bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Caravan Of Hate: The Cautionary Tale of Ben Wheatley’s Sightseers and Alternative Spaces for Masculinity On-Screen
Authors: Finnemore Daniel
Published: May 2023

Ben Wheatley's Sightseers is a brutally violent and darkly comic addition to British cult cinema, satirising British values, habits, and relationships with the humble caravan at the centre of its world. However, Wheatley's third feature warns against the harmful effects of not conforming to masculinity. Performance, recognition, and hegemonic masculinity enter this conversation. This paper critically analyses how Sightseers uses frame, sound, character, and narrative to condemn white, working-class toxic masculinity in a regional context. The true cautionary tale is in the numerous and savage manifestations of violence and hyper-masculinity. Sightseers is a cult film that shows the harmful effects of masculinity and societal demands, but it neglects alternative masculinities, which may help us comprehend gender construction and portrayal. This research relies on scholars like Jack Halberstam who discuss alternative and subordinate masculinities. How do these affect viewers? This dissertation concludes by considering how current cult cinema may offer alternatives to "heroic" masculinity or "real thing" as Halberstam calls it. Whether it's Everything Everywhere All at Once's "gentle masculinity" or other constructions, different spaces will hopefully continue to reshape our understanding of masculinity and the positive role these on-screen representations can play in this ideology evolution.
Higher Education and the Indigenous Language and Culture: Samoanisation of the National University of Samoa
Authors: Groves Eric
Published: May 2023

Established in 1984, the National University of Samoa has undergone multiple phases of change to adapt to the needs and demands of the Samoan community. As the only national university in Samoa, one of the main functions bestowed upon the University is the preservation and sustainment of the Samoan language and culture through its teaching and research functions. Higher education being a non-Samoan concept, meant that the University had to undergo unique customisations and alterations in order to feature the Samoan language and culture in its general operations. This responsibility and expectation placed on the University saw the rise of three champions, who have led the Samoanisation of higher education in Samoa, despite the challenges of their respective times. In achieving the University’s intent for cultural adaptation, the late Dr. Fanaafi Le Tagaloa set the precedent in the University’s formative years, followed by Dr. Asofou So’o and Dr. Malama Meleisea, who are both proud advocates for the integration of the Samoan language and culture in higher education. This paper covers the historical context of the Samoanisation of higher education in Samoa while also forecasting its prospective future.
PERTANGGUNGJAWABAN PIDANA PIHAK BANK ATAS TINDAK PIDANA DEBT COLLECTOR
Authors: Hasibuan Syamsir
Published: May 2023

Tindak pidana yang dilakukan debt collector terkait pelunasan kartu kredit pada masa sekarang ini sering terjadi akibat berkembangnya produk bank dengan pemberian kartu kredit dalam bentuk kartu elektronik tentu harus menjadi perhatian bersama. Kasus yang menunjukkan benturan kepentingan entitas bisnis dengan aspek pidana semakin terllihat ketika debt collector ditenggarai penyebab nasabah mengalami tindak kekerasan baik secara fisik dan mental secara langsung maupun tidak langsung. Di satu sisi, kehadiran dept collector menunjukkan bahwa mekanisme penyelesaian berlandas hokum perdata antara bank dan nasabah tidak berjalan efektif dan efisien, sementara di sisi yang lain menunjukkan kerancuan pengaturan yang patut dikaji  dan ditelaah berkaitan maksudnya  debt collector dalam ranah perikatan perdata bank dan nasabah yang menjadikan celah tindak pidana yang dilakukan debt collector dalam menagih utang pada nasabah. Dilihat dari produk perbankan yang potensial menghadirkan campur tangan debt collector, kartu kredit menjadi salah satu rujukannya. Pihak perbankan saat ini berlomba-lomba untuk menawarkan kartu kredit, karena produk perbankan ini jauh lebih menguntungkan dibandingkan produk lain. Gencarnya penggunaan kartu kredit ternyata berpeluang pula menimbulkan permasalahan baru, berwujud kredit macet. Agar penyelesaian masalah kredit macet demikian tidak terjerembab pada pusaran masalah yang lain sejatinya telah ada ketentuan dalam PBI 14/2/2012 peraturan tersebut menjelaskan penggunaan jasa pihak lain dalam proses penagihan hutang harus digunakan untuk kredit dengan kolektibilitas macet. Masalah kredit macet sebenarnya dapat diselesaikan secara hokum perdata, akan tetapi efektifitas dan efisiensi mekanistik penyelesaian litigatif demikian masih menyisakan masalah bagi bank yang mempunyai volume kredit macet besar. Guna mengatasi problem inilah, debt collector dilibatkan dalam penagihan kredit macet.
PENGATURAN DAN PEMILIHAN BADAN HUKUM YANG TEPAT UNTUK MENGELOLA MASJID SEBAGAI TEMPAT IBADAH
Authors: Riyanto Agus , Azrianti Seftia
Published: May 2023

Pengaturan status badan hukum untuk tempat ibadah di Indonesia belum sempurna. Hingga saat ini, tempat ibadah yang memiliki status badan hukum hanyalah gereja dan pura. Tempat ibadah lainnya seperti masjid, belum secara otomatis memiliki status badan hukum. Status badan hukum untuk masjid sangat penting. Hal ini karena pemerintah mewajibkan status badan hukum sebagai syarat mendapat bantuan/hibah dari pemerintah. Kegiatan masjid lainnya seperti Taman Pendidikan Al Qur’an (TPQ) mewajibkan status badan hukum masjid agar dapat mengeluarkan ijazah TPQ. Implikasinya, pengurus masjid harus mendaftarkan status badan hukum masjid untuk mempermudah berbagai keperluan administrasi. Artikel ini membahas bagaimana pengaturan dan pemilihan status badan hukum yang tepat khususnya untuk mengelola masjid dengan berbagai kegiatannya.
“... mexer em mais funções sem ter necessidade de mais cursos...”: uma transformação fundamental na relação designer-usuário tradicional no uso do Moodle no ensino profissionalizante
Authors: Araújo Guilherme Fernando Soares de
Published: May 2023

A ideia de projetistas trabalhando com seus monitores de forma isolada e desconectada do contexto e da situação é hoje uma obsolescência. No entanto, o paradigma ainda vigente para projetos caduca na perspectiva da mera observação de monitores isolados no espaço, no tempo e no oceano de informações em que convivemos. Os projetos estão presentes em diversos ramos da vida moderna, interagindo com diferentes perfis profissionais. No entanto, parecem se concentrar em uma perspectiva algorítmica e, em grande parte, ignoram a melhor maneira de apoiar o ser humano no curso da ação. Encontra-se pouca evidência de que pesquisadores que desenvolvam tais (re) concepções, ou componentes específicos dos mesmos, adotem uma abordagem participativa para projetar sistemas de ensino remoto. Assim, este artigo objetiva analisar os fatores humanos e organizacionais que possam influir na relação entre o usuário/professores e o projeto, concebendo sistemas capazes de integrar a experiência do homem no funcionamento do sistema. Os resultados apresentaram a necessidade da adaptação das plataformas aos usuários, observando seus apontamentos sobre o visual, ícones, dentre outros fatos cotidianos, e as características de cada grupo de pessoas que fazem uso do Moodle e MConf.
Impactos da depressão gestacional no desenvolvimento fetal: uma revisão integrativa
Authors: Santos Paulo Vinícius Magalhães dos , Menezes Larissa Lorrayne Soares de , Caetano Francine Mariana , Danaga Aline Roberta , Moda Lívia Maria Rosatto
Published: May 2023

Durante a gestação, diversas alterações fisiológicas e psicológicas podem ocorrer no organismo da gestante, incluindo o desenvolvimento ou agravamento de patologias psiquiátricas, como a depressão, que são influenciadas pelas diversas alterações hormonais, sociais e comportamentais da mulher durante esse período. Objetivo: Esse trabalho tem por objetivo avaliar as consequências da depressão gestacional no desenvolvimento fetal. Metodologia: Essa revisão integrativa da literatura foi realizada por meio de pesquisa nas bases de dados SciELO, PubMed e BVS utilizando os seguintes descritores e operadores booleanos: antepartum depression OR gestational depression AND fetal development NOT postpartum. Resultados: A grande maioria apresentou resultados positivos da influência da depressão materna no desenvolvimento fetal, com apenas três artigos não encontrando relações evidentes. Há associações entre a depressão gestacional com o desenvolvimento cerebral do feto, alterações de expressões genéticas e desfechos desfavoráveis, dentre eles o parto prematuro, menor comprimento e peso ao nascer e diminuição do perímetro cefálico. Dos treze artigos incluídos, todos são observacionais analíticos, sendo doze destes do tipo coorte e um caso-controle. Conclusão: Apesar dos resultados positivos, é fundamental ter um padrão metodológico das pesquisas sobre o tema, a fim de cessar dúvidas geradas por artigos contraditórios em pontos específicos. Além disso, levar em consideração outros fatores, como sociais e econômicos, para que haja resultados confiáveis para reforçar a importância do cuidado envolvendo a saúde mental de gestantes.
Data augmentation using generative adversarial networks for images and biomarkers in medicine and neuroscience
Authors: Meor Yahaya Maizan Syamimi , Teo Jason
Published: May 2023

The fields of medicine and neuroscience often face challenges in obtaining a sufficient amount of diverse data for training machine learning models. Data augmentation can alleviate this issue by artificially synthesizing new data from existing data. Generative adversarial networks (GANs) provide a promising approach for data augmentation in the context of images and biomarkers. GANs can synthesize high-quality, diverse, and realistic data that can supplement real data in the training process. This study provides an overview of the use of GANs for data augmentation in medicine and neuroscience. The strengths and weaknesses of various GAN models, including deep convolutional GANs (DCGANs) and Wasserstein GANs (WGANs), are discussed. This study also explores the challenges and ways to address them when using GANs for data augmentation in the field of medicine and neuroscience. Future works on this topic are also discussed.
Causal structure search and modeling of precision dairy farm data for automated prediction of ketosis risk, and the effect of potential interventions
Authors: Hockings Nick , Iwersen Michael , Hancock Andrew , Oczak Maciej
Published: May 2023

Causal search techniques enable inference from observational data, such as that produced in Precision Livestock Farming. The Peter-Clark algorithm was used to produce four causal models, for the risk of ketosis in individual cows. The data set covered 1542 Holstein-Friesian cows on a commercial dairy farm in Slovakia, over a period of 18 months and had 483 variables, split into four samples for four-way cross validation. The cow data was sorted into quartiles by predicted postpartum blood ketone value. The observed incidences of ketosis by quartile were 3.14%, 6.35%, 6.77%, 15.1%. To test the effect of intervention on the reduction of ketosis cases on the farm, we predicted the expected effect of 20% lower dry matter in the total mixed ration over the 6 months pre-partum. Predicted reductions in incidence of ketosis for the highest risk (4th) quartile were -4.96%, -7.4%, -11.21%, and -11.07% of animals in the herd, respectively for the four models. The different predictions were due to the different causal structures estimated from the four data samples by the Peter-Clark causal model search algorithm. To accurately predict the effect of intervention for automatic optimization of herd performance it is necessary to determine the correct causal structure of the model. Collinearity of inputs due to e.g. grouping by pens, reduced the conditional independence of their effects, and therefore the ability of the Peter-Clark algorithm to determine the correct causal structure. To reduce the collinearity of variables, we recommend causal search on datasets from multiple farms or multiple years.
Toxic effects of titanium dioxide nanoparticles on reproduction in mammals
Authors: Minghui Fan , Ran Sun , Yuxue Jiang , Minjia Sheng
Published: May 2023

Titanium dioxide nanoparticles (nano-TiO2) are widely used in food, textiles, coatings and personal care products; however, they cause environmental and health concerns. Nano-TiO2 can accumulate in the reproductive organs of mammals in different ways, affect the development of the ovum and sperm, damage reproductive organs and harm the growth and development of offspring. The oxidative stress response in germ cells, irregular cell apoptosis, inflammation, genotoxicity and hormone synthesis disorder are the main mechanisms of nano-TiO2 toxicity. Possible measures to reduce the harmful effects of nano-TiO2 on humans and nontarget organisms have emerged as an underexplored topic requiring further investigation.
Zein as a renewable material for the preparation of green nanoparticles for drug delivery
Authors: Tivano Francesca , Chiono Valeria
Published: May 2023

Environmental sustainability is a key challenge driven by the increased consumption of natural resources with limited availability. In this scenario agriculture has emerged as a privileged source of renewable resources, hence more efforts should be addressed to the study of plant-derived materials for medical applications. Zein is a biocompatible, biodegradable and amphiphilic prolamin protein extracted from the endosperm tissue of corn. For these reasons, its applications span from coatings for edible capsules, to the fabrication of bi- and tridimensional scaffolds for tissue engineering, and to develop drug delivery systems. This review aims at describing the properties and main applications of zein with a focus on the most recent and updated state of the art literature on zein based nanoparticles for the controlled delivery of various drugs. The main focus is to analyze the state of the art literature to understand how to implement sustainable methods for the preparation of zein NPs and to propose their exploitation as novel drug delivery systems for multiple applications, including oligonucleotide delivery. Main methods for zein NP preparation are described under an ecofriendly point of view, highlighting their environmental sustainability based on used solvents, waste products and energy consumption.
Current and prospective therapeutic strategies: tackling Candida albicans and Streptococcus mutans cross-kingdom biofilm
Authors: Li Yijun , Huang Shan , Du Jingyun , Wu Minjing , Huang Xiaojing
Published: May 2023

Candida albicans (C. albicans) is the most frequent strain associated with cross-kingdom infections in the oral cavity. Clinical evidence shows the co-existence of Streptococcus mutans (S. mutans) and C. albicans in the carious lesions especially in children with early childhood caries (ECC) and demonstrates the close interaction between them. During the interaction, both S. mutans and C. albicans have evolved a complex network of regulatory mechanisms to boost cariogenic virulence and modulate tolerance upon stress changes in the external environment. The intricate relationship and unpredictable consequences pose great therapeutic challenges in clinics, which indicate the demand for de novo emergence of potential antimicrobial therapy with multi-targets or combinatorial therapies. In this article, we present an overview of the clinical significance, and cooperative network of the cross-kingdom interaction between S. mutans and C. albicans. Furthermore, we also summarize the current strategies for targeting cross-kingdom biofilm.
Public agencies tweeting the COVID-19 pandemic: cross-country comparison of must have and forgotten communication topics
Authors: Tagliacozzo Serena , Albrecht Frederike , Ganapati Nazife Emel
Published: May 2023

Introduction

Despite the importance of national-level public health agencies in times of a pandemic, there is limited comparative understanding of their must-have and forgotten pandemic-related communication topics.

Methods

To fill this gap in the literature, this article presents an analysis of COVID-related communication topics by national-level health agencies in Italy, Sweden, and the United States using the IDEA (Internalization, Distribution, Explanation, Action) model on crisis message framing. The public health agencies included in the study are the Italian National Institute of Health (Istituto Superiore di Sanità; ISS), the Public Health Agency of Sweden (Folkhälsomyndigheten), and the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in the US.

Results

Based on these agencies' Twitter posts (n = 856) in the first 3 months of the pandemic, the article reveals a greater attention paid to action oriented (e.g., disease prevention) and explanatory messages (e.g., disease trends) than to distribution (e.g., transmission) and internalizing messages (e.g., risk factors) in all three countries. The study also highlights differences in terms of referrals to other communication channels and communication topics, especially in terms of these agencies' emphasis on individual risk factors (related to the risk of a person suffering from serious COVID-19-related health consequences) and social risk factors (related to the chance of an individual to become infected with COVID-19 because of the social context).

Discussion

The study's findings call for better incorporation of information that is directly relevant to the receivers (internalizing messages) by public health agencies.
Creating a shared vision by uniting local stakeholders to tackle plastic bag consumption
Authors: Neef Nicolas E. , Shihepo Kapandu , Roos Claudine , Richter Isabell
Published: May 2023

Single-use plastic bags contribute significantly to the plastic pollution in South Africa posing a serious environmental challenge. Hence, there is a need for comprehensive strategies to reduce plastic bag consumption. We report the results of an online workshop aimed to create a positive, shared future vision. The workshop was attended by 12 invited participants from diverse backgrounds and disciplines and utilized a collaborative approach to propose a framework for reducing plastic bag usage during grocery shopping in South Africa. The findings suggest that a combination of economic, structural and behavioral interventions is necessary to promote lasting behavior change, including financial incentives, a broad introduction of more environmentally friendly alternatives, and promoting bag reuse. Additionally, the vision underscored the importance of using social channels such as education and social norms. The invited stakeholders did not endorse conventional approaches such as increasing an already existing levy or implementing a complete ban on plastic bags. They also questioned the introduction of fully recycled plastic bags. Instead, the proposed vision encourages an integrated approach to reducing plastic bag usage involving individual behavior change and community engagement. The development of a creative product such as a video to showcase a future vision offers a powerful tool for communication with further stakeholders and political authorities, to engage with the community and broader population and for inspiring collective action. Overall, the findings have implications for policymakers, business leaders, environmental educators, and individuals committed to reducing plastic pollution and promoting sustainable practices in South Africa.
Mechanistic insights into heat shock protein 27, a potential therapeutic target for cardiovascular diseases
Authors: Zou Yifei , Shi Henghe , Liu Ning , Wang He , Song Xianjing , Liu Bin
Published: May 2023

Heat shock protein 27 (HSP27) is a small chaperone protein that is overexpressed in a variety of cellular stress states. It is involved in regulating proteostasis and protecting cells from multiple sources of stress injury by stabilizing protein conformation and promoting the refolding of misfolded proteins. Previous studies have confirmed that HSP27 is involved in the development of cardiovascular diseases and plays an important regulatory role in this process. Herein, we comprehensively and systematically summarize the involvement of HSP27 and its phosphorylated form in pathophysiological processes, including oxidative stress, inflammatory responses, and apoptosis, and further explore the potential mechanisms and possible roles of HSP27 in the diagnosis and treatment of cardiovascular diseases. Targeting HSP27 is a promising future strategy for the treatment of cardiovascular diseases.
Be prepared: online school experience and student achievement during the pandemic
Authors: Beck Dennis
Published: May 2023

During the COVID-19 pandemic it was clear that not all schools were equally prepared to adapt to the challenges of online learning. While many traditional public schools struggled to transition to remote teaching, cyber charter schools–which already had experience with full-time online learning–appeared to demonstrate superior academic performance and less learning loss. This success may be due in part to the greater experience of these schools with online teaching, as well as that the type of student enrolling in cyber charters changed. Further research and external peer review is necessary to confirm the validity of these findings, but in the face of uncertainty and change, it is essential that we approach education with an open mind and a willingness to consider all perspectives in order to find solutions that truly benefit our students.
Bioinformatics analysis identifies potential ferroptosis key genes in the pathogenesis of diabetic peripheral neuropathy
Authors: Tian Ming , Zhi Jin Yong , Pan Fan , Chen Yong Zhu , Wang Ai Zhong , Jia Hui Ying , Huang Rong , Zhong Wen Hui
Published: May 2023

Background

Diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) is a serious complication in Diabetes Mellitus (DM) patients and the underlying mechanism is yet unclear. Ferroptosis has been recently intensively researched as a key process in the pathogenesis of diabetes but there yet has been no related bioinformatics-based studies in the context of DPN

Methods

We used data mining and data analysis techniques to screen differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and immune cell content in patients with DPN, DM patients and healthy participants (dataset GSE95849). These DEGs were then intersected with the ferroptosis dataset (FerrDb) to obtain ferroptosis DEGs and the associated key molecules and miRNAs interactions were predicted.

Results

A total of 33 ferroptosis DEGs were obtained. Functional pathway enrichment analysis revealed 127 significantly related biological processes, 10 cellular components, 3 molecular functions and 30 KEGG signal pathways. The biological processes that were significantly enriched were in response to extracellular stimulus and oxidative stress. Key modules constructed by the protein–protein interaction network analysis led to the confirmation of the following genes of interest: DCAF7, GABARAPL1, ACSL4, SESN2 and RB1. Further miRNA interaction prediction revealed the possible involvement of miRNAs such as miR108b-8p, miR34a-5p, mir15b-5p, miR-5838-5p, miR-192-5p, miR-222-3p and miR-23c. Immune-environment content of samples between DM and DPN patients revealed significant difference in the levels of endothelial cells and fibroblasts, which further speculates their possible involvement in the pathogenesis of DPN.

Conclusion

Our findings could provide insight for investigations about the role of ferroptosis in the development of DPN.
Derivation and comparison of formulae for the adjustment of total calcium
Authors: Phylactou Maria , Comninos Alexander N. , Salih Ahmed , Labib Marina , Eng Pei Chia , Clarke Sophie A. , Moore Pope , Tan Tricia , Cegla Jaimini , Dhillo Waljit S. , Abbara Ali
Published: May 2023

Background

Free ionized calcium (Ca2+) is the biologically active component of total calcium (TCa) and hence responsible for its biological action. TCa is routinely adjusted for albumin using several formulae (e.g. James, Orell, Payne and Berry) to more closely reflect Ca2+. Here, we derive a novel formula to estimate Ca2+ and compare its performance to established formulae.

Methods

Cohort for prediction of Ca2+: 2806 serum samples (TCa) taken contemporaneously with blood gas samples (Ca2+) at Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust were used to derive formulae to estimate Ca2+ using multivariable linear regression. Cohort for prediction of PTH: Performance of novel and existing formulae to predict PTH in 5510 patients was determined by Spearman correlation.

Results

Ca2+ prediction Cohort: Adjusted calcium (r2 = 0.269) was less strongly associated with Ca2+, than TCa (r2 = 0.314). Prediction of Ca2+ from a newly derived formula incorporating TCa, potassium, albumin, and hematocrit had an improved r2 of 0.327, whereas inclusion of all available parameters increased the r2 further to 0.364. Of the established formulae, James performed best in predicting Ca2+ (r2 = 0.27). PTH prediction cohort: Berry resulted in higher whereas Orell in lower adjusted calcium levels. Prediction of PTH was strongest in the setting of hypercalcemia, with James having the highest Spearman correlation coefficient (+0.496) similar to including all parameters (+0.499).

Conclusion

Adjustment of calcium for albumin using established formulae does not always outperform unadjusted TCa in the reflection of Ca2+. Further prospective studies are needed to optimise adjustment of TCa and to establish bounds for validity.
Six-month periodic fasting does not affect somatosensory nerve function in type 2 diabetes patients
Authors: Kender Zoltan , von Rauchhaupt Ekaterina , Schwarz Daniel , Tsilingiris Dimitrios , Schimpfle Lukas , Bartl Hannelore , Longo Valter D. , Bendszus Martin , Kopf Stefan , Herzig Stephan , Heiland Sabine , Szendroedi Julia , Sulaj Alba
Published: May 2023

Background and aim

Current strategies for preventing diabetic sensorimotor polyneuropathy (DSPN) are limited mainly to glucose control but rapid decrease of glycemia can lead to acute onset or worsening of DSPN. The aim of this study was to examine the effects of periodic fasting on somatosensory nerve function in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D).

Study design and methods

Somatosensory nerve function was assessed in thirty-one patients with T2D (HbA1c 7.8 ± 1.3% [61.4 ± 14.3 mmol/mol]) before and after a six-month fasting-mimicking diet (FMD; n=14) or a control Mediterranean diet (M-diet; n=17). Neuropathy disability score (NDS), neuropathy symptoms score (NSS), nerve conduction velocity and quantitative sensory testing (QST) were analyzed. 6 participants of the M-Diet group and 7 of the FMD group underwent diffusion-weighted high-resolution magnetic resonance neurography (MRN) of the right leg before and after the diet intervention.

Results

Clinical neuropathy scores did not differ between study groups at baseline (64% in the M-Diet group and 47% in the FMD group had DSPN) and no change was found after intervention. The differences in sensory NCV and sensory nerve action potential (SNAP) of sural nerve were comparable between study groups. Motor NCV of tibial nerve decreased by 12% in the M-Diet group (P=0.04), but did not change in the FMD group (P=0.39). Compound motor action potential (CMAP) of tibial nerve did not change in M-Diet group (P=0.8) and increased in the FMD group by 18% (P=0.02). Motor NCV and CMAP of peroneal nerve remained unchanged in both groups. In QST M-diet-group showed a decrease by 45% in heat pain threshold (P=0.02), FMD group showed no change (P=0.50). Changes in thermal detection, mechanical detection and mechanical pain did not differ between groups. MRN analysis showed stable fascicular nerve lesions irrespective of the degree of structural pathology. Fractional anisotropy and T2-time did not change in both study groups, while a correlation with the clinical degree of DSPN could be confirmed for both.

Conclusions

Our study shows that six-month periodic fasting was safe in preserving nerve function and had no detrimental effects on somatosensory nerve function in T2D patients.

Clinical trial registration

https://drks.de/search/en/trial/DRKS00014287, identifier DRKS00014287.
Uterus proliferative period ceRNA network of Yunshang black goat reveals candidate genes on different kidding number trait
Authors: Du Xiaolong , Liu Yufang , He Xiaoyun , Tao Lin , Fang Meiying , Chu Mingxing
Published: May 2023

Pregnancy loss that occurs in the uterus is an important and widespread problem in humans and farm animals and is also a key factor affecting the fecundity of livestock. Understanding the differences in the fecundity of goats may be helpful in guiding the breeding of goats with high fecundity. In this study, we performed RNA sequencing and bioinformatics analysis to study the uterus of Yunshang black goats with high and low fecundity in the proliferative period. We identified mRNAs, long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs), and microRNAs (miRNAs) by analyzing the uterine transcriptomes. The target genes of the identified miRNAs and lncRNAs were predicted, and miRNA–mRNA interaction and competitive endogenous RNA (ceRNA) networks were constructed. By comparisons between low- and high-fecundity groups, we identified 1,674 differentially expressed mRNAs (914 were upregulated, and 760 were downregulated), 288 differentially expressed lncRNAs (149 were upregulated, and 139 were downregulated), and 17 differentially expressed miRNAs (4 were upregulated, and 13 were downregulated). In addition, 49 miRNA–mRNA pairs and 45 miRNA–lncRNA pairs were predicted in the interaction networks. We successfully constructed a ceRNA interaction network with 108 edges that contained 19 miRNAs, 11 mRNAs, and 73 lncRNAs. Five candidate genes (PLEKHA7, FAT2, FN1, SYK, and ITPR2) that were annotated as cell adhesion or calcium membrane channel protein were identified. Our results provide the overall expression profiles of mRNAs, lncRNAs, and miRNAs in the goat uterus during the proliferative period and are a valuable reference for studies into the mechanisms associated with the high fecundity, which may be helpful to guide goat to reduce pregnancy loss.
Clinical characteristics and primary outcomes of patients with ANCA-associated vasculitis and central diabetes insipidus
Authors: Chen Xin , Zhang Shuo , Peng Xia , Shi Xiaoxiao , Wu Haiting , Wen Yubing , Qin Yan , Tian Xinping , Zhu Huijuan , Chen Limeng
Published: May 2023

Introduction

Anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA)-associated vasculitis (AAV) is characterized by systemic small-vessel vasculitis and may rarely present as central diabetes insipidus (CDI). In this study, we aimed to determine the clinical characteristics and prognosis of patients with AAV-associated CDI.

Methods

This was a nested case-control study where AAV patients with CDI at the Peking Union Medical College Hospital were followed from January 2012 to April 2022. Case-control matching with AAV patients without CDI was performed (1:5), and participants were matched by age, sex, and AAV classification. We collected clinical data every 3–6 months and conducted a literature review using PubMed to identify relevant articles published from 1983–2022.

Results

Among 1203 hospitalized AAV patients, 16 patients with CDI were included (1.3%). The average age was 49 years, and men accounted for 56.3%. Granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GPA) accounted for 87.5% of patients. AAV patients with CDI had more ear, nose, and throat (ENT) (81.3%) involvement and less renal impairment than those in the control group (P<0.05). After a mean follow-up of four years, 50% of patients were in remission from AAV, 37.5% relapsed, and 12.5% died. Our literature review suggested that patients in Asian countries tend to be older men and have higher myeloperoxidase (MPO-ANCA) positivity than those in Western countries. Furthermore, proteinase 3 (PR3-ANCA) positivity may predict disease recurrence.

Discussion

AAV patients with CDI had more ENT involvement and a higher eGFR. MPO-ANCA positivity is more commonly observed in Asian countries than Western countries, and PR3-ANCA positivity may predict recurrence.
Assessment method of distribution network health level based on multivariate information
Authors: Zhu Lin , Wu Zilong , Huang Shiyu
Published: May 2023

In order to enhance self-monitoring and self-diagnosis capabilities in smart distribution networks, this paper proposes a method for assessing the health level of the network based on multivariate information. First, we construct an evaluation indicator system for the health of the smart distribution network by integrating the smart distribution network information system. Next, we utilize the improved back propagation (BP) neural network and multivariate indicator information to calculate the health indexes of both the grid layer and equipment. We then solve the health index of the equipment layer based on network topology and goal-oriented methodology. Furthermore, by utilizing the health information of both the equipment and grid layer, we apply fuzzy evaluation and Dempster-Shafer (D-S) evidence theory to obtain the health level of the distribution network. We provide a comprehensive evaluation of the overall health status of the smart distribution network. Finally, the proposed method is validated using data from a regional distribution network. The results demonstrate its effectiveness in improving the smart distribution networks’ overall health and stability by enabling more effective self-monitoring and self-diagnosis.
Grain size and mineralogical constraints on leaching in the bottom ashes from municipal solid waste incineration: a comparison of five plants in northern Italy
Authors: Mantovani Luciana , De Matteis Chiara , Tribaudino Mario , Boschetti Tiziano , Funari Valerio , Dinelli Enrico , Toller Simone , Pelagatti Paolo
Published: May 2023

Introduction: Bottom ashes (BA) from municipal solid waste incinerators (MSWIs) are currently classified by the European Waste Catalogue as industrial non-hazardous waste. To promote their reuse, identification and characterization of the heavy metal-bearing phases (both glass and minerals), as well as their weathering behavior, must be addressed for what concern the chemical composition, mineralogical phases, and in high concentrations and pollutants’ mobility. An important point to be noted is whether the results from a given plant can be generalized.

Materials and methods: In this work, BA from five waste-to-energy (WtE) plants in northern Italy were sorted based on different grain sizes. The area showed similar MSW production, collected from a culturally homogeneous area, and similar collection management. For each grain size, a mineralogical, chemical, and physical characterization was carried out using XRF, XRD, TGA, and the leaching test.

Results and discussion: We found that for major elements, the average chemical composition of the incinerators is similar, with some differences in minor elements. Ferrara (FE) and Forlì-Cesena (FC) BA show portlandite, higher ettringite, and less amorphous than the Torino (TO), Parma (PR), and Piacenza (PC) BA. This affects the pH, the release, and toxicity of the leachates. In FE and FC ashes, ettringite is insoluble, and we not only have low sulfate but also Ni and Ba beyond reglementary limits, suggesting that Ni and Ba are present as hydroxides with portlandite, which are soluble. In TO, PR, and PC, Cr and sulfates are beyond limits, suggesting that Cr comes from dissolution in ettringite. Cu and Cl are always beyond limits; the dissolution of chlorides accounts for only 30%–35% of the global Cl leachate. We observe that in the assessment of the potential toxicity of the ashes, mineralogy has a higher effect than the bulk chemical composition. Grain size sorting, although useful together with other techniques, is not by itself able to comply with the PTE risk level.

Conclusion: The findings contribute to the development of efficient treatment strategies for BA, highlighting the need for a more thorough investigation to understand composition and properties and to find innovative ways to reuse, promoting the circular economy and sustainable waste management practices.
Remediation of grassland subsidence and reduction of land occupation with tailings backfill technology: a case study of lead-zinc mine in Inner Mongolia, China
Authors: Chen Xinzheng , Guo Lijie , Zhou Yabo , Xu Wenyuan , Zhao Yue
Published: May 2023

The mining industry provides essential mineral resources for human society’s development. However, this industry generates a large quantity of waste material while rapidly extracting valuable elements from ore, such as processed tailings. The existence of mined voids will cause surface subsidence, and the surface stockpiling of tailings and waste rocks occupy a large amount of land and the risk of Tailings Storage Facility (TSF) failure. This paper proposes tailings backfill technology to mitigate surface subsidence and provides an alternative disposal method for tailings generated during ore extraction. Tailings backfill technology prepares the slurry by adding a certain amount of cementitious material into the tailings and transporting it to the underground goaf through a pipeline. The backfill slurry could then gradually build up its strength during the hydration of. Cementitious material. A case study of a lead-zinc mine in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region of China using tailings backfill technology was introduced in detail to solve the problems of grassland collapse caused by mine excavation and environmental damage due to tailings disposal. Spread test and rheological test were carried out to study the flow characteristics of filling slurry and the uniaxial compressive strength (UCS) of backfill was tested as well. The result illustrates that the spread of the filling slurry with a solid content between 72% and 76% and cement-tailings ratio between 1:4 and 1:8 is greater than 14 cm, and the UCS of backfill is above 1 MPa. The research shows that the tailings backfill technology recycles tailings waste while mitigating surface grassland subsidence and land occupation of waste disposal. Tailings backfill technology can significantly reduce tailings discharge or even achieve no discharge. A leaching test for heavy metal element classification of the backfill sample was carried out. The results show that the heavy metal detection indicators meet the environmental protection standard requirements and will not cause secondary environmental pollution. Therefore, tailings backfill technology can realize green and efficient management of mine waste and has great application and promotion prospects.
Understory functional groups and fire history but not experimental warming drive tree seedling performance in unmanaged boreal forests
Authors: Jessen Maria-Theresa , Krab Eveline J. , Lett Signe , Nilsson Marie-Charlotte , Teuber Laurenz , Wardle David A. , Dorrepaal Ellen
Published: May 2023

Introduction

Survival and growth of tree seedlings are key processes of regeneration in forest ecosystems. However, little is known about how climate warming modulates seedling performance either directly or in interaction with understory vegetation and post-fire successional stages.

Methods

We measured survival (over 3 years) and growth of seedlings of three tree species (Betula pubescens, Pinus sylvestris, and Picea abies) in a full-factorial field experiment with passive warming and removal of two plant functional groups (feather moss and/or ericaceous shrubs) along a post-fire chronosequence in an unmanaged boreal forest.

Results

Warming had no effect on seedling survival over time or on relative biomass growth. Meanwhile, moss removal greatly increased seedling survival overall, while shrub removal canceled this effect for B. pubescens seedlings. In addition, B. pubescens and P. sylvestris survival benefitted most from moss removal in old forests (>260 years since last fire disturbance). In contrast to survival, seedling growth was promoted by shrub removal for two out of three species, i.e., P. sylvestris and P. abies, meaning that seedling survival and growth are governed by different understory functional groups affecting seedling performance through different mechanism and modes of action.

Discussion

Our findings highlight that understory vegetation and to a lesser extent post-fire successional stage are important drivers of seedling performance while the direct effect of climate warming is not. This suggests that tree regeneration in future forests may be more responsive to changes in understory vegetation or fire regime, e.g., indirectly caused by warming, than to direct or interactive effects of rising temperatures.
Soil nitrogen dynamics in natural forest ecosystem: a review
Authors: Sardar Muhammad Fahad , Younas Fazila , Farooqi Zia Ur Rahman , Li Yanli
Published: May 2023

Nitrogen (N) is an important component of the forest soils and plays a pivotal role in the ecosystem’s health, also in broadleaf and Moso bamboo (Phyllostachys edulis) forests. Nitrogen plays numerous functions in the production and transformation of soil organic matter (SOM) and alterations in the soil’s physicochemical and biological properties. Despite the extensive research on soil properties and microorganism diversity in broadleaf and Moso bamboo forests, we still know very little about N dynamics and its significance in broadleaf and Moso bamboo forests, or how various physical and environmental variables influence soil physicochemical, N dynamics, and biological attributes. This article provides a thorough overview of the role of N dynamics in broadleaf and Moso bamboo forests and changes in soil physicochemical properties processes by summarizing recent advances in our knowledge of forest soil microbial diversity, and carbon (C) and N sink in broadleaf and Moso bamboo forests. As broadleaf and Moso bamboo forests are very sensitive to little change, even a small change in these ecosystems can alter the overall N dynamics. Here, we dissect the soil ecology of broadleaf and Moso bamboo forests to provide insights into the possibilities and consequences of future studies of N dynamics in these ecosystems.
Exploring the value of genomic predictions to simultaneously improve production potential and resilience of farmed animals
Authors: Ghaderi Zefreh Masoud , Doeschl-Wilson Andrea B. , Riggio Valentina , Matika Oswald , Pong-Wong Ricardo
Published: May 2023

Sustainable livestock production requires that animals have a high production potential but are also highly resilient to environmental challenges. The first step to simultaneously improve these traits through genetic selection is to accurately predict their genetic merit. In this paper, we used simulations of sheep populations to assess the effect of genomic data, different genetic evaluation models and phenotyping strategies on prediction accuracies and bias for production potential and resilience. In addition, we also assessed the effect of different selection strategies on the improvement of these traits. Results show that estimation of both traits greatly benefits from taking repeated measurements and from using genomic information. However, the prediction accuracy for production potential is compromised, and resilience estimates tends to be upwards biased, when families are clustered in groups even when genomic information is used. The prediction accuracy was also found to be lower for both traits, resilience and production potential, when the environment challenge levels are unknown. Nevertheless, we observe that genetic gain in both traits can be achieved even in the case of unknown environmental challenge, when families are distributed across a large range of environments. Simultaneous genetic improvement in both traits however greatly benefits from the use of genomic evaluation, reaction norm models and phenotyping in a wide range of environments. Using models without the reaction norm in scenarios where there is a trade-off between resilience and production potential, and phenotypes are collected from a narrow range of environments may result in a loss for one trait. The study demonstrates that genomic selection coupled with reaction-norm models offers great opportunities to simultaneously improve productivity and resilience of farmed animals even in the case of a trade-off.
The internal dose makes the poison: higher internalization of polystyrene particles induce increased perturbation of macrophages
Authors: Collin-Faure Véronique , Vitipon Marianne , Torres Anaëlle , Tanyeres Ornella , Dalzon Bastien , Rabilloud Thierry
Published: May 2023

Plastics are emerging pollutants of great concern. Macroplastics released in the environment degrade into microplastics and nanoplastics. Because of their small size, these micro and nano plastic particles can enter the food chain and contaminate humans with still unknown biological effects. Plastics being particulate pollutants, they are handled in the human body by scavenger cells such as macrophages, which are important players in the innate immune system. Using polystyrene as a model of micro and nanoplastics, with size ranging from under 100 nm to 6 microns, we have showed that although non-toxic, polystyrene nano and microbeads alter the normal functioning of macrophages in a size and dose-dependent manner. Alterations in the oxidative stress, lysosomal and mitochondrial functions were detected, as well as changes in the expression of various surface markers involved in the immune response such as CD11a/b, CD18, CD86, PD-L1, or CD204. For each beads size tested, the alterations were more pronounced for the cell subpopulation that had internalized the highest number of beads. Across beads sizes, the alterations were more pronounced for beads in the supra-micron range than for beads in the sub-micron range. Overall, this means that internalization of high doses of polystyrene favors the emergence of subpopulations of macrophages with an altered phenotype, which may not only be less efficient in their functions but also alter the fine balance of the innate immune system.