bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Molecular and aflatoxigenicity analyses of Aspergillus flavus isolates indigenous to grain corn in Malaysia; potentials for biological control
Authors: Yazid Siti Nur Ezzati , Selamat Jinap , Ismail Siti Izera , Sanny Maimunah , Samsudin Nik Iskandar Putra
Published: June 2024

Aims

The present work aimed to distinguish the indigenous Aspergillus flavus isolates obtained from the first (pioneer) grain corn farms in Terengganu, Malaysia, into aflatoxigenic and non-aflatoxigenic by molecular and aflatoxigenicity analyses, and determine the antagonistic capability of the non-aflatoxigenic isolates against aflatoxigenic counterparts and their aflatoxin production in vitro.

Methods and results

Seven A. flavus isolates previously obtained from the farms were characterized molecularly and chemically. All isolates were examined for the presence of seven aflatoxin biosynthesis genes, and their aflatoxigenicity was confirmed using high performance liquid chromatography with fluorescence detector. Phylogenetic relationships of all isolates were tested using ITS and β-tubulin genes. Of the seven isolates, two were non-aflatoxigenic, while the remaining were aflatoxigenic based on the presence of all aflatoxin biosynthesis genes tested and the productions of aflatoxins B1 and B2. All isolates were also confirmed as A. flavus following phylogenetic analysis. The indigenous non-aflatoxigenic isolates were further examined for their antagonistic potential against aflatoxigenic isolates on 3% grain corn agar. Both non-aflatoxigenic isolates significantly reduced AFB1 production of the aflatoxigenic isolates.

Conclusion

The indigenous non-aflatoxigenic A. flavus strains identified in the present work were effective in controlling the aflatoxin production by the aflatoxigenic A. flavus isolates in vitro and can be utilized for in situ testing.
Analysis of ddRAD-seq data provides new insights into the genomic structure and patterns of diversity in Italian donkey populations
Authors: Criscione Andrea , Chessari Giorgio , Cesarani Alberto , Ablondi Michela , Asti Vittoria , Bigi Daniele , Bordonaro Salvatore , Ciampolini Roberta , Cipolat-Gotet Claudio , Congiu Michele , De Palo Pasquale , Landi Vincenzo , Macciotta Nicolò Pietro Paolo , Matassino Donato , Portolano Baldassare , Riggio Silvia , Sabbioni Alberto , Sardina Maria Teresa , Senczuk Gabriele , Tumino Serena , Vasini Matteo , Ciani Elena , Mastrangelo Salvatore
Published: June 2024

With more than 150 recognized breeds, donkeys assume relevant economic importance, especially in developing countries. Even if the estimated number of heads worldwide is 53M, this species received less attention than other livestock species. Italy has traditionally been considered one of the cradles of European donkey breeding, and despite a considerable loss of biodiversity, today still counts nine autochthonous populations. A total of 220 animals belonging to nine different populations were genotyped using the double-digest restriction site associated DNA (ddRAD) sequencing to investigate the pattern of diversity using a multi-technique approach. A total of 418,602,730 reads were generated and successfully demultiplexed to obtain a medium-density SNP genotypes panel with about 27K markers. The diversity indices showed moderate levels of variability. The genetic distances and relationships, largely agree with the breeding history of the donkey populations under investigation. The results highlighted the separation of populations based on their genetic origin or geographical proximity between breeding areas, showed low to moderate levels of admixture, and indicated a clear genetic difference in some cases. For some breeds, the results also validate the success of proper management conservation plans. Identified runs of homozygosity islands, mapped within genomic regions related to immune response and local adaptation, are consistent with the characteristics of the species known for its rusticity and adaptability. This study is the first exhaustive genome-wide analysis of the diversity of Italian donkey populations. The results emphasized the high informativeness of genome-wide markers retrieved through the ddRAD approach. The findings take on great significance in designing and implementing conservation strategies. Standardized genotype arrays for donkey species would make it possible to combine worldwide datasets to provide further insights into the evolution of the genomic structure and origin of this important genetic resource.
diABZI and poly(I:C) inhibit osteoclastic bone resorption by inducing IRF7 and IFIT3
Authors: Huang Yingkang , Zhang Mingchao , Zhang Jun , Liu Siying , Li Dapei , Qiao Zigang , Yao Haiping , Shi Qin , Zhou Xiaozhong , Ma Feng
Published: June 2024

Type I interferons (IFN-I) are pleiotropic factors endowed with multiple activities that play important roles in innate and adaptive immunity. Although many studies indicate that IFN-I inducers exert favorable effects on broad-spectrum antivirus, immunomodulation, and anti-tumor activities by inducing endogenous IFN-I and IFN-stimulated genes, their function in bone homeostasis still needs further exploration. Here, our study demonstrates 2 distinct IFN-I inducers, diABZI and poly(I:C), as potential therapeutics to alleviate osteolysis and osteoporosis. First, IFN-I inducers suppress the genes that control osteoclast (OC) differentiation and activity in vitro. Moreover, diABZI alleviates bone loss in Ti particle-induced osteolysis and ovariectomized -induced osteoporosis in vivo by inhibiting OC differentiation and function. In addition, the inhibitory effects of IFN-I inducers on OC differentiation are not observed in macrophages derived from Ifnar1−/−mice, which indicate that the suppressive effect of IFN-I inducers on OC is IFNAR-dependent. Mechanistically, RNAi-mediated silencing of IRF7 and IFIT3 in OC precursors impairs the suppressive effect of the IFN-I inducers on OC differentiation. Taken together, these results demonstrate that IFN-I inducers play a protective role in bone turnover by limiting osteoclastogenesis and bone resorption through the induction of OC-specific mediators via the IFN-I signaling pathway.
Das House Kapital: A Long-Run Theory of House Prices and Housing Wealth
Authors: Grossmann Volker , Larin Benjamin , Steger Thomas
Published: June 2024

Over the last 70 years, many advanced countries have experienced growing real house prices and an increasing housing wealth-to-income ratio. To explain these long-run patterns, this paper introduces a novel multi-sector growth model where housing services are produced using non-reproducible land and reproducible structures. Land is also employed in the non-housing sector. First, we identify two fundamental mechanisms driving the long-run increase in the real house price: (i) technological progress in the construction sector lags behind the technological progress of the rest of the economy and (ii) housing production is more land-intensive than non-housing production. Second, we study transitional dynamics for the US, UK, France, and Germany. Our calibrated model explains most of the observed increase in the housing wealth-to-income ratio since 1950. Counterfactual experiments identify initially low stocks of residential structures and non-residential capital as key exogenous drivers for this increase. The associated investment incentives led to a long-lasting construction boom and steadily increasing land scarcity, boosting residential land prices.
Prevalence and underlying mechanisms of phylosymbiosis in land plants
Authors: Lin Li-Qun , Tembrock Luke R , Wang Li
Published: June 2024

Phylosymbiosis, the congruence of microbiome composition with host phylogeny, is a valuable framework for investigating plant–microbe associations and their evolutionary ecology. This review assesses the prevalence of phylosymbiosis across the plant kingdom, elucidates the fundamental ecological and evolutionary processes contributing to its occurrence based on previous research and explores commonly used methods for identifying phylosymbiosis. We find that the presence of phylosymbiosis may be influenced by both phylogenetic distance and the taxonomic level at which host plants are examined, with the strength of associations potentially decreasing as the taxonomic scale becomes finer. Notably, the endophytic microbiome exhibits a stronger phylosymbiosis signal compared with the epiphytic or rhizosphere-associated microbiomes. Microorganisms such as fungi and bacteria can yield highly variable evidence for phylosymbiosis due to differences in colonization, transmission or functional characteristics. We also outline how the four community assembly processes (dispersal, selection, diversification and drift) contribute to the establishment and maintenance of host–microbe phylosymbiosis. Furthermore, we highlight the diversity of methods employed to detect phylosymbiosis, which involves three key processes: constructing host phylogenies, assessing microbial data and statistically evaluating the correlation between host phylogeny and microbial composition. Remarkably different methodologies across studies make comparisons between findings challenging. To advance our understanding, future research is expected to explore phylosymbiosis at lower taxonomic levels and investigate different microbial communities coexisting synergistically within the same host. Understanding the relative importance of community assembly processes in driving phylosymbiosis will be critical for gaining deeper insights into the ecology and evolution of host–microbe interactions.
A native herbaceous community exerts a strong allelopathic effect on the woody range-expander Betula fruticosa
Authors: Wang Lichao , Oduor Ayub M O , Liu Yanjie
Published: June 2024

Biological invasions by alien and range-expanding native plant species can suppress native plants through allelopathy. However, the homeland security hypothesis suggests that some native plants can resist invasion by producing allelopathic compounds that inhibit the growth of invasive plants. Most research has focused on allelopathic interactions between individual native and invasive plant species, with less emphasis on how allelopathy helps entire native communities resist invasions. Additionally, limited knowledge exists about allelopathic interactions between range-expanding native species and recipient native communities, and their influence on invasion success. To bridge this knowledge gap, we conducted two greenhouse competition experiments to test reciprocal allelopathic effects between a native woody range-expanding species, Betula fruticosa, and a community of four native herbaceous species (Sanguisorba officinalis, Gentiana manshurica, Sium suave and Deyeuxia angustifolia) in China. We assessed whether B. fruticosa and the native community differed in their competitive effects and responses, and whether these were influenced by activated carbon, which neutralizes allelochemicals in the soil. Activated carbon reduced the suppressive effects of the native community on the above-ground biomass of B. fruticosa, which indicates that the native community exerted a strong allelopathic effect on B. fruticosa. In contrast, activated carbon only marginally enhanced the suppressive effects of B. fruticosa on the native community, which indicates that allelopathy is not the primary mechanism by which B. fruticosa exerts its suppression. Overall, these findings support the homeland security hypothesis and suggest that biotic resistance from the native herbaceous community may limit the invasion success of the woody range-expander B. fruticosa.
Self-harm and suicidal behaviors in children: perspectives of mental health clinicians
Authors: Townsend Michelle L , Barr Karlen R , Miller Caitlin E , Sanzone Gillian
Published: June 2024

Objective

Presentations for self-harm and suicidal behaviors are increasing in children and young people, although less is known about these presentations in children aged 12 years and under. This study aims to understand how mental health clinicians in public health services conceptualize, identify and respond to self-harm and suicidal behaviors in children.

Methods

26 mental health clinicians provided their perspectives through interviews or focus groups. Participant responses were analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis.

Results

Mental health clinicians described how self-harm and suicidal behaviors may present differently in children compared with adolescents, particularly with the methods used. Using developmentally appropriate language and including parents or carers when screening for self-harm and suicidal behaviors was recommended by clinicians. The inclusion of parents or carers throughout the treatment process was important for clinicians, including helping parents understand their child’s behavior and manage their own distress. Clinicians also highlighted the benefit of collaborating with schools to support children, yet noted primary school staff require training in responding to child self-harm and suicidal behavior. The limited services available for children 12 years and under including emergency care services, was identified as a problem.

Conclusions

Findings highlight the importance of timely assessment and interventions which include mental health and medical clinicians, parents, carers, and school staff to support children with self-harm and suicidal behaviors.
Arabidopsis pollen prolyl-hydroxylases P4H4/6 are relevant for correct hydroxylation and secretion of LRX11 in pollen tubes
Authors: Sede Ana R , Wengier Diego L , Borassi Cecilia , Ricardi Martiniano , Somoza Sofía C , Aguiló Rafael , Estevez José M , Muschietti Jorge P
Published: June 2024

Major constituents of the plant cell walls are structural proteins that belong to the hydroxyproline-rich glycoprotein (HRGP) family. Leucine-rich repeat extensin (LRX) proteins contain a leucine-rich domain and a C-terminal domain with repetitive Ser–Pro3–5 motifs that are potentially to be O-glycosylated. It has been demonstrated that pollen-specific LRX8–LRX11 from Arabidopsis thaliana are necessary to maintain the integrity of the pollen tube cell wall during polarized growth. In HRGPs, including classical extensins (EXTs), and probably in LRXs, proline residues are converted to hydroxyproline by prolyl-4-hydroxylases (P4Hs), thus defining novel O-glycosylation sites. In this context, we aimed to determine whether hydroxylation and subsequent O-glycosylation of Arabidopsis pollen LRXs are necessary for their proper function and cell wall localization in pollen tubes. We hypothesized that pollen-expressed P4H4 and P4H6 catalyze the hydroxylation of the proline units present in Ser–Pro3–5 motifs of LRX8–LRX11. Here, we show that the p4h4-1 p4h6-1 double mutant exhibits a reduction in pollen germination rates and a slight reduction in pollen tube length. Pollen germination is also inhibited by P4H inhibitors, suggesting that prolyl hydroxylation is required for pollen tube development. Plants expressing pLRX11::LRX11-GFP in the p4h4-1 p4h6-1 background show partial re-localization of LRX11–green fluorescent protein (GFP) from the pollen tube tip apoplast to the cytoplasm. Finally, immunoprecipitation-tandem mass spectrometry analysis revealed a decrease in oxidized prolines (hydroxyprolines) in LRX11–GFP in the p4h4-1 p4h6-1 background compared with lrx11 plants expressing pLRX11::LRX11-GFP. Taken together, these results suggest that P4H4 and P4H6 are required for pollen germination and for proper hydroxylation of LRX11 necessary for its localization in the cell wall of pollen tubes.
Improving the accuracy of halo mass based statistics for fast approximate N-body simulations
Authors: Wu Yiheng , Guo Hong , Springel Volker
Published: June 2024

Approximate N-body methods, such as fastpm and cola, have been successful in modelling halo and galaxy clustering statistics, but their low resolution on small scales is a limitation for applications that require high precision. Full N-body simulations can provide better accuracy but are too computationally expensive for a quick exploration of cosmological parameters. This paper presents a method for correcting distinct haloes identified in fast N-body simulations, so that various halo statistics improve to a percent level accuracy. The scheme seeks to find empirical corrections to halo properties such that the virial mass is the same as that of a corresponding halo in a full N-body simulation. The modified outer density contour of the corrected halo is determined on the basis of the fastpm settings and the number of particles inside the halo. This method only changes some parameters of the halo finder, and does not require any extra CPU-cost. We demonstrate that the adjusted halo catalogues of fastpm simulations significantly improve the precision of halo mass-based statistics from redshifts $z=0.0$ to 1.0, and that our calibration can be applied to different cosmologies without needing to be recalibrated.
Generating mock galaxy catalogues for flux-limited samples like the DESI Bright Galaxy Survey
Authors: Smith A , Grove C , Cole S , Norberg P , Zarrouk P , Yuan S , Aguilar J , Ahlen S , Brooks D , Claybaugh T , de la Macorra A , Doel P , Forero-Romero J E , Gaztañaga E , Gontcho S Gontcho A , Hahn C , Kehoe R , Kremin A , Levi M E , Manera M , Meisner A , Miquel R , Moustakas J , Nie J , Percival W J , Rezaie M , Rossi G , Sanchez E , Seo H , Tarlé G , Zhou Z
Published: June 2024

Accurate mock galaxy catalogues are crucial to validate analysis pipelines used to constrain dark energy models. We present a fast HOD-fitting method which we apply to the AbacusSummit simulations to create a set of mock catalogues for the DESI Bright Galaxy Survey, which contain r-band magnitudes and $(g-r)$ colours. The halo tabulation method fits HODs for different absolute magnitude threshold samples simultaneously, preventing unphysical HOD crossing between samples. We validate the HOD fitting procedure by fitting to real-space clustering measurements and galaxy number densities from the MXXL BGS mock, which was tuned to the SDSS and GAMA surveys. The best-fitting clustering measurements and number densities are mostly within the assumed errors, but the clustering for the faint samples is low on large scales. The best-fitting HOD parameters are robust when fitting to simulations with different realizations of the initial conditions. When varying the cosmology, trends are seen as a function of each cosmological parameter. We use the best-fitting HOD parameters to create cubic box and cut sky mocks from the AbacusSummit simulations, in a range of cosmologies. As an illustration, we compare the ${}^{0.1}M_r\lt -20$ sample of galaxies in the mock with BGS measurements from the DESI one-percent survey. We find good agreement in the number densities, and the projected correlation function is reasonable, with differences that can be improved in the future by fitting directly to BGS clustering measurements. The cubic box and cut-sky mocks in different cosmologies are made publicly available.
Recruitment and phoresy of the endangered limpet Patella ferruginea in Ceuta (Strait of Gibraltar)
Authors: Pavón-Paneque Altai , Ostalé-Valriberas Enrique , Espinosa Free , García-Gómez José Carlos
Published: June 2024

Patella ferruginea, an endemic marine mollusc of the western Mediterranean, faces a severe threat due to historical overexploitation, habitat loss and habitat vulnerability. This specie forms reproductive populations on sheltered dikes within Alboran Sea ports, presenting a persistent management challenge. Investigating both recruitment rates and preferences in artificial habitats, as well as early life stages, is crucial for its conservation. Three experiments, focusing on recruits under 25 mm, were conducted, with two exclusively in Ceuta's port in the Strait of Gibraltar. The first study explored intra-annual recruitment variations across three sites with different elevations (up, down) and inclinations (horizontal, vertical), utilizing fixed quadrats. Quadrats (20 × 20 cm) were surveyed for recruitment in March, April, May, July, October and December 2017. The second experiment, with similar factors, spanned 2017–2019, studying recruitment variations in March, May and July. The third examined the phoresy phenomenon—recruitment over conspecific shells—by comparing Ceuta and Melilla populations. Results revealed higher recruitment rates and smaller recruits in the lower midlittoral zone, followed by postrecruitment migration upwards. No discernible differences emerged regarding the slope or location for phoresy. This study highlights the potential of P. ferruginea recruitment data as an indicator of harbour health, acknowledging the influence of external factors on recruitment success. Long-term monitoring of recruitment patterns, alongside other ecological indicators, is crucial for informing sustainable management of P. ferruginea in port environments.
Phase II study of vemurafenib in children and young adults with tumors harboring BRAF V600 mutations: NCI-COG pediatric MATCH trial (APEC1621) Arm G
Authors: Nelson Marie V , Kim AeRang , Williams P Mickey , Roy-Chowdhuri Sinchita , Patton David R , Coffey Brent D , Reid Joel M , Piao Jin , Saguilig Lauren , Alonzo Todd A , Berg Stacey L , Ramirez Nilsa C , Jaju Alok , Fox Elizabeth , Weigel Brenda J , Hawkins Douglas S , Mooney Margaret M , Takebe Naoko , Tricoli James V , Janeway Katherine A , Seibel Nita L , Parsons D Williams
Published: June 2024

Background

This is a phase II subprotocol of the NCI-COG Pediatric MATCH study evaluating vemurafenib, a selective oral inhibitor of BRAF V600 mutated kinase, in patients with relapsed or refractory solid tumors harboring BRAF V600 mutations.

Methods

Patients received vemurafenib at 550 mg/m2 (maximum 960 mg/dose) orally twice daily for 28-day cycles until progression or intolerable toxicity. The primary aim was to determine the objective response rate and secondary objectives included estimating progression-free survival and assessing the tolerability of vemurafenib.

Results

Twenty-two patients matched to the subprotocol and 4 patients (18%) enrolled. Primary reasons for non-enrollment were ineligibility due to exclusions of low-grade glioma (n = 7) and prior BRAF inhibitor therapy (n = 7). Enrolled diagnoses were one each of histiocytosis, ameloblastoma, Ewing sarcoma, and high-grade glioma, all with BRAF V600E mutations. Treatment was overall tolerable with mostly expected grade 1/2 adverse events (AE). Grade 3 or 4 AE on treatment were acute kidney injury, hyperglycemia, and maculopapular rash. One patient came off therapy due to AE. One patient (glioma) had an objective partial response and remained on protocol therapy for 15 cycles.

Conclusion

There was a low accrual rate on this MATCH subprotocol, with only 18% of those who matched with BRAFV600 mutations enrolling, resulting in early termination, and limiting study results (ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03220035).
Inborn errors of immunity in Canadian First Nations and Nunavut Inuit Children: the tip of the iceberg
Authors: Pham-Huy Anne , Murguia-Favela Luis , Rubin Tamar , Suresh Sneha , Wright Nicola A M , Derfalvi Beata , Sinha Roona , Bowes Jennifer , Cuvelier Geoffrey D E ,   the Clinical Immunology Network-Canada (CINC), Brager Rae , Fong Andrea , Grunebaum Eyal , Kim Vy , Haddad Elie , Decaluwe Hélène , Touzot Fabien , Alizadehfar Reza , Haynes Alison
Published: June 2024

Objectives

Inborn errors of immunity (IEI) are a heterogeneous group of genetic diseases that impact normal immune development and function. Individual IEI are rare, but collectively, can represent an important health burden. Little is known about the types of IEI seen in Canadian First Nations (FN) and Inuit populations. We sought to understand the spectrum of serious IEI in FN and Nunavut Inuit children, as a starting point for improving the awareness of these conditions in the community and for health care workers.

Methods

A questionnaire was distributed to participating Canadian pediatric tertiary-care centers. Providers were asked to report cases of confirmed or suspected severe immunodeficiencies seen in FN and Nunavut Inuit children.

Results

From 2004 to 2022, IEI were reported in 63 FN and 21 Inuit children by 4 pediatric hospitals across 3 Canadian provinces. The majority of cases were immunodeficiencies affecting cellular and humoral immunity (62% of cases in FN and 57% in Inuit children). IKBKB deficiency, adenosine-deaminase severe combined immune deficiency (SCID), and chronic granulomatous disease were the most common IEI. A wide variety of other IEI was reported, many of which would not be detected by current newborn screening for SCID and for which live-attenuated vaccines would have been contraindicated.

Conclusions

IEI occur in FN and Inuit children and may be underrecognized. Better understanding the prevalence of these conditions in specific communities could help inform public health policies including newborn screening and immunization programs and ultimately improve the health of FN and Inuit children in Canada.
Policy design for biodiversity: How problem conception drift undermines “fit-for-purpose” Peatland conservation
Authors: Cashore Benjamin , Mukherjee Ishani , Virani Altaf , Wijedasa Lahiru S
Published: June 2024

For over two decades, scientists have documented the alarming decline of global Peatland ecosystems, regarded as the planet’s most crucial carbon sinks. The deterioration of these unique wetlands alongside their policy attention presents a puzzle for policy scientists and for students of anticipatory policy design. Two contrasting explanations have emerged. Some argue that pressures from economic globalization compel governments to relax environmental standards, while others point to deficiencies in policy design and implementation. Our paper applies Cashore’s Four Problem Types framework to assess a more nuanced explanation: that failure of global and local policies to curb ecosystem degradation is owing to a misalignment between how the problem is currently conceived of, and what conception is required for, effective environmental management. We find overwhelming evidence that reversing Peatland degradation necessitates a fundamental shift in applied policy analysis—from treating the crisis as a Type 3 (Compromise), Type 2 (Optimization), or even Type 1 (Commons) problem, to conceiving it as a Type 4 (Prioritization) challenge. Achieving this requires undertaking four essential policy design tasks: engaging sequentialist/lexical ordering processes; identifying key features of the problem that any solution would need to incorporate to effectively overcome; applying path dependency analysis to uncover policy mix innovations capable of “locking-in” sustainability trajectories that can fend off pressures for policy conception drift; and organizing multistakeholder “policy design learning” exercises that integrate complex sources of knowledge produced within, and across, the ecological and policy sciences.
Boundedness of the dyadic maximal function on graded Lie groups
Authors: Cardona DuvÁn , Delgado Julio , Ruzhansky Michael
Published: June 2024

Let $1 \lt p\leq \infty$ and let $n\geq 2.$ It was proved independently by Calderón, Coifman and Weiss that the dyadic maximal function $$ \mathcal{M}^{d\sigma}_Df(x)=\sup_{j\in\mathbb{Z}}\left|\smallint\limits_{\mathbb{S}^{n-1}}f(x-2^jy)d\sigma(y)\right| \\[4pt] $$ is a bounded operator on $L^p(\mathbb{R}^n)$, where $d\sigma(y)$ is the surface measure on $\mathbb{S}^{n-1}.$ In this paper we prove an analogue of this result on arbitrary graded Lie groups. More precisely, to any finite Borel measure $d\sigma$ with compact support on a graded Lie group $G,$ we associate the corresponding dyadic maximal function $\mathcal{M}_D^{d\sigma}$ using the homogeneous structure of the group. Then, we prove a criterion in terms of the order (at zero and at infinity) of the group Fourier transform $\widehat{d\sigma}$ of $d\sigma$ with respect to a fixed Rockland operator $\mathcal{R}$ on G that assures the boundedness of $\mathcal{M}_D^{d\sigma}$ on $L^p(G)$ for all $1 \lt p\leq \infty.$
Threat- and reward-related brain circuitry, perceived stress, and anxiety in adolescents during the COVID-19 pandemic: a longitudinal investigation
Authors: Borchers Lauren R , Gifuni Anthony J , Ho Tiffany C , Kirshenbaum Jaclyn S , Gotlib Ian H
Published: June 2024

The Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic led to heightened anxiety in adolescents. The basolateral amygdala (BLA) and the nucleus accumbens (NAcc) are implicated in response to stress and may contribute to anxiety. The role of threat- and reward-related circuitry in adolescent anxiety during the COVID-19 pandemic, however, is not clear. Ninety-nine adolescents underwent resting-state fMRI ∼1 year before the pandemic. Following shelter-in-place orders, adolescents reported their perceived stress and, 1 month later, their anxiety. Generalized multivariate analyses identified BLA and NAcc seed-based whole-brain functional connectivity maps with perceived stress. In the resulting significant clusters, we examined the association between seed-based connectivityand subsequent anxiety. Perceived stress was associated with bilateral BLA and NAcc connectivity across distributed clusters that included prefrontal, limbic, temporal, and cerebellar regions. Several NAcc connectivity clusters located in ventromedial prefrontal, parahippocampal, and temporal cortices were positively associated with anxiety; NAcc connectivity with the inferior frontal gyrus was negatively associated. BLA connectivity was not associated with anxiety. These results underscore the integrative role of the NAcc in responding to acute stressors and its relation to anxiety in adolescents. Elucidating the involvement of subcortical–cortical circuitry in adolescents’ capacity to respond adaptively to environmental challenges can inform treatment for anxiety-related disorders.
Pose, solve and pose cycle: an examination on the change of pre-service mathematics teachers’ problem-posing performances
Authors: Kar Tuğrul , Öztürk Ferhat , Özkaya Merve
Published: June 2024

We designed a programme consisting of initial problem posing related to a problem about oil drums, teaching activities to solve the problem and further problem posing to investigate the change in pre-service mathematics teachers’ problem-posing performances and the potential role of teaching activities in these performances. The participants’ problem-posing fluency and flexibility scores showed statistically significant improvement over the course of the cycle. Although there was an improvement in problem-posing rarity scores, it was not statistically significant. Understanding the visual model and discovering the geometric properties of the problem were identified as categories that were effective in improving the participants’ performances.
Abiotic Stress Reorganizes Rhizosphere and Endosphere Network Structure of Sorghum bicolor
Authors: Barnes Elle M. , Hartman Kyle , Chiniquy Dawn , Zhao Wenting , Liu Peng , Creech Cody , Schachtman Daniel P. , Tringe Susannah G.
Published: June 2024

Sorghum bicolor is a promising bioenergy feedstock with high biomass production and unusual tolerance for stresses, such as water and nutrient limitation. Although the membership of the sorghum microbiome in response to stress has been explored, relatively little is known about how microbe–microbe networks change under water- or nutrient-limited conditions. This is important because network changes can indicate impacts on the functionality and stability of microbial communities. We performed network-based analysis on the core bacterial and archaeal community of an agronomically promising high biomass bioenergy genotype, Grassl, grown under nitrogen and water stress. Stress caused relatively minor changes in bacterial abundances within soil, rhizosphere, and endosphere communities but led to significant changes in bacterial network structure and modularity. We found a complete reorganization of network roles in all plant compartments, as well as an increase in the modularity and proportion of positive associations, which potentially could represent coexistence and cooperation in the sorghum bacterial/archaeal community under stress. Although stressors are often believed to be destabilizing, we found stressed networks were as or more stable than non-stressed networks, likely due to their redundancy and compartmentalization. Together, these findings support the idea that both sorghum and its bacterial/archaeal community can be resilient to future environmental stressors.

[Formula: see text] Copyright © 2024 The Author(s). This is an open access article distributed under the CC BY 4.0 International license .
Monitoring the Distribution, Incidence, and Symptom Expression Associated with Cotton Leafroll Dwarf Virus in the Southern United States Using a Sentinel Plot System
Authors: Koebernick J. C. , Hagan A. K. , Zaccaron M. , Escalante C. , Jacobson A. L. , Bowen K. L. , Strayer-Scherer A. , Heilsnis B. , Brown S. , Sikora E. J. , Allen T. W. , Faske T. R. , Bourland F. , Greene J. K. , Huseth A. S. , Kelly H. , Kemerait R. C. , Kerns D. , Mulvaney M. , Price P. P. , Small I. , Taylor S. , Wang H. , Conner K.
Published: June 2024

Cotton leafroll dwarf virus (CLRDV), transmitted by the cotton aphid ( Aphis gossypii Glover), was first confirmed in upland cotton ( Gossypium hirsutum L.) in Alabama, U.S.A., in 2017. Subsequent observations of symptomatic plants followed by virus infection confirmation via reverse transcriptase PCR (RT-PCR) were made in neighboring states in 2018. To assess the distribution and incidence of CLRDV and the occurrence of presumed symptoms across the southern cotton belt, a multidisciplinary team established sentinel plot survey sites at 16 experiment stations in 11 states stretching from Texas to Virginia and Tennessee to Florida beginning in 2019. Field trials were conducted over a 3-year period using multiple cotton cultivars that were adjusted annually. Cotton plots were evaluated at each location by a single evaluator to attempt to correlate symptom occurrence across the cotton-growing region with virus incidence in cotton plant tissues using RT-PCR. Symptom incidence, based on visual estimation of plants in each plot with presumed symptoms, differed across the region and ranged from 0 to 75%, with a low average over all locations of 11.4% in 2021 to an average high of 28.0% in 2020. Though symptom incidence suggested the presence of CLRDV, there were instances where apparent symptoms were observed but virus presence was not confirmed by RT-PCR. CLRDV has since been confirmed from all locations, which suggests that it has become endemic in cotton production areas throughout the eastern range of the United States.

[Formula: see text] Copyright © 2024 The Author(s). This is an open access article distributed under the CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 International license .
Therapeutic microbiome modulation: new frontiers in HIV treatment
Authors: Bulnes Rene , Utay Netanya S.
Published: June 2024

Purpose of review

Dysbiosis may be a key driver of systemic inflammation, which increases the risk of non-AIDS events in people living with HIV (PLWH). Modulation of the microbiome to reverse this dysbiosis may be a novel approach to decrease inflammation and therefore morbidity and mortality in PLWH.

Recent findings

Fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT), probiotics, prebiotics, synbiotics, postbiotics, and dietary modifications have the potential to modulate the microbiome. These interventions have been well tolerated in clinical trials to date. However, these interventions have not resulted in consistent or lasting changes to the microbiome or consistent changes in biomarkers of intestinal permeability, microbial translocation, inflammation, immune activation, or CD4+T cell counts. Sustained engraftment may require prebiotics and/or dietary modifications added to either probiotics or FMT.

Adequately powered randomized controlled trials are needed to elucidate whether microbiome modulation can be achieved and impact systemic inflammation in PLWH.
“Breaking Bread” With Respondents
Authors: Foster Kelly N. , Bright Candace Forbes , Beatty Kate , de Jong Jordan , Surles Kristen , Ventura Liane , Kidd Morgan Jones
Published: June 2024

Background and Objectives:

To fully understand the impact of unintended pregnancy, as well as to evaluate the implementation and outcomes of programs targeted at reducing unintended pregnancy, it is critical that researchers be able to collect comprehensive data from health clinics that provide these services in vulnerable communities.

Methods:

Our paper details recruitment and incentive strategies, as well as the theories that guided them, which allowed us to achieve a high survey response rate among health clinic administrators in public health clinics in 2 Southeastern states—South Carolina and Alabama—both of which have high rates of unintended pregnancy.

Results:

Grounded in organizational theory, and utilizing the Tailored Design Method, we achieved a 68% response rate utilizing paper and web survey administration with multiple contact modes. Our incentive structure comprised both traditional cash-based and food-based incentives.

Conclusions:

Findings indicate high response rates are achievable despite high survey burden (ie, detailed information, length of survey). We found that sample screening was critical and that food-based incentives made an impression on respondents that positively impacted the researcher–respondent relationship. Providing detailed methodology and additional literature will assist researchers working with similar populations—a gap in the applied methodological literature that was problematic at the project’s onset.
Is YouTube a Sufficient and Reliable Source to Inform Patients About Cardiac Rehabilitation?
Authors: Karataş Levent , Utkan Karasu Ayça , Demirsoy Nesrin
Published: June 2024

Purpose:

There is a growing concern surrounding the utility of medical content on social media. In this study, the popularity metrics and content quality of cardiac rehabilitation (CR) videos on YouTube regarding patient education were examined.

Methods:

Using the search key word “cardiac rehabilitation,” we analyzed the 50 most relevant videos. Our video popularity analytics encompassed viewing rate, such as ratio, number of comments, and the video power index (VPI). We assessed content quality using the Global Quality Scale (GQS), the modified DISCERN questionnaire, Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) benchmark criteria, Patient Education Materials Assessment Tool for Audio/Visual Materials (PEMAT-A/V), and a novel tool, the Cardiac Rehabilitation Specific Scale (CRSS).

Results:

Notably, 78% of the videos were uploaded by medical organizations. The average viewing rate was 4.6 views per day. There were positive correlations between the scores from different content quality scales. Median scores for the GQS, the modified DISCERN questionnaire, JAMA benchmark criteria, and the CRSS were 3, 3.5, 2, and 5, respectively. Mean PEMAT-A/V scores were 60.4% for understandability and 38.3% for actionability. Videos published by entities other than medical centers predicted lower CRSS and GQS scores. High JAMA benchmark criteria scores were negative predictors of VPI, view rate, and number of comments.

Conclusion:

Our findings suggest that CR-related videos on YouTube are characterized by low popularity, average content quality and understandability, but a lack of reliability and actionability. To ensure individuals seek accurate CR information on social media platforms, we recommend directing them to videos uploaded by medical centers.
Left Atrial Peak Systolic Strain as an Indicator Pathway of Diastolic Dysfunction of the Left Ventricle
Authors: Chávez Christian Osmar , Centurión Osmar Antonio , Meza Alfredo Javier , del Pilar Falcón Rocío , Scavenius Karina E. , García Laura B. , Sequeira Orlando R. , Torales Judith M. , Galeano Erdulfo J.
Published: June 2024

Background:

Left atrial peak systolic strain (LA-PSS) imaging is an emerging index of left atrial function, and it was shown to be decreased in heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (EF). We aimed to determine whether LA-PSS could be used as an additional diagnostic parameter to current existing guidelines for the presence of left ventricle diastolic dysfunction (LVDD).

Materials and Methods:

A total of 190 consecutive adult patients with cardiovascular risk factors and normal left ventricle EF with no prior history of heart failure were included in the study. Speckle tracking software was used to study ventricular parietal deformity, left ventricle global longitudinal systolic strain, and LA-PSS.

Results:

The median left ventricle global longitudinal systolic strain was −19%, with a significant difference (P < 0.001) between patients with normal diastolic function versus those with LVDD. The median LA-PSS was 33% (30% to 38%) (P < 0.001). Most patients (61%) had grade 1 atrial dysfunction based on PSS (range 24%–35%). The analysis of the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of the LA-PSS as a potential indicator pathway of LVDD was 67% [95% confidence interval (CI), 62–72], and 75% (95% CI, 70–80), when the indeterminate pattern was included. The decreased LA-PSS made it possible to reclassify patients with an indeterminate pattern of diastolic function in 96% of cases.

Conclusions:

These results support the potential role of LA-PSS as an additional parameter for the diagnosis of LVDD in patients with normal EF, and may be integrated into the guidelines for routine evaluation of patients.
The Etiologic Organisms, Risk Factors, and Outcomes of Nosocomial Bloodstream Infections in Pediatric Patients
Authors: Deniz Melis , Şenol Hande , Erat Tugba , Arı Hatice Feray , Altug Ümit , Kıral Eylem
Published: June 2024

Background

Much of the knowledge regarding pediatric healthcare-associated infections is based on studies conducted in adults. Here, we investigated clinical risk factors and etiologic organisms, focusing on antibiotic and antifungal resistance in pediatric patients with nosocomial bloodstream infections (nBSIs) in pediatric intensive care units (PICUs).

Methods

A retrospective evaluation was conducted on pediatric patients with nBSI in the PICUs of a tertiary referral hospital.

Results

A total of 69 nBSI episodes in 65 patients were observed during the study period. Of these, a total of 40 (57.97%) were caused by Gram-negative bacteria, 6 (8.7%) by Gram-positive bacteria, and 23 (33.33%) by Candida species. The rankings of Gram-negative bacteria were Klebsiella pneumoniae (37.5%), Acinetobacter baumannii (22.5%), and Serratia marcescens (12.5%). Carbapenem resistance was found to be common among K. pneumoniae (40%) and all Acinetobacter species. Most children (54.41%) had spent >28 days in the PICU at the time of diagnosis of nBSI. The presence of central venous catheters was significantly associated with fungal nBSI (P = 0.047).

Conclusions

A high rate of antimicrobial resistance was observed among pathogens. A central venous catheter was associated with fungemia in children hospitalized in PICUs. Prolonged hospital stay before the diagnosis of BSI and the use of medical devices were found to be common in fungal infections.
Genetic factors associated with hidradenitis suppurativa, a literature review
Authors: Eble Shannon M. , Wisco Oliver J. , Boccuto Luigi , Laffin Brian , Parker Veronica G. , Davis Nicole J. , Temples Heide S.
Published: June 2024

Background:

Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) is a chronic inflammatory disease characterized by deep-seated, painful lesions most frequently occurring in intertriginous areas of the skin. HS leads to poor quality of life in affected individuals and is difficult to diagnose and treat.

Objective:

Understanding the genetics associated with familial inheritance may lead to a better understanding of the pathogenesis of this debilitating disease.

Methods:

Articles published until March 9, 2023, were identified in PubMed using the following search terms: hidradenitis suppurativa and gene* or acne inversa and gene*.

Results:

The rate of monogenic mutations associated with HS is less than 7%, with the most common genetic mutations reported in sporadic and familial HS cases being in NCSTN and less frequently in PSENEN. Individuals with mutations in the gamma-secretase complex tended to have more severe HS and an early age of onset.

Limitations:

This study was limited to the case studies available in PubMed, the majority of which used targeted gene panels to detect genetic mutations.

Conclusion:

Approximately 30% of individuals diagnosed with HS report having a positive family history; however, very few studies demonstrate monogenic familial transmission of HS. The case studies of syndromic HS reported a variety of genetic mutations associated with HS, some of which were familial, while others were sporadic, suggesting that other pathways may be involved in the pathogenesis of HS and other potential mutations that have yet to be evaluated. More research is needed to understand the genetic mutations in HS.
A network meta-analysis comparative the efficacy of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors and calcium channel blockers in hypertension
Authors: Yao You-Jian , Gui Mei , Cai Shi-Kang
Published: June 2024

Background:

Currently, most studies primarily focus on directly comparing the efficacy and safety of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEIs) and calcium channel blockers (CCBs), the two major classes of antihypertensive drugs. Moreover, the majority of studies are based on randomized controlled trials and traditional meta-analyses, with few exploring the efficacy and safety comparisons among various members of ACEIs and CCBs.

Methods:

ACEIs and CCB were searched for in randomized controlled trials in CNKI, Wanfang, VIP, China Biology Medicine Disc (Si-noMed), PubMed, EMbase, and Cochrane Library databases. The search can be conducted till November 2022. Stata software (version 16.0) and R 4.1.3 was used for statistical analysis and graphics plotting, applying mvmeta, gemtc, and its packages. Meta-regression analysis was used to explore the inconsistencies of the studies.

Results:

In 73 trials involving 33 different drugs, a total of 9176 hypertensive patients were included in the analysis, with 4623 in the intervention group and 4553 in the control group. The results of the analysis showed that, according to the SUCRA ranking, felodipine (MD = −12.34, 95% CI: −17.8 to −6.82) was the drug most likely to be the best intervention for systolic blood pressure, while nitrendipine (MD = −8.01, 95% CI: −11.71 to −4.18) was the drug most likely to be the best intervention for diastolic blood pressure. Regarding adverse drug reactions, nifedipine (OR = 0.32, 95% CI: 0.14–0.74) was the drug most likely to be the safest.

Conclusion:

The research findings indicate that nifedipine is the optimal intervention for reducing systolic blood pressure in hypertensive patients, nitrendipine is the optimal intervention for reducing diastolic blood pressure in hypertensive patients, and felodipine is the optimal intervention for safety.