bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Comparison study between two different precursors of RGO/AuNPs one pot synthesis
Authors: Kasim Nurul Farhana Abu , Halim Norhana Abdul , Ong Keat Khim , Demon Siti Zulaikha Ngah
Published: March 2024

One pot synthesis of graphene nanocomposites is low-cost and time-efficient methodology to be considered for large scale device fabrication. Graphene precursors made of renewable and waste materials such as rice husk, oil palm kernel and sugar are explored upon rising concern of expensiveness and hazard in conventional approaches. This paper presents chemical characterisation study of one pot reduced graphene oxide/gold nanoparticles (RGO/AuNPs) synthesised from low-cost sucrose as precursor and dehydroascorbic acid as green reducing agent at ambient condition which was originally used by Hurtado et al in 2020. Raman spectrum of RGO/AuNPs was compared to composite of commercial GO precursor to evaluate quality of reduction products. Result from UV–vis spectroscopy, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) showed that both techniques successfully eliminated oxygen-containing functional groups to form graphene constitution. Asides from lower stability, AuNPs in sucrose-derived RGO possessed larger size and was more dispersed than those of GO-derived RGO, implying the need to optimise the current recipe. Reduction mechanism of both precursors was proposed for better understanding. The aim of this work is to show feasibility of green graphene nanocomposite synthesis that could empower productivity of electronic, optical and optoelectronics applications.
Improving STED microscopy with SUPPOSe: enhancing resolution from a single-image
Authors: Toscani Micaela , Lacapmesure Axel M
Published: March 2024

Here we apply the SUPPOSe algorithm on images acquired using Stimulated Emission Depletion (STED) microscopy with the aim of improving the resolution limit achieved. We processed images of the nuclear pore complex (NPC) from cell lines in which the Nup96 nucleoporin was endogenously labeled. This reference protein forms a ring whose diameter is ∼107 nm with 8 corners ∼42 nm apart from each other. The stereotypic arrangement of proteins in the NPC has been used as reference structures to characterize the performance of a variety of microscopy techniques. STED microscopy images resolve the ring arrangement but not the eightfold symmetry of the NPC. After applying the SUPPOSe algorithm to the STED images, we were able to solve the octagonal structure of the NPC. After processing 562 single NPC, the average radius of the NPC was found to be R = 54.2 ± 2.9 nm, being consistent with the theoretical distances of this structure. To verify that the solutions obtained are compatible with a NPC-type geometry, we rotate the solutions to optimally fit an eightfold-symmetric pattern and we count the number of corners that contain at least one localization. Fitting a probabilistic model to the histogram of the number of bright corners gives an effective labeling efficiency of 31%, which is in agreement with the values reported in for other cell lines and ligands used in Single Molecule Localization microscopy, showing that SUPPOSe can reliably retrieve sub-resolution, nanoscale objects from single acquisitions even in noisy conditions.
Microstructure and mechanical properties of CrFeNi high-entropy alloy reinforced by Al and Ti elements
Authors: Zhao Panpan , Ma Lili , Yang Baiting , Zhou Jilan , Chen Ming
Published: March 2024

Developing high entropy alloys (HEAs) that possess both superior mechanical properties and low cost is a classic challenge in the design of alloys used in engineering applications. In this work, a series of Co-free Al
x
Ti(9–x)(CrFeNi)91(x = 0, 3, 6, and 9 at%, denoted as AlxTi(9-x) hereafter) HEAs were designed to investigate the influence of Al and Ti elements on the microstructure and mechanical properties of the FCC-structured CrFeNi alloy and pursue a considerable strength-plasticity balance. Massive precipitates with a nano-scale but different morphology and/or structure formed in the inter-dendritic region of alloys. The morphology of precipitates was strongly linked with the variation in the relative content of Al and Ti elements, which varied from a granular shape (ordered BCC structure) in Al9 and Al6Ti3 alloys to a strip shape (HCP structure) in Al3Ti6 alloy. With an increase (decrease) in Ti (Al) content, the yield strength of alloy significantly improved, which benefited from the combined effect of solution strengthening and precipitation strengthening, but the elongation dropped sharply. Compared to the same amount of Al element, Ti element contributed to the improvement of strength but deteriorated the plasticity of alloy. Thereinto, Al6Ti3 alloy presented a relatively favorable strength-plasticity balance with a yield strength of 768 MPa and an elongation of 10.2%. Apparently, only the moderate amount of Al and Ti elements helps to the favorable configuration of strength and plasticity. The findings in this work provide a distinct insight into the design and optimization of Co-free HEAs as the structural applications.
A deformation of Robert-Wagner foam evaluation and link homology
Authors: Khovanov Mikhail , Kitchloo Nitu
Published: March 2024

We consider a deformation of the Robert-Wagner foam evaluation formula, with an eye toward a relation to formal groups. Integrality of the deformed evaluation is established, giving rise to state spaces for planar

G
L
(
N
)

GL(N)

MOY graphs (Murakami-Ohtsuki-Yamada graphs). Skein relations for the deformation are worked out in details in the

G
L
(
2
)

GL(2)

case. These skein relations deform

G
L
(
2
)

GL(2)

foam relations of Beliakova, Hogancamp, Putyra and Wehrli. We establish the Reidemeister move invariance of the resulting chain complexes assigned to link diagrams, giving us a link homology theory.
Higher-order modified nonstandard finite difference methods for autonomous dynamical systems
Authors: Alalhareth Fawaz , Gupta Madhu , Kojouharov Hristo , Roy Souvik
Published: March 2024

Nonstandard finite difference (NSFD) methods are known to offer numerous advantages over traditional techniques for numerically solving various problems in science and engineering. However, in general, they are only of first-order accuracy. In this chapter, we present four new classes of modified NSFD methods, which are not only elementary stable and preserve the positivity of solutions, but are also of second-order accuracy. We also present a series of numerical simulations that support the theoretical results and demonstrate the advantages of the new modified NSFD methods when compared to other classical standard and nonstandard numerical methods.
Geometric approach to the construction of Leah-type periodic functions: Basic and analytic properties
Authors: Rucker Sandra
Published: March 2024

We again consider functions associated with the cube-root oscillator and present a construction of the associated three basic periodic functions using the geometric properties of its two-dimensional phase-space curve. In addition, to the evaluation of these functions for specific values of the independent variable

θ
\theta

,

0
≤
θ
>
2
π

0 \leq \theta > 2 \pi

, we also derive a number of other relations among the three periodic functions and their derivatives. These new results extend previous work of the author and Mickens.
A second-order nonstandard finite difference scheme and application to a model of biological and chemical processes
Authors: Anguelov Roumen , Lubuma Jean
Published: March 2024

We consider a dynamical system defined by a system of autonomous differential equations on a set

Ω
⊂

R

n

\Omega \subset \mathbb {R}^n

. By using Mickens’ rule on the nonlocal approximation of nonlinear terms, we construct an implicit Nonstandard Finite Difference (NSFD) scheme which is an explicit time reversible scheme. Apart from being elementary stable, we show that the NSFD scheme is of second-order and domain-preserving, thereby solving a pending problem on the construction of higher-order nonstandard schemes without spurious solutions. It is shown that the new scheme applies directly for mass action-based models of biological and chemical processes.
Hyperelliptic 𝐴ᵣ-stable curves (and their moduli stack)
Authors: Pernice Michele
Published: March 2024

This paper is the second in a series of four papers aiming to describe the (almost integral) Chow ring of

M

¯

3

\overline {\mathcal {M}}_3

, the moduli stack of stable curves of genus

3
3

. In this paper, we introduce the moduli stack

H

~

g
r

\widetilde {\mathcal {H}}_g^r

of hyperelliptic

A
r

A_r

-stable curves and generalize the theory of hyperelliptic stable curves to hyperelliptic

A
r

A_r

-stable curves. In particular, we prove that

H

~

g
r

\widetilde {\mathcal {H}}_g^r

is a smooth algebraic stack that can be described using cyclic covers of twisted curves of genus

0
0

and it embeds in

M

~

g
r

\widetilde {\mathcal M}_g^r

(the moduli stack of

A
r

A_r

-stable curves) as the closure of the moduli stack of smooth hyperelliptic curves.
Move-reduced graphs on a torus
Authors: Galashin Pavel , George Terrence
Published: March 2024

We determine which bipartite graphs embedded in a torus are move-reduced. In addition, we classify equivalence classes of such move-reduced graphs under square/spider moves. This extends the class of minimal graphs on a torus studied by Goncharov–Kenyon, and gives a toric analog of Postnikov’s and Thurston’s results on a disk.
“Foul Abolition Calumny”: Reframing Racial Violence in William Wells Brown’s Clotel & the Antebellum Press
Authors: Barton John Cyril
Published: March 2024

Focusing on Brown’s Clotel (1853), this essay reconstructs the surprising print history of an infamous antebellum lynching that became a national sensation twice over: first, in 1842 when the Mississippi Free Trader published a graphic report legitimating white mob violence that went viral in the Northern press and, later, when Brown reframed that report in his 1853 novel. Brown’s remix was subsequently reported in the New-York Dialy Tribune, the nation’s leading daily, which attributed the report solely to the Mississippi paper. The Free Trader in turn lambasted the Tribune for its “foul abolition calumny,” not realizing that this sly critique of slavery and lynching originated with an African American author. Besides bringing to light a new source and context—an important discovery demonstrating that Clotel had a much greater presence in the antebellum US than previously assumed—I situate Brown within an earlier gallows tradition and a later practice of antilynching activism (à la Ida B. Wells) to argue that Clotel constitutes a critical inflection point: an early African American intervention in public discourses about criminalized Black people and white mob violence that played out before the Civil War—the standard starting point for scholarship on anti-Black lynching.
Marital Quality and Depressive Symptoms Among Older Hispanic Adults in the United States
Authors: Nazario-Acevedo Jaminette M , Yamashita Takashi , Bulanda Jennifer Roebuck , Brown J Scott
Published: March 2024

Objectives

Despite the cultural importance of marriage as a social support system and its well-established link to mental health, older Hispanic adult populations, which are the largest racial and ethnic minoritized groups, remain understudied. The current study examined how positive and negative dimensions of marital quality are associated with depressive symptoms.

Methods

Data from Hispanic adults aged 51 years and older (n = 1,012) were obtained from the 2016 and 2018 Health and Retirement Study waves. The Center for Epidemiological Studies—Depression scale (0–8 symptoms) was modeled as a function of positive and negative marital quality measures (1–4), as well as the relevant covariates.

Results

Results from a negative binomial regression model showed that a 1-unit change in positive and negative marital quality was associated with a 23.61% reduction and a 23.74% increase, respectively, in depressive symptoms. The interaction terms with marital quality and gender, as well as marital quality and religion, were not statistically significant.

Discussion

In the United States, a large percentage of older Hispanic adults are immigrants, and their extended family tends to reside in their countries of origin. As such, older Hispanic adults may have smaller social networks, and marital quality most likely represents a culturally important social support network in later life. Significant associations between depressive symptoms and marital quality among older Hispanic adults should receive more attention in family and public health policy discussions, particularly given the increasing diversity in U.S. society.
Characterization of O-methyltransferases in the biosynthesis of phenylphenalenone phytoalexins based on the telomere-to-telomere gapless genome of Musella lasiocarpa
Authors: Zhao Wanli , Wu Junzhi , Tian Mei , Xu Shu , Hu Shuaiya , Wei Zhiyan , Lin Guyin , Tang Liang , Wang Ruiyang , Feng Boya , Wang Bi , Lyu Hui , Paetz Christian , Feng Xu , Xue Jia-Yu , Li Pirui , Chen Yu
Published: March 2024

Phenylphenalenones (PhPNs), phytoalexins in wild bananas (Musaceae), are known to act against various pathogens. However, the abundance of PhPNs in many Musaceae plants of economic importance is low. Knowledge of the biosynthesis of PhPNs and the application of biosynthetic approaches to improve their yield is vital for fighting banana diseases. However, the processes of PhPN biosynthesis, especially those involved in methylation modification, remain unclear. Musella lasiocarpa is a herbaceous plant belonging to Musaceae, and due to the abundant PhPNs, their biosynthesis in M. lasiocarpa has been the subject of much attention. In this study, we assembled a telomere-to-telomere gapless genome of M. lasiocarpa as the reference, and further integrated transcriptomic and metabolomic data to mine the candidate genes involved in PhPN biosynthesis. To elucidate the diversity of PhPNs in M. lasiocarpa, three screened O-methyltransferases (Ml01G0494, Ml04G2958, and Ml08G0855) by phylogenetic and expressional clues were subjected to in vitro enzymatic assays. The results show that the three were all novel O-methyltransferases involved in the biosynthesis of PhPN phytoalexins, among which Ml08G0855 was proved to function as a multifunctional enzyme targeting multiple hydroxyl groups in PhPN structure. Moreover, we tested the antifungal activity of PhPNs against Fusarium oxysporum and found that the methylated modification of PhPNs enhanced their antifungal activity. These findings provide valuable genetic resources in banana breeding and lay a foundation for improving disease resistance through molecular breeding.
CsEXL3 regulate mechanical harvest-related droopy leaves under the transcriptional activation of CsBES1.2 in tea plant
Authors: Liu Haoran , Duan Lingxiao , Ma Jianqiang , Jin Jiqiang , Huang Rong , Liu Yujie , Chen Si , Xu Xiaoying , Chen Jiedan , Yao Mingzhe , Chen Liang
Published: March 2024

Due to a labor shortage, the mechanical harvesting of tea plantations has become a focal point. However, mechanical harvest efficiency was hampered by droopy leaves, leading to a high rate of broken tea shoots and leaves. Here, we dissected the genetic structure of leaf droopiness in tea plants using genome-wide association studies (GWAS) on 146 accessions, combined with transcriptome from two accessions with contrasting droopy leaf phenotypes. A set of 16 quantitative trait loci (QTLs) containing 54 SNPs and 34 corresponding candidate genes associated with droopiness were then identified. Among these, CsEXL3 (EXORDIUM-LIKE 3) from Chromosome 1 emerged as a candidate gene. Further investigations revealed that silencing CsEXL3 in tea plants resulted in weaker vascular cell malformation and brassinosteroid-induced leaf droopiness. Additionally, brassinosteroid signal factor CsBES1.2 was proved to participate in CsEXL3-induced droopiness and vascular cell malformation via using the CsBES1.2-silencing tea plant. Notably, CsBES1.2 bound on the E-box of CsEXL3 promoter to transcriptionally activate CsEXL3 expression as CUT&TAG based ChIP-qPCR and ChIP-seq suggested in vivo as well as EMSA and Y1H indicated in vitro. Furthermore, CsEXL3 instead of CsBES1.2 decreased lignin content and the expressing levels of lignin biosynthesis genes. Overall, our findings suggest that CsEXL3 regulates droopy leaves, partially through the transcriptional activation of CsBES1.2, with the potential to improve mechanical harvest efficiency in tea plantations.
Assessing the influence and legitimacy of citizen deliberation on abortion: A rejoinder to Eoin Carolan and Seána Glennon
Authors: Doyle Oran , Walsh Rachael
Published: March 2024

This article responds to the two key arguments presented by Eoin Carolan and Seána Glennon in their reply to our article: that the Citizens’ Assembly on abortion had a “consensus-clarifying” function rather than a “consensus-building” function in respect of the Irish constitutional amendment on abortion in 2018; and that participation in deliberative mini-publics should be compulsory, like jury service. We argue that the distinction drawn by Carolan and Glennon does not assist in understanding constitutional amendment processes, as the consensus required for a constitutional amendment must be fully formed, in respect of a specific amendment. We contend that the Irish Citizens’ Assembly assisted the formulation of that consensus in respect of abortion reform in Ireland. We argue that compulsory participation risks distorting the discursive environment that is essential to an effective and legitimate deliberative mini-public, and could fail to ensure the desired representativeness if exceptions to participation were allowed in certain circumstances.
Defining the imaging diagnostic criteria for adult chronic non-bacterial osteitis
Authors: Ramautar Ashna I E , Navas Ana , Winter Elizabeth M , Kroon Herman M , Smit Frits , Vriens Dennis , Hamdy Neveen A T , Appelman-Dijkstra Natasha M
Published: March 2024

Osteitis of the sternocostoclavicular (SCC) region, referred to as sternocostoclavicular hyperostosis (SCCH), is the clinical expression of chronic non-bacterial osteitis (CNO) in adults with this rare chronic auto-inflammatory disorder of the axial skeleton. The diagnosis is based on distinctive computerized tomography (CT) features of sclerosis and hyperostosis of the SCC region, and local increases in osteoid formation visualized by high radiopharmacon uptake on skeletal scintigraphy but clear radiologic diagnostic criteria are lacking. In a cross-sectional study, CT scans and whole-body skeletal scintigraphy images obtained in 169 patients seen at the Center for Bone Quality of the Leiden University Medical Center between 2008 and 2018 with a suspected diagnosis of CNO of the SCC region were re-evaluated by 2 skeletal radiologists and 2 nuclear physicians. The diagnosis was confirmed in 118 (70%) predominantly female patients (n = 103, 89.2%); median age at first symptoms 45 years (range 20-73). The diagnosis was excluded in the remaining 51 “non-CNO” patients. Increased radiopharmacon uptake at the SCC region was observed in 82% CNO patients, with the manubrium sterni having the highest predictive ability to discriminate on both imaging modalities. The prevalence of sclerosis of the clavicles, manubrium and first ribs was significantly higher in CNO patients (P < 0.001). Hyperostosis was not observed in non-CNO patients. 46 CNO versus only 2 non-CNO patients had costoclavicular ligament calcification. Our findings identify CT scan features of sclerosis and hyperostosis of manubrium sterni, medial end of clavicles and first ribs, and calcification of costoclavicular ligaments, associated with increased tracer uptake on skeletal scintigraphy at the SCC region, specifically manubrium sterni, as well-defined imaging diagnostic criteria for adult CNO. Pitfalls encountered in the diagnosis of CNO are highlighted. These defined imaging diagnostic criteria for adult CNO should facilitate the diagnosis of this rare auto-inflammatory bone disease across the spectrum of its early to late stages.
Molecular characterization and demographic insights into soybean bud borer (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) in Brazil
Authors: Fernandes Davi de Souza , Horikoshi Renato Jun , Dourado Patrick M , Ovejero Ramiro F L , Berger Geraldo U , Savaris Marcoandre , Brown John W , Corrêa Alberto Soares
Published: March 2024

The soybean bud borer, a soybean pest in Brazil, was initially identified as Crocidosema aporema (Walsingham 1914) (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae). Outbreaks of this species have recently increased, but identification of this pest remains uncertain, and the historical factors associated with its geographic distribution in Brazil are little known. Here, we conducted a species characterization and phylogeographic analysis based on molecular and morphological evidence. Ninety individuals of bud-borers Lepidoptera were collected in different regions of Brazil. We sequenced COI and COII mitochondrial genes and examined wing patterns and male genital morphology. DNA barcoding approach revealed that 10 individuals were Argyrotaenia sphaleropa (Meyrick 1909) (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) and 80 were a species of the genus Crocidosema Zeller. The morphology of the adult genitalia and wings proved to be insufficient to confirm the identification of Brazilian individuals as C. aporema, a species originally described from a high-elevation site in Costa Rica. Furthermore, the genetic distance between putative C. aporema specimens from Brazil and Costa Rica (ranging from 5.2% to 6.4%) supports the hypothesis that the Brazilian specimens are not referable to C. aporema. Our analysis revealed a single genetic strain (i.e., species) with low genetic diversity on soybean crops. We found no indication that the genetic structure was related to geographic distance among populations or edaphoclimatic regions. The population expansion of the soybean bud borer coincides with the increase in the area of soybean production in Brazil, suggesting that expanded soybean farming has allowed a significant increase in the effective population size of this pest.
Building Peace after Self-Determination and Partition: Faulty Assumptions?
Authors: Fujikawa Kentaro
Published: March 2024

Since the 1990s, scholars have debated whether partition, the most radical solution to ethnic conflicts, promotes peace or not. Drawing on the peacebuilding and war recurrence literature, I contribute to this debate by theorizing reasons that newly independent states emerging from partition are likely to suffer from new conflicts between former pro-independence allies. At the domestic level, former pro-independence groups, assumed to be a unitary actor by partition proponents, are likely to fragment as their unity was based on achieving the goal of independence. Furthermore, newly independent states tend to suffer from very weak institutions, and citizens develop strong frustrations toward their new states because their unrealistically high expectations are unmet. At the international level, international peacebuilders tend to wrongly assume that the unity within the pro-independence camp will last after independence and that the pro-independence people are essentially “good guys.” As a result, they often misunderstand the post-conflict political dynamics of new states, which reduces the effectiveness of their peacebuilding efforts. My arguments are illustrated through analyzing why Timor-Leste and South Sudan, the closest to typical partition cases in the twenty-first century, faced the 2006 Crisis and the 2013 Civil War, respectively.
The free anterolateral thigh flap substituted for a pedicled biparietal flap in reconstructing complex frontal defect
Authors: Nghĩa Phan Tuấn , Sơn Trần Thiết
Published: March 2024

Complex scalp defects involving soft and hard tissues pose challenges for plastic surgeons. The solution for each defect must depend on various factors and even the technical development of the infrastructure. We present a case study in which the patient had a significant total frontal defect. The first surgery was a bi-parietal flap as a salvage option to cover the defect. However, aesthetic satisfaction was not achieved. The second surgery used the anterolateral thigh flap to enhance the aesthetic result, and the placement of titanium mesh was an appropriate choice. This case may be an example of how different solutions can lead to variable results and what needs to be considered when dealing with complex scalp defects.
Small bowel perforation due to ingested frog bone: a case report
Authors: Hung Nguyen Dang , O’Connell Robert Michael , Minh Do Duc , Flanagan Michael , Long Tran Bao
Published: March 2024

Perforation of the gastrointestinal tract by ingested foreign body is an uncommon surgical emergency, most typically associated with the consumption of fish and chicken bones. We present an unusual case of a gentleman presenting emergently with an acute abdomen following ingestion of a meal containing frog meat. Emergent computed tomography (CT) revealed findings suggestive of jejunal perforation due to a foreign body. At laparotomy, a mid-jejunal site of perforation was noted due to a protruding piece of fractured frog bone. Washout and primary repair of the small bowel enterotomy were performed, and the patient made an excellent post-operative recovery.
Dynamic neural networks: advantages and challenges
Authors: Huang Gao
Published: March 2024

This perspective article delves into the transformative realm of dynamic neural networks, which is reshaping AI with adaptable structures and improved efficiency, bridging the gap between artificial and human intelligence.
Developing the BornFyne prenatal management system version 2.0: a mixed method community participatory approach to digital health for reproductive maternal health
Authors: Nkangu Miriam , Njoache Mildred Nkeng , Obegu Pamela , Wanda Franck , Ngo Ngo Valery , Fantaye Arone , Kasonde Mwenya , Buh Amos Wung , Sinsai Regina , Kepgang Evrard , Kibu Odette , Detchaptche Sarah Pascale Ngassa , Fobellah Nkengfac , Gobina Ronald , Tangang Brice , Foretia Denis , Pessa Arthur , Little Julian , Weledji Donald , Yaya Sanni
Published: March 2024

Despite the growing number of global initiatives aimed at reducing adverse maternal health outcomes, there remain critical gaps and disparities in access to maternal health services in Cameroon and across the sub-Saharan Africa. Digital health innovations represent unique opportunities for addressing maternal and newborn child health in sub-Saharan Africa. This article documents the approach to developing the BornFyne-Prenatal Management System (PNMS) as an intervention to support maternal health issues in Cameroon. The mixed-method design employed the three-delays model conducted in four health districts purposefully selected with a mix of urban and rural settings as defined in the context. The study employed focus group discussions and interviews to inform the development features. A total of 25 providers were interviewed, 12 focus group discussions and 4 workshops were held and a total of 3654 households were surveyed. Participants highlighted multifaceted advantages of using digital health platform such as BornFyne-PNMS to enhance communication and care during pregnancy such as remote consultations, emergency response, increased patient engagement and improved continuity of care and convenience. Most respondents believed that the use of a digital platform like BornFyne-PNMS would greatly facilitate access to health facilities, especially during emergencies. The BornFyne-PNMS deployment includes community engagement, training and practical skills building of health workers in the use of digital technologies, the establishment of an emergency transport mechanism for response to emergency cases, assessment and upgrading of the computer hardware of enrolled health facilities and support to health system managers to review and interpret the BornFyne data and interoperability with the national health management information system.
Feather growth rate and hormone deposition vary with elevation but not reproductive costs in resident Mountain Chickadees
Authors: Sonnenberg Benjamin R , Branch Carrie L , Pitera Angela M , Benedict Lauren M , Heinen Virginia K , Ouyang Jenny Q , Pravosudov Vladimir V
Published: March 2024

Many organisms engage in metabolic tradeoffs to manage costs associated with reproductive output which often leads to these costs carrying over into the future. Compensatory mechanisms vary across life history strategies and are expected to result in near-optimal fitness gains for the investor. Here we investigated whether environmental differences associated with increasing montane elevation and variation in reproductive output of a resident passerine songbird, the Mountain Chickadee (Poecile gambeli), were related to physiological conditions during annual molt. Higher elevations are associated with harsher environmental conditions during the winter, which results in later and shorter breeding seasons than at lower elevations. We sampled the outermost tail feathers from adult birds in the fall after their prebasic molt, which initiates closely after reproduction (e.g., after parental care has ceased, ~1–3 weeks). We measured the hormone corticosterone deposited in feathers (fCORT) and feather growth rates for evidence of physiological effort predicted to be driven by several units of reproductive output (e.g., breeding timing, clutch and brood size, and offspring mass). There were no relationships between any measure of reproductive output and feather characteristics between elevations or across years, despite substantial variation in reproductive output in the wider population across this same time. However, birds at the high-elevation site grew their tail feathers significantly faster and had higher fCORT deposition compared to low-elevation birds. These results suggest that although differences in reproductive output and any related signals of associated physiological effort (e.g., fCORT and feather growth rate) may not extend into individual conditions during annual molt, shorter breeding seasons associated with harsher environmental conditions may favor faster feather growth as required by earlier onset of winter.
Stochastic star formation in the Milky Way inferred from the unity index of the Kennicutt–Schmidt law
Authors: Sofue Yoshiaki
Published: March 2024

We performed a correlation analysis between the brightness temperature of the CO line and number density of H ii regions in the longitude–velocity diagram (LVD) of the Milky Way in order to investigate the volumetric star-formation law. We determined the index α of the Kennicut–Schmidt law for the molecular gas defined by $\rho _{\rm SFR}\propto \rho _{\rm H_2}^\alpha$, where ρSFR is the SFR (star-formation rate) density and $\rho _{\rm H_2}$ is the molecular-gas density. We obtained α = 1.053 ± 0.075 and 1.031 ± 0.067 for the CO-line data from the Nobeyama 45 m and Columbia 1.2 m telescope Galactic plane surveys, respectively. This result is consistent with the KS indices currently determined for the molecular gas in the Milky Way as well as in spiral and starburst galaxies. We argue that an index close to 1 is universal in favour of stochastic (spontaneous) star formation, but is inconsistent with the cloud-collision model, which predicts a steeper index of α = 2. We also suggest that the efficiency of star formation in the Galactic Centre is an order of magnitude lower than that in the disc.
Biological Control of Rapeseed Clubroot (Plasmodiophora brassicae) Using the Endophytic Fungus Didymella macrostoma P2
Authors: Cheng Junyu , Luo Tao , Wu Mingde , Zhang Jing , Yang Long , Chen Weidong , Li Guoqing
Published: March 2024

Didymella macrostoma P2 was isolated from rapeseed (Brassica napus), and it is an endophyte of rapeseed and an antagonist of three rapeseed pathogens, Botrytis cinerea, Leptosphaeria biglobosa, and Sclerotinia sclerotiorum. However, whether P2 has a suppressive effect on infection of rapeseed by the clubroot pathogen Plasmodiophora brassicae remains unknown. This study was conducted to detect production of antimicrobials by P2 and to determine the efficacy of the antimicrobials and P2 pycnidiospores in suppression of rapeseed clubroot. The results showed that cultural filtrates (CFs) of P2 in potato dextrose broth and the substances in pycnidiospore mucilages exuded from P2 pycnidia were inhibitory to P. brassicae. In the indoor experiment, seeds of the susceptible rapeseed cultivar Zhongshuang No. 9 treated with P2 CF and the P2 pycnidiospore suspension (P2 SS, 1 × 107 spores/ml) reduced clubroot severity by 31 to 70% on the 30-day-old seedlings compared with the control (seeds treated with water). P2 was reisolated from the roots of the seedlings in the treatment of P2 SS; the average isolation frequency in the healthy roots (26%) was much higher than that (5%) in the diseased roots. In the field experiment, seeds of another susceptible rapeseed cultivar, Huayouza 50 (HYZ50), treated with P2 CF, P2 CE (chloroform extract of P2 CF, 30 μg/ml), and P2 SS reduced clubroot severity by 29 to 48% on 60-day-old seedlings and by 28 to 59% on adult plants (220 days old) compared with the control treatment. The three P2 treatments on HYZ50 produced significantly (P < 0.05) higher seed yield than the control treatment on this rapeseed cultivar, and they even generated seed yield similar to that produced by the resistant rapeseed cultivar Shengguang 165R in one of the two seasons. These results suggest that D. macrostoma P2 is an effective biocontrol agent against rapeseed clubroot.
Extranodal Follicular Dendritic Cell Sarcoma Presenting on the Skin
Authors: Agüero Rosario , Reculé Francisca , Pérez Jaime , Castro Alex
Published: March 2024

Follicular dendritic cell sarcoma is a rare intermediate-grade malignancy characterized by a proliferation of ovoid to spindle-shaped cells with morphologic and immunophenotypic features similar to normal follicular dendritic cells. It may develop in lymph nodes or extranodal sites. Its presentation in extranodal tissues is a diagnostic challenge. It requires a high index of suspicion because follicular dendritic cell markers are not included in the routine immunohistochemical panels used for differential diagnosis. In an extensive review of the English literature, we found 3 cases of follicular dendritic cell sarcoma developing on the skin. We report a case of a primary cutaneous follicular dendritic cell sarcoma in a 28-year-old man, which presented as a 6-mm skin-colored nodule on the right forearm. We describe the morphologic and immunohistochemical features and a review of the literature.
Diagnostic Accuracy of the Yale Swallow Protocol in Moderate-to-Severe Traumatic Brain Injury: A Prospective Blinded Videofluoroscopic Investigation
Authors: Weppner Justin , Senol Selcen , Larick Rayghan , Jackson Stephanie
Published: March 2024

Objective:

The study aimed to assess the accuracy of the Yale Swallow Protocol (YSP) in screening aspiration in adults with acute moderate-to-severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) by comparing the YSP with a videofluoroscopic swallow study (VFSS).

Setting:

Level 1 academic trauma center.

Participants:

The study involved a cohort of 50 consecutive adults with a history of acute moderate-to-severe TBI.

Design:

The prospective cohort study was conducted between July 2020 and June 2021. Participants underwent the YSP to assess aspiration risk, followed by a VFSS within 5 to 10 minutes after the YSP, to assess the accuracy of the YSP compared with the VFSS.

Main Measure:

The accuracy of the YSP in identifying aspiration in adults with acute moderate-to-severe TBI.

Results:

The interrater agreement for identifying aspiration on the VFSS and the YSP was excellent, as well as 100% agreement between the speech-language pathologists and the radiologist and between the 2 speech-language pathologists, respectively. Of the 50 participants, 16 passed the YSP, while 34 failed. Among those who failed, 30 were confirmed to have aspirated on the VFSS (true-positives) and 4 did not show aspiration on the VFSS (false-positives). The YSP demonstrated a high sensitivity of 96.8%, a specificity of 78.9%, a positive predictive value of 88.2%, and a negative predictive value of 93.8% in identification of aspiration in this cohort.

Conclusions:

To date, no dedicated prospective studies have been conducted to assess the utility of the YSP as a screening tool for identifying aspiration risk in persons with moderate-to-severe TBI. The results of this study conclude that the YSP is an effective screening tool for prediction of aspiration in acute care patients with moderate-to-severe TBI due to its high sensitivity and negative predictive value. These factors aid in identification of individuals at risk for aspiration and facilitate timely interventions to prevent complications.
The Predictive Value of the Verbal Glasgow Coma Scale in Traumatic Brain Injury: A Systematic Review
Authors: Pisano Francesca , Bilotta Federico
Published: March 2024

Background:

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a major global health concern, imposing significant burdens on individuals and healthcare systems. The Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS), a widely utilized instrument for evaluating neurological status, includes 3 variables: motor, verbal, and eye opening. The GCS plays a crucial role in TBI severity stratification. While extensive research has explored the predictive capabilities of the overall GCS score and its motor component, the Verbal Glasgow Coma Scale (V-GCS) has garnered less attention.

Objective:

To examine the predictive accuracy of the V-GCS in assessing outcomes in patients with TBI, with a particular focus on functional outcome and mortality. In addition, we intend to compare its predictive performance with other components of the GCS.

Methods:

A systematic review, based on the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines, was conducted utilizing the PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science databases. Inclusion criteria encompassed 10 clinical studies involving patients with TBI, wherein the level of consciousness was assessed using the verbal GCS score. Predominant statistical measures employed were odds ratios (ORs) and area under the curve (AUC).

Results:

Recorded findings consistently underscore that lower V-GCS scores are associated with adverse functional outcomes and mortality in patients with TBI. Despite the predictive accuracy of the V-GCS, the Motor Glasgow Coma Scale (M-GCS) emerges as a superior predictor.

Conclusion:

In the context of TBI outcome prediction, the V-GCS demonstrates its efficacy as a prognostic tool. However, the M-GCS exhibits superior performance compared with the V-GCS. These insights underscore the multifaceted nature of TBI assessment and emphasize the necessity of considering distinct components of the Glasgow Coma Scale for comprehensive evaluation. Further research is warranted to refine and improve the application of these predictive measures in clinical practice.
Predictability of the National Psychological Stress Screening for Subsequent Long-Term Psychiatric Sick Leave Among Employees
Authors: Kawamura Takashi , Kobayashi Daisuke ,   on behalf of The University Network Analyses of Stress Check for Employees (UNASCE) Investigators
Published: March 2024

Objective

The aim of the study is to predict employees’ long-term sick leave due to psychiatric disorders using the national psychological stress screening program.

Methods

University employees who took long-term psychiatric sick leave in 2016–2018 were assigned as cases. Those who were present at work and matched for sex, age, and occupation type were assigned as controls. Answers in a 57-item questionnaire were analyzed by multivariable regression, and a prediction model was developed. It was validated in cases and matched controls in 2019.

Results

Six items were identified as independent predictors by multivariable regression and included in a prediction model. The area under the receiver-operating characteristics curve was 0.768 (95% confidence interval: 0.723–0.813). This finding was similar to that in the validation sample.

Conclusions

The performance of the prediction model was modest and the national Stress Check Program should be further refined.
The Effects of Oxygen-Derived Free-Radical Scavengers During Normothermic Ex-Situ Heart Perfusion
Authors: Qi Xiao , Hatami Sanaz , Bozso Sabin , Wang Xiuhua , Saleme Bruno , Nagendran Jayan , Michelakis Evangelos , Sutendra Gopinath , Freed Darren H.
Published: March 2024

Oxidative stress occurs during ex-situ heart perfusion (ESHP) and may negatively affect functional preservation of the heart. We sought to assess the status of key antioxidant enzymes during ESHP, and the effects of augmenting these antioxidants on the attenuation of oxidative stress and improvement of myocardial and endothelial preservation in ESHP. Porcine hearts were perfused for 6 hours with oxygen-derived free-radical scavengers polyethylene glycol (PEG)-catalase or PEG-superoxide dismutase (SOD) or with naive perfusate (control). The oxidative stress–related modifications were determined in the myocardium and coronary vasculature, and contractile function, injury, and endothelial integrity were compared between the groups. The activity of key antioxidant enzymes decreased and adding catalase and SOD restored the enzyme activity. Cardiac function and endothelial integrity were preserved better with restored catalase activity. Catalase and SOD both decreased myocardial injury and catalase reduced ROS production and oxidative modification of proteins in the myocardium and coronary vasculature. The activity of antioxidant enzymes decrease in ESHP. Catalase may improve the preservation of cardiac function and endothelial integrity during ESHP. While catalase and SOD may both exert cardioprotective effects, unbalanced SOD and catalase activity may paradoxically increase the production of reactive species during ESHP.
Association Between Different Types of Physical Activity and Hepatic Steatosis and Liver Fibrosis
Authors: Sun Bo , Kang Ying , Zhou Junming , Feng Ying , Wang Wutao , Wu Xiaowei , Zhang Xiaohua , Li Minli
Published: March 2024

Background and Aims:

Many studies have shown a link between physical activity (PA) and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). However, more research is needed to investigate the relationship between different types of PA and NAFLD. This study aimed to explore the potential link between different types of PA, hepatic steatosis, and liver fibrosis.

Study:

A cross-sectional study was conducted using the data set from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) from 2017 to 2020. A multiple linear regression model was used to examine the linear relationship between different types of PA, the controlled attenuation parameter (CAP), and liver stiffness measurement (LSM). In addition, smoothing curve fitting and threshold effect analysis were used to depict their nonlinear relationship.

Results:

This study involved 5933 adults. Multiple linear regression analysis revealed a significantly negative correlation between leisure-time PA and CAP, while the relationship between occupation-related PA, transportation-related PA, and CAP was not significant. Subgroup analysis further revealed that leisure-time PA was significantly negatively correlated with CAP in women and younger age groups (under 60 y old), while the relationship was not significant in men and older age groups. In addition, there was a significant negative correlation between leisure-time PA and liver fibrosis in men.

Conclusions:

Leisure-time PA can prevent hepatic steatosis, and women and young people benefit more. Occupation-related PA is not associated with hepatic steatosis and cannot replace leisure-time PA. In men, increasing leisure-time PA is more effective in preventing liver fibrosis.
Should we provide edible insects in children's diets?
Authors: Boit Tele Chepkoros , Melse-Boonstra Alida , Michaelsen Kim F. , Roos Nanna
Published: March 2024

Purpose of review

Diets low in animal-source foods or solely consisting of plant-based foods, hardly meet nutrition needs of children, exposing them to inadequate intake of essential nutrients. Thus, including edible insects in children's diets is relevant for meeting nutritional requirements, other potential health benefits, and building more sustainable food systems. Nutrition and health research on insects is novel and still limited. This review covers recently published research between April 2022 and November 2023 focusing on the relevance of including insects in children's diets.

Recent findings

Insects provide protein, fat and micronutrients, and are generally nutritionally equivalent to animal-source foods. The protein and fat quality of edible insects varies depending on several factors. Insects also contain chitin which could potentially be beneficial for gut health. For insects to be considered suitable for inclusion in children's diet, they must be accepted. However, children who are unfamiliar with insects respond to them with curiosity and disgust.

Insect farming can enhance their availability and consumption, potentially addressing nutrition gaps. Furthermore, transitioning from occasional to regular insect consumption requires actual exposure and integration into diets of insects. To affirm the nutrition and health potential of edible insects for children, well designed human studies are essential.
Full-term pregnancy with retroperitoneal giant mucinous cyst: A case report and literature review
Authors: Wen Jiao , Zhao Yun , Tang Fei , Cheng Wenxing , Peng Jing , Li Qianyi , Pan Haotian , Li Hao , Chen Lei
Published: March 2024

Rationale:

Retroperitoneal benign cysts during pregnancy are extremely rare and often remain asymptomatic until they attain a very large size. Diagnosis typically relies on a pathological tissue biopsy. The decision to pursue 1-step or 2-step surgical treatment should be tailored to each individual case rather than generalized.

Patient concerns:

This case report presents the unique scenario of a pregnant woman with a confirmed pregnancy complicated by a large retroperitoneal cyst. The patient had a retroperitoneal cyst during her initial pregnancy, which went undetected during the first cesarean section. However, it was identified during her second pregnancy by which time it had grown to 13.0 cm × 15.0 cm × 25.0 cm, and extended from the liver margin to right ovarian pelvic infundibulopelvic ligament. Consequently, it was removed smoothly during her second cesarean section.

Diagnoses:

Postoperative pathology results indicated a massive retroperitoneal mucinous cystadenoma.

Interventions:

The giant retroperitoneal cyst was smoothly excised during the second cesarean delivery for 1-step surgical treatment.

Outcomes:

Under the combined spinal and epidural anesthesia, a live female infant was delivered at 38 3/7 gestational weeks and the neonatal weight was 3200g. Under general anesthesia with endotracheal intubation, the giant retroperitoneal cyst was excised smoothly without complications.

Lessons:

The findings of this case report contribute to the understanding of the diagnostic modalities, surgical approaches and postoperative considerations of giant retroperitoneal cysts associated with pregnancy.