bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The neural signature of impaired inhibitory control in individuals with heroin use disorder
Authors: Ceceli Ahmet O. , King Sarah , McClain Natalie , Alia-Klein Nelly , Goldstein Rita Z.
Published: June 2022

Heroin addiction imposes a devastating toll on society, with little known about its neurobiology. Excessive salience attribution to drug over non-drug cues/reinforcers, with concomitant inhibitory control decreases, are common mechanisms underlying drug addiction. While inhibitory control alterations generally culminate in prefrontal cortex (PFC) hypoactivations across drugs of abuse, patterns in individuals with heroin addiction (iHUD) remain unknown. We used a stop-signal fMRI task designed to meet recent consensus guidelines in mapping inhibitory control in 41 iHUD and 24 age- and sex-matched healthy controls (HC). Despite group similarities in the stop-signal response time (SSRT; the classic inhibitory control measure), compared to HC, iHUD exhibited impaired target detection sensitivity (proportion of hits in go vs. false-alarms in stop trials) (p=.003). Additionally, iHUD exhibited lower anterior and dorsolateral PFC (aPFC, dlPFC) activity during successful vs. failed stops (the hallmark inhibitory control contrast). Higher dlPFC/supplementary motor area (SMA) activity was associated with faster SSRT specifically in iHUD, and higher aPFC activity with better target sensitivity across all participants (p<.05-corrected). Importantly, in iHUD, the lower the SMA and aPFC activity during inhibitory control, the shorter the time since last use and the higher the severity of dependence, respectively (p<.05-corrected). Taken together, results revealed lower perceptual sensitivity and hypoactivations during inhibitory control in cognitive control regions (e.g., aPFC, dlPFC, SMA) as associated with task performance and addiction severity measures in iHUD. Such neurobehavioral inhibitory control deficits may contribute to self-control lapses in heroin addiction, constituting targets for prevention and intervention efforts to enhance recovery.

Significance statement

Heroin addiction continues its deadly impact, with little known about its neurobiology. While behavioral and prefrontal cortical impairments in inhibitory control characterize addiction across drugs of abuse, these patterns have not been fully explored in heroin addiction. Here, we illustrate a significant behavioral impairment in target discrimination in individuals with heroin addiction compared to matched healthy controls. We further show lower engagement during inhibitory control in the anterior and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (key regions that regulate cognitive control), as associated with slower stopping, worse discrimination, and addiction severity measures. Mapping the neurobiology of inhibitory control in heroin addiction for the first time, we identify potential treatment targets inclusive of prefrontal cortex-mediated cognitive control amenable for neuromodulation en route to recovery.
Investigating the mutations in the SARS-CoV-2 proteins among European countries
Authors: Abavisani Mohammad , Rahimian Karim , khayami Reza , Kodori Mansoor , Sisakht Mahsa Mollapour , Mahmanzar Mohammadamin , Meshkat Zahra
Published: June 2022

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is a new member of the Coronaviridae family, triggering more than 190 million cases and more than two million deaths in European societies. Emerging the new variants due to mutations in genomic regions is foremost responsible for influencing the infectivity and mortality potential of such a virus. In the current study, we considered mutations among spike (S), envelope (E), membrane (M), and nucleocapsid (N) proteins of SARS-CoV-2 in the Europe continent by exploring the frequencies of mutations and the timeline of emerging them. For this purpose, Amino-acid sequences (AASs) were gathered from the GISAID database, and Mutation tracking was performed by detecting any difference between samples and a reference sequence; Wuhan-2019. In the next step, we compared the achieved results with worldwide sequences. 8.6%, 63.6%, 24.7%, and 1.7% of S, E, M, and N samples did not demonstrate any mutation among European countries. Also, the regions of 508 to 635 AA, 7 to 14 AA, 66 to 88 AA, and 164 to 205 AA in S, E, M, and N samples contained the most mutations relative to the total AASs in both Europe AASs and worldwide samples. D614G, A222V, S477N, and L18F were the first to fifth frequent mutations in S AASs among European samples, and T9I, I82T, and R203M were the first frequent mutations among E, M, and S AASs of the Europe continent. Investigating the mutations among structural proteins of SARS-CoV-2 can improve the strength of therapeutic and diagnostic strategies to efficient combat the virus and even maybe efficient in predicting new emerging variants of concern.
A cell-based, spike protein binding assay highlights differences in antibody neutralising capacity for SARS-CoV-2 variants
Authors: Harrison Neale , Richardson Lauren , Pallini Chiara , Morano Ines , Jinks Elizabeth , Cowley Jamie , Chan Hujo , Hill Harriet J , de las Heras Cristina Matas , Teodosio Ana , Lavado Andrea S , Dafforn Timothy R , Grammatopoulos Dimitris K , Gordon John , Brady Catherine A , Young Lawrence S , Barnes Nicholas M , Stamataki Zania , Qureshi Omar S
Published: June 2022

The engagement of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein with ACE2 is a critical step for viral entry to human cells and accordingly blocking this interaction is a major determinant of the efficacy of monoclonal antibody therapeutics and vaccine-elicited serum antibodies. The emergence of SARS-CoV-2 variants necessitates the development of adaptable assays that can be applied to assess the effectiveness of therapeutics. Through testing of a range of recombinant spike proteins, we have developed a cell based, ACE2/spike protein binding assay that characterises monoclonal anti-spike protein antibodies and neutralising antibodies in donor serum. The assay uses high-content imaging to quantify cell bound spike protein fluorescence. Using spike proteins from the original ‘Wuhan’ SARS-CoV-2 virus, as well as the delta and omicron variants, we identify differential blocking activity of three monoclonal antibodies directed against the spike receptor binding domain. Importantly, biological activity in the spike binding assay translated to efficacy in a SARS-CoV-2 infection assay. Hence, the spike binding assay has utility to monitor anti-spike antibodies against the major known SARS-CoV-2 variants and is readily adaptable to quantify impact of antibodies against new and emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants.
Spatial positioning robotic system for autonomous inspection of LPG tanks
Authors: Li Jie , Wu Jiyuan , Tu Chunlei , Wang Xingsong
Published: June 2022

Purpose

Automatic robots can improve the efficiency of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) tank inspection and maintenance, but it is difficult to achieve high-precision spatial positioning and navigation on tank surfaces. The purpose of this paper is to develop a spatial positioning robotic system for tank inspection. The robot can accurately identify and track weld paths. The positioning system can complete robot’s spatial positioning on tank surfaces.

Design/methodology/approach

A tank inspection robot with curvature-adaptive transmission mechanisms is designed in this study. A weld path recognition method based on deep learning is proposed to accurately identify and extract weld paths. Integrated multiple sensors, the positioning system is developed to improve the robot’s spatial positioning accuracy. Experiments are conducted on a cylindrical tank to test weld seam tracking accuracy and spatial positioning performance of the robotic system. The practicality of the robotic system is then verified in field tests.

Findings

The robot can accurately identify and track weld seams with a maximum drift angle of 4° and a maximum offset distance of ±30 mm. The positioning system has excellent positioning accuracy and stability. The maximum angle and height errors are 3° and 0.08 m, respectively.

Originality/value

The positioning system can improve the autonomous performance of inspection robots and solve the problems of weld path recognition and spatial positioning. Application of the robotic system can promote the automatic inspection and maintenance of LPG tanks.
Ethical values and auditors fraud tendency perception: testing of fraud pentagon theory
Authors: Sahla Widya Ais , Ardianto Ardianto
Published: June 2022

Purpose

This study aims to examine the fraud tendency on the perception of external auditors triggered by five components of the fraud pentagon: pressure (P), opportunity (O), rationalization (R), competence (C) and arrogance (A). In addition, ethical values (EV) are placed as a moderating variable for this relationship.

Design/methodology/approach

This is a quantitative study with a survey to external auditors around Indonesia. A moderation model for a research framework was developed to investigate the moderating role of ethical values.

Findings

The findings have shown that the five components of the fraud pentagon theory are not fully proven as triggers of fraud in the perception of external auditors. Only C and A have a significant value in influencing the perception of fraud tendency (PFT). Other findings also provide evidence that EV moderate the relationship between C and A to PFT. This shows that EV can be used as an anti-fraud strategy in the external auditor environment.

Originality/value

The originality of this paper is one of the first study that examines the fraud pentagon theory in the field of behavioral accounting. In addition, this paper contributes to the integration of ethical values as an anti-fraud strategy in the external auditor environment.
Organizational performance assessment based on psychological empowerment and employee engagement: PCA-DEA-SEM approach
Authors: Mousa Mohamed El-Sayed , Kamel Mahmoud Abdelrahman
Published: June 2022

Purpose

This study aims to examine performance assessment of organizational units through psychological empowerment (PE) and employee engagement (EE) approach and whether this relationship differs among efficient and inefficient organization units.

Design/methodology/approach

This study drew on merging the principal component analysis (PCA), data envelopment analysis (DEA) and partial least square-multigroup analysis (PLS-MGA) to benchmark the performance of organizational units affiliated with Zagazig University in Egypt using PE dimensions as inputs and EE as output. Besides investigating whether PE inputs have the same effect among efficient and inefficient units.

Findings

Performance assessment based on independent data showed that all the investigated organizational units are not at the same efficiency level. The results revealed that there are eight efficient units versus seven inefficient ones. Moreover, PLS-MGA results demonstrated that no significant differences concerning the impact of PE inputs on EE between efficient and inefficient units groups. Nevertheless, the effect of these inputs was slightly higher in the former.

Originality/value

Studies on EE performance in the service sector are scarce in the literature, this study is a novel contribution of exploring EE efficiency in Egypt as a developing economy. Specifically, using the PCA-DEA-structural equation modeling approach.
Wellbeing at the 21st century innovative learning environment called learning ground
Authors: Saastamoinen Ulla , Eronen Lasse , Juvonen Antti , Vahimaa Pasi
Published: June 2022

Purpose

Schools have a significant role in ensuring children's wellbeing as children spend a lot of time at school. Students need to have an active role in their learning and an opportunity to participate in issues concerning wellbeing and studying. This research examines students' wellbeing in an innovative learning environment. The classroom is built with professionals, teachers and students (aged 9). The authors call it Learning Ground.

Design/methodology/approach

Students' wellbeing was measured with smart device application for a six-week period. Students answered the questionnaire with a Likert scale of five (very poor – excellent) responses. Two weeks during the six weeks research period, students were able to use digital study aids, EEG-biosensor headsets, to observe the effectiveness of their learning, defined by NeurSky app. The EEG-biosensors enabled students to use a tool to recognise their own learning factors during the lessons. The effectiveness was available to students via tablets all the time.

Findings

The students at the Learning Ground are satisfied with wellbeing and the environment support for students' wellbeing experience is notable. They have “good vibes” before and after the school day. When wearing EEG-headsets “study aids”, which enabled them to observe their learning via tablets at lessons, the wellbeing experience in the mornings even increased.

Originality/value

Schools need to be visionaries concerning 21st century learning and children's wellbeing. Building flexible learning environments and bringing innovative technologies into schools to provide active support for students will enable 21st century learning. Wellbeing of children should become first when developing the future schools.
Design and analysis of a plasmonic nanostructure applicable for heating and sensing cycles of lab-on-chip
Authors: Asgharian Amir , Yadipour Reza , Kiani Gholamreza , Baghban Hamed
Published: June 2022

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to design a plasmonic structure that can be used simultaneously as a heater and a refractive index sensor applicable for heating and sensing cycles of lab-on-chip (LOC).

Design/methodology/approach

The authors report on the full optical method applicable in the heating and sensing cycles of LOC based on the plasmonic nanostructure. The novelty of this proposed structure is due to the fact that a structure simultaneously acts as a heater and a sensor.

Findings

In terms of the performance of the proposed structure as an analyte detection sensor, in addition to the real-time measurement, there is no need to labeling the sample. In terms of the performance of the proposed structure as a plasmonic heater, the uniformity and speed of the heating and cooling cycles have been greatly improved. Also, there is no need for experts and laboratory conditions; therefore, our proposed method can meet the conditions of point of care testing.

Originality/value

The authors confirm that this work is original and has not been published elsewhere nor it is currently under consideration for publication elsewhere.
Cryptic population decrease due to invasive species predation in a long‐lived seabird supports need for eradication
Authors: Oppel Steffen , Clark Bethany L. , Risi Michelle M. , Horswill Catharine , Converse Sarah J. , Jones Christopher W. , Osborne Alexis M. , Stevens Kim , Perold Vonica , Bond Alexander L. , Wanless Ross M. , Cuthbert Richard , Cooper John , Ryan Peter G.
Published: June 2022

Invasive species are one of the greatest drivers of biodiversity loss worldwide, and the eradication of invasive species from islands is a highly efficient management strategy. Because eradication operations require large financial investments, uncertainty over the magnitude of impacts of both invasive species and their removal can impede the willingness of decision makers to invest in eradication. Such uncertainty is prevalent for long‐lived species that display an inherent lag between life stages affected by invasive species and those used for population status assessments.

Albatrosses are amongst the longest‐living bird species and are threatened on land by invasive species and at sea by industrial fisheries. As in many seabird species, usually only a segment of the population (breeding adults) is used for status assessments, making it difficult to assess albatross population trends and the potential benefit of conservation action, such as the management of predatory invasive species.

We used population monitoring and mark‐recapture data to estimate the past population trajectory of the critically endangered Tristan albatrossDiomedea dabbenenaby accounting for unobservable birds at sea in an integrated population model. We then projected the future population trajectory of Tristan albatrosses for scenarios with or without predation by invasive house miceMus musculuson their main breeding site, Gough Island.

The adult breeding population remained stable between 2004 and 2021, but breeding success was low (31%) and our model indicated that the total population (including unobservable immature birds) decreased from a median estimate of 9,795 to 7,752 birds. Eradicating invasive mice leading to a two‐fold increase in breeding success would result in a 1.8–7.6 times higher albatross population by 2050 (median estimate 10,352 individuals) than without this intervention.

Low reproductive output for long‐lived species may lead to a cryptic population decrease, which can be obscured from readily available counts of breeding pairs by changes in the population structure. Mouse eradication is necessary to halt the ongoing population decrease of the Tristan albatross, even if this decrease is not yet apparent in the breeding population size.
A novel synthetised sulphonylhydrazone coumarin (E)‐4‐methyl‐N′‐(1‐(3‐oxo‐3H‐benzo[f]chromen‐2‐ yl)ethylidene)benzenesulphonohydrazide protect against isoproterenol‐induced myocardial infarction in rats by attenuating oxidative damage, biological changes and electrocardiogram
Authors: Ghazouani Lakhdar , Khdhiri Emna , Elmufti Afoua , Zarei Armin , Feriani Anouar , Baaziz Intissar , Hajji Raouf , Abid Majdi , Ammar Houcine , Abid Souhir , Allouche Noureddine , Mnafgui Kais , Ramazani Ali , Tlili Nizar
Published: June 2022

Coumarins and their derivatives are becoming a potential source for new drug discovery due to their vast array of biological activities. The present study was designed to investigate the cardioprotective effects of a newly synthesised coumarin, symbolised as 5,6‐PhSHC, against cardiac remodelling process in isoproterenol (ISO) induced myocardial infarction (MI) in maleWistarrats by evaluating haematological, biochemical and cardiac biomarkers. Rats were pre/co‐treated with 5,6‐PhSHC or clopidogrel (150 μg/kg body weight) daily for a period of 7 days and then MI was induced by injecting ISO (85 mg/kg body weight), at an interval of 24 hours for 2 consecutive days, on the sixth and seventh days. The in vivo exploration indicated that the injection of 5,6‐PhSHC improved the electrocardiographic (ECG) pattern and prevented severe heart damage by reducing leakage of the cardiac injury markers, such as troponin‐T (cTn‐T), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), and creatine kinase‐MB. The cellular architecture of cardiac sections, altered in the myocardium of infracted rats, was reversed by 5,6‐PhSHC treatment. Results showed that injection of 5,6‐PhSHC elicited significant cardioprotective effects by prevention of myocardium cell necrosis and inflammatory cells infiltration, along with marked decrease in plasma levels of fibrinogen. In addition, the total cholesterol, triglyceride, LDL‐c, and HDL profiles underwent remarkable beneficial changes. It was also interesting to note that 5,6‐PhSHC enhanced the antioxidative defence mechanisms by increasing myocardial glutathione (GSH) level, superoxide dismutase (SOD), and catalase (CAT) activities, together with reducing the levels of thiobarbituric‐acid‐reactive substances (TBARS), when compared with ISO‐induced rats. Taken together, these findings suggested a beneficial role for 5,6‐PhSHC against ISO‐induced MI in rats. Furthermore, in silico analysis showed that 5,6‐PhSHC possess high computational affinities (E‐value >−9.0 kcal/mol) against cyclooxygenase‐2 (PDB‐ID: 1CX2), vitamin K epoxide reductase (PDB‐ID: 3KP9), glycoprotein‐IIb/IIIa (PDB‐ID: 2VDM) and catalase (PDB‐ID: 1DGF). Therefore, the present study provided promising data that the newly synthesised coumarin can be useful in the design and synthesis of novel drug against myocardial infarction.
The Only Girl in Amoy: Gender and American Patriotism in a Nineteenth‐Century Treaty Port
Authors: Larkin Thomas M.
Published: June 2022

In 1861, twenty‐year‐old Ruth Bradford accompanied her father to the Chinese treaty port of Amoy where he was to serve as American consul. Bradford recorded this trip in a diary kept from her departure from New York until her 1863 return. Drawing upon her diary, this paper explores how Bradford, as the only American woman in Amoy, refined her sense‐of‐self through interracial and cross‐cultural encounters with the settlement's Chinese and British inhabitants. The paper argues that through critical comparison with these communities, Bradford, like other nineteenth‐century American women in China, consolidated and articulated her gendered, racial and burgeoning patriotic national identity.
Fat content of cream affects the capacity of butter to hold water
Authors: Jones Annalisa , Martini Silvana
Published: June 2022

Extrusion of butter for laminated dough can result in water loss. The degree of water loss can be affected by butter physical properties which, in turn, can be affected by the fat content in the cream. In this study, butter was made from cream with six different levels of fat (38%–48%). Correlation analysis showed that the fat content of the cream had a positive correlation with water loss and water content and that water loss increases with a higher fat content of cream (r: 0.918), water content (r: 0.971), enthalpy (r: 0.950), delta (r: 0.975) and a decreased G' (r: 0.826).
The multivariate effect of chemical and oxidative characteristics of Buffalo Mozzarella cheese produced with different contents of frozen curd
Authors: Tripaldi Carmela , Palocci Giuliano , Rinaldi Simona , Di Giovanni Sabrina , Cali Massimo , Renzi Gianluca , Costa Corrado
Published: June 2022

This study evaluates the effect of using frozen curd on the chemical characteristics and oxidative modifications of Mozzarella cheese. Samples of Buffalo Mozzarella cheese with different frozen curd contents (0%, 5%, 20% and 50% w/w) were produced in three dairies and analysed after 1 and 9 days. Spectra of Mozzarella samples also were acquired by near‐infrared spectyoscopy. By increasing the frozen curd content, the fat content and antioxidant activity of the Mozzarella cheese were reduced. During storage, the increase in moisture content and the reduction in fat and protein content occurred. The redox potential of Mozzarella was positive and increased over time.
Clinical characteristics and predictors for hospitalisation during the initial phases of the Delta variant COVID‐19 outbreak in Sydney, Australia
Authors: Davis Rebecca , Bein Kendall , Burrows Jamie , Chakar Bashir , Berendsen Russell Saartje , Hutchings Owen , Dearing Cassandra , Jagers Dianna , Edwards James , Chalkley Dane , Shaw Miranda , McKenzie Lucy , Goldmith Helen , Dinh Michael
Published: June 2022

Objectives

The COVID‐19 Delta variant of concern continues to pose significant challenges to health systems globally, with increased transmissibility and different patient populations affected. In Sydney, a virtual model of care was implemented in response to the COVID‐19 pandemic and Special Health Accommodation (SHA) was made available for community patients with COVID‐19 who could not isolate at home or needed health support.

Methods

This retrospective observational cohort study of all patients with COVID‐19 Delta variant in SHA during the initial phases of the Delta variant outbreak in Sydney describes the demographic and clinical characteristics of patients with Delta variant COVID‐19 and determines predictors of need for in‐patient hospital admission.

Results

Data from 794 patients were analysed. One hundred and fifty‐seven patients (19.8%) were transferred to ED. Of those, 125 were admitted to an in‐patient unit (admission rate from ED 79.6%), and of these 30 (24%) went to ICU and seven were intubated. Two patients died within the follow‐up period. Age >40 years, obesity, and presence of fever (temperature >37.5°C), hypoxia (oxygen saturation <95%), tachycardia or gastrointestinal symptoms on initial assessment in SHA were independent predictors of in‐patient admission with an AUROC of 0.78 (95% confidence interval 0.73, 0.82).

Conclusions

Initial symptoms and vital signs were just as predictive for short‐term deterioration as age and pre‐existing comorbidities and should be included in future risk prediction models for COVID‐19. Based on this, we derive a proposed risk prediction score that incorporates these predictors with further validation required.
Sensitivity of the S1 neuronal calcium network to insulin and Bay‐K 8644 in vivo: Relationship to gait, motivation, and aging processes
Authors: Lin Ruei‐Lung , Frazier Hilaree N. , Anderson Katie L. , Case Sami L. , Ghoweri Adam O. , Thibault Olivier
Published: June 2022

Neuronal hippocampal Ca2+ dysregulation is a critical component of cognitive decline in brain aging and Alzheimer's disease and is suggested to impact communication and excitability through the activation of a larger after hyperpolarization. However, few studies have tested for the presence of Ca2+ dysregulation in vivo, how it manifests, and whether it impacts network function across hundreds of neurons. Here, we tested for neuronal Ca2+ network dysregulation in vivo in the primary somatosensory cortex (S1) of anesthetized young and aged male Fisher 344 rats using single‐cell resolution techniques. Because S1 is involved in sensory discrimination and proprioception, we tested for alterations in ambulatory performance in the aged animal and investigated two potential pathways underlying these central aging‐ and Ca2+‐dependent changes. Compared to young, aged animals displayed increased overall activity and connectivity of the network as well as decreased ambulatory speed. In aged animals, intranasal insulin (INI) increased network synchronicity and ambulatory speed. Importantly, in young animals, delivery of the L‐type voltage‐gated Ca2+ channel modifier Bay‐K 8644 altered network properties, replicating some of the changes seen in the older animal. These results suggest that hippocampal Ca2+ dysregulation may be generalizable to other areas, such as S1, and might engage modalities that are associated with locomotor stability and motivation to ambulate. Further, given the safety profile of INI in the clinic and the evidence presented here showing that this central dysregulation is sensitive to insulin, we suggest that these processes can be targeted to potentially increase motivation and coordination while also reducing fall frequency with age.
Australia's 2019–20 mega‐fires are associated with lower occupancy of a rainforest‐dependent bat
Authors: Law B. S. , Madani G. , Lloyd A. , Gonsalves L. , Hall L. , Sujaraj A. , Brassil T. , Turbill C.
Published: June 2022

Mega‐fires in the Australian summer of 2019–20 resulted in the largest ever documented forest fire extent. These fires impacted many species, but individual responses remain poorly known, making assessments of their conservation status and ongoing threats uncertain. We assessed the influence of the 2019–20 mega‐fires on habitat occupancy in the golden‐tipped bat Phoniscus papuensis, a specialist which roosts in suspended birds' nests and occurs in relictual Gondwanan rainforest not typically exposed to fire. We used trapping and accounted for nightly detection probability (lower detection with increasing rainfall) to estimate site occupancy. Occupancy increased with the local (1 km buffer surrounding each site) extent of rainforest, gullies and unburnt forest. The model predicted a strong negative effect of fire in the surrounding buffer, with occupancy reduced from >90% at sites with suitable habitat (extensive rainforest and gully systems) surrounded by unburnt forest to 20% when the entire surrounding area was burnt (regardless of severity). Gully rainforest sites surrounded by a mixture of burnt and unburnt forest were modelled to have intermediate occupancy values. On average, fire severity mapping revealed that 22% of rainforest in the 1 km buffer surrounding our burnt sites was unburnt, 61% had a low severity burn, while 17% experienced a high severity burn. The lower occupancy of P. papuensis in burnt rainforest was associated with a reduction in the abundance of suspended bird nests, a critical resource used for day‐roosting. Our results quantify the effects of extreme fire events on animal populations in rainforest that is normally unaffected by fire. The large extent of rainforest burnt during the 2019–20 Australian season of ‘mega‐fires’ and its strong negative effect on occupancy highlights the vulnerability of animal species reliant on fire‐sensitive habitat to a climate‐change driven increase in such extreme fire events.
Evaluation of skull and mandible morphometric measurements and three‐dimensional modelling of computed tomographic images of porcupine (Hystrix cristata)
Authors: Baygeldi Saime Betül , Güzel Barış Can , Kanmaz Yeşim Aslan , Yilmaz Sadık
Published: June 2022

Although there have been morphological and morphometric studies on the porcupine skull, three‐dimensional modelling of the skull is performed for the first time with the present study. In this study, it was aimed to model the skull and mandible of Hystrix cristata in 3D to reveal its morphometric values and the differences between the sexes. Morphometric analyses were performed on a total of eight (four male and four female) adult porcupine skulls and mandibles. Skulls and mandibles of porcupines were scanned usinf a 64‐detector MDCT (General Electric Revolution) device at 80 kV, 200 MA, 639 mGY and 0.625 mm slice thickness. Skull and mandible reconstructions were made with the help of MIMICS 20.1 (Materialize) software program and the surface area and volume values of the skull and mandible were calculated. Statistical analyses were carried out using SPSS 22.0 software. The longest measurement in the skulls, based on the metric measurement points, was the total length (TL), and it was measured as 135.4750 ± 0.54976 mm in males and 134.4725 ± 0.86681 mm in females (p < 0.5). The highest value was the foramen magnum index (p < 0.5), and the lowest value the was skull index (p < 0.1). While the total volume ratio of the mandibles was 29901.64 mm3 in males, it was 27296.20 mm3 in females (p > 0.5). Statistical differences in the morphometric values of skulls and mandibles of male and female porcupines were demonstrated for the first time using CT and three‐dimensional modelling software.
Is there life on the airway tree? A pilot study of bronchial cell vitality and tissue morphology in the ex vivo lung perfusion (EVLP) era of lung transplantation
Authors: Boffini Massimo , Cassoni Paola , Gambella Alessandro , Simonato Erika , Delsedime Luisa , Marro Matteo , Fanelli Vito , Costamagna Andrea , Lausi Paolo Olivo , Solidoro Paolo , Scalini Fabrizio , Barbero Cristina , Brazzi Luca , Rinaldi Mauro , Bertero Luca
Published: June 2022

Background

Ex vivo lung perfusion (EVLP) is a relevant procedure to increase the lung donor pool but could potentially increase the airway tree ischemic injury risk.

Methods

This study aimed to evaluate the direct effect of EVLP on the airway tree by evaluating bronchial cell vitality and tissue signs of injury on a series of 117 bronchial rings collected from 40 conventional and 19 EVLP‐treated lung grafts. Bronchial rings and related scraped bronchial epithelial cells were collected before the EVLP procedure and surgical anastomosis.

Results

The preimplantation interval was significantly increased in the EVLP graft group (p < 0.01). Conventional grafts presented cell viability percentages of 47.07 ± 23.41 and 49.65 ± 21.25 in the first and second grafts which did not differ significantly from the EVLP group (first graft 50.54 ± 25.83 and second graft 50.22 ± 20.90 cell viability percentage). No significant differences in terms of histopathological features (edema, inflammatory infiltrate, and mucosa ulceration) were observed comparing conventional and EVLP samples. A comparison of bronchial cell viability and histopathology of EVLP samples retrieved at different time intervals revealed no significant differences. Accordingly, major bronchial complications after lung transplant were not observed in both groups.

Conclusions

Based on these data, we observed that EVLP did not significantly impact bronchial cell vitality and airway tissue preservation nor interfere with bronchial anastomosis healing, further supporting it as a safe and useful procedure.
Editorial: lack of gastrointestinal symptoms caused by gluten in patients without coeliac disease—time to ditch the ‘gluten’ from ‘non‐coeliac gluten sensitivity’
Authors: Tye‐Din Jason A.
Published: June 2022

LINKED CONTENT

This article is linked to Crawley et al papers. To view these articles, visit https://doi.org/10.1111/apt.16914 and https://doi.org/10.1111/apt.16980
Letter: gut–brain axis dysfunction underlies symptom generation in irritable bowel syndrome—a plea for rational interpretation of irrational doses of FODMAPs
Authors: Halmos Emma P. , Gibson Peter R.
Published: June 2022

LINKED CONTENT

This article is linked to Wu et al papers. To view these articles, visit https://doi.org/10.1111/apt.16812 and https://doi.org/10.1111/apt.17074
Editorial: the impact of red blood cell transfusion on inpatient mortality in upper gastrointestinal bleeding
Authors: Orpen‐Palmer Josh , Stanley Adrian J.
Published: June 2022

LINKED CONTENT

This article is linked to Radadiya et al papers. To view these articles, visit https://doi.org/10.1111/apt.16965 and https://doi.org/10.1111/apt.17053
Being helpful to other‐gender peers: School‐age children's gender‐based intergroup prosocial behaviour
Authors: Xiao Sonya Xinyue , Martin Carol Lynn , Spinrad Tracy L. , Eisenberg Nancy , DeLay Dawn , Hanish Laura D. , Fabes Richard A. , Oswalt Krista
Published: June 2022

Promoting prosocial behaviour towards those who are dissimilar from oneself is an urgent contemporary issue. Because children spend much time in same‐gender relationships, promoting other‐gender prosociality could help them develop more inclusive relationships. Our goals were to better understand the development of school‐age children's intergroup prosocial behavior and the extent to which elementary school‐age children consider their own and the recipient's gender in prosocial behaviour. Participants included 515 3rd, 4th and 5th graders (263, 51.1% boys, Mageinyears = 9.08, SD = 1.00) surveyed in the fall (T1) and spring (T2). We assessed children's prosociality using peer nominations. Children became more prosocial toward same‐gender peers over time but prosocial behavior toward other‐gender peers remained stable. We found that gender mattered: Children showed an ingroup bias in prosociality favouring members of their own‐gender group. Having other‐gender friendships positively predicted children's prosocial behaviour towards other‐gender peers over time. Children's felt similarity to other‐gender peers was not directly, but indirectly, related to more prosocial behaviour toward other‐gender peers. Findings shed light on potential pathways to fostering school‐age children's intergroup prosocial behaviors.
Parent–offspring cannibalism throughout the animal kingdom: a review of adaptive hypotheses
Authors: Bose Aneesh P. H.
Published: June 2022

Parents that kill and consume their offspring often appear to be acting against their own reproductive interests. Yet parent–offspring cannibalism is common and taxonomically widespread across the animal kingdom. In this review, I provide an overview of our current understanding of parent–offspring cannibalism, which has seen a proliferation in adaptive hypotheses over the past 20 years for why parents consume their own young. I review over four decades of research into this perplexing behaviour, drawing from work conducted on fishes, reptiles, insects, birds, and mammals among other taxa. Many factors have been hypothesised to explain parent–offspring cannibalism in nature, including poor parental energy reserves, small or large brood sizes, low or uncertain parentage, and high brood densities, and additional factors are still being uncovered. Parent–offspring cannibalism does not appear to have a single predominant explanation; rather, the factor, or set of factors, that govern its expression is largely taxon specific. Parents may either consume all offspring under their care (full‐brood cannibalism) or consume a fraction of their offspring (partial brood cannibalism). These forms of cannibalism are thought to provide adaptive benefits to cannibals under a range of circumstances, primarily by allowing parents to allocate parental efforts more optimally – energy from eating (some of) one's current offspring can be redirected to other offspring, or to parental growth, survival, and ultimately to other future reproductive endeavours. Thus, parent–offspring cannibalism is a phenotypically plastic trait that responds to changing environmental, social, and physiological conditions. The expression of parent–offspring cannibalism in any given system is intimately linked to the reproductive value of current young relative to parents' expectations for future reproduction, and also to whether parental care is predominantly depreciable or non‐depreciable. Furthermore, parent–offspring cannibalism has the potential to generate conflict between the sexes, and I briefly discuss some consequences of this conflict on patterns of mate choice. Finally, there still remain many aspects of this behaviour where our understanding is poor, and I highlight these topics to help guide future research.
Sticking around: Plant persistence strategies on edaphic islands
Authors: Ottaviani Gianluigi , Méndez‐Castro Francisco E. , Conti Luisa , Zelený David , Chytrý Milan , Doležal Jiři , Jandová Veronika , Altman Jan , Klimešová Jitka
Published: June 2022

Aim

Species on islands are at high risk of extinction due to environmental changes, including global warming, land‐use alterations and invasions. At local scales, extinctions can be offset by strategies promoting in situ persistence. We explored how persistence‐related traits of plants—that is, linked to belowground resource conservation, growth, size and longevity—on edaphic islands respond to variation in insularity and the environment (soil and microclimate), including intraspecific variability, which is rarely considered in functional island biogeography. We hypothesised that plants facing strong insularity and harsh soil conditions are characterised by enhanced persistence abilities.

Location

Shallow‐soil temperate dry grasslands on granite outcrops, Central Europe.

Methods

We focussed on edaphic island specialist species belonging to different life histories, namely clonal and non‐clonal perennial plants. We used linear and linear mixed‐effect models to examine intra‐ and interspecific trait patterns versus variation in insularity, soil and microclimate.

Results

Insularity tended to promote smaller plants (non‐clonal species) and belowground resource‐conservative strategies (both clonal and non‐clonal species), increasing the likelihood of local persistence. Soil also contributed largely to explaining persistence‐related trait patterns: plants growing in harsh soil conditions tended to be resource conservative. Clonal species are distinguished by highly consistent responses to variation in insularity and soil conditions, whereas non‐clonal plants showed distinct species‐specific responses.

Main conclusions

Our findings have important implications for the conservation biogeography of edaphic island plant specialists. Clonal species may be susceptible to local extinction should insularity or soil conditions vary, for example, due to abrupt changes in the geographical setting (e.g. habitat loss) or local environmental factors (e.g. N‐deposition). Non‐clonal species may instead face environmental changes differently; some will go extinct, whereas others will survive, depending on the prevailing abiotic pressures. This seems to challenge previous views that predicted clonal species to be the winners and non‐clonal species the losers against local extinction.
Complexation potentiated promising anti‐diabetic and anti‐oxidative synergism between ZN(ii) and ferulic acid: A multimode study
Authors: Matowane Godfrey R. , Ramorobi Limpho M. , Mashele Samson S. , Bonnet Susanna L. , Noreljaleel Anwar E. M. , Swain Shasank S. , Makhafola Tshepiso J. , Chukwuma Chika I.
Published: June 2022

Aim

This study was done to investigate the anti‐diabetic and anti‐oxidative synergism between zinc(II) and ferulic acid through complexation.

Methods

Zinc sulphate was complexed with ferulic acid in a 1:2 molar ratio. The complex was characterized using Fourier‐transform infrared spectroscopy, proton NMR and high‐resolution mass spectroscopy techniques and evaluated for cellular toxicity. In silico, in vitro, cell‐based and tissue experimental models were used to test the anti‐diabetic and anti‐oxidant activities of the complex relative to its precursors.

Results

A zinc(II)‐biferulate.2H2O complex was formed. The in vitro radical scavenging, anti‐lipid peroxidative and α‐glucosidase and α‐amylase inhibitory activity of the complex was 1.7–2.1 folds more potent than ferulic acid. Zn(II) complexation increased the anti‐glycation activity of ferulic acid by 1.5 folds. The complex suppressed lipid peroxidation (IC50 = 48.6 and 331 μM) and GHS depletion (IC50 = 33.9 and 33.5 μM) in both Chang liver cells and isolated rat liver tissue. Its activity was 2.3–3.3 folds more potent than ferulic acid and statistically comparable to ascorbic acid. Zn(II) complexation afforded ferulic acid improved glucose uptake activity in L‐6 myotube (EC50 = 11.7 vs. 45.7 μM) and isolated rat muscle tissue (EC50 = 501 and 1510 μM). Complexation increased muscle tissue zinc(II) uptake and hexokinase activity. Docking scores of the complex (−7.24 to −8.25 kcal/mol) and ferulic acid (−5.75 to 6.43 kcal/mol) suggest the complex had stronger interaction with protein targets related to diabetes, which may be attributed to the 2 ferulic acid moieties and Zn(II) in the complex. Moreover, muscle tissue showed increased phospho‐Akt/pan‐Akt ratio upon treatment with complex. The complex was not hepatotoxic and myotoxic at in vitro cellular level.

Conclusion

Zn(II) complexation may be promising therapeutic approach for improving the glycaemic control and anti‐oxidative potential of natural phenolic acids.
Trend analysis and forecasting of publication activities by Indian computer science researchers during the period of 2010–23
Authors: Kathiria Preeti , Arolkar Harshal
Published: June 2022

Huge collections of published research documents are available in various repositories in Indian universities and research organizations. The efficient retrieval, estimation of research trends, and identification of research gaps with the global trend in different research areas, can be a great guiding tool for regulating research in the appropriate direction. This research attempts to analyse the trend of research activities carried out by Indian researchers in the discipline of Computer Science from 2010 to 19 and forecast the upcoming research trend for the years 2020–23. A repository of the abstracts based on domains given in the Computer Science Ontology (CSO) published by the Indian researchers is developed from the Scopus database. Document Index Graph document representation model is used to store the repository, shared phrases across the documents are extracted and phrase‐based similarity is computed. Combining the Single‐term and Phrase‐based similarity, the hybrid similarity is generated and similar documents are clustered using the DBSCAN clustering technique. Topics are identified for each cluster using the Latent Dirichlet Allocation algorithm and are automatically labelled using CSO. For each topic, the trend analysis and forecasting have been done using the Auto‐Regressive Integrated Moving Average. For the assessment of the forecasting performance, the dataset from 2010 to 17 is used as a training dataset and 2018–19 as a testing dataset. The average forecasting for the year 2018 for all CSO domains belongs to the Good forecasting category with Mean Absolute Percentage Error (MAPE) 18.34, and 2019 shows reasonable forecasting with MAPE 30.20 as per the MAPE interpretation given by Lewis. For each topic the average forecasting for years 2018–19 shows either Highly accurate, Good or Reasonable forecasting. As a result, the top four domains for the years 2020–23 are also identified which can help initial researchers in the identification of a relevant topic for research and exploration.
NEUE MENSCHEN, NEUE POETEN: EXPRESSIONISMUS, GENIE UND ARBEITERDICHTUNG
Authors: Hildebrandt Annika
Published: June 2022

While the German Expressionists announced an end to bourgeois art, hopes of a literary revolution also rose in the labour movement. Since the 1910s, worker poets, such as Gerrit Engelke and Karl Bröger; literary critics, such as Julius Bab; and leading political figures of the Social Democratic Party such as Clara Zetkin, proclaimed a poetical breakthrough of the proletariat that was expected to challenge bourgeois poetry. This article examines the relationship between the literary and political programmes of Expressionism and new concepts of workers’ poetry at the beginning of the twentieth century. Using poetry, literary and cultural criticism, and political speeches, the paper traces how aesthetic and political discourses interacted in order to produce concepts of a collective, class‐specific genius.

Während die deutschen Expressionisten ein Ende der bürgerlichen Kunst ausriefen, wurden auch in der Arbeiterbewegung Hoffnungen auf eine literarische Revolution laut. Seit den 1910er Jahren verkündeten dichtende Arbeiter wie Gerrit Engelke und Karl Bröger, Literaturkritiker wie Julius Bab und politische Leitfiguren der Sozialdemokratie wie Clara Zetkin einen poetischen Durchbruch des Proletariats, der die bürgerliche Dichtung unter Druck setzen werde. Dieser Beitrag nimmt die Wechselbeziehung zwischen Programmen des Expressionismus und Entwürfen einer Poetik der Arbeiterdichtung zu Beginn des zwanzigsten Jahrhunderts in den Blick. Auf der Grundlage von Dichtung, Literatur‐ und Kulturkritik und politischen Vorträgen wird nachgezeichnet, wie ästhetische und politische Diskurse interagierten, um Konzepte eines kollektiven, klassenspezifischen Genies hervorzubringen.