bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Longitudinal Associations Between Vitamin D Status and Cardiometabolic Risk Markers Among Children and Adolescents
Authors: Wolters Maike , Marron Manuela , Foraita Ronja , Hadjigeorgiou Charalampos , De Henauw Stefaan , Eiben Gabriele , Lauria Fabio , Iglesia Iris , Moreno Luis A , Molnár Dénes , Veidebaum Toomas , Ahrens Wolfgang , Nagrani Rajini
Published: June 2023

Context

Vitamin D status has previously been associated with cardiometabolic risk markers in children and adolescents. In particular, it has been suggested that children with obesity are more prone to vitamin D deficiency and unfavorable metabolic outcomes compared with healthy-weight children.

Objective

To conduct a longitudinal study assessing this association in children and stratify by body mass index (BMI) category.

Methods

Children from the pan-European IDEFICS/I.Family cohort with at least one measurement of serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] at cohort entry or follow-up (n = 2171) were included in this study. Linear mixed-effect models were used to assess the association between serum 25(OH)D as an independent variable and z-scores of cardiometabolic risk markers (waist circumference, systolic [SBP] and diastolic blood pressure [DBP], high- [HDL] and low-density lipoprotein, non-HDL, triglycerides [TRG], apolipoprotein A1 [ApoA1] and ApoB, fasting glucose [FG], homeostatic model assessment for insulin resistance [HOMA-IR], and metabolic syndrome score) as dependent variables.

Results

After adjustment for age, sex, study region, smoking and alcohol status, sports club membership, screen time, BMI, parental education, and month of blood collection, 25(OH)D levels were inversely associated with SBP, DBP, FG, HOMA-IR, and TRG. The HOMA-IR z-score decreased by 0.07 units per 5 ng/mL increase in 25(OH)D. The 25(OH)D level was consistently associated with HOMA-IR irrespective of sex or BMI category.

Conclusion

Low serum 25(OH)D concentrations are associated with unfavorable levels of cardiometabolic markers in children and adolescents. Interventions to improve vitamin D levels in children with a poor status early in life may help to reduce cardiometabolic risk.
#AbolishCanada: Breaking Down the 2022 Freedom Convoy
Authors: Guenther Lisa
Published: June 2023

The 2022 Freedom Convoy in Ottawa, Canada, raises questions about the meaning and tactics of decolonial abolition. To call for the police of a colonial state to crack down on unruly settlers on stolen Indigenous land is both hypocritical and ineffective. And yet, it isn't clear how to organize effective grassroots resistance against a well-funded group of possibly armed right-wing protesters in trucks. This essay situates the Freedom Convoy in the longer durée of capitalist extraction and colonial state violence in so-called Canada, arguing that the convoy was not an anomaly but an expression of the global logic of carceral racial capitalism. It then engages with teachings shared by Leanne Betasamosake Simpson about the beaver's practice of building dams that sustain life and, in some cases, threaten it. If we understand Canada as both a liberal democracy and a “criminal empire” willing to destroy the earth and the Indigenous nations that care for it, then Robyn Maynard is right: abolition means Land Back. The question for decolonial abolitionists then becomes not just how to shut down prisons or dislodge right-wing occupations, but rather how to staunch the flows of colonial racial capitalism, deepening pools that support diverse forms of life.
Nutritional control of developmental processes
Authors: Ferenc Jaroslav , Ikmi Aissam
Published: June 2023

Nutritional and metabolic cues are integral to animal development. Organisms use them both as sustenance and environmental indicators, fueling, informing and influencing developmental decisions. Classical examples, such as the Warburg effect, clearly illustrate how genetic programs control metabolic changes. However, the way that nutrition and metabolism can also modulate or drive genetic programs to instruct developmental trajectories is much more elusive, owing to several difficulties including uncoupling permissive and instructive functions. Here, we discuss recent advancements in the field that highlight the developmental role of nutritional and metabolic cues across multiple levels of organismal complexity.
Horizontal basal cells self-govern their neurogenic potential during injury-induced regeneration of the olfactory epithelium
Authors: Louie Jonathan D. , Bromberg Benjamin H. , Zunitch Matthew J. , Schwob James E.
Published: June 2023

Horizontal basal cells (HBCs) residing within severely damaged olfactory epithelium (OE) mediate OE regeneration by differentiating into odorant-detecting olfactory sensory neurons (OSNs) and other tissue supporting non-neuronal cell types. Depending on both tissue type and integrity, the Notch signaling pathway can either positively or negatively regulate resident stem cell activity. Although Notch1 specifies HBC dormancy in the uninjured OE, little is known about how HBCs are influenced by the Notch pathway following OE injury. Here, we show that HBCs depend on a functional inversion of the Notch pathway to appropriately mediate OE regeneration. At 24 h post-injury, HBCs enhance Notch1-mediated signaling. Moreover, at 3 days post-injury when the regenerating OE is composed of multiple cell layers, HBCs enrich both Notch1 and the Notch ligand, Dll1. Notably, HBC-specific Notch1 knockout increases HBC quiescence and impairs HBC differentiation into neuronal progenitors and OSNs. Interestingly, complete HBC knockout of Dll1 only decreases differentiation of HBC-derived OSNs. These data underscore the context-dependent nature of Notch signaling. Furthermore, they reveal that HBCs regulate their own neurogenic potential after OE injury.
Yck3 casein kinase-mediated phosphorylation determines Ivy1 localization and function at endosomes and the vacuole
Authors: Grziwa Sophie , Schäfer Jan-Hannes , Nicastro Raffaele , Arens Annabel , De Virgilio Claudio , Fröhlich Florian , Moeller Arne , Gao Jieqiong , Langemeyer Lars , Ungermann Christian
Published: June 2023

The Saccharomyces cerevisiae casein kinase protein Yck3 is a central regulator at the vacuole that phosphorylates several proteins involved in membrane trafficking. Here, we set out to identify novel substrates of this protein. We found that endogenously tagged Yck3 localized not only at the vacuole, but also on endosomes. To disable Yck3 function, we generated a kinase-deficient mutant and thus identified the I-BAR-protein Ivy1 as a novel Yck3 substrate. Ivy1 localized to both endosomes and vacuoles, and Yck3 controlled this localization. A phosphomimetic Ivy1-SD mutant was found primarily on vacuoles, whereas its non-phosphorylatable SA variant strongly localized to endosomes, similar to what was observed upon deletion of Yck3. In vitro analysis revealed that Yck3-mediated phosphorylation strongly promoted Ivy1 recruitment to liposomes carrying the Rab7-like protein Ypt7. Modeling of Ivy1 with Ypt7 identified binding sites for Ypt7 and a positively charged patch, which were both required for Ivy1 localization. Strikingly, Ivy1 mutations in either site resulted in more cells with multilobed vacuoles, suggesting a partial defect in its membrane biogenesis. Our data thus indicate that Yck3-mediated phosphorylation controls both localization and function of Ivy1 in endolysosomal biogenesis.
Freeze-fracture evidence for gap junctions connecting the axon terminals of dipteran photoreceptors
Authors: Shaw S. R. , Stowe S.
Published: June 2023

The six photoreceptor terminals entering each synaptic cartridge in higher Diptera (flies) are known to be connected reciprocally by small junctions with reduced membrane spacing, so-called ‘close appositions’, but the nature of these sites is currently in dispute. Claims have been made that they are gap junctions, whilst counter-claims have denied this. From freeze-fractured replicas from Lucilia, we conclude that bow-shaped particle groupings, seen on the membrane P fracture face, have been wrongly equated by previous workers to the close appositions. They do not connect between receptors, and probably correspond instead to the frequent chemically mediated ‘tetrad’ synapses to postsynaptic cells. On the opposite (E) face, different, small assemblies of particles are identified here for the first time, which actually do connect the membranes of adjacent terminals. These form roundish, depressed maculae averaging 0 · 13 μm across, containing groups of 30 – 40 irregularly packed, irregularly sized particles of mean diameter 11 · 8 nm, with a dark dot sometimes visible at their apices. These maculae thus possess all the freeze-fracture attributes considered necessary to define an arthropod gap junction. The size range and distribution of the maculae are as expected if they are to be identified with the close appositions seen in sections, and some cross-fractures suggest this correspondence directly. The gap width at the apposition, 4 8 nm, is larger than that usually quoted for a gap junction, but actually falls within the limits of the few accurate determinations in the literature on arthropods. Both sections and replicas confirm that the maculae)appositions are much more numerous than previously thought, with up to 62 on each terminal, spaced about 1 μm apart. The total junctional area coupling a pair of terminals is comparatively large, about 0 · 4 μm2, and similar to the cross-sectional area of the incoming receptor axon as this approaches the cartridge. The junctions are therefore likely candidates to account for the strong electrical coupling recently detected between terminals. The junctions are distributed throughout the synaptic cartridge and not solely confined to its distal end, as most previous workers have contended.
Repeated-Sprint Training at 5000-m Simulated Altitude in Preparation for the World Rugby Women’s Sevens Series: Too High?
Authors: BROCHERIE FRANCK , RACINAIS SEBASTIEN , COCKING SCOTT , TOWNSEND NATHAN , COUDERC ANTHONY , PISCIONE JULIEN , GIRARD OLIVIER
Published: June 2023

Purpose

The objective of this study is to investigate the effectiveness of novel repeated-sprint training in hypoxia (RSH) protocol, likely maximizing hypoxic stimulus (higher than commonly used) while preserving training quality (interset rest in normoxia).

Methods

Twenty-three world-class female rugby sevens players performed four repeated-sprint training sessions (4 sets of 5 × 5-s cycle sprints—25-s intersprint recovery and 3-min interset rest) under normobaric hypoxia (RSH, exercise and interset rest at FiO2 of 10.6% and 20.9%, respectively; n = 12) or normoxia (repeated-sprint training in normoxia; exercise and interset rest at FiO2 of 20.9%; n = 11) during a 9-d training camp before international competition. Repeated-sprint ability (8 × 5-s treadmill sprints—25-s recovery), on-field aerobic capacity, and brachial endothelial function were assessed pre- and postintervention.

Results

Arterial oxygen saturation (pooled data: 87.0% ± 3.1% vs 96.7% ± 2.9%, P < 0.001) and peak and mean power outputs (sets 1 to 4 average decrease: −21.7% ± 7.2% vs −12.0% ± 3.8% and −24.9% ± 8.1% vs −14.9% ± 3.5%; both P < 0.001) were lower in RSH versus repeated-sprint training in normoxia. The cumulated repeated-sprint distance covered significantly increased from pre- to postintervention (+1.9% ± 3.0%, P = 0.019), irrespective of the condition (P = 0.149). On-field aerobic capacity did not change (all P > 0.45). There was no significant interaction (all P > 0.240) or condition main effect (all P > 0.074) for any brachial artery endothelial function variable. Only peak diameter increased (P = 0.026), whereas baseline and peak shear stress decreased (P = 0.014 and 0.019, respectively), from pre- to postintervention.

Conclusions

In world-class female rugby sevens players, only four additional repeated-sprint sessions before competition improve repeated-sprint ability and brachial endothelial function. However, adding severe hypoxic stress during sets of repeated sprints only did not provide supplementary benefits.
Intrafirm Knowledge Sharing in the Investment Research Industry
Authors: Hugon Artur , Lin An-Ping , Markov Stanimir
Published: June 2023

We study interdepartment knowledge sharing in an investment research setting where the benefits are potentially significant for the brokerage and the capital market, but so are the frictions impeding it. Using hand-collected data on equity analyst access to in-house debt research expertise, we find significant benefits to equity analysts in the form of improved ability to forecast cash flows and to anticipate credit rating downgrades. Moreover, we find evidence that access to management and research expertise underlie in-house debt analysts’ capacity to generate information beneficial to equity analysts. Finally, these benefits exist only in the presence of a collaborative brokerage culture or debt-equity analyst collocation, consistent with these factors promoting knowledge sharing in the investment research industry.

This paper was accepted by Brian Bushee, accounting.

Supplemental Material: The data files and online appendix are available at https://doi.org/10.1287/mnsc.2023.4809 .
Family carers' administration of injectable medications at the end of life: a service evaluation of a novel intervention
Authors: O'Hara Lisa , Evans Catherine J , Bowers Ben
Published: June 2023

Timely and safe administration of injectable medications for patients at home is vital in optimally managing distressing symptoms in the final days of life. This article discusses a service evaluation of family carers' (including close friends) administrating subcutaneous end-of-life medications. The procedure was not intended to become normal care, rather the exception when appropriate and needed, with 24/7 skilled support from community nursing and palliative care services. A service evaluation of the procedure was undertaken in rural and urban areas in the South East of England. The procedure ran over 6 months and used detailed processes with recruitment criteria to mitigate risk of harm. In total, 11 patients participated with their family carers, including five carers with experience in healthcare roles. Of the 11 family carers, 10 were able to administer injections safely with structured training and support in place. Patients received timely symptom relief and their family carers were able to support loved ones by administering injectable medications rapidly without waiting for a nurse to arrive. This was particularly welcomed in more rural areas where waiting times were greater due to the large geographical area covered and limited staff availability during out-of-hours periods. The findings informed a carefully monitored wider rollout and ongoing evaluation in adult community nursing services in the NHS Trust.
Venous eczema: more than just a rash
Authors: Payne Drew
Published: June 2023

Venous eczema—also known as varicose, gravitational or stasis eczema—is a common form of eczema. In fact, 37−44% of patients with leg ulcers can present with a venous eczema. It is highly unpleasant, and can disrupt an individual's personal and social life.

In this article, Drew Payne provides a community nurse's perspective on what venous eczema is, how to manage it in patients, and how to prevent further reoccurences.
Pressure ulcer prevention in practice
Authors: Hayes Catherine , Fox Ann , Scott-Thomas Jeanette , Graham Yitka
Published: June 2023

Pressure ulcer avoidance in the context of care has the potential to improve the quality and longevity of lives for those living in residential and non-residential care home settings. This paper reports on an educational intervention in the North East of England, which focused on the initial benchmarking of self-reported knowledge levels of healthcare workers, who regularly work with people living within this context. Using a longitudinal study design, a series of three questionnaires were used to collate data from research participants. The study revealed a disparity between what healthcare workers perceived their knowledge to be versus what it was, in terms of application to practice at the front line of patient care. The study reveals that confidence levels in dealing with pressure ulceration had been significantly altered by the training session that was being implemented. It also raised concerns on the methodological approaches being used in the education and training of care staff, which should ideally lead them to be proactive with patients in their care. The study provides an insight into the need for a strategic and targeted approach to pressure ulceration avoidance education, which is tailored to individual learning needs through supervision and mentorship as part of clinical education.
May the fourth be with you…
Authors: Hannan Muireann
Published: June 2023

Muireann Hannan looks back on this year's Star Wars themed ADI Team Congress. of this year's ADI Team Congress.
Don't let bad breath rule the roost
Authors: Hudson Susan
Published: June 2023

Susan Hudson identifies the key causes of bad breath, and how we can best fix it!
Finding flexibility
Authors: O'Neill Hayley
Published: June 2023

Hayley O'Neill emphasises the need for more flexible working in dental nursing.
A dental nurse… and entrepreneur!
Authors: Williams Amber
Published: June 2023

Amber Williams breaks down the importance of knowing your worth and creating your professional identity.
When opportunity knocks
Authors: Forrester Emilia
Published: June 2023

Emilia Forrester outlines her evolving career in dentistry.
Hip resurfacing arthroplasty as an alternative to total hip arthroplasty in patients aged under 40 years
Authors: Ramkumar Prem N. , Shaikh Hashim J. F. , Woo Josh J. , Haeberle Heather S. , Pang Michael , Brooks Peter J.
Published: June 2023

Aims

The aims of the study were to report for a cohort aged younger than 40 years: 1) indications for HRA; 2) patient-reported outcomes in terms of the modified Harris Hip Score (HHS); 3) dislocation rate; and 4) revision rate.

Methods

This retrospective analysis identified 267 hips from 224 patients who underwent an hip resurfacing arthroplasty (HRA) from a single fellowship-trained surgeon using the direct lateral approach between 2007 and 2019. Inclusion criteria was minimum two-year follow-up, and age younger than 40 years. Patients were followed using a prospectively maintained institutional database.

Results

A total of 217 hips (81%) were included for follow-up analysis at a mean of 3.8 years. Of the 23 females who underwent HRA, none were revised, and the median head size was 46 mm (compared to 50 mm for males). The most common indication for HRA was femoroacetabular impingement syndrome (n = 133), and avascular necrosis ( (n = 53). Mean postoperative HHS was 100 at two and five years. No dislocations occurred. A total of four hips (1.8%) required reoperation for resection of heterotopic ossification, removal of components for infection, and subsidence with loosening. The overall revision rate was 0.9%.

Conclusion

For younger patients with higher functional expectations and increased lifetime risk for revision, HRA is an excellent bone preserving intervention carrying low complication rates, revision rates, and excellent patient outcomes without lifetime restrictions allowing these patients to return to activity and sport. Thus, in younger male patients with end-stage hip disease and higher demands, referral to a high-volume HRA surgeon should be considered.

Cite this article: Bone Jt Open 2023;4(6):408–415.
Print Media and the Question of Slavery in Cuba: Discursive Strategies in Barcelona’s La Flaca and Havana’s El Moro Muza and Don Junípero
Authors: Garcia Chichester Ana
Published: June 2023

This article explores the portrayal of the first Cuban war of independence against Spain (Ten Years’ War, 1868–1878) in print media in both Spain (Barcelona) and in Cuba (Havana). The Spanish press portrayed official reports on the war as falsehood and denounced the exclusionary treatment of Cubans of African descent. The Havana print media, although careful to avoid direct references to participation in the war by former slaves, addressed the racial composition of the Cuban army in a series of images questioning revolutionary values. In their illustrations, both journals derided the aspiration of Cubans living in the United States, and in particular the political movement in favour of annexation. Through the use of the graphic images and short texts that appeared as captions or footers, these publications sought to construct and consolidate public opinion on the idea of independence (for and against) and to insert themselves in the larger discussion and vision for the end of colonialism in Cuba.
Cuban Exceptionalism and Leader Succession: The End of Charismatic Authority in Cuba
Authors: Baden Denise , Prakasam Naveena , Wilkinson Stephen
Published: June 2023

This article investigates the leadership succession in Cuba from Fidel Castro, who was widely perceived as a highly charismatic leader, to his younger brother Raúl Castro and then to the civilian President Miguel Díaz-Canel. This leadership succession provides us with an interesting and unusual case study of a successful transfer of authority from one type of leader to another. We examine the narratives of Cuban people through 32 semi-structured interviews, allowing us to draw insights into the Cuban people’s views of their leaders and the leadership succession. We identify themes that may explain how a crisis-free succession was possible, despite Weberian arguments that this was highly unlikely to occur.
The Things We Love: How Our Passions Connect Us and Make Us Who We Are
Authors: Ahuvia Aaron C. , Belk Russell W. , Kotler Philip , Lerman Dawn , Timke Edward
Published: June 2023

Abstract: In this Author Meets Critics book discussion, Aaron Ahuvia uncovers the mystery behind brand love with some of the scholars who inspired him to research it. The Things We Love: How Our Passions Connect Us and Make Us Who We Are (Little, Brown Spark, 2022). He and marketing and material culture specialists met to explore the psychological phenomena surrounding love and the implications for marketers, students, and general readers. The book and this discussion around it explain the person-thing-person relationship in terms of identity, relationships, materialism, and consumerism. The book extolls how anthropomorphism and its opposite, objectification, operate in relationships with objects, brands, and products. The group discusses the ways in which technology is creating new ephemera and new things to love in the form of machine learning and artificial intelligence.
Racial Reckoning, Prosopopeia, and Consumer-Brand Disidentification: Rebranding and the Reimaging of Georgia's Stone Mountain Park
Authors: McFarlane-Alvarez Susan L. , Norman Mario V.
Published: June 2023

Abstract: In August 2021, the Stone Mountain Memorial Association in Georgia announced the launch of a new logo, removing graphic representation of the mountain's massive monument carving of Confederate leaders. Prior to this change, and for much of the Association's existence since the mid 1920s, representation of the granite carving had been an integral component of the Association's letterheads and logos. This change aimed to separate Stone Mountain Park from its ties to the Ku Klux Klan and from its celebration of the Confederacy. This research reflects on 100 years of visual representation of Stone Mountain Park and examines the 2021 Stone Mountain reimaging campaign in the context of other recent rebranding exercises, including those of Aunt Jemima, Uncle Ben's, Land O'Lakes, the Cleveland (formerly) Indians, and the Washington Commanders (formerly Redskins). The analysis considers the implication of rebranding to update a corporate image in response to changing attitudes to stereotypes and racially offensive representation. Through consideration of racial prosopopeia in advertising, this research considers the symbolic power of such branding in consumer-brand identification. The research also examines approaches to brand disidentification, and implications to the broader field of advertising practice, when corporations seek to reposition themselves as no longer representative of a past associated with racial inequity and racism.
Selling Social Good: Making Sense of Cause Marketing
Authors: Railla Jean , Sturken Marita , Banet-Weiser Sarah , Essex Andrew
Published: June 2023

Abstract: A special keynote conversation on cause marketing with a practitioner in the field Andrew Essex, formerly CEO of Droga 5 and noted media scholar Sarah Banet-Weiser. The conversation took place on December 5, 2022 as part of the 2x2 Keynote Series: New Edges in Media Studies in the Department of Media, Culture, and Communication at the Steinhardt School of New York University. Andrew Essex, author of The End of Advertising: Why It Had to Die and the Creative Resurrection to Come (Random House, 2017), begins by offering insight into historical and cultural forces that have pushed brands to align themselves with social justice causes as a way to build deeper ties with consumers. Sarah Banet-Weiser, author of Authentic ™ : The Politics and Ambivalence in a Brand Culture (NYU Press, 2012) and Distinguished Professor at the University of Pennsylvania's Annenberg School for Communication and Professor of Communication at the University of Southern California's Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism offers a different perspective on cause marketing. Her critique focuses on the "branding of intersectionality" and the ways in which corporations dilute powerful social movements when they promote progressive ideals like feminism and racial equality. She argues that the capitalist values of individualism and profit are in opposition to intersectional movements. After the keynote presentations, Essex and Banet-Weiser take part in a panel discussion moderated by Professor Marita Sturken and Clinical Adjunct Professor Jean Railla, both from the Department of Media, Culture, and Communication at New York University Steinhardt.
Temperature-insensitive and fabrication-tolerant coarse wavelength division (de)multiplexing on a silica platform using an angled multimode interferometer
Authors: Zeng Guoyan , Yin Yuexin , Ding Yingzhi , Yang Junfeng , Yan Jun , Sun Xiaoqiang , Zhang Daming
Published: June 2023

Wavelength division (de)multiplexing (WDM) device is a crucial component for optical transmission networks. In this paper, we demonstrate a 4 channel WDM device with a 20 nm wavelength spacing on silica based planar lightwave circuits (PLC) platform. The device is designed using an angled multimode interferometer (AMMI) structure. Since there are fewer bending waveguides than other WDMs, the device footprint is smaller, at 21 mm × 0.4 mm. Owing to the low thermo-optic coefficient (TOC) of silica, a low temperature sensitivity of 10 pm/°C is achieved. The fabricated device exhibits high performance of an insertion loss (IL) lower than 1.6 dB, a polarization dependent loss (PDL) lower than 0.34 dB, and the crosstalk between adjacent channels lower than −19 dB. The 3 dB bandwidth is 12.3∼13.5 nm. Moreover, the device shows a high tolerance with a sensitivity of central wavelength to the width of multimode interferometer < 43.75 pm/nm.
1.9 µJ external-cavity dumped ultra-broad-area semiconductor nanosecond laser
Authors: Chen Na , Wang Xiao-Jun , Liu Ke , Zong Nan , Zhang Ao-Nan , Zhang Xiao-Ming , Peng Qin-Jun
Published: June 2023

An external-cavity dumped nanosecond (ns) ultra-broad-area laser diode (UBALD) at around 966 nm with high pulse energy is demonstrated. A 1 mm UBALD is used to produce high output power and high pulse energy. A Pockels cell (PC) combines with two polarization beam splitters (PBSs) and is employed to cavity-dump a UBALD operating at 10 kHz repetition rate. At a pump current of 23 A, 11.4 ns pulses with a maximum pulse energy of ≈1.9 µJ and a maximum peak power of ≈166 W are achieved. The beam quality factor is measured to be M
x
2=19.5 in the slow axis direction and M
y
2=2.17 in the fast axis direction. Moreover, maximum average output power stability is confirmed, with a power fluctuation of less than 0.8% rms over 60 min. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first high-energy external-cavity dumped demonstration from an UBALD.
Real-time revealing of Cherenkov radiation evolution in optical fibers
Authors: Zhang Mengjie , Wang Wenchao , Xian Tianhao , Zhan Li
Published: June 2023

The generation of Cherenkov radiation (CR) is determined by the phase-matching condition, but the experimental observation on the phase change of its transient process is still incomplete. In this paper, we use the dispersive temporal interferometer (DTI) technique to real-time reveal the buildup and evolution of CR. Experiments show that when the pump power varies, the phase-matching conditions also change, which is mainly affected by the nonlinear phase shift caused by the Kerr effect. Further simulation results propose that both pulse power and pre-chirp management have a significant impact on phase-matching. The CR wavelength can be shortened and the generation position can be moved forward by adding a suitable positive chirp or increasing the incident peak power. Our work directly reveals the evolution of CR in optical fibers and provides a method for optimizing it.
Dynamic modulation of subthalamic nucleus activity facilitates adaptive behavior
Authors: Herz Damian M. , Bange Manuel , Gonzalez-Escamilla Gabriel , Auer Miriam , Muthuraman Muthuraman , Glaser Martin , Bogacz Rafal , Pogosyan Alek , Tan Huiling , Groppa Sergiu , Brown Peter
Published: June 2023

Adapting actions to changing goals and environments is central to intelligent behavior. There is evidence that the basal ganglia play a crucial role in reinforcing or adapting actions depending on their outcome. However, the corresponding electrophysiological correlates in the basal ganglia and the extent to which these causally contribute to action adaptation in humans is unclear. Here, we recorded electrophysiological activity and applied bursts of electrical stimulation to the subthalamic nucleus, a core area of the basal ganglia, in 16 patients with Parkinson’s disease (PD) on medication using temporarily externalized deep brain stimulation (DBS) electrodes. Patients as well as 16 age- and gender-matched healthy participants attempted to produce forces as close as possible to a target force to collect a maximum number of points. The target force changed over trials without being explicitly shown on the screen so that participants had to infer target force based on the feedback they received after each movement. Patients and healthy participants were able to adapt their force according to the feedback they received (P< 0.001). At the neural level, decreases in subthalamic beta (13 to 30 Hz) activity reflected poorer outcomes and stronger action adaptation in 2 distinct time windows (Pcluster-corrected< 0.05). Stimulation of the subthalamic nucleus reduced beta activity and led to stronger action adaptation if applied within the time windows when subthalamic activity reflected action outcomes and adaptation (Pcluster-corrected< 0.05). The more the stimulation volume was connected to motor cortex, the stronger was this behavioral effect (Pcorrected= 0.037). These results suggest that dynamic modulation of the subthalamic nucleus and interconnected cortical areas facilitates adaptive behavior.
Waste incinerators undermine clean energy goals
Authors: Tangri Neil
Published: June 2023

A national clean energy standard, modeled upon existing state-level Renewable Portfolio Standards, has been proposed to decarbonize the U.S. electric grid. Most such state policies include municipal solid waste incineration as a form of “renewable” energy, despite incinerators’ prominent contributions to air pollution, primarily in environmental justice communities. This study finds that incinerators emit more greenhouse gas emissions per unit of electricity produced (1707 g CO2e/kWh) than any other power source (range: 2.4 to 991.1 g CO2e/kWh). They also emit more criteria air pollutants than replacement sources of energy, such as natural gas. Incineration’s inclusion in “renewable” or “clean” energy standards is thus counterproductive, as they also divert more than $40 million in subsidies annually from cleaner energy sources. As the electric grid decarbonizes, these disparities will only grow. With most U.S. incinerators nearing their end of life, policy choices about their eligibility for subsidies may well decide whether they shut down or undertake expensive capital improvements to continue operating. Extending incinerators’ operational lives by 20 years would result in excess emissions of up to 637.7 million tonnes CO2e, 61.9 million tonnes NOx, and 161,200 tonnes SO2. Conversely, a rapid shutdown of existing incinerators would help decarbonize the electric grid and reduce criteria air pollution, particularly in environmental justice communities, which are disproportionately burdened by environmental health hazards.
Relationship of preoperative oral hypofunction with prognostic nutritional index in gastric cancer: A case-control retrospective study
Authors: Abe Atsushi , Nakayama Atsushi , Otsuka Yuya , Shibata Kanae , Matsui Yoshihito , Ito Yu , Hayashi Hiroki , Momokita Moeko , Taniguchi Shinichi
Published: June 2023

Preoperative nutritional status is an important prognostic factor in gastric cancer patients. This study will evaluate whether preoperative oral dysfunction is associated with prognostic nutrition index (PNI). This case-control study analyzed 95 patients who underwent oral function management. We assessed the following parameters: body mass index, stage of gastric cancer, C-reactive protein, total lymphocyte count, albumin, and prognostic nutritional index. The patients were divided into groups with prognostic nutritional indexes <45 and >45. Logistic regression analysis was used to assess the association between the measurements of oral function and the prognostic nutritional index. Univariate analysis of factors associated with decreased oral function and prognostic nutritional index showed significant differences between the two groups in C-reactive protein, neutrophils, and tongue pressure (p<0.01). However, oral hygiene, oral dryness, occlusal force, tongue–lip motor function, masticatory function, and swallowing function were not significantly different. Multivariate analysis showed that C-reactive protein (odds ratio: 0.12, 95% confidence interval: 0.30–0.45, p<0.01) and tongue pressure (odds ratio: 3.62, 95% confidence interval: 1.04–12.60, p<0.05) were independent risk factors for oral hypofunction. Oral function decreased in perioperative patients with gastric cancer, and decreased tongue pressure is associated with a decreased prognostic nutritional index.
Temporal demands of elite fencing
Authors: Tarragó Rafael , Bottoms Lindsay , Iglesias Xavier
Published: June 2023

There is no published study that analyses the temporal demands of fencing, in its six Olympic modalities in the same high-level competition. The only existing publications date back decades, with already obsolete regulations, or focus on a specific modality. The aim of this study is to carry out a chronometric analysis of elite fencing at the 2014 Fencing World Championships to determine the existence of differences between its weapons (épée, foil and sabre) and between genders. A total of 96 elite fencers (48 women) of 24 different nationalities were analysed in the final rounds (direct elimination). We undertook observational methodology based on an open and systematic process with ideographic, point and multi-dimensional design. We analysed the work time, rest time, total time, number of stops and work-to-rest ratio. The Lince software was used to record and analyse video data. The coding and recording process of the 83 fights analysed generated a matrix of 5900 records. The quality of the data was verified by checking the validity of the observation instrument and the intraobserver reliability. The mean work time (between Allez and Halte) was 17.9 ± 3.1 s for épée, 5.8 ± 2.5 s for foil and 1 .7 ± 0.4 s for sabre. The fight work-to-rest ratios recorded were 1:0.9, 1:2.6 and 1:9.2 for épée, foil and sabre respectively. The results showed significant differences (p < .05) in the work and rest times between the three fencing weapons. However, there were no differences between fencers of the same weapon according to gender.
A comparison of transporter gene expression in three species of Peronospora plant pathogens during host infection
Authors: Johnson Eric T. , Lyon Rebecca , Zaitlin David , Khan Abdul Burhan , Jairajpuri Mohammad Aman
Published: June 2023

Protein transporters move essential metabolites across membranes in all living organisms. Downy mildew causing plant pathogens are biotrophic oomycetes that transport essential nutrients from their hosts to grow. Little is known about the functions and gene expression levels of membrane transporters produced by downy mildew causing pathogens during infection of their hosts. Approximately 170–190 nonredundant transporter genes were identified in the genomes of Peronospora belbahrii, Peronospora effusa, and Peronospora tabacina, which are specialized pathogens of basil, spinach, and tobacco, respectively. The largest groups of transporter genes in each species belonged to the major facilitator superfamily, mitochondrial carriers (MC), and the drug/metabolite transporter group. Gene expression of putative Peronospora transporters was measured using RNA sequencing data at two time points following inoculation onto leaves of their hosts. There were 16 transporter genes, seven of which were MCs, expressed in each Peronospora species that were among the top 45 most highly expressed transporter genes 5–7 days after inoculation. Gene transcripts encoding the ADP/ATP translocase and the mitochondrial phosphate carrier protein were the most abundant mRNAs detected in each Peronospora species. This study found a number of Peronospora genes that are likely critical for pathogenesis and which might serve as future targets for control of these devastating plant pathogens.
Economic impact of clinical pharmacist interventions in a general tertiary hospital in Qatar
Authors: Abushanab Dina , Atchan Mounir , Elajez Reem , Elshafei Mohamed , Abdelbari Ahmed , Al Hail Moza , Abdulrouf Palli Valapila , El-Kassem Wessam , Ademi Zanfina , Fadul Abdalla , Abdalla Elmustafa , Diab Mohammad Issam , Al-Badriyeh Daoud
Published: June 2023

Background

With an increasingly strained health system budgets, healthcare services need to continually demonstrate evidence of economic benefits. This study sought to evaluate the economic impact of interventions initiated by clinical pharmacists in an adult general tertiary hospital.

Methods

A retrospective review of clinical pharmacist interventions was carried out throughout follow-up durations in March 2018, July/August 2018, and January 2019 in Hamad General Hospital (HGH) at Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC) in Qatar. The study included clinical pharmacy interventions data of patients admitted to the internal medicine, critical care, and emergency wards. Included interventions were documented by clinical pharmacists or clinical pharmacy specialists, and approved by physicians. Interventions by non-clinical pharmacists or with missing data were excluded. Adopting the perspective of HMC, we calculated the total economic benefit, which is the sum of the cost savings and the cost avoidance associated with the interventions. Cost savings was defined as the reduced cost of therapy associated with therapy changes minus the cost of intervention and cost avoidance was the cost avoided by eliminating the occurrence of adverse drug events (ADEs). Sensitivity analyses were performed to assess the robustness of results against uncertainties.

Results

A total of 852 interventions, based on 340 patients, were included. The analysis projected an annual total benefit of QAR 2,267,036 (USD 621,106) based on a negative cost-savings of QAR-175,139 (USD-47,983) and a positive cost avoidance of QAR741,898 (USD203,260) over the 3-month follow-up period. The uncertainty analysis demonstrated the robustness of outcomes, including a 100% probability of positive economic benefit.

Conclusions

The clinical pharmacist intervention was associated with an increased cost of resource use, which was overtaken by the cost avoidance generated. The pharmacy intervention, therefore, is an overall economically beneficial practice in HGH, reducing ADEs with considerable consequential positive economic savings.
Is the temperament of crossbred dairy cows related to milk cortisol and oxytocin concentrations, milk yield, and quality?
Authors: Marçal-Pedroza Maria Guilhermina , Campos Mariana Magalhães , Martins Marta Fonseca , Silva Marcos Vinícius Barbosa , Paranhos da Costa Mateus José Rodrigues , Negrão João Alberto , Sant’Anna Aline Cristina
Published: June 2023

Reactive dairy cows are more susceptible to stress, and this may result in negative effects on milk yield and quality. The aims of this study were to investigate the relationships between temperament traits and concentration of milk cortisol and oxytocin, milk yield, milkability, and milk quality in Holstein-Gyr cows. Temperament traits were assessed in 76 Holstein-Gyr cows in the milking parlor (by scoring milking reactivity and recording the numbers of steps and kicks during pre-milking udder preparation and when fitting the milking cluster) and during handling in the corral (by measuring the time to enter in the squeeze chute, ET and flight speed, FS). Milk samples were collected for milk quality (% fat, % protein, % lactose, and somatic cell count, SCC), and milk cortisol and oxytocin. Milk yield, milking time, and average flow were also measured. The calmer cows during milking management (class ‘low’) produced milk with higher protein (p = 0.028) content and tendencies for lower fat (p = 0.056) and higher lactose (p = 0.055) contents. Regarding the hormones, the most reactive cows (class ‘high’) in the milking and handling corral produced milk with higher concentrations of cortisol (p<0.001) and oxytocin (p = 0.023). In addition, the temperament of the animals affected some of the productive measures evaluated. Cows with reactive temperament had lower milk flow and longer milking time than the intermediate ones and had higher fat and a tendency for lower protein percentage in milk compared to cows with intermediate temperaments. Calm and intermediate cows in the handling corral produced more milk and presented better milkability parameters, such as a shorter milking time and greater average milk flow. Our results suggest that the cows’ behavioral reactivity can be related to the intensity of their response to stress during handling.
Comparative study on chloroplast genomes of three Hansenia forbesii varieties (Apiaceae)
Authors: Zhu Chenghao , Jiang Yuan , Bai Yu , Dong Shengjian , Zhirong Sun
Published: June 2023

To find the gene hypervariable regions of three varieties of Hansenia forbesii H. Boissieu and determine their phylogenetic relationship, the chloroplast (cp) genome of these three varieties were firstly sequencing by the Illumina hiseq platform. In this study, we assembled the complete cp genome sequences of Hansenia forbesii LQ (156,954 bp), H. forbesii QX (157,181 bp), H. forbesii WQ (156,975 bp). They all contained 84 protein-coding genes, 37 tRNAs, and 8 rRNAs. The hypervariable regions between three cp genomes were atpF-atpH, petD, and rps15-ycf1. Phylogenetic analysis showed that H. forbesii LQ and H. forbesii WQ were closely related, followed by H. forbesii QX. This study showed that the three varieties of H. forbesii could be identified by the complete cp genome and specific DNA barcode (trnC-GCA-petN) and provided a new idea for germplasm identification of similar cultivated varieties.
Clinical characteristics and outcomes of hospitalized patients with COVID-19 in a city of South Brazil: Have they changed through the first year of the pandemic?
Authors: Demeneck Henrique , Luiz Parmegiani de Oliveira André , do Carmo Machado Kneipp Lopes Julia , Ryoiti Matsunago Leonardo , Cavalca Grupenmacher Luiza , Roberto Curcio Pereira Marcos , Benício Stocco Rebecca , Ali El Chab Parolin Salma , Olandoski Marcia , Pellegrino Baena Cristina
Published: June 2023

The Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic posed various challenges to the healthcare system and disease management. This study aimed to describe changes in the clinical characteristics and outcomes of hospitalized patients during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic in a city in southern Brazil. This prospective study was carried out in two tertiary care private hospitals in Curitiba. A total of 1151 patients hospitalized between March 2020 and March 2021 were included. We identified three epidemiological critical periods of the pandemic and compared patients’ characteristics and the frequencies of oral intubation, intensive care unit (ICU) admission and mortality. Continuous variables were analyzed by variance analysis model (ANOVA) or the Kruskal–Wallis nonparametric test and categorical variables by the chi-square or Fisher’s exact test. Models for univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis were adjusted to identify the factors associated with mortality. All p-values were two-tailed and p<0.05 was considered statistically significant. The average age of the patients was 58 years and 60.9% (n = 701) were males. The most prevalent comorbidities were systemic arterial hypertension, diabetes and obesity. There were no significant variations in the demographic characteristics and previous comorbidities of the patients for the different periods of analysis. Mortality was positively associated with the age ≥65 years and the presence of one or more cardiometabolic comorbidities (p<0.001). March 2021 was the most important critical period of the pandemic since there were higher frequencies of patients admitted later in the course of the disease, with desaturation and more symptoms at hospital admission (p<0.001). There was also an increase in the duration of hospital stay (p<0.001) and the frequencies of all critical outcomes for this period: oral intubation (p<0.001), ICU admission (p = 0.606) and mortality (p = 0.001). Our key findings revealed that, although there were no statistically significant differences between the subgroups of hospitalized patients over time in terms of demographic characteristics and comorbidities, the course of COVID-19 was significantly more severe for patients admitted to the hospital at the end of the first year of the pandemic in Brazil.