bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Holocarboxylase synthetase knockout is embryonic lethal in mice
Authors: Sadri Mahrou , Wang Haichuan , Kuroishi Toshinobu , Li Yong , Zempleni Janos
Published: April 2022

Holocarboxylase synthetase (HLCS) catalyzes the biotinylation of five distinct biotin-dependent carboxylases and perhaps chromatin proteins. HLCS deficiency causes multiple carboxylase deficiency which results in fatal consequences unless patients are diagnosed early and treated with pharmacological doses of biotin. The objective of this study was to develop an HLCS conditional knockout (KO) mouse and assess effects of HLCS knockout on embryo survival. In the mouse, exon 8 is flanked by LoxP sites, thereby removing a catalytically important region upon recombination by Cre. HLCS conditional KO mice were backcrossed for 14 generations with C57BL/6J mice to yield Hlcstm1Jze. Fertility and weight gain were normal and no frank disease phenotypes and abnormal feeding behavior were observed in the absence of Cre. HLCS knockout was embryonic lethal when dams homozygous for both the floxed Hlcs gene and tamoxifen-inducible Cre recombinase (denoted Hlcstm1.1Jze) were injected with tamoxifen on gestational days 2.5 and 10.5. This is the first report of an HLCS conditional KO mouse, which enables studies of the roles of HLCS and biotin in intermediary metabolism.
Retinitis pigmentosa-linked mutation in DHX38 modulates its splicing activity
Authors: Obuća Mina , Cvačková Zuzana , Kubovčiak Jan , Kolář Michal , Staněk David
Published: April 2022

Retinitis pigmentosa (RP) is a hereditary disease affecting tens of thousands of people world-wide. Here we analyzed the effect of an amino acid substitution in the RNA helicase DHX38 (Prp16) causing RP. DHX38 has been proposed as the helicase important for the 2nd step of splicing. We showed that DHX38 associates with key splicing factors involved in both splicing steps but did not find any evidence that the RP mutations changes DHX38 interaction profile with the spliceosome. We further downregulated DHX38 and monitored changes in splicing. We observed only minor perturbations of general splicing but detected modulation of ~70 alternative splicing events. Next, we probed DHX38 function in splicing of retina specific genes and found that FSCN2 splicing is dependent on DHX38. In addition, RHO splicing was inhibited specifically by expression of DHX38 RP variant. Finally, we showed that overexpression of DHX38 promotes usage of canonical as well as cryptic 5’ splice sites in HBB splicing reporter. Together, our data show that DHX38 is a splicing factor that promotes splicing of cryptic splice sites and regulate alternative splicing. We further provide evidence that the RP-linked substitution G332D modulates DHX38 splicing activity.
Analysis of Chinese consumers’ willingness and behavioral change to purchase Green agri-food product online
Authors: Ma Longbo , Li Ziyu , Zheng Dan
Published: April 2022

Internet coupled with agricultural development in full swing, green agri-food product e-commerce has become a hot topic in the development of e-commerce. However, due to the seasonality, territoriality, weak quality, difference, and dispersion of agri-food products, e-commerce of green agri-food products are facing difficulties. Based on the gap between consumers’ willingness and behavior to buy green agri-food products online, this paper quantitatively studied the factors that affect consumers’ behavior deviation to buy green agri-food products online. The method of constructing the binary Logistic regression model was adopted, and analysis tools such as SPSS and Excel were used for analysis, to study the influence of various factors on consumers’ purchase willingness and behavior. The research conclusion shows that: consumers’ gender, age, understanding of online agri-food products, and monthly disposable income have a positive impact on the consistency of consumers’ behavior and willingness, while the price of green agri-food products and online purchasing frequency have a negative impact on consumers’ willingness and behavior of online purchasing. The results are discussed in the context of existing studies. Suggestions and research prospects are presented at the end of the article.
Kinematic analysis of social interactions deconstructs the evolved loss of schooling behavior in cavefish
Authors: Patch Adam , Paz Alexandra , Holt Karla J. , Duboué Erik R. , Keene Alex C. , Kowalko Johanna E. , Fily Yaouen
Published: April 2022

Fish display a remarkable diversity of social behaviors, both within and between species. While social behaviors are likely critical for survival, surprisingly little is known about how they evolve in response to changing environmental pressures. With its highly social surface form and multiple populations of a largely asocial, blind, cave-dwelling form, the Mexican tetra, Astyanax mexicanus, provides a powerful model to study the evolution of social behavior. Here we use motion tracking and analysis of swimming kinematics to quantify social swimming in four Astyanax mexicanus populations. In the light, surface fish school, maintaining both close proximity and alignment with each other. In the dark, surface fish no longer form coherent schools, however, they still show evidence of an attempt to align and maintain proximity when they find themselves near another fish. In contrast, cavefish from three independently-evolved populations (Pachón, Molino, Tinaja) show little preference for proximity or alignment, instead exhibiting behaviors that suggest active avoidance of each other. Two of the three cave populations we studied also slow down when more fish are present in the tank, a behavior which is not observed in surface fish in light or the dark, suggesting divergent responses to conspecifics. Using data-driven computer simulations, we show that the observed reduction in swimming speed is sufficient to alter the way fish explore their environment: it can increase time spent exploring away from the walls. Thus, the absence of schooling in cavefish is not merely a consequence of their inability to see, but may rather be a genuine behavioral adaptation that impacts the way they explore their environment.
The clinical demand and supply of blood in India: A National level estimation study
Authors: Mammen Joy John , Asirvatham Edwin Sam , Lakshmanan Jeyaseelan , Sarman Charishma Jones , Pandey Arvind , Ranjan Varsha , Charles Bimal , Mani Thenmozhi , Khaparde Sunil D , Upadhyaya Sunita , Rajan Shobini
Published: April 2022

Background

Estimating the clinical demand for blood and components arising in a health facility is crucial to ensure timely availability of blood. This study aims to estimate disease-specific clinical demand, supply and utilization of whole blood and components in India.

Methods

We conducted a national level cross-sectional study in five randomly selected states from five regions of the country. We included 251 public and private facilities representing primary, secondary and tertiary care facilities. We collected annual disease-specific demand, supply and utilization of blood and components using a structured tool. We estimated the national demand by extrapolating the study data (demand and beds) to the total number of estimated beds in the country.

Findings

According to the study, the total clinical demand of 251 health facilities with 51,562 beds was 474,627 whole blood units. Based on this, the clinical demand for India was estimated at 14·6 million whole blood units (95 CI: 14·59–14·62), an equivalent of 36·3 donations per 1,000 eligible populations, which will address whole blood and component requirement. The medicine specialty accounted for 6·0 million units (41·2%), followed by surgery 4·1 million (27·9%), obstetrics and gynecology 3·3 million (22·4%) and pediatrics 1·2 million (8·5%) units. The supply was 93% which is equivalent to 33·8 donations against the demand.

Conclusion

The study indicated a demand and supply gap of 2.5 donations per 1,000 eligible persons which is around one million units. The gap emphasises the need for sustained and concerted efforts from all stakeholders and for increasing the awareness about repeat voluntary non-remunerated blood donation (VNRBD); optimizing the availability of blood components through efficient blood component separation units; promoting modern principles of patient blood management and strengthening capacities of human resources in the blood transfusion system in India.
Solving the initial value problem of ordinary differential equations by Lie group based neural network method
Authors: Wen Ying , Chaolu Temuer , Wang Xiangsheng
Published: April 2022

To combine a feedforward neural network (FNN) and Lie group (symmetry) theory of differential equations (DEs), an alternative artificial NN approach is proposed to solve the initial value problems (IVPs) of ordinary DEs (ODEs). Introducing the Lie group expressions of the solution, the trial solution of ODEs is split into two parts. The first part is a solution of other ODEs with initial values of original IVP. This is easily solved using the Lie group and known symbolic or numerical methods without any network parameters (weights and biases). The second part consists of an FNN with adjustable parameters. This is trained using the error back propagation method by minimizing an error (loss) function and updating the parameters. The method significantly reduces the number of the trainable parameters and can more quickly and accurately learn the real solution, compared to the existing similar methods. The numerical method is applied to several cases, including physical oscillation problems. The results have been graphically represented, and some conclusions have been made.
4000ers of the Alps–So beautiful, so dangerous: An analysis of falls in the Swiss Alps between 2009–2020
Authors: Gasser Benedikt , Schwendinger Fabian
Published: April 2022

Background

This study aimed to analyze falls regarding their demographic characteristics, severity, frequency over time, and the localization of injuries while high-altitude mountaineering in the Swiss Alps.

Methods

Data on fall-related emergencies during mountaineering between 2009 to 2020 from the Swiss Alpine Club central registry were analyzed retrospectively. The variables age, sex, time of occurrence, severity of an event quantified by NACA-Score (National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics Score), and injury localization were examined descriptively. Changes in injury severity, number of total emergencies, and fatal emergencies over time were analyzed using linear regression models.

Results

Out of 1347 (28.7%) victims of fall-related emergencies, 1027 were men (76.2%) and 320 (23.8%) women. Around 70% of the cases happened during summer in July and August. The mean age was 49.9 ± 14.9 years for men and 51.3 ± 14.4 years for women with no between-sex difference. Higher NACA-Scores were found in men than women (3.6 ± 2.2 vs. 3.1 ± 1.6; p < 0.01). Approximately 80% of all victims originated from the countries close to the Alps (Switzerland, Germany, Italy, France, and Austria). There was a slight decrease of total cases (R2 = 0.104) and fatal cases over time (R2 = 0.183). NACA-Scores decreased over time (R2 = 0.168). Likewise, risk aversion decreased over time as the severity of emergencies decreased. Injuries occurred predominantly at the extremities (90%). Out of all cases, 228 fatal emergencies (16.9%) could be identified of which 82 occurred while climbing one of the classic 4000ers.

Conclusions

The decrease of the number and severity implies that security standards of the average alpinist have in tendency increased. Nevertheless, the high number of emergencies on classic 4000ers implies that despite the potentially improved security standards, many tours on famous mountains still have high requirements in terms of alpine skills.
Biomedical waste management practices and associated factors among health care workers in the era of the covid-19 pandemic at metropolitan city private hospitals, Amhara region, Ethiopia, 2020
Authors: Mitiku Getasew , Admasie Amha , Birara Amsalu , Yalew Wubante
Published: April 2022

Background

Biomedical waste management is an important precondition to safeguard the healthcare workers and community members, as well as the environment, from being contaminated with infectious substances. However, biomedical waste management practices during the pandemic era of COVID-19 were unknown.

Objective

This study was aimed to assess biomedical waste management practices and associated factors among health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic era at metropolitan city private hospitals, Amhara Region, Ethiopia.

Methods

An institutional-based cross-sectional study was conducted at metropolitan city private hospitals in Amhara Region. Simple random sampling was used to select 431 study participants. Data were collected through a self-administered questionnaire and observational checklists. The data were cleaned, coded, and entered into the Epi-data version 4.6, and then exported to SPSS version 20. for analysis. Variables with a p-value less than 0.05 were considered as significant factors in multivariable logistic regression analysis and AOR with a 95% confidence level was used to measure the strength of association.

Results

The proportion of health care workers who had good practices in biomedical waste management was 49.4%. Participants who had MSc education level, [AOR = 4.20, 95% CI (1.01, 17.40)], Bachelor degree [AOR = 3.52, 95% CI (2.13, 5.82)], got training on biomedical waste management [AOR = 4.33, 95% CI (2.71, 6.93)], access to color-coded three bins in their working department [AOR = 6.24.95% CI (3.84, 10.13)] and those who had good attitude (AOR = 2.64, 95% CI (1.65, 4.22), were significantly associated with biomedical waste management practices in private hospitals.

Conclusion

The practice of biomedical waste management in the study area was low. Level of education, taking training on biomedical waste management, availability of color-coded three bins, and attitude of health care workers were significantly associated with biomedical waste management practices. Hence, in-service training is recommended to improve biomedical waste management practices.
Maternal and child health handbook to improve continuum of maternal and child care in rural Bangladesh: Findings of a cluster randomized controlled trial
Authors: Gai Tobe Ruoyan , Haque Syed Emdadul , Mubassara Sanzida , Rahman Rushdana , Ikegami Kiyoko , Mori Rintaro
Published: April 2022

This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of maternal and child health handbook (MCH) enhanced by mobile tools and to generate evidence informing the adoption of the program in Bangladesh. A cluster randomized controlled trial (RCT) has been implemented in Lohagora of Narail District and Dhamrai of Dhaka District. Unions of the study settings were randomly allocated in either one of three groups: (1) Intervention 1 using both mobile platform and MCH, (2) Intervention 2 using MCH alone, or (3) the Control. A total of 3,002 participants were recruited. The interventions were designed to promote two-way communications between pregnant women/their families and community health workers by an empowering approach. A total of 3,002 pregnant women were recruited. As the results, the interventions both significantly improved the utilization of CoC, although the overall proportion of CoC was relevantly low: 2.79% in the Control (95% CI: 1.37–3.54%), 6.16% in Intervention 2 (95% CI: 4.67–7.86%), and 7.89% in Intervention 1 (95% CI: 6.29–9.90%). Neonatal mortality rate with and without CoC was 5.43 per 1,000 (95% CI: 3.63–9.57 per 1,000) and 34.8 per 1,000 (95% CI: 24.3–45.4 per 1,000), respectively. Our study indicated the effectiveness of the interventions by leveraging MCH and a mobile platform to promote uptake of CoC throughout prepartum, intrapartum and postpartum/neonatal periods, potentially bringing long-lasting benefits to mothers and their offspring. The explicit approach is expected to guide policy makers to adopt MCH interventions in primary healthcare strengthening at the community level.

Trial registration: UMIN000025628 Registered June 13, 2016.
Alleviating behavioral biases at job search: Do nudges work?
Authors: Horvath Gergely
Published: April 2022

We experimentally study the effectiveness of policy interventions in reducing the negative welfare effects of behavioral biases on job search. Due to quasi-hyperbolic discounting, individuals reduce their search effort and reservation wage, while the sunk-cost fallacy makes individuals decrease their reservation wage over the search spell. We compare the effects of search cost reduction and nudging. We find that search cost reduction increases the search effort and payoffs but not the reservation wage. Conversely, nudging increases the reservation wage, but not the search effort or payoffs. Both interventions reduce the impact of the sunk-cost fallacy on the reservation wage.
Mutations in the acetylation hotspots of Rbl2 are associated with increased risk of breast cancer
Authors: Ullah Farman , Khurshid Nadia , Fatimi Qaiser , Loidl Peter , Saeed Muhammad
Published: April 2022

Retinoblastoma like protein-2 (Rbl2) is functionally regulated by phosphorylation and acetylation. Previously, we demonstrated that lysine K1083 (K1079 in human Rbl2) is a potential target for acetylation but its functional role remains elusive. We investigated alterations in human Rbl2 gene specifically targeting exons 19–22 harbouring acetylatable residues i.e. K1072, K1083 and K1115 through single stranded conformation polymorphism (SSCP) in breast cancer patients. The K1083 was found altered into arginine (R) in 51% of the cases but K1072 and K1115 remained conserved. The ‘K1083R’ mutation impairs the acetylation potential of this motif that may result in functional inactivation of Rbl2. These patients also showed poor survival outcome that highlights prognostic relevance of this residue. NIH3T3 cells expressing glutamine (K1083Q) mutated Rbl2 could not be arrested in G1 by serum starvation, whereas cells expressing Rbl2 with K1083R showed prolonged G1 arrest in fluorescence activated cell sorting (FACS) analysis. This suggests that K1083 acetylation is important for G1/S transition. Further, we performed molecular dynamic simulations (MDS) to analyse kinetics of residue K1083 with Cyc-D1/CDK4. Mutations at K1083 impaired this binding exposing neighbouring residues S1080, P1081, S1082 and R1084, hence enhancing the possibility of accelerated phosphorylation. S1080 has previously been reported as a promising candidate of cell cycle dependent phosphorylation in Rbl2. This highlights significance of mutations in the pocket domain of Rbl2 gene in breast cancer, and also strengthen the supposition that K1083 acetylation is pre-requisite for its phosphorylation.
Effectiveness of treatment of bedding and feces of laboratory animal with ozone
Authors: Qiao Jiao-Jiao , Wang Shan-Ni , Li Jing-Jing , Chen Li-Yu , Wang Mei-Mei , Yi Bin , Liu Qing-Xia , Liu Yun-Bo , Zhang Chen , Honess Paul , Gao Chang-Qing
Published: April 2022

Background

The incineration and burying of the soiled bedding of laboratory animals, as well as using detergents to treat their feces, is hazardous to the environment. This highlights the need for an alternative, environmentally friendly solution for the treatment of the waste of laboratory animal facilities. This study aims to evaluate the efficacy of ozone disinfection of the soiled bedding and feces of laboratory animals.

Methods

Two grams of soiled beddings were randomly sampled from the cages of mice and rats. These samples were mixed in a beaker with 40ml saline. Ozone was piped into the beaker at a concentration of 500mg/h. Samples were taken from the beaker at time 0min, 30min, 45min and 60min after ozone treatment for microbiological culturing in an incubator for 48h. Colony form unit of each plate (CFU/plate) at each time point were counted, the mean CFU/plate at each time point after ozone treatment were compared with that present at time zero. Feces of rabbits and dogs were treated and pathogens were counted the similar way as that of bedding of the mice and rats; samples being taken at 0min, 15min, 30min, 45min and 60min.

Results

Pathogens were observed in beddings of both mice and rats as well as in feces of rabbits and dogs. Ozone treatment for 30min killed more than 93% of pathogens in the bedding of the two rodent species and 60min of treatment killed over 99% of pathogens. Treatment of rabbit and dog feces for 30min killed over 96% pathogens present, and 60min’s treatment killed nearly all the pathogens. Both Gram positive and Gram negative pathogens were sensitive to ozone treatment.

Conclusion

Ozone treatment of bedding and feces is an effective and environment friendly way to deal with the waste of animal facilities, saving energy and potentially enabling their reuse as fertilizer.
Purification and characterization of antifungal lipopeptide produced by Bacillus velezensis isolated from raw honey
Authors: Xiong Zirui Ray , Cobo Mario , Whittal Randy M. , Snyder Abigail B. , Worobo Randy W.
Published: April 2022

Raw honey contains a diverse microbiota originating from honeybees, plants, and soil. Some gram-positive bacteria isolated from raw honey are known for their ability to produce secondary metabolites that have the potential to be exploited as antimicrobial agents. Currently, there is a high demand for natural, broad-spectrum, and eco-friendly bio-fungicides in the food industry. Naturally occurring antifungal products from food-isolated bacteria are ideal candidates for agricultural applications. To obtain novel antifungals from natural sources, we isolated bacteria from raw clover and orange blossom honey to evaluate their antifungal-producing potential. Two Bacillus velezensis isolates showed strong antifungal activity against food-isolated fungal strains. Antifungal compound production was optimized by adjusting the growth conditions of these bacterial isolates. Extracellular proteinaceous compounds were purified via ammonium sulfate precipitation, solid phase extraction, and RP-HPLC. Antifungal activity of purified products was confirmed by deferred overlay inhibition assay. Mass spectrometry (MS) was performed to determine the molecular weight of the isolated compounds. Whole genome sequencing (WGS) was conducted to predict secondary metabolite gene clusters encoded by the two antifungal-producing strains. Using MS and WGS data, we determined that the main antifungal compound produced by these two Bacillus velezensis isolates was iturin A, a lipopeptide exhibiting broad spectrum antifungal activity.
Thermal remote sensing over heterogeneous urban and suburban landscapes using sensor-driven super-resolution
Authors: Mizuochi Hiroki , Iwao Koki , Yamamoto Satoru
Published: April 2022

Thermal remote sensing is an important tool for monitoring regional climate and environment, including urban heat islands. However, it suffers from a relatively lower spatial resolution compared to optical remote sensing. To improve the spatial resolution, various “data-driven” image processing techniques (pan-sharpening, kernel-driven methods, and machine learning) have been developed in the previous decades. Such empirical super-resolution methods create visually appealing thermal images; however, they may sacrifice radiometric consistency because they are not necessarily sensitive to specific sensor features. In this paper, we evaluated a “sensor-driven” super-resolution approach that explicitly considers the sensor blurring process, to ensure radiometric consistency with the original thermal image during high-resolution thermal image retrieval. The sensor-driven algorithm was applied to a cloud-free Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) scene of heterogeneous urban and suburban landscape that included built-up areas, low mountains with a forest, a lake, croplands, and river channels. Validation against the reference high-resolution thermal image obtained by the Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) shows that the sensor-driven algorithm can downscale the MODIS image to 250-m resolution, while maintaining a high statistical consistency with the original MODIS and ASTER images. Part of our algorithm, such as radiometric offset correction based on the Mahalanobis distance, may be integrated with other existing approaches in the future.
Injection of prototypic celiac anti-transglutaminase 2 antibodies in mice does not cause enteropathy
Authors: Lindstad Christian B. , du Pré M. Fleur , Stamnaes Jorunn , Sollid Ludvig M.
Published: April 2022

Background

Celiac disease is an autoimmune enteropathy driven by dietary intake of gluten proteins. Typical histopathologic features are villous flattening, crypt hyperplasia and infiltration of inflammatory cells in the intestinal epithelium and lamina propria. The disease is hallmarked by the gluten-dependent production of autoantibodies targeting the enzyme transglutaminase 2 (TG2). While these antibodies are specific and sensitive diagnostic markers of the disease, a role in the development of the enteropathy has never been established.

Methods

We addressed this question by injecting murine antibodies harboring the variable domains of a prototypic celiac anti-TG2 immunoglobulin into TG2-sufficient and TG2-deficient mice evaluating for celiac enteropathy.

Results

We found no histopathologic abnormalities nor clinical signs of disease related to the injection of anti-TG2 IgG or IgA.

Conclusions

Our findings do not support a direct role for secreted anti-TG2 antibodies in the development of the celiac enteropathy.
A comparative study on the effect of blood collection tubes on stress oxidative markers
Authors: Bastin Alireza , Fooladi Saba , Doustimotlagh Amir Hossein , Vakili Sina , Aminizadeh Amir Hashem , Faramarz Sanaz , Shiri Hamidreza , Nematollahi Mohammad Hadi
Published: April 2022

Oxidative stress has a major role in disease pathogenesis. However, limited studies have investigated the effect of various sample collection tubes on oxidative biomarkers. The present study aimed to evaluate the effect of different collection tubes on the variation of malondialdehyde (MDA), nitric oxide (NO), total thiol (t-SH), and ferric reducing ability of plasma (FRAP) levels. A total of 35 individuals participated in this study and each collected sample was separated into three different tubes: glass tubes (GTs), plain plastic tubes (PTs), and gel separator tubes (GSTs). The results of PTs and GSTs were compared to those of GTs as the reference tube. The comparison between the means of biomarkers in various tubes indicated that there was no significant difference in MDA results between tubes. In contrast, t-SH and NO content were significantly decreased in GSTs and PTs compared to GTs. However, the Bland-Altman analysis showed an acceptable concordance for the mentioned analytes and the statistically significant differences were not clinically significant for NO, MDA, and t-SH antioxidant parameters. Moreover, the FRAP level was considerably lower in GSTs compared to GTs. Nevertheless, the Bland-Altman analysis showed a high bias percentage for the FRAP assay when using PTs and GSTs. According to the present results, it can be concluded that switching to plastic blood collection tubes or serum separation tubes could influence the FRAP results. However, there was no interference for the interpretation of other antioxidant assays in different types of collection tubes. Hence, it is suggested to use GTs for total antioxidant capacity evaluations, especially the FRAP assay.
Combat injury profiles among U.S. military personnel who survived serious wounds in Iraq and Afghanistan: A latent class analysis
Authors: D’Souza Edwin W. , MacGregor Andrew J. , Dougherty Amber L. , Olson Andrew S. , Champion Howard R. , Galarneau Michael R.
Published: April 2022

Background

The U.S. military conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan had the most casualties since Vietnam with more than 53,000 wounded in action. Novel injury mechanisms, such as improvised explosive devices, and higher rates of survivability compared with previous wars led to a new pattern of combat injuries. The purpose of the present study was to use latent class analysis (LCA) to identify combat injury profiles among U.S. military personnel who survived serious wounds.

Methods

A total of 5,227 combat casualty events with an Injury Severity Score (ISS) of 9 or greater that occurred in Iraq and Afghanistan from December 2002 to July 2019 were identified from the Expeditionary Medical Encounter Database for analysis. The Barell Injury Diagnosis Matrix was used to classify injuries into binary variables by site and type of injury. LCA was employed to identify injury profiles that accounted for co-occurring injuries. Injury profiles were described and compared by demographic, operational, and injury-specific variables.

Results

Seven injury profiles were identified and defined as: (1) open wounds (18.8%), (2) Type 1 traumatic brain injury (TBI)/facial injuries (14.2%), (3) disseminated injuries (6.8%), (4) Type 2 TBI (15.4%), (5) lower extremity injuries (19.8%), (6) burns (7.4%), and (7) chest and/or abdominal injuries (17.7%). Profiles differed by service branch, combat location, year of injury, injury mechanism, combat posture at the time of injury, and ISS.

Conclusion

LCA identified seven distinct and interpretable injury profiles among U.S. military personnel who survived serious combat injuries in Iraq or Afghanistan. These findings may be of interest to military medical planners as resource needs are evaluated and projected for future conflicts, and medical professionals involved in the rehabilitation of wounded service members.
Psychological distress and well-being among students of health disciplines in Geneva, Switzerland: The importance of academic satisfaction in the context of academic year-end and COVID-19 stress on their learning experience
Authors: Tran Nguyen Toan , Franzen Jessica , Jermann Françoise , Rudaz Serge , Bondolfi Guido , Ghisletta Paolo
Published: April 2022

Introduction

University students’ psychological health is linked to their academic satisfaction. This study aimed to investigate students’ psychological health and academic satisfaction in the context of COVID-19 and academic year-end stress.

Materials and methods

Standardized self-filled scales for anxiety, depression, stress, psychological well-being, academic satisfaction (subjective assessment of students’ quality of life in their educational setting), and an ad-hoc scale for stress on the learning experience due to COVID-19 were used in this cross-sectional study. Participants were first- to third-year students of eight different health-related tracks in Geneva, Switzerland. Descriptive statistics and hierarchical regression analyses were applied.

Results

In June 2020, out of 2835 invited students, 433 (15%) completed the survey. Academic satisfaction was a stronger mental health predictor than COVID-19 stress on the learning experience, which mainly predicted stress and anxiety. Lower academic satisfaction scores were significantly associated with stress (β = −0.53, p < 0.001), depression (β = −0.26, p < 0.001), anxiety (β = −0.20, p < 0.001), while higher scores with psychological well-being (β = 0.48, p < 0.001). Identifying as female was strongly associated with anxiety and stress but not with depression or psychological well-being. Lower age was associated with stress only. The nature of the academic training had a lesser impact on mental health and the academic year had no impact.

Conclusions

Academic satisfaction plays a more substantial role than COVID-19 stress on the learning experience in predicting students’ overall mental health status. Training institutions should address the underlying factors that can enhance students’ academic satisfaction, especially during the COVID-19 period, in addition to ensuring that they have a continuous and adequate learning experience, as well as access to psychosocial services that help them cope with mental distress and enhance their psychological well-being.
Structure-based 3D-Pharmacophore modeling to discover novel interleukin 6 inhibitors: An in silico screening, molecular dynamics simulations and binding free energy calculations
Authors: Tran Que-Huong , Nguyen Quoc-Thai , Vo Nguyen-Quynh-Huong , Mai Tan Thanh , Tran Thi-Thuy-Nga , Tran Thanh-Dao , Le Minh-Tri , Trinh Dieu-Thuong Thi , Thai Khac-Minh
Published: April 2022

Interleukin 6 (IL-6) is a cytokine with various biological functions in immune regulation, hematopoiesis, and inflammation. Elevated IL-6 levels have been identified in several severe disorders such as sepsis, acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), and most recently, COVID-19. The biological activity of IL-6 relies on interactions with its specific receptor, IL-6Rα, including the membrane-bound IL-6 receptor (mIL-6R) and the soluble IL-6 receptor (sIL-6R). Thus, inhibition of the interaction between these two proteins would be a potential treatment for IL-6 related diseases. To date, no orally available small-molecule drug has been approved. This study focuses on finding potential small molecules that can inhibit protein-protein interactions between IL-6 and its receptor IL-6Rα using its crystal structure (PDB ID: 5FUC). First, two pharmacophore models were constructed based on the interactions between key residues of IL-6 (Phe74, Phe78, Leu178, Arg179, Arg182) and IL-6Rα (Phe229, Tyr230, Glu277, Glu278, Phe279). A database of approximately 22 million compounds was screened using 3D-pharmacophore models, molecular docking models, and ADMET properties. By analyzing the interactive capability of successfully docked compounds with important amino acids, 12 potential ligands were selected for further analysis via molecular dynamics simulations. Based on the stability of the complexes, the high interactions rate of each ligand with the key residues of IL-6/IL-6Rα, and the low binding free energy calculation, two compounds ZINC83804241 and ZINC02997430, were identified as the most potential IL-6 inhibitor candidates. These results will pave the way for the design and optimization of more specific compounds to combat cytokine storm in severe coronavirus patients.
The Transformative Power of Practice- Based Fashion Research
Authors: Teunissen José
Published: April 2022

The advent of the twenty-first century ushered in a new generation of fashion designers who merge design, artistic practice and research in a natural way. They use artistic and activist interventions to revision fashion as a cultural and symbolic value-adding component integral to post-industrial restructuring, and repositioning it as a much broader and more significant role than as an industry that makes and sells apparel (Craik 2019: 133). This generation is not necessarily operating from fashion capitals, but quite often based in the outskirts of the fashion areas. Being aware of the social and environmental issues and the failures of the current fashion system, they are fundamentally rethinking and redefining the fashion system by implementing new values and new imaginations approaching fashion design as an embodied practice and as an activist tool (Bourriaud 2009: 51-52; Teunissen 2005: 8-23; Teunissen 2014: 12-72). Based on the research for the exhibitions The Future of Fashion in Now(2014) and State of Fashion (2018), – where I showcased these ground-breaking designers – I would like to draw and define this ‘new hybrid designer’ and highlight how they as activists and practitioners effectively contribute to some of the fundamental changes of the current fashion system (Teunissen 2018).
Beyond Derrida: Fragments of feminist hospitality in residents hosting illegalized migrants in Belgium
Authors: Kekstaite Julija
Published: April 2022

In the context of migration, hospitality is often analysed as a vertical power relation, in which hosts impose conditions and demands upon their guests. While acknowledging the drastically unequal structural power relations in which hospitality takes place, this article explores how these power relations can be mitigated and developed towards more reciprocal relationalities. To do so, it focuses on a specific form of hospitality: urban residents providing shelter to migrants who are illegalized by the state. Drawing on in-depth interviews with residents affiliated with the Brussels-based Citizens Platform for Support of Refugees, I argue that their discourses and practices of hospitality – while being limited and imperfect – constitute alternative spaces of inclusion and affirmation, circumventing the Belgian State’s exclusionary stance. Combining Derridian hospitality framework with the feminist ethics of care lens, the article casts inquiry into the complexity and ambivalence of hospitality practices, seeing them not only as sites of power struggle but also as potential microcosms of social transformation. First of all, it illustrates how the feminist lens allows us to see hospitality acts as subjective practices, enabling a positive relationality towards the other. Secondly, it deliberates the potential for reciprocal exchange and resident hosts’ strategies to resist the verticality of hospitality relationships. Finally, it challenges the notion of regarding such practices as naïve by showcasing these practices’ political dimension.
Caste-hate speech and digital media politics
Authors: Shanmugavelan Murali
Published: April 2022

Campaigns against hate speech related to race, gender groups and sexual orientation have received varying degrees of acknowledgement and recognition in global contexts. However, the same has not been true for caste-hate speech that affects a fifth of the world’s population. This article advocates that global policy-makers should consider caste a protected characteristic related to hate-speech policies. It further calls for recognition and inclusion of caste as a protected characteristic in all international covenants related to human rights and hate speech. It also sets out action plans to mitigate hate speech in everyday conversations that are increasingly mediated by and saturated in digital platforms.
South-based feminist visions for digital media policy in Sri Lanka
Authors: Perera Sachini
Published: April 2022

There is a clear need for digital media policies in Sri Lanka to address violence and promote free expression, in the context of the espoused vision of a digital Sri Lanka. There is also a need to critically analyse the colonial and neo-colonial hegemonies that are inherent in the modern nation state, civil society and corporations, and how those are perpetuated through the policies they create and implement. This article proposes grounding media studies in our communities and centres the experiences of Melony, a cisgender crossdressing gay sex worker, who finds himself belonging/nonbelonging in the state’s vision for a digital Sri Lanka and the accompanying neocolonizing ideologies of social media platform companies.
No policy without us: Analysing multistakeholderism in the making of media policy drafts in Nepal
Authors: Maharjan Harsha Man
Published: April 2022

Using the case of a project called Media for Peace (2010–13), funded by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and implemented by the Ministry of Information and Communication (MoIC), Nepal, to revise media policies/laws and convert state-owned broadcasting into public service broadcasting, this article examines cultures of stakeholderism and the idea of stakeholder participation in the media policy process. It evaluates the idea of multistakeholderism critically. By analysing interviews, official documents and news reporting, the article shows that gradually a group of stakeholders, especially associations related to journalists, editors and media owners, became dominant in the post-conflict situation and political transition by using different strategies such as networking with each other, challenging, disowning and owning the policy process. This article argues that these stakeholders became dominant in the policy process by demanding for a mutistakeholder process and tried to influence the policy outcome by laying claim to the writing of the policy document.
Pharmacological Investigation of Fluoro, Iodo and Hydroxy Derivative of
Chloro Substituted Homoisoflavonoids
Authors: Gaikwad D. , Murkute R. , Gaikwad S.
Published: April 2022

In present study, the synthesized substituted homoisoflavonoid derivatives were screened for their in
vivo/in vitro antiarthritic activity, in vitro anti-inflammatory and DPPH free radical scavenging activity.
The male Wistar rats were used for investigation of in vivo antiarthritic activity against complete
freund’s adjuvant (CFA) induced arthritis and assessment was done for change in paw volume, serum
marker enzymes (ALP, SGOT and SGPT) and membrane stabilization potential. in vitro anti-inflammatory
activity was assessed by the protein denaturation method. In vitro free radical scavenging activity was
assessed by the DPPH method. The result indicated that compound HIFa showed a significant
antiarthritic activity as compared to other substituted homoisoflavonoid derivatives. The significant
membrane stabilization and inhibition of protein denaturation showed in vitro antiarthritic and antiinflammatory
activity of substituted homoisoflavonoid derivatives. The substituted homoisoflavonoid
derivatives showed dose dependent DPPH free radical scavenging activity. From the present study, it
was observed that the iodo derivative of substituted homoisoflavonoid derivatives have significant
pharmacological activities as compared to floro and hydroxyl derivatives.
Exploring 3D QSAR Study of Pyridone-Pyrimidone Derivatives as Glucokinase
Activators in Treatment of Diabetes Mellitus by using CoMFA Method
Authors: Chhajed Priyanka N. , Patil Ravindra B.
Published: April 2022

In this work, we have performed 3D QSAR study of reported pyridone-pyrimidone derivatives. CoMFA
was applied to generate 3D QSAR models. Total eight QSAR models were generated. Model 2 was
close to standard set criteria. Effect of steric and electrostatic substituents on biological activity was
observed on contour maps. This study will be helpful for future researchers in designing new pyridinepyrimidone
derivatives.
Synthesis and Characterization of Thiadiazole Pyrazolene Anthranilic
Acid Derivatives as Potent Anti-inflammatory Agents
Authors: Kumar Deepak
Published: April 2022

Several new substituted thiadiazole pyrazolene anthranilic acid derivatives were synthesized. These
compounds also evaluated for their anti-inflammatory and analgesic activities. Compound 2-((5-(3-
(2,6-dichloro)acrylamido)-1,3,4-thiadiazol-2-yl)methyl amino)-benzoic acid (5b) and 2-((5-(1-acetyl-
5-(2,6-dichloro)-4,5-dihydro-1H-pyrazol-3-ylamino)-1,3,4-thiadiazol-2-yl)methyl amino)benzoic acid
(6b) were found to be most active compounds of this series, which exhibits 38.10 & 48.50%
anti-inflammatory activity while, 36.24 & 40.10 % analgesic activity, respectively. The structures of
all the compounds were characterized by analytical data, IR, 1H NMR and mass spectrometry.
PM3 Method based QSAR Study of the Derivatives of Thiadiazole and Quinoxaline
for Antiepileptic Activity using Quantum Mechanical and Energy Descriptors
Authors: Mishra Durgesh Kumar , Singh Ashutosh , Mishra Sunil Kumar , Singh Priti , Singh Abhishek , Kumar Jitendra
Published: April 2022

QSAR analysis of the derivatives of thiadiazole and quinoxaline has been made for antiepileptic activity
(pED50) using quantum mechanical and energy descriptors. The descriptors ionization potential, HOMO
energy, LUMO energy, electron affinity, total energy, conformation minimum energy and log P have
been used for QSAR analysis. The PM3 method has been employed for the calculation of descriptors.
The best QSAR model has been obtained by using the descriptors electron affinity, total energy,
conformation minimum energy and log P in which regression coefficient is 0.836651 and
cross-validation coefficient is 0.761455. Also the single descriptor total energy is able to produce
good QSAR model and hence the antiepileptic activity of any compound of the series can be predicted
by calculating the value of total energy.
Isoniazid: An Exploratory Review
Authors: Saini Vandana , Goyal Anju , Kumar Ajay
Published: April 2022

Isoniazid (INH) is one of the most successful tuberculosis medications in the market today. In particular,
isoniazid is used as a prophylaxis medication to avoid resurgence of illness in those who have underlying
Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) infection. The mode of action of isoniazid is complicated and
incorporates a number of distinct aspects in which various biomolecular routes are impacted, including
mycolic acid production. Catalase-peroxidase (KatG) activates the prodrug isoniazid and enzymes
such as β-ketoacyl ACP synthase (KasA) and enoyl acyl carrier protein (ACP) reductase target the
active isoniazid products. Various genes in diverse biochemical networks and pathways are involved
in the physiological mechanisms of isoniazid resistance. Isoniazid resistance is the most common of
all clinical drug-resistant isolates, with incidence in some areas of up to 20 to 30%. In this review
article, several existing components that may influence to the complexities of isoniazid function including
mechanism of action, resistance mechanisms in MTB, along with their history, different synthetic
procedures, uses, dosage forms, side effects, adverse drug reactions, physico-chemical characteristics,
ADME properties, contraindications as well as future perspectives are discussed. Studies of
pharmacokinetics have found that the cause of the drug mediated hepatotoxicity is possible by
metabolism of isoniazid. Because of inter-individual heterogeneity of polymorphism that affect isoniazid
metabolism rates, customized medicines may be required in various populations to prevent
hepatotoxicity. The isoniazid multidrug combination treatment which would proved to be effective
tuberculosis treatment in future. Further exploration is needed for better comprehension of pathogenesis
mechanism of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) and drug resistance studies are required for building
up better therapeutics and diagnostic against tuberculosis.
A Retrospective Study of Synthesis, Structure-Activity Relationship and
Antimicrobial Activity of 4-Formyl Pyrazole Containing Isoniazid Moiety
Authors: Chauhan Anupama , Kumar Ajay , Goel Anju
Published: April 2022

4-Formyl pyrazole is nitrogen containing heterocyclic aromatic molecule containing isoniazid moiety.
The molecule is formed by fusion of two heterocyclic ring i.e. pyrazole and isoniazid. The current
paper covers a vast range of methods for synthesis of 4-formyl pyrazole containing isoniazid moiety
and its derivatives using variety of catalyst, solvent medium and microwave irridation with a goal of
achieving a high yield and rapid separation of products. This work describes 4-formyl pyrazole and
isoniazid antimicrobial activity as well as their structural-activity relationship. It also includes the
mechanism of action of pyrazole and isoniazid and includes the list of current patents linked to various
pharmacological activities in previous past years.