bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Too Tired and in Too Good of a Mood to Worry About Privacy: Explaining the Privacy Paradox Through the Lens of Effort Level in Information Processing
Authors: Alashoor Tawfiq , Keil Mark , Smith H. Jeff , McConnell Allen R.
Published: December 2022

Policy-oriented Abstract

Data privacy is one of the most pressing issues today. The world is thirsty for novel, effective, and efficient policies to strike an appropriate balance between protecting individuals’ privacy and creating economic value from their personal information. Whereas governmental efforts, such as the enaction of General Data Protection Regulation, California Consumer Privacy Act, and other privacy regulations, have been pushing boundaries to strike this balance, the effects of these types of initiatives on individuals’ privacy awareness and behavior are uncertain, likely to be nuanced, and will take time to sort out. In this paper, we explain the privacy paradox, a phenomenon with important implications that apply to policymakers, industry professionals, and individuals. The privacy paradox refers to a mismatch between individuals’ stated privacy concerns and their actual disclosure behaviors. In three behavioral experiments, we show how the paradox is revealed when individuals are cognitively tired especially when they are in a good mood. These findings do not indicate that individuals do not care about privacy because they do when they are not cognitively tired especially when they are in a bad mood. By explaining the privacy paradox, we inform existing and future privacy policies to strike that balance we all strive for.
Deep brain stimulation and the treatment of movement disorders
Authors: Candelario-Mckeown Joseph
Published: December 2022

Deep brain stimulation (DBS) is an effective surgical treatment in ameliorating symptoms of Parkinson's disease (PD), dystonia and tremor. DBS involves the surgical insertion of electrode(s) to stimulate either the subthalamic nucleus, globus pallidum interna or ventral intermediate nucleus of the thalamus, depending on the condition being treated. These structures play a critical role in the relay of electrical signals within the basal ganglia to facilitate movement. The mechanism by which DBS improves symptoms is not clearly understood. However, one notion is that the local effects of stimulation cause neuromodulation resulting in subsequent distant effects within connecting neural networks. Important factors to be considered when selecting patients for DBS include establishing a diagnosis, assessment of the patient's levodopa responsiveness if diagnosed with PD, neuropsychological and psychiatric evaluations, and a pre-DBS magnetic resonance imaging scan. Rare complications, such as intracranial haemorrhage, and common complications, such as infection, can occur. On balance, DBS is a highly effective and safe treatment for movement disorders; although, careful patient selection is critical.
O PERDÃO NO HORIZONTE DO SUJEITO ÉTICO EM PAUL RICOEUR
Authors: CARNEIRO JOSÉ VANDERLEI , Soares Antonia de Sousa Vieira
Published: December 2022

O propósito deste artigo é apresentar a relação entre o perdão e o processo do agir ético, fundamentado nas seguintes obras de Paul Ricoeur: O si-mesmo como um outro, A memória, a história e o esquecimento e O percurso do reconhecimento. A reflexão que elaboramos está de acordo com a defesa que Ricoeur faz sobre a ideia de que para além das capacidades constitutivas do ser humano, ainda é necessário desenvolver as faculdades do dom e do perdão como gesto concreto de manifestação do amor. A configuração textual do nosso estudo está explicitada em quatro proposições filosóficas: as capacidades do sujeito e suas práticas sociais, a vulnerabilidade humana como interpelação para o reconhecimento, a anistia como uma ação ético-política de vinculação institucional do perdão e o perdão como reflexo do dom.
Information war and mission in profession of a journalist: the evolution of the world view of media students
Authors: Ivanova Iryna , Yaresko Kateryna , Prosianyk Oksana , Zyma Olga , Starkova Hanna
Published: December 2022

The article presents the changes taking place in journalism education in Ukraine. The article aims to establish the relevance of the content and evaluation of professional cores of journalism education by participants in the educational process, as well as to rank the students’ interest in educational topics and media areas, explore students’ understanding of the profession of journalism, and necessary changes dictated by time and world order. The method of a pedagogical experiment was used to diagnose the priorities of journalism education in the conditions of intensifying information wars in the media direction, with the help of questionnaires, observations, and a descriptive method. The result of the research is the establishment of journalism education priorities, declared by future specialists in the field of media. Next is a discussion on the study the evolution of journalism education in the context of intensifying information wars and hostilities in Ukraine is in sight.
Els gèneres audiovisuals en la producció dels booktubers : una anàlisi quantitativa
Authors: Tomasena José M.
Published: December 2022

A partir del concepte de gènere desenvolupat per Mikhaïl Bakhtín (1982), aquest treball analitza quantitativament els gèneres audiovisuals dels booktubers (book + youtubers) en llengua espanyola, amb l'objectiu de determinar quines són les formes discursives predominants de la seva producció i la repercussió que tenen entre les seves audiències mitjançant indicadors de popularitat (vistes, likes/dislikes/comentaris). Per a això hem fet una mostra de vídeos publicats l'any 2017 (n = 368) i hem obtingut diversos indicadors quantitatius de popularitat (nombre de vistes, de comentaris, likes i dislikes) amb mètodes digitals. Els resultats demostren que, discursivament, els booktubers han estat capaços d'adaptar a la temàtica llibresca una gran varietat de gèneres audiovisuals que provenen tant d'altres youtubers (vlogs, challenges, hangouts, hauls, unboxings) com d'altres mitjans de comunicació (ressenyes, rànquings, llistes, entrevistes). Els més presents en el corpus d'anàlisi són la ressenya, la llista i el wrap-up, que compleixen una funció de recomanació tradicional; tanmateix, les dades mostren que els vídeos més ben rebuts per les audiències són aquells en els quals el o la booktuber fa alguna selecció temàtica de diversos llibres, com ara les llistes, els rànquings o els wrap-up, la qual cosa reforça el valor comissarial d'aquest tipus de mediadors de lectura.
Los géneros audiovisuales en la producción de los booktubers : un análisis cuantitativo
Authors: Tomasena José M.
Published: December 2022

A partir del concepto de género desarrollado por Mikhail Bakhtin (1982), este trabajo analiza cuantitativamente los géneros audiovisuales de los booktubers (book + youtubers) en lengua española, con el objetivo de determinar cuáles son las formas discursivas predominantes en su producción y la repercusión que tienen en sus audiencias, a través de indicadores de popularidad (vistas, likes/dislikes/comentarios). Para ello hemos realizado una muestra de vídeos publicados en 2017 (n = 368) y obtenido diversos indicadores cuantitativos de popularidad (número de vistas, comentarios, likes y dislikes) por métodos digitales. Los resultados demuestran que, discursivamente, los booktubers han sido capaces de adaptar a la temática libresca una variedad enorme de géneros audiovisuales, que provienen tanto de otros youtubers (vlogs, challenges, hangouts, hauls, unboxings) como de otros medios de comunicación (reseñas, rankings, listas, entrevistas). Los más presentes en el corpus de análisis son la reseña, la lista y el wrap-up, que cumplen una función de recomendación tradicional; sin embargo, los datos muestran que los vídeos mejor recibidos por las audiencias son aquellos en los que el o la booktuber realiza alguna selección temática de varios libros, como las listas, los rankings o los wrap-ups, lo que refuerza el valor curatorial de este tipo de mediadores de lectura.
Caring for Adults With Significant Levels of Intellectual Disability in Outpatient Settings: Results of a National Survey of Physicians
Authors: Campbell Eric G. , Rao Sowmya R. , Ressalam Julie , Bolcic-Jankovic Dragana , Lawrence Rosa , Moore Jaime M. , Iezzoni Lisa I.
Published: December 2022

Between 1% and 2% of the U.S. population has an intellectual disability (ID) and often experience disparities in health care. Communication patterns and sedation use for routine medical procedures are important aspects of care for this population. We explored physicians' communication patterns and sedation use in caring for patients with significant levels of ID through a mailed survey of 1,400 physicians among seven specialties in outpatient settings (response rate = 61.0%). Among physicians who saw at least one patient with significant levels of ID in an average month, 74.8% reported usually/always communicating primarily with someone other than the patient. Among specialists, 85.5% (95% CI: 80.5%–90.5%) reported doing so, compared to 69.9% (95% CI: 64.4%–75.4%) for primary care physicians (p < 0.001). Also, 11.4% reported sedating at least one patient with significant levels of ID for a routine procedure. Three quarters of physicians reported communicating primarily with persons other than the patient usually or always—an approach that, in some instances, may not align with best medical practice. The percentage of physicians who report sedating at least one individual is associated with significant ID and the physician's volume of patients with significant ID.
Tunable image-mapping optical coherence tomography
Authors: Lee Jaeyul , Du Xiaoxi , Park Jongchan , Cui Qi , Iyer Rishyashring R. , Boppart Stephen A. , Gao Liang
Published: December 2022

We present tunable image-mapping optical coherence tomography (TIM-OCT), which can provide optimized imaging performance for a given application by using a programmable phase-only spatial light modulator in a low-coherence full-field spectral-domain interferometer. The resultant system can provide either a high lateral resolution or a high axial resolution in a snapshot without moving parts. Alternatively, the system can achieve a high resolution along all dimensions through a multiple-shot acquisition. We evaluated TIM-OCT in imaging both standard targets and biological samples. Additionally, we demonstrated the integration of TIM-OCT with computational adaptive optics in correcting sample-induced optical aberrations.
Signal restoration algorithm for photoacoustic imaging systems
Authors: Hakakzadeh Soheil , Amjadian Mohammadreza , Zhang Yachao , Mostafavi Seyed Masood , Kavehvash Zahra , Wang Lidai
Published: December 2022

In a photoacoustic (PA) imaging system, the detectors are bandwidth-limited. Therefore, they capture PA signals with some unwanted ripples. This limitation degrades the resolution/contrast and induces sidelobes and artifacts in the reconstructed images along the axial direction. To compensate for the limited bandwidth effect, we present a PA signal restoration algorithm, where a mask is designed to extract the signals at the absorber positions and remove the unwanted ripples. This restoration improves the axial resolution and contrast in the reconstructed image. The restored PA signals can be considered as the input of the conventional reconstruction algorithms (e.g., Delay-and-sum (DAS) and Delay-multiply-and-sum (DMAS)). To compare the performance of the proposed method, DAS and DMAS reconstruction algorithms were performed with both the initial and restored PA signals on numerical and experimental studies (numerical targets, tungsten wires, and human forearm). The results show that, compared with the initial PA signals, the restored PA signals can improve the axial resolution and contrast by 45% and 16.1 dB, respectively, and suppress background artifacts by 80%.
Coherence in the radial degree of freedom
Authors: Bhattacharjee Abhinandan , Biswas Shrestha , Alonso Miguel A. , Jha Anand K.
Published: December 2022

Coherence quantifies the statistical fluctuations in an optical field and has been extensively studied in the space, time, and polarization degrees of freedom. In the context of space, coherence theory has been formulated between two transverse positions as well as between two azimuthal positions, referred to as transverse spatial coherence and angular coherence, respectively. In this paper, we formulate the theory of coherence for optical fields in the radial degree of freedom and discuss the associated concepts of coherence radial width, radial quasi-homogeneity, and radial stationarity with some physically realizable examples of radially partially coherent fields. Furthermore, we propose an interferometric scheme for measuring radial coherence.
Differences in color fading and recovery under sustained fixation
Authors: Stanikunas Rytis , Soliunas Alvydas , Bliumas Remigijus , Jocbalyte Karolina , Novickovas Algirdas
Published: December 2022

More than two centuries ago, Swiss philosopher I. P. V. Troxler announced in 1804 that fixated images fade away during normal vision. Since this declaration, the phenomenon now known as Troxler fading has become the subject of intensive research. Many researchers were eager to find out why we experience image fading and under what conditions image restoration happens. Here, we investigated the dynamics of color stimulus fading and recovery under sustained eye fixation. The objective of the experiments was to find out which colors fade and recover faster under isoluminant conditions. The stimuli were eight blurred color rings extending to 13° in size. Four unique colors (red, yellow, green, and blue) and four intermediate colors (magenta, cyan, yellow-green, and orange) were used. Stimuli were displayed on a computer monitor with a gray background and were isoluminant to the background. The presentation of the stimulus lasted 2 min and subjects were required to look at the fixation point in the middle of the ring and suppress eye movements. The task for subjects was to report the moments of change in the stimulus visibility by four stages of stimulus completeness. We found that all investigated colors undergo fading and recovery cycles during 2 min of observation. The data suggest that magenta and cyan colors have faster stimulus fading and undergo more recovery cycles, while longer wavelength colors slow down stimulus fading.
Fast polarization-sensitive second-harmonic generation microscopy based on off-axis interferometry
Authors: Li Xiang , Yu Wenhui , Hu Rui , Qu Junle , Liu Liwei
Published: December 2022

We propose polarization-sensitive second-harmonic generation microscopy based on off-axis interferometry (OI-PSHG) by recording the complex field of a wide-field second-harmonic generation (SHG) image and performing polarization measurements. With the ability to record the SHG signals associated with different positions simultaneously, the proposed method exhibits a higher imaging frame rate than raster scanning-based SHG microscopy. The molecular orientation (in terms of their symmetric axis) of tendon collagen fibrils and myosin in muscle is resolved in three dimensions from a subset of polarization-resolved SHG holograms. With the present configuration, it takes approximately 0.01 s to acquire an image with 128 × 128 pixels, which is mainly limited by the excitation power density for wide-field illumination. For the same data throughput using pixel-by-pixel scanning, 0.16-s-long acquisition is required, with the pixel dwell time of 10 µs. Offering the ability to perform wide-field imaging and polarization measurements, the present work lays the foundation for fast SHG microscopy using complex deconvolution and harmonic tomography.
56 Gb/s PAM4 physical secure communication based on electro-optic self-feedback hardware temporal phase encryption and decryption
Authors: Gao Zhensen , Luo Ying , Zhang Lihong , Tang Bin , Gao Xulin , Gu Wenfu , Sun Yuehui , Li Zhaohui , Qin Yuwen , Wang Yuncai
Published: December 2022

To guarantee information security from the lowest level of optical networks, it is essential to provide physical layer security in fiber-optic communication systems. However, it is challenging to realize high speed physical secure optical communication based on advanced optical modulation formats and pure commercial hardware components. In this work, we report an experimental demonstration of a high-speed 56 Gb/s PAM4 physical-layer secure optical communication system by employing an electro-optic self-feedback hardware module for temporal self-phase encryption and decryption without consuming any additional encryption channel. An encrypted 56 Gb/s PAM4 confidential signal is successfully decrypted after transmitting over 60 km single-mode fiber. The demonstrated scheme can not only be integrated with existing optical communication networks, but can also be used as a pluggable module, which may provide a promising solution for ultra-high speed physical secure optical communication by combining with advanced multiplexing technology in future.
Thickness-dependent loss-induced failure of an ideal ENZ-enhanced optical response in planar ultrathin transparent conducting oxide films
Authors: Jiang Hang , Zhao Yuanan , Ma Hao , Wu Yi , Chen Meiling , Wang Mengxia , Zhang Weili , Peng Yujie , Leng Yuxin , Cao Zhaoliang , Shao Jianda
Published: December 2022

Ultrathin planar transparent conducting oxide (TCO) films are commonly used to enhance the optical response of epsilon-near-zero (ENZ) devices; however, our results suggest that thickness-dependent loss renders them ineffective. Here, we investigated the thickness-dependent loss of indium tin oxide (ITO) films and their effect on the ENZ-enhanced optical responses of ITO and ITO/SiO2 multilayer stacks. The experimental and computational results show that the optical loss of ITO films increases from 0.47 to 0.70 as the thickness decreases from 235 to 52 nm, which results in a reduction of 60% and 45% in the maximum field enhancement factor of a 52-nm monolayer ITO and 4-layer ITO/SiO2 multilayer stack, respectively. The experimental results show that the ENZ-enhanced nonlinear absorption coefficient of the 52-nm single-layer ITO film is -1.6 × 103 cm GW-1, which is 81% lower than that of the 235-nm ITO film (-8.6 × 103 cm GW-1), indicating that the thickness-dependent loss makes the ultrathin TCO films unable to obtain greater nonlinear responses. In addition, the increased loss reduces the cascading Berreman transmission valley intensity of the 4-layer ITO/SiO2 multilayer stack, resulting in a 42% reduction in the ENZ-enhanced nonlinear absorption coefficient compared to the 235-nm ITO film and a faster hot electron relaxation time. Our results suggest that the thickness and loss trade-off is an intrinsic property of TCO films and that the low-loss ultrathin TCO films are the key to the robust design and fabrication of novel ENZ devices based on flat ultrathin TCO films.
Self-powered CH3NH3PbI3 perovskite photodiode with a noise-suppressible passivation layer of poly(methyl methacrylate)
Authors: Park Jaewoo , Aggarwal Yushika , Kim Wonsun , Sharma Shital , Choi Eun Ha , Park Byoungchoo
Published: December 2022

Organohalide perovskite materials and related optoelectronic applications have drawn significant attention due to their promising high-performance photon-to-electricity conversion efficiencies. Herein, we demonstrate a highly sensitive self-powered perovskite-based photodetector created with a noise-current-suppressible passivation layer of poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) at the interface between a CH3NH3PbI3 light-absorbing layer and a NiOx hole-transporting layer. Along with the defect passivation effect, the PMMA layer effectively diminishes unwanted carrier recombination losses at the interface, resulting in a significant reduction of the leakage/noise current. Consequently, without external bias, a remarkably high level of specific detectivity (∼4.5 × 1013 Jones from the dark current and ∼0.81 × 1012 Jones from the noise current) can be achieved due to the use of the PMMA passivation layer, greatly exceeding those of conventional unpassivated perovskite devices. Moreover, we observed a very wide linear dynamic response range of ∼129 dB together with rapid rise and decay response times of ∼52 and ∼18 µs, respectively. Overall, these results provide a solid foundation for advanced interface-engineering to realize high-performance self-powered perovskite photodetectors for various optoelectronic applications.
Fano resonance-induced high-purity circularly polarized spectra for high-precision refractive index sensing from hybrid resonator-graphene meta-surfaces
Authors: Hao Yazheng , Yang Rui
Published: December 2022

We demonstrate the perfect synthesis of terahertz circularly polarized Fano resonant reflecting spectra from hybrid resonator-graphene meta-surfaces for highly sensitive refractive index sensing of the biochemical analyte. Such a hybrid resonator-graphene meta-surface, consisting of periodic multi-node split ring resonators on the top of the grounded polyimide substrate inserted with a monolayer graphene sheet, can perfectly transform the linearly polarized electromagnetic fields into circularly polarized waves. Especially, the greatest polarization purity of the reflecting spectra can readily be obtained at the Fano resonance by tuning the Fermi level of the graphene, thus offering an alternative way to identify the difference between the given test specimens and other analytes with a very close refractive index on the basis of the polarization extinction ratio. The proposed methodology, capable of distinguishing the samples with a difference in the refractive index of ten thousandths, should pave the way for tangible applications of precision detections in biochemical assays with high accuracy.
An oscillator-driven, time-resolved optical pump/NIR supercontinuum probe spectrometer
Authors: Rai Manita , Deeg Wesley E. , Lu Baozhu , Brandmier Katrina , Miller Ashtyn M. , Torchinsky Darius H.
Published: December 2022

We present a novel, to the best of knowledge, time-resolved, optical pump/NIR supercontinuum probe spectrometer suitable for oscillators. A NIR supercontinuum probe spectrum (850–1250 nm) is generated in a photonic crystal fiber, dispersed across a digital micromirror device (DMD), and then raster scanned into a single element detector at a 5 Hz rate. Dual modulation of pump and probe beams at disparate frequencies permits simultaneous measurement of both the bare reflectance R and its photoinduced change ΔR through lock-in detection, allowing for continuously self-normalized measurement of ΔR/R. Example data are presented on a germanium wafer sample that demonstrate for signals of order ΔR/R ∼ 10−3, a 2.87 nm spectral resolution and

≲
400

 fs temporal resolution pre-recompression, and comparable sensitivity to standard time-resolved, amplifier-based pump–probe techniques.
Multispecies biofilm architecture determines bacterial exposure to phages
Authors: Winans James B. , Wucher Benjamin R. , Nadell Carey D.
Published: December 2022

Numerous ecological interactions among microbes—for example, competition for space and resources, or interaction among phages and their bacterial hosts—are likely to occur simultaneously in multispecies biofilm communities. While biofilms formed by just a single species occur, multispecies biofilms are thought to be more typical of microbial communities in the natural environment. Previous work has shown that multispecies biofilms can increase, decrease, or have no measurable impact on phage exposure of a host bacterium living alongside another species that the phages cannot target. The reasons underlying this variability are not well understood, and how phage–host encounters change within multispecies biofilms remains mostly unexplored at the cellular spatial scale. Here, we study how the cellular scale architecture of model 2-species biofilms impacts cell–cell and cell–phage interactions controlling larger scale population and community dynamics. Our system consists of dual culture biofilms of Escherichia coli and Vibrio cholerae under exposure to T7 phages, which we study using microfluidic culture, high-resolution confocal microscopy imaging, and detailed image analysis. As shown previously, sufficiently mature biofilms of E. coli can protect themselves from phage exposure via their curli matrix. Before this stage of biofilm structural maturity, E. coli is highly susceptible to phages; however, we show that these bacteria can gain lasting protection against phage exposure if they have become embedded in the bottom layers of highly packed groups of V. cholerae in co-culture. This protection, in turn, is dependent on the cell packing architecture controlled by V. cholerae biofilm matrix secretion. In this manner, E. coli cells that are otherwise susceptible to phage-mediated killing can survive phage exposure in the absence of de novo resistance evolution. While co-culture biofilm formation with V. cholerae can confer phage protection to E. coli, it comes at the cost of competing with V. cholerae and a disruption of normal curli-mediated protection for E. coli even in dual species biofilms grown over long time scales. This work highlights the critical importance of studying multispecies biofilm architecture and its influence on the community dynamics of bacteria and phages.
The catecholamine precursor Tyrosine reduces autonomic arousal and decreases decision thresholds in reinforcement learning and temporal discounting
Authors: Mathar David , Erfanian Abdoust Mani , Marrenbach Tobias , Tuzsus Deniz , Peters Jan
Published: December 2022

Supplementation with the catecholamine precursor L-Tyrosine might enhance cognitive performance, but overall findings are mixed. Here, we investigate the effect of a single dose of tyrosine (2g) vs. placebo on two catecholamine-dependent trans-diagnostic traits: model-based control during reinforcement learning (2-step task) and temporal discounting, using a double-blind, placebo-controlled, within-subject design (n = 28 healthy male participants). We leveraged drift diffusion models in a hierarchical Bayesian framework to jointly model participants’ choices and response times (RTS) in both tasks. Furthermore, comprehensive autonomic monitoring (heart rate, heart rate variability, pupillometry, spontaneous eye blink rate) was performed both pre- and post-supplementation, to explore potential physiological effects of supplementation. Across tasks, tyrosine consistently reduced participants’ RTs without deteriorating task-performance. Diffusion modeling linked this effect to attenuated decision-thresholds in both tasks and further revealed increased model-based control (2-step task) and (if anything) attenuated temporal discounting. On the physiological level, participants’ pupil dilation was predictive of the individual degree of temporal discounting. Tyrosine supplementation reduced physiological arousal as revealed by increases in pupil dilation variability and reductions in heart rate. Supplementation-related changes in physiological arousal predicted individual changes in temporal discounting. Our findings provide first evidence that tyrosine supplementation might impact psychophysiological parameters, and suggest that modeling approaches based on sequential sampling models can yield novel insights into latent cognitive processes modulated by amino-acid supplementation.
Exploring a diverse world of effector domains and amyloid signaling motifs in fungal NLR proteins
Authors: Wojciechowski Jakub W. , Tekoglu Emirhan , Gąsior-Głogowska Marlena , Coustou Virginie , Szulc Natalia , Szefczyk Monika , Kopaczyńska Marta , Saupe Sven J. , Dyrka Witold
Published: December 2022

NLR proteins are intracellular receptors constituting a conserved component of the innate immune system of cellular organisms. In fungi, NLRs are characterized by high diversity of architectures and presence of amyloid signaling. Here, we explore the diverse world of effector and signaling domains of fungal NLRs using state-of-the-art bioinformatic methods including MMseqs2 for fast clustering, probabilistic context-free grammars for sequence analysis, and AlphaFold2 deep neural networks for structure prediction. In addition to substantially improving the overall annotation, especially in basidiomycetes, the study identifies novel domains and reveals the structural similarity of MLKL-related HeLo- and Goodbye-like domains forming the most abundant superfamily of fungal NLR effectors. Moreover, compared to previous studies, we found several times more amyloid motif instances, including novel families, and validated aggregating and prion-forming properties of the most abundant of themin vitroandin vivo. Also, through an extensivein silicosearch, the NLR-associated amyloid signaling was identified in basidiomycetes. The emerging picture highlights similarities and differences in the NLR architectures and amyloid signaling in ascomycetes, basidiomycetes and other branches of life.
Mating disrupts morning anticipation in Drosophila melanogaster females
Authors: Riva Sabrina , Ispizua Juan Ignacio , Breide María Trinidad , Polcowñuk Sofía , Lobera José Ricardo , Ceriani María Fernanda , Risau-Gusman Sebastian , Franco Diana Lorena
Published: December 2022

After mating, the physiology of Drosophila females undergo several important changes, some of which are reflected in their rest-activity cycles. To explore the hypothesis that mating modifies the temporal organization of locomotor activity patterns, we recorded fly activity by a video tracking method. Monitoring rest-activity patterns under light/dark (LD) cycles indicated that mated females lose their ability to anticipate the night-day transition, in stark contrast to males and virgins. This postmating response is mediated by the activation of the sex peptide receptor (SPR) mainly on pickpocket (ppk) expressing neurons, since reducing expression of this receptor in these neurons restores the ability to anticipate the LD transition in mated females. Furthermore, we provide evidence of connectivity between ppk+ neurons and the pigment-dispersing factor (PDF)-positive ventral lateral neurons (sLNv), which play a central role in the temporal organization of daily activity. Since PDF has been associated to the generation of the morning activity peak, we hypothesized that the mating signal could modulate PDF levels. Indeed, we confirm that mated females have reduced PDF levels at the dorsal protocerebrum; moreover, SPR downregulation in ppk+ neurons mimics PDF levels observed in males. In sum, our results are consistent with a model whereby mating-triggered signals reach clock neurons in the fly central nervous system to modulate the temporal organization of circadian behavior according to the needs of the new status.
Eosinophils and basophils in severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome patients: Risk factors for predicting the prognosis on admission
Authors: Liu Zishuai , Zhang Rongling , Liu Yuanni , Ma Ruize , Zhang Ligang , Zhao Zhe , Ge Ziruo , Ren Xingxiang , Zhang Wei , Lin Ling , Chen Zhihai
Published: December 2022

Background

Severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS) virus (SFTSV) is an emerging tick-borne phlebovirus with a high fatality rate. Previous studies have demonstrated the poor prognostic role of eosinophils (EOS) and basophils (BAS) in predicting multiple viral infections. This study aimed to explore the role of EOS and BAS in predicting prognosis of patients with SFTS.

Methodology

A total of 194 patients with SFTS who were admitted to Yantai City Hospital from November 2019 to November 2021 were included. Patients’ demographic and clinical data were collected. According to the clinical prognosis, they were divided into survival and non-survival groups. Independent risk factors were determined by univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses.

Findings

There were 171 (88.14%) patients in the survived group and 23 (11.86%) patients in the non-survived group. Patients’ mean age was 62.39 ± 11.85 years old, and the proportion of males was 52.1%. Older age, neurological manifestations, hemorrhage, chemosis, and increased levels of laboratory variables, such as EOS% and BAS% on admission, were found in the non-survival group compared with the survival group. EOS%, BAS%, aspartate aminotransferase (AST), direct bilirubin (DBIL), and older age on admission were noted as independent risk factors for poor prognosis of SFTS patients. The combination of the EOS% and BAS% had an area under the curve (AUC) of (0.82; 95% CI: 0.725, 0.932, P = 0.000), which showed an excellent performance in predicting prognosis of patients with SFTS compared with neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), and both exhibited a satisfactory performance in predicting poor prognosis compared with De-Ritis ratio (AST/alanine aminotransferase (ALT) ratio). EOS% and BAS% were positively correlated with various biomarkers of tissue damage and the incidence of neurological complications in SFTS patients.

Conclusion

EOS% and BAS% are effective predictors of poor prognosis of patients with early-stage SFTS. The combination of EOS% and BAS% was found as the most effective approach.
Metabolic differences and differentially expressed genes between C57BL/6J and C57BL/6N mice substrains
Authors: Nemoto Shino , Kubota Tetsuya , Ohno Hiroshi
Published: December 2022

C57BL/6J (B6J) and C57BL/6N (B6N) mice are the most frequently used substrains in C57BL/6 (B6) inbred mice, serving as physiological models for in vivo studies and as background strains to build transgenic mice. However, the differences in metabolic phenotypes between B6J and B6N mice are not coherent, and genotypic differences in metabolically important tissues have not been well studied. The phenotypic differences between B6J and B6N substrains have often been attributed to the role of the nicotinamide nucleotide transhydrogenase (Nnt) gene, whereby B6J has a spontaneous missense mutation of Nnt. Nevertheless, phenotypic differences between the two cannot be explained by Nnt mutations alone, especially in metabolic traits. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the genetic cause of the phenotypic differences between B6J and B6N mice. Determining consistent genetic differences across multiple tissues involved in metabolic traits such as subcutaneous and visceral white adipose tissues, brown adipose tissue, skeletal muscle, liver, hypothalamus, and hippocampus, may help explain phenotypic differences in metabolism between the two substrains. We report candidate genes along with comparative data on body weight, tissue weight, blood components involved in metabolism, and energy balance of B6J and B6N mice. Insulin degrading enzyme, adenylosuccinate synthase 2, and ectonucleotide triphosphate diphosphohydrolase 4 were highly expressed in B6J mice compared with those in B6N mice, and Nnt, WD repeat and FYVE domain containing 1, and dynein light chain Tctex-type 1 were less expressed in B6J mice compared with those in B6N mice in all seven tissues. Considering the extremely wide use of both substrains and their critical importance in generating transgenic and knock-out models, these findings guide future research across several interrelated fields.
Administration of oral dosage forms of medicines to children in a resource limited setting
Authors: Nadeshkumar Abarna , Sathiadas Gitanjali , Sri Ranganathan Shalini
Published: December 2022

Background

There are many paediatric specific challenges such as lack of age-appropriate dosage forms, inability of young children to swallow tablets and capsules and poor acceptability, during administration of oral dosage forms of medications to children. Parents adopt various methods which they consider best to circumvent this problem. The objective of this study was to describe the administration practice by parents when giving oral dosage forms of medications to children.

Methods

A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted to assess the administration practice of 1800 oral dosage forms of medications administered to children under the age of 12 years using validated indicators. A pre-tested interviewer-administered questionnaire given to parents or caregivers was used to collect the necessary data. The data were analysed using descriptive statistics.

Results

Data from 1800 oral dosage forms was obtained from 663 children. Of the 1287 solid dosage forms, almost one-third were manipulated by parents at the time of giving the medications to children. They were crushed and dissolved in water given to children. In about 17% of instances safety of water was questionable. In 92% of instances, measuring device was found to be inappropriate.

Conclusion

Administration of oral dosage forms of medications to children is far from ideal and hinders successful use of medications in children.
Effects of parental overweight and obesity on offspring’s mental health: A meta-analysis of observational studies
Authors: Zhang Shuyu , Lin Tingting , Zhang Yu , Liu Xinmei , Huang Hefeng
Published: December 2022

Background

Children of parents who were overweight/obese prior to pregnancy face a variety of neurodevelopmental challenges. The goal of this meta-analysis is to compile evidence about the impact of parental overweight/obesity on their children’s mental health.

Methods

The databases Cochrane Library, EMBASE, Pubmed, PsycINFO, and Web of Science were searched until May 2022. The pooled effect size was calculated using the fixed and random effect models. We also performed I2 index, subgroup analyses, sensitivity analyses, quality assessment, and publication bias analysis. The protocol was registered on the PROSPERO database (CRD42022334408).

Results

For maternal exposure (35 studies), both maternal overweight [OR 1.14 (95% CI 1.10,1.18)] and maternal obesity [OR 1.39 (95% CI (1.33, 1.45)] were significantly associated with offspring’s mental disorders. Maternal pre-pregnancy overweight/obesity increased the risk of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) [OR 1.55 (95% CI 1.42,1.70)], autism spectrum disorder (ASD) [OR 1.37 (95% CI 1.22,1.55)], cognitive/intellectual delay [OR 1.40 (95% CI 1.21,1.63)], behavioral problems [OR 1.50 (95% CI 1.35,1.66)] and other mental diseases [OR 1.30 (95% CI 1.23,1.37)]. For paternal exposure (6 studies), paternal obesity [OR 1.17 (95% CI 1.06, 1.30)] but not overweight [OR 1.03 (95% CI 0.95,1.11)] was significantly associated with offspring’s mental disorders.

Conclusions

Parental overweight/obesity might have negative consequences on offspring’s mental health and pre-pregnancy weight control is advised.
Psychopathic tendencies are selectively associated with reduced emotional awareness in the context of early adversity
Authors: Smith Ryan , Chuning Anne E. , Tidwell Colin A. , Allen John J. B. , Lane Richard D.
Published: December 2022

It is unclear at present whether psychopathic tendencies are associated with lower or higher levels of emotional awareness (EA). Given that psychopathy includes a proficiency for manipulating others, one might expect an elevated ability to identify and use information about others’ emotions. On the other hand, empathic deficits in psychopathy could arise from reduced emotional awareness. Further, heterogeneity in psychopathy may also play a role, wherein ‘secondary’ psychopathy is associated with early adversity and high negative affect, while ‘primary’ psychopathy is not. In this paper, we tested the relationship between EA and psychopathic tendencies in 177 undergraduate students (40 males) who completed the levels of emotional awareness scale (LEAS), the triarchic psychopathy measure (TPM), the affective (empathy-related) subscales of the interpersonal reactivity index (IRI), and two measures of early adversity: the childhood experiences of care and abuse questionnaire (CECA) and the childhood trauma questionnaire (CTQ). We found that lower LEAS scores were associated with higher TPM and lower IRI empathy scores, but these relationships were primarily present in those with early adversity and high negative affect. This suggests that lower EA may be selectively associated with higher levels of secondary psychopathy, while those with higher levels of primary psychopathy remain capable of higher EA.
Quantitative analysis of Weibel-Palade bodies
Authors: Liu Alice , Ng Christopher J.
Published: December 2022

Weibel Palade bodies (WPBs) are vesicles found in endothelial cells which carry the multimeric protein von Willebrand factor (VWF). As cellular confluency has been shown to influence the number of WPBs in endothelial cells, we propose to test two methods of attaining endothelial cell confluence to inform on the relevancy of cellular culture methods when analyzing endothelial WPBs. We test these cellular culture methods in two endothelial cell types, human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) and endothelial colony forming cells (ECFCs). One method maintains a constant incubation time of 96 hrs. while varying the seeding density. The second method maintains a constant seeding density of 30,000 cells/cm2 while varying incubation time. In comparing these two methods, we evaluate the nuclei count, total WPB count, and WPB/nuclei count for each. Our results show that there is a trend of increasing nuclei count, total WPB count, and WPB/nuclei count as incubation time and seeding density increases. However, there is no difference in WPB/nuclei quantification whether confluency is reached via a constant seeding density or a constant incubation time. In addition, we show that confluency plays a major role in WPB/nuclei generation as we demonstrate higher WPB/nuclei counts in confluent cultures compared to sub-confluent cultures.
Partner alcohol consumption and intimate partner violence against women in sexual unions in sub-Saharan Africa
Authors: Aboagye Richard Gyan , Ahinkorah Bright Opoku , Tengan Charles Lwanga , Salifu Iddrisu , Acheampong Henry Yaw , Seidu Abdul-Aziz
Published: December 2022

Introduction

Intimate partner violence is increasingly gaining attention as the leading form of violence against women globally, particularly sub-Saharan Africa. Given that substance abuse, especially alcohol consumption has long been associated with aggressive behaviour, emotional abuse, and sexual misconduct, it is surprising that studies on the potential association between partner’s alcohol consumption and intimate partner violence are scarce. The current study seeks to fill this gap in the literature by examining the association between partner’s alcohol consumption and intimate partner violence among women in sub-Saharan Africa.

Methods

Cross-sectional survey data of 89,229 women aged 15 to 49 in sexual unions from 21 sub-Saharan African countries were pooled from the Demographic and Health Surveys. Percentages with their corresponding confidence intervals (CIs) were used to present the results of the prevalence of partner’s alcohol consumption and intimate partner violence. Multivariable binary logistic regression analysis was used to examine the association between partner’s alcohol consumption and intimate partner violence. The regression analysis results were presented using adjusted odds ratio (aOR) with 95% CI. Statistical significance was set at p<0.05.

Results

The pooled prevalence of partner alcohol consumption was 36.3% [36.0–36.6]. The highest prevalence of partner alcohol consumption was found in Burundi (67.1%) with Mali (3.9%) recording the lowest prevalence. Similarly, the overall prevalence of physical violence, emotional violence, and sexual violence among the women were 19.7% [19.2–20.2], 25.0% [24.5–25.5], and 9.7% [9.3–10.1], respectively. In the pooled data, women whose partners consumed alcohol were more likely to experience physical violence [aOR = 2.37, 95% CI = 2.24–2.50], emotional violence [aOR = 1.96, 95% CI = 1.86–2.07], and sexual violence [aOR = 2.03, 95% CI = 1.89–2.18] compared to those whose partners did not consume alcohol. In all the 21 countries, women whose partners consumed alcohol had higher odds for physical and emotional violence. The odds of sexual violence was higher among women whose partners consumed alcohol compared to their counterparts whose partners did not in 20 countries, except Namibia.

Conclusions

We found that partner’s alcohol consumption increases women’s likelihood of experiencing physical, emotional, and sexual violence in sub-Saharan Africa. There is the need to implement behavioural change interventions targeted at male partners to reduce alcohol consumption. The findings call for the need to effectively create and organize support networks in addressing intimate partner violence among married and cohabiting women.
Close to open—Factors that hinder and promote open science in ecology research and education
Authors: Strømme Christian B. , Lane A. Kelly , Halbritter Aud H. , Law Elizabeth , Nater Chloe R. , Nilsen Erlend B. , Boutouli Grace D. , Egelkraut Dagmar D. , Telford Richard J. , Vandvik Vigdis , Cotner Sehoya H.
Published: December 2022

The Open Science (OS) movement is rapidly gaining traction among policy-makers, research funders, scientific journals and individual scientists. Despite these tendencies, the pace of implementing OS throughout the scientific process and across the scientific community remains slow. Thus, a better understanding of the conditions that affect OS engagement, and in particular, of how practitioners learn, use, conduct and share research openly can guide those seeking to implement OS more broadly. We surveyed participants at an OS workshop hosted by the Living Norway Ecological Data Network in 2020 to learn how they perceived OS and its importance in their research, supervision and teaching. Further, we wanted to know what OS practices they had encountered in their education and what they saw as hindering or helping their engagement with OS. The survey contained scaled-response and open-ended questions, allowing for a mixed-methods approach. We obtained survey responses from 60 out of 128 workshop participants (47%). Responses indicated that usage and sharing of open data and code, as well as open access publication, were the most frequent OS practices. Only a minority of respondents reported having encountered OS in their formal education. A majority also viewed OS as less important in their teaching than in their research and supervisory roles. The respondents’ suggestions for what would facilitate greater OS engagement in the future included knowledge, guidelines, and resources, but also social and structural support. These are aspects that could be strengthened by promoting explicit implementation of OS practices in higher education and by nurturing a more inclusive and equitable OS culture. We argue that incorporating OS in teaching and learning of science can yield substantial benefits to the research community, student learning, and ultimately, to the wider societal objectives of science and higher education.