bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
N-acetylation of secreted proteins in Apicomplexa is widespread and is independent of the ER acetyl-CoA transporter AT1
Authors: Nyonda Mary Akinyi , Boyer Jean-Baptiste , Belmudes Lucid , Krishnan Aarti , Pino Paco , Couté Yohann , Brochet Mathieu , Meinnel Thierry , Soldati-Favre Dominique , Giglione Carmela
Published: May 2022

Acetyl-CoA participates in post-translational modification of proteins and in central carbon and lipid metabolism in several cell compartments. In mammals, acetyl-CoA transporter 1 (AT1, also known as SLC33A1) facilitates the flux of cytosolic acetyl-CoA into the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), enabling the acetylation of proteins of the secretory pathway, in concert with the activity of dedicated acetyltransferases such as NAT8. However, the involvement of the ER acetyl-CoA pool in acetylation of ER-transiting proteins in Apicomplexa is unknown. Here, we identified homologs of AT1 and NAT8 in Toxoplasma gondii and Plasmodium berghei parasites. Proteome-wide analyses revealed widespread N-terminal acetylation of secreted proteins in both species. Such extensive acetylation of N-terminally processed proteins has not been observed previously in any other organism. Deletion of AT1 homologs in both T. gondii and P. berghei resulted in considerable reductions in parasite fitness. In P. berghei, AT1 was found to be important for growth of asexual blood stages, production of female gametocytes and male gametocytogenesis, implying its requirement for parasite transmission. In the absence of AT1, lysine acetylation and N-terminal acetylation in T. gondii remained globally unaltered, suggesting an uncoupling between the role of AT1 in development and active acetylation occurring along the secretory pathway.
Reproductive tradeoffs govern sexually dimorphic tubular lysosome induction in Caenorhabditis elegans
Authors: Ramos Cara D. , Bohnert K. Adam , Johnson Alyssa E.
Published: May 2022

Sex-specific differences in animal behavior commonly reflect unique reproductive interests. In the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans, hermaphrodites can reproduce without a mate and thus prioritize feeding to satisfy the high energetic costs of reproduction. However, males, which must mate to reproduce, sacrifice feeding to prioritize mate-searching behavior. Here, we demonstrate that these behavioral differences influence sexual dimorphism at the organelle level; young males raised on a rich food source show constitutive induction of gut tubular lysosomes, a non-canonical lysosome morphology that forms in the gut of hermaphrodites when food is limited or as animals age. We found that constitutive induction of gut tubular lysosomes in males results from self-imposed dietary restriction through DAF-7/TGFβ, which promotes exploratory behavior. In contrast, age-dependent induction of gut tubular lysosomes in hermaphrodites is stimulated by self-fertilization activity. Thus, separate reproductive tradeoffs influence tubular lysosome induction in each sex, potentially supporting different requirements for reproductive success.
New generation free trade agreements as a driver of institutional change: A case of Vietnam
Authors: Boguszewski Mariusz
Published: May 2022

Institutional change, which, according to new institutional economics, is a precondition to economic development, is caused by several forces. In addition to destiny defined as ‘path dependence’, strategic choice understood as overall policy direction of the country, there are external forces named as ‘switchmen’, which might have decisive impact on the direction of the institutional change. This political economy analysis investigates the role of ‘new-generation free trade agreements’ (NGFTAs) as ‘switchmen’ in the process of institutional change using the case of Vietnam. Vietnam was selected as it is the fastest integrating developing country in Asia and a participant in most regional economic integration projects. The paper focuses on the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) and the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) as the most advanced trade agreements ever concluded between developed and developing economies. Findings are based on selected ‘new generation’ provisions of the CPTPP and EVFTA, confirming the ‘switchmen’ role of the agreement in institutional change and the new institutional arrangement of Vietnam. Thus, despite the political constellations and stakeholders’ interests, NGFTAs are the decisive impulse for profound institutional change in Vietnam, which would not be possible without NGFTA commitments.
The transformation of water and sewage management in Poland and Ukraine in the light of socio-economic and political conditions
Authors: Piasecki Adam
Published: May 2022

The study aims to evaluate and compare the transformations in water and sewage management that have taken place in Poland and Ukraine since the early 1990s. This required the collection of an appropriate dataset. Due to differences in reporting methods between countries, it was decided to select only those variables and indicators that allowed for a comparative analysis. The analysis indicated significant and positive changes in the scope of water and sewage management in both countries. Much greater progress was seen in Poland, where, mainly thanks to EU funding, the costly water and sewage infrastructure was more quickly modernised and expanded. However, it is also emphasised that areas related to water and sewage management in Poland still require improvement. In the case of Ukraine, it is indicated that measures should be aimed most urgently at reducing the quantity of untreated sewage discharged into waters and soils and to increasing wastewater treatment standards (including nutrient reduction, in particular). It is also extremely important to introduce in law – and ensure the effective enforcement of – appropriate environmental protection regulations.
Dorobek pisarski i misja kulturalna polskich emigrantów w Stanach Zjednoczonych Ameryki w latach 1831-1842
Authors: Modzelewska-Opara Ewa
Published: May 2022

THE LITERARY OUTPUT AND CULTURAL MISSION OF POLISH EMIGRANTS IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA IN THE YEARS 1831-1842 Although the history of Polish emigration in the United States in the nineteenth century did receive scientific coverage, mostly of a historical nature, the works produced by emigrants in the years 1831-1842 have not yet become the subject of synthetic literary studies. The exiles of this period, who, due to the post-November Uprising repressions, ended up in the United States, were the ones who took the first attempts to familiarise Americans with Polish literature. However, their literary output has not been discussed from a holistic perspective nor has it even been collected, which has indicated a need to conduct through studies of source materials, alongside historical and literary research. The present book entitled: The Literary Output and Cultural Mission of Polish Emigrants in the United States of America in the Years 1831-1842 is an attempt to bridge the indicated cognitive lacuna. The purpose of this work is to reconstruct and analyze the literary output of the emigrants, who greatly contributed to the development of the American culture, and today are almost forgotten. A particular emphasis has been placed on showing manifestations of a cultural mission, fulfilled in many various ways, and present not only in the output of the refugees, but also in their public activities.
Platform Search Design: The Roles of Precision and Price
Authors: Zhong Zemin (Zachary)
Published: May 2022

This study develops a model of platform search design to study how the search design interacts with its revenue models.
Uncovering Synergy and Dysergy in Consumer Reviews: A Machine Learning Approach
Authors: Zhang Zelin , Yang Kejia , Zhang Jonathan Z. , Palmatier Robert W.
Published: May 2022

Massive online text reviews can be a powerful market research tool for understanding consumer experiences and helping firms improve and innovate. This research exploits the rich semantic properties of text reviews and proposes a novel machine learning modeling framework that can reliably and efficiently extract consumer opinions and uncover potential interaction effects across these opinions, thereby identifying hidden and nuanced areas for product and service improvement beyond existing modeling approaches in this domain. In particular, we develop an opinion extraction and effect estimation framework that allows for uncovering customer opinions’ average effects and their interaction effects. Interactions among opinions can be synergistic when the co-occurrence of two opinions yields an effect greater than the sum of two parts, or as what we call dysergistic, when the co-occurrence of two opinions results in dampened effect. We apply the model in the context of large-scale customer ratings and text reviews for hotels and demonstrate our framework’s ability to screen synergy and dysergy effects among opinions. Our model also flexibly and efficiently accommodates a large number of opinions, which provides insights into rare yet potentially important opinions. The model can guide managers to prioritize joint areas of product and service improvement and innovation by uncovering the most prominent synergistic pairs. Model comparison with extant machine learning approaches demonstrates our improved predictive ability and managerial insights.

This paper was accepted by Gui Liberali, marketing.

Funding: The authors acknowledge the support of research funding from the National Natural Science Foundation of China [Grant 72072173].

Supplemental Material: The data files and online appendix are available at https://doi.org/10.1287/mnsc.2022.4443 .
Endotracheal intubation of the dog and cat
Authors: Taylor Susanna
Published: May 2022

Endotracheal intubation is performed for general anaesthesia, critical care, and emergency situations. As the veterinary surgeon often performs this procedure, it may be under-developed, or minimally practiced by veterinary nurses (VNs) despite being legal to perform in several countries. As an emergency skill, and as the role of VNs grows, this article aims to act as a resource for VNs wanting to learn to perform endotracheal intubation correctly. This article will only review the purpose of endotracheal intubation, the relevant anatomy and physiology, equipment, techniques, and troubleshooting. It will not offer a detailed comparison of endotracheal intubation versus laryngeal mask airway, nor will it discuss the technique for endotracheal tube cuff inflation as the full scope of published data, experiences and opinions could not be given due justice: moreover, this is an area of the skill VNs are already familiar with. Maintenance of the in-situ tube and extubation are also excluded and all of these subjects warrant further discussion in a separate article.
ANÁLISE DO DESEMPENHO DO PROCESSO DE COMPRAS EM UMA EMPRESA PÚBLICA DE PESQUISA
Authors: Mourao Aline de Macêdo da Silva , Marinho Sidnei Vieira
Published: May 2022

Este artigo tem o objetivo de analisar o desempenho do processo de compras de uma empresa pública de pesquisa, pertencente ao governo federal, face a importância do processo para o Governo, e sua contribuição para a economia de recursos e eficiência no serviço. A pesquisa apresenta uma abordagem mista usando métodos quantitativos e qualitativos, onde pode-se estacar a aplicação de questionário próprio com funcionários das 2 unidades do estado do Ceará; análise documental; entrevista e relato da própria experiência. A confiabilidade do questionário pelo Alpha de Crombach foi 0,9. Os dados foram analisados através da estatística descritiva, onde 56% dos respondentes indicaram bom desempenho (média 2,57, mediana 3 e desvio padrão 0,96). Os pontos positivos são o conhecimento e atendimento dos compradores e o sistema de processamento de pedidos; necessitando melhorar os prazos longos, a qualidade, os fornecedores, a gestão da informação, e a legislação.
CRESCIMENTO ECONÔMICO PARANAENSE: uma abordagem com o modelo GWR
Authors: Silva Rodrigo Monteiro , Alves Alexandre Florindo
Published: May 2022

O crescimento econômico regional é um tema que desperta a curiosidade de diversos pesquisadores, pois compreender o modo com este ocorre, bem como entender de que forma se dá o processo de interação entre as variáveis, dadas as características de cada região, é fundamental para que o mesmo possa ser alcançado. Assim, objetivando analisar qual o comportamento local das variáveis de crescimento econômico, o presente estudo aborda o tema, a partir de uma revisão ampla, utilizando variáveis recorrentemente encontradas em pesquisas tanto do campo teórico como o empírico, para assim poder verificar, por meio do modelo Geographically Weighted Regression (GWR), o que de fato afetou o crescimento dos municípios paranaenses. Os resultados indicam que os efeitos das variáveis mudaram no período, tanto em termos de valor como regionalmente. Destaca-se que as variáveis de educação, estrutura municipal e valor adicionado agrícola tiveram expressiva importância para o crescimento econômico regional do Paraná.
CANAIS DE DISTRIBUIÇÃO DE PRODUTOS ORGÂNICOS NA CIDADE DE PORTO ALEGRE/RS
Authors: Mazzardo Marques Viana Hildebrando , Nunes da Silva Tania
Published: May 2022

A agricultura orgânica e agroecológica demonstra uma forte ligação com o tema sustentabilidade, e tendo isso como pressuposto, o estudo busca identificar de que forma isso influencia a decisão dos produtores na escolha do canal de distribuição de seus produtos. Além das dificuldades de produção, fazer esses alimentos chegarem ao consumidor em condições adequadas é um dos principais desafios encontrados pelo produtor. A pesquisa, do tipo exploratória e qualitativa, teve a coleta de dados feita através de entrevistas semi estruturadas com produtores de alimentos orgânicos, proprietários de sites, coordenadores de feiras orgânicas e servidores públicos – analisando como decidem por determinado canal quando o tema é sustentabilidade. Se verificou uma grande preferência, e dependência, de canais tradicionais, especialmente as feiras de produtores. Isso se dá principalmente pelo senso de comunidade formado em torno da produção orgânica, que engloba produtores, consumidores e demais atores envolvidos no processo.
GESTÃO DE ASSOCIAÇÕES E COOPERATIVAS DA AGRICULTURA FAMILIAR NA IMPLEMENTAÇÃO DO PROGRAMA NACIONAL DE ALIMENTAÇÃO ESCOLAR EM TERRITÓRIOS RURAIS
Authors: Santos Luana Ferreira dos , Sousa Washington José de , Ferreira Marco Aurélio Marques , Ramos Anatália Saraiva Martins
Published: May 2022

O artigo objetiva analisar, no plano local, no aparato administrativo e na atuação de dirigentes de organizações da agricultura familiar, implicações de elementos normativos, cognitivos e ideológicos atinentes à implementação do Programa Nacional de Alimentação Escolar (PNAE) em territórios rurais, de forma comparativa. De natureza qualitativa, a pesquisa consiste em estudo de casos múltiplos em dez organizações nos Territórios do Mato Grande/RN e da Serra do Brigadeiro/MG. Os diretores dessas organizações têm atuação moldada pelo contexto local da implementação, como influências da Lei nº 11.947/2009. A atuação também sofre interferências do aparato administrativo das organizações, que foi alterado em termos de recursos materiais, humanos e financeiros e no acesso a tecnologias e assistência técnica. Não há diferenças significativas nos papéis desempenhados pelos dirigentes das organizações, de modo que todos contribuíram na implementação do PNAE. Sugere-se a ampliação do campo de estudo, contemplando atores como burocratas de nível de rua.
CONHECIMENTO VERSUS ESTEREÓTIPO: Uma análise sobre a relevância do “Efeito País de Origem”
Authors: Novi Leandro , Minciotti Silvio , Prearo Leandro
Published: May 2022

A economia dos países depende, em grande parte, de seu comércio internacional. Estudos do chamado “efeito país de origem” ajudam a explicar a influência da imagem de um país na avaliação de seus produtos pelos consumidores internacionais. Mas até que ponto o estereótipo de um país supera a avaliação racional baseada no conhecimento. Este estudo teve como objetivo identificar a relevância dessas influências. A pesquisa foi realizada por meio de questionário aplicado pessoalmente a uma amostra de 1.120 habitantes da região do ABC Paulista. A margem de erro estimada é de 4,0%, com confiabilidade de 95,5%. Os dados foram analisados por meio de estatística descritiva e testes de correlação. Os resultados mostraram a dificuldade em reverter a influência da imagem negativa de um país. A pesquisa cobre uma lacuna ao abordar a influência do conhecimento prévio sobre um determinado produto frente ao estereótipo de seu país de origem.
Dynamics of high-contrast grating vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser with lateral optical feedback by a heterostructure interface
Authors: Hao Chenxi , Zhang Jing , Zheng Wanhua , Liu Anjin
Published: May 2022

We investigate the dynamics of high-contrast grating vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser (HCG-VCSEL) with a lateral optical feedback cavity. The lateral optical feedback is realized by the reflection at the heterostructure interface between two different HCGs. The lateral optical feedback cavity possesses slow light which can be tuned by changing HCG parameters, and can control the dynamics of the HCG-VCSEL. The optical feedback can enhance the -3-dB bandwidth and enlarge the eye openings of diagrams of the HCG-VCSEL, and can also reduce the frequency chirp. The HCG-VCSEL with a lateral optical feedback cavity can achieve a -3-dB bandwidth of 37.7 GHz at 12 mA and eye diagrams at 60 Gbps (non-return to zero format) and 50 GBaud (4-level pulse amplitude modulation format) with sufficient openings.
High-power Yb:CALGO regenerative amplifier and 30 fs output via multi-plate compression
Authors: Wang Weizhe , Pu Tao , Wu Han , Li Yang , Wang Rui , Sun Biao , Liang Houkun
Published: May 2022

The pulse energy and average power are two long-sought parameters of femtosecond lasers. In the fields of nonlinear-optics and strong-field physics, they respectively play the role to unlock the various nonlinear processes and provide enough photon fluxes. In this paper, a high-energy and high-power Yb:CALGO regenerative amplifier with 120 fs pulse width is reported. This high-performance regenerative amplifier can work with high stability in a large tuning range of repetition rates. Varying the repetition rate from 3 to 180 kHz, the maximum output power of 36 W and the pulse energy up to 4.3 mJ, corresponding to a peak power of more than 20 GW are demonstrated. The output beam is near diffraction limited with M2 = 1.09 and 1.14 on the horizontal and vertical directions, respectively. In addition, multi-plate compression is employed to achieve 30 fs output with 23 W average power which is attractive for applications such as high-harmonic generation.
Augmentation of surface plasmon-enhanced second harmonic generation from Au nanoprisms on SiO2/Si: interference contribution
Authors: Sugita Atsushi , Mochiduki Kanta , Katahira Yuhki , Ng Soon Hock , Juodkazis Saulius
Published: May 2022

We present an augmentation of Surface Plasmon (SP)-enhanced second harmonic generation (SHG) due to interference field enhancement in Au nanoprisms (AuNPs) on SiO2-coated Si substrates. The SiO2 spacer contributed for the optical interference and increased the coupling efficiency of the pump light with the SP polarization as well as a decoupling efficiency of the SHG waves from nonlinear polarization. The intensity of the SP-enhanced SHG signals increased 4.5-fold with respect to the AuNPs on the bare SiO2 substrate by setting the SiO2 spacer layer to the appropriate thickness. The numerical analysis revealed that the optimal SHG conversion was determined by the balance between the degree of the optical interference at the fundamental and SHG wavelengths.
Population size, density, and ranging behaviour in a key leopard population in the Western Cape, South Africa
Authors: Müller Lana , Briers-Louw Willem Daniel , Seele Barbara Catharine , Stefanus Lochner Christiaan , Amin Rajan
Published: May 2022

Globally, leopards are the most widespread large felid. However, mounting anthropogenic threats are rapidly reducing viable leopard populations and their range. Despite the clear pressures facing this species, there is a dearth of robust and reliable population and density estimates for leopards across their range, which is particularly important in landscapes that consist of protected and non-protected areas. We conducted a camera trapping survey between 2017 and 2018 in the Western Cape, South Africa to estimate the occupancy, density, and population size of a leopard population. Leopards were recorded at 95% of camera trapping sites, which resulted in a high occupancy that showed no significant variation between seasons, habitat types, or along an altitudinal gradient. Our results indicated a low leopard density in the study area, with an estimated 1.53 leopards/100 km2 in summer and 1.62 leopards/100 km2 in winter. Mean leopard population size was therefore estimated at 107 and 113 individuals in the winter and summer respectively. Leopard activity centres for female ranges were centred in the core study area and could be predicted with good certainty, while males appeared to move out of the study area during winter which resulted in a higher uncertainty in locations of activity centres. Interestingly, livestock depredation events in the surrounding farmlands were significantly higher in winter, which coincides with male leopards moving outside the core protected area into the surrounding farmlands. To reduce livestock losses and retaliatory leopard killings, we suggest that human-carnivore conflict mitigation measures be intensely monitored during the winter months in the study area. We also suggest that future leopard conservation efforts should focus on privately-owned land as these non-protected areas contain the majority of the remaining suitable leopard habitat and may provide important dispersal corridors and buffer zones on which the long-term sustainability of leopard populations depends.
Human-AI ecosystem with abrupt changes as a function of the composition
Authors: Contucci Pierluigi , Kertész János , Osabutey Godwin
Published: May 2022

The progressive advent of artificial intelligence machines may represent both an opportunity or a threat. In order to have an idea of what is coming we propose a model that simulate a Human-AI ecosystem. In particular we consider systems where agents present biases, peer-to-peer interactions and also three body interactions that are crucial and describe two humans interacting with an artificial agent and two artificial intelligence agents interacting with a human. We focus our analysis by exploring how the relative fraction of artificial intelligence agents affect that ecosystem. We find evidence that for suitable values of the interaction parameters, arbitrarily small changes in such percentage may trigger dramatic changes for the system that can be either in one of the two polarised states or in an undecided state.
Stereotype threat, gender and mathematics attainment: A conceptual replication of Stricker & Ward
Authors: Inglis Matthew , O’Hagan Steven
Published: May 2022

Stereotype threat has been proposed as one cause of gender differences in post-compulsory mathematics participation. Danaher and Crandall argued, based on a study conducted by Stricker and Ward, that enquiring about a student’s gender after they had finished a test, rather than before, would reduce stereotype threat and therefore increase the attainment of women students. Making such a change, they argued, could lead to nearly 5000 more women receiving AP Calculus AB credit per year. We conducted a preregistered conceptual replication of Stricker and Ward’s study in the context of the UK Mathematics Trust’s Junior Mathematical Challenge, finding no evidence of this stereotype threat effect. We conclude that the ‘silver bullet’ intervention of relocating demographic questions on test answer sheets is unlikely to provide an effective solution to systemic gender inequalities in mathematics education.
Trend and determinants of quality of family planning counseling in Ethiopia: Evidence from repeated PMA cross-sectional surveys, (2014–2019)
Authors: Ejigu Bedilu Alamirie , Seme Assefa , Zimmerman Linnea , Shiferaw Solomon
Published: May 2022

Introduction

The modern contraceptive prevalence rate (mCPR) among married women has increased by nearly five-fold in Ethiopia from 8.1% in 2000 to 37% in 2019. Despite this increase, receipt of high quality contraceptive counselling, as measured by the percentage of contraceptive users who were told about other methods, counseled on side effects and counseled what to do in the event that they encountered side effects, has declined in recent years. The quality of family planning counseling service measured by using these three components, known as the Method Information Index(MII), is an index designed to measure quality and a key indicator of the FP2020 initiative. The effects of potential client and service provider-level factors on receipt of high quality counseling and its progress over time have not been well studied in Ethiopia.

Methods

We pooled data from seven Performance Monitoring for Action (PMA), formerly PMA2020, survey-rounds to examine the trend and effect of potential factors on receiving high quality of family planning counseling service in Ethiopia. Data from a total of 15,597 women aged 15 to 49 from seven survey-rounds were used in the analysis. To account for the study design and unequal probabilities of selection from target-populations for sampled women, design-based analysis was used to compute proportions. Multilevel ordinal regression model with enumeration area as a second level were employed to examine potential factors associated with quality of family planning counseling service.

Results

We found that the percentage of women who received high quality family planning counseling service declined from 39% (95%CI: 33%, 44%) in 2015 to 12% in 2019 (95% CI: 10%, 14%) nationally. Amhara region had the lowest percentage of women receiving high quality counseling at both the earliest(2014) and latest(2019) survey rounds(17% and 6%, respectively). Results show that lack of media exposure about family planning, having no formal education, using short-acting methods, and getting the service from pharmacy were the main factors associated with receiving low quality family planning counseling service.

Conclusions

Given the importance of continuous provision of information on the range of family planning methods, it is imperative to use media and particularly regional media which can effectively address the rural populations in local languages as an important vehicle of information on family planning. Interventions aimed at improving quality of family planning counseling need to be mindful of regional disparities in the severity of the problem to ensure equity in service access. To improve the coverage of high quality family planning counseling service, there is an urgent need to re-visit the format of family planning counselling services.
Characteristics of the gut microbiota in women with premenstrual symptoms: A cross-sectional study
Authors: Takeda Takashi , Yoshimi Kana , Kai Sayaka , Ozawa Genki , Yamada Keiko , Hiramatsu Keizo
Published: May 2022

Purpose

Premenstrual symptoms can negatively impact the quality of life of women through a range of mood, behavioral, and physical symptoms. The association between the microbiota and brain function has been extensively studied. Here, we examined the characteristics of the microbiota in women with premenstrual disorders (PMDs) and the association between premenstrual symptoms and the microbiota.

Materials and methods

In this single center cross-sectional pilot study, we recruited 27 women reporting premenstrual symptoms and 29 women with no serious premenstrual symptoms. Among them, we further selected 21 women experiencing premenstrual symptoms resulting in interference to their social life (PMDs group) and 22 women with no serious premenstrual symptoms and thereby no interference to their social life (control group). The severity of symptoms was evaluated by a premenstrual symptoms questionnaire (PSQ). Inflammatory markers were analyzed in blood samples, including C reactive protein, soluble CD14, and lipopolysaccharide binding protein. Sequencing of 16S ribosomal ribonucleic acid genes was performed on stool samples.

Results

Inflammatory markers in blood samples did not differ significantly between the PMDs and control groups. A difference in beta, but not alpha diversity, was detected for the gut microbiotas of the PMDs and control groups. The relative abundance of the Bacteroidetes phylum was lower in the PMDs group. At the genus level, the prevalence was decreased for Butyricicoccus, Extibacter, Megasphaera, and Parabacteroides and increased for Anaerotaenia in the PMDs group, but after false discovery rate correction, these differences were no longer significant. Linear discriminant effect size analysis revealed a decrease in Extibacter, Butyricicoccus, Megasphaera, and Parabacteroides and an increase in Anaerotaenia in the PMDs group. The PSQ total score correlated with Anaerotaenia, Extibacter, and Parabacteroides. Multiple regression analysis showed that Parabacteroides and Megasphaera negatively predicted the PSQ total score.

Conclusion

The properties of the gut microbiota are associated with premenstrual symptoms.
A novel bioassay to detect Nociceptin/Orphanin FQ release from single human polymorphonuclear cells
Authors: Bird M. F. , Hebbes C. P. , Scott S. W. M. , Willets J. , Thompson J. P. , Lambert D. G.
Published: May 2022

Nociceptin/Orphanin FQ (N/OFQ) is the endogenous opioid agonist for the N/OFQ receptor or NOP. This receptor system is involved in pain processing but also has a role in immune regulation. Indeed, polymorphonuclear cells (PMNs) express mRNA for N/OFQ precursor and are a potential source for circulating N/OFQ. Current measurements are based on ELISA and RIA techniques. In this study we have designed a bioassay to measure N/OFQ release from single PMNs. Chinese Hamster Ovary (CHO) cells transfected with the human (h) NOP receptor and Gαiq5 chimera force receptor coupling in biosensor cells to increase intracellular Ca2+; this can be measured with FLUO-4 dye. If isolated PMNs from healthy human volunteers are layered next to CHOhNOPGαiq5 biosensor cells then stimulated with the chemoattractant N-formyl-methionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine (fMLP) we hypothesise that released N/OFQ will activate the biosensor. PMNs also release ATP and CHO cells express purinergic receptors coupled to elevated Ca2+. In a system where these receptors (P2Y1, P2Y2 and P2X7) are blocked with high concentrations of PPADS and oATP, PMN stimulation with fMLP increases Ca2+ in PMNs then shortly afterwards the biosensor cells. Our data therfore reports detection of single cell N/OFQ release from immune cells. This was absent when cells were preincubated with the selective NOP antagonist; SB-612111. Collectively this is the first description of single cell N/OFQ release. We will deploy this assay with further purified individual cell types and use this to further study the role of the N/OFQ-NOP system in disease; in particular sepsis where there is strong evidence for increased levels of N/OFQ worsening outcome.
Food safety practice and associated factors in public food establishments of Ethiopia: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Tamene Aiggan , Habte Aklilu , Woldeyohannes Demelash , Afework Abel , Endale Fitsum , Gizachew Addisalem , Sulamo Dawit , Tesfaye Legesse , Tagesse Mihretu
Published: May 2022

Background

In terms of global impact, foodborne infections have been likened to major infectious diseases such as HIV/AIDS, malaria, and tuberculosis, with 1 in 10 people becoming ill and 420,000 deaths per year. A large number of these incidents are caused by improperly handled food in foodservice establishments. Therefore, this systematic review and meta-analysis aims to estimate the proportion of food handlers in Ethiopian commercial food service establishments who have safe food handling practices and their associated factors.

Methods

Studies conducted before 02-05-2022 were explored in PubMed, Science Direct, Web of Science, Scopus, Embase, Google Scholar, ProQuest, and Ovid MEDLINE®, as well as other sources. A total of fourteen studies were included in the final synthesis. Data were extracted using a standardized data extraction format prepared in Microsoft excel and the analysis was done using STATA 16 statistical software. The quality of included studies was assessed using the Joanna Briggs Institute’s Critical assessment checklist for prevalence studies. To evaluate publication bias, a funnel plot and Egger’s regression test were employed. The I2 statistic was calculated to examine for study heterogeneity. To assess the pooled effect size, odds ratios, and 95% confidence intervals across studies, the DerSimonian and Laird random-effects model was used. Subgroup analysis was conducted by region and publication year. The influence of a single study on the whole estimate was determined via sensitivity analysis.

Results

Of 323 identified articles, 14 studies were eligible for analysis (n = 4849 participants). The pooled prevalence estimate of safe food handling practices among Ethiopian food handlers was 47.14% (95% CI: 39.01–55.26, I2 = 97.23%). Foodservice training (OR, 3.89; 95% CI: 2.37–5.40), having on-site water storage facilities (OR, 4.65; 95% CI: 2.35–6.95), attitude (OR, 4.89; 95% CI: 1.39–8.29), hygiene and sanitary inspection certification (OR, 3.08; 95% CI: 1.62–4.45) were significantly associated with safe food handling practice among food handlers.

Conclusion

This review identified that improvements are needed in food handling training, government regulation, and infrastructure. Standard regulations for food service enterprises must be implemented on a local and national level. Though long-term food safety requires legislation and training, failure to address infrastructure challenges can harm public health efforts. Access to safe drinking water and the presence of sanitary waste management systems should all be part of the basic infrastructure for ensuring the safety of food in food businesses.
Exploring for-profit healthcare providers’ perceptions of inclusion in the Zambia National Health Insurance Scheme: A qualitative content analysis
Authors: Sinjela Kwangaika Mwala , Simangolwa Warren Mukelabai Warren , Hehman Lindsey , Kamanga Mpuma , Mwambazi Wesley Kapaya , Sundewall Jesper
Published: May 2022

Background

In 2019, Zambia introduced the national health insurance (NHI) as a healthcare financing strategy to increase universal access to health care services. The private health sector can complement public sector providers as service providers under the NHI. As such, the NHI Management Authority seeks to accredit for-profit private healthcare facilities in the NHI. Ascertaining factors that influence private-for-profit health providers to participate in the NHI is essential, but the evidence is lacking. In this study, we aimed to explore and characterize perceptions and experiences of for-profit private hospitals, dental clinics, eye clinics, diagnostic centres, and pharmacies regarding their inclusion in the NHI.

Methods

We conducted in-depth interviews with owners or management officers of purposively sampled private health care providers in Lusaka, Zambia (n = 22) between May and June 2020. Qualitative content analysis was used to analyse data.

Results

The findings highlight low awareness of the NHI among providers and a need to understand the NHI. Providers revealed their positions and views on the accreditation process and payment arrangements and stated that their participation would complement the NHI. They also cited conditions to participate in the NHI, highlighted opportunities and challenges of engaging in the NHI, and expressed a need for sustainable ways of governing the scheme.

Conclusion

The assessment of health providers’ inclusion in the NHI scheme is multifaceted. The results of this study surfaced factors such as raising awareness on the NHI among providers and how their concerns on aspects such as payments can be considered as inputs to enlighten consensual agreements between the NHI authority and health providers in leveraging the private health sector. Private providers’ concerns must be further understood and considered as the NHI strives to include this group as health care providers in the scheme.
Complex protein interactions mediate Drosophila Lar function in muscle tissue
Authors: Kawakami Jessica , Brooks David , Zalmai Rana , Hartson Steven D. , Bouyain Samuel , Geisbrecht Erika R.
Published: May 2022

The type IIa family of receptor protein tyrosine phosphatases (RPTPs), including Lar, RPTPσ and RPTPδ, are well-studied in coordinating actin cytoskeletal rearrangements during axon guidance and synaptogenesis. To determine whether this regulation is conserved in other tissues, interdisciplinary approaches were utilized to study Lar-RPTPs in theDrosophilamusculature. Here we find that the single fly ortholog,DrosophilaLar (Dlar), is localized to the muscle costamere and that a decrease in Dlar causes aberrant sarcomeric patterning, deficits in larval locomotion, and integrin mislocalization. Sequence analysis uncovered an evolutionarily conserved Lys-Gly-Asp (KGD) signature in the extracellular region of Dlar. Since this tripeptide sequence is similar to the integrin-binding Arg-Gly-Asp (RGD) motif, we tested the hypothesis that Dlar directly interacts with integrin proteins. However, structural analyses of the fibronectin type III domains of Dlar and two vertebrate orthologs that include this conserved motif indicate that this KGD tripeptide is not accessible and thus unlikely to mediate physical interactions with integrins. These results, together with the proteomics identification of basement membrane (BM) proteins as potential ligands for type IIa RPTPs, suggest a complex network of protein interactions in the extracellular space that may mediate Lar function and/or signaling in muscle tissue.
Effector loss drives adaptation of Pseudomonas syringae pv. actinidiae biovar 3 to Actinidia arguta
Authors: Hemara Lauren M. , Jayaraman Jay , Sutherland Paul W. , Montefiori Mirco , Arshed Saadiah , Chatterjee Abhishek , Chen Ronan , Andersen Mark T. , Mesarich Carl H. , van der Linden Otto , Yoon Minsoo , Schipper Magan M. , Vanneste Joel L. , Brendolise Cyril , Templeton Matthew D.
Published: May 2022

A pandemic isolate ofPseudomonas syringaepv.actinidiaebiovar 3 (Psa3) has devastated kiwifruit orchards growing cultivars ofActinidia chinensis. In contrast,A.arguta(kiwiberry) is not a host of Psa3. Resistance is mediated via effector-triggered immunity, as demonstrated by induction of the hypersensitive response in infectedA.argutaleaves, observed by microscopy and quantified by ion-leakage assays. Isolates of Psa3 that cause disease inA.argutahave been isolated and analyzed, revealing a 51 kb deletion in the exchangeable effector locus (EEL). This natural EEL-mutant isolate and strains with synthetic knockouts of the EEL were more virulent inA.argutaplantlets than wild-type Psa3. Screening of a complete library of Psa3 effector knockout strains identified increased growthin plantafor knockouts of four effectors–AvrRpm1a, HopF1c, HopZ5a, and the EEL effector HopAW1a –suggesting a resistance response inA.arguta. Hypersensitive response (HR) assays indicate that three of these effectors trigger a host species-specific HR. A Psa3 strain with all four effectors knocked out escaped host recognition, but a cumulative increase in bacterial pathogenicity and virulence was not observed. These avirulence effectors can be used in turn to identify the first cognate resistance genes inActinidiafor breeding durable resistance into future kiwifruit cultivars.
Tool for a real-time automatic assessment of vocal proficiency
Authors: Ornoy Eitan , Cohen Shai
Published: May 2022

Over the years, a growing number of researchers have been developing models that would automatically generate assessments of music performances. Yet the number and usage of automatic singing evaluation systems is still rather rudimentary, addressing, for the most part, a limited amount of performance features and lacking verification. This study reports on a newly designed automatic singing assessment tool based on a score-based model and its validation. Short music segments (N = 2640) were gathered via recordings made by music education students (N = 55) of a specially inscribed vocal music excerpt. Recorded data evaluation was generated by a specially devised automatic tool as well as by three human experts, addressing pitch intonation (examined for its overall display, single note accuracy and interval manifestation), dynamics transmission and vocal resonation quality. Findings indicated a higher rating given by the experts in regard to pitch intonation and vocal resonation. However, a similitude was found for the dynamics transmission scoring, and a correlation was found for pitch intonation and the dynamics transmission scoring level: in both performance parameters, the higher the experts’ gradings were, the higher the gradings provided by the automatic tool. Results attest to the automatic tools’ qualification as an aid for human judgement of singing proficiency. The tool could assist investigations in various musical domains, such as music pedagogy, music performance or music perception research.
Notes for a manifesto: Singular creatures/grafts and soil
Authors: Rojo Mayra Citlalli Gómez
Published: May 2022

This text is an artistic political friction and therefore its intention is to be a manifesto. It follows Donna Haraway’s thought in its character of situated experience and knowledge, the narrative voice is of the singular creatures that question the interactions with the earth as soil and the plants, as well as the hybrids and the grafts in their contradictions and liminal character in the history of agricultural technology and of the domestication of the earth/soil. It is an approach to the notion nosótrica of the earth/soil, coming from the language Tojol’ab’al of the Indigenous people of Mexico and the meaning of knowing how to listen, studied by Carlos Lenkersdorf.
More-than-human world? A posthumanist critique of anthropocentrism in the art of Olga Tokarczuk and Patricia Piccinini
Authors: Michna Natalia Anna
Published: May 2022

The aim of the article is to analyse selected threads of Olga Tokarczuk’s literary work and selected artworks of Patricia Piccinini as a posthumanist critique of anthropocentrism. My analysis will be guided by the question of how art clarifies and helps us to understand a world in which boundaries between species are crossed and dualistic divisions – nature/culture, human/animal, human/machine – no longer apply. I will show that art is a space of expression in which the subjectivity of posthumanist hybrids is given the chance to infiltrate universal consciousness and break down the anthropocentric monolith of western European culture. The article will also cite the posthumanist postulate of decentralization of the human subject, as implemented artistically by Tokarczuk and Piccinini in their works. This postulate signifies the need to accept the new responsibility a human being bears as part of a larger, heterogeneous whole (Donna Haraway), as well as to develop a posthumanist ethics (Rosi Braidotti). With reference to one of Tokarczuk’s essays, I propose to describe this new ethics as ‘sensitive ethics’.
Creating sex/gender ecologies: Quimera Rosa’s Trans*Plant
Authors: Casalini Giulia
Published: May 2022

In this article, I advance how the work of transfeminist artistic collective Quimera Rosa formulates new understandings of gender and sexuality in the attempt of ‘becoming plant’. I will first analyse their earlier post-porn work and the use of hacked devices for the formulation of human/nonhuman erotic connections. I will then move to their most recent Trans*Plant project, which involves a human – plant transition. In relation and comparison to the notion of ‘ecosexuality’, I will finally draw an anti-capitalist, posthuman sex/gender practice that radically escapes legibility and identity formulations to create open-ended planetary erotic alliances.
On globes, the Earth and the Cybernetics of Grace
Authors: Westermann Claudia
Published: May 2022

The article presents an enquiry into conceptions of ‘global’ that began at the American Society for Cybernetics 2020 Global Conversation conference. Following the traces of Margaret Mead’s statement that emphasized that the first photographic images of the Earth from space presented notions of fragility, the article contextualizes the recent critique of the dominant representation of the Earth as a globe that emerged in conjunction with the discourse on the Anthropocene. It analyses the globe as an image and the sentiments that accompanied it since the first photographs of our planet from space were published in 1968. The article outlines how the cultural meaning of the whole Earth representation changed in parallel with the appropriation of the image by the large technological enterprises that emerged from America’s counterculture. It returns to the possibility of a coexistence of ‘views from within’ and ‘views from without’ following a detour with Gregory Bateson via Bali and proposes a Cybernetics of Grace as a practice of resistance against pure exteriority. The article concludes by linking the Cybernetics of Grace with the second-order conversations of Gordon Pask.
Garbo and cenacoli of Italian design in the 1960s: A second-order approach to innovation
Authors: Tonoli Matteo , Carradore Roberto
Published: May 2022

After the Second World War, Italy experienced an economic miracle accompanied by the emergence of a material culture highly dense with meaning. This article adopts a second-order approach, which focuses on two concepts that emphasize the component of invention contained within the innovation process.Garboindicates the peculiarly Italian way of solving a constrained optimization problem in the design of everyday objects. Meanwhile, the concept ofcenacolo– whose etymological roots indicate conviviality and good living – made possible the study of the peculiar social networks of the Milanese cultural landscape during the 1960s, which enabled important cross-fertilizations between industry, culture and art. To demonstrate the connections between invention andgarboandcenacoli, the examples of Olivetti (key player in then-nascent personal computer technology) and Bialetti (producer of the Moka coffee machine) are used as case studies of innovative solutions to constrained problems. Following an outline of elements promoting the success of each, the article identifies historically determined mechanisms, which enable us to imagine and (potentially) establish the evolutionary conditions for new pathways of invention.
Reflections on reflexivity
Authors: Kauffman Louis H.
Published: May 2022

This article is a meditation on the theme that language in its ability to discuss and refer is naturally self-referential. This theme is a key to cybernetics. The ideas in this article are extensions of the author’s prior work: Kauffman (, , , ).