with different relapse risks. We show that the recurrence risk of stage I NSCLC could be ascribed to the altered immune and metabolic microenvironment. TATs might be affected by cancer cells and facilitate the invasion of tumors. The immune microenvironment in the recurrent lesions is suppressed. Patients with a high risk of relapse need active post-operative intervention.
The Prognostic Role of the C-Reactive Protein and Serum Lactate Dehydrogenase in a Pediatric Series of Bone Ewing Sarcoma
Authors: Del Baldo Giada , Abbas Rachid , De Ioris Maria Antonietta , Di Ruscio Valentina , Alessi Iside , Miele Evelina , Mastronuzzi Angela , Milano Giuseppe Maria
Published: June 2022

Background: Ewing sarcoma (ES) is a rare and aggressive pediatric cancer. Numerous studies have attempted to identify new prognostic biomarkers. The predictive value of serum LDH and CRP has not been clearly described, to date. Methods: The objective of our retrospective study was to investigate the prognostic value of LDH and CRP levels and their association with overall survival in a series of ES patients. Results: Between 2004 and 2019, 89 ES patients were included. In a univariable analysis, high levels of LDH and CRP were associated with the worst prognosis. In a multivariable analysis, only higher LDH values remained associated with a lower survival. The high-LDH-level group experienced all 21 deaths registered in our population (24%) and about 90% of disease progressions. The 5-year overall survival was 66.4% in the high-LDH-level group, while no deaths were observed in the low-LDH-level group. The 5-year progression-free survival was 57.9% in the high-LDH-level group versus 80.4% in the low-LDH-level group. Conclusions: In our study, LDH levels at diagnosis were strongly correlated with the prognosis, and they might be considered a prognostic factor in Ewing sarcoma. The LDH value, along with its very low cost and its reproducibility in almost all centers, make it suitable as a potential prognostic biomarker in clinical practice.
Cobalt-Based Metal-Organic Framework Nanoparticles with Peroxidase-like Catalytic Activity for Sensitive Colorimetric Detection of Phosphate
Authors: Deng Zhichen , Zhang Huifeng , Yuan Ping , Su Zhengquan , Bai Yan , Yin Zhina , He Jincan
Published: June 2022

Appropriate addition of phosphate salt in food can improve the food quality and taste. However, extensive intake of phosphate salt may lead to some human diseases such as hyperphosphatemia and renal insufficiency. Thus, it is essential to establish a cost-effective, convenient, sensitive, and selective method for monitoring phosphate ion (Pi) to ensure food quality control. In this work, a Co-based metal-organic frameworks (Co-MOF) nanomaterial with dual functions (peroxidase-like activity and specific recognition) was designed for acting as a catalytic chromogenic platform for sensitive detection of Pi. The Co2+ nodes not only provide high enzyme-like activity to catalyze the 3,3′,5,5′--tetramethylbenzidine (TMB) substrate to blue oxTMB (652 nm) but also act as selective sites for Pi recognition. The use of cationic organic ligands (2-methylimidazole) and cationic metal ions (Co2+) endows the Co-MOF with a strong positive surface charge, which is beneficial to the capture of negative-charged Pi and the dramatically suppressed TMB oxidation. When Pi exists, it specifically adsorbs onto the Co-MOF through the Co-O-P bond and the strong electrostatic interaction, leading to the change of surface charge on Co-MOF. The peroxidase-like catalytic activity of Co-MOF is thus restrained, causing a different catalytic effect on TMB oxidation from that without Pi. Based on this principle, a colorimetric assay was established for rapid and sensitive detection of Pi. A good linear relationship was obtained between Pi concentration and the absorbance at 652 nm, with a linear range of 0.009–0.144 mg/L and a detection limit of 5.4 μg/L. The proposed assay was applied to the determination of Pi in actual food samples with recoveries of 92.2–108% and relative standard deviations (RSDs) of 2.7–7.3%, illustrating the promising practicality for actual samples analysis.
Evaluation of Fe2+/Peracetic Acid to Degrade Three Typical Refractory Pollutants of Textile Wastewater
Authors: Yu Jiali , Shu Shihu , Wang Qiongfang , Gao Naiyun , Zhu Yanping
Published: June 2022

In this work, the degradation performance of Fe2+/PAA/H2O2 on three typical pollutants (reactive black 5, ANL, and PVA) in textile wastewater was investigated in comparison with Fe2+/H2O2. Therein, Fe2+/PAA/H2O2 had a high removal on RB5 (99%) mainly owing to the contribution of peroxyl radicals and/or Fe(IV). Fe2+/H2O2 showed a relatively high removal on PVA (28%) mainly resulting from ·OH. Fe2+/PAA/H2O2 and Fe2+/H2O2 showed comparative removals on ANL. Additionally, Fe2+/PAA/H2O2 was more sensitive to pH than Fe2+/H2O2. The coexisting anions (20–2000 mg/L) showed inhibition on their removals and followed an order of HCO3− > SO42− > Cl−. Humic acid (5 and 10 mg C/L) posed notable inhibition on their removals following an order of reactive black 5 (RB5) > ANL > PVA. In practical wastewater effluent, PVA removal was dramatically inhibited by 88%. Bioluminescent bacteria test results suggested that the toxicity of Fe2+/PAA/H2O2 treated systems was lower than that of Fe2+/H2O2. RB5 degradation had three possible pathways with the proposed mechanisms of hydroxylation, dehydrogenation, and demethylation. The results may favor the performance evaluation of Fe2+/PAA/H2O2 in the advanced treatment of textile wastewater.
Synthesis of Adjacent Stokes Spectra in a Two-Stage Transient Stimulated Raman Chirped-Pulse Amplifier
Authors: Petrulenas Augustinas , Mackonis Paulius , Rodin Aleksej M.
Published: June 2022

The synthesis of adjacent overlapped Stokes spectra in two stages of a transient stimulated Raman chirped-pulse amplifier, tuned respectively to the vibrational modes at 901 and 767 cm−1 of a potassium gadolinium tungstate [KGd(WO4)2] crystal, is demonstrated. The contribution of the spatio-temporal overlap of seed and pump pulses, as well as the self-phase modulation, was investigated. The noncollinear configuration allows the composite bandwidth at the central wavelength of 1120 nm to be increased by a factor of 23 compared to the pump pulse bandwidth of 1.6 nm. After reaching a conversion efficiency of 35% in the second stage, the compressibility of a chirped Stokes pulse with a tailored spectrum was also investigated.
Color Stability of Orthodontic Ceramic Brackets and Adhesives in Potentially Staining Beverages—In Vitro Study
Authors: Šimunović Luka , Blagec Tadeja , Vrankić Andrea , Meštrović Senka
Published: June 2022

The aim of this study was to evaluate the color stability of esthetic ceramic brackets and adhesive samples after immersion in most commonly consumed beverages. A hundred ceramic brackets from five different manufacturers (Forestadent®, G&H®, GC, DynaFlex®, and American Orthodontics) and 120 samples of adhesives (3M™Transbond™ XT and American Orthodontics BracePaste® color change adhesive and BracePaste® adhesive) were immersed into four different solutions: coffee, Coca-Cola®, the vitamin drink Cedevita®, and artificial saliva (control group). The samples were kept in an incubator at 37 °C. Color readings were evaluated before (T0), at 24 h (T1), 72 h (T3), 7 days (T4), and 14 days (T5) after initial immersion using a spectrophotometer according to the L*a*b* color scale. All the examined brackets showed a statistically significant difference in discoloration (p = 0.001). 20/40™ Brackets (American Orthodontics) showed the best color stability, while the greatest color modification was recognized in QuicKlear® III (Forestadent®) brackets. Regarding adhesives, the greatest staining was observed in the BracePaste® color change adhesive and the least in the Transbond™ XT samples. In conclusion, color change occurs in all solutions, including control groups, and coffee has the greatest impact on color stability.
Modeling Long-Range Dynamic Correlations of Words in Written Texts with Hawkes Processes
Authors: Ogura Hiroshi , Hanada Yasutaka , Amano Hiromi , Kondo Masato
Published: June 2022

It has been clarified that words in written texts are classified into two groups called Type-I and Type-II words. The Type-I words are words that exhibit long-range dynamic correlations in written texts while the Type-II words do not show any type of dynamic correlations. Although the stochastic process of yielding Type-II words has been clarified to be a superposition of Poisson point processes with various intensities, there is no definitive model for Type-I words. In this study, we introduce a Hawkes process, which is known as a kind of self-exciting point process, as a candidate for the stochastic process that governs yielding Type-I words; i.e., the purpose of this study is to establish that the Hawkes process is useful to model occurrence patterns of Type-I words in real written texts. The relation between the Hawkes process and an existing model for Type-I words, in which hierarchical structures of written texts are considered to play a central role in yielding dynamic correlations, will also be discussed.
Popularity of Video Games and Collective Memory
Authors: Mendes Leonardo O. , Cunha Leonardo R. , Mendes Renio S.
Published: June 2022

Describing the permanence of cultural objects is an important step in understanding societal trends. A relatively novel cultural object is the video game, which is an interactive media, that is, the player is an active contributor to the overall experience. This article aims to investigate video game permanence in collective memory using their popularity as a proxy, employing data based on the Steam platform from July 2012 to December 2020. The objectives include characterizing the database; studying the growth of players, games, and game categories; providing a model for the relative popularity distribution; and applying this model in three strata, global, major categories, and among categories. We detected linear growth trends in the number of players and the number of categories, and an exponential trend in the number of games released. Furthermore, we verified that lognormal distributions, emerging from multiplicative processes, provide a first approximation for the popularity in all strata. In addition, we proposed an improvement via Box–Cox transformations with similar parameters (from −0.12 (95% CI: −0.18, −0.07) to −0.04 (95% CI: −0.08, 0)). We were able to justify this improved model by interpreting the magnitude of each Box–Cox parameter as a measure of memory effects.