bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Trends in the use of local intervention for metastatic hormone‐naïve prostate cancer: A multicenter retrospective study
Authors: Tanaka Ryuma , Hatakeyama Shingo , Narita Shintaro , Sakurai Toshihiko , Tanaka Toshikazu , Miura Hikari , Oishi Takuya , Kawamura Sadafumi , Hoshi Senji , Ishidoya Shigeto , Mitsuzuka Koji , Ito Akihiro , Tsuchiya Norihiko , Habuchi Tomonori , Ohyama Chikara
Published: July 2023

Objective

To evaluated the trends of local intervention and their impact on oncological outcomes in metastatic hormone‐naïve prostate cancer (mHNPC) in real‐world practice.

Methods

This retrospective multicenter study included 760 patients treated with either androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) without local treatment (no castration‐resistant prostate cancer [CRPC] progression within 12 months, control group) or ADT plus local intervention (intervention group) between January 2005 and March 2022. We evaluated the trends in the use of local intervention in patients with mHNPC and factors associated with CRPC‐free survival in the intervention group.

Results

The use of local intervention gradually increased in combination with upfront combination treatment (docetaxel or androgen receptor axis‐targeted agents) for the duration of our study. The number of patients with local intervention combined with upfront treatment was significantly higher in patients with high tumor burden disease than in those with low tumor burden disease. Of the 108 patients who received local intervention, a duration of ≤7 months of initial therapy before local intervention and a level of prostate‐specific antigen ≥0.20 ng/mL at the time of local intervention were significantly associated with poor CRPC‐free survival.

Conclusions

The use of local intervention in combination with upfront therapy to treat mHNPC increased for the duration of our study regardless of the tumor burden. Local intervention in addition to the standard of care for mHNPC may be a feasible treatment option for selected patients, taking into consideration the duration of and response to initial treatment.
Risk Perception Scale of Disease Aggravation for older patients with non‐communicable diseases: Instrument development and cross‐sectional validation study
Authors: Wang Jizhe , Wang Ying , Na Na , Liu Mengqi , Xiu Lulu , Lu Xiaohong , Zhu Xiuli
Published: July 2023

Aim

The present study aimed to develop the Risk Perception Scale of Disease Aggravation for older patients with non‐communicable diseases and evaluate its psychometric properties.

Design

Instrument development and cross‐sectional validation study were conducted.

Methods

This study contained four phases. In phase I, a systematic literature review was conducted to identify the conception of disease aggravation and risk perception. In phase II, a draft scale was formulated from face‐to‐face semi‐structured in‐depth interviews by Colaizzi's seven‐step qualitative analysis method and group discussions among the researchers. In phase III, domains and items of the scale were revised in accordance with the suggestions from Delphi consultation and patient feedback. In phase IV, psychometric properties were evaluated.

Findings

Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses determined four structural factors. Convergent and discriminant validities were acceptable because the average variance extracted coefficients ranged from .622 to .725, and the square roots of the average variance extracted coefficients for the four domains were larger than those of bivariate correlations between domains. The scale also exhibited excellent internal consistency and test–retest reliability (Cronbach's alpha coefficient = .973, intraclass correlation coefficient = .840).

Conclusions

Risk Perception Scale of Disease Aggravation is a new instrument that measures the risk perception of disease aggravation for older patients with non‐communicable diseases, including possible reason, serious outcome, behaviour control and affection experience. The scale contains 40 items that are scored on a 5‐point Likert scale, and it has acceptable validity and reliability.

Impact

The scale is applied to identify different levels of risk perception of disease aggravation for older patients with non‐communicable diseases. Clinical nurses can provide targeted interventions to improve older patients' risk perception of disease aggravation based on levels of risk perception during hospitalization and the period before discharge.

Patient or Public Contribution

Experts provided suggestions for revising the scale dimensions and items. Older patients participated in the scale revision process to improve the wording of the scale.
Stigma, Stereotype, and Self‐Presentation
Authors: Allison Euan
Published: July 2023

How should we interpret the popular objection that stigmatised subjects are not treated as individuals? The Eidelson View claims that stigma, because of its connection to stereotypes, violates an instance of the general requirement to respect autonomy. The Self‐Presentation View claims that stigma inhibits the functioning of certain morally important capacities, notably the capacity for self‐presentation. I argue that even if we are right to think that stigma violates a requirement to respect autonomy, this is insufficient to account for the full weight of the charge that stigmatised subjects are not treated as individuals. We need the Self‐Presentation View to explain a special threat to agency. I then address the worry that focusing on a concern with being treated as individuals opens the door to the suggestion that treating as superior can be just as morally troubling as stigma. This objection is fatal for the Eidelson View. But the Self‐Presentation View has a number of resources for deflating the worry. We should not exclude the possibility of a moral symmetry between some cases of stigma and some cases of treating as superior. Rather, we should provide a nuanced account of the circumstances in which either phenomenon is detrimental for self‐presentation.
Computer‐assisted English learning: Uncovering the relationship between motivation and self‐regulation
Authors: Wang Cong , Zhu Sida , Zhang Haijing
Published: July 2023

Background

Since the outbreak of COVID‐19, universities in Hong Kong have implemented online and hybrid teaching modes, making computer‐assisted language learning (CALL) a primary way for English learning. Research on English learning motivation and self‐regulation has seldom considered learners' emotions (satisfaction and preparedness) and the synchronic online courses in a CALL context.

Objectives

This study analyses the relationship between Hong Kong university students' motivation and self‐regulation by considering their emotions in computer‐assisted synchronic online English courses.

Methods

311 Hong Kong university students were invited to complete two questionnaires that investigated students' motivation and self‐regulation in computer‐assisted online English courses. SPSS 26 was employed for exploratory factor analysis (EFA) to extract factors and exclude unsuitable items, and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was performed to verify the results of EFA. One‐way ANOVA was conducted to detect the impact of personal emotion on motivation and self‐regulation. AMOS 26 was adopted to construct a structural equation model (SEM) to explore the relationship between motivation and self‐regulation in the CALL context.

Results and Conclusions

The results show that satisfaction and preparedness positively correlate with online English learning motivation and self‐regulation. Instrumentality‐attitude significantly predicts all factors of self‐regulation via SEM and goal setting significantly predicts all factors of motivation. With feasible English learning goals, Hong Kong university students are more proactive in learning English online where they actively interact with teachers and peers.

Implications

Based on the L2 self‐system (Dörnyei, The psychology of the language learner: Individual differences in second language acquisition, 2005) and self‐determination theory (Barnard et al., Internet and Higher Education, 2009, 12, 1–6), this study clarifies the relationship between motivation and self‐regulation in the CALL context, expanding the application scope of the two theories. COVID‐19 has changed the teaching mode greatly, calling for a revolution in language education and learning. This study provides significant pedagogical implications that benefit both learners and teachers in CALL post‐COVID‐19.
Prevalence of stable and successfully treated periodontitis subjects and incidence of subsequent tooth loss within supportive periodontal care: A systematic review with meta‐analyses
Authors: Rattu Varkha , Raindi Devan S. , Antonoglou Georgios N. , Nibali Luigi
Published: July 2023

Aim

To identify (i) the prevalence of meeting the endpoints of ‘stable periodontitis’ (probing pocket depth [PPD] ≤ 4 mm, bleeding on probing [BoP] < 10%, no BoP at 4 mm sites), ‘endpoints of therapy’ (no PPD > 4 mm with BoP, no PPD ≥ 6 mm), ‘controlled periodontitis’ (≤4 sites with PPD ≥ 5 mm), ‘PPD < 5 mm’ and ‘PPD < 6 mm’ at the start of supportive periodontal care [SPC]) and (ii) the incidence of tooth loss in relation to not meeting these endpoints within a minimum of 5 years of SPC.

Materials and Methods

Systematic electronic and manual searches were conducted to identify studies where subjects, upon completion of active periodontal therapy, entered into SPC. Duplicate screening was performed to find relevant articles. Corresponding authors were contacted to confirm inclusion and retrieve required clinical data for further analyses to assess the prevalence of reaching endpoints and incidence of subsequent tooth loss, if available, within at least 5 years of SPC. Meta‐analyses were carried out to evaluate risk ratios for tooth loss in relation to not reaching the various endpoints.

Results

Fifteen studies including 12,884 patients and 323,111 teeth were retrieved. Achievement of endpoints at baseline SPC was rare (1.35%, 11.00% and 34.62%, respectively, for ‘stable periodontitis’, ‘endpoints of therapy’ and ‘controlled periodontitis’). Less than a third of the 1190 subjects with 5 years of SPC data lost teeth—a total of 3.14% of all teeth were lost. Statistically significant associations with tooth loss, at the subject‐level, were found for not achieving ‘controlled periodontitis’ (relative risk [RR] = 2.57), PPD < 5 mm (RR = 1.59) and PPD < 6 mm (RR = 1.98).

Conclusions

An overwhelming majority of subjects and teeth do not achieve the proposed endpoints for periodontal stability, yet most periodontal patients preserve most of their teeth during an average of 10–13 years in SPC.
Commentary: Cognitive stimulation and executive functions in the prevention and treatment of childhood disorders – reflection on Phillips et al., 2023
Authors: Matthys Walter
Published: July 2023

The study by Phillips et al. (Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 2023) shows that preschool executive functions (EF) are a transdiagnostic mechanism through which deprivation increases the risk for psychopathology in adolescence. In addition, deprivation appeared to be a key mechanism through which economic adversity (i.e., lower income‐to‐needs ratio and maternal education) undermines EF and increases the risk for psychopathology in adolescence. In this commentary, implications for early prevention and treatment of childhood disorders are discussed. In view of optimal EF development attention is needed to cognitive and social stimulation both in: (a) selective prevention targeting preschool children at high risk for childhood disorders due to low socioeconomic status; (b) indicated prevention targeting preschool children with minimal but detectable symptoms from low socioeconomic status families; and (c) treatment targeting preschool children with a clinical disorder from low socioeconomic status families.
Fibre intake and supplementation during treatment for haematological malignancies: A scoping review
Authors: Andersen Sarah , Henden Andrea , Staudacher Heidi , Kennedy Glen , Gavin Nicole
Published: July 2023

Background

Gastrointestinal microbiome diversity decreases rapidly during haematological cancer treatment with low diversity associated with poorer clinical outcomes. Therefore, factors that may benefit the microbiome require evaluation. This scoping review aimed to identify and describe the available research on fibre intake and supplementation during haematological cancer treatment.

Methods

This scoping review included observational studies of usual fibre intake and intervention fibre supplementation trials with patients undergoing chemotherapy, immunotherapy or stem cell transplantation for haematological malignancy. Comprehensive searching of four databases plus grey literature was conducted. Study design, type of fibre (for fibre supplementation trials) and evaluated outcomes were recorded. The review was registered on Open Science Framework and completed in three stages. There were no date restrictions in the search and only studies in English were included.

Results

Five studies met the inclusion criteria for the review including two observational studies and three supplementation trials. No randomised control trials were identified. The interventional studies provided either a single fibre supplement (fructo‐oligosaccharide) or a combination of fibres (polydextrose, lactosucrose, resistant starch or oligosaccharides plus fibre) during stem cell transplantation. The most frequently evaluated outcomes included tolerability of the fibre supplement, clinical outcomes (infection, graft versus host disease, survival) and the impact on the gastrointestinal microbiome.

Conclusions

Further research, including randomised controlled trials, is needed to investigate the role of fibre during haematological cancer treatment, including the pathways in which it might improve disease outcome.
Effects of two delivery matrix components, alginate and polyethylene glycol, on the intestinal tract and inflammatory response of juvenile rainbow trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss, Walbaum
Authors: Just Philip N. , Slater Matthew J. , Müller Claudia , Köllner Bernd
Published: July 2023

A critical step in the administration of oral vaccines in aquaculture is the effective protection of the vaccine antigens through the delivery route of water to stomach to the mucosal immune system in the gut. Bioactive substances can be incorporated into protective matrices to ensure safe ingestion and controlled release into the posterior digestive tract. Polyethylene glycol and alginate are promising and frequently applied substances in the oral administration of pharmaceutical substances; however, their direct influence on the intestinal tract or inflammatory response is not well investigated in aquaculture fish. In the current study, these two substances were evaluated separately and in combination. They were included in a commercial diet for juvenile rainbow trout (18.7 ± 0.1 g) and applied over 22 days in controlled feeding to determine possible gut alterations and inflammatory responses. Three different sections of the intestine, the anterior pyloric caeca, the mid‐intestine, and the posterior intestine, were histologically examined, and expression of inflammatory genes was measured in each. The inclusion of polyethylene glycol in the diet led to a significant reduction of villus height in the pyloric caeca and thus a significant reduction in active surface area. In the mid‐intestine, alginate inclusion resulted in a significant reduction of the mucus‐secreting goblet cells and a significant increase in villus width. In the posterior intestine, polyethylene glycol inclusion caused a significant increase in number of large vacuoles present; the addition of alginate buffered this effect. The results of the histological evaluation indicated symptoms that are usually evident in intestinal inflammation and can reduce functions of the respective intestinal segments. No significant increases in pro‐inflammatory gene expression tumor necrosis factor‐α, interleukin (IL)‐8, or IL‐1β were present, indicating no severe inflammatory response. Based on the observed histological impairments, negative consequences such as reduced efficiency of an oral vaccine or productivity of aquaculture rearing due to hindered nutrient digestion can be considered unlikely.
Empirical tests of scientific realism: A quantitative framework
Authors: McAllister James W.
Published: July 2023

The scientific realism debate in philosophy of science raises some intriguing methodological issues. Scientific realism posits a link between a scientific theory's observational and referential success. This opens the possibility of testing the thesis empirically, by searching for evidence of such a link in the record of theories put forward in the history of science. Many realist philosophers working today propose case study methodology as a way of carrying out such a test. This article argues that a qualitative method such as case study methodology is not adequate for this purpose, for two reasons: to test scientific realism is to pose an effects‐of‐causes question, and observational and referential success are quantities that theories possess to a greater or lesser degree. The article concludes that an empirical test of scientific realism requires a quantitative method.
The value of philosophy: A Canguilhemian perspective
Authors: Vydra Anton
Published: July 2023

This paper represents a philosophical reflection on the nature and value of philosophy itself. Georges Canguilhem somewhat scandalously argued that the fundamental value of philosophy does not lie in truth. He suggests that truth is a typical value of science because truth is what science says and what is said scientifically. Why would a philosopher depreciate his own discipline? And does he really do so? Or is there a different motivation: to help philosophy to become a much more self‐confident voice? And if truth is no longer a value of philosophy, what value fits it better? The article follows Canguilhem in his conception of truth, science, and philosophy. It is against the background of these considerations that the specific revised anthropology of the scientist or philosopher is formed. The main question is what this means for current philosophy and why it could be inspiring for philosophers today.
Multiattribute multitask transformer framework for vision‐based structural health monitoring
Authors: Gao Yuqing , Yang Jianfei , Qian Hanjie , Mosalam Khalid M.
Published: July 2023

Using deep learning (DL) to recognize building and infrastructure damage via images is becoming popular in vision‐based structural health monitoring (SHM). However, many previous studies solely work on the existence of damage in the images and directly treat the problem as a single‐attribute classification or separately focus on finding the location or area of the damage as a localization or segmentation problem. Abundant information in the images from multiple sources and intertask relationships are not fully exploited. In this study, the vision‐based SHM problem is first reformulated into a multiattribute multitask setting, where each image contains multiple labels to describe its characteristics. Subsequently, a general multiattribute multitask detection framework, namely ϕ‐NeXt, is proposed, which introduces 10 benchmark tasks including classification, localization, and segmentation tasks. Accordingly, a large‐scale data set containing 37,000 pairs of multilabeled images is established. To pursue better performance in all tasks, a novel hierarchical framework, namely multiattribute multitask transformer (MAMT2) is proposed, which integrates multitask transfer learning mechanisms and adopts a transformer‐based network as the backbone. Finally, for benchmarking purposes, extensive experiments are conducted on all tasks and the performance of the proposed MAMT2 is compared with several classical DL models. The results demonstrate the superiority of the MAMT2 in all tasks, which reveals a great potential for practical applications and future studies in both structural engineering and computer vision.
Why the performance of habit requires attention
Authors: Bickel Laura
Published: July 2023

This article argues that every performance of habit‐driven action requires attention. I begin by revisiting the conception of habit‐driven actions as reducible to automatically performed responses to stimuli. On this conception, habitual actions are a counterexample to Wayne Wu's action‐centered theory of attention. Using the biased competition model of attention, and building on findings from affective cognitive neuroscience, I challenge this position. I claim that the performance of a habitual action requires experiential history to be exerting an influence that is best understood as implicit selection‐biasing. It follows from this that habit‐driven action is compatible with Wu's theory.
A novel tomato spotted wilt virus isolate encoding a noncanonical NSm C118F substitution associated with Sw‐5 tomato gene resistance breaking
Authors: Rodríguez‐Negrete Edgar Antonio , Guevara‐Rivera Enrique Alejandro , Arce‐Leal Ángela Paulina , Leyva‐López Norma Elena , Méndez‐Lozano Jesús
Published: July 2023

The nonstructural protein NSm of tomato spotted wilt virus (TSWV) has been identified as the avirulence determinant of the tomato single dominant Sw‐5 resistance gene. Although Sw‐5 effectiveness has been shown for most TSWV isolates, the emergence of resistance‐breaking (RB) isolates has been observed. It is strongly associated with two point mutations (C118Y or T120N) in the NSm viral protein. TSWV‐like symptoms were observed in tomato crop cultivars (+Sw‐5) in the Baja California peninsula, Mexico, and molecular methods confirmed the presence of TSWV. Sequence analysis of the NSm 118–120 motif and three‐dimensional protein modelling exhibited a noncanonical C118F substitution in seven isolates, suggesting that this substitution could emulate the C118Y‐related RB phenotype. Furthermore, phylogenetic and molecular analysis of the full‐length genome (TSWV‐MX) revealed its reassortment‐related evolution and confirmed that putative RB‐related features are restricted to the NSm protein. Biological and mutational NSm 118 residue assays in tomato (+Sw‐5) confirmed the RB nature of TSWV‐MX isolate, and the F118 residue plays a critical role in the RB phenotype. The discovery of a novel TSWV‐RB Mexican isolate with the presence of C118F substitution highlights a not previously described viral adaptation in the genus Orthotospovirus, and hence, the necessity of further crop monitoring to alert the establishment of novel RB isolates in cultivated tomatoes.
Rice stripe virus nonstructural protein 3 suppresses plant defence responses mediated by the MEL–SHMT1 module
Authors: Wang Kun , Fu Shuai , Wu Liang , Wu Jianxiang , Wang Yaqin , Xu Yi , Zhou Xueping
Published: July 2023

Our previous study identified an evolutionarily conserved C4HC3‐type E3 ligase, named microtubule‐associated E3 ligase (MEL), that regulates broad‐spectrum plant resistance against viral, fungal and bacterial pathogens in multiple plant species by mediating serine hydroxymethyltransferase (SHMT1) degradation via the 26S proteasome pathway. In the present study, we found that NS3 protein encoded by rice stripe virus could competitively bind to the MEL substrate recognition site, thereby inhibiting MEL interacting with and ubiquitinating SHMT1. This, in turn, leads to the accumulation of SHMT1 and the repression of downstream plant defence responses, including reactive oxygen species accumulation, mitogen‐activated protein kinase pathway activation, and the up‐regulation of disease‐related gene expression. Our findings shed light on the ongoing arms race between pathogens and demonstrate how a plant virus can counteract the plant defence response.
Documented growth of an intracranial capillary hemangioma: A case report
Authors: MacLellan Abigale D. , Easton Alexander S. , Alubankudi Rufus , Pickett Gwynedd E.
Published: July 2023

Intracranial capillary hemangiomas in adults are rare, and diagnosis can be challenging. Hemangiomas, in general (and particularly in the skin), are more often noted in the pediatric population. Due to the lack of imaging undertaken in the presymptomatic phase, the literature provides few clues on the rate of growth of these unusual tumors. Therefore, we report a case of a 64‐year‐old man with a medical history of Lyme disease who presented with exhaustion and confusion. Imaging demonstrated an intra‐axial lesion with vascularity in the posterior right temporal lobe, raising the possibility of a glioma. Imaging two years prior revealed a very small lesion in the same location. The patient underwent a craniectomy, total resection of the lesion was completed, and his symptoms of confusion resolved. Biopsy revealed a capillary hemangioma composed of small vascular channels lined by endothelial cells and pericytes without smooth muscle. Features of glioma, vascular neoplasms or neuroborreliosis (cerebral Lyme disease) were not identified. Our case documents the growth over two years of a rare intracranial capillary hemangioma in an older adult male.
Diversification of JAZ‐MYC signaling function in immune metabolism
Authors: Johnson Leah Y. D. , Major Ian T. , Chen Yani , Yang Changxian , Vanegas‐Cano Leidy J. , Howe Gregg A.
Published: July 2023

Jasmonate (JA) re‐programs metabolism to confer resistance to diverse environmental threats. Jasmonate stimulates the degradation of JASMONATE ZIM‐DOMAIN (JAZ) proteins that repress the activity of MYC transcription factors. In Arabidopsis thaliana, MYC and JAZ are encoded by 4 and 13 genes, respectively. The extent to which expansion of the MYC and JAZ families has contributed to functional diversification of JA responses is not well understood.

Here, we investigated the role of MYC and JAZ paralogs in controlling the production of defense compounds derived from aromatic amino acids (AAAs).

Analysis of loss‐of‐function and dominant myc mutations identified MYC3 and MYC4 as the major regulators of JA‐induced tryptophan metabolism. We developed a JAZ family‐based, forward genetics approach to screen randomized jaz polymutants for allelic combinations that enhance tryptophan biosynthetic capacity. We found that mutants defective in all members (JAZ1/2/5/6) of JAZ group I over‐accumulate AAA‐derived defense compounds, constitutively express marker genes for the JA–ethylene branch of immunity and are more resistant to necrotrophic pathogens but not insect herbivores.

In defining JAZ and MYC paralogs that regulate the production of amino‐acid‐derived defense compounds, our results provide insight into the specificity of JA signaling in immunity.
Patterns, predictors, and outcomes of situated expectancy‐value profiles in an introductory chemistry course
Authors: Perez Tony , Robinson Kristy A. , Priniski Stacy J. , Lee You‐kyung , Totonchi Delaram A. , Linnenbrink‐Garcia Lisa
Published: July 2023

Using latent profile analysis, we identified profiles of expectancy beliefs, perceived values, and perceived costs among 1433 first‐ and second‐year undergraduates in an introductory chemistry course for STEMM majors. We also investigated demographic differences in profile membership and the relation of profiles to chemistry final exam achievement, science/STEMM credits completed, and graduating with a science/STEMM major. Four motivational profiles were identified: Moderately Confident and Costly (profile 1), Mixed Values‐Costs/Moderate‐High Confidence (profile 2), High Confidence and Values/Moderate‐Low Costs (profile 3), and High All (profile 4). Underrepresented students in STEMM were more likely to be in profile 2 relative to profile 3. First‐generation college students were more likely to be in profile 4 than profile 3. Finally, students likely to be in profile 3 had higher final exam grades than the other profiles and were more likely to graduate with a science major compared to profile 1. There were no differences in graduating science major between profile 3 and the other two profiles. Thus, profile 3 was most adaptive for both proximal (final exam) and distal (graduating with a science major) outcomes. Results suggest that supporting motivation early in college is important for persistence and ultimately the talent development of undergraduate STEMM students.
How to Perform Better on Oxford UKA? A Technical Note from over 500 Surgical Experiences
Authors: Zhang Peng , Bai Jiaxiang , Wang Jing , Zhu Chen , Zhou Wei
Published: July 2023

Oxford unicompartmental knee arthroplasty (UKA) has been particularly prevalent because the concept of knee preservation is deeply rooted in people's minds. Mobile bearing UKA is a surgical type of UKA with considerable advantages. This note describes some surgical techniques, including patient position, surgical field exposure, selection of the size of the prosthesis, sagittal tibial osteotomy, placement of the femoral prosthesis and gap balance, to assist surgeons with less experience in performing these operations successfully. The techniques described in this note have been used in over 500 Oxford UKA cases, and nearly 95% patients achieved good prosthesis position and satisfactory postoperative outcome. We hope that the empirical summaries from numerous cases will help surgeons to learn Oxford UKA quickly and effectively, driving the spread of the technique and benefiting more patients.
Identity and functional characterisation of the transporter supporting the Na+‐dependent high‐affinity NO3− uptake in Zostera marina L.
Authors: Rubio Lourdes , Díaz‐García Jordi , Martín‐Pizarro Carmen , Siverio José M. , Raven John A. , Fernández José A.
Published: July 2023

Zostera marina is a seagrass, a group of angiosperms that evolved from land to live submerged in seawater, an environment of high salinity, alkaline pH and usually very low NO3−. In 2000, we reported the first physiological evidence for the Na+‐dependent high‐affinity NO3− uptake in this plant. Now, to determine the molecular identity of this process, we searched for NO3− transporters common to other vascular plants encoded in Z. marina's genome. We cloned two candidates, ZosmaNPF6.3 and ZosmaNRT2 with its partner protein ZosmaNAR2. ZosmaNAR2 expression levels increase up to 4.5‐fold in Z. marina leaves under NO3−‐deficiency, while ZosmaNRT2 and ZosmaNPF6.3 expressions were low and unaffected by NO3−. NO3− transport capacity, kinetic properties and H+ or Na+‐dependence were examined by heterologous expression in the Hansenula polymorpha high‐affinity NO3− transporter gene disrupted strain (∆ynt1). ZosmaNPF6.3 functions as a H+‐dependent NO3− transporter, without functionality at alkaline pH and apparent dual kinetics (KM = 11.1 µM at NO3− concentrations below 50 µM). ZosmaNRT2 transports NO3− in a H+‐independent but Na+‐dependent manner (KM = 1 mM Na+), with low NO3− affinity (KM = 30 µM). When ZosmaNRT2 and ZosmaNAR2 are co‐expressed, a Na+‐dependent high‐affinity NO3− transport occurs (KM = 5.7 µM NO3−), mimicking the in vivo value. These results are discussed in the physiological context, providing evidence that ZosmaNRT2 is a Na+‐dependent high‐affinity NO3− transporter, the first of its kind to be functionally characterised in a vascular plant, that requires ZosmaNAR2 to achieve the necessary high‐affinity for nitrate uptake from seawater.
Identification and characterization of the compound heterozygous variants of TYR gene in a northern Chinese family with Oculocutaneous albinism type 1
Authors: Si Shuhan , Jia Xueyuan , Xu Lidan , Qin Qian , Wu Jie , Ji Wei , Dong Kexian , Zhang Xuelong , Cao Lin , Wang Hao , Liu Peng , Wang Rongrong , Bai Jing , Fu Songbin , Huang Yun , Sun Wenjing
Published: July 2023

Oculocutaneous albinism (OCA) is a genetically heterogeneous disease and is most inherited in an autosomal recessive manner. The characteristic manifestation of OCA is due to disfunction of melanin synthesis. OCA1 is the most severe subtype of OCA and is caused by homozygous or compound heterozygous variants in tyrosinase (TYR) gene, which is the key gene for melanin synthesis. This study aimed to identify the genetic variants of a northern Chinese family with OCA1. Clinical information and peripheral blood samples were collected. PCR amplification and Sanger sequencing were used to detect the entire exons and adjacent flanking sequences of TYR gene. Functional prediction of variants was performed by various bioinformatic analyses, while the pathogenicity classification of variants was evaluated according to ACMG standards and guidelines. A missense variant NM_000372.5:c.107G > C;NP_000363.1:p.C36S was discovered in TYR gene which converted cysteine to serine. Another variant in intron, NM_000372.5:c.1037–7 T > A, also affected the function of TYR gene. We verified the pathogenicity of the intron variant with a pCAS2 mini‐gene based splicing assay and found that c.1037–7 T > A led to an insertion of 5 bp upstream from the common acceptor site of exon 3, which caused a frameshift TYR:c.1037–7 T > A:p.G346Efs*11. The results showed that the compound heterozygous variants c.107G > C:p.C36S and c.1037–7 T > A:p.G346Efs*11 of TYR gene were the pathogenic variants for this OCA1 family.
The copious photochemistry of 2,6‐diaminopurine: Luminescence, triplet population, and ground state recovery*
Authors: Oliveira Leonardo M. F. , Valverde Danillo , Costa Gustavo J. , Borin Antonio Carlos
Published: July 2023

9H‐ and 7H‐2,6‐Diaminopurine (26DAP) photoinduced events in vacuum were studied at the MS‐CASPT2/cc‐pVDZ level of theory. The S1 1(ππ* La) state is initially populated evolving barrierless towards its minimum energy structure, from where two photochemical events can take place in both tautomers. The first is the return of the electronic population to the ground state via the C6 conical intersection (CI‐C6). The second involves an internal conversion to the ground through the C2 conical intersection (CI‐C2). According to our geodesic interpolated paths connecting the critical structures, the second route is less favorable in both tautomers, due to the presence of high energy barriers. Our calculations suggest a competition between fluorescence and ultrafast relaxation to the electronic ground state via internal conversion process. Based on our calculated potential energy surfaces and experimental excited state lifetimes from the literature, we can infer that the 7H‐ must have a greater fluorescence yield than the 9H‐tautomer. We also explored the triplet state population mechanisms on the 7H‐26DAP to understand their long‐lived components observed experimentally.
The biggest losers: Legacy, exigence, and apologia in presidential farewell addresses
Authors: Milford Mike
Published: July 2023

Campbell and Jamieson and Medhurst's foundational works on presidential farewell addresses assert that the form creates a sense of continuity, progressive perfection, and pedagogical affirmation and adapts to personal and situational exigencies to define a personal and administrative legacy for the outgoing president, as evidenced by the oft‐celebrated addresses of Washington and Eisenhower. However, at times these constraints are difficult to manage, particularly in the case of incumbents who were soundly denied a second term because of questionable administrative choices. In such cases, rhetors often turn to generic hybrids, combining forms and functions of different addresses to attend to complicated exigencies and audiences. The cases considered here infused the farewell's form with apologia, a speech of self‐defense, resulting in an inward‐focused address that failed to resolve important legacies. Examining the farewell addresses of three of the biggest electoral losers in history provides insight into the impacts these choices have on presidential legacy.
Prediction of body water compartments by raw bioelectrical impedance parameters in athletes: Comparison between series and parallel measurements
Authors: Francisco Rúben , Jesus Filipe , Nunes Catarina L. , Carvalho André , Alvim Marta , Campa Francesco , Sardinha Luís B. , Mendonca Goncalo V. , Lukaski Henry , Silva Analiza M.
Published: July 2023

Background

The aim of this study was to determine the predictive role of series and parallel bioelectrical impedance‐derived parameters in predicting total body (TBW), intracellular (ICW), and extracellular water (ECW) in athletes.

Methods

This cross‐sectional study analyzed 134 male (21.33 ± 5.11 years) and 64 female (20.45 ± 5.46 years) athletes. Using dilution techniques, TBW and ECW were determined while ICW was the difference between both. Raw and standardized for height (/H) bioelectrical resistance (R), reactance (Xc), and impedance (Z) values were obtained using a phase‐sensitive device at a single frequency in a series array (s). These were mathematically transformed in a parallel array (p) and capacitance (CAP). Fat‐free mass (FFM) was assessed by dual‐energy X‐ray absorptiometry.

Results

Multiple regressions adjusted for age and FFM show that R/Hs, Z/Hs, R/Hp, and Z/Hp were significant predictors of TBW (p < 0.001 in females and males). While Xc/Hs did not predict ICW, Xc/Hp was a predictor (p < 0.001 in females and Males). In females, R/H and Z/H predicted similarly TBW, ICW, and ECW. In males, R/Hs was considered a better predictor than R/Hp for TBW and ICW, and the Xc/Hp was considered the best predictor for ICW. Another significant predictor of ICW was CAP (p < 0.001 in females and males).

Conclusion

This study highlights the potential value of parallel bioelectrical impedance values to identify fluid compartments in athletes as an alternative to the regularly used series measurements. Moreover, this study supports Xc in parallel, and ultimately CAP, as valid indicators of cell volume.
Aggression as successful self‐control
Authors: Chester David S.
Published: July 2023

A dominant narrative is that aggression starts when self‐control stops – unchecked aggressive impulses manifest in violence as self‐control fails to inhibit them. Yet this ‘low self‐control syndrome’ approach to aggression fails to accommodate numerous findings in which aggression arises from successful self‐control. I summarize these key findings while identifying how current theories of aggression can be molded to accommodate them. This balanced perspective, which allows aggression to arise from successful and unsuccessful self‐control, suggests exciting new hypotheses alongside confounding questions for aggression and self‐regulation scholars. It also supports ongoing and broader paradigm shifts away from treating self‐control as a purely adaptive and desirable psychological capacity and toward approaching self‐control interventions with greater care, as they may amplify aggression instead of reducing it, with costly consequences.
Rats as sources of multidrug‐resistant Enterobacteriaceae in animal production environments
Authors: Dominguez Johana Elizabeth , Rosario Lovera , Juliana Sánchez , Redondo Leandro Martin , Chacana Pablo Anibal , Regino Cavia , Fernández Miyakawa Mariano Enrique
Published: July 2023

Rattus norvegicus and Rattus rattus are commensal pest rodents, considered reservoirs and vectors of zoonotic pathogens. In livestock farms, the wide use of antimicrobials and their release into the environment lead to high long‐term residual concentrations, which may in turn lead to the occurrence of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Farm environments serve as AMR sources, resulting in the transmission of antimicrobial‐resistant bacteria and their AMR genes of livestock origin into wildlife. This study aimed to analyse the profile of enterobacteria carrying AMR determinants in rats captured in livestock farms to determine their potential vectors as for the spread of AMR. To this end, 56 rats (52 R. norvegicus and 4 R. rattus) were live‐trapped on 11 farms (pig, dairy, poultry and mixed farms) located in central Argentina, from spring 2016 to autumn 2017. From 50 of the R. norvegicus individuals and three of the R. rattus individuals found in 10 of the farms, we isolated 53 Escherichia coli and five Salmonella strains. Susceptibility to antimicrobials, genotypic profiles, minimal inhibitory concentration of colistin and the presence of mcr‐1 and genes encoding extended‐spectrum β‐lactamase (ESBL) were determined. Of the 58 isolates not susceptible to different antimicrobial classes, 28 of the E. coli strains and two of the Salmonella strains were defined as multi‐drug resistant (MDR). S. Westhampton and S. Newport recovered were not susceptible to ampicillin or all the cephems tested. One of the E. coli obtained showed resistance to colistin and harboured the mcr‐1 gene, demonstrated by PCR and conjugation. In two ESBL‐producing Salmonella isolated from rats, CTX‐M‐2 genes were responsible for the observed resistance to third‐generation cephalosporins. The MDR E. coli isolates showed several different resistance patterns (23), although some of them were the same in different individuals and different farms, with six resistance patterns, evidencing the dispersion of strains. These findings suggest that rats play a role in the dissemination of AMR determinants between animal, humans and environmental reservoirs.
A survey of the genome-wide genetic variation of Hibiscus hamabo (Malvaceae)
Authors: HWANG Geonha , JUNG Ui-Chan , KIM Sang-Tae
Published: July 2023

Hibiscus hamabo (Malvaceae) is a deciduous shrub mainly found in northeast Asia, including China, Japan, and Korea. Due to its limited distribution on Jejudo Island and at several sites in Jeollanam-do in Korea, H. hamabo has been designated as an endangered species by the Ministry of the Environment and has been the subject of several restoration programs. In this study, we quantified genetic variations using double-digestion restrictionassociated DNA sequencing technology in 96 individuals of H. hamabo from 13 distinct populations in Korea. We determined 3,352 genome-wide single nucleotide polymorphism loci after stringent filtering processes and analyzed the level of genetic variation within and among populations as well as the population differentiation and genetic ancestry with various assumptions pertaining to the population origin. Our results indicated weak differentiations among populations surveyed in this study but clearly suggested that most of the H. hamabo populations maintain a relatively high level of genetic diversity as evidence of frequent genetic exchanges among populations via outcrossing or sequential gene flows. For a more detailed analysis of the origin of Korean H. hamabo and its demographic history, it will be necessary to expand sampling in China and Japan.
A checklist of endemic plants on the Korean Peninsula II
Authors: CHUNG Gyu Young , JANG Hyun-Do , CHANG Kae Sun , CHOI Hyeok Jae , KIM Young-Soo , KIM Hyuk-Jin , SON Dong Chan
Published: July 2023

Following recent taxonomic, distributional, and nomenclatural revisions, an updated checklist of endemic plants on the Korean Peninsula is needed. This study provides an updated checklist of vascular plants endemic to the Korean Peninsula and describes their distribution within administrative provinces. The revised checklist includes 373 endemic taxa (304 species, six subspecies, 49 varieties, and 14 nothospecies) from 179 genera and 64 families, representing 9.5% of the total native flora of the Korean Peninsula. Asteraceae (41 taxa), Ranunculaceae (29 taxa), Liliaceae s.l. (24 taxa), and Rosaceae (22 taxa) were the most widely represented families. Compared with the most recent checklist published in 2017, 39 taxa were excluded from the checklist; one taxon was excluded because it did not have a valid published name, seven taxa were excluded because their natural habitats extended to neighboring countries, four taxa were excluded because they were treated as a rank form, and 27 taxa were excluded because they had been identified as heterotypic synonyms of taxa distributed outside of the Korean Peninsula. Fifty-two new taxa were included based on the literature. This checklist will help to focus conservation efforts and provide a framework for research, protection, and policy implementation related to these endemic taxa.
Evaluation of Environmental Heat Exposure, Heat-related Symptoms, and Acute Physiological Changes among Farmers in Pasir Puteh and Bachok, Kelantan
Authors: Hamzah Nurul Ainun , Azli Muhammad Saffuan , Anua Siti Marwanis , Abdul Samad Nurul Izzah , Mohd Nawi Mohd Nazhari , Mohd Nawi Mohd Nasrom , Mamat Mohd Noor
Published: July 2023

Prolonged or intense exposure to heat can lead to a range of health effects. This study evaluated environmental heat exposure, heat-related symptoms, and acute physiological changes among 39 farmers in Kelantan, Malaysia. During the end of the monsoon season in February to Mac 2019, wet bulb globe temperature (WBGT) was collected in the farm environment to assess heat exposure. Blood pressure, heart rate, and body core temperature were measured pre-, mid and post-shift to measure the physiological response of farmers towards environmental heat. Sociodemographic, occupational information and heat-related symptoms that subjects had experienced were gathered using a questionnaire. The WBGT outdoor showed a high risk for heat stress and strain (> 28.0 oC) based on the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygiene (ACGIH) threshold limit values (TLVs). More than half (50%) of farmers reported heat-related symptoms including fatigue, lethargy, dizziness, rashes, and cramps.  Significant physiological changes including heart rate, body temperature, and systolic blood pressure occurred across the work shift (p <0.05). However, no significant association (p>0.05) was found between the Acute Health Symptoms score (AHSS) with associated factors, thus no statistical model was further developed. In conclusion, farmers experienced significant psychological changes across the work shift. Preventive and control measures for heat stress are needed to reduce the risk of heat strain.
Assessment of PM10 and PM2.5 Concentrations at Different Floor Levels of USM Health Campus’s Library
Authors: Sansuddin Nurulilyana , Nordin Siti Mariam
Published: July 2023

Library plays an important role in education and research materials especially used by university students. And it is known that university students prefer to spend most of their time in the library. There are multifactorial of high concentration of pollutants in a building, thus library is the best choice in this study to prove it. The purpose of this study is to assess the indoor air quality (IAQ) in library at USM Health Campus, Kota Bharu, Kelantan. The comparison of PM10 and PM2.5 concentrations between different floor levels of library was determined. This study was also conducted to obtain the relation between PM10 and PM2.5 concentrations with the number of occupants, temperature, relative humidity and total number of books. Particulate matter concentrations were measured at library by using Handheld 3016 IAQ Particle Counter. The data was collected for eight hours for each floor with five minutes time interval. Based on Kruskal Wallis test, there were significant differences of PM2.5 and PM10 concentrations between floor levels (p<0.05). Number of occupants was found significant to PM2.5 concentrations through Spearman Correlation test (p<0.05). Furthermore, two of environmental factors (temperature and relative humidity) were found poorly significant with PM10 and PM2.5 concentrations which r-value were less than 0.3 (r-PM10=0.22, r-PM2.5=-0.15; r-PM10=-0.17, r-PM2.5=0.2). Number of books and different floor surface area of library were obtained as contributing factor which increased PM concentration. In conclusion, cleaning and housekeeping activities in library need to regularly practice to minimize IAQ problems in order to provide a healthier indoor environment.