bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Neuroimaging features in a patient with non-ketotic hyperglycaemic seizures: A case report
Authors: Wu Jing , Feng Huijie , Zhao Yaxiong , Li Junfeng , Li Ting , Li Kefeng
Published: January 2024

BACKGROUND

Non-ketotic hyperglycaemic (NKH) seizures are a rare neurological complication of diabetes caused by hyperglycaemia in non-ketotic and non-hyperosmotic states. The clinical characteristics of NKH seizures are atypical and lack unified diagnostic criteria, leading to potential misdiagnoses in the early stages of the disease.

CASE SUMMARY

This report presents a rare case of NKH seizures in a 52-year-old male patient with a history of type 2 diabetes mellitus. We performed comprehensive magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies at admission, 12 d post-admission, and 20 d post-discharge. The imaging techniques included contrast-enhanced head MRI, T2-weighted imaging (T2WI), fluid-attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR), diffusion-weighted imaging, susceptibility-weighted imaging, magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS), and magnetic resonance venography. At the time of admission, T2WI and FLAIR of the cranial MRI showed that the left parieto-occipital cortex had gyrus-like swelling and high signal, and subcortical stripes had low signal. MRS showed a reduced N-acetylaspartate peak and increased creatine and choline peaks in the affected areas. A follow-up MRI 20 d later showed that the swelling and high signal of the left parieto-occipital cortex had disappeared, and the low signal of the subcortex had disappeared.

CONCLUSION

This case study provides valuable insights into the potential pathogenesis, diagnosis, and treatment of NKH seizures. The comprehensive MRI findings highlight the potential utility of various MRI sequences in diagnosing and characterizing NKH seizures.
Strengthening pharmacotherapy research for COVID-19-induced pulmonary fibrosis
Authors: Liu Yan-Miao , Zhang Jing , Wu Jing-Jing , Guo Wei-Wei , Tang Fu-Shan
Published: January 2024

The global spread of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 has resulted in a significant number of individuals developing pulmonary fibrosis (PF), an irreversible lung injury. This condition can manifest within a short interval following the onset of pneumonia symptoms, sometimes even within a few days. While lung transplantation is a potentially lifesaving procedure, its limited availability, high costs, intricate surgeries, and risk of immunological rejection present significant drawbacks. The optimal timing of medication administration for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)-induced PF remains controversial. Despite this, it is crucial to explore pharmacotherapy interventions, involving early and preventative treatment as well as pharmacotherapy options for advanced-stage PF. Additionally, studies have demonstrated disparities in anti-fibrotic treatment based on race and gender factors. Genetic mutations may also impact therapeutic efficacy. Enhancing research efforts on pharmacotherapy interventions, while considering relevant pharmacological factors and optimizing the timing and dosage of medication administration, will lead to enhanced, personalized, and fair treatment for individuals impacted by COVID-19-related PF. These measures are crucial in lessening the burden of the disease on healthcare systems and improving patients' quality of life.
Removal of intrahepatic bile duct stone could reduce the risk of cholangiocarcinoma: A single-center retrospective study in South Korea
Authors: Kim Tae In , Han Sung Yong , Lee Jonghyun , Kim Dong Uk
Published: January 2024

BACKGROUND

Intrahepatic duct (IHD) stones are among the most important risk factors for cholangiocarcinoma (CCC). Approximately 10% of patients with IHD stones develop CCC; however, there are limited studies regarding the effect of IHD stone removal on CCC development.

AIM

To investigate the association between IHD stone removal and CCC development.

METHODS

We retrospectively analyzed 397 patients with IHD stones at a tertiary referral center between January 2011 and December 2020.

RESULTS

CCC occurred in 36 of the 397 enrolled patients. In univariate analysis, chronic hepatitis B infection (11.1% vs 3.0%, P = 0.03), carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA19-9, 176.00 vs 11.96 II/mL, P = 0.010), stone located in left or both lobes (86.1% vs 70.1%, P = 0.042), focal atrophy (52.8% vs 26.9%, P = 0.001), duct stricture (47.2% vs 24.9%, P = 0.004), and removal status of IHD stone (33.3% vs 63.2%, P < 0.001) were significantly different between IHD stone patients with and without CCC. In the multivariate analysis, CA19-9 > upper normal limit, carcinoembryonic antigen > upper normal limit, stones located in the left or both lobes, focal atrophy, and complete removal of IHD stones without recurrence were independent factors influencing CCC development. However, the type of removal method was not associated with CCC risk.

CONCLUSION

Complete removal of IHD stones without recurrence could reduce CCC risk.
Left ventricular thrombosis caused cerebral embolism during venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation support: A case report
Authors: Bai Yao-Bang , Zhao Feng , Wu Zhen-Hua , Shi Guo-Ning , Jiang Nan
Published: January 2024

BACKGROUND

Venoarterial (VA) extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO), an effective short-term circulatory support method for refractory cardiogenic shock, is widely applied. However, retrospective analyses have shown that VA-ECMO-assisted cases were associated with a relatively high mortality rate of approximately 60%. Embolization in important organs caused by complications of left ventricular thrombosis (LVT) during VA-ECMO is also an important reason. Although the incidence of LVT during VA-ECMO is not high, the consequences of embolization are disastrous.

CASE SUMMARY

A 37-year-old female patient was admitted to hospital because of fever for 4 d and palpitations for 3 d. After excluding the diagnosis of coronary heart disease, we established a diagnosis of “clinically explosive myocarditis”. The patient still had unstable hemodynamics after drug treatment supported by VA-ECMO, with heparin for anticoagulation. On day 4 of ECMO support, a left ventricular thrombus attached to the papillary muscle root of the mitral valve was found by transthoracic echocardiography. Left ventricular decompression was performed and ECMO was successfully removed, but the patient eventually died of multiple cerebral embolism.

CONCLUSION

LVT with high mobility during VA-ECMO may cause embolism in important organs. Therefore, a "wait and see" strategy should be avoided.
Data-driven decision-making framework for optical fronthaul slice resizing in 6G networks
Authors: Seixas Nilton F. S. , Rahman Sabidur , Figueiredo Gustavo B.
Published: January 2024

The third-generation partnership introduced three main types of slices: enhanced mobile broadband, massive machine-type communication, and ultrareliable low-latency communication. To accommodate these services, the next generation of mobile networks will require architecture with distinct requirements and network slices. To implement these services on an optical fronthaul, the slices will be hosted using lightpaths. Such lightpaths will have to accommodate latency and bandwidth constraints to keep radio units (RUs) and baseband units (BBUs) synchronized. However, the traffic in a slice may vary, and the resources allocated to a long-established lightpath could be out of date, leading to waste or lack of resources. For example, a lack of bandwidth can cause desynchronization between BBUs and RUs. Therefore, the slice must be resized regularly to meet the variable demands. This work proposes a data-driven decision-making (DDDM) framework to resize the fronthaul slices while mitigating the consequences of a lack of bandwidth. The framework uses long short-term memory to implement its analytical stage and integer linear programming (ILP) to reconfigure the entire network when it is required. The results show that the DDDM-based framework outperforms the state-of-the-art ILP-based heuristic by up to 15% in terms of radio blocking mitigation.
Convex optimization-based high-speed and security joint optimization scheme in optical access networks
Authors: Hu Anqi , Gan Lu , Guo Lei , Yan Hao , Hu Junfan
Published: January 2024

Data rate and security are essential performance metrics for passive optical networks (PON). However, existing optical access networks lack standardized metrics to evaluate rate and security performance uniformly. This paper introduces a high-speed and security joint optimization scheme for optical access networks using convex optimization. Evaluation metrics for data rate and security performance in PON are established. According to the evaluation metrics, the security optimization objective function U
s
, high-speed optimization objective function GMI, and high-speed security joint-optimization objective function H
s
are established. An optimization problem is formulated to maximize weighted rate and security indicators, factoring in constraints such as maximum power, probability, amplifier capacity, normalized mutual information, and key and frame lengths. An alternating optimization method is applied to iteratively address sub-problems by exploiting successive convex approximations and differences of convex functions. This transforms non-convex sub-problems into convex optimizations. Experimental results highlight notable improvements in objective function values, confirming the effectiveness of the proposed high-speed security optimization algorithm for optical access networks.
Metaoptics for aberration correction in microendoscopy
Authors: Thomas Susan , George Jerin Geogy , Ferranti Francesco , Bhattacharya Shanti
Published: January 2024

Compact and minimally invasive scanning fiber endoscopy probes with micron-level resolution have great potential in detailed tissue interrogation and early disease diagnosis, which are key applications of confocal reflectance imaging at visible wavelengths. State-of-the-art imaging probes commonly employ refractive lens triplets or gradient refractive index (GRIN) lenses as the micro-objective. However, off-axis aberration emerges as a critical factor affecting resolution, especially at the extremities of the imaging field. In response to this challenge, we propose what we believe to be a novel design integrating a metasurface with the GRIN micro-objective to address optical aberrations during beam scan. The metasurface acts as a corrector element for optical aberrations in a fiber-scanning endoscope using the same fiber for excitation and collection. Modeling such hybrid refractive-metasurface designs requires the coupling of simulation techniques across macroscale and nanoscale optics, for which we used an Ansys simulation workflow platform. Operating at a wavelength of 644 nm, this metaoptical element serves as a thin and compact aberration correction surface, ensuring uniform resolution across the entire imaging field. Experimental results from our scanning fiber endoscopy system demonstrate a notable enhancement in optical performance both on-axis and off-axis, achieving a resolution of 3 µm at the center of the imaging field. Impressively, the resolution experiences only a modest degradation by a factor of 0.13 at the edge of the field of view compared to the center.
Continuous cold rubidium atomic beam with enhanced flux and tunable velocity
Authors: Wang Shengzhe , Meng Zhixin , Yan Peiqiang , Liu Yuanxing , Feng Yanying
Published: January 2024

We present a cold atomic beam source based on a two-dimensional (2D)+ magneto-optical trap (MOT), capable of generating a continuous cold beam of 87Rb atoms with a flux up to 4.3 × 109 s-1, a mean velocity of 10.96(2.20) m/s, and a transverse temperature of 16.90(1.56) µK. Investigating the influence of high cooling laser intensity, we observe a significant population loss of atoms to hyperfine-level dark states. To account for this, we employ a multiple hyperfine level model to calculate the cooling efficiency associated with the population in dark states, subsequently modifying the scattering force. Simulations of beam flux at different cooling and repumping laser intensities using the modified scattering force are in agreement with experimental results. Optimizing repumping and cooling intensities enhances the flux by 50%. The influence of phase modulation on both the pushing and cooling lasers is experimentally studied, revealing that the mean velocity of cold atoms can be tuned from 9.5 m/s to 14.6 m/s with a phase-modulated pushing laser. The versatility of this continuous beam source, featuring high flux, controlled velocity, and narrow transverse temperature, renders it valuable for applications in atom interferometers and clocks, ultimately enhancing bandwidth, sensitivity, and signal contrast in these devices.
Dual-wavelength Fourier ptychographic microscopy for topographic measurement
Authors: Hao Qun , Lin Chao , Hu Yao , Yu Qian , Lv Jiahang , Zheng Chuanjian , Zhang Shaohui , Xu Chuheng , Song Ci
Published: January 2024

Topographic measurements of micro- or nanostructures are essential in cutting-edge scientific disciplines such as optical communications, metrology, and structural biology. Despite the advances in surface metrology, measuring micron-scale steps with wide field of view (FOV) and high-resolution remains difficult. This study demonstrates a dual-wavelength Fourier ptychographic microscopy for high-resolution topographic measurement across a wide FOV using an aperture scanning structure. This structure enables the capture of a three-dimensional (3D) sample's scattered field with two different wavelength lasers, thus allowing the axial measurement range growing from nano- to micro-scale with enhanced lateral resolution. To suppress the unavoidable noises and artifacts caused by temporal coherence, system vibration, etc., a total variation (TV) regularization algorithm is introduced for phase retrieval. A blazed grating with micron-scale steps is used as the sample to validate the performance of our method. The agreement between the high-resolution reconstructed topography with our method and that with atomic force microscopy verified the effectiveness. Meanwhile, numerical simulations suggest that the method has the potential to characterize samples with high aspect-ratio steps.
High-contrast handheld FFOCT system for tissue imaging
Authors: Tang Yifeng , Gao Wanrong
Published: January 2024

A low contrast is a limiting factor for imaging a microstructure beneath the biological sample surface. In this work, we describe a novel, to our knowledge, full-field optical coherence tomography (FFOCT) system with a probe connected by a fiber bundle and a multimode optical fiber. The device is based on the tandem structure of the Michelson interferometer and the Fizeau interferometer. One advantage of our device is that light propagates through the fiber bundle only once, greatly improving detection sensitivity. In addition, by spatial filtering in the Fourier domain and inverse filtering, the effects of pixelation artifacts and multiple scattering in the en face images obtained by our system are suppressed. The depth-resolved en face images of the human finger skin ex vivo and the porcine esophagus ex vivo are presented to demonstrate the capability of our system.
Multilayer dielectric reflector using low-index nanolattices
Authors: Chen I-te , Premnath Vijay Anirudh , Chang Chih-Hao
Published: January 2024

Dielectric mirrors based on Bragg reflection and photonic crystals have broad application in controlling light reflection with low optical losses. One key parameter in the design of these optical multilayers is the refractive index contrast, which controls the reflector performance. This work reports the demonstration of a high-reflectivity multilayer photonic reflector that consists of alternating layers of TiO2 films and nanolattices with low refractive index. The use of nanolattices enables high-index contrast between the high- and low-index layers, allowing high reflectivity with fewer layers. The broadband reflectance of the nanolattice reflectors with one to three layers has been characterized with peak reflectance of 91.9% at 527 nm and agrees well with theoretical optical models. The high-index contrast induced by the nanolattice layer enables a normalize reflectance band of Δλ/λo of 43.6%, the broadest demonstrated to date. The proposed nanolattice reflectors can find applications in nanophotonics, radiative cooling, and thermal insulation.
GABAergic regulation of striatal spiny projection neurons depends upon their activity state
Authors: Day Michelle , Belal Marziyeh , Surmeier William C. , Melendez Alexandria , Wokosin David , Tkatch Tatiana , Clarke Vernon R. J. , Surmeier D. James
Published: January 2024

Synaptic transmission mediated by GABAA receptors (GABAARs) in adult, principal striatal spiny projection neurons (SPNs) can suppress ongoing spiking, but its effect on synaptic integration at subthreshold membrane potentials is less well characterized, particularly those near the resting down-state. To fill this gap, a combination of molecular, optogenetic, optical, and electrophysiological approaches were used to study SPNs in mouse ex vivo brain slices, and computational tools were used to model somatodendritic synaptic integration. In perforated patch recordings, activation of GABAARs, either by uncaging of GABA or by optogenetic stimulation of GABAergic synapses, evoked currents with a reversal potential near −60 mV in both juvenile and adult SPNs. Transcriptomic analysis and pharmacological work suggested that this relatively positive GABAAR reversal potential was not attributable to NKCC1 expression, but rather to HCO3- permeability. Regardless, from down-state potentials, optogenetic activation of dendritic GABAergic synapses depolarized SPNs. This GABAAR-mediated depolarization summed with trailing ionotropic glutamate receptor (iGluR) stimulation, promoting dendritic spikes and increasing somatic depolarization. Simulations revealed that a diffuse dendritic GABAergic input to SPNs effectively enhanced the response to dendritic iGluR signaling and promoted dendritic spikes. Taken together, our results demonstrate that GABAARs can work in concert with iGluRs to excite adult SPNs when they are in the resting down-state, suggesting that their inhibitory role is limited to brief periods near spike threshold. This state-dependence calls for a reformulation for the role of intrastriatal GABAergic circuits.
A connection between the ribosome and two S. pombe tRNA modification mutants subject to rapid tRNA decay
Authors: De Zoysa Thareendra , Hauke Alayna C. , Iyer Nivedita R. , Marcus Erin , Ostrowski Sarah M. , Stegemann Franziska , Ermolenko Dmitri N. , Fay Justin C. , Phizicky Eric M.
Published: January 2024

tRNA modifications are crucial in all organisms to ensure tRNA folding and stability, and accurate translation. In both the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae and the evolutionarily distant yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe, mutants lacking certain tRNA body modifications (outside the anticodon loop) are temperature sensitive due to rapid tRNA decay (RTD) of a subset of hypomodified tRNAs. Here we show that for each of two S. pombe mutants subject to RTD, mutations in ribosomal protein genes suppress the temperature sensitivity without altering tRNA levels. Prior work showed that S. pombe trm8Δ mutants, lacking 7-methylguanosine, were temperature sensitive due to RTD, and that one class of suppressors had mutations in the general amino acid control (GAAC) pathway, which was activated concomitant with RTD, resulting in further tRNA loss. We now find that another class of S. pombe trm8Δ suppressors have mutations in rpl genes, encoding 60S subunit proteins, and that suppression occurs with minimal restoration of tRNA levels and reduced GAAC activation. Furthermore, trm8Δ suppression extends to other mutations in the large or small ribosomal subunit. We also find that S. pombe tan1Δ mutants, lacking 4-acetylcytidine, are temperature sensitive due to RTD, that one class of suppressors have rpl mutations, associated with minimal restoration of tRNA levels, and that suppression extends to other rpl and rps mutations. However, although S. pombe tan1Δ temperature sensitivity is associated with some GAAC activation, suppression by an rpl mutation only modestly inhibits GAAC activation. We propose a model in which ribosomal protein mutations result in reduced ribosome concentrations, leading to both reduced ribosome collisions and a reduced requirement for tRNA, with these effects having different relative importance in trm8Δ and tan1Δ mutants. This model is consistent with our results in S. cerevisiae trm8Δ trm4Δ mutants, known to undergo RTD, fueling speculation that this model applies across eukaryotes.
Increasing transmission of dengue virus across ecologically diverse regions of Ecuador and associated risk factors
Authors: Katzelnick Leah C. , Quentin Emmanuelle , Colston Savannah , Ha Thien-An , Andrade Paulina , Eisenberg Joseph N. S. , Ponce Patricio , Coloma Josefina , Cevallos Varsovia
Published: January 2024

The distribution and intensity of viral diseases transmitted by Aedes aegypti mosquitoes, including dengue, have rapidly increased over the last century. Here, we study dengue virus (DENV) transmission across the ecologically and demographically distinct regions or Ecuador. We analyzed province-level age-stratified dengue incidence data from 2000–2019 using catalytic models to estimate the force of infection of DENV over eight decades. We found that provinces established endemic DENV transmission at different time periods. Coastal provinces with the largest and most connected cities had the earliest and highest increase in DENV transmission, starting around 1980 and continuing to the present. In contrast, remote and rural areas with reduced access, like the northern coast and the Amazon regions, experienced a rise in DENV transmission and endemicity only in the last 10 to 20 years. The newly introduced chikungunya and Zika viruses have age-specific distributions of hospital-seeking cases consistent with recent emergence across all provinces. To evaluate factors associated with geographic differences in DENV transmission potential, we modeled DENV vector risk using 11,693 Aedes aegypti presence points to the resolution of 1 hectare. In total, 56% of the population of Ecuador, including in provinces identified as having increasing DENV transmission in our models, live in areas with high risk of Aedes aegypti, with population size, trash collection, elevation, and access to water as important determinants. Our investigation serves as a case study of the changes driving the expansion of DENV and other arboviruses globally and suggest that control efforts should be expanded to semi-urban and rural areas and to historically isolated regions to counteract increasing dengue outbreaks.
Comparative genomics of Japanese encephalitis virus shows low rates of recombination and a small subset of codon positions under episodic diversifying selection
Authors: Sistrom Mark , Andrews Hannah , Edwards Danielle L.
Published: January 2024

Orthoflavivirus japonicum (JEV) is the dominant cause of viral encephalitis in the Asian region with 100,000 cases and 25,000 deaths reported annually. The genome is comprised of a single polyprotein that encodes three structural and seven non-structural proteins. We collated a dataset of 349 complete genomes from a number of public databases, and analysed the data for recombination, evolutionary selection and phylogenetic structure. There are low rates of recombination in JEV, subsequently recombination is not a major evolutionary force shaping JEV. We found a strong overall signal of purifying selection in the genome, which is the main force affecting the evolutionary dynamics in JEV. There are also a small number of genomic sites under episodic diversifying selection, especially in the envelope protein and non-structural proteins 3 and 5. Overall, these results support previous analyses of JEV evolutionary genomics and provide additional insight into the evolutionary processes shaping the distribution and adaptation of this important pathogenic arbovirus.
The effectiveness of acellular nerve allografts compared to autografts in animal models: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Broeren Berend O. , Hundepool Caroline A. , Kumas Ali H. , Duraku Liron S. , Walbeehm Erik T. , Hooijmans Carlijn R. , Power Dominic M. , Zuidam J. Michiel , De Jong Tim
Published: January 2024

Background

Treatment of nerve injuries proves to be a worldwide clinical challenge. Acellular nerve allografts are suggested to be a promising alternative for bridging a nerve gap to the current gold standard, an autologous nerve graft.

Objective

To systematically review the efficacy of the acellular nerve allograft, its difference from the gold standard (the nerve autograft) and to discuss its possible indications.

Material and methods

PubMed, Embase and Web of Science were systematically searched until the 4th of January 2022. Original peer reviewed paper that presented 1) distinctive data; 2) a clear comparison between not immunologically processed acellular allografts and autologous nerve transfers; 3) was performed in laboratory animals of all species and sex. Meta analyses and subgroup analyses (for graft length and species) were conducted for muscle weight, sciatic function index, ankle angle, nerve conduction velocity, axon count diameter, tetanic contraction and amplitude using a Random effects model. Subgroup analyses were conducted on graft length and species.

Results

Fifty articles were included in this review and all were included in the meta-analyses. An acellular allograft resulted in a significantly lower muscle weight, sciatic function index, ankle angle, nerve conduction velocity, axon count and smaller diameter, tetanic contraction compared to an autologous nerve graft. No difference was found in amplitude between acellular allografts and autologous nerve transfers. Post hoc subgroup analyses of graft length showed a significant reduced muscle weight in long grafts versus small and medium length grafts. All included studies showed a large variance in methodological design.

Conclusion

Our review shows that the included studies, investigating the use of acellular allografts, showed a large variance in methodological design and are as a consequence difficult to compare. Nevertheless, our results indicate that treating a nerve gap with an allograft results in an inferior nerve recovery compared to an autograft in seven out of eight outcomes assessed in experimental animals. In addition, based on our preliminary post hoc subgroup analyses we suggest that when an allograft is being used an allograft in short and medium (0-1cm, > 1-2cm) nerve gaps is preferred over an allograft in long (> 2cm) nerve gaps.
Thinking inside the box: Restoring the propolis envelope facilitates honey bee social immunity
Authors: Shanahan Maggie , Simone-Finstrom Michael , Tokarz Philip , Rinkevich Frank , Read Quentin D. , Spivak Marla
Published: January 2024

When wild honey bee colonies (Apis mellifera) nest in hollow tree cavities, they coat the rough cavity walls with a continuous layer of propolis, a substance comprised primarily of plant resins. Studies have shown that the resulting “propolis envelope” leads to both individual- and colony-level health benefits. Unfortunately, the smooth wooden boxes most commonly used in beekeeping do little to stimulate propolis collection. As a result, most managed bees live in hives that are propolis-poor. In this study, we assessed different surface texture treatments (rough wood boxes, boxes outfitted with propolis traps, and standard, smooth wood boxes) in terms of their ability to stimulate propolis collection, and we examined the effect of propolis on colony health, pathogen loads, immune gene expression, bacterial gene expression, survivorship, and honey production in both stationary and migratory beekeeping contexts. We found that rough wood boxes are the most effective box type for stimulating propolis deposition. Although the use of rough wood boxes did not improve colony survivorship overall, Melissococcus plutonius detections via gene expression were significantly lower in rough wood boxes, and viral loads for multiple viruses tended to decrease as propolis deposition increased. By the end of year one, honey bee populations in migratory rough box colonies were also significantly larger than those in migratory control colonies. The use of rough wood boxes did correspond with decreased honey production in year one migratory colonies but had no effect during year two. Finally, in both stationary and migratory operations, propolis deposition was correlated with a seasonal decrease and/or stabilization in the expression of multiple immune and bacterial genes, suggesting that propolis-rich environments contribute to hive homeostasis. These findings provide support for the practical implementation of rough box hives as a means to enhance propolis collection and colony health in multiple beekeeping contexts.
Soil fertility mapping of a cultivated area in Resunga Municipality, Gulmi, Nepal
Authors: Ghimire Prabin , Shrestha Santosh , Acharya Ashok , Wagle Aayushma , Acharya Tri Dev
Published: January 2024

Soil fertility maps are crucial for sustainable soil and land use management system for predicting soil health status. However, many regions of Nepal lack updated or reliable soil fertility maps. This study aimed to develop the soil fertility map of agricultural areas in Resunga Municipality, Gulmi district of Nepal using the geographical information system (GIS) technique. A total of 57 composite geo-referenced soil samples from the depth (0–20 cm) were taken from the agricultural land of an area of 52 km2. Soil samples were analyzed for their texture, pH, organic matter, total nitrogen, available phosphorous, available potassium, available boron, and available zinc. These parameters were modelled to develop a soil quality index (SQI). Using the kriging tool, obtained parameters were interpolated and digital maps were produced along with soil quality and nutrient indices. The result showed that the study area lies within the fair (0.4 to 0.6) and good (0.6 to 0.8) range of SQI representing 96% and 3% respectively. Soil organic matter and nitrogen showed moderate variability exhibiting a low status in 95% and 86% of the total study area. Phosphorous and potassium showed medium status in 88% and 75% of the study area, respectively. Zinc was low and boron status was medium in most of the area. To maintain soil fertility is by improving the rate of exogenous application of fertilizers and manures. The application of micronutrients like boron and zinc is highly recommended in the study area along with organic manures. The soil fertility map can be used as a baseline for soil and land use management in Resunga Municipality. We recommend further studies to validate the map and assess the factors affecting soil fertility in this region. Soil fertility maps provide researchers, farmers, students, and land use planners with easier decision-making tools for sustainable crop production systems and land use management systems.
Science abhors a surveillance vacuum: Detection of ticks and tick-borne pathogens in southern New Mexico through passive surveillance
Authors: Harman Paige R. , Mendell Nicole L. , Harman Maysee M. , Draney Puck A. , Boyle Anna T. , Gompper Matthew E. , Orr Teri J. , Bouyer Donald H. , Teel Pete D. , Hanley Kathryn A.
Published: January 2024

Robust tick surveillance enhances diagnosis and prevention of tick-borne pathogens, yet surveillance efforts in the United States are highly uneven, resulting in large surveillance vacuums, one of which spans the state of New Mexico. As part of a larger effort to fill this vacuum, we conducted both active and passive tick sampling in New Mexico, focusing on the southern portion of the state. We conducted active tick sampling using dragging and CO₂ trapping at 45 sites across Hidalgo, Doña Ana, Otero, and Eddy counties between June 2021 to May 2022. Sampling occurred intermittently, with at least one sampling event each month from June to October 2021, pausing in winter and resuming in March through May 2022. We also conducted opportunistic, passive tick sampling in 2021 and 2022 from animals harvested by hunters or captured or collected by researchers and animals housed in animal hospitals, shelters, and farms. All pools of ticks were screened for Rickettsia rickettsii, Rickettsia parkeri, Rickettsia amblyommatis, Ehrlichia ewingii, and Ehrlichia chaffeensis. Active sampling yielded no ticks. Passive sampling yielded 497 ticks comprising Carios kelleyi from pallid bats, Rhipicephalus sanguineus from dogs, mule deer, and Rocky Mountain elk, Otobius megnini from dogs, cats, horses, and Coues deer, Dermacentor parumapertus from dogs and black-tailed jackrabbits, Dermacentor albipictus from domesticated cats, mule deer and Rocky Mountain elk, and Dermacentor spp. from American black bear, Rocky Mountain elk, and mule deer. One pool of D. parumapterus from a black-tailed jackrabbit in Luna County tested positive for R. parkeri, an agent of spotted fever rickettsiosis. Additionally, a spotted fever group Rickettsia was detected in 6 of 7 C. kelleyi pools. Two ticks showed morphological abnormalities; however, these samples did not test positive for any of the target pathogens, and the cause of the abnormalities is unknown. Passive surveillance yielded five identified species of ticks from three domestic and six wild mammal species. Our findings update tick distributions and inform the public, medical, and veterinary communities of the potential tick-borne pathogens present in southern New Mexico.
Plant choice between arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal species results in increased plant P acquisition
Authors: Weber Sören Eliot , Bascompte Jordi , Kahmen Ansgar , Niklaus Pascal A.
Published: January 2024

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) are plant root symbionts that provide phosphorus (P) to plants in exchange for photosynthetically fixed carbon (C). Previous research has shown that plants—given a choice among AMF species—may preferentially allocate C to AMF species that provide more P. However, these investigations rested on a limited set of plant and AMF species, and it therefore remains unclear how general this phenomenon is. Here, we combined 4 plant and 6 AMF species in 24 distinct plant-AMF species compositions in split-root microcosms, manipulating the species identity of AMF in either side of the root system. Using 14C and 32P/33P radioisotope tracers, we tracked the transfer of C and P between plants and AMF, respectively. We found that when plants had a choice of AMF species, AMF species which transferred more P acquired more C. Evidence for preferential C allocation to more beneficial AMF species within individual plant roots was equivocal. However, AMF species which transferred more P to plants did so at lower C-to-P ratios, highlighting the importance both of absolute and relative costs of P acquisition from AMF. When plants had a choice of AMF species, their shoots contained a larger total amount of P at higher concentrations. Our results thus highlight the benefits of plant C choice among AMF for plant P acquisition.
Evidence on COVID-19 Mortality and Disparities Using a Novel Measure, COVID excess mortality percentage: Evidence from Indiana, Wisconsin, and Illinois
Authors: Atanasov Vladimir , Barreto Natalia , Franchi Lorenzo , Whittle Jeff , Meurer John , Weston Benjamin W. , Luo Qian (Eric) , Yuan Andy Ye , Zhang Ruohao , Black Bernard
Published: January 2024

COVID-19 mortality rates increase rapidly with age, are higher among men than women, and vary across racial/ethnic groups, but this is also true for other natural causes of death. Prior research on COVID-19 mortality rates and racial/ethnic disparities in those rates has not considered to what extent disparities reflect COVID-19-specific factors, versus preexisting health differences. This study examines both questions. We study the COVID-19-related increase in mortality risk and racial/ethnic disparities in COVID-19 mortality, and how both vary with age, gender, and time period. We use a novel measure validated in prior work, the COVID Excess Mortality Percentage (CEMP), defined as the COVID-19 mortality rate (Covid-MR), divided by the non-COVID natural mortality rate during the same time period (non-Covid NMR), converted to a percentage. The CEMP denominator uses Non-COVID NMR to adjust COVID-19 mortality risk for underlying population health. The CEMP measure generates insights which differ from those using two common measures–the COVID-MR and the all-cause excess mortality rate. By studying both CEMP and COVID-MRMR, we can separate the effects of background health from Covid-specific factors affecting COVID-19 mortality. We study how CEMP and COVID-MR vary by age, gender, race/ethnicity, and time period, using data on all adult decedents from natural causes in Indiana and Wisconsin over April 2020-June 2022 and Illinois over April 2020-December 2021. CEMP levels for racial and ethnic minority groups can be very high relative to White levels, especially for Hispanics in 2020 and the first-half of 2021. For example, during 2020, CEMP for Hispanics aged 18–59 was 68.9% versus 7.2% for non-Hispanic Whites; a ratio of 9.57:1. CEMP disparities are substantial but less extreme for other demographic groups. Disparities were generally lower after age 60 and declined over our sample period. Differences in socio-economic status and education explain only a small part of these disparities.
A low-tech, low-cost method to capture point-source ammonia emissions and their potential use as a nitrogen fertiliser
Authors: Cowan Nicholas , Ashwood Daniel , Drewer Julia , Toteva Galina , Heal Mathew R.
Published: January 2024

Rising global energy prices have led to increased costs of nitrogen (N) fertilisers for farmers, but N pollution (losses) from agricultural activities can account for over 50% of the nitrogen applied. This study assesses the feasibility of a low-cost and low-tech method of NH3 emission capture from an agricultural point source (chicken manure) using a water column bubbling technique, and its application as a fertiliser to several plant types. Solutions of i) nitric acid (HNO3), ii) calcium nitrate (Ca(NO3)2), iii) a mixture of Ca(NO3)2 and HNO3 and iv) deionised H2O were used to scrub NH3 from air pumped from a storage container containing chicken manure. We conclude that NH3 can be captured from manure using low-tech methods, and that solutions of common fertiliser compounds such as ammonium nitrate and calcium ammonium nitrate can be replicated by binding captured NH3 to solutions of nitrate. Our results suggest that dissolved calcium nitrate is just as effective at scrubbing NH3 from the atmosphere as nitric acid at low concentrations, but could do so at a near neutral pH. For use on common silage grass for livestock feed, all of the captured ammonium solutions significantly increased yields, including the ammonium only solution. However, the aquatic plants (Taxiphyllum Barbieri and Salvinia auriculata) did not respond favourably to a high ratio of NH4+ in solution, and in the case of Salvinia auriculata, the plant was significantly damaged by the ammonium only solution. In conclusion, we highlight that the capture and utilisation of NH3 emissions from point sources is possible using very basic apparatus and that if used correctly, this captured nitrogen can be stored and applied to crops in a variety of forms which could reduce reliance and cost of mineral fertiliser use.
Findaureus: An open-source application for locating Staphylococcus aureus in fluorescence-labelled infected bone tissue slices
Authors: Mandal Shibarjun , Tannert Astrid , Löffler Bettina , Neugebauer Ute , Silva Luís Bastião
Published: January 2024

Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) is a facultative pathogenic bacterium that can cause infections in various tissue types in humans. Fluorescence imaging techniques have been employed to visualize the bacteria in ex-vivo samples mostly in research, aiding in the understanding of the etiology of the pathogen. However, the multispectral images generated from fluorescence microscopes are complex, making it difficult to locate bacteria across image files, especially in consecutive planes with different imaging depths. To address this issue, we present Findaureus, an open-source application specifically designed to locate and extract critical information about bacteria, especially S. aureus. Due to the limited availability of datasets, we tested the application on a dataset comprising fluorescence-labelled infected mouse bone tissue images, achieving an accuracy of 95%. We compared Findaureus with other state-of-the-art image analysis tools and found that it performed better, given its specificity toward bacteria localization. The proposed approach has the potential to aid in medical research of bone infections and can be extended to other tissue and bacteria types in the future.
The impact of vegetative and solid roadway barriers on particulate matter concentration in urban settings
Authors: Greenwald Roby , Sarnat Jeremy A. , Fuller Christina H.
Published: January 2024

A potentially important approach for reducing exposure to traffic-related air pollution (TRAP) is the use of roadside barriers to reduce dispersion from highway sources to adjacent populated areas. The Trees Reducing Environmental Exposures (TREE) study investigated the effect of vegetative and solid barriers along major controlled-access highways in Atlanta, Georgia, USA by simultaneously sampling TRAP concentration at roadside locations in front of barriers and at comparison locations down-range. We measured black carbon (BC) mass concentration, particle number concentration (PNC), and the size distribution of ultrafine aerosols. Our sample sites encompassed the range of roadway barrier options in the Atlanta area: simple chain-link fences, solid barriers, and vegetative barriers. We used Generalized Linear Mixed Models (GLMMs) to estimate the effect of barrier type on the ratio of particle concentrations at the comparison site relative to the roadside site while controlling for covariates including wind direction, temperature, relative humidity, traffic volume, and distance to the roadway. Vegetative barriers exhibited the greatest TRAP reduction in terms of BC mass concentration (37% lower behind a vegetative barrier) as well as PNC (6.7% lower), and sensitivity analysis was consistent with this effect being more pronounced when the barrier was downwind of the highway. The ultrafine size distribution was comprised of modestly smaller particles on the highway side of the barrier. Non-highway particle sources were present at all sample sites, most commonly motor vehicle emissions from nearby arterials or secondary streets, which may have obscured the effect of roadside barriers.
Distress, multimorbidity, and complex multimorbidity among Chinese and Korean American older adults
Authors: Oh Hannah , Morey Brittany N. , Shi Yuxi , Lee Sunmin
Published: January 2024

Background

Studies suggest that distress is associated with various health conditions such as hypertension, asthma, diabetes, and coronary heart disease. However, only few studies focused on Asian Americans and little is known about the association with multiple comorbidity.

Methods

We conducted a cross-sectional analysis among 400 Chinese and Korean American participants (aged 50–75 years) of the STOP CRC randomized controlled trial. Perceived distress was assessed using the distress thermometer scale (range 0–10). Disease diagnosis was self-reported by the participants. Multimorbidity (MM) was defined as having ≥2 chronic conditions. Complex multimorbidity (CMM) was defined as having ≥3 of the following body system disorders: circulation disorder, endocrine-metabolic disorder, cancer, anxiety or depression, breathing problem, and other health problems. We performed logistic regression for CMM and Poisson regression with robust error variance for MM to estimate associations with distress, adjusting for potential confounders.

Results

The mean age was 58.4 years and mean distress score was 3.65. One-unit increase in distress score was associated with a 1.22-fold increase in the odds of having CMM (95% CI: 1.04–1.42). The magnitude of association slightly increased after additional adjustment for socioeconomic factors and health insurance status (OR: 1.29; 95% CI: 1.10–1.52). Higher distress score was positively associated with MM but the association was only marginally significant (PR: 1.04; 95% CI: 0.99–1.10), adjusting for socioeconomic factors and health insurance status.

Conclusion

Our data suggest that higher perceived distress may be associated with simultaneous dysfunction of multiple distinct body systems among Chinese and Korean American older adults.
Chloroquine decreases cardiac fibrosis and improves cardiac function in a mouse model of Duchenne muscular dystrophy
Authors: Hirata Takuya , Baba Shiro , Akagi Kentaro , Matsuda Koichi , Umeda Katsutsugu , Adachi Souichi , Heike Toshio , Takita Junko
Published: January 2024

Background

Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), a severe degenerative skeletal and cardiac muscle disease, has a poor prognosis, and no curative treatments are available. Because decreased autophagy has been reported to contribute to skeletal muscle degeneration, therapies targeting autophagy are expected to improve skeletal muscle hypofunction. However, the role of this regulatory mechanism has not been evaluated clearly in DMD cardiomyocytes.

Methods

In this present study, we evaluated myocardial fibrosis and its mechanism inmdxmice, a model of DMD, and also evaluated changes in cardiac function.

Results

As assessed by LC3 immunohistochemistry, a small number of autophagosomes were detected in cardiomyocytes of bothmdxmice and control wild-type (WT) mice. The number of autophagosomes was significantly enhanced by 4 weeks of isoproterenol-induced cardiac stress in cardiomyocytes ofmdxbut not WT mice. Simultaneously, isoproterenol increased cardiomyocyte fibrosis inmdxbut not WT mice. Administration of chloroquine significantly decreased cardiomyocyte fibrosis inmdxmice, even after isoproterenol treatment. Left ventricle size and function were evaluated by echocardiography. Left ventricular contraction was decreased inmdxmice after isoproterenol treatment compared with control mice, which was alleviated by chloroquine administration.

Conclusions

Heart failure in DMD patients is possibly treated with chloroquine, and the mechanism probably involves chloroquine’s anti-inflammatory effects.