bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Inheriting the sins of their fathers: boar life experiences can shape the emotional responses of their offspring
Authors: Sabei Leandro , Parada Sarmiento Marisol , Bernardino Thiago , Çakmakçı Cihan , Farias Sharacely de Souza , Sato Denis , Zanella Márcia Inês Grapeggia , Poletto Rosangela , Zanella Adroaldo José
Published: July 2023

Introduction

The welfare of breeding boars is often overlooked, resulting in limited scientific data to foster discussion of the topic. We aimed to investigate the effect of different boar housing conditions on their offspring’s emotionality.

Methods

Eighteen boars were housed in three different conditions: crates (C; n = 6), pens (P; n = 6), or enriched pens (E; n = 6). Boars were distributed by semen quality (SQ; high, medium, or low). Three semen pools were used to inseminate 13 gilts housed in outdoor paddocks. At 25 days of age, 138 suckling piglets were subjected to open field (OF), novel object (NO), and elevated plus-maze (EPM) tests. Saliva was collected before and after the OF and NO tests to measure cortisol concentrations. At the end of the experiment, hair samples were collected for DNA paternity tests. Piglets were classified based on their behavioral responses using hierarchical cluster analysis of the principal components extracted from factor analysis of mixed data. The variables were reduced to seven principal components (dimensions, Dims), which explained 73% of the total variation, and were analyzed using linear mixed models. The models included each Dim as a dependent variable, paternal treatment and body weight (BW) as fixed effects, and paternal SQ as a random effect. Kruskal−Wallis and Wilcoxon rank-sum tests were used to compare the cortisol concentration ratios (before and after the OF and NO tests) between groups.

Results

There was an effect of treatment on Dim 3 (EPM; activity/fear), with higher values in C piglets than E piglets (p = 0.047). Although C piglets had significantly higher values than P piglets in Dim 4 (EPM; anxiety; p = 0.029) and Dim 6 (NO; inactivity far from the object/exploration; p < 0.0001), the effect of the paternal treatment × BW interaction was significant in both dimensions (p < 0.05). The cortisol ratio in E piglets was greater than that in P and C piglets (p < 0.05).

Discussion and conclusion

Our findings indicate that boar breeding environments affect the stress response and emotionality (anxiety, fear, and exploration) of their offspring.
Does hand stiffness reflect internal organ fibrosis in diabetes mellitus?
Authors: Phatak Sanat , Ingram Jennifer L. , Goel Pranay , Rath Satyajit , Yajnik Chittaranjan
Published: July 2023

Fibrosis leads to irreversible stiffening of tissue and loss of function, and is a common pathway leading to morbidity and mortality in chronic disease. Diabetes mellitus (both type 1 and type 2 diabetes) are associated with significant fibrosis in internal organs, chiefly the kidney and heart, but also lung, liver and adipose tissue. Diabetes is also associated with the diabetic cheirarthropathies, a collection of clinical manifestations affecting the hand that include limited joint mobility (LJM), flexor tenosynovitis, Duypuytren disease and carpal tunnel syndrome. Histo-morphologically these are profibrotic conditions affecting various soft tissue components in the hand. We hypothesize that these hand manifestations reflect a systemic profibrotic state, and are potential clinical biomarkers of current or future internal organ fibrosis. Epidemiologically, there is evidence that fibrosis in one organ associates with fibrosis with another; the putative exposures that lead to fibrosis in diabetes (advanced glycation end product deposition, microvascular disease and hypoxia, persistent innate inflammation) are ‘systemic’; a common genetic susceptibility to fibrosis has also been hinted at. These data suggest that a subset of the diabetic population is susceptible to multi-organ fibrosis. The hand is an attractive biomarker to clinically detect this susceptibility, owing to its accessibility to physical examination and exposure to repeated mechanical stresses. Testing the hypothesis has a few pre-requisites: being able to measure hand fibrosis in the hand, using clinical scores or imaging based scores, which will facilitate looking for associations with internal organ fibrosis using validated methodologies for each. Longitudinal studies would be essential in delineating fibrosis trajectories in those with hand manifestations. Since therapies reversing fibrosis are few, the onus lies on identification of a susceptible subset for preventative measures. If systematically validated, clinical hand examination could provide a low-cost, universally accessible and easily reproducible screening step in selecting patients for clinical trials for fibrosis in diabetes.
Pannexin1 channels in the liver: an open enemy
Authors: Van Campenhout Raf , Caufriez Anne , Tabernilla Andrés , Maerten Amy , De Boever Sybren , Sanz-Serrano Julen , Kadam Prashant , Vinken Mathieu
Published: July 2023

Pannexin1 proteins form communication channels at the cell plasma membrane surface, which allow the transfer of small molecules and ions between the intracellular compartment and extracellular environment. In this way, pannexin1 channels play an important role in various cellular processes and diseases. Indeed, a plethora of human pathologies is associated with the activation of pannexin1 channels. The present paper reviews and summarizes the structure, life cycle, regulation and (patho)physiological roles of pannexin1 channels, with a particular focus on the relevance of pannexin1 channels in liver diseases.
Dual wave of neutrophil recruitment determines the outcome of C. albicans infection
Authors: Zhu Weiwei , Zhang Huifang , Dong Qiming , Song Hongyong , Zhao Lin
Published: July 2023

Candida albicans is a ubiquitous fungus that can cause superficial and systemic infections in humans. Neutrophils play a crucial role in controlling C. albicans infections. When C. albicans enters the bloodstream, it tends to get trapped in capillary vessels. However, the behavior of neutrophils in combating capillary-residing fungi has not been fully characterized. In this study, we used transgenic mice and whole mount imaging to investigate the growth of C. albicans and its interaction with innate immune cells in different organs. We observed that C. albicans rapidly grows hyphae within hours of infection. Following intravenous infection, we observed two waves of neutrophil recruitment, both of which significantly contributed to the elimination of the fungi. The first wave of neutrophils was induced by complement activation and could be prevented by C5aR blockade. Interestingly, we discovered that the fungicidal effect in the lungs was independent of adhesion molecules such as Mac-1, LFA-1, and ICAM-1. However, these molecules played a more significant role in the optimal killing of C. albicans in the kidney. Importantly, the initial difference in killing efficiency resulted in significantly reduced survival in knockout mice lacking these adhesion molecules. We identified a second wave of neutrophil recruitment associated with hyphal growth and tissue damage, which was independent of the aforementioned adhesion molecules. Overall, this study elucidates the dual wave of neutrophil recruitment during C. albicans infection and highlights the importance of early fungal clearance for favorable disease outcomes.
Spectrum of ascending aortic aneurysms at a peri-urban tertiary hospital: an echocardiography-based study
Authors: Meel Ruchika , Hasenkam Michael , Goncalves Ricardo , Blair Kelly , Mogaladi Shungu
Published: July 2023

Introduction

Thoracic ascending aortic (TAA) aneurysms are an important cause of disability and death and require early detection for effective management. Currently, there is a paucity of data from Africa pertaining to TAA aneurysms. This study describes the spectrum of TAA aneurysms at a peri-urban tertiary hospital.

Methods

A descriptive retrospective study based on clinical and echocardiographic imaging data of patients with TAA aneurysms from October 2017–October 2022. Advanced strain imaging was performed to measure left ventricular (LV) basal, apical, and global longitudinal strain as well as circumferential strain (CS) of the ascending aorta as a proxy measurement of aortic compliance.

Results

The study comprised 139 cases of TAA aneurysms (52.5% females) with a mean age of 50 ± 14.8 years with 45 age and gender matched controls. Most cases (95%) were of African ethnicity. The main etiologies were hypertension (41.7%), HIV (36.6%), connective tissue disease (10.7%), congenital (2.2%) and mixed pathologies (8.6%). Two-thirds of patients (69.7%) presented in heart failure, 10% presented with aortic dissection. Thirty percent of the patients were classified as New York Heart Association (NYHA) class I, 59.7% NYHA II, 8.6% NYHA III and two patients NYHA class IV. Echocardiography revealed enlarged aortic dimensions compared to controls (P < 0.001). TAA aneurysms were complicated by severe aortic regurgitation (AR) in half (50.3%) of patients, moderate AR in 25.8%, and mild AR in 14.3%. The mean LV ejection fraction (46.9 ± 12.7%) was reduced compared to controls (P < 0.001). Aortic CS was reduced compared to controls [4.4 (3.2–6.2) % vs. 9.0 (7.1–13.4) %, P < 0.001]. Aortic stiffness was higher in the aortic aneurysm group compared to controls (15.39 ± 20.65 vs. 5.04 ± 2.09, P = 0.001). LV longitudinal strain (−13.9 ± 3.9% vs. 18.1 ± 6.7%), basal CS (−13.9 ± 5.6% vs. −17.9 ± 5.8%) and apical CS (−8.7 ± 8.5% vs. −30.6 ± 3.8%) were reduced compared to controls (P < 0.001). Most patients were on diuretic and anti-remodeling therapy. Surgery was performed in 29.4% and overall mortality was 7.9%. Mortality for acute aortic dissection was 40%.

Conclusion

TAA aneurysms associated with hypertension and HIV are common in this predominantly African female population and are associated with considerable morbidity and mortality. Two-dimensional echocardiography and advanced strain imaging are potential tools for detecting and risk stratifying TAA aneurysms.
The interaction between uric acid and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol on the prognosis of patients with acute myocardial infarction
Authors: Yang Yu , Zhang Jian , Jia Lin , Su Jiannan , Ma Mengqing , Lin Xianhe
Published: July 2023

Background

The significance of uric acid (UA) and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) in the prognosis of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) remains controversial. This study investigated the effect of the interaction between UA and HDL-C on the prognosis of patients with AMI.

Methods

In total, 480 patients with AMI were included in this study. Baseline and follow-up data were collected, and the primary endpoint was major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE). The secondary endpoint was all-cause death. Both additive and multiplicative interactions were calculated to evaluate their interaction with prognosis. Then, the impact of UA and HDL-C ratio (UHR) on prognosis was assessed.

Results

Over a median follow-up period of 41 (30,46) months, 136 (28.3%) MACEs, and 44 (9.2%) deaths were recorded. There was a positive additive interaction between UA and HDL-C for MACEs. The attributable proportion (AP) showed that 46% of the estimated effect (MACE in patients) was attributable to this interaction. The synergy index (SI) was 2.04 (1.07,3.88) for MACE, indicating that the risk for patients presenting with both risk factors was greater than the sum of the risk factors alone. Multivariate Cox regression analysis revealed that UHR independently predicted MACEs and mortality. Kaplan–Meier survival curves according to tertiles of UHR showed statistically significant differences in MACE (log-rank test, P < 0.001). Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis showed that the area under the curve (AUC) of UHR for predicting MACE was 0.716.

Conclusion

The coexistence of high UA and low HDL-C has a synergistic effect and provides further information for risk stratification of patients with AMI. UHR is a simple and easily available prognostic indicator independent of traditional risk factors.
First-generation undergraduate researchers: understanding shared experiences through stories
Authors: Henrichsen Christine M. , Keenan Susan M.
Published: July 2023

If you want to know a person, you need to know their story. If institutions want to better support their students, they need to know them and therefore need to know their stories. First-generation students—a vital part of our academic communities—model qualities such as hard work, optimism, and perseverance. Academic settings, policies, and hidden curricula present challenges for first-generation students and often result in inequitable outcomes. Undergraduate research experiences (UREs) are one of the resource institutions that have to support these students. Little is known about the first-generation student experience in UREs. Using in-depth interviews, we collected the stories of first-generation biology students who had participated in UREs. A thematic analysis illuminated five themes of shared experiences: what to expect in college, parental support, intent to apply to medical school, mentorship, and becoming a researcher. Stories provide depth and details into these themes that cannot be highlighted using other methodologies. We share detailed accounts of the experiences of two first-generation students. By using portions of the original conversations, the students narrate their stories in their own voices. A dialogical method was used to juxtapose the two stories and to increase opportunities for reader reflexivity and introspection. We discuss how the stories relate to the literature and reflect on the power of that gathering and sharing stories of first-generation students' experiences.
Differential effects of 3,5-T2 and T3 on the gill regeneration and metamorphosis of the Ambystoma mexicanum (axolotl)
Authors: Lazcano I. , Olvera A. , Pech-Pool S. M. , Sachs L. , Buisine N. , Orozco A.
Published: July 2023

Thyroid hormones (THs) regulate tissue remodeling processes during early- and post-embryonic stages in vertebrates. The Mexican axolotl (Ambystoma mexicanum) is a neotenic species that has lost the ability to undergo metamorphosis; however, it can be artificially induced by exogenous administration of thyroxine (T4) and 3,3′,5-triiodo-L-thyronine (T3). Another TH derivative with demonstrative biological effects in fish and mammals is 3,5-diiodo-L-thyronine (3,5-T2). Because the effects of this bioactive TH remains unexplored in other vertebrates, we hypothesized that it could be biologically active in amphibians and, therefore, could induce metamorphosis in axolotl. We performed a 3,5-T2 treatment by immersion and observed that the secondary gills were retracted, similar to the onset stage phenotype; however, tissue regeneration was observed after treatment withdrawal. In contrast, T4 and T3 immersion equimolar treatments as well as a four-fold increase in 3,5-T2 concentration triggered complete metamorphosis. To identify the possible molecular mechanisms that could explain the contrasting reversible or irreversible effects of 3,5-T2 and T3 upon gill retraction, we performed a transcriptomic analysis of differential expression genes in the gills of control, 3,5-T2–treated, and T3-treated axolotls. We found that both THs modify gene expression patterns. T3 regulates 10 times more genes than 3,5-T2, suggesting that the latter has a lower affinity for TH receptors (TRs) or that these hormones could act through different TR isoforms. However, both TH treatments regulated different gene sets known to participate in tissue development and cell cycle processes. In conclusion, 3,5-T2 is a bioactive iodothyronine that promoted partial gill retraction but induced full metamorphosis in higher concentrations. Differential effects on gill retraction after 3,5,-T2 or T3 treatment could be explained by the activation of different clusters of genes related with apoptosis, regeneration, and proliferation; in addition, these effects could be initially mediated by TRs that are expressed in gills. This study showed, for the first time, the 3,5,-T2 bioactivity in a neotenic amphibian.
Hilar/mediastinal and cutaneous drug-induced sarcoidosis-like reaction associated with immune checkpoint inhibitors in metastatic colorectal cancer: a case report
Authors: Sagawa Tamotsu , Sato Yasushi , Nagashima Hiroyuki , Takada Kohichi , Takahashi Mamoru , Hirakawa Masahiro , Hamaguchi Kyoko , Tamura Fumito , Fujikawa Koshi , Okamoto Koichi , Kawano Yutaka , Sogabe Masahiro , Miyamoto Hiroshi , Takayama Tetsuji
Published: July 2023

Background

Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) are the standard treatment for metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) with high microsatellite instability (MSI-H). Among immune-related adverse events (irAEs), drug-induced sarcoidosis-like reactions (DISR) are often difficult to differentiate from cancer progression.

Main Body

This is a case of a woman in her mid-60s, with mCRC (RAS wild/BRAF mutant/MSI-H) and abdominal lymph node metastasis, treated with four courses of ipilimumab + nivolumab every 3 weeks, followed by nivolumab every 2 weeks as third-line treatment. After treatment, the original lymph node metastases shrank, but hilar/mediastinal lymph nodes appeared. Endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration of these lymph nodes revealed multiple epithelioid granulomas without necrosis, indicating a sarcoidosis-like reaction. Fluorodeoxyglucose-positron emission tomography scan showed abnormal subcutaneous accumulation in bilateral forearms and bilateral knee joints. Biopsy of the cutaneous lesions was also performed, which revealed epithelioid granulomas. As the patient had no symptoms in other organs, no specific therapeutic intervention was administered. After the discontinuation of immunotherapy, the sarcoidosis-like reaction regressed without cancer relapse.

Conclusions

Clinicians should be aware of the possibility of DISR as an irAE during the ICI treatment of mCRC. In suspected cases of DISR following ICI therapy, it is important to differentiate between cancer progression and DISR through histological diagnosis for the subsequent strategy, as radiological and serological findings are not definitive.
Pediatric adenovirus pneumonia: clinical practice and current treatment
Authors: Zhang Jie , Zhu Yiting , Zhou Yiyang , Gao Fei , Qiu Xinhui , Li Jianshun , Yuan Hao , Jin Wenwen , Lin Wei
Published: July 2023

Graphical abstract

In this review, we lay emphasis on the pathogenic mechanism, early recognition and treatment strategies of severe pediatric adenovirus pneumonia. The pathogenic mechanism of adenovirus is divided into three parts, direct damage to the target cells, inflammatory cytokines release and immune evasion of the virus. Indicators including age, clinical manifestations, imaging features and laboratory tests play an essential role in the early identification. Current treatment strategies are comprised of anti-viral drugs, respiratory support and bronchoscopy, continuous blood purification, immuno-regulation therapy and supportive care.
Association between pH regulation of the tumor microenvironment and immunological state
Authors: Hosonuma Masahiro , Yoshimura Kiyoshi
Published: July 2023

The tumor microenvironment (TME) is characterized by interactions among various cells, including tumor cells, immune cells, stromal cells, and blood vessels mediated by factors such as cytokines and metabolites. The development of cancer immunotherapy in recent years has facilitated a more comprehensive understanding of the TME. The TME changes with cancer type and host immune status, as well as with therapeutic intervention. However, studies on pH regulation of the TME have been mostly based on lactate, a metabolite of tumor cells. Notably, the Warburg effect results in the increased production of secreted lactate, thereby acidifying the extracellular microenvironment and affecting the surrounding cells. Lactate inhibits the activation and proliferation of CD8+ T cells, M1 macrophages, natural killer (NK) cells, and dendritic cells, contributing to tumor cell immune escape. It is also involved in angiogenesis and tissue remodeling, as well as promotes tumor growth and invasion. In this review, we have discussed the lactate-based pH regulation in tumor cells in the TME and its effects on the other constituent cells.
The disparities in prognostic prediction and annualized hazard function in different molecular subtypes between young Chinese and White American women with breast cancer
Authors: Zeng Yuanyuan , Wang Jun , Zhong Xiaorong , Xiang Zhongzheng , Yang Tian , Yu Siting , Dai Zelei , Xu Ningyue , Liu Lei
Published: July 2023

Background and objectives

The prognostic disparities in different molecular subtypes between young Chinese and White American breast cancer patients remain unclear. The goal of this study was to explore the prognostic differences in different molecular subtypes between Chinese and White American patients aged ≤ 40 years.

Methods

We included Chinese and White female breast cancer patients at or under the age of 40 from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database (SEER) and the West China Hospital of Sichuan University. The chi-square test, log-rank test, and Cox proportional hazards model were employed to evaluate the distribution and survival disparities in the two racial/ethnic cohorts and different molecular subtypes. An annualized hazard function was used to calculate the annual failure rate among different molecular subtypes.

Results

This study included 20,859 female breast cancer patients at or under the age of 40, of whom 18,400 were White women and 2,459 were Chinese women. With a median follow-up time of 47 months, the 5-year breast cancer-specific survival (BCSS) rates for young Chinese and White women were 93.9% and 90.0%, respectively (P< 0.001). Molecular subtype was found to be a significant predictor in both young Chinese and White patients (P< 0.001), but different trends were observed in the two racial/ethnic cohorts when exploring the association between BCSS and molecular subtypes. Among young White patients, the hormone receptor (HoR) (+)/epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) (+) subtype had the best 5-year BCSS rate, while in young Chinese patients, the HoR (+)/HER2 (+) and HoR (+)/HER2 (-) showed comparable survival curves and both showed superior 5-year BCSS than other subtypes. Stratification by molecular subtypes, young Chinese patients demonstrated a superior 5-year BCSS in HoR (+)/HER2 (-) (96.3% vs 92.9%, P< 0.001) and triple-negative subtypes (88% vs 81.7%, P= 0.006) compared to young White American patients, while no significant differences were found in HoR (+)/HER2 (+) and HER2 enriched tumors. The annual hazard function for BCSS showed that there were significantly different trends in the HoR (+)/HER2 (-) and HoR (+)/HER2 (+) subtypes between young Chinese and White patients.

Conclusions

There are disparities in prognosis and annualized hazard function between young Chinese and White females with breast cancer in different molecular subtypes.
Case Report: Combined pembrolizumab, 5-fluorouracil, and cisplatin therapy were remarkably effective in p16-positive squamous cell carcinoma of unknown primary
Authors: Suzuki Risako , Hamada Kazuyuki , Ohkuma Ryotaro , Homma Mayumi , Tsurui Toshiaki , Iriguchi Nana , Ishiguro Tomoyuki , Hirasawa Yuya , Ariizumi Hirotsugu , Kubota Yutaro , Horiike Atsushi , Yoshimura Kiyoshi , Wada Satoshi , Yamochi Toshiko , Tsunoda Takuya
Published: July 2023

Background

Cancer of unknown primary (CUP) is a malignant tumor without a known primary lesion with a frequency of 3−5%. It can be divided into favorable and unfavorable prognosis subsets. While recommended treatments are available for the former group, there is no established treatment for the latter. Here, we report the effective treatment of a 32-year-old woman with p16-positive squamous cell CUP with pembrolizumab plus 5-fluorouracil and cisplatin therapy.

Case presentation

A 32-year-old woman presented with metastatic lesions in the liver, lung, bone, cervical region, abdominal region, and pelvic lymph nodes. She was diagnosed with p16-positive squamous cell carcinoma of unknown primary origin. The patient received pembrolizumab plus 5-fluorouracil and cisplatin therapy, which markedly reduced the metastasis and improved her Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status after two courses.

Conclusion

This case report highlights the potential of pembrolizumab plus 5-fluorouracil and cisplatin therapy for treating CUP with an unfavorable prognosis. p16 positivity is worth examining for squamous cell carcinoma of unknown primary origin, and if present, this therapy should be considered a promising treatment option.
Identifying novel candidate compounds for therapeutic strategies in retinopathy of prematurity via computational drug-gene association analysis
Authors: Xie Edward F. , Hilkert Rodriguez Sarah , Xie Bingqing , D’Souza Mark , Reem Gonnah , Sulakhe Dinanath , Skondra Dimitra
Published: July 2023

Purpose

Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) is the leading cause of preventable childhood blindness worldwide. Although interventions such as anti-VEGF and laser have high success rates in treating severe ROP, current treatment and preventative strategies still have their limitations. Thus, we aim to identify drugs and chemicals for ROP with comprehensive safety profiles and tolerability using a computational bioinformatics approach.

Methods

We generated a list of genes associated with ROP to date by querying PubMed Gene which draws from animal models, human studies, and genomic studies in the NCBI database. Gene enrichment analysis was performed on the ROP gene list with the ToppGene program which draws from multiple drug-gene interaction databases to predict compounds with significant associations to the ROP gene list. Compounds with significant toxicities or without known clinical indications were filtered out from the final drug list.

Results

The NCBI query identified 47 ROP genes with pharmacologic annotations present in ToppGene. Enrichment analysis revealed multiple drugs and chemical compounds related to the ROP gene list. The top ten most significant compounds associated with ROP include ascorbic acid, simvastatin, acetylcysteine, niacin, castor oil, penicillamine, curcumin, losartan, capsaicin, and metformin. Antioxidants, NSAIDs, antihypertensives, and anti-diabetics are the most common top drug classes derived from this analysis, and many of these compounds have potential to be readily repurposed for ROP as new prevention and treatment strategies.

Conclusion

This bioinformatics analysis creates an unbiased approach for drug discovery by identifying compounds associated to the known genes and pathways of ROP. While predictions from bioinformatic studies require preclinical/clinical studies to validate their results, this technique could certainly guide future investigations for pathologies like ROP.
Comparative study of three cultivars of jaboticaba berry: nutrient, antioxidant and volatile compounds
Authors: Xu Shaosi , Pang Yingying , Cai Xiaoming , Chen Qinchang , Jin Gang , Zhang Miao , Huang Luqiang
Published: July 2023

Jaboticaba is a tropical plant and its fruit rich in nutrients, volatile compounds, and biological activities, which considered to be an edible health benefits plant. Despite its popularity for fresh consumption, jaboticaba is rarely used in intensive processing in China. The content of nutrients and antioxidant in jaboticaba greatly impacts how it is processed healthy food. In this study, we evaluated the nutrients, antioxidant capacity, and volatile compounds of three jaboticaba cultivars including Sabara, Argentina, and Fukuoka, respectively. Our results revealed each variety has its merits. Sabara had an abundance of volatile compounds, a suitable acid-sugar ratio, and a slightly lower antioxidant capacity, making it suitable for fresh consumption. Argentina is the richest in volatile compounds in ripe fruit, but slightly lighter in taste and acid-sugar ratio, making it suitable for dry products. The large size, juicy flesh, low acid-sugar ratio, and less volatile compounds content of Fukuoka also make it suitable for juice processing. Three cultivars of jaboticaba berry exhibited different characteristics, providing reference evidence for the manufacturing and processing of jaboticaba health food.
The development and validation of the Chinese safety climate scale using the item-response theory approach
Authors: Lyu Xiaokang , Zhao Binlin , Yang Tingting , Zhao Li
Published: July 2023

Introduction

To develop a valid and practical tool to measure the safety climate in China, and further raise awareness of it in Chinese industries, we developed the Chinese safety climate scale (including two subscales at the levels of organization and group separately) based on the work of Huang et al. in 2017.

Methods

A descriptive survey with the convenience sampling method was conducted in Shanghai Disney Resort, China. A sample of 1,570 employees was involved in the final data analyses. The item response theory (IRT) analyses with graded response models were conducted using.

Results

The unidimensionality and local independence assumption were held. The Cronbach’s α of organization- and group- level safety climate subscale was 0.912 and 0.937, respectively. The confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) showed good model fit for a one-factor model of the organization-level safety climate subscale, χ2 (df = 20) = 129.158, p < 0.001, CFI = 0.994, TLI = 0.992, NFI = 0.993, IFI = 0.994, RMSEA = 0.059, 90% CI = (0.050, 0.069), and SRMR = 0.048. A one-factor model also fits well for the group-level safety climate subscale, χ2 (df = 44) = 219.727, p < 0.001, CFI = 0.996, TLI = 0.9925, NFI = 0.995, IFI = 0.996, RMSEA = 0.050, 90% CI = (0.044, 0.057), and SRMR = 0.046. Discrimination and difficulty parameters showed that all items effectively spanned the range of the latent trait and could successfully separate participants at different safety climate levels. Items in the organization-level and group-level Chinese safety climate subscales had significantly different discrimination parameters, fitted well with the models, and had a substantive relationship with the latent traits.

Discussion

The Chinese safety climate scale was reliable and valid overall. They can facilitate the research and survey regarding the safety climate in China.
Attitudes toward mathematics/statistics, anxiety, self-efficacy and academic performance: an artificial neural network
Authors: Hernández de la Hera Juan Manuel , Morales-Rodríguez Francisco Manuel , Rodríguez-Gobiet José Pablo , Martínez-Ramón Juan Pedro
Published: July 2023

Mathematics and statistical skills are crucial to daily life. However, many students found mathematics difficult to learn and understand. This research aimed to find relationships between mathematics and statistical attitudes and emotional dimensions, such as anxiety or self-efficacy. The sample consisted of two groups: the first group was formed by 276 Spanish students (75.7% female with an average age of 19.92 years) from different degrees at the University of Granada and the second one by agroup of 19 secondary school students from of a Secondary School in Granada, Spain (57.9% male students between 14 and 16 years of age from a public school). The instruments applied were a scale of attitude toward mathematics, a scale of attitude toward statistics, a scale to assess mathematical anxiety, and a scale to assess self-efficacy. An artificial neural network for the backpropagation algorithm was designed using dependent variable. The results showed a negative impact of anxiety on those attitudes, while self-efficacy had a positive impact on those mentioned attitudes. Therefore, emotional education is important in the well-being, and teaching in mathematics. The usefulness of the innovative neural network analysis in predicting the constructs evaluated in this study can be highlighted.
Dutch workers’ attitudes towards having a coworker with mental health issues or illness: a latent class analysis
Authors: van Beukering I. E. , Sampogna G. , Bakker M. , Joosen M. C. W. , Dewa C. S. , van Weeghel J. , Henderson C. , Brouwers E. P. M.
Published: July 2023

Introduction

Workplace mental health stigma is a major problem as it can lead to adverse occupational outcomes and reduced well-being. Although workplace climate is largely determined by managers and co-workers, the role of co-workers in workplace stigma is understudied. Therefore, the aims are: (1) to examine knowledge and attitudes towards having a coworker with Mental Health Issues or Illness (MHI), especially concerning the desire for social distance, (2) to identify distinct subgroups of workers based on their potential concerns towards having a coworker with MHI, and (3) to characterize these subgroups in terms of knowledge, attitudes, and background characteristics.

Materials and methods

A cross-sectional survey was conducted among a nationally representative internet panel of 1,224 Dutch workers who had paid jobs and did not hold management positions. Descriptive statistics and a three-step approach Latent Class Analysis (LCA) were used to address the research aims.

Results

Concerning the desire for social distance, 41.9% of Dutch workers indicated they did not want to have a close colleague with MHI, and 64.1% did not want to work for a higher-ranking manager who had MHI. In contrast however, most workers did not have negative experiences with interacting with coworkers with MHI (92.6%). Next, five distinct subgroups (SG) of workers were identified: two subgroups with few concerns towards having a coworker with MHI (SG1 and SG2; 51.8% of the respondents), one subgroup with average concerns (SG3; 22.7% of the respondents), and two subgroups with more concerns (SG4 and SG5; 25.6% of the respondents). Four out of five subgroups showed a high tendency towards the desire for social distance. Nevertheless, even in the subgroups with more concerns, (almost) half of the respondents were willing to learn more about how to best deal with coworkers with MHI. No significant differences were found between the subgroups on background characteristics.

Discussion

The high tendency to the desire for social distance seems to contrast with the low number of respondents who personally had negative experiences with workers with MHI in the workplace. This suggests that the tendency to socially exclude this group was not based on their own experience. The finding that a large group of respondents indicated to want to learn more about how to deal with a co-worker with MHI is promising. Destigmatizing interventions in the workplace are needed in order to create more inclusive workplaces to improve sustained employment of people with MHI. These interventions should focus on increasing the knowledge of workers about how to best communicate and deal with coworkers with MHI, they do not need to differentiate in background variables of workers.
The pattern of healthy diets and zero hunger among households in South-West Nigeria: application of linear approximation to quadratic almost ideal demand system
Authors: Ogunleke Ayodeji Oluwaseun , Olawuyi Seyi Olalekan , Ijila Olusegun Jeremiah
Published: July 2023

Malnutrition and food insecurity remain a significant public health challenge globally, affecting millions of people, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. In Nigeria, the prevalence of malnutrition and food insecurity is high, with a significant burden in the South-West region. Despite several interventions aimed at promoting healthy diets and reducing food insecurity, little is known about the pattern of healthy diets and zero hunger among households, as well as the budget shares on the food items driving these outcomes. Therefore, this study analyzes the pattern of healthy diets and zero hunger among households in South-West Nigeria, using the primary data elicited from 600 rice-consuming households, drawn through a multistage random sampling technique. Descriptive statistics and Linear Approximation to Quadratic Almost Ideal Demand System (LA-QUAIDS) model were used to analyze the dataset. The estimated LA-QUAIDS model was helpful to decipher the relationships that may not be possible to discover using a single-equation model. The finding of this study revealed that rice, especially local (Ofada) rice, is the most consumed food item among the households in the study area with a monthly budget share of 0.195. This is an indication that households spend approximately 19.5% of their monthly food expenditure share on rice consumption. The results also indicated that yam flour (−0.10), cassava-gari (−2.12), and meat (−0.03) are net complements to rice, while the rest of the food items are regarded as net substitutes. The estimated compensated (−1.64) and uncompensated (−1.69) own-price elasticities of local rice, respectively, indicate that local rice variety is price inelastic, and the estimated expenditure elasticity (0.02) suggests that local rice is not a luxury food in the household food basket but a necessity. This study affirms the importance of locally produced foods, especially local rice to the households in the study area. In light of the findings, this study recommends adequate policy aimed at reducing the cost of local food production by boosting domestic production. Apparently, this will technically trigger market price adjustment, as shown in this study, where local rice was estimated to be own-price elastic in nature.
An integrated deep learning and object-based image analysis approach for mapping debris-covered glaciers
Authors: Thomas Daniel Jack , Robson Benjamin Aubrey , Racoviteanu Adina
Published: July 2023

Evaluating glacial change and the subsequent water stores in high mountains is becoming increasingly necessary, and in order to do this, models need reliable and consistent glacier data. These often come from global inventories, usually constructed from multi-temporal satellite imagery. However, there are limitations to these datasets. While clean ice can be mapped relatively easily using spectral band ratios, mapping debris-covered ice is more difficult due to the spectral similarity of supraglacial debris to the surrounding terrain. Therefore, analysts often employ manual delineation, a time-consuming and subjective approach to map debris-covered ice extents. Given the increasing prevalence of supraglacial debris in high mountain regions, such as High Mountain Asia, a systematic, objective approach is needed. The current study presents an approach for mapping debris-covered glaciers that integrates a convolutional neural network and object-based image analysis into one seamless classification workflow, applied to freely available and globally applicable Sentinel-2 multispectral, Landsat-8 thermal, Sentinel-1 interferometric coherence, and geomorphometric datasets. The approach is applied to three different domains in the Central Himalayan and the Karakoram ranges of High Mountain Asia that exhibit varying climatic regimes, topographies and debris-covered glacier characteristics. We evaluate the performance of the approach by comparison with a manually delineated glacier inventory, achieving F-score classification accuracies of 89.2%–93.7%. We also tested the performance of this approach on declassified panchromatic 1970 Corona KH-4B satellite imagery in the Manaslu region of Nepal, yielding accuracies of up to 88.4%. We find our approach to be robust, transferable to other regions, and accurate over regional (>4,000 km2) scales. Integrating object-based image analysis with deep-learning within a single workflow overcomes shortcomings associated with convolutional neural network classifications and permits a more flexible and robust approach for mapping debris-covered glaciers. The novel automated processing of panchromatic historical imagery, such as Corona KH-4B, opens the possibility of exploiting a wealth of multi-temporal data to understand past glacier changes.
Boredom at the border of philosophy: conceptual and ethical issues
Authors: Levine Peter
Published: July 2023

Boredom is a topic in philosophy. Philosophers have offered close descriptions of the experience of boredom that should inform measurement and analysis of empirical results. Notable historical authors include Seneca, Martin Heidegger, and Theodor Adorno; current philosophers have also contributed to the literature. Philosophical accounts differ in significant ways, because each theory of boredom is embedded in a broader understanding of institutions, ethics, and social justice. Empirical research and interventions to combat boredom should be conscious of those frameworks. Philosophy can also inform responses to normative questions, such as whether and when boredom is bad and whether the solution to boredom should involve changing the institutions that are perceived as boring, the ways that these institutions present themselves, or individuals' attitudes and choices.
Obtaining and Studying the Properties of Chitosan Films Containing Natural Phytohormones Cytokinins
Authors: Kuzmenok Anna Y. , Varizhuk Irina V. , Zenchenko Anastasia A. , Oslovsky Vladimir E. , Kil’deeva Nataliya R.
Published: July 2023

A promising carrier for the development of polymer systems with controlled release of biologically active compounds is the aminopolysaccharide chitosan. In the present work, we studied the possibility of using chitosan films as a matrix for the N6-benzyladenine (BA), which is the natural cytokinin widely used in tissue culture. The aim of this work was to develop biopolymer carriers containing phytohormones cytokinins that provide its controlled release. As a result of the work, a number of biopolymer carriers containing BA were obtained, and the kinetics of moisture absorption of the resulting complexes and the kinetics of their release of cytokinins were studied. It has been shown that the use of a polymer carrier based on chitosan is a convenient matrix for achieving a prolonged biological effect from cytokinins. The obtained results will make it possible to purposefully design materials with an optimal delivery rate of cytokinins for a biological object.
Protection and Restoration of Damaged Hair via a Polyphenol Complex by Promoting Mechanical Strength, Antistatic, and Ultraviolet Protection Properties
Authors: Won Hyun Jeong , Kim Tae Min , An In-sook , Bae Heung Jin , Park Sung Young
Published: July 2023

In this study, we developed a hair-coating polyphenol complex (PPC) that showed ultraviolet (UV) protection properties, antistatic features, and the capability to enhance the mechanical strength of damaged hair. PPCs prepared with different ratios of tannic acid (TA), gallic acid (GA), and caffeic acid (CA) simultaneously increased the self-recovery of damaged hair by protecting the cuticle. PPC prevented light from passing through the damaged hair during exposure to UV radiation. Moreover, surfaces coated with PPC1 (TA:GA:CA, 100:20:0.5) exhibited a higher conductivity than surfaces coated with PPCs with other ratios of TA, GA, and CA, with a resistance of 0.72 MΩ. This influenced the antistatic performance of the surface, which exhibited no electrical attraction after being subjected to an electrostatic force. Additionally, damaged hair exhibited a significant increase in durability and elasticity after coating with a PPC1-containing shampoo, with a tensile strain of up to 2.06× post-treatment, indicating the recovery of the damaged cuticle by the PPC complex. Furthermore, PPC1-containing shampoo prevented damage by scavenging excess reactive oxygen species in the hair. The combination effect promoted by the natural PPC offers new insights into hair treatment and paves the way for further exploration of hair restoration technology.
MUS3E: A Mobility Ubiquitous Sensor Edge Environment for the Elderly
Authors: Utsumi Tomihiro , Arikawa Masatoshi , Hashimoto Masashi
Published: July 2023

With the ageing of society, the number of households with older individuals or couples living alone is increasing. An “ageing-in-place” approach allows older adults to continue to live at home and receive help only when needed. However, this approach is insufficient for emergencies, such as falls, as well as for individuals with gradually deteriorating health conditions, such as frailty. Unexpected accidents significantly reduce the quality of life (QoL) of older adults. This paper proposes a new framework, the mobility ubiquitous sensor edge environment (MUS3E), to digitally transform ordinary houses to detect the movement of older individuals throughout their home environment and to notify family members and care providers of residents’ health status and safety information. The framework can be easily and inexpensively installed in any home, transforming an ordinary house into a smart home with an automated function for monitoring older residents. It uses ambient sensors such as passive infrared ray sensors to automatically measure health conditions by measuring factors such as walking speed. Residents need not interact with or control the system and can go about their daily lives. Since the sensors used in this system are mass-produced consumer products, they are inexpensive and easily replaceable, as there are many alternatives. In this study, we were able to demonstrate the practically and feasibility of this framework using a prototype that uses open architecture Internet of Things (IoT) software (Debian GNU/Linux 11, Arduino 1.8.19, ESP8266 2.7.4, ESP32 1.0.6, PubSubClient 2.8.0, ESPPerfectTime 0.3.0, mosquitto 2.0.11) components to digitally transform the living environment of older individuals.
Findings on Ad Hoc Contractions
Authors: Choi Sing , Taghva Kazem
Published: July 2023

Abbreviations are often overlooked, since their frequency and acceptance are almost second nature in everyday communication. Business names, handwritten notes, online messaging, professional domains, and different languages all have their own set of abbreviations. The abundance and frequent introduction of new abbreviations cause multiple areas of overlaps and ambiguity, which mean documents often lose their clarity. We reverse engineered the process of creating these ad hoc abbreviations and revealed some preliminary statistics on what makes them easier or harder to define. In addition, we generated candidate definitions for which it proved difficult for a word sense disambiguation model to select the correct definition.
Correction: Treffert et al. Towards High-Repetition-Rate Fast Neutron Sources Using Novel Enabling Technologies. Instruments 2021, 5, 38
Authors: Treffert Franziska , Curry Chandra B. , Ditmire Todd , Glenn Griffin D. , Quevedo Hernan J. , Roth Markus , Schoenwaelder Christopher , Zimmer Marc , Glenzer Siegfried H. , Gauthier Maxence
Published: July 2023

In the original publication [...]