bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Improving the consistency of experimental swine dysentery inoculation strategies
Authors: Parra-Aguirre Juan C. , Nosach Roman , Fernando Champika , Hill Janet E. , Harding John C. S.
Published: June 2023

Swine dysentery (SD) caused by pathogenic Brachyspira spp. is an economic challenge for the swine industry. In research settings, experimental reproduction of swine dysentery typically relies on intragastric inoculation which has shown variable success. This project aimed to improve the consistency of the experimental inoculation protocol used for swine dysentery in our laboratory. Over six experiments, we evaluated the influence of group housing in inoculated pigs using a frozen-thawed broth culture of strongly hemolytic B. hyodysenteriae strain D19 (Trial A), compared the relative virulence of B. hyodysenteriae strains D19 and G44 (Trial B), compared inoculum volumes (50 mL vs 100 mL) for G44 and B. hampsonii 30446 (Trial C), and performed three independent trials evaluating intragastric inoculation using different oral inoculation methods: oral feed balls (Trial D), and oral syringe bolus of 100 mL (Trial E) or 300 mL (Trial F). Intragastric inoculation with a fresh broth culture of B. hyodysenteriae strain G44 resulted in a shorter incubation period and a higher proportionate duration of mucohemorrhagic diarrhea (MMHD) compared to D19. Intragastric inoculation with either 50 or 100 mL of B. hampsonii 30446 or B. hyodysenteriae (G44) were statistically equivalent. Oral inoculation with 100 mL or 300 mL also yielded similar results to intragastric inoculation but was more expensive due to the additional work and supplies associated with syringe training. Our future research will use intragastric inoculation with 100 mL of a fresh broth culture containing B. hyodysenteriae strain G44 as it yields a high incidence of mucohaemorrhagic diarrhea with a reasonable cost.
Targeting liver cancer stem cell through EpCAM therapy targeted with chemotherapy endorse enhanced progression in hepatocellular carcinoma
Authors: Sekar Vasanthakumar , Veerabathiran Ramakrishnan , Pandian Arjun , Sivamani Ganesan
Published: June 2023

Background

Two chief hurdles in most cancer treatments are chemoresistance and tumor recurrence, especially counting hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Most conformist chemotherapy fails to completely cure HCC patients because of its susceptibility to develop multidrug resistance (MDR) through factors such as hypoxia, cancer stem cells, and drug efflux mechanism cancer stem cells (CSC) which are significant factors involved in chemoresistance. It has been exposed that targeting liver cancer stem cells and chemotherapeutic drugs have a better selected, overall survival rate for hepatocellular carcinoma patients.

Aim

This study aims to investigate the effectiveness of targeting stem cells for liver cancer using a therapy that targets EpCAM in combination with chemotherapy and how this approach can enhance the treatment outcomes in hepatocellular carcinoma, the most prevalent kind of liver cancer.

Results

The outcome was studied by flow cytometry, Western blot, RT-PCR, and cytotoxicity assays. EpCAM gene silenced and XAV939-treated cells showed decreased expression of CD133, a liver cancer stem cell (LCSC) marker in flow cytometry analysis, and reduced expression of ABCG2 gene, which is a reliable marker for chemoresistance in RT-PCR and western blot analysis; it was also unable to form colonies in colony forming assay. Similarly, in the spheroid formation assay, EpCAM gene silenced cells and XAV939-treated cells in combinations with cisplatin treatment were powerless to appear spheroid, whereas cisplatin alone-treated cells showed spheroids. In the cytotoxicity assay, cisplatin alone and combined with EpCAM silenced and XAV939-treated cells showed more lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release than EpCAM silenced arm XAV939 treated components.

Conclusion

These findings confirm our hypothesis that conventional chemotherapy kills cancer cells but not cancer stem cells. We believe EpCAM-targeted therapy enhances chemosensitivity and decreases relapsed chances. This approach might be the best option for a better prognosis for hepatocellular carcinoma patients.
First-in-Human, Phase I Dose-Escalation and Dose-Expansion Study of Trophoblast Cell-Surface Antigen 2–Directed Antibody-Drug Conjugate Datopotamab Deruxtecan in Non–Small-Cell Lung Cancer: TROPION-PanTumor01
Authors: Shimizu Toshio , Sands Jacob , Yoh Kiyotaka , Spira Alexander , Garon Edward B. , Kitazono Satoru , Johnson Melissa L. , Meric-Bernstam Funda , Tolcher Anthony W. , Yamamoto Noboru , Greenberg Jon , Kawasaki Yui , Zebger-Gong Hong , Kobayashi Fumiaki , Phillips Penny , Lisberg Aaron E. , Heist Rebecca S.
Published: June 2023

PURPOSE

This first-in-human, dose-escalation and dose-expansion study evaluated the safety, tolerability, and antitumor activity of datopotamab deruxtecan (Dato-DXd), a novel trophoblast cell-surface antigen 2 (TROP2)–directed antibody-drug conjugate in solid tumors, including advanced non–small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Adults with locally advanced/metastatic NSCLC received 0.27-10 mg/kg Dato-DXd once every 3 weeks during escalation or 4, 6, or 8 mg/kg Dato-DXd once every 3 weeks during expansion. Primary end points were safety and tolerability. Secondary end points included objective response rate (ORR), survival, and pharmacokinetics.

RESULTS

Two hundred ten patients received Dato-DXd, including 180 in the 4-8 mg/kg dose-expansion cohorts. This population had a median of three prior lines of therapy. The maximum tolerated dose was 8 mg/kg once every 3 weeks; the recommended dose for further development was 6 mg/kg once every 3 weeks. In patients receiving 6 mg/kg (n = 50), median duration on study, including follow-up, and median exposure were 13.3 and 3.5 months, respectively. The most frequent any-grade treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAEs) were nausea (64%), stomatitis (60%), and alopecia (42%). Grade ≥3 TEAEs and treatment-related AEs occurred in 54% and 26% of patients, respectively. Interstitial lung disease adjudicated as drug-related (two grade 2 and one grade 4) occurred in three of 50 patients (6%). The ORR was 26% (95% CI, 14.6 to 40.3), and median duration of response was 10.5 months; median progression-free survival and overall survival were 6.9 months (95% CI, 2.7 to 8.8 months) and 11.4 months (95% CI, 7.1 to 20.6 months), respectively. Responses occurred regardless of TROP2 expression.

CONCLUSION

Promising antitumor activity and a manageable safety profile were seen with Dato-DXd in heavily pretreated patients with advanced NSCLC. Further investigation as first-line combination therapy in advanced NSCLC and as monotherapy in the second-line setting and beyond is ongoing.
Spontaneous velocity alignment of Brownian particles with feedback-induced propulsion
(a)
Authors: Kopp R. A. , Klapp S. H. L.
Published: June 2023

Based on Brownian dynamics simulations we study the collective behavior of a two-dimensional system of repulsively interacting colloidal particles, where each particle is propelled by a repulsive feedback force with time delay τ. Although the pair interactions are purely isotropic we observe a spontaneous, large-scale alignment of the velocity vectors. This phenomenon persists for long times and occurs in the absence of steady-state clustering. We explain our observations by a combination of the effect of steric interactions yielding local velocity ordering, and the effect of time delay, that generates cluster dissolution, velocity persistence and velocity alignment over large distances. Overall, the behavior reveals intriguing similarities, but also differences, with that observed in models of active matter, such as active Brownian particles and the Vicsek model.
The Clock-modulatory Activity of Nobiletin Suppresses Adipogenesis Via Wnt Signaling
Authors: Xiong Xuekai , Kiperman Tali , Li Weini , Dhawan Sangeeta , Lee Jeongkyung , Yechoor Vijay , Ma Ke
Published: June 2023

The circadian clock machinery exerts transcriptional control to modulate adipogenesis and its disruption leads to the development of obesity. Here, we report that Nobiletin, a circadian clock amplitude-enhancing molecule, displays antiadipogenic properties via activation of Wnt signaling pathway that is dependent on its clock modulation. Nobiletin augmented clock oscillatory amplitude with period lengthening in the adipogenic mesenchymal precursor cells and preadipocytes, accompanied by an induction of Bmal1 and clock components within the negative feedback arm. Consistent with its clock-modulatory activity, Nobiletin strongly inhibited the lineage commitment and terminal differentiation of adipogenic progenitors. Mechanistically, we show that Nobiletin induced the reactivation of Wnt signaling during adipogenesis via transcriptional up-regulation of key components within this pathway. Furthermore, Nobiletin administration in mice markedly reduced adipocyte hypertrophy, leading to a significant loss of fat mass and reduction of body weight. Last, Nobiletin inhibited the differentiation of primary preadipocytes, and this effect was dependent on a functional clock regulation. Collectively, our findings uncover a novel activity of Nobiletin in suppressing adipocyte development in a clock-dependent manner, implicating its potential application in countering obesity and associated metabolic consequences.
Energy expenditure of southern right whales varies with body size, reproductive state and activity level
Authors: Christiansen Fredrik , Sprogis Kate R. , Nielsen Mia L. K. , Glarou Maria , Bejder Lars
Published: June 2023

Quantifying the energy expenditure of animals is critical to understanding the cost of anthropogenic disturbance relative to their overall energy requirements. We used novel drone focal follows (776 follows, 185 individuals) and aerial photogrammetry (5372 measurements, 791 individuals) to measure the respiration rate and body condition loss of southern right whales (Eubalaena australis) on a breeding ground in Australia. Respiration rates were converted to oxygen consumption rate and field metabolic rate (FMR) using published bioenergetic models. The intra-seasonal loss in body condition of different reproductive classes (calves, juveniles, adults, pregnant and lactating females) was converted to blubber energy loss and total energy expenditure (TEE). Using these two metrics, we tested the effects of body size, reproductive state and activity level on right whale energy expenditure. Respiration rates and mass-specific FMR decreased exponentially with an increase in body size, as expected based on allometric scaling. FMR increased curvilinearly with an increase in swim speed, probably as a result of increased drag and increased locomotion costs. Respiration rates and FMR were 44% higher for pregnant and lactating females compared with those of adults, suggesting significant costs of fetal maintenance and milk production, respectively. The estimated FMR of adults based on their respiration rates corresponded well with the estimated TEE based on body condition loss. The rate of decline in body condition of pregnant and lactating females was considerably higher than expected based on respiration rates, which probably reflects the milk energy transfer from mothers to calves, which is not reflected in their FMR.
Hyposalinity reduces coordination and adhesion of sea urchin tube feet
Authors: Moura Andrew J. , Garner Austin M. , Narvaez Carla A. , Cucchiara Jack P. , Stark Alyssa Y. , Russell Michael P.
Published: June 2023

Climate change will increase the frequency and intensity of low-salinity (hyposalinity) events in coastal marine habitats. Sea urchins are dominant herbivores in these habitats and are generally intolerant of salinity fluctuations. Their adhesive tube feet are essential for survival, effecting secure attachment and locomotion in high wave energy habitats, yet little is known about how hyposalinity impacts their function. We exposed green sea urchins (Strongylocentrotus droebachiensis) to salinities ranging from ambient (32‰) to severe (14‰) and assessed tube feet coordination (righting response, locomotion) and adhesion [disc tenacity (force per unit area)]. Righting response, locomotion and disc tenacity decreased in response to hyposalinity. Severe reductions in coordinated tube foot activities occurred at higher salinities than those that affected adhesion. The results of this study suggest moderate hyposalinities (24–28‰) have little effect on S. droebachiensis dislodgement risk and survival post-dislodgment, while severe hyposalinity (below 24‰) likely reduces movement and prevents recovery from dislodgment.
Clock This!
Authors: Tyler Neil
Published: June 2023

With 5G requiring ultra-low communication link latency as well as gigabit speeds, the pressure on companies supplying timing solutions is growing.
Using DDS to Unlock the Power of TSN
Authors: Torenbeek Reinier
Published: June 2023

Bringing DDS and TSN together helps to create a powerful, distributed data-centric integration framework.
Delirium in hip fracture patients admitted from home during the COVID-19 pandemic is associated with higher mortality, longer total length of stay, need for post-acute inpatient rehabilitation, and readmission to acute services
Authors: Penfold Rose S. , Hall Andrew J. , Anand Atul , Clement Nick D. , Duckworth Andrew D. , MacLullich Alasdair M. J.
Published: June 2023

Aims

Delirium is associated with adverse outcomes following hip fracture, but the prevalence and significance of delirium for the prognosis and ongoing rehabilitation needs of patients admitted from home is less well studied. Here, we analyzed relationships between delirium in patients admitted from home with 1) mortality; 2) total length of hospital stay; 3) need for post-acute inpatient rehabilitation; and 4) hospital readmission within 180 days.

Methods

This observational study used routine clinical data in a consecutive sample of hip fracture patients aged ≥ 50 years admitted to a single large trauma centre during the COVID-19 pandemic between 1 March 2020 and 30 November 2021. Delirium was prospectively assessed as part of routine care by the 4 A’s Test (4AT), with most assessments performed in the emergency department. Associations were determined using logistic regression adjusted for age, sex, Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation quintile, COVID-19 infection within 30 days, and American Society of Anesthesiologists grade.

Results

A total of 1,821 patients were admitted, with 1,383 (mean age 79.5 years; 72.1% female) directly from home. Overall, 87 patients (4.8%) were excluded due to missing 4AT scores. Delirium prevalence in the whole cohort was 26.5% (460/1,734): 14.1% (189/1,340) in the subgroup of patients admitted from home, and 68.8% (271/394) in the remaining patients (comprising care home residents and inpatients when fracture occurred). In patients admitted from home, delirium was associated with a 20-day longer total length of stay (p < 0.001). In multivariable analyses, delirium was associated with higher mortality at 180 days (odds ratio (OR) 1.69 (95% confidence interval (CI) 1.13 to 2.54); p = 0.013), requirement for post-acute inpatient rehabilitation (OR 2.80 (95% CI 1.97 to 3.96); p < 0.001), and readmission to hospital within 180 days (OR 1.79 (95% CI 1.02 to 3.15); p = 0.041).

Conclusion

Delirium affects one in seven patients with a hip fracture admitted directly from home, and is associated with adverse outcomes in these patients. Delirium assessment and effective management should be a mandatory part of standard hip fracture care.

Cite this article: Bone Jt Open 2023;4(6):447–456.
Tracing 25 years of ‘initiativitis’ in central government attempts to join up local public services in England
Authors: Gibson Michael , van Lier Felix-Anselm , Carter Eleanor
Published: June 2023

Over the last 25 years, central government has attempted to join up local public services in England on at least 55 occasions, illustrating the ‘initiativitis’ inflicted upon local governments by the large volume and variety of coordination programmes. By analysing and mapping some of the characteristics of these initiatives, we have uncovered insights into the ways central government has sought to achieve local coordination. We observe a clear preference for the use of funding and fiscal powers as a lever, a competitive allocation process, and a constrained discretion model of governance, with some distinct patterns over time. These choices made in the design of initiatives are likely to be shaped by the perceived and real accountability structures within government, and so offer an opportunity to consider how accountability affects, and is affected by, particular programmatic efforts at a local level.

This article makes a significant contribution to our understanding of coordination programmes at a central–local government level. By identifying patterns in the approach of government over the last 25 years, it offers an empirical lens to map the ‘glacial and incremental’ reframing of central–local relations and associated shifts in public accountability. In this way, the article provides more solid foundations to a range of issues – central government’s reliance on controlling the reins of funding, the competitive nature of allocation processes, and the enduring centralisation of accountability – that have been much discussed among policymakers, practitioners and researchers, but have lacked clear empirical grounding.
Power set of stigmatic freeform catadioptric systems
Authors: González-Acuña Rafael G.
Published: June 2023

A method to design catadioptric systems from scratch based on optimizing an element of the power set of stigmatic catadioptric systems is presented. This set contains all possible stigmatic catadioptric systems. The deduction of the set is also presented in this paper, and its derivation is totally analytical. Additionally, an illustrative example of optimization of an element of the mentioned set is presented. The results are as expected.
Tunable Fano resonance with an ultra-wide free spectral range from a photonic integrated circuit
Authors: Wu Qiushuang
Published: June 2023

In this paper, a reconfigurable photonic integrated circuit that can produce various resonances is proposed and demonstrated. Particularly, it can generate a high performance Fano resonance with an ultra-wide free-spectral range. Moreover, the extinction ratio, slope rate, and center wavelength of the Fano resonance are tunable using integrated phase shifters. This work paves the way towards a variety of new applications, including low threshold lasers, low power consumption modulators, and high sensitivity sensors.
Coded aperture compression temporal imaging based on a dual-mask and deep denoiser
Authors: Ge YouRan , Qu GangRong , Huang YuHao , Liu Duo
Published: June 2023

Coded aperture compressive temporal imaging (CACTI) is the mapping of multiple frames using different encoding patterns into a single measurement and then using an algorithm to reconstruct the required high-dimensional signals, thus enabling high-speed photography on low-speed cameras. An encoding pattern and a reconstruction algorithm both play a critical role for CACTI. To improve the quality of the reconstruction, in terms of encoding, we took advantage of the reflective properties of the digital micromirror device and used a complementary dual-mask pattern to obtain more projection information. In terms of decoding, we developed what we believe, to the best of our knowledge, is a new model combining the weighted Landweber regularization with the relaxation strategy and a deep denoiser. The experimental results show the superiority of our proposed encoding–decoding combination, which achieves better performance in terms of the peak SNR, structural similarity index measure, and visual effects.
Nondiffracting beam length adjustment by using 3-bit coding metasurfaces
Authors: Xiao Hui , Su Dongping , Song Wei , Fan Zhenteng , Wang Xin , Zhang Huaiqing
Published: June 2023

In this paper, a nondiffracting beamforming scheme employing 3-bit coding metasurfaces to adjust the beam lengths is proposed. The 3-bit coding is implemented with a four-layer phase control unit whose phase can be adjusted by tuning the side length of the metal square. Simulation and measured results show that the electric field distributions generated by the metasurface is independent of the polarization of the incident wave due to the central symmetry of the structure. Experimental results are provided which verifies the feasibility of the proposed scheme in adjusting the nondiffracting beam lengths. A relative error as small as 6.0% in the beam lengths is observed, and all results prove the proposed 3-bit coding metasurfaces can be applied to generate different nondiffracting beam lengths.
All-fiber spatial profile and polarization controller
Authors: Ghorbani Fatemeh , Farman Farnaz , Bahrampour Alireza
Published: June 2023

The spin and orbital angular momentum of photons can perturb during propagation in few mode optical fiber, and hence, in the receiver, perturbations must be adjusted. For polarization adjustment, polarization controllers have been developed previously. In this paper, we show that in the presence of external effects such as tension and tortion, the entanglement between the different degrees of freedom of a photon does not change. A device for simultaneous adjustment of polarization and spatial distribution in few mode fiber is proposed. In addition to modification, this device can also be used to produce different modes in fiber.
Colonic Myenteric Plexus Neurodegeneration and Minor Colon Inflammation in Trimethyltin-induced Rat Model of Neurodegeneration
Authors: Septyaningtrias Dian Eurike , Zulfa Hilizza Awalina , Ramadhani Mahayu Firsty , Sumaryati  , Sulistyawati Dewi , Paramita Dewi Kartikawati , Sumiwi Yustina Andwi Ari , Susilowati Rina
Published: June 2023

Gastrointestinal symptoms are common health problems found during aging and neurodegenerative diseases. Trimethyltin-induced rat is known as an animal model of hippocampal degeneration with no data on enteric neurodegeneration. This study aimed to investigate the effect of trimethyltin (TMT) induction on the gastrointestinal tract. A 28-day animal study with male Sprague–Dawley rats (3 months old, 150–200 g) given a single TMT injection (8 mg/kg body weight, intraperitoneal) was conducted. The number of neurons in the colonic myenteric plexus was measured using stereological estimation. Histological scoring of colon inflammation, immunohistochemistry of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), and quantitative PCR were conducted. This study showed neuronal loss in the colonic myenteric plexus of TMT-induced rat model of neurodegeneration. Minor colon inflammation characterized by inflammatory cell infiltration and slightly higher expression of TNF-α in the colon mucosa were observed in the TMT-induced rat. However, the gut microbiota composition of the TMT-induced rat was not different from that of the control rats. This study demonstrates that TMT induces colonic myenteric plexus neurodegeneration and minor colon inflammation, which suggests the potential of this animal model to elucidate the communication between the gastrointestinal tract and central nervous system in neurodegenerative diseases.
MetaNovo: An open-source pipeline for probabilistic peptide discovery in complex metaproteomic datasets
Authors: Potgieter Matthys G. , Nel Andrew J. M. , Fortuin Suereta , Garnett Shaun , Wendoh Jerome M. , Tabb David L. , Mulder Nicola J. , Blackburn Jonathan M.
Published: June 2023

Background

Microbiome research is providing important new insights into the metabolic interactions of complex microbial ecosystems involved in fields as diverse as the pathogenesis of human diseases, agriculture and climate change. Poor correlations typically observed between RNA and protein expression datasets make it hard to accurately infer microbial protein synthesis from metagenomic data. Additionally, mass spectrometry-based metaproteomic analyses typically rely on focused search sequence databases based on prior knowledge for protein identification that may not represent all the proteins present in a set of samples. Metagenomic 16S rRNA sequencing only targets the bacterial component, while whole genome sequencing is at best an indirect measure of expressed proteomes. Here we describe a novel approach, MetaNovo, that combines existing open-source software tools to perform scalable de novo sequence tag matching with a novel algorithm for probabilistic optimization of the entire UniProt knowledgebase to create tailored sequence databases for target-decoy searches directly at the proteome level, enabling metaproteomic analyses without prior expectation of sample composition or metagenomic data generation and compatible with standard downstream analysis pipelines.

Results

We compared MetaNovo to published results from the MetaPro-IQ pipeline on 8 human mucosal-luminal interface samples, with comparable numbers of peptide and protein identifications, many shared peptide sequences and a similar bacterial taxonomic distribution compared to that found using a matched metagenome sequence database—but simultaneously identified many more non-bacterial peptides than the previous approaches. MetaNovo was also benchmarked on samples of known microbial composition against matched metagenomic and whole genomic sequence database workflows, yielding many more MS/MS identifications for the expected taxa, with improved taxonomic representation, while also highlighting previously described genome sequencing quality concerns for one of the organisms, and identifying an experimental sample contaminant without prior expectation.

Conclusions

By estimating taxonomic and peptide level information directly on microbiome samples from tandem mass spectrometry data, MetaNovo enables the simultaneous identification of peptides from all domains of life in metaproteome samples, bypassing the need for curated sequence databases to search. We show that the MetaNovo approach to mass spectrometry metaproteomics is more accurate than current gold standard approaches of tailored or matched genomic sequence database searches, can identify sample contaminants without prior expectation and yields insights into previously unidentified metaproteomic signals, building on the potential for complex mass spectrometry metaproteomic data to speak for itself.
Salmonella Typhi whole genome sequencing in Rwanda shows a diverse historical population with recent introduction of haplotype H58
Authors: Rutanga Jean Pierre , de Block Tessa , Cuypers Wim L. , Cafmeyer Josephine , Peeters Marjan , Umumararungu Esperance , Ngabonziza Jean Claude S. , Rucogoza Aniceth , Vandenberg Olivier , Martiny Delphine , Dusabe Angélique , Nkubana Théoneste , Dougan Gordon , Muvunyi Claude Mambo , Mwikarago Ivan Emil , Jacobs Jan , Deborggraeve Stijn , Van Puyvelde Sandra
Published: June 2023

Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi (S. Typhi) is the cause of typhoid fever, presenting high rates of morbidity and mortality in low- and middle-income countries. The H58 haplotype shows high levels of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and is the dominant S. Typhi haplotype in endemic areas of Asia and East sub-Saharan Africa. The situation in Rwanda is currently unknown and therefore to reveal the genetic diversity and AMR of S. Typhi in Rwanda, 25 historical (1984-1985) and 26 recent (2010-2018) isolates from Rwanda were analysed using whole genome sequencing (WGS). WGS was locally implemented using Illumina MiniSeq and web-based analysis tools, thereafter complemented with bioinformatic approaches for more in-depth analyses. Whereas historical S. Typhi isolates were found to be fully susceptible to antimicrobials and show a diversity of genotypes, i.e 2.2.2, 2.5, 3.3.1 and 4.1; the recent isolates showed high AMR rates and were predominantly associated with genotype 4.3.1.2 (H58, 22/26; 84,6%), possibly resulting from a single introduction in Rwanda from South Asia before 2010. We identified practical challenges for the use of WGS in endemic regions, including a high cost for shipment of molecular reagents and lack of high-end computational infrastructure for the analyses, but also identified WGS to be feasible in the studied setting and giving opportunity for synergy with other programs.
Ignorance is bliss? Information and risk on crowdfunding platforms
Authors: D’Arcangelo Chiara , Morreale Azzurra , Mittone Luigi , Collan Mikael
Published: June 2023

This research examines the determinants of project success on crowdfunding platforms within a competitive context. We focus on the specific horizontal attributes of the project–attributes that do not affect the project returns but over which investors may have heterogeneous preferences–and on the project returns’ risk level. We run a laboratory experiment with several set-ups, where multiple projects compete for funding simultaneously and where potential investors operate in a quasi-continuous time. We find the horizontal attributes’ information affects project selection, while the risk level of the project returns affects the amount of collected funding.
Research on low-carbon dual channel supply chain considering product substitution under government carbon tax and low-carbon subsidy
Authors: Xu Changyan , Tang Xin , Song Jingyao , Wang Chuanxu
Published: June 2023

Since dual channel supply chain has become one of the main modes of supply chain, its research has acquired great significance. This paper constructs a low-carbon dual channel supply chain composed of one manufacturer and one retailer. The manufacturer produces low-carbon product and high carbon product with substitution relationship. The retailer sells high carbon product in traditional channel. The manufacturer also sells low-carbon product in direct channel. The government, manufacturer and retailer conduct a three-level Stackelberg game. This paper studies the optimal decisions of the government, manufacturer and retailer under the three modes of carbon tax + subsidy, carbon tax only and subsidy only. It has been found that for social welfare, the carbon tax + subsidy model is higher than the subsidy model and carbon tax model. For manufacturer profit, the subsidy mode is the highest, followed by the carbon tax + subsidy mode. For retailer profit, the carbon tax + subsidy model is equal to the carbon tax model. The increase in the proportion of consumers who prefer high carbon product in the total market or product cost of low-carbon product, will increase the profit of traditional channel and reduce the profit of direct channel.
Delta 9-tetrahydrocannabinol conserves cardiovascular functions in a rat model of endotoxemia: Involvement of endothelial molecular mechanisms and oxidative-nitrative stress
Authors: Bányai Bálint , Répás Csaba , Miklós Zsuzsanna , Johnsen Johnny , Horváth Eszter M. , Benkő Rita
Published: June 2023

In endotoxemic models, the inflammatory parameters are altered to a favorable direction as a response to activation of cannabinoid receptors 1 and 2. The phytocannabinoid Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) is an agonist/partial antagonist of both cannabinoid receptors. This report targets the effects of THC on the cardiovascular system of endotoxemic rats. In our 24-hour endotoxemic rat model (E. coli derived lipopolysaccharide, LPS i.v. 5mg/kg) with THC treatment (LPS+THC 10 mg/kg i.p.), we investigated cardiac function by echocariography and endothelium-dependent relaxation of the thoracic aorta by isometric force measurement compared to vehicle controls. To evaluate the molecular mechanism, we measured endothelial NOS and COX-2 density by immunohistochemistry; and determined the levels of cGMP, the oxidative stress marker 4-hydroxynonenal, the nitrative stress marker 3-nitrotyrosine, and poly(ADP-ribose) polymers. A decrease in end-systolic and end-diastolic ventricular volumes in the LPS group was observed, which was absent in LPS+THC animals. Endothelium-dependent relaxation was worsened by LPS but not in the LPS+THC group. LPS administration decreased the abundance of cannabinoid receptors. Oxidative-nitrative stress markers showed an increment, and cGMP, eNOS staining showed a decrement in response to LPS. THC only decreased the oxidative-nitrative stress but had no effect on cGMP and eNOS density. COX-2 staining was reduced by THC. We hypothesize that the reduced diastolic filling in the LPS group is a consequence of vascular dysfunction, preventable by THC. The mechanism of action of THC is not based on its local effect on aortic NO homeostasis. The reduced oxidative-nitrative stress and the COX-2 suggest the activation of an anti-inflammatory pathway.
Self-assessed health status and obesity vulnerability in rural Louisiana: A cross-sectional analysis
Authors: Pathak Santosh , Wang Hua , Seals Katherine , Adusumilli Naveen C. , Holston Denise
Published: June 2023

Rural communities are resource-constrained and at higher risk of obesity and obesity-related conditions. Thus, studying self-assessed health status and underlying vulnerabilities is critical to provide insights to the program planners for effective and efficient planning of obesity prevention programs. This study aims to investigate the correlates of self-assessed health status and subsequently determine the obesity vulnerability level of residents in rural communities. Randomly sampled data were obtained from in-person community surveys in three rural Louisiana counties–East Carroll, Saint Helena, and Tensas–in June 2021. The association of social-demographic factors, grocery store choice, and exercise frequency with self-assessed health was investigated using the ordered logit model. An obesity vulnerability index was constructed using the weights obtained from the principal component analysis. The results show that gender, race, education, possession of children, exercise frequency, and grocery store choice significantly influence self-assessed health status. Around 20% of respondents fall into the most-vulnerable segment and 65% of respondents are vulnerable to obesity. The obesity vulnerability index ranged from -4.036 to 4.565, indicating a wide heterogeneity in the vulnerability level of rural residents. The findings show that the self-assessed health status of rural residents is not promising along with a high level of vulnerability to obesity. The findings from this study could serve as a reference in the policy discussion regarding an effective and efficient suite of interventions in rural communities to address obesity and promote well-being.
The mechanism of action of Ophiocordyceps sinensis mycelia for prevention of acute lung injury based on non-targeted serum metabolomics
Authors: Zhou Jinna , Pi Na , Guo Yingqi , He Xinyi , Wang Jinhu , Luo Run , Wang Mu , Yu Hong
Published: June 2023

Ophiocordyceps sinensis is a fungus with medicinal value in treating lung diseases, but no study has reported how to prevent acute lung injury using this fungus. The mice were divided into normal, model, positive control, and O. sinensis groups to observe lung histopathological sections and transmission electron microscopy, along with liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry and hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining to closely identify structural differences resulting from destruction between the groups. The results of the H&E staining showed that, compared with the normal group, the model group showed alveolar collapse. Compared with the model group, the infiltration of inflammatory cells in the alveolar cavity of the O. sinensis group was significantly reduced. Mitochondrial plate-like cristae were observed in type II alveolar cells of the normal group, with normal coloration of the mitochondrial matrix. Type II alveolar cells in the model group showed obvious edema. The statuses of type II alveolar cells in the O. sinensis and positive groups were similar to that in the normal group. Twenty-nine biomarkers and 10 related metabolic pathways were identified by serum metabolomics screening. The results showed that O. sinensis mycelia had a significant effect on the prevention of lipopolysaccharide-induced inflammation.
The role of geography and distance on physician follow-up after a first hospitalization with a diagnosis of a schizophrenia spectrum disorder: A retrospective population-based cohort study in Ontario, Canada
Authors: Rotenberg Martin , Gozdyra Peter , Anderson Kelly K. , Kurdyak Paul
Published: June 2023

Background

Timely follow-up after hospitalization for a schizophrenia spectrum disorder (SSD) is an important quality indicator. We examined the proportion of individuals who received physician follow-up within 7 and 30 days post-discharge by health region and estimated the effect of distance between a person’s residence and discharging hospital on follow-up.

Methods

We created a retrospective population-based cohort of incident hospitalizations with a discharge diagnosis of a SSD between 01/01/2012 and 30/03/2019. The proportion of follow-up with a psychiatrist and family physician within 7 and 30 days were calculated for each region. The effect of distance between a person’s residence and discharging hospital on follow-up was estimated using adjusted multilevel logistic regression models.

Results

We identified 6,382 incident hospitalizations for a SSD. Only 14.2% and 49.2% of people received follow-up care with a psychiatrist within 7 and 30 days of discharge, respectively, and these proportions varied between regions. Although distance from hospital was not associated with follow-up within 7 days of discharge, increasing distance was associated with lower odds of follow-up with a psychiatrist within 30 days.

Conclusion

Post-discharge follow-up is poor across the province. Geospatial factors may impact post-discharge care and should be considered in further evaluation of quality of care.
Predicted versus CT-derived total lung volume in a general population: The ImaLife study
Authors: Wisselink Hendrik J. , Steerenberg Danielle J. D. , Rook Mieneke , Pelgrim Gert-Jan , Heuvelmans Marjolein A. , van den Berge Maarten , de Bock Geertruida H. , Vliegenthart Rozemarijn
Published: June 2023

Predicted lung volumes based on the Global Lung Function Initiative (GLI) model are used in pulmonary disease detection and monitoring. It is unknown how well the predicted lung volume corresponds with computed tomography (CT) derived total lung volume (TLV). The aim of this study was to compare the GLI-2021 model predictions of total lung capacity (TLC) with CT-derived TLV. 151 female and 139 male healthy participants (age 45–65 years) were consecutively selected from a Dutch general population cohort, the Imaging in Lifelines (ImaLife) cohort. In ImaLife, all participants underwent low-dose, inspiratory chest CT. TLV was measured by an automated analysis, and compared to predicted TLC based on the GLI-2021 model. Bland-Altman analysis was performed for analysis of systematic bias and range between limits of agreement. To further mimic the GLI-cohort all analyses were repeated in a subset of never-smokers (51% of the cohort). Mean±SD of TLV was 4.7±0.9 L in women and 6.2±1.2 L in men. TLC overestimated TLV, with systematic bias of 1.0 L in women and 1.6 L in men. Range between limits of agreement was 3.2 L for women and 4.2 L for men, indicating high variability. Performing the analysis with never-smokers yielded similar results. In conclusion, in a healthy cohort, predicted TLC substantially overestimates CT-derived TLV, with low precision and accuracy. In a clinical context where an accurate or precise lung volume is required, measurement of lung volume should be considered.
Gender and intention to leave healthcare during the COVID-19 pandemic among U.S. healthcare workers: A cross sectional analysis of the HERO registry
Authors: Apple Rachel , O’Brien Emily C. , Daraiseh Nancy M. , Xu Haolin , Rothman Russell L. , Linzer Mark , Thomas Laine , Roumie Christianne
Published: June 2023

Importance

The COVID-19 pandemic stressed the healthcare field, resulting in a worker exodus at the onset and throughout the pandemic and straining healthcare systems. Female healthcare workers face unique challenges that may impact job satisfaction and retention. It is important to understand factors related to healthcare workers’ intent to leave their current field.

Objective

To test the hypothesis that female healthcare workers were more likely than male counterparts to report intention to leave.

Design

Observational study of healthcare workers enrolled in the Healthcare Worker Exposure Response and Outcomes (HERO) registry. After baseline enrollment, two HERO ‘hot topic’ survey waves, in May 2021 and December 2021, ascertained intent to leave. Unique participants were included if they responded to at least one of these survey waves.

Setting

HERO registry, a large national registry that captures healthcare worker and community member experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Participants

Registry participants self-enrolled online and represent a convenience sample predominantly composed of adult healthcare workers.

Exposure(s)

Self-reported gender (male, female).

Main outcome

Primary outcome was intention to leave (ITL), defined as having already left, actively making plans, or considering leaving healthcare or changing current healthcare field but with no active plans. Multivariable logistic regression models were performed to examine the odds of intention to leave with adjustment for key covariates.

Results

Among 4165 responses to either May or December surveys, female gender was associated with increased odds of ITL (42.2% males versus 51.4% females reported intent to leave; aOR 1.36 [1.13, 1.63]). Nurses had 74% higher odds of ITL compared to most other health professionals. Among those who expressed ITL, three quarters reported job-related burnout as a contributor, and one third reported experience of moral injury.

Conclusions and relevance

Female healthcare workers had higher odds of intent to leave their healthcare field than males. Additional research is needed to examine the role of family-related stressors.

Trial registration

ClinicalTrials.gov identifier NCT04342806.
O AUMENTO DA DESIGUALDADE COM POLÍTICAS PÚBLICAS DE EDUCAÇÃO E SAÚDE NA PRIMEIRA INFÂNCIA
Authors: Varella Marcelo Dias , Alamy Naiara Cardoso Gomide da Costa
Published: June 2023

As políticas públicas para redução da desigualdade têm sido pouco efetivas conforme demonstram diferentes pesquisas, a exemplo dos dados do relatório de desenvolvimento humano de 2019 e 2020. O objetivo do artigo é compreender por que as desigualdades observadas no nascimento impactam a vida das pessoas, persistindo durante a vida, com foco mais voltado para educação e saúde. Utilizou-se como metodologia a análise de políticas, a legislação, a teoria e dados empíricos. A pesquisa de caráter propedêutico buscou apresentar uma discussão interdisciplinar por partir da ideia de que o Direito se insere numa sociedade complexa e recebe suas influências. A análise dos dados apresentados no Relatório de Desenvolvimento Humano 2019 e 2020, e da PNAD Contínua 2018 e 2019 sugerem que existe desigualdade de capacidade dos pais nas oportunidades de educação e saúde para a criação dos seus filhos. Pode ser verificado que as políticas públicas investigadas, apesar de seguirem a universalidade proposta constitucionalmente, não atendem os fins visados diante de uma estrutura não inclusiva e de baixa mobilidade intergeracional.
AS PAISAGENS DA ZONA COSTEIRA DO MARANHÃO: O CASO DOS MUNICÍPIOS DE ROSÁRIO, AXIXÁ E ICATU
Authors: Lima Deuzanir da Conceição Amorim , Santos Luiz Carlos Araujo dos , Ribeiro Priscilla Coelho , Soares Idevan Gusmão , Medeiros Rafael Brugnolli
Published: June 2023

A cartografia de paisagem é uma metodologia/atividade de caráter físico-geográfica que possibilita definir unidades, atribuindo a elas funções, limitações, potencialidades atreladas a indicadores geoecológicos. Diante dessa premissa, esse artigo buscou identificar, classificar e mapear as unidades de paisagem da zona costeira maranhense, em especial os municípios de Rosário, Axixá e Icatu, no norte do estado. O roteiro metodológico abrangeu preceitos do geoprocessamento, diante da modelagem de dados ligada à álgebra de mapas, o que permitiu o cruzamento de dados de geologia, relevo, declividade e vegetação, com sua subsecutiva validação. Os resultados mostraram dez unidades que variam desde mangues com vegetação fluviomarinha herbácea e arbórea em declives reduzidos sobrepostos em aluviões e coluviões, até unidades com influência urbana. As tipologias e dinâmicas próprias de cada unidade permitiram pontuar o cultivo, o extrativismo e a pecuária localizados em áreas florestais e campestres (naturais). Com isso, aquelas paisagens que se caracterizam por fortes mudanças na estrutura espacial e funcional podem não cumprir com suas funções e serviços de forma adequada. Conclui-se que essa pesquisa contribuirá para compreender a zona costeira como uma área heterogênea do ponto de vista geoecológico e possibilitar um futuro ordenamento físico-territorial dessa região complexa e relevante para o Maranhão.
NÚCLEO DE AGRICULTORES AGROECOLÓGICOS MONGE JOÃO MARIA/PR: AÇÕES PARA CONSTRUÇÃO DE UM TERRITÓRIO ALTERNATIVO
Authors: Lourenço-Bakovicz Arlete Menezes , Hauresko Cecilia
Published: June 2023

Este artigo é resultado de uma pesquisa realizada com os agricultores autodenominados agroecologistas dos municípios de Irati, Inácio Martins, Teixeira Soares, Rebouças e Rio Azul, que formam o Núcleo Monge João Maria no Estado do Paraná. O núcleo é compreendido como motor da construção de um território alternativo, de promoção da agricultura de base agroecológica, e como forma de resistência e de emancipação. O objetivo foi compreender a organização política e produtiva desses sujeitos, homens e mulheres que transformam terra em território. Trata-se de pesquisa qualitativa com revisão de literatura, trabalho de campo, conversas informais e entrevista semiestruturada. A pesquisa evidenciou que o processo de conversão do sistema agrícola convencional para o sistema agroecológico acontece nas propriedades familiares através da formação política e técnica, e que dos 61 agricultores entrevistados, 66% estão em fase de transição agroecológica. Os agricultores que possuem pequenas áreas de terra já realizaram 100% da conversão, enquanto as propriedades com maiores áreas enfrentam dificuldades nesse processo. O estudo fornece indicadores sobre esse cenário e mostra os desafios a serem superados para manutenção e melhoria das propriedades e da qualidade de vida dessas pessoas.
A REDE DE LUGARES TURÍSTICOS DO LITORAL NORTE DO POLO COSTA DAS DUNAS, RIO GRANDE DO NORTE
Authors: Almada José Alexandre Berto de
Published: June 2023

O presente artigo analisa a rede de lugares turísticos na região do Litoral Norte do Polo Costa das Dunas, Rio Grande do Norte, partindo do conceito de rede urbana e de território usado. Nessa região, o território usado assume a forma espacial de uma rede urbana que tece relações desiguais e combinadas com as atividades de turismo da região concentrada no Litoral Central do polo turístico em questão a partir dos roteiros de passeios, realizado tanto de buggys quanto de ônibus de turismo, que conecta os turistas hospedados em Natal aos lugares turísticos do Litoral Norte. A análise foi realizada a partir visitas a campo, entre janeiro e fevereiro de 2019, questionários com turistas e residentes que estavam frequentando os lugares turísticos, resultando em 89 questionários, e como dados complementares, a edição de 2019 do relatório anual FECOMÉRCIO RN. A dependência dos lugares turísticos do Litoral Norte com o centro da rede está diretamente associada a emissão turística derivada, isso ocorre em razão da concentração dos meios de hospedagem e de infraestrutura turística em um único ponto, Natal. A independência dos lugares turísticos será possível a partir da valorização das pousadas e pela melhoria da infraestrutura.