bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Postprandial triglyceride levels rather than fat distribution may reflect early signs of disturbed fat metabolism in Iraqi immigrants
Authors: Stenkula Karin G. , Klemendz Lisa Esbjörnsson , Fryklund Claes , Wierup Nils , Alsalim Wathik , Landin-Olsson Mona , Trinh Lena , Månsson Sven , Bennet Louise
Published: August 2022

Purpose

Previous studies have shown that at a similar body mass index, Middle Eastern immigrants are more insulin resistant and at higher risk for type 2 diabetes (T2D) than native Europeans. Insulin resistance is strongly associated with disturbed fat metabolism and cardiovascular disease (CVD). However, fat metabolism is poorly investigated comparing Middle Eastern and European ethnicities.

Methods

This observational study included 26 Iraqi and 16 Swedish-born men without T2D or clinical risk factors for CVD. An oral fat tolerance test (OFTT) was performed, where plasma triglycerides (p-TG) were measured for 6 h. mRNA expression and adipocyte size were measured in subcutaneous adipose tissue biopsies collected prior to OFTT, and magnetic resonance imaging was conducted to assess body fat distribution.

Results

The median p-TG accumulation was higher and the clearance slower among Iraqis than Swedes. None of the groups reached their fasting p-TG (Iraqis 1.55 mmol/l; Swedes 0.95 mmol/l) after 6 h (Iraqis p-TG 3.10 mmol/l; Swedes p-TG 1.50 mmol/l). Adipocyte size, mRNA expression, and fat accumulation in the liver, muscle and abdomen were similar in both groups.

Conclusion

Postprandial p-TG levels rather than fat distribution may reflect early signs of disturbed fat metabolism in Iraqi immigrants without CVD risk factors.
Novel approach to analysis of the immune system using an ungated model of immune surface marker abundance to predict health outcomes
Authors: Provost G. , Lavoie F. B. , Larbi A. , Ng TP. , Ying C. Tan Tze , Chua M. , Fulop T. , Cohen A. A.
Published: August 2022

Traditionally, the immune system is understood to be divided into discrete cell types that are identified via surface markers. While some cell type distinctions are no doubt discrete, others may in fact vary on a continum, and even within discrete types, differences in surface marker abundance could have functional implications. Here we propose a new way of looking at immune data, which is by looking directly at the values of the surface markers without dividing the cells into different subtypes. To assess the merit of this approach, we compared it with manual gating using cytometry data from the Singapore Longitudinal Aging Study (SLAS) database. We used two different neural networks (one for each method) to predict the presence of several health conditions. We found that the model built using raw surface marker abundance outperformed the manual gating one and we were able to identify some markers that contributed more to the predictions. This study is intended as a brief proof-of-concept and was not designed to predict health outcomes in an applied setting; nonetheless, it demonstrates that alternative methods to understand the structure of immune variation hold substantial progress.
Protection against MIS-C outweighs the risk of myocarditis after Covid-19 vaccination in children
Authors: Mariani Marcello , Caorsi Roberta , Consolaro Alessandro , Brisca Giacomo , Sticchi Camilla , Gattorno Marco , Castagnola Elio , Ravelli Angelo
Published: August 2022

From March 2020 to July 2022, in Liguria region (North-West Italy) incidence of MIS-C among pediatric patients infected by SARS-CoV-2 was 38.7/100.000, which is higher than that of myocarditis after COVID-19 vaccination. In our opinion severity of MIS-C-related cardiac disease outweigh the risk of myocarditis after COVID-19 vaccine.
Methylome decoding of RdDM-mediated reprogramming effects in the Arabidopsis MSH1 system
Authors: Kundariya Hardik , Sanchez Robersy , Yang Xiaodong , Hafner Alenka , Mackenzie Sally A.
Published: August 2022

Background

Plants undergo programmed chromatin changes in response to environment, influencing heritable phenotypic plasticity. The RNA-directed DNA methylation (RdDM) pathway is an essential component of this reprogramming process. The relationship of epigenomic changes to gene networks on a genome-wide basis has been elusive, particularly for intragenic DNA methylation repatterning.

Results

Epigenomic reprogramming is tractable to detailed study and cross-species modeling in the MSH1 system, where perturbation of the plant-specific gene MSH1 triggers at least four distinct nongenetic states to impact plant stress response and growth vigor. Within this system, we have defined RdDM target loci toward decoding phenotype-relevant methylome data. We analyze intragenic methylome repatterning associated with phenotype transitions, identifying state-specific cytosine methylation changes in pivotal growth-versus-stress, chromatin remodeling, and RNA spliceosome gene networks that encompass 871 genes. Over 77% of these genes, and 81% of their central network hubs, are functionally confirmed as RdDM targets based on analysis of mutant datasets and sRNA cluster associations. These dcl2/dcl3/dcl4-sensitive gene methylation sites, many present as singular cytosines, reside within identifiable sequence motifs. These data reflect intragenic methylation repatterning that is targeted and amenable to prediction.

Conclusions

A prevailing assumption that biologically relevant DNA methylation variation occurs predominantly in density-defined differentially methylated regions overlooks behavioral features of intragenic, single-site cytosine methylation variation. RdDM-dependent methylation changes within identifiable sequence motifs reveal gene hubs within networks discriminating stress response and growth vigor epigenetic phenotypes. This study uncovers components of a methylome “code” for de novo intragenic methylation repatterning during plant phenotype transitions.
RNA sequencing reveals dynamic expression of spleen lncRNAs and mRNAs in Beagle dogs infected by Toxocara canis
Authors: Xu Yue , Zheng Wen-Bin , Li Hao-Yu , Cai Lang , Zou Yang , Xie Shi-Chen , Zhu Xing-Quan , Elsheikha Hany M.
Published: August 2022

Background

Toxocara canis is a cosmopolitan parasite with a significant adverse impact on the health of humans and animals. The spleen is a major immune organ that plays essential roles in protecting the host against various infections. However, its role in T. canis infection has not received much attention.

Methods

We performed sequencing-based transcriptome profiling of long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) and messenger RNA (mRNA) expression in the spleen of Beagle puppies at 24 h post-infection (hpi), 96 hpi and 36 days post-infection (dpi). Deep sequencing of RNAs isolated from the spleen of six puppies (three infected and three control) at each time point after infection was conducted.

Results

Our analysis revealed 614 differentially expressed (DE) lncRNAs and 262 DEmRNAs at 24 hpi; 726 DElncRNAs and 878 DEmRNAs at 96 hpi; and 686 DElncRNAs and 504 DEmRNAs at 36 dpi. Of those, 35 DElncRNA transcripts and 11 DEmRNAs were detected at all three time points post-infection. Many DE genes were enriched in immune response, such as ifit1, ifit2 and rorc. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes enrichment analysis revealed that some genes (e.g. prkx and tnfrsf11a) were involved in the T cell receptor signaling pathway, calcium signaling pathway, Ras signaling pathway and NF-κB signaling pathway.

Conclusions

The findings of this study show marked alterations in the expression profiles of spleen lncRNAs and mRNAs, with possible implications in the pathophysiology of toxocariasis.

Graphical Abstract
Circulating osteocalcin is associated with time in range and other metrics assessed by continuous glucose monitoring in type 2 diabetes
Authors: Liu Jun , Wei Yinghua , Zang Pu , Wang Wei , Feng Zhouqin , Yuan Yanyu , Zhou Hui , Zhang Zhen , Lei Haiyan , Yang Xinyi , Liu Jun , Lu Bin , Shao Jiaqing
Published: August 2022

Background

Osteocalcin, a protein secreted mainly by mature osteoblasts, has been shown to be involved in glucose metabolism through various pathways. However, few studies has explored the association between osteocalcin and Time in range (TIR). Continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) -derived metrics, such as TIR and other indexes have been gradually and widely used in clinical practice to assess glucose fluctuations. The main purpose of this study was to investigate the correlation between osteocalcin and indexes from CGM in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).

Method

The total number of 376 patients with T2D were enrolled, all of them performed three consecutive days of monitoring. They were divided into four groups on account of the quartile of osteocalcin. Time in range, Time below range (TBR), Time above range(TAR) and measures of glycemic variability (GV) were assessed for analysing. After a 100 g standard steamed bread meal, blood glucose (Glu0h Glu0.5 h, Glu1h, Glu2h, GLu3h), C-peptide (Cp0h, Cp0.5 h, Cp1h, Cp2h, Cp3h), serum insulin (INS0h, INS0.5 h, INS1h, INS2h, INS3h) concentrations at different time points were obtained. HOMA-IS, HOMA-βwas calculated to evaluate insulin sensitivity and insulin secreting of the participants.

Results

Patients with higher osteocalcin level had higher TIR (P < 0.05). Spearman correlation analysis showed that osteocalcin was positively correlated with TBR (although the P value for TBR was greater than 0.05) (r = 0.227, P < 0.001 r = 0.068, P = 0.189) and negatively correlated with TAR (− 0.229, P < 0.001). Similarly, there was a negative correlation between osteocalcin and glycemic variability (GV) indicators, including SD, MBG, MODD, ADDR, and MAGE (P value of MAGE > 0.05). Multiple stepwise regression showed that osteocalcin was an independent contributor to TIR, TAR and HOMA-IS.

Conclusion

Circulating osteocalcin is positively correlated with TIR and negatively correlated with MODD, ADDR, and MAGE. Osteocalcin may have a beneficial impact on glucose homeostasis in T2DM patients.
Modeling early changes associated with cartilage trauma using human-cell-laden hydrogel cartilage models
Authors: He Chunrong , Clark Karen L. , Tan Jian , Zhou Hecheng , Tuan Rocky S. , Lin Hang , Wu Song , Alexander Peter G.
Published: August 2022

Background

Traumatic impacts to the articular joint surface are known to lead to cartilage degeneration, as in post-traumatic osteoarthritis (PTOA). Limited progress in the development of disease-modifying OA drugs (DMOADs) may be due to insufficient mechanistic understanding of human disease onset/progression and insufficient in vitro models for disease and therapeutic modeling. In this study, biomimetic hydrogels laden with adult human mesenchymal stromal cells (MSC) are used to examine the effects of traumatic impacts as a model of PTOA. We hypothesize that MSC-based, engineered cartilage models will respond to traumatic impacts in a manner congruent with early PTOA pathogenesis observed in animal models.

Methods

Engineered cartilage constructs were fabricated by encapsulating adult human bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells in a photocross-linkable, biomimetic hydrogel of 15% methacrylated gelatin and promoting chondrogenic differentiation for 28 days in a defined medium and TGF-β3. Constructs were subjected to traumatic impacts with different strains or 10 ng/ml IL-1β, as a common comparative method of modeling OA. Cell viability and metabolism, elastic modulus, gene expression, matrix protein production and activation of catabolic enzymes were assessed.

Results

Cell viability staining showed that traumatic impacts of 30% strain caused an appropriate level of cell death in engineered cartilage constructs. Gene expression and histo/immunohistochemical analyses revealed an acute decrease in anabolic activities, such as COL2 and ACAN expression, and a rapid increase in catabolic enzyme expression, e.g., MMP13, and inflammatory modulators, e.g., COX2. Safranin O staining and GAG assays together revealed a transient decrease in matrix production 24 h after trauma that recovered within 7 days. The decrease in elastic modulus of engineered cartilage constructs was coincident with GAG loss and mediated by the encapsulated cells. The acute and transient changes observed after traumatic impacts contrasted with progressive changes observed using continual IL-1β treatment.

Conclusions

Traumatic impacts delivered to engineered cartilage constructs induced PTOA-like changes in the encapsulated cells. While IL-1b may be appropriate in modeling OA pathogenesis, the results of this study indicate it may not be appropriate in understanding the etiology of PTOA. The development of a more physiological in vitro PTOA model may contribute to the more rapid development of DMOADs.
Validation of the Arabic version of the modified Yale Food Addiction Scale in the general population in Lebanon
Authors: Hallit Souheil , Brytek-Matera Anna , Malaeb Diana , Obeid Sahar
Published: August 2022

Background

Although the definition of food addiction is not agreed upon, it is characterized by eating more than expected without being hungry, not being able to visit certain places associated with overeating or unsuccessfully trying to cut down on the consumption of certain foods. The modified YFAS (mYFAS 2.0) version, instrument available to evaluate food addiction, was shown to have good psychometric properties. Our objective was to assess the psychometric properties of the Arabic version of the mYFAS (mYFAS-Ar-Leb) in the Lebanese population.

Methods

This cross-sectional study enrolled 1268 persons residing in Lebanon (September–November 2020). The mean age of the participants was 26.18 years (SD = 11.17; min: 18; max: 85), with 65.1% females. The percentage of participants with food addiction was 226 (17.8%) in the total sample. A confirmatory factor analysis was run on the one-factor structure among the total sample.

Results

The fit indices of the confirmatory factor analysis of the scale were excellent. The Cronbach’s alpha value was good for the total scale. The mYFAS-Ar-Leb score was positively and strongly associated with stress, anxiety and depression.

Conclusion

Our study findings highlighted that the use of the mYFAS-Ar-Leb in Lebanese population might help estimate food addiction prevalence and stress on the need for effective treatment and preventive measures to craving for addictive foods.
Personal recovery in forensic institutions as a political process: the significance of frameworks for clinical practice
Authors: Shepherd Andrew , Shaw Jenny
Published: August 2022

Support of personal recovery has been a stated goal for many mental health services since the early 2000s. Frameworks such as the CHIME-S described in this issue of BJPsych Open provide useful tools for the operationalisation of this in clinical practice. It is important, however, that through this act of normalisation we do not lose sight of the radical implications of personal recovery as a personal and political process taking place within a social world.
Breast Cancer and Prolactin – New Mechanisms and Models
Authors: Clevenger Charles V , Rui Hallgeir
Published: August 2022

The pathogenesis of breast cancer is driven by multiple hormones and growth factors. One of these, prolactin (PRL), contributes to both mammary differentiation and oncogenesis, and yet the basis for these disparate effects has remained unclear. The focus of this review is to examine and place into context 2 recent studies that have provided insight into the roles of PRL receptors and PRL in tumorigenesis and tumor progression. One study provides novel evidence for opposing actions of PRL in the breast being mediated in part by differential PRL receptor (PRLr) isoform utilization. Briefly, homomeric complexes of the long isoform of the PRLr (PRLrL-PRLrL) promotes mammary differentiation, while heteromeric complexes of the intermediate and long PRLr (PRLrI-PRLrL) isoforms trigger mammary oncogenesis. Another study describes an immunodeficient, prolactin-humanized mouse model, NSG-Pro, that facilitates growth of PRL receptor-expressing patient-derived breast cancer xenografts. Evidence obtained with this model supports the interactions of physiological levels of PRL with estrogen and ERBB2 gene networks, the modulatory effects of PRL on drug responsiveness, and the pro-metastatic effects of PRL on breast cancer. This recent progress provides novel concepts, mechanisms and experimental models expected to renew interest in harnessing/exploiting PRLr signaling for therapeutic effects in breast cancer.
Optogenetically induced reward and ‘frustration’ memory in larval Drosophila melanogaster
Authors: Thoener Juliane , Weiglein Aliće , Gerber Bertram , Schleyer Michael
Published: August 2022

Animals, including humans, form oppositely valenced memories for stimuli that predict the occurrence versus the termination of a reward: appetitive ‘reward’ memory for stimuli associated with the occurrence of a reward and aversive ‘frustration’ memory for stimuli that are associated with its termination. We characterized these memories in larval Drosophila melanogaster using a combination of Pavlovian conditioning, optogenetic activation of the dopaminergic central-brain DAN-i1864 neuron, and high-resolution video-tracking. This reveals their dependency on the number of training trials and the duration of DAN-i1864 activation, their temporal stability, and the parameters of locomotion that are modulated during memory expression. Together with previous results on ‘punishment’ versus ‘relief’ learning by DAN-f1 neuron activation, this reveals a 2×2 matrix of timing-dependent memory valence for the occurrence/termination of reward/punishment. These findings should aid the understanding and modelling of how brains decipher the predictive, causal structure of events around a target reinforcing occurrence.
Kawasaki disease: a comprehensive review
Authors: Osiejewska Aleksandra , Wojtachnio Dominika , Bartoszewicz Jakub , Grądzik Anna , Nowakowska Izabela , Kudan Małgorzata , Gorajek Anna
Published: August 2022

Introduction and purpose: Kawasaki disease is an acute, self-limited vasculitis of medium arteries, and it affects children under 5 years old. It can lead to coronary artery aneurysms.

Brief description of the state of knowledge: Pathogenesis of Kawasaki disease is unclear. The diagnosis is based on the clinical findings. The characteristic symptoms are polymorphous skin rashes, conjunctivitis, erythema, dryness, cracking and bleeding of the lips, erythema and swelling of palms and soles and cervical lymphadenopathy. Kawasaki disease is defined as a fever for 5 days accompanied by 4 or more of the diagnostic symptoms described above. The classic diagnosis is based on the exclusion of other diseases too. The diagnosis of incomplete Kawasaki disease is suggested if less than 4 main clinical features are found.  It is the most common cause of acquired heart disease in children. Kawasaki disease can lead to coronary artery aneurysm, myocarditis and pericarditis so it is very important to treat this illness correctly. Basic treatment is a single infusion of intravenous immunoglobulin and high-dose aspirin. Recurrent Kawasaki disease (persistent fever after first line treatment with IVIG and aspirin) requires the same treatment as used for the first episode. Corticosteroids and immune-modulating therapies can be used as second and third line options. Quick recognition and early treatment result in a reduction of coronary artery abnormalities.

Conclusion: This article reviews basic informations, history, epidemiology, pathophysiology, clinical presentation, diagnostic criteria, complications and treatment of Kawasaki disease.
Frontiers: How Support for Black Lives Matter Impacts Consumer Responses on Social Media
Authors: Wang Yang , Qin Marco Shaojun , Luo Xueming , Kou Yu (Eric)
Published: August 2022

This paper studies the direct and moderated impact of brands’ support for Black Lives Matter (BLM) on consumer responses.
Thomas Kuhn e a Revolução Copernicana
Authors: Fianco Francisco FIANCO
Published: August 2022

O presente texto tem como tema central a Revolução Copernicana a partir da sua descrição feita por Thomas Kuhn na obra homônima. Nosso objetivo é poder reconstruir, de maneira didática e introdutória, a argumentação do autor a respeito deste processo histórico ao mesmo tempo que identifiquemos nessa narrativa outros conceitos fundamentais do seu pensamento, tais como os de paradigma, ciência normal e revolução científica, ao mesmo tempo dialogando estas considerações com questões da contemporaneidade para demonstrar, por fim, a pertinência de pensarmos o conhecimento científico como inexoravelmente atrelado aos fenômenos socioculturais em relação aos quais se desenvolve.
O problema da ciência normal kuhniana: algumas considerações feyerabendianas
Authors: Leal Halina Macedo
Published: August 2022

Thomas Kuhn representa um marco nos estudos sobre Filosofia e História das Ciências, sobretudo pelo papel que ele atribui à história e ao historiador, buscando a integridade histórica de uma ciência a partir de “sua própria época” e revelando uma imagem não cumulativa da ciência. Para tanto, ele apresenta o conceito de paradigma como chave de compreensão da dinâmica científica e dos distintos momentos da ciência. Um desses momentos é a denominada ciência normal. Tal noção recebeu algumas críticas, dentre essas a de Paul Feyerabend. O objetivo deste texto é analisar alguns pontos da crítica feyerabendiana à ciência normal kuhniana, tendo em vista a possível pertinência de tal crítica.
A consensus bladder and bowel management pathway for multiple sclerosis: process and application
Authors: Thomas Sue , Bradley Joan , Cole Georgina , Girvan Marie , Metcalfe Gale , Naik Paru , Owen Audrey , Solomons Margaret , Stross Ruth , Yates Ann , Webb Mark , White Sarah , Young Jane
Published: August 2022

Following on from the publication of the multiple sclerosis ‘Bladder consensus guidelines’ in 2022, an expert group of healthcare professionals have since developed ‘Consensus multiple sclerosis bladder management pathways’, a priority of the guidelines. This article describes the methodology and process for this work and highlights that a team approach to management is required. They encourage all nurses to be ‘bladder aware’ in multiple sclerosis.
Re-description and bio-ecology of two species of the genus Thibron (Rehn, 1938) (Orthoptera: Tetrigidae) in the Southern part of Cameroon
Authors: NZIKE MARCELLE MBADJOUN , KEKEUNOU SÉVILOR , WANDJI ALAIN CHRISTEL , NOUTCHOM ALAIN SIMEU , NYOBE PHILENE CORINNE AUDE UM , FONDJO JEANNE AGRIPPINE YETCHOM
Published: August 2022

Taxonomy and bio-ecology of Tetrigidae in Cameroon remain poorly studied. This study reports for the first time the presence of Thibron cf. tectatus Günther, 1979 in Cameroon and provides morphological and bio-ecological characteristics of Thibron illepidus (Karsh, 1893) and T. cf. tectatus. The specimens studied were collected between February 2016 and February 2018 in three regions of Cameroon. In each region, species were collected monthly using sweep-nets and pitfalls in four vegetation types. Some morphological characters formerly omitted in previous descriptions were considered in this study. In addition to the characters already known, T. illepidus differs from other species of the same genus in terms of length of body and interocular space, posterior thigh width, median femur length and width and finally the length of the three tarsomeres of posterior tarsus only in T. illepidus. In addition, for T. cf. tectatus, the length of the head, fastigium of vertex, eyes are longer than in T. illepidus. The later was more abundant in the Centre region (79%), less abundant in the Southwest region (18%) and rare in the West (3%). Meanwhile, Thibron cf. tectatus is rare in the Centre region (4%). Pitfalls (92%) were more effective than sweep-nets (8%) in capturing T. illepidus. Results obtained could contribute to improve the knowledge of the taxonomy of both species in Cameroon.
Fine-grained Web Service Trust Detection: A Joint Method of Machine Learning and Blockchain
Authors: Du Ruizhong , Gao Yan , Liu Cui
Published: August 2022

Current website defacement detection methods often ignore security and credibility in the detection process. Furthermore, with the gradual development of dynamic websites, false positives and underreports of website defacement have periodically occurred. Therefore, to enhance the credibility of website defacement detection and reduce the false-positive rate and the false-negative rate of website defacement, this paper proposes a fine-grained trust detection scheme called WebTD, that combines machine learning and blockchain. WebTD consists of two parts: an analysis layer and a verification layer. The analysis layer is the key to improving the success rate of website defacement detection. This layer mainly uses the naive Bayes (NB) algorithm to decouple and segment different types of web page content, and then preprocess the segmented data to establish a complete analysis model. Second, the verification layer is the key to establishing a credible detection mechanism. WebTD develops a new blockchain model and proposes a multi-value verification algorithm to achieve a multilayer detection mechanism for the blockchain. In addition, to quickly locate and repair the defaced data of the website, the Merkle tree (MT) algorithm is used to calculate the preprocessed data. Finally, we evaluate WebTD against two state-of-the-art research schemes. The experimental results and the security analysis show that WebTD not only establishes a credible web service detection mechanism but also keeps the detection success rate above 98%, which can effectively ensure the integrity of the website.
Comparative diurnal and seasonal variations of ACTH, cortisol and aldosterone in Ouled Djellal and D’Man sheep breeds reared in arid lands
Authors: AMOKRANE-FERRAH Assia , ANANE ASSIA , BOUKENAOUI-FERROUK NOURIA , KHALDOUN MOUNIRA , AMIRAT ZAINA , MORMEDE PIERRE , KHAMMAR FARIDA
Published: August 2022

Abstract. Amokrane-Ferrah A, Annane A, Ferrouk-Boukenaoui N, Khaldoun M, Amirat Z, Mormede P, Khammar F. 2021. Comparative diurnal and seasonal variations of ACTH, cortisol and aldosterone in Ouled Djellal and D’Man sheep breeds reared in arid lands. Biodiversitas 23: 388-395. This study aimed to explore the diurnal and seasonal variations of adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), cortisol and aldosterone, main hormones involved in adaptation to the harsh climate of the Sahara Desert in two breeds of sheep (Ovis aries Linnaeus, 1758), Ouled Djellal rams (seasonal breeder) and D'Man (no seasonal breeder). Blood samples were taken every hour for 24 hours during equinoxes and solstices. Plasma ACTH levels were similar in the two breeds, with higher levels in the morning and a seasonal rhythm characterized by lower levels and dampened diurnal cycle in winter. In most experimental conditions, plasma cortisol levels showed no circadian rhythm but marked ultradian variations. The seasonal cortisol rhythm was different from the ACTH rhythm and characterized by lowest levels at equinoxes and highest levels in summer. Mean cortisol levels were higher in Ouled Djellal than in the D’Man breed, which may favor better robustness of Ouled Djellal sheep. Plasma aldosterone levels were characterized by diurnal variations with an acrophase around midnight, with large differences across breeds and seasons. In contrast to cortisol, the seasonal rhythm of plasma aldosterone showed the highest levels at equinoxes and lowest at solstices. These changes can be driven by environmental conditions and exceptionally high summer temperatures.
Aboveground biomass and carbon stock of Rhizophora apiculata forest in Ca Mau, Vietnam
Authors: QUANG BAO TRAN , THI HA NGUYEN , NGUYET BUI THI MINH , HOAN VO MINH , VIET LE HONG , HUNG DANG VIET
Published: August 2022

Abstract. Bao TQ, Ha NT, Nguyet BTM, Hoan VM, Viet LH, Hung DV. 2021. Aboveground biomass and carbon stock of Rhizophora apiculata forest in Ca Mau, Vietnam. Biodiversitas 23: 403-414. Despite the small proportion of mangrove forests globally, they contribute significantly in carbon storage. Yet, biomass and carbon stock in mangrove forests might vary depending on various factors including the dominant species that occurred. This study was conducted to determine the biomass and carbon stock of a mangrove forest dominated by Rhizophora apiculata Blume in Ca Mau, Vietnam. Data were collected from 56 representative sample plots (50m x 50m), and 46 sample trees with different age classes and diameter sizes were cut down to measure the fresh biomass. The dry biomass and carbon content were analyzed in the laboratory. The average aboveground biomass and carbon stock of the individual tree and the R. apiculata forest at different diameter sizes had a significant difference and were mostly found in the stem (74.5%-79.5%). The conversion factor from fresh biomass to dry biomass was 0.56; the conversion factor from dry biomass to carbon was 0.46. The total biomass of the individual trees had a close relationship with two variables diameter at breast height (DBH) and height (Hvn) in the form of the logarithmic function: ln(Wtk) = -1,86412 - 1,95419*ln(Hvn) + 2,26798*ln(DBH*Hvn). The total biomass and carbon stock of the entire forest stand increased in accordance with the diameter size and age classes. The R. apiculata stand had a density of 1,040-15,800 trees/ha and a timber volume of 27.2 to 365.6 m3/ha. The average biomass of the R. apiculata stand was 191.1 tons/ha with a range from 49.6 to 357.4 tons/ha. The carbon stock in forest biomass ranged from 23.8 to 188.7 tons C/ha, with an average of 117.4 tons C/ha. The forest’s CO2 absorption ranged from 60.0 to 691.7 tons CO2/ha, with an average of 415.9 tons/ha. The carbon stocks of trees of age class I to age class VI were 41.6 tons C/ha, 79.4 tons C/ha, 101.4 tons C/ha, 132.9 tons C/ha, 154.0 tons C/ha, and 167.4 tons C/ha, respectively.
Indigenous Dayak Iban customary perspective on sustainable forest management, West Kalimantan, Indonesia
Authors: LEO SANDY , SUPRIATNA JATNA , MIZUNO KOSUKE , MARGULES CHRIS
Published: August 2022

Abstract. Leo S, Supriatna J, Mizuno K, Margules C. 2021. Indigenous Dayak Iban customary perspective on sustainable forest management, West Kalimantan, Indonesia. Biodiversitas 23: 424-435. Borneo is the third-largest island in the world, is rich in biodiversity and has diverse unique ecosystems. However, deforestation and land tenure conflicts continue to threaten the indigenous people who rely on forest resources for their livelihoods and well-being. This study aimed to identify the ecosystem services and the value of customary forest resources, identify local wildlife species, and document the traditional knowledge that the Iban indigenous community of West Kalimantan use to manage their customary forest. We collected relevant data using Toolkit for Ecosystem Service Site-based Assessment (TESSA), in-depth interviews, and wildlife surveys. The customary forest provides significant ecosystem services, mainly carbon sequestration (exceeds US$ 52 million/year), water-related services (exceeds US$ 21 million/year), and the 52 wildlife species recorded in the customary forest. Forest resources are managed successfully by the community through traditional knowledge and customary laws passed down for generations. The integration of local and expert knowledge and involvement from all related stakeholders would boost sustainable forest management and enhance the economic benefits and livelihoods of the community. Following current trends, recognizing customary forest and appropriate sustainable forest management could effectively tackle deforestation and land tenure conflicts in Borneo. Further studies should be considered to develop specific activities on managing the forest sustainably that the community can implement and evaluate.
Identification of poisonous plants and their solutions for traditional livestock in Bojonegoro District, East Java, Indonesia
Authors: PRATAMA ANGGI MUHTAR , HERAWATI OKTI , NURANISA NURI RAHMA , HANIFAH NURUL , WIJAYANTI AGUSTINA DWI , RAHMATULLAH SATYAGUNA , NURAINI ELFIA , BUDIYANTO AGUNG
Published: August 2022

Abstract. Pratama AM, Herawati O, Nuranisa NR, Hanifah N, Wijayanti AD, Rahmatullah S, Nurani E, Budiyanto A. 2021. Identification of poisonous plants and their solutions for traditional livestock in Bojonegoro District, East Java, Indonesia. Biodiversitas 23: 446-452. Local farmers in Bojonegoro District use plants as the main food source and to treat several diseases for their livestock. However, they also comprise a large variety of poisonous plants known by a secondary chemical compound that causes death in the livestock. This study aims to identify the potentially poisonous plants to livestock and their veterinary importance. The study was conducted by interviewing local farmers as we require data as a source of information to provide an overview of their knowledge and experience about poisonous plants that can endanger livestock health. Respondents consisted of 40 local farmers from more than 20 livestock groups in Bojonegoro District. Data were analyzed by Frequency of Citation (Fic), Relative Frequency of Citation (RFC), Frequency of Plant Part (FPP), Symptoms of Poisonous Plants Frequency (SPPF), Livestock Affected Frequency (LAF). A total of nine plants were identified and documented to have poisonous effects on livestock animals, namely leaf of lophatheri (Lophatherum gracile), leaf and tuber skin of cassava (Manihot esculenta), leaf of jack bean (Canavalia ensiformis), leaf of sorghum (Sorghum bicolor), leaf of Chinese albizia (Albizia chinensis), leaf of sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas), leaf of peanut (Arachis hypogaea), rotten fruit of (jackfruit Artocarpus heterophyllus), and leaf of winged bean (Psophocarpus tetragonolobus). Leaf of Lophatherum gracile was the most poisonous plant part for livestock. Furthermore, the leaves of plants are frequently poisonous. Bloating, hypersalivation, frothy mouth, death, and inappetence were among the frequently manifested signs by poisoned livestock. Moreover, this study showed that ruminants species were the most susceptible to poisoned animals. Improper handling of plants for animal feed is thought to trigger poisoning. Therefore a proper feeding preparation is needed before being given as forage. Although those plants can cause toxic effects on livestock, they have tremendous potential to become herbal medicine with the proper formulation.
Object based classification of benthic habitat using Sentinel 2 imagery by applying with support vector machine and random forest algorithms in shallow waters of Kepulauan Seribu, Indonesia
Authors: Hartoni Hartoni , Siregar Vincentius P. , Wouthuyzen Sam , Agus Syamsul Bahri
Published: August 2022

Abstract. Hartoni, Siregar VP, Wouthuyzen S, Agus SB. 2021. Object based classification of benthic habitat using Sentinel 2 imagery by applying with support vector machine and random forest algorithms in shallow waters of Kepulauan Seribu. Biodiversitas 23: 514-520. Benthic habitats have very high complexity and are home to many types of aquatic organisms. Benthic habitats have various functions, including habitat for flora and fauna, sediment traps, nursery areas, and foraging areas for aquatic fauna that are susceptible to damage due to human activities or natural factors. Therefore, more accurate spatial information is needed. The purpose of this study was to examine the ability of object-based classification techniques for mapping shallow waters benthic habitats using Sentinel 2A imagery. The two classification algorithms used are support vector machine (SVM) and random forest (RF). The input image layer (IIL) used for classification is the natural color band (Band 432). The results showed that the SVM and RF classification algorithms could classify eight classes of benthic habitats. The overall accuracy (OA) of the SVM algorithm is 65%, while the RF accuracy is 67%, with kappa values of 0.59 and 0.60, respectively. The significant test applied to Sentinel 2 images with SVM and RF algorithms for benthic habitats has a Z test value of-0.41. These results indicate that the classification results between the SVM and RF algorithms are not significantly different.
Behavioral, physiological, and blood biochemistry of Friesian Holstein dairy cattle at different altitudes in West Java, Indonesia
Authors: TANUWIRIA UJANG HIDAYAT , SUSILAWATI IIN , TASRIFIN DIDIN S. , SALMAN LIA BUDIMULYATI , MUSHAWWIR ANDI
Published: August 2022

Abstract. Tanuwiria UH, Susilawati I, Tasrifin DS, Salman LB, Mushawwir A. 2021. Behavioral, physiological, and blood biochemistry of Friesian Holstein dairy cattle at different altitudes in West Java, Indonesia. Biodiversitas 23: 533-539. For dairy cows, the study of physiological aspects and those related to it is very important based on altitude. The data of this study are the main considerations to determine the ability of homeostasis, prediction of production and appropriate feed management. This study aims to examine the behavior, physiological abilities, and blood plasma biochemistry of sixty dairy cows. It was conducted using three locations in West Java Province based on topography, namely: (i) location with topography 350-500 meters above sea level (masl): Sukabumi Regency; (ii) location with topography 550-750 masl: Sumedang Regency; and (iii) locations with topography > 800 masl: Bandung Regency. Furthermore, 5 mL of blood samples were taken accurately, using a syringe and a 5 mL tube containing EDTA, respectively. Blood sampling was taken carefully from the jugular vein of dairy cows at the beginning of every month for six sampling periods. After each collection, the whole blood was separated from the plasma directly using a centrifuge, with a speed of 4500 ppm for 7 minutes. The plasma obtained was used to measure the value of blood biochemistry related. The plasma analysis was conducted using a Kenza 240TX model spectrophotometer. The procedure for analyzing blood samples followed the instructions listed in the randox and biolabo kits. Furthermore, behavioral and thermoregulation measurements were performed every week during this research. The results showed an increase in dairy cows' time spent lying and drinking at low altitudes compared to dairy cows at high altitudes. In contrast, rumination and feeding activities were decreased, as shown in the blood's physiological response and biochemical profile. Dairy cows appear to be more challenging to adjust physiologically at lower altitudes.
Cytotoxicity extract and fraction of knobweed (Hyptis capitata) and its effect on migration and apoptosis of T47D cells
Authors: TO’BUNGAN NELSIANI , PRATIWI RARASTOETI , WIDYARINI SITARINA , NUGROHO LAURENTIUS HARTANTO
Published: August 2022

Abstract. To’bungan N, Pratiwi R, Widyarini S, Nugroho LH. 2021. Cytotoxicity extract and fraction of knobweed (Hyptis capitata) and its effect on migration and apoptosis of T47D cells. Biodiversitas 23: 572-580. Hyptis capitata Jacq. has an ethnobotanical history. The leaves and stems of H. capitata have been reported to have potential anticancer properties. This study was conducted to determine the anticancer potential of the roots, stems, leaves, and flowers of H. capitata. Organs of H. capitata were extracted in stages using chloroform and continued with methanol to obtain eight extracts. Crude extracts were tested for cytotoxicity on T47D and WiDr cells with the MTT method. Potential inhibition of cell migration by potential fraction was tested with scratch wound healing assay and the content of secondary metabolites was analyzed with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). An Annexin V-Pl apoptosis test was performed to determine the number of living cells, necrosis, and apoptosis. The results showed that the root chloroform extract showed the highest cytotoxic activity against T47D cells (34.90 ± 4.78µg/mL) and WiDr (44.65 ± 12.07 µg/mL), and it was referred to as a potential extract. Fractionation of the root chloroform extract resulted in four fractions (F1, F2, F3, and F4). Fraction F2 had the highest cytotoxic activity (13.8 ± 0.65 µg/mL) and was selective against T47D cells (selectivity index 3.71). Fraction F2 showed its antimetastatic and apoptotic potential against T47D cells. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analyses combined with library showed that the root chloroform extract and fraction F2 contain ferruginol, campesterol, and stigmasterol.
Hessian filter-assisted full diameter at half maximum (FDHM) segmentation and quantification method for optical-resolution photoacoustic microscopy
Authors: Zhang Dong , Li Ran , Lou Xin , Luo Jianwen
Published: August 2022

Optical-resolution photoacoustic microscopy has been validated as an ideal tool for angiographic studies. Quantitative vascular analysis reveals critical information where vessel segmentation plays the key step. The comm-only used Hessian filter method suffers from varying accuracy due to the multi-kernel strategy. In this work, we developed a Hessian filter-assisted, adaptive thresholding vessel segmentation algorithm. Its performance is validated by a digital phantom andin vivoimages which demonstrates a superior and consistent accuracy of 0.987 regardless of kernel selection. Subtle vessel change detection is further tested in two longitudinal studies on blood pressure agents. In the antihypotensive case, the proposed method detected a twice larger vasoconstriction over the Hessian filter method. In the antihypertensive case, the proposed method detected a vasodilation of 21.2%, while the Hessian filter method failed in change detection. The proposed algorithm may further push the limit of quantitative imaging on angiographic applications.
Generation of perfect optical vortex arrays by an optical pen
Authors: Wang Guanxue , Kang Xiangyu , Sun Xiaojie , Li Ziyan , Li Yue , Chen Keyu , Zhang Ning , Gao Xiumin , Zhuang Songlin
Published: August 2022

Recently, perfect optical vortexes (POVs) have attracted substantial attention, because they have an orbital angular momentum (OAM) and the beam diameter is independent of the topological charges. There are numerous innovative results that have been found by modulating the POV optical field. However, methods for controlling the arbitrary parameters of POV are lacking. In this paper, we use the optical pen to overcome this problem. The optical pen is a high-precision optical field modulation method construction based on the relationship between the optical path difference and phase. Based on this method, we have achieved POV arrays with controllable arbitrary parameters in free space, including the spatial position, numbers, topological charges, beam diameter, and amplitude. This work can be applied not only in the fields of optical tweezers, particle manipulation, and super-resolution microscopic imaging, but also will promote the development of optical communication, quantum information coding, and so on.
Optical fiber sensor based on upconversion luminescence for synchronous temperature and curvature sensing
Authors: Xu Weijiang , Li Yan , Shang Jingyu , Wang Yuxiao , Hou Liangtao , Liu Yi , Qu Shiliang
Published: August 2022

A multifunctional optical fiber sensor based upconversion luminescence (UCL) for synchronous temperature and curvature sensing was proposed. The sensor was fabricated by assembling UCL nanoparticles doped by rare earth (RE) ions in polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) materials. Temperature measurements were achieved through the fluorescent intensity ratio (FIR) technique with the dual green UC luminescence generated. The fabricated sensor provided the temperature sensitivity of 714.82 K-1 with excellent linearity (R2=0.997) at a temperature range of 303 to 423 K. In the lower temperature region, temperature measurement based on the FIR technology is almost independent on the fluorescence intensity of a 525 nm emission peak. Hence, deformation produced by the sensor through bending results in detectable and reversible changes in its reflected light, allowing the curvature to be simultaneously measured. The sensor can monitor temperature and curvature simultaneously, providing a new optical alternative for multi-parameters monitoring in the future.
Hybrid modes in gold nanoslit arrays on Bragg nanostructures and their application for sensitive biosensors
Authors: Lo Shu-cheng , Lee Chia-wei , Chern Ruey-lin , Wei Pei-kuen
Published: August 2022

In this work, we present high-performance surface plasmonic sensors using gold nanostructures and Bragg photonic structures. The gold film on the Bragg structure provides Tamm plasmon states (TPs). The Fano coupling between higher order TPs and Bloch-wave surface plasmon polariton (BW-SPP) on the gold nanoslit array results in a new hybrid Tamm-plasmon mode. Using finite-difference time-domain calculations, we demonstrate that the hybrid mode has the advantages of high surface sensitivity of BW-SPP mode and high resonant quality of Tamm state. The calculated plasmonic field distribution shows that the hybrid mode has a similar evanescent distribution with BW-SPP mode on gold surface and TPs field in the Bragg structure. The experimental results verify that the hybrid mode has one hundred times higher wavelength sensitivity than the Tamm state. The figure of merit of the hybrid mode is five times better than the BW-SPP mode in conventional nanoslit arrays. The real-time sensorgram further confirms that the hybrid mode has a much higher sensitivity and better signal to noise ratios in the biomolecular interaction measurement.
Parity-time-symmetric optoelectronic oscillator based on higher-order optical modulation
Authors: Qiao Yu , Zhang Yu , Zheng Ruiqi , Chan Erwin H. W. , Wang Xudong , Feng Xinhuan , Guan Bai-Ou , Yao Jianping
Published: August 2022

An optoelectronic oscillator (OEO) for single-frequency microwave generation, enabled by broken parity time (PT) symmetry based on higher-order modulation using a Mach–Zehnder modulator, is proposed and demonstrated. Instead of using two physically separated mutually coupled loops with balanced gain and loss, the PT symmetry is realized using a single physical loop to implement two equivalent loops with the gain loop formed by the beating between the optical carrier and the ±1st-order sidebands and the loss loop formed by the beating between the ±1st-order sidebands and the ±2nd-order sidebands at a photodetector. The gain and loss coefficients are made identical in magnitude by controlling the incident light power to the modulator and the modulator bias voltage. Once the gain/loss coefficient is greater than the coupling coefficient, the PT symmetry is broken, and a single-frequency oscillation without using an ultra-narrow passband filter is achieved. The approach is evaluated experimentally. For an OEO with a loop length of 10.1 km, a single-frequency microwave signal at 9.997 GHz with a 55-dB sidemode suppression ratio and −142-dBc/Hz phase noise at a 10-kHz offset frequency is generated. No mode hopping is observed during a 5-hour measurement period.
Preparation of the SU(3) Lattice Yang-Mills Vacuum with Variational Quantum Methods
Authors: Ciavarella Anthony N , Chernyshev Ivan A
Published: August 2022

Studying QCD and other gauge theories on quantum hardware requires the preparation of physical states. In this work, VQE is applied to pure SU(3) lattice Yang-Mills on a single plaquette and one dimensional plaquette chains. Ansatz states for plaquette chains are constructed in a scalable manner from smaller systems using a stitching procedure.
Broad-Bandwidth Photonic Quantum Memory
Authors: Arnold Nathan T. , Victora Michelle , Goggin Michael E. , Kwiat Paul G.
Published: August 2022

Photonic quantum memories will play an essential role in synchronizing nodes of quantum networks. Here we present a system that can store polarization and time-bin qubits for up to 12.5 µs over a THz bandwidth.
Teleportation Fidelity Improvement with Quantum Memory
Authors: Hardy Nicholas D. , Ben Dixon P. , Hamilton Scott A.
Published: August 2022

We show that the fidelity of unheralded state teleportation using SPDC sources and standard linear optical Bell state measurements is limited to 50%. Single photon emissions and non-destructive heralding from quantum memories overcome this limit.