bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Beyond the Heroic Narrative: Towards the Quincentenary of the German Peasants’ War, 1525
Authors: Schwerhoff Gerd
Published: January 2023

Historiography on the German Peasants’ War experienced a lively upswing in the wake of the 450th anniversary in 1975. The course set at that time has continued to shape historical research until today. Starting from this anniversary, the article examines the state of historical research and develops perspectives for further paths of investigation. It starts from the thesis that beyond supposed controversies between East and West and beyond the progress achieved, a common ground of interpretations can be recognized that hinders rather than promotes an unbiased view of the event ‘Peasants’ War’. The underlying heroic narrative is characterized by a programmatic overdetermination, a tradition of interpretation that focuses on the program of a supposed revolutionary collective subject and neglects the dynamics of the events, with all their contradictions and coincidences.
Wave reflection and transmission coefficients for layered transversely isotropic media with vertical symmetry axis under initial stress
Authors: Chen Fubin , Zong Zhaoyun , Stovas Alexey , Yin Xingyao
Published: January 2023

The stress-dependent wave reflection and transmission (R/T) coefficients for the layered transversely isotropic media with a vertical symmetry axis (VTI) are seldom investigated in the published literature. To fill this gap, we propose the exact formulas for the plane wave R/T coefficients on the welded and non-welded boundaries between two distinct VTI half-spaces under the effect of initial stress. The theory of acoustoelasticity is used to describe the influence of initial applied stress on the overall elastic properties of VTI media and to represent two different boundary conditions. The normal and tangential compliances are used to characterize the discontinuity of non-welded boundary based on the linear-slip model, and their stress dependences are ideally considered according to the effect of stress on fracture aperture. Then the plane-wave displacement equations are substituted into the boundary conditions to yield the analytic formulas for frequency-independent R/T coefficients for the welded interface and frequency-dependent R/T coefficients for the non-welded interface. The stress-dependent wave slowness vector and polarization vector embedded in R/T coefficients can be directly computed with the Christoffel equation given by the acoustoelastic equation. Modelling results graphically show the effects of initial stress on the angle-dependent wave velocities, Thomsen elastic anisotropy parameters, fracture compliances, the R/T coefficients and seismic reflection responses for welded and non-welded interfaces in detail. The R/T coefficients are more sensitive to initial stress at relatively large incidence angles for the designed two-layer model with welded or non-welded boundary. The proposed R/T coefficient formulas and modelling results are relevant to in situ stress detection, fracture characterization, and exploration for oil and gas in shale reservoirs in high-stress fields.
Salp swarm algorithm with iterative mapping and local escaping for multi-level threshold image segmentation: a skin cancer dermoscopic case study
Authors: Hao Shuhui , Huang Changcheng , Heidari Ali Asghar , Chen Huiling , Li Lingzhi , Algarni Abeer D , Elmannai Hela , Xu Suling
Published: January 2023

If found and treated early, fast-growing skin cancers can dramatically prolong patients’ lives. Dermoscopy is a convenient and reliable tool during the fore-period detection stage of skin cancer, so the efficient processing of digital images of dermoscopy is particularly critical to improving the level of a skin cancer diagnosis. Notably, image segmentation is a part of image preprocessing and essential technical support in the process of image processing. In addition, multi-threshold image segmentation (MIS) technology is extensively used due to its straightforward and effective features. Many academics have coupled different meta-heuristic algorithms with MIS to raise image segmentation quality. Nonetheless, these meta-heuristic algorithms frequently enter local optima. Therefore, this paper suggests an improved salp swarm algorithm (ILSSA) method that combines iterative mapping and local escaping operator to address this drawback. Besides, this paper also proposes the ILSSA-based MIS approach, which is triumphantly utilized to segment dermoscopic images of skin cancer. This method uses two-dimensional (2D) Kapur’s entropy as the objective function and employs non-local means 2D histogram to represent the image information. Furthermore, an array of benchmark function test experiments demonstrated that ILSSA could alleviate the local optimal problem more effectively than other compared algorithms. Afterward, the skin cancer dermoscopy image segmentation experiment displayed that the proposed ILSSA-based MIS method obtained superior segmentation results than other MIS peers and was more adaptable at different thresholds.
The Neo-Aramaic Dialect Spoken by the Christians of Marga (Şirnak, Southeastern Turkey)
Authors: Noorlander Paul M
Published: January 2023

Aramaic-speaking Christian communities used to be found in large numbers in various towns and villages throughout southeastern Turkey before the large-scale migration under duress as a consequence of the hostilities in the First World War and its aftermath. Marga was once the home of one such large community of Aramaic-speaking Christians who fled to northwestern Iraq or dispersed over the globe. This paper documents new data and provides a preliminary grammatical description of the Neo-Aramaic dialect spoken by the Christians of Marga (Margaye) from a comparative dialectological perspective. It presents an overview of the characteristic features, some of which are archaic and are no longer (as) productive in other dialects. This outline is accompanied by a short sample text narrating the tale of Xazalok and Dalalok, a bedtime story well-known to people in this region.
Is there a difference in pelvic floor muscle tone between women with and without pelvic pain? A systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Kadah Shaza , Soh Sze-Ee , Morin Melanie , Schneider Michal , Heron Emma , Frawley Helena
Published: January 2023

Background

Alterations in pelvic floor muscle (PFM) function have been observed in women with persistent noncancer pelvic pain (PNCPP) as compared with women without PNCPP; however, the literature presents conflicting findings regarding differences in PFM tone between women with and without PNCPP.

Aim

To systematically review the literature comparing PFM tone in women with and without PNCPP.

Methods

MEDLINE, Embase, Emcare, CINAHL, PsycINFO, and Scopus were searched from inception to June 2021 for relevant studies. Studies were included that reported PFM tone data in women aged ≥18 years with and without PNCPP. The risk of bias was assessed with the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute Quality Assessment Tool. Standardized mean differences (SMDs) for PFM tone measures were calculated via random effects models.

Outcomes

Resting PFM tone parameters, including myoelectrical activity, resistance, morphometry, stiffness, flexibility, relaxation, and intravaginal pressure, measured by any clinical examination method or tool.

Results

Twenty-one studies met the inclusion criteria. Seven PFM tone parameters were measured. Meta-analyses were conducted for myoelectrical activity, resistance, and anterior-posterior diameter of the levator hiatus. Myoelectrical activity and resistance were higher in women with PNCPP than in women without (SMD = 1.32 [95% CI, 0.36-2.29] and SMD = 2.05 [95% CI, 1.03-3.06], respectively). Women with PNCPP also had a smaller anterior-posterior diameter of the levator hiatus as compared with women without (SMD = −0.34 [95% CI, −0.51 to −0.16]). Meta-analyses were not performed for the remaining PFM tone parameters due to an insufficient number of studies; however, results of these studies suggested greater PFM stiffness and reduced PFM flexibility in women with PNCPP than in women without.

Clinical Implications

Available evidence suggests that women with PNCPP have increased PFM tone, which could be targeted by treatments.

Strengths and Limitations

A comprehensive search strategy was used with no restriction on language or date to review studies evaluating PFM tone parameters between women with and without PNCPP. However, meta-analyses were not undertaken for all parameters because few included studies measured the same PFM tone properties. There was variability in the methods used to assess PFM tone, all of which have some limitations.

Conclusion

Women with PNCPP have higher PFM tone than women without PNCPP; therefore, future research is required to understand the strength of the relationship between pelvic pain and PFM tone and to investigate the effect of treatment modalities to reduce PFM tone on pelvic pain in this population.
QUIJOTE scientific results – VIII. Diffuse polarized foregrounds from component separation with QUIJOTE-MFI
Authors: de la Hoz E , Barreiro R B , Vielva P , Martínez-González E , Rubiño-Martín J A , Casaponsa B , Guidi F , Ashdown M , Génova-Santos R T , Artal E , Casas F J , Fernández-Cobos R , Fernández-Torreiro M , Herranz D , Hoyland R J , Lasenby A N , López-Caniego M , López-Caraballo C H , Peel M W , Piccirillo L , Poidevin F , Rebolo R , Ruiz-Granados B , Tramonte D , Vansyngel F , Watson. R A
Published: January 2023

We derive linearly polarized astrophysical component maps in the Northern Sky from the QUIJOTE-MFI data at 11 and 13 GHz in combination with the Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe K and Ka bands (23 and 33 GHz) and all Planck polarized channels (30–353 GHz), using the parametric component separation method B-SeCRET. The addition of QUIJOTE-MFI data significantly improves the parameter estimation of the low-frequency foregrounds, especially the estimation of the synchrotron spectral index, βs. We present the first detailed βs map of the Northern Celestial Hemisphere at a smoothing scale of 2°. We find statistically significant spatial variability across the sky. We obtain an average value of −3.08 and a dispersion of 0.13, considering only pixels with reliable goodness of fit. The power-law model of the synchrotron emission provides a good fit to the data outside the Galactic plane but fails to track the complexity within this region. Moreover, when we assume a synchrotron model with uniform curvature, cs, we find a value of cs = −0.0797 ± 0.0012. However, there is insufficient statistical significance to determine which model is favoured, either the power law or the power law with uniform curvature. Furthermore, we estimate the thermal dust spectral parameters in polarization. Our cosmic microwave background, synchrotron, and thermal dust maps are highly correlated with the corresponding products of the PR4 Planck release, although some large-scale differences are observed in the synchrotron emission. Finally, we find that the βs estimation in the high signal-to-noise synchrotron emission areas is prior-independent, while, outside these regions, the prior governs the βs estimation.
QUIJOTE scientific results – IX. Radio sources in the QUIJOTE-MFI wide survey maps
Authors: Herranz D , López-Caniego M , López-Caraballo C H , Génova-Santos R T , Perrott Y C , Rubiño-Martín J A , Rebolo R , Artal E , Ashdown M , Barreiro R B , Casas F J , de la Hoz E , Fernández-Torreiro M , Guidi F , Hoyland R J , Lasenby A N , Martínez-González E , Peel M W , Piccirillo L , Poidevin F , Ruiz-Granados B , Tramonte D , Vansyngel F , Vielva P , Watson R A
Published: January 2023

We present the catalogue of Q-U-I JOint TEnerife (QUIJOTE) Wide Survey radio sources extracted from the maps of the Multi-Frequency Instrument compiled between 2012 and 2018. The catalogue contains 786 sources observed in intensity and polarization, and is divided into two separate sub-catalogues: one containing 47 bright sources previously studied by the Planck collaboration and an extended catalogue of 739 sources either selected from the Planck Second Catalogue of Compact Sources or found through a blind search carried out with a Mexican Hat 2 wavelet. A significant fraction of the sources in our catalogue (38.7 per cent) are within the |b| ≤ 20° region of the Galactic plane. We determine statistical properties for those sources that are likely to be extragalactic. We find that these statistical properties are compatible with currently available models, with a ∼1.8 Jy completeness limit at 11 GHz. We provide the polarimetric properties of (38, 33, 31, 23) sources with P detected above the $99.99{{\ \rm per\, cent}}$ significance level at (11, 13, 17, 19) GHz respectively. Median polarization fractions are in the 2.8–4.7 per cent range in the 11–19 GHz frequency interval. We do not distinguish between Galactic and extragalactic sources here. The results presented here are consistent with those reported in the literature for flat- and steep-spectrum radio sources.
Applying unsupervised learning to resolve evolutionary histories and explore the galaxy--halo connection in IllustrisTNG
Authors: Fraser T S , Tojeiro R , Chittenden H G
Published: January 2023

We examine the effectiveness of identifying distinct evolutionary histories in IllustrisTNG-100 galaxies using unsupervised machine learning with Gaussian mixture models. We focus on how clustering compressed metallicity histories and star formation histories produces sub-population of galaxies with distinct evolutionary properties (for both halo mass assembly and merger histories). By contrast, clustering with photometric colours fails to resolve such histories. We identify several populations of interest that reflect a variety of evolutionary scenarios supported by the literature. Notably, we identify a population of galaxies inhabiting the upper red sequence, M* > 1010 M⊙, that has a significantly higher ex-situ merger mass fraction present at fixed masses and a star formation history that has yet to fully quench, in contrast to an overlapping, satellite-dominated population along the red sequence, which is distinctly quiescent. Extending the clustering to study four clusters instead of three further divides quiescent galaxies, whereas star-forming ones are mostly contained in a single cluster, demonstrating a variety of supported pathways to quenching. In addition to these populations, we identify a handful of populations from our other clusters that are readily applicable to observational surveys, including a population related to post-starburst galaxies, allowing for possible extensions of this work in an observational context, and to corroborate results within the IllustrisTNG ecosystem.
The value-added catalogue of ASAS-SN eclipsing binaries – II. Properties of extra-physics systems
Authors: Rowan D M , Jayasinghe T , Stanek K Z , Kochanek C S , Thompson Todd A , Shappee B J , Holoien T W-S , Prieto J L , Giles W
Published: January 2023

Detached eclipsing binaries are the primary tool used to measure precise masses and radii of stars. In our previous paper estimating the parameters of more than 30 000 detached eclipsing binaries, we identified 766 eclipsing binaries with additional features in their All-Sky Automated Survey for Supernovae (ASAS-SN) and Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite light curves. Here, we characterize these ‘extra-physics’ systems, identifying eclipsing binaries with spotted stars, pulsating components, and candidate triple/quadruple systems. We use the Gaia, Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System (ATLAS), Zwicky Transient Facility (ZTF), and ASAS-SN variable star catalogues to search for possible blends. We use MIST (MESA Isochrones and Stellar Tracks) isochrones and evolutionary tracks to identify systems with main-sequence, subgiant, and giant primaries and highlight systems in sparsely populated regions of the colour–magnitude diagram. We find that the orbital period distribution of spotted binaries is divided by evolutionary state and find 68 with X-ray detections. For the candidate triple/quadruples and pulsating systems, we calculate the extra orbital/pulsational period and identify systems with resonances. Finally, we highlight a number of exotic systems, including eclipsing cataclysmic variables, subdwarfs, and binaries with discs.
The origin of ultramassive white dwarfs: hints from Gaia EDR3
Authors: Fleury Leesa , Caiazzo Ilaria , Heyl Jeremy
Published: January 2023

Gaia Data Release 2 revealed a population of ultramassive white dwarfs on the Q branch that are moving anomalously fast for a local disc population with their young photometric ages. As the velocity dispersion of stars in the local disc increases with age, a proposed explanation of these white dwarfs is that they experience a cooling delay that causes current cooling models to infer photometric ages much younger than their true ages. To explore this explanation, we investigate the kinematics of ultramassive white dwarfs within 200 pc of the Sun using the improved Gaia Early Data Release 3 observations. We analyse the transverse motions of 0.95–1.25 M⊙ white dwarfs, subdivided by mass and age, and determine the distributions of the three-dimensional components of the transverse velocities. The results are compared to expectations based on observed kinematics of local main-sequence stars. We find a population of photometrically young (∼0.5–1.5 Gyr) ultramassive (∼1.15–1.25 M⊙) white dwarfs for which the transverse velocity component in the direction of Galactic rotation is more dispersed than for local disc stars of any age; thus, it is too dispersed to be explained by any cooling delay in white dwarfs originating from the local disc. Furthermore, the dispersion ratio of the velocity components in the Galactic plane for this population is also inconsistent with a local disc origin. We discuss some possible explanations of this kinematically anomalous population, such as a halo origin or production through dynamical effects of stellar triple systems.
Pulsar polarization: a broad-band population view with the Parkes Ultra-Wideband receiver
Authors: Oswald L S , Johnston S , Karastergiou A , Dai S , Kerr M , Lower M E , Manchester R N , Shannon R M , Sobey C , Weltevrede P
Published: January 2023

The radio polarization properties of the pulsar population are only superficially captured by the conventional picture of pulsar radio emission. We study the broadband polarization of 271 young radio pulsars, focusing particularly on circular polarization, using high-quality observations made with the Ultra-Wideband Low receiver on Murriyang, the Parkes radio telescope. We seek to encapsulate polarization behaviour on a population scale by defining broad categories for frequency- and phase-dependent polarization evolution, studying the co-occurrences of these categorizations and comparing them with average polarization measurements and spin-down energy ($\dot{E}$). This work shows that deviations of the linear polarization position angle from the rotating vector model are linked to the presence of circular polarization features and to frequency evolution of the polarization. Polarization fraction, circular polarization contribution, and profile complexity all evolve with $\dot{E}$ across the population, with the profiles of high-$\dot{E}$ pulsars being simple and highly linearly polarized. The relationship between polarization fraction and circular contribution is also seen to evolve such that highly polarized profiles show less variation in circular contribution with frequency than less strongly polarized profiles. This evolution is seen both across the population and across frequency for individual sources. Understanding pulsar radio polarization requires detailed study of individual sources and collective understanding of population-level trends. For the former, we provide visualizations of their phase- and frequency-resolved polarization parameters. For the latter, we have highlighted the importance of including the impact of circular polarization and of $\dot{E}$.
Accretion of supersonic magnetized winds onto black holes
Authors: Gracia-Linares Miguel , Guzmán Francisco S
Published: January 2023

We present the accretion of magnetized supersonic winds onto a rotating black hole in three dimensions. We select representative spin-wind orientations in order to illustrate its effects on the evolution and morphology of the shock cone. The most important finding in the magnetized case, unlike the purely hydrodynamical scenario, is the formation of rarified spots where the magnetic field pressure dominates over the gas pressure. In these rarified spots, we find the formation of eddies within the shock cone.
Minidisc influence on flow variability in accreting spinning black hole binaries: simulations in full general relativity
Authors: Bright Jane C , Paschalidis Vasileios
Published: January 2023

We perform magnetohydrodynamic simulations of accreting, equal-mass binary black holes in full general relativity focusing on the effect of spin and minidiscs on the accretion rate and Poynting luminosity variability. We report on the structure of the minidiscs and periodicities in the mass of the minidiscs, mass accretion rates, and Poynting luminosity. The accretion rate exhibits a quasi-periodic behaviour related to the orbital frequency of the binary in all systems that we study, but the amplitude of this modulation is dependent on the existence of persistent minidiscs. In particular, systems that are found to produce persistent minidiscs have a much weaker modulation of the mass accretion rate, indicating that minidiscs can increase the inflow time of matter on to the black holes, and dampen out the quasi-periodic behaviour. This finding has potential consequences for binaries at greater separations where minidiscs can be much larger and may dampen out the periodicities significantly.
The PHANGS–MUSE nebular catalogue
Authors: Groves B , Kreckel K , Santoro F , Belfiore F , Zavodnik E , Congiu E , Egorov O V , Emsellem E , Grasha K , Leroy A , Scheuermann F , Schinnerer E , Watkins E J , Barnes A T , Bigiel F , Dale D A , Glover S C O , Pessa I , Sanchez-Blazquez P , Williams T G
Published: January 2023

Ionized nebulae provide critical insights into the conditions of the interstellar medium (ISM). Their bright emission lines enable the measurement of physical properties, such as the gas-phase metallicity, across galaxy discs and in distant galaxies. The PHANGS–MUSE survey has produced optical spectroscopic coverage of the central star-forming discs of 19 nearby main-sequence galaxies. Here, we use the $\rm {H}\,\alpha$ morphology from this data to identify 30 790 distinct nebulae, finding thousands of nebulae per galaxy. For each nebula, we extract emission line fluxes and, using diagnostic line ratios, identify the dominant excitation mechanism. A total of 23 244 nebulae (75 per cent) are classified as H ii regions. The dust attenuation of every nebulae is characterized via the Balmer decrement and we use existing environmental masks to identify their large-scale galactic environment (centre, bar, arm, interarm, and disc). Using strong-line prescriptions, we measure the gas-phase oxygen abundances (metallicity) and ionization parameter for all H ii regions. With this new catalogue, we measure the radial metallicity gradients and explore second-order metallicity variations within each galaxy. By quantifying the global scatter in metallicity per galaxy, we find a weak negative correlation with global star formation rate and stronger negative correlation with global gas velocity dispersion (in both ionized and molecular gas). With this paper we release the full catalogue of strong line fluxes and derived properties, providing a rich data base for a broad variety of ISM studies.
Solid−gas carbonate formation during dust events on Mars
Authors: Mao Wenshuo , Fu Xiaohui , Wu Zhongchen , Zhang Jiang , Ling Zongcheng , Liu Yang , Zhao Yu-Yan Sara , Changela Hitesh G , Ni Yuheng , Yan Fabao , Zou Yongliao
Published: January 2023

Electrostatic discharge experiments under simulated martian atmospheric conditions indicate that atmospheric CO2 has been sequestered into carbonate by the Mars dust activities during the Amazonia era.
Number conservation in odd-particle number random phase approximation and extensions
Authors: Tohyama Mitsuru
Published: January 2023

The number conservation law in the odd-particle number random-phase approximation (oRPA) and its extension (EoRPA) is studied by applying them to a pairing model and 16O. It is found in the application to 16O that the number conservation law is not fulfilled in oRPA or EoRPA and that it is drastically improved in EoRPA due to the inclusion of ground-state correlation effects. PACS numbers: 21.60.Jz
Quality analysis of YouTube videos on vulvodynia
Authors: Aglamis Savas Ozgur , Senel Samet , Koudonas Antonios
Published: January 2023

Background

Social media, with its low cost and easy accessibility, represents an ideal medium for sharing medical interests, but the quality of its content is questionable.

Aim

The primary aim of this study was to evaluate the quality of video content related to vaginismus on YouTube as a source of information by using scores of established classification systems. The secondary aim was to examine the relationship between objective and subjective measures of their quality.

Methods

The term vaginismus was typed into the YouTube search bar (http://www.youtube.com). The first 50 videos with the highest number of views were included in the study. All videos were assessed on August 18, 2022, by a gynecologist and/or a urologist experienced in vulvodynia. Data of all the videos were recorded, such as source, content, duration, day since upload date, number of views, number of likes, number of comments, and views per day. The Global Quality Scale (GQS) and modified DISCERN score were employed to assess the quality of the videos.

Outcomes

The primary outcomes of this study were the scores of established classification systems and the measures relating to the preference and evaluation of viewers of YouTube videos on vulvodynia.

Results

A total of 50 videos were evaluated. The sources of 32 (64%) of these videos were “universities/professional organizations/nonprofit physicians/physicians” and “stand-alone health information websites.” The GQS and modified DISCERN scores of the videos whose source was “universities/professional organizations/nonprofit physicians/physicians” were higher than those whose source was “talk show programs/television programs” (P = .014 for GQS score, P = .046 for modified DISCERN score). When classified according to GQS score, the quality level of 58% of the videos was low. Of the videos whose source was “universities/professional organizations/nonprofit physicians/physicians,” 56.3% were of good quality.

Clinical Implications

The quality of information was very low and suggested that health care professionals should take on a more active role in configuring the qualitative characteristics of the material available online about the given health issues.

Strengths and Limitations

To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to investigate the quality of YouTube videos on vaginismus (vulvodynia). However, the limitation of this study is the relatively subjective evaluation of videos, including the risk of observer bias, although we attempted to overcome this problem with the inclusion of 2 independent reviewers and the use of validated tools.

Conclusion

YouTube videos may offer a huge amount of information about this condition, but the quality of the available sources is heterogeneous.
First insights into the current practice, knowledge, and attitudes of community pharmacists regarding sexual adverse drug reactions: a cross-sectional survey
Authors: Gordijn Rineke , Nicolai Melianthe P J , Elzevier Henk W , Guchelaar Henk-Jan , Teichert Martina
Published: January 2023

Introduction

Sexual function can be negatively influenced by adverse drug reactions (ADRs) potentially caused by >300 drugs. These sexual ADRs (sADRs) can lead to low adherence and decreased quality of life. Physicians are known to barely discuss sexual function. Pharmacists also have an important role in informing and advising patients on ADRs, but it is unknown how community pharmacists deal with sADRs.

Aims

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the current practice, attitudes, and knowledge of community pharmacists about informing, detecting, and discussing sADRs.

Methods

An online survey with 31 questions was sent to all 1932 pharmacy members of the Royal Dutch Pharmacists Association. The survey was modified from previous surveys that questioned different medical disciplines on their practice, attitudes, and knowledge of sexual function related to their fields. Questions were added on pharmacists’ practice concerning ADRs in general.

Results

A total of 97 (5%) pharmacists responded. During first dispenses of drugs, 64 (66%) informed patients on a selection of common ADRs. Almost all (n = 93, 97%) discussed diarrhea or constipation in at least half of the related occasions, whereas 26 to 31 (27%-33%) discussed sADRs. The sADRs for high-risk drugs were more often named at first than at second dispenses (n = 61 [71%] vs n = 28 [32%]). Pharmacy technicians were generally considered not to discuss sADRs (n = 73, 76%; never or in less than half of the occasions). Lack of privacy (n = 54, 57%) and language barriers (n = 45, 47%) were the most acknowledged barriers to discuss sADRs. Moreover, 46% (n = 45) considered their knowledge insufficient to discuss sADRs. Responsibility for informing, advising, and detecting sADRs was most often attributed to pharmacy technicians (n = 59, 62%), pharmacists (n = 46, 48%), and patients (n = 75, 80%), respectively.

Conclusion

This study shows that one-third of pharmacists and two-thirds of pharmacy technicians barely talked about sADRs during first dispenses for high-risk drugs. The low response rate suggests that mostly interested pharmacists responded, thus likely overestimating the sADR discussion rate. To provide patients with unique opportunities to discuss sADRs in community pharmacies, more attention is needed for raising awareness about the topic among pharmacists and for barriers such as the presence of other clients and limited knowledge about sADRs.
Resistance of Musa balbisiana Accessions of the Philippines to Banana Bunchy Top Virus
Authors: Dela Cueva Fe M. , Perez Nicole Angelee M. , Benjamin Ann Fatima A. , Yanos Lyka A. , Gueco Lavernee S. , Thomas John E.
Published: January 2023

Banana bunchy top disease (BBTD) is caused by banana bunchy top virus (BBTV), the most important virus affecting banana. Currently, no cultivar or accession of banana has complete resistance to BBTD. A total of 36 wild Musa spp. accessions, including 34 Musa balbisiana and 2 M. acuminata subsp. errans (“Agutay”), were screened for resistance against BBTV. In greenhouse tests using viruliferous banana aphids (Pentalonia nigronervosa), all M. balbisiana accessions remained symptomless, and BBTV was not detected in any of these plants by PCR at 3 and 6 months postinoculation. In contrast, 100% disease incidence was recorded in M. acuminata subsp. errans and in cv. Lakatan susceptible control plants. The PCR-negative M. balbisiana plants were then transferred to a field with high BBTV inoculum pressure where they remained symptomless and PCR-negative for up to 5 years, while all cv. Lakatan developed BBTD. Wild M. balbisiana accessions showed a high level of resistance and possibly immunity to BBTV and are expected to provide a resource for conventional and marker-assisted breeding.

[Formula: see text] Copyright © 2023 The Author(s). This is an open access article distributed under the CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 International license .
S-06-4: IMPACT OF ANTI-HYPERTENSIVE THERAPY ON CEREBRAL FUNCTIONAL NETWORKS AND CONNECTIVITY
Authors: Carnevale Lorenzo , Maffei Angelo , Landolfi Alessandro , Grillea Giovanni , Berardi Valeria , Carnevale Daniela , Lembo Giuseppe
Published: January 2023

It is well known that hypertension is the main modifiable risk factor leading to cognitive impairment and various forms of dementia. Leveraging functional MRI it has been possible to characterize hypertensives brain functional connectivity, a main feature of cerebral activation and health measurable by resting-state functional MRI. This characterization let us analyze how pathological conditions influence the cognitive processes and the spontaneous organization of brain activity, and have shown that hypertensive patients even before showing signs of vascular dementia have alterations in cerebral connections compared to normotensive patients. Our current question is whether different classes of antihypertensives, differentiated in mechanism of action and potential to cross the blood brain barrier may have different impact on cerebral functional organization.

42 hypertensives with controlled hypertension (SBP< 140mmHg e DBP< 90mmHg) were subjected to resting-state functional MRI. Functional connectivity was elaborated by CONN, according to an analysis pipeline to build functional connectivity networks matrices calculating the cross-correlation of BOLD signal among different brain regions. The obtained network of connections has been analyzed by general linear model, to implement regression models that highlight the connections in the brains modulated by the specific classes of antihypertensives analyzed.

The application of regression models with age, sex, BMI, alcohol, smoke, SBP and DBP levels, heart rate as covariates shown that treatment with diuretics modulate a large connectivity network among Salience Network, Default Mode Network and Language Network (Fig. A). Ace-inhibitors treatment is associated with a significant modulation of a connection between Default Mode Network and the FrontoParietal Network (Fig. B), while ARBs are associated to the modulation of connections between Cerebellar and Language Networks (Fig. C). Finally, beta-blockers are associated with connections centered in Dorsal Attention Network and projected to Language and FrontoParietal Networks (Fig. D).

Globally, the most relevant functional modulation of the brain is imposed by the use of diuretics, with a possible explanation in the fact that lowering global volume of circulating blood may have a significant impact on cerebral circulation. By this analysis, we will be able to take into account the central and cognitive impact of different antihypertensive drugs on the choice of best personalized treatment of hypertension.
S-08-2: RESTORATION OF SIRT3 EXPRESSION IN LIVER ALLEVIATES HIGH-SALT-INDUCED HYPERTENSION
Authors: Gao Peng , You Mei , Li Li , Zhu Zhiming
Published: January 2023

Objective:

High salt intake is the leading dietary risk factor for hypertension. Although clinical evidence suggests that high salt intake is associated with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) that is an independent risk factor for hypertension, it remains elusive whether salt-induced hepatic damage leads to the development of hypertension. SIRT3 is the main protector in liver metabolism, and knockout of SIRT3 in mice results in fatty liver and metabolic syndrome. Therefore, we asked whether SIRT3 in liver participated in salt-induced hypertension and investigated the underlying mechanism.

Design and method:

6-week male wild-type or SIRT3-knockout (SIRT3−/−) mice were fed with 0.4% normal salt diet (NSD) or 8% high salt diet (HSD) for 16 weeks. Liver weight, body weight and blood pressure were measured. H&E, Oil-O red, and Sirius Red staining were performed on liver frozen sections to detect steatosis, lipid accumulation and fibrosis, respectively. Hepatic inflammation was reflexed by immunofluorescent staining of Cd11b, Mpo and F4/80, the markers of neutrophils, macrophages and Kupffer cells, respectively. Adeno-associated virus 8 (AAV8) with a Thyroxine-Binding Globulin (TBG) promoter was used to overexpress SIRT3 in liver. Chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing (ChIP-seq) with an antibody against acetylated histone 3 lysine 27 (H3K27ac), an activated promoter marker, was used to explore the possible mechanism underlying the effect of SIRT3 on salt-induced hepatic inflammation.

Results:

HSD induced a significant increase in systolic blood pressure, a higher liver weight to body weight ratio, and stimulated lipid accumulation, steatosis, and fibrosis in the liver, accompanied by a lowered expression of SIRT3 in liver. Knockout of SIRT3 further exacerbated HSD-induced hepatic steatosis and inflammation, resulting in a more severe hypertension. Restoration of hepatic SIRT3 expression in SIRT3−/− mice by injection of AAV8-TBG-SIRT3 lowered all these pathological changes induced by HSD. ChIP-seq results suggest that knockout of SIRT3 mainly affected the H3K27ac level of promoters of genes related to AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) and insulin signaling pathways. Activation of AMPK by metformin significantly blocked salt-induced hepatic inflammation and hypertension, accompanied with an elevated SIRT3 expression in liver.

Conclusions:

The present study proves that the reduced SIRT3 expression in liver plays a critical role in salt-induced hypertension by inducing hepatic inflammation. Restoration of hepatic SIRT3 expression or treatment with metformin helps to stave off hepatic inflammation that underlies salt-induced hypertension in clinical practice.
S-08-3: ROCK2 SPECIFIC INHIBITION DECREASES TH17/TREG BALANCE AND REDUCES HYPERTENSION AND HYPERTENSION-ASSOCIATED END-ORGAN DAMAGE
Authors: Fehrenbach Daniel J , Smart Charles Duncan , Wassenaar Jean W , Madhur Meena S
Published: January 2023

Hypertension is characterized by immune activation and inflammatory end-organ damage, yet there are no therapies for hypertension that specifically target the immune system. We previously demonstrated a critical role for pro-inflammatory CD4+ T cells and their cytokines, interleukin 17A (IL-17A) and IL-21, in the full development of hypertension and hypertension-associated renal and vascular damage. Rho-associated coiled-coil containing protein kinase 2 (ROCK2) has been shown to function as a molecular switch upregulating Th17 and inhibiting anti-inflammatory regulatory T cell (Treg) differentiation in autoimmune diseases. We found that ROCK2 expression is upregulated in splenic and renal CD4+ T cells in a DOCA (deoxycorticosterone) salt model of hypertension. We hypothesized that hypertensive stimuli increase T cell ROCK2 activity, leading to increased Th17/Treg ratios, and that selective ROCK2 inhibition is a potential novel therapeutic target for hypertension-associated end-organ damage. We showed in vitro that KD025, an orally bioavailable ROCK2 inhibitor, inhibits Th17 proliferation and IL-17A/IL-21 production. We then tested ROCK2 inhibition in vivo where DOCA salt-induced hypertension (uninephrectomy + 100 mg DOCA pellet + 1% NaCl drinking water) was initiated in all mice allowing for hypertension to develop for 10 days, followed by treatment with KD025 (50 mg/kg daily, n = 11) or vehicle (n = 8) starting on day 11 through the remainder of the protocol. KD025 treatment significantly attenuated cardiac hypertrophy (8.7 ± 0.3 vs 7.6 ± 0.2 mg/grams body weight, p = 0.005) and left ventricular (LV) fibrosis (4.9 ± 1.7 vs 2.4 ± 1.3% LV area, p = 0.008). Flow cytometric analysis revealed that KD025 decreased F4/80+ infiltrating cardiac macrophages (24,000 ± 578 vs 18,918 ± 1,430 cells, p = 0.011) and decreased the Th17/Treg ratio (0.251 ± 0.041 vs 0.117 ± 0.009, p = 0.003). Furthermore, KD025 attenuated renal infiltration of CD3+ T cells (59.0 ± 5.6 vs 43.5 ± 3.8 cells/mg tissue, p = 0.019). Additional studies using the Angiotensin II (Ang II, 490ng/kg/min) model of hypertension demonstrated that KD025 treatment starting on Day 14 of Ang II infusion significantly reduced blood pressures from Day 14 (154 ± 5.5mmHg) to Day 28 of the study (141.9 ± 5.9mmHg, p = 0.043, n = 5) which was not observed in vehicle controls (Day 14 157.0 ± 5.4mmHg, Day 28 154.9 ± 3.7mmHg, n = 4). These data indicate that the ROCK2-specific inhibitor KD025 may be a novel therapeutic for the treatment of hypertension and the associated end-organ damage.
S-08-4: SELENIUM LEVELS AND FUNCTIONAL STATE OF LIVER IN PATIENTS WITH HYPERTENSION AND NONALCOHOLIC FATTY LIVER DISEASE
Authors: Tverezovska Iryna , Zhelezniakova Natalia
Published: January 2023

Introduction:

Hypertension (HTN) is significant medical problem due to high levels of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is chronic disease, with gradual progression and is one of main causes of cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma.

Researches show controversies in Selenium levels in NAFLD patients. According to data, lower Selenium levels can increase risks of development of hypertension, while its increase can promote protective effect. Research in this area is actual due to insufficient data on Selenium metabolism in patients with HTN and NAFLD comorbidity, especially depending on liver damage grade.

Aim:

was to investigate levels of Selenium in patients with hypertension and NAFLD depending on functional state of liver.

Materials and methods:

We examined 100 patients. Main group: 49 hypertensive NAFLD patients (33 (67.3%) females and 16 (32.7%) males). Comparison group: 51 non-hypertensive NAFLD patients (30 (58.8%) females and 21 (41.2%) males).Control group: 20 relatively healthy individuals (11 (55.0%) females and 9 (45.0%) males). Median age in main group was 51.0 [45.0–56.0] years; comparison group: 52.0 [47.0–54.0] years (p = 0.564); control group: 51.0 [45.0–55.5] years.

In the main group hypertension 1 stage was diagnosed in 14 (28.6%) patients, 2 stage: in 35 (71.4%) patients; 1 and 2 grade was diagnosed respectively in 16 (32.7%) and 33 patients (67.3%).

In the main group steatosis was found in 27 (55.1%) patients; steatohepatitis: in 22 (44.9%) patients; in comparison group 30 (58.8%) and 21 (41.2%) patients respectively (p = 0.707).

Selenium levels were assessed using Humal Selenium ELISA kit. Ultrasound of liver was performed according standard procedure using Samsung (Medison) SonoAce X8. Statistical calculations were made using IBM SPSS 25.0.

Results:

Median systolic and diastolic blood pressure in main group was 150.0 [145.0–158.0] mm Hg. and 90.0 [85.0–90.0] mm Hg. In comparison group:125.0 [115.0–130.0] and 80.0 [70.0–80.0] mm Hg. Respectively

Selenium levels were significantly (p < 0.001) increased in patients of comparison group: 67.2 [61.5–77.4] mkg/l vs. 43.5 [39.9–49.1] mkg/l in main group. In control group its levels were 108.0 [96.9–118.8] mkg/l, which was significantly (p < 0.001) higher than in other groups.

Analysis of Selenium levels depending on liver damage grade did not show significant differences. However patients with hypertension and steatohepatitis had higher Selenium levels than patients with steatohepatitis, while non-hypertensive patients had reversed trend (table 1)

Conclusions:

Hypertension is main trigger of decrease in Selenium levels in patients with comorbid NAFLD, which can be connected with its increased metabolism due to providing antihypertensive homeostasis and protection of vascular endothelium via antioxidant mechanisms.
S-09-5: HOMOARGININE AND CARDIOVASCULAR PROTECTION: POTENTIAL THERAPEUTIC TARGET?
Authors: Mels Catharina MC , Mokhaneli Maserame Cleopatra , Böger Rainer , Schwedhelm Edzard , Le Roux Shani Botha
Published: January 2023

Increasing evidence suggests that homoarginine may offer cardiovascular protection via several mechanisms. We previously investigated prospective associations between homoarginine and i) incident hypertension; ii) carotid wall thickening; and iii) cardiovascular mortality over a five to ten year period in a South African cohort based in the North West Province of the international Prospective Urban and Rural Epidemiology (PURE) study. No significant associations were found between baseline homoarginine levels and incident hypertension (n = 166). However, in a group who remained normotensive over the course of ten years (n = 166), homoarginine levels correlated positively with brachial systolic blood pressure (β = 0.33; p = 0.001); brachial pulse pressure (β = 0.40; p = 0.001); and central pulse pressure (β = 0.30; p = 0.003). This may suggest that the protective effects of homoarginine is not infinite and may become overshowed by other factors once hypertension develops. When investigating prospective associations between homoarginine at baseline and cross-sectional wall area (CSWA) five years later, we indicated that the protective association between CSWA and homoarginine was limited to the female participants of this cohort (n = 396; β = - 0.11; p = 0.024). We also examined whether homoarginine could predict 10-year risk of all cause and cardiovascular mortality.

Higher homoarginine levels were found in survivors when compared to nonsurvivors (n = 143; 1.25 μM vs. 0.89 μM P < 0.001) and in multivariable Cox regression analyses, higher homoarginine predicted a reduction in ten year cardiovascular (standardized hazard ratio, 0.61; 95% CI 0.50 to 0.75) and all cause (standardized hazard ratio, 0.59; 95% CI 0.41 to 0.84) mortality risk. Clearly, it would be beneficial to investigate the regulation of homoarginine levels as therapeutic target in the management of cardiovascular disease. Previous experimental findings indicated that homoarginine infusions have beneficial effects on left ventricular contractility and diastolic function, as well as blood pressure lowering effects to normotensive levels in hypertensive rats. The safety of oral homoarginine levels was established in healthy adults and provided the foundation for two clinical trials to provide data on the optimal dosing of homoarginine in humans (NCT02675660), and to evaluate the applicability of an oral formulation of homoarginine to normalize homoarginine blood levels in patients with acute ischemic stroke (NCT03692234).