bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Tunable Physical Properties of VSe2 hexagonal disks
Authors: Das S , Mohapatra N
Published: June 2023

Transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) belonging to the family of two-dimensional (2D) materials have received a great deal of research interest over the past few decades due to their unique electronic, optical, mechanical, and magnetic properties as compared to their three-dimensional (3D) counterparts. Magnetism in reduced dimensions, such as in 2D materials, is an underexplored phenomenon, though it has potential for numerous applications, including the fabrication of memory devices and spintronics devices. In this work, we report the structural, morphological, and magnetic characterization of hexagonal disks of VSe2 prepared by the hydrothermal method. The structural and morphological characterization confirms the formation of hexagonal disks of 1T-VSe2. The magnetic measurements show that hexagonal VSe2 is paramagnetic in the entire range of this study, from 5–300 K, with an S–type isothermal magnetization behavior at low temperatures. The field cooling (FC) data collected at an applied magnetic field of 0.5T reveals a hump at a temperature of 118 K, which can be correlated to the charge density wave (CDW) transition point. The increase in CDW transition temperature from 107 K (bulk) to 118 K indicates a decrease in VSe2 thickness. The detailed analysis shows a tunability in the physical properties of VSe2 with its thickness.
Schottky and Frenkel Defect on SbS2 Monolayer: First Principles Calculations
Authors: Vala Maulesh D , Bhatt Malhar , Kansara Shivam , Sonvane Yogesh
Published: June 2023

In the present study, we have analyzed the electronic properties and formation energy of the SbS2 monolayer with Frenkel and Schottky defects using first principle calculations. The variation in the electronic properties, such as the electronic band structure and Density of States (DOS) for SbS2 monolayer with Frenkel and Schottky defects, has been observed in this paper. Monolayer and structure with Schottky defects in SbS2 show metallic behaviour, whereas the Frenkel defect of SbS2 shows a small direct and indirect bandgap of 24 meV and 8 meV, respectively. The DOSs help us to study the behaviour of orbitals in the systems. Due to the narrow bandgap of SbS2 in the Frenkel defect, it can be promising material in nano-electronics devices.
Structural and Electrical Transport Properties of Sputter-Deposited SiC Thin Films
Authors: Alisha  , Chander P , Malik V K , Chandra R
Published: June 2023

In the present study, SiC films are fabricated by a cost-effective and simple approach of RF magnetron sputtering. The fabrication of SiC thin films is carried out at 900 °C in 5mT Ar atmosphere at 150W power. Thus, the thin films are produced at lower temperature and toxic free environment than conventional methods. The structural characterizations of thin films are performed using XRD, XPS, FE-SEM and EDS techniques. A Metal-Semiconductor-Metal (MSM) junction is fabricated using gold electrodes by shadow sputtering in point contact geometry. The electrical transport properties of the SiC thin film are analyzed using Current-voltage (I-V) and Capacitance-Voltage-Frequency (C-V-F) measurements. The anomalous peaks observed in C-V characteristics and non-ideal behavior of I-V characteristics provide important information about electronic properties and structural aspects of fabricated thin film.
Observation of magnetodielectric effects in Nd0.5Dy0.5FeO3 thin film and its utilization in microstripline based resonator circuit
Authors: Chander P , Singh A , Alisha  , Pathak N P , Malik V K
Published: June 2023

Nd0.5Dy0.5FeO3 epitaxial thin film grown on LaAlO3 (001) substrate by pulsed laser deposition technique shows a significant magnetodielectric effect. At 100 K, a variation of around 13% in relative permittivity is observed at frequencies higher than 2 MHz in the presence of 5 T. This variation in relative permittivity (ε΄) increases to about 50% at 2 K. To utilize the observed magnetodielectric effect, we have designed the microstripline based resonator circuit using High-Frequency Structure Simulator (HFSS). Simulations are performed for the two values of the real part of permittivity (in the absence and presence of an external magnetic field) to observe the magnetic field tunability of the resonance frequency. A shift of 27% is observed in the resonant frequency of the microstripline based resonator on Nd0.5Dy0.5FeO3 epitaxial thin film.
Rice leaf disease detection based on bidirectional feature attention pyramid network with YOLO v5 model
Authors: Kumar V Senthil , Jaganathan M , Viswanathan A , Umamaheswari M , Vignesh J
Published: June 2023

To ensure higher quality, capacity, and production of rice, it is vital to diagnose rice leaf disease in its early stage in order to decrease the usage of pesticides in agriculture which in turn avoids environmental damage. Hence, this article presents a Multi-scale YOLO v5 detection network to detect and classify the rice crop disease in its early stage. The experiment is initially started by pre-processing the rice leaf images obtained from the RLD dataset, after which data set labels are created, which are then divided into train and test sets. DenseNet-201 is used as the backbone network and depth-aware instance segmentation is used to segment the different regions of rice leaf. Moreover, the proposed Bidirectional Feature Attention Pyramid Network (Bi-FAPN) is used for extracting the features from the segmented image and also enhances the detection of diseases with different scales. Furthermore, the feature maps are identified in the detection head, where the anchor boxes are then applied to the output feature maps to produce the final output vectors by the YOLO v5 network. The subset of channels or filters is pruned from different layers of deep neural network models through the principled pruning approach without affecting the full framework performance. The experiments are conducted with RLD dataset with different existing networks to verify the generalization ability of the proposed model. The effectiveness of the network is evaluated based on various parameters in terms of average precision, accuracy, average recall, IoU, inference time, and F1 score, which are achieved at 82.8, 94.87, 75.81, 0.71, 0.017, and 92.45 respectively.
Incorporation of tungsten or cobalt into TaN barrier layers controls morphology of deposited copper
Authors: Nies Cara-Lena , Nolan Michael
Published: June 2023

Progress in semiconductor devices, which has enabled the information and communications technology explosion of the 21st century, has been driven by Moore’s Law and the accompanying aggressive scaling of transistors. However, it is now acknowledged that the currently used copper interconnects are becoming a bottleneck in sub-nm scaling. Semiconductor devices require a diffusion barrier and a seed layer in the volume available to the interconnect metal. This then limits the minimum size of the interconnect and copper suffers from a preference to form 3D islands which are non-conducting rather than conducting films. Therefore there is a pressing need to either replace copper, which has its own difficulties, or to reduce the volume taken up by the diffusion barrier and liner; ideally finding a single material displaying both properties is needed. We have previously shown that incorporation of Ru into the surface layer of TaN is a strong alternative to the usual TaN/Ta or TaN/Ru stacks. In this work we study other possible metals that can be incorporated into TaN, namely Co and W, which are less expensive and critical than Ru and can potentially outperform it. Our first principles density functional theory results from static relaxations and ab initio molecular dynamics show that there are several compositions of both Co- and W-doped TaN which should promote growth of 2D copper interconnects without compromising the barrier properties of TaN. With this selection of materials it should be possible to design new experimental processes that promote downscaled copper interconnects for the next generation of electronic devices. Additionally, our work presents an improved method towards prediction of thin film morphology on a given substrate, which can be of use for a variety of materials science applications.
A systematic review of measures of ability to meet basic needs in older persons
Authors: Williams Taryn , Geffen Leon , Kalula Sebastiana , Stein Dan J , Amuthavalli Thiyagarajan Jotheeswaran , Mikton Christopher , Diaz Theresa
Published: June 2023

Background

The ability of older persons to meet their basic needs (i.e. personal, financial and housing security), as well as to perform Activities of Daily Living (ADL), is crucial. It is unclear, however, whether such measures exist. This systematic review aimed to review English-language measures of the ability of older persons to meet their basic needs, and to critically review the comprehensiveness of these measures and their psychometric properties.

Methods

Fifteen electronic databases including PubMed, EBSCOhost and CINAHL were systematically searched for studies of measures that assessed the ability of older persons to meet their basic needs, as defined by the World Health Organization. Two review authors independently assessed the studies for inclusion in the review and evaluated their comprehensiveness and psychometrics.

Results

We found seven instruments from 62 studies that assessed multi-domain function including ADL and some elements of basic needs. The instruments varied in breadth and in reporting of key psychometric criteria. Further, no single instrument provided a comprehensive assessment of the ability of older persons to meet their basic needs.

Conclusion

No single instrument that measures the ability to meet basic needs was identified by this review. Further research is needed to develop an instrument that assesses the ability of older persons to meet their basic needs. This measure should include an evaluation of ADL.
A ferritin protein is involved in the development and reproduction of the whitefly, Bemisia tabaci
Authors: Yu Hao , Wang Kui , Yang Zhifang , Li Xiang , Liu Shunxiao , Wang Liuhao , Zhang Hongwei
Published: June 2023

Ferritins are conserved iron-binding proteins that exist in most living organisms and play an essential role in the maintenance of cellular iron homeostasis. Although ferritin has been studied in many species, little is known about its role in the whitefly, Bemisia tabaci. In this study, we identified an iron-binding protein from B. tabaci and named it BtabFer1. The full-length cDNA of BtabFer1 is 1,043 bp and encodes a protein consisting of 224 amino acids with a deduced molecular weight of 25.26 kDa, and phylogenetic analysis shows that BtabFer1 is conserved among Hemiptera insects. The expression levels of BtabFer1 in different developmental stages and tissues were analyzed by real-time PCR, and results showed that BtabFer1 was ubiquitously expressed at all developmental stages and in all examined tissues. The RNAi-mediated knockdown of BtabFer1 caused a significant reduction in survival rate, egg production, and egg hatching rate of whiteflies. Knockdown of BtabFer1 also inhibited the transcription of genes in the juvenile hormone signal transduction pathway. Taken together, these results suggest that BtabFer1 plays a critical role in the development and reproduction of whiteflies. This study can broaden our understanding of ferritin in insect fecundity and development, as well as provide baseline data for future studies.
Listening at the edge of the line
Authors: Gorji Mina
Published: June 2023

To be listening, according to Jean-Luc Nancy, is ‘is always to be on the edge of meaning’. How do we listen to a poem’s edge? To the end of the line? This essay thinks about line endings and how they invite our listening. It explores the acoustics, dynamics, and somatic experience of line endings in the works of a number of poets, including Alice Oswald, Kathleen Jamie, William Wordsworth, and Jen Hadfield. It draws on Nancy, Denise Levertov, and Rita Dove’s thinking about line endings, and offers a series of amplified close-listenings which open up wider thinking about how we read and experience poetry. This is part of a larger exploration of what it means to listen to a poem — to the sounds a poem remembers, to the sounds a poem makes — on the page, in the air, in the ear — but also to the spaces, to the gaps and pauses, to the white space at the end of a line.
Pharmacist interventions in medication adherence in patients with mental health disorders: a scoping review
Authors: Syrnyk Matthew , Glass Beverley
Published: June 2023

Objective

Mental health patients struggle with medication adherence, providing opportunities for pharmacists to have a critical role in implementing key interventions for this patient cohort. This scoping review aimed to identify and evaluate evidence of pharmacists’ involvement in medication adherence interventions in mental health patients.

Methods

Three databases were searched from January 2013 to August 2022: PubMed, Embase and CINAHL. The first author independently performed screening and data extraction. Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) was utilized to report this review. Themes related to the pharmacist’s role in improving medication adherence for mental health patients were identified and the strengths and weaknesses of these studies were evaluated.

Key Findings

A total of 3476 studies were identified and 11 studies met the selection criteria. Study types included retrospective cohort studies, quality improvement projects, observational studies, impact studies, service evaluations and longitudinal studies. Pharmacists worked primarily in community pharmacies, hospitals, or interdisciplinary mental health clinics, and improved medication adherence within these settings, at transitions of care, and by utilizing digital health. The patient perspective was valuable in identifying barriers and enablers to medication adherence. Pharmacists had varying levels of education and training, with studies highlighting the importance of completing extended training programs and partaking in expanded roles such as pharmacist prescribing.

Conclusions

This review highlighted the need for expanded pharmacist roles within multidisciplinary mental health clinics and further training in psychiatric pharmacotherapy, to aid pharmacists in confidently improving medication adherence for mental health patients.
On the stability of totally upwind schemes for the hyperbolic initial boundary value problem
Authors: Boutin Benjamin , Le Barbenchon Pierre , Seguin Nicolas
Published: June 2023

In this paper, we present a numerical strategy to check the strong stability (or GKS-stability) of one-step explicit totally upwind schemes in 1D with numerical boundary conditions. The underlying approximated continuous problem is the one-dimensional advection equation. The strong stability is studied using the Kreiss–Lopatinskii theory. We introduce a new tool, the intrinsic Kreiss–Lopatinskii determinant, which possesses remarkable regularity properties. By applying standard results of complex analysis, we are able to relate the strong stability of numerical schemes to the computation of a winding number, which is robust and cheap. The study is illustrated with the Beam–Warming scheme together with the simplified inverse Lax–Wendroff procedure at the boundary.
Human Rights beyond the Liberal Script: A Morphological Approach
Authors: Berger Tobias
Published: June 2023

While recent scholarship has turned to the increasing fragmentation of global human rights discourses, the often competing ideological projects in which different understandings of human rights are embedded have received comparatively scant attention. Instead, human rights are treated as isolated norms. Although treated as isolated, human rights norms are frequently simultaneously understood against the implicit backdrop of liberal assumptions about political order and human agency, thereby obscuring alternative human rights conceptions. This research note seeks to move our understanding of human rights beyond the liberal script. Drawing on advances in the fields of intellectual history and political theory, it develops a morphological approach that treats norms not only as individual standards of appropriate behavior but as complex units of meanings. These meanings only emerge in larger ideational formations in which varying notions of human rights are temporarily fixed through their positioning toward other concepts. This morphological understanding of human rights as part of larger conceptual arrangements allows for their analysis beyond the liberal script as the research note shows by way of two illustrative case studies, which focus on human rights beyond liberal notions of democracy and the rule of law as well as beyond the human as ontologically singular.
Physiological roles and regulation of hepatic angiopoietin-like protein 3 in Japanese Black cattle (Bos taurus) during the fattening period
Authors: Shikida Rika , Kim Minji , Futohashi Makoto , Nishihara Koki , Lee Huseong , Suzuki Yutaka , Baek Yeolchang , Masaki Tatsunori , Ikuta Kentaro , Iwamoto Eiji , Uemoto Yoshinobu , Haga Satoshi , Terada Fuminori , Roh Sanggun
Published: June 2023

Angiopoietin-like protein 3 (ANGPTL3) is expressed predominantly in the liver and plays a major role in regulating the circulating triglyceride and lipoprotein fraction concentrations by inhibiting lipoprotein lipase (LPL) activity. Given these physiological roles, ANGPTL3 may play an important role in metabolic changes related to fat accumulation during the fattening period in Japanese Black. This study aimed to reveal the physiological roles of hepatic ANGPTL3 in Japanese Black steers (Bos taurus) during the fattening period and investigate the regulatory effects of hepatic ANGPTL3. To investigate the gene expression and protein localization of ANGPTL3, 18 tissue samples were collected from tree male Holstein bull calves aged 7 wk. Biopsied liver tissues and blood samples were collected from 21 Japanese Black steers during the early (T1; 13 mo of age), middle (T2; 20 mo), and late fattening phases (T3; 28 mo). Relative mRNA expression, blood metabolite concentrations, hormone concentrations, growth, and carcass traits were analyzed. To identify the regulatory factors of hepatic ANGPTL3, primary bovine hepatocytes collected by two Holstein calves aged 7 wk were incubated with insulin, palmitate, oleate, propionate, acetate, or beta-hydroxybutyric acid (BHBA). The ANGPTL3 gene was most highly expressed in the liver, with minor expression in the renal cortex, lungs, reticulum, and jejunum in Holstein bull calves. In Japanese Black steers, relative ANGPTL3 mRNA expressions were less as fattening progressed, and blood triglyceride, total cholesterol, and nonesterified fatty acid (NEFA) concentrations increased. Relative ANGPTL8 and Liver X receptor alpha (LXRα) mRNA expressions decreased in late and middle fattening phases, respectively. Furthermore, relative ANGTPL3 mRNA expression was positively correlated with ANGPTL8 (r = 0.650; P < 0.01) and ANGPTL4 (r = 0.540; P < 0.05) in T3 and T1, respectively, and LXRα showed no correlation with ANGPTL3. Relative ANGTPL3 mRNA expression was negatively correlated with total cholesterol (r = −0.434; P < 0.05) and triglyceride (r = −0.645; P < 0.01) concentrations in T3 and T1, respectively; There was no significant correlation between ANGTPL3 and carcass traits. Relative ANGTPL3 mRNA expression in cultured bovine hepatocytes was downregulated in oleate treatment. Together, these findings suggest that ANGPTL3 downregulation in late fattening phases is associated with the changes in lipid metabolism.
‘Doing’ legal history in refugee law: A snapshot of Bangladesh’s engagement with non-refoulement
Authors: Hossain M Sanjeeb
Published: June 2023

This article advocates for the adoption of legal history in the study of refugee law and associated legal scholarship. It begins by illustrating the meaning and value of legal history by sifting through the texts introducing the inaugural issues of some of the world’s most reputed legal history journals. It asks what makes a good legal historian and highlights the impossibility of attaining total objectivity when producing historical work. The article then sheds light on archival research and oral history as essential tools for doing legal history but cautions against being swayed by arrogant claims that the application of such empiricist and contextualist methods produces impartial legal history. Finally, the article demonstrates the value of doing legal history in refugee law by offering a snapshot of Bangladesh’s engagement with non-refoulement in the late 1970s when mass displacements of the Rohingya people from Myanmar and Indian Muslims from India took place.
Robust estimation and inference for expected shortfall regression with many regressors
Authors: He Xuming , Tan Kean Ming , Zhou Wen-Xin
Published: June 2023

Expected shortfall (ES), also known as superquantile or conditional value-at-risk, is an important measure in risk analysis and stochastic optimisation and has applications beyond these fields. In finance, it refers to the conditional expected return of an asset given that the return is below some quantile of its distribution. In this paper, we consider a joint regression framework recently proposed to model the quantile and ES of a response variable simultaneously, given a set of covariates. The current state-of-the-art approach to this problem involves minimising a non-differentiable and non-convex joint loss function, which poses numerical challenges and limits its applicability to large-scale data. Motivated by the idea of using Neyman-orthogonal scores to reduce sensitivity to nuisance parameters, we propose a statistically robust and computationally efficient two-step procedure for fitting joint quantile and ES regression models that can handle highly skewed and heavy-tailed data. We establish explicit non-asymptotic bounds on estimation and Gaussian approximation errors that lay the foundation for statistical inference, even with increasing covariate dimensions. Finally, through numerical experiments and two data applications, we demonstrate that our approach well balances robustness, statistical, and numerical efficiencies for expected shortfall regression.
A parametric competing risks regression model with unknown dependent censoring
Authors: Lo Simon M S , Wilke Ralf A
Published: June 2023

A typical situation in survival analysis is that there is only interest in one risk and some prior information about its distribution is available. At the same time, other risks are not of interest and no information about risk dependence is available. A parametric regression model with unknown dependent censoring would be suitable here, but existing approaches require restrictions on all marginal survivals, the censoring distribution or the degree of dependence. This article introduces a model without these restrictions. An application to employment duration demonstrates that it avoids sizable bias of the estimated gender effect on employment duration.
Acute withdrawal in the postoperative setting in a patient taking standard therapeutic doses of pregabalin
Authors: Kulig Caitlin E , Hooda Zamaan , Lebow Elissa , Cerda Luis , Zaku Bledi
Published: June 2023

Pregabalin is a gamma-aminobutyric acid analog that binds to voltage-gated calcium channels within the central nervous tissues, inhibiting the release of many excitatory neurotransmitters. It is used to treat various conditions including postherpetic neuralgia and diabetic peripheral neuropathy. Recently, its use has increased as part of non-opioid pain management algorithms. Prolonged use in high doses of pregabalin is associated with physical dependency and abuse, which can be seen when the medication is abruptly stopped. This phenomenon has been seen in studies focused on patients having abused or grown dependent on pregabalin. However, this has not been documented in patients taking therapeutic levels in the perioperative setting. This case report highlights a patient who experienced acute withdrawal symptoms of pregabalin after coronary artery bypass and aortic root enlargement.
A donation list from Elephantine: Judaean and Non-Judaean onomastic characteristics from the Persian period in Egypt
Authors: Golub Mitka R
Published: June 2023

This study uses quantitative methods in the analysis and comparison of 195 names on a donation list from the Nile island of Elephantine, dated to 400 bce, with Judaean names from the end of the First Temple period. The goal is to shed more light on the origin of the individuals named on the list and their relationship, if any, to Judaeans. The onomastic analysis is based on the distributions of name types, theophoric elements and prefixed/suffixed theophoric elements, as well as on the most popular roots in names and the prevalence of names common to the donors and Judaeans. The results revealed several Judaean onomastic characteristics in Elephantine that help support the claim that the origin of these Elephantine donors is Judaean. At the same time, other onomastic characteristics which differ from those in Judah may be attributed to the influence of the surrounding multi-cultural society, as well as the time gap between the donors and Judaeans.
Role of Strigolactones in the Host Specificity of Broomrapes and Witchweeds
Authors: Huizinga Sjors , Bouwmeester Harro J
Published: June 2023

Root parasitic plants of the Orobanchaceae, broomrapes and witchweeds, pose a severe problem to agriculture in Europe, Asia and especially Africa. These parasites are totally dependent on their host for survival, and therefore, their germination is tightly regulated by host presence. Indeed, their seeds remain dormant in the soil until a host root is detected through compounds called germination stimulants. Strigolactones (SLs) are the most important class of germination stimulants. They play an important role in planta as a phytohormone and, upon exudation from the root, function in the recruitment of symbiotic arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi. Plants exude mixtures of various different SLs, possibly to evade detection by these parasites and still recruit symbionts. Vice versa, parasitic plants must only respond to the SL composition that is exuded by their host, or else risk germination in the presence of non-hosts. Therefore, parasitic plants have evolved an entire clade of SL receptors, called HTL/KAI2s, to perceive the SL cues. It has been demonstrated that these receptors each have a distinct sensitivity and specificity to the different known SLs, which possibly allows them to recognize the SL-blend characteristic of their host. In this review, we will discuss the molecular basis of SL sensitivity and specificity in these parasitic plants through HTL/KAI2s and review the evidence that these receptors contribute to host specificity of parasitic plants.
Acupuncture and its ability to restore and maintain immune homeostasis
Authors: Liu F , Wang Y , Lyu K , Du X , Zhou M , Shi J , Na R , Guo Y , Wang G , Xu W , Zheng T
Published: June 2023

Immune homeostasis is a steady immune state that not only protects the host from pathogens but also prevents the emergence of pathological self-reactive immune cells. The disruption of immune homeostasis leads to the development of various diseases, such as cancer and autoimmune diseases. An emerging paradigm for the treatment of these diseases with dysfunctional immune systems is the restoration and maintenance of immune homeostasis. However, currently available drugs exert a unidirectional influence on immunity whereby they either augment or inhibit it. This strategy is associated with the drawback of potential adverse effects arising from uncontrolled activation or suppression of the immune system. Fortunately, evidence suggests that acupuncture can bidirectionally regulate the immune system to maintain immune homeostasis. In cases of immunosuppressive diseases (e.g. cancer), acupuncture has an enhancing effect on immunity. Conversely, in autoimmune diseases (e.g. rheumatoid arthritis), acupuncture has been observed to have an immunosuppressive effect, which helps restore normal immune tolerance. However, there is no publication systematically summarizing the bidirectional regulatory effects of acupuncture on the immune system in the literature. Here, our review provides a comprehensive overview of the various mechanisms through which acupuncture modulates the immune system in a bidirectional manner. These mechanisms include the augmentation of NK and CD8+ T cell function, as well as the restoration of Th1/Th2, Th17/Treg and M1/M2 balance. Thus, we propose the concept that acupuncture has the potential to alleviate illnesses through the facilitation of immune normalization. Moreover, we further highlight the therapeutic potential of acupuncture.
Hypoxic Preconditioning Enhances Cellular Viability and Migratory Ability: Role of DANCR/miR-656-3p/HIF-1α Axis in Placental Mesenchymal Stem Cells
Authors: Haoran Shi , Zhishan Jin , Yan Mao , Ruilin Ma , Jianjian Cui , Zejun Yang , Jianwen Zhu , Hui Gao , Yin Zhao
Published: June 2023

Preeclampsia (PE) is a common complication of pregnancy characterized by new-onset hypertension, albuminuria, or end-stage organ dysfunction, which is seriously harmful to maternal and infant health. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are pluripotent stem cells derived from extraembryonic mesoderm. They have the potential for self-renewal, multidirectional differentiation, immunomodulation, and tissue regeneration. Several in vivo and in vitro experiments have confirmed that MSCs can delay the pathological progression of PE and improve maternal and fetal outcomes. However, the major limitations in the application of MSCs are their low-survival rates in ischemic and hypoxic disease areas after transplantation and their low rate of successful migration to the diseased regions. Therefore, enhancing cell viability and migration ability of MSCs in both ischemic and anoxic environments is important. This study aimed to investigate the effects of hypoxic preconditioning on the viability and migration ability of placental mesenchymal stem cells (PMSCs) and their underlying mechanisms. In this study, we found that hypoxic preconditioning enhanced the viability and migration ability of PMSCs, increased the expression of DANCR and hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α), and decreased the expression of miR-656-3p in PMSCs. Inhibiting the expression of HIF-1α and DACNR in PMSCs under hypoxia can inhibit the promotive effect of hypoxic preconditioning on viability and migration ability. In addition, RNA pull down and double luciferase assays confirmed that miR-656-3p could directly bind to DANCR and HIF-1α. In conclusion, our study showed that hypoxia could promote the viability and migration ability of PMSCs through the DANCR/miR-656-3p/HIF-1α axis.
Breakdown of Ty-1-Based Resistance to Tomato Yellow Leaf Curl Virus in Tomato Plants at High Temperatures
Authors: Koeda Sota , Kitawaki Arata
Published: June 2023

The global dissemination of the Israel (IL) and mild (Mld) strains of tomato yellow leaf curl virus (TYLCV) (family Geminiviridae, genus Begomovirus) is a major threat to tomato production in many regions worldwide. The use of resistant hybrid cultivars bearing the dominant resistance genes Ty-1, Ty-3, and Ty-3a has become a common practice for controlling tomato yellow leaf curl disease (TYLCD) caused by TYLCV. However, TYLCD symptoms have been sporadically observed in resistant cultivars grown in seasons when temperatures are high. In this study, we used TYLCV-resistant cultivars with confirmed presence of Ty-1, which were determined using newly developed allele-specific markers based on polymorphisms within the locus. These Ty-1-bearing resistant tomato plants and susceptible plants were infected with TYLCV and grown at moderate or high temperatures. Under high-temperature conditions, the Ty-1-bearing tomato cultivar Momotaro Hope (MH) infected with TYLCV-IL had severe TYLCD symptoms, which were almost equivalent to those of the susceptible cultivar. However, MH plants infected with TYLCV-Mld were symptomless or had slight symptoms under the same temperature condition. The quantitative analysis of the TYLCV-IL viral DNA content revealed a correlation between symptom development and viral DNA accumulation. Furthermore, under high-temperature conditions, TYLCV-IL caused severe symptoms in multiple commercial tomato cultivars with different genetic backgrounds. Our study provided the scientific evidence for the experientially known phenomenon by tomato growers, and it is anticipated that global warming, associated with climate change, could potentially disrupt the management of TYLCV in tomato plants mediated by the Ty-1 gene.
Atomic insights of an up and down conformation of the Acinetobacter baumanniiF1‐ATPase subunit ε and deciphering the residues critical for ATP hydrolysis inhibition and ATP synthesis
Authors: Saw Wuan‐Geok , Le Khoa Cong Minh , Shin Joon , Kwek Jes Hui Min , Wong Chui Fann , Ragunathan Priya , Fong Tuck Choy , Müller Volker , Grüber Gerhard
Published: June 2023

The Acinetobacter baumannii F1FO‐ATP synthase (α3:β3:γ:δ:ε:a:b2:c10), which is essential for this strictly respiratory opportunistic human pathogen, is incapable of ATP‐driven proton translocation due to its latent ATPase activity. Here, we generated and purified the first recombinant A. baumannii F1‐ATPase (AbF1–ATPase) composed of subunits α3:β3:γ:ε, showing latent ATP hydrolysis. A 3.0 Å cryo‐electron microscopy structure visualizes the architecture and regulatory element of this enzyme, in which the C‐terminal domain of subunit ε (Abε) is present in an extended position. An ε‐free AbF1‐ɑβγ complex generated showed a 21.5‐fold ATP hydrolysis increase, demonstrating that Abε is the major regulator of AbF1‐ATPase's latent ATP hydrolysis. The recombinant system enabled mutational studies of single amino acid substitutions within Abε or its interacting subunits β and γ, respectively, as well as C‐terminal truncated mutants of Abε, providing a detailed picture of Abε's main element for the self‐inhibition mechanism of ATP hydrolysis. Using a heterologous expression system, the importance of Abε's C‐terminus in ATP synthesis of inverted membrane vesicles, including AbF1FO‐ATP synthases, has been explored. In addition, we are presenting the first NMR solution structure of the compact form of Abε, revealing interaction of its N‐terminal β‐barrel and C‐terminal ɑ‐hairpin domain. A double mutant of Abε highlights critical residues for Abε's domain–domain formation which is important also for AbF1–ATPase's stability. Abε does not bind MgATP, which is described to regulate the up and down movements in other bacterial counterparts. The data are compared to regulatory elements of F1‐ATPases in bacteria, chloroplasts, and mitochondria to prevent wasting of ATP.
Evidence of Contact Lenses for Vision Rehabilitation in Corneal Diseases: A Review
Authors: Vilà Porsell Irene , Rodriguez Lopez Anabel , Rocha-de-Lossada Carlos , Rachwani Anil Rahul , Sánchez Valera Miriam
Published: June 2023

Objectives:

To evaluate the efficacy and safety of contact lenses (CL) as a therapeutic option for patients affected by a corneal disease and to determinate which is the best lens modality for each disease.

Methods:

A literature review using PubMed was performed. All relevant articles published during the last 15 years have been included.

Results:

Various studies point to CL as the best therapeutic option for some corneal diseases and even as an alternative to surgery in some cases. After fitting, patients show an improvement in their functional vision and quality of life, in some cases being able to drive or work again.

Conclusions:

There is a lack of scientific evidence to determine which lens modality is suitable for each corneal pathology. Currently, according to this review, the reason for choosing between the different options depends on the severity of symptoms, and it is worth mentioning that scleral lenses seem to be the best option in advanced stages of disease. However, the expertise of professionals is also an important factor at the time of choosing a particular CL modality. Standardized criteria are still necessary for correct selection of lens modality for a correct management of the disease.
Vortex Keratopathy as a Presenting Feature of Ocular Mucous Membrane Pemphigoid
Authors: Singh Charul , Jain Neha , Sharma Supriya , Basu Sayan , Shanbhag Swapna S.
Published: June 2023

Purpose:

The aim of this study was to describe the presenting feature of vortex keratopathy in 3 patients with biopsy-proven ocular mucous membrane pemphigoid (OMMP).

Methods:

The first patient was a 52-year-old woman with chronic redness and foreign body sensation for 3 years who presented with unilateral vortex keratopathy. Seven months later, in the same eye, she developed conjunctival signs suggestive of OMMP. The second patient was a 33-year-old woman with similar chronic symptoms that were exacerbated by pterygium surgery. Clinical examination revealed vortex keratopathy in the right eye with subtle conjunctival signs suggestive of OMMP. The third patient was a 70-year-old woman with complaints of repeated episodes of redness and foreign body sensation for 18 months who presented with vortex keratopathy in the right eye and conjunctival signs suggestive of OMMP in the same eye. To confirm the clinical diagnosis, bilateral conjunctival biopsy was performed in all patients.

Results:

OMMP was diagnosed based on conjunctival signs and confirmed on direct immunofluorescence positivity, demonstrating antibodies characteristic and diagnostic of OMMP in the basement membrane zone. A unique feature that preceded or coexisted with the conjunctival signs was unilateral vortex keratopathy seen in all 3 patients, independent of the stage of the disease at which they presented.

Conclusions:

Vortex keratopathy can be a presenting feature in patients with OMMP. A complete ocular surface examination, especially checking the medial canthus for keratin and the inferior fornix for foreshortening, is necessary. Conjunctival biopsy should be performed in all cases to confirm the clinical diagnosis wherever required.
Pain in Parkinson disease: mechanistic substrates, main classification systems, and how to make sense out of them
Authors: de Andrade Daniel Ciampi , Mylius Veit , Perez-Lloret Santiago , Cury Rubens G. , Bannister Kirsty , Moisset Xavier , Taricani Kubota Gabriel , Finnerup Nanna B. , Bouhassira Didier , Chaudhuri Kallol Ray , Graven-Nielsen Thomas , Treede Rolf-Detlef
Published: June 2023

Parkinson disease (PD) affects up to 2% of the general population older than 65 years and is a major cause of functional loss. Chronic pain is a common nonmotor symptom that affects up to 80% of patients with (Pw) PD both in prodromal phases and during the subsequent stages of the disease, negatively affecting patient's quality of life and function. Pain in PwPD is rather heterogeneous and may occur because of different mechanisms. Targeting motor symptoms by dopamine replacement or with neuromodulatory approaches may only partially control PD-related pain. Pain in general has been classified in PwPD according to the motor signs, pain dimensions, or pain subtypes. Recently, a new classification framework focusing on chronic pain was introduced to group different types of PD pains according to mechanistic descriptors: nociceptive, neuropathic, or neither nociceptive nor neuropathic. This is also in line with the International Classification of Disease-11, which acknowledges the possibility of chronic secondary musculoskeletal or nociceptive pain due to disease of the CNS. In this narrative review and opinion article, a group of basic and clinical scientists revise the mechanism of pain in PD and the challenges faced when classifying it as a stepping stone to discuss an integrative view of the current classification approaches and how clinical practice can be influenced by them. Knowledge gaps to be tackled by coming classification and therapeutic efforts are presented, as well as a potential framework to address them in a patient-oriented manner.
An Educational Intervention to Explore and Overcome Nursing Students' Breastfeeding Barriers
Authors: Ramírez-Durán María del Valle , Gutiérrez-Alonso Carmen , Moreno-Casillas Luis , Del Río-Gutiérrez Alicia , González-Cervantes Sergio , Coronado-Vázquez Valle
Published: June 2023

Background:

Nursing and midwifery students do not feel adequately prepared during their clinical training to support women who breastfeed, demanding more effective communication skills and knowledge.

Aim:

The aim was to evaluate changes in students' breastfeeding knowledge.

Methods:

This was a mixed-methods quasi-experimental design. Forty students voluntarily participated. Using a 1:1 ratio, 2 groups were randomly created and completed the validated questionnaire ECoLaE (pre-post). The educational program consisted of focus groups, a clinical simulation, and a visit to the local breastfeeding association.

Findings:

The control group's posttest scores ranged from 6 to 20 (mean = 13.1, standard deviation [SD] = 3.0). The intervention group ranged from 12 to 20 (mean = 17.3, SD = 2.3). A Student's t test for independence samples was calculated (P < .005, t = 4.5, median = 4.2). The intervention group had a mean difference of 10 points in improvement (mean =10.53, SD = 2.20, min = 7, max = 14), whereas the control group had a mean of 6 points (mean = 6.80, SD = 3.03, min = 3, max = 13). The multiple linear regression explained the intervention's effect. The regression model had statistical significance (F = 4.87, P = 0.004), with an adjusted R
2 = 0.31. The linear regression between the posttest scores and group variables after adjusting by age showed an increment of 4.1 points in the intervention posttest scores (P < .005, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 2.1-6.1).

Conclusions:

The educational program “Engage in breaking the barriers to breastfeeding” improved nursing students' knowledge.
The evidence of effectiveness of isometric resistance training on the management of hypertension in adults: an umbrella review
Authors: Wehrmann Abbey , Tian Esther J. , Tyack Elizabeth (Liz) , Kumar Saravana
Published: June 2023

Hypertension is the leading risk factor for cardiovascular disease yet also one of the most readily preventable causes of death. Isometric resistance training (IRT) has gained increasing popularity in recent times as a viable nonpharmacological management option for hypertension. Whilst there have been several reviews on this topic, with varying findings, this umbrella review aimed to summarize the current evidence underpinning the effectiveness of IRT for hypertension. Quantitative systematic reviews and meta-analyses published in English were considered for inclusion. Commercially produced and grey literature was searched between December 2021 and January 2022. Methodological quality of included reviews was determined using the AMSTAR 2 critical appraisal tool. Customized data extraction tools were developed for this review and data were synthesized using the National Health and Medical Research Council FORM Framework. Twelve reviews published between 2011 and 2021 of varying methodological quality were identified. Isometric handgrip exercise training with four sets of 2-min contractions and 1 min rest period between each set was the most utilized intervention, undertaken three times per week for at least 8 weeks. Collectively, there is consistent evidence to indicate IRT has positive impacts on SBP and DBP as well as mean arterial pressure. These positive impacts were reported for normotensive as well as hypertensive individuals. Given IRT is a readily available, easy-to-use intervention with minimal financial cost, it could be considered a viable treatment option for people with, and at risk of, hypertension.
Safety of Accelerated Infliximab Infusions in Children With Inflammatory Bowel Disease: A Retrospective Cohort Study
Authors: Jagt Jasmijn Z. , Galestin Suzanne E. , Claesen Jürgen , Benninga Marc A. , de Boer Nanne K.H. , de Meij Tim G.J.
Published: June 2023

Objectives:

Accelerated infliximab (IFX) infusions have shown to be safe in adults with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), but data on its safety in pediatric IBD is limited. This study aimed to assess the incidence and timing of infusion reactions (IR) in children with IBD who received accelerated (1-h) versus standard (2-h) IFX infusions.

Methods:

This retrospective cohort study included IBD patients 4–18 years of age and initiated IFX between January 2006 and November 2021 at Amsterdam University Medical Centre, location Academic Medical Centre (AMC) and VU Medical Centre (VUmc). The AMC protocol was adjusted in July 2019 from standard to accelerated infusions with 1-h intrahospital post-infusion observation period, whereas in VUmc only standard infusions were administered without an observation period. After merging the departments in 2022, all VUmc patients were allocated to the accelerated infusions (AMC) protocol. Primary outcome was the incidence of acute IR among maintenance accelerated versus standard infusions.

Results:

Totally, 297 (150 VUmc, 147 AMC) patients (221 Crohn disease; 65 ulcerative colitis; 11 IBD-unclassified) with cumulative n = 8381 IFX infusions were included. No statistically significant difference in the per-infusion incidence of IR was observed between maintenance standard infusions (26/4383, 0.6% of infusions) and accelerated infusions (9/3117, 0.3%) (P = 0.33). Twenty-six of 35 IR (74%) occurred during the infusion, while 9 occurred post-infusion (26%). Only 3 of 9 IR developed in the intrahospital observation period following the switch to accelerated infusions. All post-infusion IR were mild, requiring no intervention or only oral medication.

Conclusions:

Accelerated IFX infusion without a post-infusion observation period for children with IBD seems a safe approach.
Lower limb prosthesis users’ perceptions of everyday life—A phenomenographic study
Authors: Ramstrand Nerrolyn , Sterner Anders , Palmér Lina
Published: June 2023

Introduction:

A lack of understanding of personal experiences related to limb amputation and prosthetic use limits the extent to which clinicians involved in rehabilitation can support and advise their clients in a person-centered consultation. The objective of this qualitative study was to explore the personal experience of daily life as a lower limb prosthesis user

Methods:

Fifteen lower limb prosthesis users participated in individual semistructured interviews. Transcripts were analyzed using a phenomenographic approach.

Results:

The extent to which prosthesis users were able to adjust to their impairment and move on with their life was influenced by social interactions with other prosthesis users, access to relevant information about prosthetic solutions that may benefit them, and finding a balance between desired activities and their physical and/or cognitive capacity.

Conclusions:

After a period of existential adjustment, prosthesis users described themselves as living active, fulfilling lives. This was facilitated to a large extent by social interactions with other prosthesis users and access to information they perceived as relevant. Social media plays a particularly important role in establishing connections with other prosthesis users and is perceived as a useful source of information.