bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Legionellosis risk—an overview of Legionella spp. habitats in Europe
Authors: Kanarek Piotr , Bogiel Tomasz , Breza-Boruta Barbara
Published: September 2022

An increase in the number of reports of legionellosis in the European Union and the European Economic Area have been recorded in recent years. The increase in cases is significant: from 6947 reports in 2015 to 11,298 in 2019. This is alarming as genus Legionella, which comprises a large group of bacteria inhabiting various aquatic systems, poses a serious threat to human health and life, since more than 20 species can cause legionellosis, with L. pneumophila being responsible for the majority of cases. The ability to colonize diverse ecosystems makes the eradication of these microorganisms difficult. A detailed understanding of the Legionella habitat may be helpful in the effective control of this pathogen. This paper provides an overview of Legionella environments in Europe: natural (lakes, groundwater, rivers, compost, soil) and anthropogenic (fountains, air humidifiers, water supply systems), and the role of Legionella spp. in nosocomial infections, which are potentially fatal for children, the elderly and immunocompromised patients.

Graphical abstract
Pathways to Empowerment:Case Studies of Positive Deviances in Gender Relations in Ethiopia
Authors: Kinati Wole , Temple Elizabeth C. , Baker Derek , Najjar Dina
Published: September 2022

Development efforts have increased women’s perceived empowerment and freedom, yet have failed to sustainably alter gender norms. There is a lack of research investigating reasons for this anomaly. This study, departing from the conventional approach, tries to fill this gap by employing an interpretative phenomenological approach to assess how women have managed to achieve expanded agency while living within a constraining normative environment. We argue that women have the capacity to deviate and the intentions that lead to new behaviors emerge not only from individuals’ attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control, as suggested by the Theory of Planned Behavior, but also in combination with demographic and economic factors. Individuals need to make decisions in three areas ―self-conviction (attitude and perceived behavioral control), subjective norms (within household and community), and structures (state and non-state institutions). The results shed light on alternative empowerment pathways that could potentially inform the design of transformational interventions.
Benthic megafaunal biodiversity of the Charlie-Gibbs fracture zone: spatial variation, potential drivers, and conservation status
Authors: Keogh Poppy , Command Rylan J. , Edinger Evan , Georgiopoulou Aggeliki , Robert Katleen
Published: September 2022

The Charlie-Gibbs Fracture Zone (CGFZ) is a prominent geological feature offsetting the Mid-Atlantic Ridge (MAR), consisting of two parallel fractures, creating a highly variable seafloor bathymetry. It has been defined as the most important latitudinal biodiversity transitional zone on the MAR. Despite this recognition, the faunal communities living on the fracture zone have not been extensively described. A remotely operated vehicle (ROV) was utilised during the TOSCA (Tectonic Ocean Spreading at the Charlie-Gibbs Fracture Zone) survey. The survey included five ROV video transects at depths between 560 and 2900 m. The objectives of the study were to use this video footage to quantify benthic megafaunal density and biodiversity patterns on the CGFZ and their environmental drivers. Species accumulation curves and generalised additive modelling show that depth and the presence of hard substrates play an important role in explaining species richness and abundance at the CGFZ. Coral taxa showed highest abundance between depths of 1500 and 2000 m, while sponge taxa were more abundant between 1750 and 2250 m. A dense sponge aggregation was identified on a ridge feature at 2250 m depth. The high biodiversity and presence of dense sponge aggregations and coral gardens found in this study highlight the need for detailed surveys to help support decisions made by governing bodies on the protection status of the CGFZ.
Adsorption of Cd2+ from synthetic wastewater by modified leaves of Eupatorium adenophorum and Acer oblongum: thermodynamics, kinetics and equilibrium studies
Authors: Joshi Hemant Kumar , Vishwakarma Mahesh Chandra , Kumar Rajesh , Sharma Harish , Joshi Sushil Kumar , Bhandari Narendra Singh
Published: September 2022

Heavy metals cause outrageous ecological risks when released into the environment from many point and non-point sources. Biosorbents prepared from the leaves of Eupatorium adenophorum (AEA) and Acer oblongum (AAO) were used as practical solutions to remove the toxic heavy metal cadmium (Cd2+) from wastewater. Biosorption of Cd2+ was investigated using AEA and AAO biomass under batch conditions. The effect of operating variables like temperature, contact time, the pH impact, and initial metal concentration and biosorbent portion on Cd2+ removal has been studied. The optimal pH and the sorbent dosage were found to be 7.0 and 2.0 g L−1, respectively, and removal efficiency attained was 93.3% with an equilibrium removal time of 90 min. The equilibrium uptake of Cd2+ was evaluated by Freundlich, Langmuir, and Temkin isotherm models. The Langmuir isotherm model was proved fit confirming single layer of sorption. The biosorption of Cd2+ onto activated AEA and AAO biomass achieved were 45.45 mg g−1 and 44.64 mg g−1 respectively. The adsorption affinity of AEA toward Cd2+ was discovered a lot more prominent than AAO biomass. The kinetic data of Cd2+ biosorption onto activated AEA and AAO, fitted with a pseudo-second-order well with higher values of R2 (> 0.99). Thermodynamics disclosed that the adsorption process was spontaneous (∆G0 < 0), endothermic (∆H0 > 0), and feasible (ΔS0 > 0). The adsorption of Cd2+ onto AEA was more exothermic and spontaneous than the AAO biosorbent. Additionally, FT-IR and SEM analysis uncovered that Cd2+ were adsorbed onto selected biomassdue to –NH–, –COOH, –OH, and –NH2 groups. Ionic, coordination bond formation, and electrostatic interaction with Cd2+ demonstrated that they were promising biosorbent for wastewater treatment.
Race, ethnicity and mortality in the United States during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic: an assessment
Authors: Dendir Seife
Published: September 2022

The fact that a disproportionate share of the disease burden from COVID-19, including mortality, has been borne by racial and ethnic minority communities is well documented. The purpose of this paper is to reassess the “race/ethnicity effect” in COVID-19 mortality in the United States. Using an ecological regression framework and county-level data, the study aims to make two contributions. First, it estimates the race/ethnicity effect forallmajor racial/ethnic groups atfourimportant junctures during the first year of the pandemic. In doing so, it seeks to provide the fullest possible picture of the nature and evolution of the race/ethnicity effect. Second, it estimates the race/ethnicity effect net of basic socioeconomic factors (SEF). This helps to identify the likely mechanisms through which the race/ethnicity effect operates. Racial/ethnic composition is flexibly measured in two ways—by percentage contributions to county population and by indicators of group plurality. The ecological regressions revealed a positive association between the size of three racial/ethnic groups—non-Hispanic Blacks, non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Natives (AIAN) and Hispanics—and county mortality, although the association was stronger and more consistent for Blacks and AIANs. Furthermore, accounting for basic SEF had different impacts on the race/ethnicity-mortality association for the three groups. For Hispanics, it was almost fully mediated. For Blacks, it decreased but remained statistically significant [62–6% higher mortality associated with a 1-standard deviation increase in Black share of county population; 2.3–1.1 times higher mortality in the average Black plurality county]. For AIANs, it was largely unaffected or even increased [44–10% higher mortality associated with a 1-standard deviation increase in AIAN share; 6.2–1.8 times higher mortality in AIAN plurality county). For all groups, the race/ethnicity effect generally decreased as the pandemic wore on during the first year.
Homeostatic medicine: a strategy for exploring health and disease
Authors: Wang Songlin , Qin Lizheng
Published: September 2022

Homeostasis is a process of dynamic balance regulated by organisms, through which they maintain an internal stability and adapt to the external environment for survival. In this paper, we propose the concept of utilizing homeostatic medicine (HM) as a strategy to explore health and disease. HM is a science that studies the maintenance of the body’s homeostasis. It is also a discipline that investigates the role of homeostasis in building health, studies the change of homeostasis in disease progression, and explores ways to restore homeostasis for the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of disease at all levels of biological organization. A new dimension in the medical system with a promising future HM focuses on how homeostasis functions in the regulation of health and disease and provides strategic directions in disease prevention and control. Nitric oxide (NO) plays an important role in the control of homeostasis in multiple systems. Nitrate is an important substance that regulates NO homeostasis through the nitrate-nitrite-NO pathway. Sialin interacts with nitrate and participates in the regulation of NO production and cell biological functions for body homeostasis. The interactions between nitrate and NO or sialin is an important mechanism by which homeostasis is regulated.
SOFA and modified SOFA score for accessing outcomes among trauma patients in intensive care unit
Authors: Emadi Seyed Abdollah , Baradari Afshin Gholipour , Charati Jamshid Yazdani , Taghavi Fatemeh , Kiabi Farshad Hassanzadeh
Published: September 2022

Abstract

Objective

Admission to the intensive care unit is a forecaster of mortality and disability. The sequential organ failure assessment is used to predict patients’ outcomes and mortality in these cases. The aim of this study is to examine the relationship between patients’ mortality and standardized SOFA & modified SOFA scores among patients in the ICU.

Methods

This is a prospective descriptive study (cohort) that was conducted on patients with trauma in ICU. The patients were evaluated using SOFA standard and modified scoring systems. The obtained data were analyzed using SPSS version 22 software.

Results

Of 44 patients who completed the study, the mean age of patients was 36.84 ± 14.23, which was 16% female and 84%, male. The average age of women was 32.28 and the mean age of men was 37.70. The average SOFA score was 8 among patients who died whereas, modified SOFA was 6. In patients who were rescued, on the first day, the mean SOFA score was 1.95 and modified SOFA score was 1.51. The results showed that the average scoring of modified SOFA was lower than the average scoring of standard SOFA (P = 0.001)

Conclusion

Modified SOFA may be effective in predicting mortality similar to SOFA among the patients however, further studies are required in this domain.

Highlights
Community health workers and promotoras’ perspectives of a research best practice course: A focus group study
Authors: Varma Deepthi S. , Samuels Elias , Piatt Gretchen , Watkins Daphne C. , Spiroff Meghan , Cottler Linda B. , Gaxiola Sergio Aguilar , Murphy Susan L.
Published: September 2022

Introduction:

Community Health Workers and Promotoras (CHW/Ps) are valued for their role in helping to engage community members in research. CHW/Ps have traditionally received variable training in research fundamentals, including importance and promotion of research rigor to establish consistency in the methods used over time. Research best practices training exists for research professionals, but no standard training is provided as part of the CHW/P job role. To develop this CHW/P research best practices training, our team engaged English- and Spanish-speaking CHW/Ps to watch an early version of an online module and to examine perceptions of the relevance of such a training and optimal delivery methods.

Methods:

Six virtual focus group discussions were conducted (three in English and three in Spanish) across different US geographic regions with currently employed CHW/Ps.

Results:

Forty CHW/Ps participated (95% female, mean age 44 years, 58% identifying as Hispanic/Latino). Four themes emerged: relevance of training, benefits of providing a certificate of completion, flexible training delivery modalities, and peer-led training.

Discussion:

With participation from representatives of the intended learner group of CHW/Ps, our team found that CHW/Ps valued learning about research best practices. They perceived culturally- and linguistically appropriate health research training to be highly relevant to their role, particularly for communicating key information to community members about their participation in health research. Additionally, participants provided input on effective dissemination of the training including the benefit of having proof of course completion, involvement of peer trainers, and value of providing the option to participate in online training.
Pedagogy Behind and Beyond Bars: Critical Perspectives on Prison Education in Contemporary Documentary Film from Argentina
Authors: Wilson-Nunn Oliver
Published: September 2022

Since 2008, numerous Argentine documentary films have explored the complexities of prison education. Prison education documentaries from other countries usually focus overwhelmingly on the possible success of “rehabilitation.” In contrast, this article argues that contemporary Argentine prison education documentaries encourage critical, at times quasi-abolitionist, perspectives on imprisonment by challenging both punitive attitudes and liberal beliefs in thereinserción(reintegration) of prisoners into society. Analyzing the documentariesEl almafuerte(dir. Roberto Sebastián Persano, Santiago Nacif Cabrera, and Andrés Martínez Cantó, Argentina, 2009),13 puertas(dir. David Rubio, Argentina, 2014),Lunas cautivas(dir. Marcia Paradiso, Argentina, 2012), andPabellón 4(dir. Diego Gachassin, Argentina, 2017), it draws on insights from film studies and criminology to show how these films provide intersectional and structural critiques of imprisonment. “Touristic” and affective encounters between incarcerated and non-incarcerated people serve to challenge comfortable viewing positions predicated on internal-external carceral and cinematic divides. These films teach spectators that outside spaces, people, and institutions are all central to the meaning, problems, and incoherence of incarceration in Argentina.
Atypical violence and conflict dynamics: evidence from Jerusalem
Authors: Weiss Chagai M. , Tsur Neal , Miodownik Dan , Lupu Yonatan , Finkel Evgeny
Published: September 2022

What is the impact of uncommon but notable violent acts on conflict dynamics? We analyze the impact of the murder of a Palestinian child on the broader dynamics of Israeli-Palestinian violence in Jerusalem. By using novel micro-level event data and utilizing Discrete Fourier Transform and Bayesian Poisson Change Point Analysis, we compare the impact of the murder to that of other lethal but more typical Israeli-Palestinian events. We demonstrate that the murder had a large and durable impact on the average number of daily riots in Jerusalem, whereas the other events caused smaller, short-term effects. We demonstrate that scholars should devote more attention to the analysis of atypical violent acts and indicate a set of tools for conducting such analyses.
Phosphorus cycling byUrochloa decumbensintercropped with coffee
Authors: Baptistella João Leonardo Corte , Bettoni Teles Ana Paula , Favarin José Laércio , Pavinato Paulo Sergio , Mazzafera Paulo
Published: September 2022

Phosphorus (P) is a limiting resource for agricultural production in the tropics.Urochloa spp. is commonly used as a cover crop and has mechanisms to mobilize partially the nonavailable P forms from the soil. The use ofUrochloaintercropped with Arabica coffee (Coffea arabicaL.) is increasing in Brazil, but P cycling has been overlooked in this system. Here, we proposed two experiments to test the hypothesis thatUrochloadecumbens could mobilize and absorb P from deep soil layers and increase overall P cycling of the intercrop system. We measuredU. decumbensroot and shoot dry mass (SDM), root morphology and activity, nutrient uptake, soil nutrient availability, and soil P fractionation in both experiments. To better understand P cycling byUrochloaalone, in the first experiment,U. decumbenswas cultivated in rhizotrons where adequate P was supplied in distinct soil layers – 0.0 to 0.3 m, 0.3 to 0.8 m, 0.8 to 1.3 m, and 1.3 to 2 m. Root dry mass (RDM) and morphology were not affected by P availability. Moreover, total biomass production (root plus shoot) and P uptake were higher when P was available in the superficial top soil layer compared to P availability in more than one layer or only in the bottom layer. Nevertheless,U. decumbenswas able to reach and acquire P from depth. Correlation analysis showed that P cycling was strongly dependent on SDM, labile, and moderately labile fractions of soil P and was not significantly correlated with RDM. The second experiment aimed at verifying P uptake and mobilization from different soil depths in field conditions. P was supplied in different depths of the soil profile – 0.3 m, 0.6 m, and 0.9 m – in the field with preestablishedU. decumbensintercropped with Arabica coffee plants. Shoot P content was higher at the first sample date when P was supplied at 0.3 m, compared to 0.6 m, 0.9 m, and control with no P. Soil P fractionation showed that there was no P mobilization of less labile forms byU. decumbensduring the evaluated time. Our results showed that P fertilization in the top layer rather than suppling P trough the soil profile can maximizeU. decumbensgrowth. Also,UrochloaP accumulation was enough to support coffee demand even in high yields and can be an alternative to increase P use efficiency in coffee production systems, being an effective recycler of P.
Determination of N-acetylneuraminic and N-glycolylneuraminic acids in unprocessed milk of four cattle breeds
Authors: Crisà Alessandra , Marchitelli Cinzia , Failla Sebastiana , Contò Michela
Published: September 2022

This research communication reports concentrations of two sialic acids (SA), N-acetylneuraminic (Neu5Ac) and N-glycolylneuraminic (Neu5Gc), in fresh milk from different cow breeds throughout lactation. According to published studies, the two SA types found in animal-derived products have diverse and conflicting effects on human health, but SA content is not routinely analysed in individual milk cows samples. We measured the content of Neu5Ac and Neu5Gc in milk from Holstein Friesian (HO), Simmental (SM), Simmental × Holstein crossbred (SM×HO), and Podolica (POD) cows at 60 and 120 d following calving. HO, SM and SM×HO were reared in an intensive production while POD were raised in an extensive system. Results showed that total Neu5Ac was overall thirty times more abundant than Neu5Gc, and their concentrations were higher at 120 d than at 60 d (P < 0.001). Neu5Gc values were greater in HO, SM, and SM × HO than in POD (P < 0.001), while HO had a higher Neu5Ac value than the other three breeds (P < 0.001). These findings shed light on the differences in SA content among cow breeds and lay the groundwork for future research to select animals that produce milk with desirable characteristics for human health.
The Social and Economic Impact of Hadrian's Wall on the Frontier Zone in Britain
Authors: Bruhn James , Hodgson Nick
Published: September 2022

Recent research projects, publications, and above all the results of developer-funded archaeology provide materials for a re-assessment of the impact of Hadrian's Wall on the indigenous peoples whose lands it transected. Previous analysis has been concerned with the greater or lesser degree of ‘Romanisation’ of an Iron Age society perceived as little changed under Roman rule, with the Wall seen as a bureaucratic border running through an homogeneous frontier zone, as described by C.R. Whittaker. Although the local settlement pattern survived the original Flavian conquest of the region intact, it is now apparent that the building of the Wall under Hadrian had profound and far from benign consequences for local people. To the north of the barrier the traditional settlement pattern was largely abandoned and new social authorities emerged, while to the south there is evidence for new economic structures imposed from outside and the settlement of immigrants. The paper considers the extent to which these developments were the outcome of conscious policies by the Roman authorities.
The effect of children’s prior knowledge and language abilities on their statistical learning
Authors: Stärk Katja , Kidd Evan , Frost Rebecca L. A.
Published: September 2022

Statistical learning (SL) is assumed to lead to long-term memory representations. However, the way that those representations influence future learning remains largely unknown. We studied how children’s existing distributional linguistic knowledge influences their subsequent SL on a serial recall task, in which 49 German-speaking seven- to nine-year-old children repeated a series of six-syllable sequences. These contained either (i) bisyllabic words based on frequently occurring German syllable transitions (naturalistic sequences), (ii) bisyllabic words created from unattested syllable transitions (non-naturalistic sequences), or (iii) random syllable combinations (unstructured foils). Children demonstrated learning from naturalistic sequences from the beginning of the experiment, indicating that their implicit memory traces derived from their input language informed learning from the very early stages onward. Exploratory analyses indicated that children with a higher language proficiency were more accurate in repeating the sequences and improved most throughout the study compared to children with lower proficiency.
Japan, Taiwan and the “One China” Framework after 50 Years
Authors: Liff Adam P.
Published: September 2022

This study analyses the “one China” framework's significance for Japan–Taiwan relations since Tokyo switched diplomatic recognition from Taipei to Beijing in 1972. Drawing on Chinese-, Japanese- and English-language sources, it examines developments since the breakthrough Japan–PRC normalization communiqué and the “Japan formula,” which enabled Tokyo to normalize relations – six years before Washington – without recognizing Beijing's claim of sovereignty over Taiwan, and while maintaining robust, if unofficial, ties with Taipei thenceforth. Highlighting distinctions between Beijing's self-asserted “one-China principle” and Japan's ambiguous official position and subsequent effective policies, it assesses incremental but practically significant evolutions of Japan–Taiwan relations over the past half-century. In the 21st century, the trend towards incrementally closer ties has proven strikingly resilient to political transitions in Japan and Taiwan, China's growing power, pushback from Beijing and worsening cross-Strait frictions. Beyond Japan–Taiwan relations and theoretical debates on “one China,” this article's findings carry significant implications for Taiwan's international space, cross-Strait dynamics and China–Japan–United States relations.
Gender, work, and family economies: wet nurses in rural Galicia (1850–1900)
Authors: Dubert Isidro , Muñoz-Abeledo Luisa
Published: September 2022

In this article we study the distinct formative stages of the labour market for external wet nurses employed by Galician foundling hospitals in the second half of the nineteenth century. We focus on changes in the nature of wet nurses’ work due to the benevolence laws (1822, 1836, 1849) that were driven by Spain’s liberal state. We also examine wet nurses’ socio-demographic profile and the geographic distribution of their labour markets. Finally, we explore the economic impact that Galician foundling hospitals had on rural districts, looking closely at the importance of external wet nurse wages for family budgets.
Learning Success and Influencing Factors in Out-of-Hospital Placement of Intravenous Catheters
Authors: Häske David , Dorau Wolfgang , Eppler Fabian , Heinemann Niklas , Hochgreve Bernd , Schempf Benjamin
Published: September 2022

Introduction:

Placing peripheral intravenous catheters (“IV lines”) is a standard procedure for health care professionals in acute and emergency medicine. The study aimed to determine the learning curve and success rates in applying IV lines during a three-year paramedic training and the factors influencing successful placement.

Methods:

This was a prospective and noninterventional observational study to determine the influencing factors, learning outcomes, and performance in the placement of IV lines by trainees and experienced paramedics. Trial registration: German Clinical Trials Register, ID DRKS00024631.

Results:

From February 1, 2016 through December 31, 2021, a total of 3,547 peripheral venous accesses attempts were performed: 76.5% (n = 2,712) by trainees and 23.5% (n = 835) by experienced practitioners. The trainee group had one-to-three years of training and the experienced group had 11 (SD = 11) years of work experience after training (one-to-35 years). The learning or success curve in the successful placement of peripheral venous accesses was 85.2% in the first year of training, 88.5% in the second year of training, and 92.5% in the third year (and the end of training). It was then 94.3% in the fourth year (first year of being experienced). Successful insertion of peripheral venous accesses in the experienced group was up to 97.0%. The first-attempt success rate was 90.4% across the entire trainee group versus 95.9% in the experienced group (P <.0001).

Significant factors influencing successful placement of IV lines were puncture site (P = .022), catheter size (OR = 0.600; P = .002), and number of attempts (OR = 0.370; P <.001). The time of day (or night) was not influential. Work experience, patient age, or blood pressure were also not significant.
Digital Sources for Nineteenth Century Music in Spain: The Digitization Project of the National Library in Context
Authors: García-Villaraco Teresa Cascudo , Zabarte Gorka Rubiales
Published: September 2022

The National Library of Spain (Biblioteca Nacional de España, BNE) is the head of the Spanish library system. It holds all books published in Spain, and also several collections of different types, including the Music and Audiovisuals Department's sound recordings and sheet music. Its Department of Bibliographic Control of Periodicals catalogues both newspapers and magazines. In addition, the BNE offers a number of online services including the Hispanic Digital Library (Biblioteca Digital Hispánica, BDH) and the Digital Newspaper Library (Hemeroteca Digital, HemD). The BDH, was created in 2008 and currently provides free and open access to more than 220,000 digitized documents, including recordings and scores.1 In contrast, HemD, which is part of the BDH, focuses on the public dissemination of the digital collection of Spanish historical presses.2 It currently offers around 2,500 titles and more than 70,000,000 pages.3 Newspapers and magazines are available in PDF format and searches are facilitated by OCR (Optical Character Recognition).
Influence of soil water content on growth and panicle production of fall panicum (Panicum dichotomiflorum)
Authors: Chiruvelli Venkatanaga Shiva Datta Kumar Sharma , Sandhu Hardev S. , Cherry Ron , Odero D. Calvin
Published: September 2022

Fall panicum is a problematic weed in cropping systems including rice in southern Florida. There is limited information on growth and reproductive ability of fall panicum in water-stressed environments. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of 12.5%, 25%, 50%, 75%, and 100% pot soil water content (SWC) levels on fall panicum growth and panicle branch production under greenhouse conditions. Fall panicum height, number of leaves, and tillers decreased over time as SWC decreased. Fall panicum height decreased by 65% and 50% at 12.5% and 25% SWC, respectively, relative to height achieved at 100% SWC. Plants at 50% to 100% SWC were able to achieve 50% tiller production within 31 to 43 d compared with 28 d at 25% SWC. The 50% tiller production was not reached at 12.5% SWC during the duration of the study. Fall panicum shoot and root biomass, total leaf area, and number of panicle branches per plant at 56 d after SWC treatment initiation decreased as SWC decreased. Fall panicum biomass decreased 83% to 85% and 66% to 68% at 12.5% and 25% SWC, respectively, relative to 100% SWC. Leaf area declined 79% and 65% at 12.5% and 25% SWC levels, respectively, compared to the 100% SWC. Fall panicum was able to produce panicles at all SWC levels, although the plant produced significantly fewer panicle branches as SWC decreased. Plants at 12.5% and 25% SWC produced 82% and 59% fewer panicle branches, respectively, compared with plants at 100% SWC. This study shows that SWC influences the growth and reproductive capacity of fall panicum. Although fall panicum did not reach its full growth potential at low SWC levels, it was able to survive and develop panicles, showing its ability to adapt and reproduce under dry conditions.
Pflegekompetenz
Authors: Olbrich Christa
Published: September 2022

Was zeigt sich im Pflegealltag an Können und Wissen als Kompetenz einer Pflegefachperson? 

Die erfahrene Autorin klärt in ihrem erfolgreichen Fachbuch, was die Pflegepraxis an Kompetenzen von Pflegepersonen fordert, wie sich Wissen und Können als Kompetenz einer Pflegefachperson zeigen und welche Bedingungen Pflegekompetenz fördern oder behindern. 
Sie thematisiert aktuelle Themen, wie ethisch spirituelle Kompetenz und kommunikative Kompetenz, am Beispiel des eigensprachlichen Konzepts der Idiolektik. Sie entwickelt und visualisiert in diesem Buch eine Theorie der Pflegekompetenz, in der sich die Komplexität der Pflege, des Umfelds und des pflegerischen Handelns widerspiegeln und sich erkennen lassen. 
Die vierte Auflage wurde überarbeitete und erweitert, um ein Kapitel zum Thema intuitive Kompetenz ergänzt und bezügliche spiritueller Kompetenz vertieft. Die vier Dimensionen des pflegerischen Handelns wurde inhaltlich weiter differenziert und mit Fallbeispielen exemplifiziert. 

Aus dem Inhalt 
•Verständnis und Konzepte von Kompetenz 
•Kompetenzforschung 
•Kompetenzforschung in der Pflege 
•Theorie der Pflegekompetenz 
•Analyse und Interpretation der Pflegekompetenz 
•Europäischer Qualifikationsrahmen (EQR) 
•Kompetenzentwicklung in Lern- und Handlungsdimensionen 
•Individuelle Kompetenzentwicklung 
•Institutionelle Kompetenzentwicklung 
•Zusammenfassung und Ausblick 
•Idiolektische Kompetenz 
•Spirituelle Kompetenz 
•Intuitive Kompetenz
Climate Action Failure Highlighted as Leading Global Risk by Both Scientists and Business Leaders
Authors: Wynes Seth , Garard Jennifer , Fajardo Paola , Aoyagi Midori , Burkins Melody , Chaudhari Kalpana , Forrester Terrence , Garschagen Matthias , Hudson Paul , Ivanova Maria , Maibach Edward , Stevance Anne‐Sophie , Wood Sylvia , Matthews Damon
Published: September 2022

Despite the increased salience of infectious disease risk due to the COVID‐19 pandemic, two recent surveys of the business and scientific communities have found a continued belief in the prominence of environmental risks. In particular, failure to take action on climate change was seen as a highly likely risk whose impacts would become locked‐in barring an immediate global response. These expert opinions are consistent with a growing body of evidence and give us insight into the priorities of global thought leaders who study and respond to risk. Given this alignment in priorities, we argue for the importance of integrating climate and environmental action into responses to emerging threats.
Breaking the Ecosystem Balance Over the Tibetan Plateau
Authors: Han Dongliang , Huang Jianping , Ding Lei , Zhang Guolong , Liu Xiaoyue , Li Changyu , Yang Fan
Published: September 2022

Ecosystem imbalance is often associated with a feedback mechanism, which a self‐amplifying or ‐dampening process expressed by a pathway of causal processes that come back to its starting point, establishing a cycle. Warming, which is increasing worldwide due to human activities, influences the structure and functioning of ecosystems, has threatened sustainable regional and global development, especially over the mountain regions. This is because, the climatic condition rapidly changes along elevation gradients, which may amplify or mitigate the effects of climate on ecosystems. Based on it, a reference system and standardized techniques are extremely important to understand the ecosystem imbalance. Because of terrestrial oxygen production (TOP), which is the terrestrial biosphere continually absorbs CO2 and releases O2 resulting through vegetation photosynthesis, is closely related to the exchange of energy, carbon and other ecosystem factors between the atmosphere and the land. Therefore, whether TOP significantly increases indicate that accelerate in ecosystem imbalance over the Tibetan Plateau (TP) is largely unknown. To do so, integrated with characteristics and drivers of TOP, we investigated how TOP changes respond to ecosystem imbalance over the TP. These changes are influenced by related to climatic conditions, plant productivity, soil fertility, and microbial stability, which can establish a positive feedback loop that standardized direct effect is 0.99, 0.73, 0.75, and 0.75. Our findings suggest that ecosystem imbalance will accelerate with rapid TOP increase over the TP by ∼2,100. This study confirms the importance of the ecosystem imbalance under global warming in the future.
Regime Shift in Annual Nitrate Concentration in the Upper Southern Chukchi Borderland Responded to the Westward Shift of the Beaufort Gyre
Authors: Dong Chunming , Luo Xiaofan , Zheng Zijia , Zhao Wei , Wei Hao
Published: September 2022

Recent strengthening and westward movement of the Beaufort Gyre (BG), along with the rapid retreat of Arctic sea ice creates a new hotspot for investigating ecosystem responses to environmental changes over the Chukchi Borderland. As an important basis for primary production, nutrient variation and its controls in this hotspot region require to be preliminarily clarified. Using a hindcast simulation of a coupled ocean‐sea ice‐biogeochemical model (NAPA‐BGC) covering 1998–2015, this study suggests a regime shift in annual nitrate concentration in the upper southern Chukchi Borderland with the lower concentration since 2009. The relative contributions of biological and physical processes to annual nitrate variation are quantified via budget estimates. The results show a less temporally variable contribution of biological processes to nitrate variation, while the role of advection shifting from a nitrate source to a nitrate sink since 2009. This suggests physical processes mainly determine the nitrate transition in the upper southern Chukchi Borderland. Driven by the westward shift of the BG, the westward and southward expansion of the upper oligotrophic Canada Basin water narrows the pathway of nitrate‐rich shelf water flowing over the Chukchi Borderland. Meanwhile, the enhanced anticyclonic velocity at the marginal BG leads to an increased westward nitrate flux across the Chukchi Borderland and decreased nitrate supply to the north. Consequently, higher nitrate concentration exists in a narrow region to the south of 75°N, whereas the remaining areas have lower nitrate concentration, contributing to the overall reduction in annual averaged nitrate concentration since 2009 in the southern Chukchi Borderland.
Quaternary E‐W Extension Uplifts Kythira Island and Segments the Hellenic Arc
Authors: de Gelder Gino , Fernández‐Blanco David , Öğretmen Nazik , Liakopoulos Spyros , Papanastassiou Dimitris , Faranda Costanza , Armijo Rolando , Lacassin Robin
Published: September 2022

Several crustal and lithospheric mechanisms lead to deformation and vertical motion of the upper plate during subduction, but their relative contribution is often enigmatic. Multiple areas of the Hellenic Forearc have been uplifting since Plio‐Quaternary times, yet spatiotemporal characteristics and sources of this uplift are poorly resolved. The remarkable geology and geomorphology of Kythira Island, in the southwestern Hellenic forearc, allow for a detailed tectonic reconstruction since the Late Miocene. We present a morphotectonic map of the island, together with new biostratigraphic dating and detailed analyses of active fault strikes and marine terraces. We find that the Tortonian‐Pliocene stratigraphy in Kythira records ∼100 m of subsidence, and a wide coastal rasa marks the ∼2.8–2.4 Ma maximum transgression. Subsequent marine regression of ∼300–400 m and minor E‐W tilt are recorded in ∼12 marine terrace levels for which we estimate uplift rates of ∼0.2–0.4 mm/yr. Guided by simple landscape evolution models, we interpret the coastal morphology as the result of initial stability or of slow, gradual sea‐level drop since ∼2.8–2.4 Ma, followed by faster uplift since ∼1.5–0.7 Ma. Our findings on‐ and offshore suggest that E‐W extension is the dominant mode of regional active upper crustal deformation, and N‐S normal faults accommodate most, if not all of the uplift on Kythira. We interpret the initiation of E‐W extension as the result of a change in plate boundary conditions, in response to either propagation of the North Anatolian Fault, incipient collision with the African plate, mantle dynamics or a combination thereof.
Probability Distribution for Water Fluxes in a Heterogeneous Unsaturated Zone Using an Ensemble of 1D Simulations
Authors: Weissman Gal , Dahan Ofer , Bel Golan
Published: September 2022

Groundwater recharge plays an important role in water resource management. In arid and semi‐arid areas, the groundwater recharge under agricultural fields constitutes a large portion of the total recharge. Estimating the agricultural recharge is important for groundwater management and assessing contamination risk. However, estimations of the recharge fluxes are difficult due to the soil heterogeneity and the complex nature of the flow processes in the soil. Here, we suggest a new method for estimating the recharge flux probability distribution that accounts for the soil heterogeneity. The method is demonstrated using a unique data set of long‐term continuous measurements of water content under an agricultural field. The measurements are used to assign weights to a large ensemble of hydraulic parameter sets. The weights are then used to derive the probability distribution of flux under different agricultural practices. We found that the distribution of the recharge fluxes varies considerably between one annual crop and a cycle of three crops over 2 years. However, the distribution of the fraction of the input water that infiltrates does not vary much between the two practices. Under natural conditions, with no irrigation, the recharge flux is much smaller, and its distribution is narrower. Our approach provides the full probability distribution of fluxes rather than a single expected value of the flux or its mean.
Splenic red pulp macrophages provide a niche for CML stem cells and induce therapy resistance
Authors: Bührer Elias D. , Amrein Michael A. , Forster Stefan , Isringhausen Stephan , Schürch Christian M. , Bhate Salil S. , Brodie Tess , Zindel Joel , Stroka Deborah , Sayed Mohamad Al , Nombela-Arrieta César , Radpour Ramin , Riether Carsten , Ochsenbein Adrian F.
Published: September 2022

Disease progression and relapse of chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) are caused by therapy resistant leukemia stem cells (LSCs), and cure relies on their eradication. The microenvironment in the bone marrow (BM) is known to contribute to LSC maintenance and resistance. Although leukemic infiltration of the spleen is a hallmark of CML, it is unknown whether spleen cells form a niche that maintains LSCs. Here, we demonstrate that LSCs preferentially accumulate in the spleen and contribute to disease progression. Spleen LSCs were located in the red pulp close to red pulp macrophages (RPM) in CML patients and in a murine CML model. Pharmacologic and genetic depletion of RPM reduced LSCs and decreased their cell cycling activity in the spleen. Gene expression analysis revealed enriched stemness and decreased myeloid lineage differentiation in spleen leukemic stem and progenitor cells (LSPCs). These results demonstrate that splenic RPM form a niche that maintains CML LSCs in a quiescent state, resulting in disease progression and resistance to therapy.
Time of exposure to social defeat stress during childhood and adolescence and redox dysregulation on long-lasting behavioral changes, a translational study
Authors: Schnider Mirko , Jenni Raoul , Ramain Julie , Camporesi Sara , Golay Philippe , Alameda Luis , Conus Philippe , Do Kim Q. , Steullet Pascal
Published: September 2022

Traumatic events during childhood/early adolescence can cause long-lasting physiological and behavioral changes with increasing risk for psychiatric conditions including psychosis. Genetic factors and trauma (and their type, degree of repetition, time of occurrence) are believed to influence how traumatic experiences affect an individual. Here, we compared long-lasting behavioral effects of repeated social defeat stress (SD) applied during either peripuberty or late adolescence in adult male WT and Gclm-KO mice, a model of redox dysregulation relevant to schizophrenia. As SD disrupts redox homeostasis and causes oxidative stress, we hypothesized that KO mice would be particularly vulnerable to such stress. We first found that peripubertal and late adolescent SD led to different behavioral outcomes. Peripubertal SD induced anxiety-like behavior in anxiogenic environments, potentiated startle reflex, and increased sensitivity to the NMDA-receptor antagonist, MK-801. In contrast, late adolescent SD led to increased exploration in novel environments. Second, the long-lasting impact of peripubertal but not late adolescent SD differed in KO and WT mice. Peripubertal SD increased anxiety-like behavior in anxiogenic environments and MK-801-sensitivity mostly in KO mice, while it increased startle reflex in WT mice. These suggest that a redox dysregulation during peripuberty interacts with SD to remodel the trajectory of brain maturation, but does not play a significant role during later SD. As peripubertal SD induced persisting anxiety- and fear-related behaviors in male mice, we then investigated anxiety in a cohort of 89 early psychosis male patients for whom we had information about past abuse and clinical assessment during the first year of psychosis. We found that a first exposure to physical/sexual abuse (analogous to SD) before age 12, but not after, was associated with higher anxiety at 6–12 months after psychosis onset. This supports that childhood/peripuberty is a vulnerable period during which physical/sexual abuse in males has wide and long-lasting consequences.
Involvement of a BH3-only apoptosis sensitizer gene Blm-s in hippocampus-mediated mood control
Authors: Huang Pei-Hsin , Yang Tsung-Ying , Yeh Chia-Wei , Huang Sheng-Min , Chang Ho-Ching , Hung Yun-Fen , Chu Wen-Chia , Cho Kuan-Hung , Lu Tzu-Pin , Kuo Po-Hsiu , Lee Li-Jen , Kuo Li-Wei , Lien Cheng-Chang , Cheng Hwai-Jong
Published: September 2022

Mood disorders are an important public health issue and recent advances in genomic studies have indicated that molecules involved in neurodevelopment are causally related to mood disorders. BLM-s (BCL-2-likemolecule,small transcript isoform), a BH3-only proapoptotic BCL-2 family member, mediates apoptosis of postmitotic immature neurons during embryonic cortical development, but its role in the adult brain is unknown. To better understand the physiological role ofBlm-sgene in vivo, we generated aBlm-s-knockout (Blm-s−/−) mouse. TheBlm-s−/−mice breed normally and exhibit grossly normal development. However, global depletion ofBlm-sis highly associated with depression- and anxiety-related behaviors in adult mutant mice with intact learning and memory capacity. Functional magnetic resonance imaging of adultBlm-s−/−mice reveals reduced connectivity mainly in the ventral dentate gyrus (vDG) of the hippocampus with no alteration in the dorsal DG connectivity and in total hippocampal volume. At the cellular level, BLM-s is expressed in DG granule cells (GCs), andBlm-s−/−mice show reduced dendritic complexity and decreased spine density in mature GCs. Electrophysiology study uncovers that mature vGCs in adultBlm-s−/−DG are intrinsically more excitable. Interestingly, certain genetic variants of the humanBlmhomologue gene (VPS50) are significantly associated with depression traits from publicly resourced UK Biobank data. Taken together, BLM-s is required for the hippocampal mood control function. Loss of BLM-s causes abnormality in the electrophysiology and morphology of GCs and a disrupted vDG neural network, which could underlieBlm-s-null-associated anxiety and depression.
Association between systemic omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid levels, and corneal nerve structure and function
Authors: Britten-Jones Alexis Ceecee , Craig Jennifer P. , Anderson Andrew J. , Downie Laura E.
Published: September 2022

Background

Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), have anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective properties. This study sought to determine the relationship between corneal parameters and systemic omega-3 fatty acid levels.

Methods

Forty-seven participants with no/mild peripheral neuropathy (26 with diabetes and 21 without) underwent comprehensive ocular surface and systemic PUFA assessments. Corneal anatomical parameters were assessed using in vivo confocal microscopy. Corneal sensitivity was measured using non-contact esthesiometry. Relationships between systemic PUFA levels and corneal parameters were evaluated with multiple linear regression, adjusted for age, sex, neuropathy symptom score, and presence of diabetes and dry eye disease. The relationship between corneal nerve fibre length (CNFL) and corneal sensitivity threshold was evaluated.

Results

The median Omega-3 Index, a measure of erythrocyte EPA and DHA, was 5.21% (interquartile range: 4.44–5.94%) in the study population. Mean ( ± SD) CNFL was 13.53 ± 3.37 mm/mm2. Multiple linear regression showed that Omega-3 Index (β = 0.33; p = 0.02), age (β = −0.46; p = 0.001) and diabetes (β = −0.30; p = 0.03) were independently associated with CNFL (R2 = 0.39, p = 0.002). In a separate model, DHA (β = 0.32; p = 0.027) and age (β = −0.41; p = 0.003) were associated with CNFL (R2 = 0.37, p = 0.003). Neither systemic EPA nor omega-6 fatty acid levels correlated with CNFL. There was no association between PUFA levels and corneal sensitivity or corneal immune cell density. A negative correlation was found between CNFL and corneal sensation thresholds to a cooled stimulus in diabetes participants, in the central (ρ = −0.50; p = 0.009) and peripheral (ρ = −0.50; p = 0.01) cornea.

Conclusions

A positive relationship between the systemic Omega-3 Index and corneal nerve parameters suggests omega-3 PUFA intake may influence corneal nerve architecture.