bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Dying for Judaism Prompts God’s Mercy
Authors: Goff Matthew
Published: July 2024

This chapter provides a concise overview of 2 Maccabees, which is in the Catholic Old Testament and the Protestant Apocrypha. The composition tells the history of the Maccabean revolt, covering much of the same material in 1 Maccabees 1–7, often in a completely different way. 2 Maccabees strives to show that the historical events it recounts illustrate that when the Jews are loyal to God, he will rescue them in a time of need, and if they are not, he will not intervene when disasters befall them. The work stresses that Jews’ willingness to endure torture and even die rather than abandon their traditions compels God to help Israel, to which 2 Maccabees attributes the military success of Judas Maccabee. Two letters are appended to the beginning of the work that stress that Jews in Egypt are to observe Hanukkah.
Read the Apocrypha
Authors: Goff Matthew
Published: July 2024

This chapter concludes the volume. It identifies recurring themes and motifs which occur throughout the books covered in this volume. These include engagement and expansion of Jewish scriptural texts. Also, in the ancient world, Jews were often a minority people and could face discrimination. In different ways, many of the books examined here teach that the best response to such difficulties is for Jews to uphold their traditions since God will rescue the pious. Many of the works also attest a lost form of Judaism characterized by extensive engagement with Greek literary and philosophical traditions. The reception of several of the texts examined here additionally indicates that some Jews in the Middle Ages were interested in books in the Christian Old Testament that are not in the Hebrew Bible and sought to incorporate them in various ways into Judaism.
Hawthorne and the State of War
Authors: Gould Philip
Published: July 2024

This chapter considers the role of censorship in the Civil War as both a coercive and a creative presence in Hawthorne’s war memoir, “Chiefly about War-Matters” (1862). It reads Hawthorne’s gambit of censoring his writing and including a fictionalized, loyal editor as a way of exploring the problem of creative expression in a culture dominated by censorship and propaganda. “War-Matters” thematizes the proliferation of wartime politics as the context for fictionalizing censorship itself to instruct his reader in the new realities of reading during the war. The chapter reads Hawthorne in light of such contemporary writers as Theodore Winthrop, Edward Everett Hale, and Abraham Lincoln. It argues that “War-Matters” demonstrates important inconsistencies about the relation of the creative artist in the wartime North.
PostFocus: automated selective post-acquisition high-throughput focus restoration using diffusion model for label-free time-lapse microscopy
Authors: Wu Kwan-Ling , Montalvo Melisa J , Menon Prashant S , Roysam Badrinath , Varadarajan Navin
Published: July 2024

Motivation

High-throughput time-lapse imaging is a fundamental tool for efficient living cell profiling at single-cell resolution. Label-free phase-contrast video microscopy enables noninvasive, nontoxic, and long-term imaging. The tradeoff between speed and throughput, however, implies that despite the state-of-the-art autofocusing algorithms, out-of-focus cells are unavoidable due to the migratory nature of immune cells (velocities >10 μm/min). Here, we propose PostFocus to (i) identify out-of-focus images within time-lapse sequences with a classifier, and (ii) deploy a de-noising diffusion probabilistic model to yield reliable in-focus images.

Results

De-noising diffusion probabilistic model outperformed deep discriminative models with a superior performance on the whole image and around cell boundaries. In addition, PostFocus improves the accuracy of image analysis (cell and contact detection) and the yield of usable videos.

Availability and implementation

Open-source code and sample data are available at: https://github.com/kwu14victor/PostFocus.
Modern Slavery and the Punitive–Humanitarian Complex
Authors: Carvalho Henrique , Foreman Sally , Tawfic Simon , Aliverti Ana , Chamberlen Anastasia , Rawson Belinda
Published: July 2024

This paper provides a critical analysis of modern slavery (MS) policy, legislation and discourse in the United Kingdom. Challenging the suggestion that recent attempts to dilute protections and guarantees in the original MS framework represent a fundamental shift from a more humanitarian to a more punitive orientation, it argues that these two moments ought to be understood as products of a single, underlying articulation, the ‘punitive–humanitarian complex’. We first explore the context and discourse of the MS agenda, exposing an ambivalence within its core tenets, primarily manifested through the dichotomy between victims (slaves) and offenders (slavers). The paper then examines how the punitive–humanitarian complex engenders moral and affective economies and reflects on how it reveals the vulnerability of contemporary state power.
Abscisic acid regulates Cl− efflux via the ABI5-ZAT10-SLAH3 module in chloride-stressed Malus hupehensis
Authors: Song Jianfei , Yan Junhong , Sun Baozhen , Chen Bing , Zhu Xiaoyue , Wei Hongcai , Bao Zhilong , Ma Fangfang , Zhang Weiwei , Yang Hongqiang
Published: July 2024

The overload of Cl− typically causes cell damage and death in plants, especially in Cl−-sensitive crops. Abscisic acid (ABA) is a stress-induced phytohormone that can alleviate chloride stress by reducing Cl− accumulation; however, the mechanism is not clear. Here, we found that the application of ABA elevated Cl− efflux from roots and reduced membrane damage and cell death in chloride-stressed Malus hupehensis. MhSLAH3, a homolog of the slow anion channel from M. hupehensis, encoded a channel controlling Cl− efflux and was induced by both chloride and ABA. MhSLAH3 overexpression accelerated Cl− efflux, which enhanced the tolerance of M. hupehensis to chloride stress, and retarded chloride-induced cell death. However, the suppression of MhSLAH3 partially offset the acceleration effect of ABA on Cl− efflux. MhZAT10L was then identified as a C2H2-type transcription factor upstream of MhSLAH3, repressing MhSLAH3 transcription under chloride stress. The suppression of MhZAT10L accelerated Cl− efflux by releasing suppressed MhSLAH3, but MhZAT10L overexpression counteracted the effects of ABA on Cl− efflux. MhABI5 promoted Cl− efflux mediated by MhSLAH3 due to induction by ABA and transcriptional repression of MhZAT10L, but this function of MhABI5 was reversed by MhZAT10L overexpression. The suppression of MhABI5 diminished the positive effects of ABA on Cl− efflux and retarding cell death. Thus, ABA repressed MhZAT10L transcription by activating MhABI5, further releasing MhSLAH3 to accelerate Cl− efflux. These findings provide a new evidence of ABA regulation of Cl− efflux.
Predictors of confidence in research: a cross-sectional survey of pharmacists in the north of England
Authors: Wilson Franki , Pieniazek Rebecca , Hodgins Mike , Jamieson Hazel , Brown Jane , Forsyth Paul
Published: July 2024

Objective

Pharmacist-led research is key to optimizing medicines use and improving pharmacy services, yet it is not yet widely embedded into careers. This study aims to identify predictors of confidence in meeting the research learning outcomes in the Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) Post-Registration Foundation and Core Advanced curricula, to provide targeted recommendations for building research capability and capacity within the profession.

Methods

The study was a cross-sectional electronic survey, distributed to eligible pharmacists in March 2023 (n = 253). The survey gathered demographic information, research experience, and self-reported confidence in meeting the research learning outcomes in the RPS Post-Registration Foundation and Core Advanced curricula. Pre-determined independent variables were analysed using two binomial logistic regression models (one per curriculum) to identify predictors of the dichotomous variable: confidence with meeting all research learning outcomes in that curriculum.

Key findings

Participants were more likely to self-report as confident (versus not confident) with meeting all research learning outcomes in a curriculum if they had recent experience (within the previous 12 months) of research or research-related activities, held a postgraduate research qualification, had undertaken research training outside of a postgraduate qualification, discussed research in their appraisal, or worked in the hospital sector. Conversely, male gender, years practicing, and protected time for research did not predict confidence.

Conclusion

A targeted approach, including improving access to research methods training, experience-based learning, mentorship, and linking research projects to key organizational objectives, could be the key to developing research capability and capacity across all sectors and career stages.
Desaminotyrosine is a redox‐active microbial metabolite that bolsters macrophage antimicrobial functions while attenuating IL‐6 production
Authors: Zhou Junyang , Han Jinzhi , Wei Yanxia , Wang Yugang
Published: July 2024

Intestinal microbiota contributes to host defense against pathogens while avoiding the induction of inflammation in homeostatic conditions, but the mechanism is not fully understood. To investigate the potential role of the bacterial metabolite desaminotyrosine (DAT) in regulating host defense and inflammation, we pretreated mouse bone marrow‐derived macrophages (BMDMs) with DAT for 12 hours and then challenged with bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS). We found that DAT priming‐enhanced type I interferon response while selectively inhibiting proinflammatory interleukin (IL)‐6 production after exposure to LPS. This is related to the fact that DAT is a natural antioxidant determined by radical scavenging assay in a cell‐free system. DAT‐primed cells had increased levels of the reduced form of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) upon LPS stimulation. Countering the increased NADPH by supplementing extra oxidized NADP+ to cells reversed DAT's effect on LPS‐induced Il‐6 and interferon‐stimulated gene expressions. DAT‐primed cells also were more resistant to oxidative stress‐induced generation of reactive oxygen species and cell death. DAT promoted the production of antimicrobial effector nitric oxide in a cellular redox‐dependent manner, leading to enhanced macrophage antimicrobial activity during Salmonella enterica infection. Our data suggest that DAT acts as a host‐microbiota crosstalk signal in shaping host immune defense and inflammatory response.
US Obstetrician-Gynecologists’ Perceived Impacts of Post–Dobbs v Jackson State Abortion Bans
Authors: Sabbath Erika L. , McKetchnie Samantha M. , Arora Kavita S. , Buchbinder Mara
Published: July 2024

(Abstracted from JAMA Network Open 2024;7(1):e2352109)

The US Supreme Court decision in the case of Dobbs v Jackson Women’s Health Organization (Dobbs) has had far-reaching consequences and implications for patients and for health care professionals. Between the announcement of the result of this case in 2022 and December 2023, 16 states, with 5 more pending, have passed bans on abortion with exceptions that in many cases are very limited.
Postoperative Incisional Complications in Gynaecologic Single-Incision Laparoscopic Surgery: Comparing Closure Techniques
Authors: Sunkara Sowmya , Jackson Josef , Casey Sarah , Erfani Hadi , Thigpen Brooke , Zhang Chunghua , Guan Xiaoming
Published: July 2024

(Abstracted from J Obstet Gynaecol Can 2024;46(6):102416)

Minimally invasive surgery promotes healthy outcomes in a variety of ways and has been shown in hysterectomies to lead to reduced mortality, venous thromboembolism, and infection rates when compared with laparotomy. Two varieties of minimally invasive surgery for hysterectomy include single-incision laparoscopic surgery (SILS) and robotic SILS (rSILS), and each has been shown to be safe and effective with low complication rates and high patient satisfaction.
Simple Versus Radical Hysterectomy in Women With Low-Risk Cervical Cancer
Authors: Plante Marie , Kwon Janice S. , Ferguson Sarah , Samouëlian Vanessa , Ferron Gwenael , Maulard Amandine , de Kroon Cor , van Driel Willemien , Tidy John , Williamson Karin , Mahner Sven , Kommoss Stefan , Goffin Frederic , Tamussino Karl , Eyjólfsdóttir Brynhildur , Kim Jae-Weon , Gleeson Noreen , Brotto Lori , Tu Dongsheng , Shepherd Lois E. ,   for the CX.5 SHAPE investigators
Published: July 2024

(Abstracted from N Engl J Med 2024;390:9)

Radical hysterectomy is the standard-of-care treatment for early-stage cervical cancer; however, observational studies suggest no survival benefit between patients who undergo radical hysterectomy versus simple hysterectomy for stage IA2 cervical cancer. Additionally, 2 recent large studies have raised the question of whether simple hysterectomy compares favorably overall with radical hysterectomy in stage IA2 or IB1 disease with mixed evidence.
Guided Growth With Screws and Nonabsorbable Suture for Correcting Knee Flexion in Arthrogryposis for Preschool Population: Preliminary Report
Authors: Martínez Soto Gino , Richard Cajas Javier , Baar Zimend Alejandro
Published: July 2024

Objective:

To introduce an epiphysiodesis technique utilizing screws and nonabsorbable sutures, aimed at rectifying knee flexion contractures (KFCs) in arthrogryposis.

Background:

Arthrogryposis, a congenital condition characterized by joint contractures, often presents with knee flexion involvement, impeding ambulation. Conservative methods such as casting and physiotherapy may be insufficient, necessitating surgical intervention. Anterior epiphysiodesis emerges as a viable option, with various techniques described in the literature.

Materials and Methods:

Eight knees in 4 patients with arthrogryposis and KFCs underwent anterior femoral epiphysiodesis using screws and nonabsorbable sutures. Pre and postoperative measurements of KFC and distal femoral diaphyseal-epiphyseal angle were analyzed using the Mann-Whitney U test.

Results:

The procedure significantly improved KFCs, with a median final flexion angle of 0 degrees achieved postoperatively. The distal femoral diaphyseal-epiphyseal angle also increased significantly postoperatively. The average time for angular modification was 11.75 months. Long-term complications were minimal

Conclusion:

KFCs pose functional challenges, particularly in arthrogryposis. Traditional interventions may not suffice, necessitating surgical approaches like anterior epiphysiodesis. This technique offers early correction with minimal invasiveness, good tolerability, and reversibility; particularly beneficial for younger patients. Anterior epiphysiodesis with screws and non-absorbable sutures effectively corrects KFCs in arthrogryposis, offering a valuable alternative to more invasive procedures. It can achieve good results at a lower cost and with few complications, making it a valuable surgical option for younger patients.
Varied toxicity profile of intravitreal melphalan in two retinoblastoma eyes
Authors: Çaliş Karanfil Feyza , Gündüz Ahmet Kaan , Atilla Huban , Şahli Esra
Published: July 2024

Retinoblastoma (RB) is the most common primary intraocular malignant tumor of childhood. Persistent or recurrent vitreous seeding is the most common reason for therapeutic failure in advanced RB. Intravitreal chemotherapy has emerged as an effective therapy for vitreous seeding in RB, with a generally acceptable safety profile. However, intravitreal chemotherapeutics, especially melphalan, can cause toxicity that may progress to total retinal atrophy. In this report, we present two cases with retinal melphalan toxicity that had varied clinical findings. One of the cases had extensive retinal atrophy that was demonstrated by hand-held spectral domain optical coherence tomography (HHSD-OCT), while the other had normal retinal anatomy on HHSD-OCT but markedly diminished retinal function on flash electroretinography.
Effectiveness of Virtual Reality in the Management of Anxiety and Pain Peri-Treatment for Breast Cancer: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: LU Mingqin , SONG Yuting , NIU Yushuo , LIU Ting , GE Song , SUN Yaru , WANG Xin , LUO Ying , LI Kuinan , YANG Xiuling
Published: July 2024

Background

Breast cancer is the second most common cancer in humans. Its therapy procedures such as breast biopsy can cause anxiety and persistent pain in patients. Virtual reality (VR) has been applied to promote comfort in various populations. However, the effectiveness of VR in relieving pain and anxiety in patients undergoing breast cancer treatment is unclear.

Purpose

This study was designed to examine the effect of VR on anxiety and pain in people undergoing treatment for breast cancer.

Methods

PubMed, Cochrane, Embase, Scopus, Web of Science, and MEDLINE databases were searched for studies involving VR, pain, and anxiety in patients with breast cancer published up to March 2022. The Cochrane Handbook for Systems quality evaluation standard 6.3.0 was followed to assess risk of bias in the identified studies, with the results reported in line with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses statement. Subsequently, a meta-analysis of the included data was conducted using RevMan 5.3 software.

Results

Six randomized controlled trials and one quasi-experimental study were included. The strength of the evidence ranged from moderate to high. Although VR was found to ameliorate anxiety in patients with breast cancer, only three studies showed statistically significant changes. All of the included studies reported statistically significant improvement in pain levels. In addition, two of the studies reported cybersickness symptoms as a common side effect of VR.

Conclusions

VR has an important role to play in alleviating pain in patients with breast cancer. However, evidence demonstrating VR's importance in alleviating anxiety symptoms in this population is insufficient. Studies conducted with larger sample sizes and high-quality research methodologies will be necessary to clarify this issue. Clinical nurses should address the potential side effects of VR.
Clinical Learning and LGBTQ+ Health: Summary of a LGBTQ+ Health Clinical Rotation
Authors: Jones Quinnette , Batchelder Heather , Kelley Carly
Published: July 2024

Introduction

People who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and people who identify as something else (LGBTQ+) experience barriers to health care including a lack of health care providers adequately prepared to care for them. The literature describing LGBTQ+-focused didactic learning activities has increased in recent years, however remains limited with respect to clinical learning experiences. This publication describes the development and implementation of a clinical rotation for Physician Assistant (PA) students focused on caring for LGBTQ+ patients.

Methods

A 4-week LGBTQ+ Health clinical rotation was developed for PA students through collaboration with multiple clinical sites. Students (n = 6) were surveyed before and after completion of the clinical rotation on their knowledge, comfort, and confidence in caring for LGBTQ+ patients and to identify learning priorities. Paired t tests were used to compare quantitative pre and post data. Two reviewers independently reviewed qualitative data.

Results

Improvement in students' knowledge, comfort, and confidence were statistically significant from prerotation to postrotation surveys. Student ratings on standard course evaluations showed positive ratings for all course elements. Qualitative analysis showed that all students identified learning more about trans-related health care as a learning priority.

Discussion

Clinical rotations focused on the care of LGBTQ+ patients are valuable learning experiences which can support increased student knowledge, comfort, and confidence. Clinically based educational interventions may be one strategy in addressing the health disparities experienced by LGBTQ+ people.
Unrelated hematopoietic stem cell donor registries: present reality and future prospects
Authors: Schmidt Alexander H.
Published: July 2024

Purpose of review

Stem cell donor registries play an important role in providing stem cell products from unrelated donors to patients with severe blood diseases. In this review, important aspects of donor registry work, current challenges and possible future developments are discussed.

Recent findings

The current growth in global unrelated stem cell donations is in line with the long-term trend, indicating that donor registries have overcome the COVID-19 pandemic. A key challenge for donor registries is the recruitment of donors from disadvantaged populations to create greater equity in access to unrelated stem cell transplantation. In addition, recruiting young donors and increasing the availability of donors who are already registered are important goals. In recent years, numerous studies have looked at the context of these themes and the development of possible solutions.

The international community of donor registries, together with the World Marrow Donor Association, has helped many patients in need of a stem cell transplant over the past decades and is, therefore, a bright example of international collaboration for a good cause. It is currently addressing a number of challenges to effectively help as many patients as possible from various populations also in the future.
The Effect of Foot Reflexology on Pain and Kinesiophobia in Patients Following Total Knee Arthroplasty
Authors: Özbaş Nilgün , Şahan Nilay , Aydın Erbil
Published: July 2024

Nonpharmacological methods are used in the management of pain and kinesiophobia following total knee arthroplasty. The aim of this double-blind randomized controlled trial was to examine the effect of foot reflexology on pain and kinesiophobia in patients following total knee arthroplasty. A total of 40 patients (20 in the control group and 20 in the intervention group) were randomly assigned to either of two groups for the study. The intervention group was exposed to foot reflexology. Postoperative Visual Analog Scale scores decreased faster in the intervention group compared to the control group (F = 80.417; p < .001; η2 = 0.685). The Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index scores decreased in the intervention group over time, while they increased in the control group (p < .05). While a gradual increase was observed in the Tampa Scale for Kinesiophobia scores in the control group, there was a decrease in the intervention group (F = 84.860; p < .001; η2 = 0.696). The amount of analgesics used was lower in the intervention group (p < .05). Foot reflexology can be applied as an effective and safe method to manage pain and kinesiophobia in total knee arthroplasty patients.
Safety of Oral and Topical Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs
Authors: Faber Sara , Brown Alexandria , Cottreau Jessica
Published: July 2024

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are frequently used to manage mild to moderate pain. While limited use is appropriate for many patients, there are safety concerns with use in certain patient populations or with long-term use of these agents. Topical NSAIDs may provide analgesic benefits while decreasing the overall risks of adverse effects. This article will review safety information for both oral and topical NSAIDs.
Impact of Adenomyosis on In Vitro Fertilization Outcomes in Women Undergoing Donor Oocyte Transfers: A Prospective Observational Study
Authors: Cozzolino Mauro , Cosentino Martina , Loiudice Luisa , Martire Francesco Giuseppe , Galliano Daniela , Pellicer Antonio , Exacoustos Caterina
Published: July 2024

(Abstracted from Fertil Steril 2024;121(3))

Adenomyosis is a common gynecological condition characterized by the invasion of endometrial glands and stroma from the basal layer of the endometrium into the myometrium. Although adenomyosis is frequently discovered in the diagnostic workup of couples with infertility, it is unclear whether adenomyosis causes infertility.
Effects of Obesity on Urogynecologic Prolapse Surgery Outcomes: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Ringel Nancy E. , Lenger Stacy M. , High Rachel , Alas Alexandriah , Houlihan Sara , Chang Olivia H. , Pennycuff Jon , Singh Ruchira , White Amanda , Lipitskaia Lioudmila , Behbehani Sadikah , Sheyn David , Kudish Bela , Nihira Mikio , Sleemi Ambereen , Grimes Cara , Gupta Ankita , Balk Ethan M. , Antosh Danielle D.
Published: July 2024

(Abstracted from Obstet Gynecol 2024;143:539–549)

Pelvic organ prolapse (POP) is a common condition, and surgical repair will take place for as many as 12.6% of women at some point in their lifetime.
Describing the Heterogeneity of Clinical Utilization of Congenital Syphilis Diagnostic Modalities Among Major United States Tertiary Children's Hospitals, 2017–2022
Authors: Flores John M. , Grills Natalie , Kane Jason M. , Immergluck Lilly Cheng , Kasal Nikki , Kumar Madan , Bartlett Allison H.
Published: July 2024

This retrospective cohort study drawing data from 48 major tertiary children's hospitals found heterogeneity in the diagnosis and management of congenital syphilis despite Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guideline recommendations. The noted overall rise in the number of congenital syphilis cases mirrors the nationwide increase.
Congenital Syphilis—Comprehensive Narrative Review of Alternative Antibiotic Treatment for Use in Neonates
Authors: Villarreal Diana D. , Le Jennifer , Klausner Jeffrey D.
Published: July 2024

Congenital syphilis rates increased 10-fold from 2012 to 2022 in the United States. Currently, the therapeutic standard of care is 10 days of intravenous aqueous crystalline penicillin G, with very limited evidence for alternatives. A long course of intravenous antibiotic requires hospitalization that is both costly and burdensome for the child and the family. Fortunately, Treponema pallidum retains susceptibility to other antibiotics based on minimum inhibitory concentrations. Based on the evidence of safety and efficacy of different antibiotics for use in neonates, ceftriaxone emerges as a potential parenteral candidate, and amoxicillin emerges as a potential oral candidate for the treatment of congenital syphilis. Other therapeutic alternatives include cefotaxime (where available), ampicillin, doxycycline, cefixime, and linezolid.
Hyperbolic discounting underpins response curves of mammalian avoidance behaviour
Authors: Patten Michael A. , Burger Jutta C.
Published: July 2024

As humans clear natural habitat, they are brought into increased conflict with wild animals. Some conflict is direct (e.g. elevated exposure of people to predators), some indirect (e.g. abandoning suitable habitat because of human activity). The magnitude of avoidance is expected to track frequency of human activity, but the type of response is an open question. We postulated that animals do not respond passively to increased disturbance nor does response follow a power law; instead, their ability to estimate magnitude leads to ‘discounting’ behaviour, as in classic time-to-reward economic models in which individuals discount larger value (or risk) in more distant time. We used a 10-year camera dataset from southern California to characterize response curves of seven mammal species. Bayesian regressions of two non-discounting models (exponential and inverse polynomial) and two discounting models (hyperbolic and harmonic) revealed that the latter better fit response curves. The Arps equation, from petroleum extraction modelling, was used to estimate a discount exponent, a taxon-specific ‘sensitivity’ to humans, yielding a general model across species. Although discounting can mean mammal activity recovers rapidly after disturbance, increased recreational pressure on reserves limits recovery potential, highlighting a need to strike a balance between animal conservation and human use.
Status-dependent metabolic effects of social interactions in a group-living fish
Authors: Morin André , Culbert Brett M. , Mehdi Hossein , Balshine Sigal , Turko Andy J.
Published: July 2024

Social interactions can sometimes be a source of stress, but social companions can also ameliorate and buffer against stress. Stress and metabolism are closely linked, but the degree to which social companions modulate metabolic responses during stressful situations—and whether such effects differ depending on social rank—is poorly understood. To investigate this question, we studied
Neolamprologus pulcher
, a group-living cichlid fish endemic to Lake Tanganyika and measured the metabolic responses of dominant and subordinate individuals when they were either visible or concealed from one another. When individuals could see each other, subordinates had lower maximum metabolic rates and tended to take longer to recover following an exhaustive chase compared with dominants. In contrast, metabolic responses of dominants and subordinates did not differ when individuals could not see one another. These findings suggest that the presence of a dominant individual has negative metabolic consequences for subordinates, even in stable social groups with strong prosocial relationships.
Centrality to the metapopulation is more important for population genetic diversity than habitat area or fragmentation
Authors: Snead Anthony A. , Tatarenkov Andrey , Taylor D. Scott , Marson Kristine , Earley Ryan L.
Published: July 2024

Drift and gene flow affect genetic diversity. Given that the strength of genetic drift increases as population size decreases, management activities have focused on increasing population size through preserving habitats to preserve genetic diversity. Few studies have empirically evaluated the impacts of drift and gene flow on genetic diversity.Kryptolebias marmoratus, henceforth ‘rivulus’, is a small killifish restricted to fragmented New World mangrove forests with gene flow primarily associated with ocean currents. Rivulus form distinct populations across patches, making them a well-suited system to test the extent to which habitat area, fragmentation and connectivity are associated with genetic diversity. Using over 1000 individuals genotyped at 32 microsatellite loci, high-resolution landcover data and oceanographic simulations with graph theory, we demonstrate that centrality (connectivity) to the metapopulation is more strongly associated with genetic diversity than habitat area or fragmentation. By comparing models with and without centrality standardized by the source population’s genetic diversity, our results suggest that metapopulation centrality is critical to genetic diversity regardless of the diversity of adjacent populations. While we find evidence that habitat area and fragmentation are related to genetic diversity, centrality is always a significant predictor with a larger effect than any measure of habitat configuration.
Rapid body colouration changes in
Oryzias celebensis
as a social signal influenced by environmental background
Authors: Ueda Ryutaro , Ansai Satoshi , Takeuchi Hideaki
Published: July 2024

Rapid body colouration changes in some animals, such as chameleons and octopuses, serve dual functions: camouflage and intraspecific communication. It has been hypothesized that these colouration changes originally evolved to provide camouflage and subsequently were co-opted as social signals; however, experimental model systems that are suitable for studying such evolutionary processes are limited. Here, we investigated the relationship between rapid colouration changes of the blackened markings and aggressive behaviours in male
Oryzias celebensis
, an Indonesian medaka fish, under triadic relationships (two males and one female) or three males conditions with two different environmental backgrounds. In an algae-covered tank, mimicking the common laboratory rearing conditions, males with blackened markings exhibited more frequent attacks towards different conspecific individuals compared with non-blackened males and females. The blackened males were seldom attacked by non-blackened males and females. By contrast, neither aggressive behaviours nor black colouration changes were observed in the transparent background condition with a brighter environment. These indicated that the blackened markings in
O. celebensis
serve as a social signal depending on the environmental backgrounds. Considering that such colouration changes for camouflage are widely conserved among teleost fishes, the traits are likely to be co-opted for displaying social signals in
O. celebensis
.
Macroecological correlates of Darwinian shortfalls across terrestrial vertebrates
Authors: Guedes Jhonny J. M. , Diniz-Filho José Alexandre F. , Moura Mario R.
Published: July 2024

Most described species have not been explicitly included in phylogenetic trees—a problem named the Darwinian shortfall—owing to a lack of molecular and/or morphological data, thus hampering the explicit incorporation of evolution into large-scale biodiversity analyses. We investigate potential drivers of the Darwinian shortfall in tetrapods, a group in which at least one-third of described species still lack phylogenetic data, thus necessitating the imputation of their evolutionary relationships in fully sampled phylogenies. We show that the number of preserved specimens in scientific collections is the main driver of phylogenetic knowledge accumulation, highlighting the major role of biological collections in unveiling novel biodiversity data and the importance of continued sampling efforts to reduce knowledge gaps. Additionally, large-bodied and wide-ranged species, as well as terrestrial and aquatic amphibians and reptiles, are phylogenetically better known. Future efforts should prioritize phylogenetic research on organisms that are narrow-ranged, small-bodied and underrepresented in scientific collections, such as fossorial species. Addressing the Darwinian shortfall will be imperative for advancing our understanding of evolutionary drivers shaping biodiversity patterns and implementing comprehensive conservation strategies.
Quantifying the basic reproduction number and underestimated fraction of Mpox cases worldwide at the onset of the outbreak
Authors: Bragazzi Nicola Luigi , Iyaniwura Sarafa Adewale , Han Qing , Woldegerima Woldegebriel Assefa , Kong Jude Dzevela
Published: July 2024

In 2022, there was a global resurgence of mpox, with different clinical-epidemiological features compared with previous outbreaks. Sexual contact was hypothesized as the primary transmission route, and the community of men having sex with men (MSM) was disproportionately affected. Because of the stigma associated with sexually transmitted infections, the real burden of mpox could be masked. We quantified the basic reproduction number (
R
0
) and the underestimated fraction of mpox cases in 16 countries, from the onset of the outbreak until early September 2022, using Bayesian inference and a compartmentalized, risk-structured (high-/low-risk populations) and two-route (sexual/non-sexual transmission) mathematical model. Machine learning (ML) was harnessed to identify underestimation determinants. Estimated
R
0
ranged between 1.37 (Canada) and 3.68 (Germany). The underestimation rates for the high- and low-risk populations varied between 25–93% and 65–85%, respectively. The estimated total number of mpox cases, relative to the reported cases, is highest in Colombia (3.60) and lowest in Canada (1.08). In the ML analysis, two clusters of countries could be identified, differing in terms of attitudes towards the 2SLGBTQIAP+ community and the importance of religion. Given the substantial mpox underestimation, surveillance should be enhanced, and country-specific campaigns against the stigmatization of MSM should be organized, leveraging community-based interventions.
Lack of Bmal1 leads to changes in rhythmicity and impairs motivation towards natural stimuli
Authors: Berbegal-Sáez Paula , Gallego-Landin Ines , Macía Javier , Alegre-Zurano Laia , Castro-Zavala Adriana , Welz Patrick-Simon , Benitah Salvador A. , Valverde Olga
Published: July 2024

Maintaining proper circadian rhythms is essential for coordinating biological functions in mammals. This study investigates the effects of daily arrhythmicity using Bmal1-knockout (KO) mice as a model, aiming to understand behavioural and motivational implications. By employing a new mathematical analysis based on entropy divergence, we identified disrupted intricate activity patterns in mice derived by the complete absence of BMAL1 and quantified the difference regarding the activity oscillation’s complexity. Changes in locomotor activity coincided with disturbances in circadian gene expression patterns. Additionally, we found a dysregulated gene expression profile particularly in brain nuclei like the ventral striatum, impacting genes related to reward and motivation. Further investigation revealed that arrhythmic mice exhibited heightened motivation for food and water rewards, indicating a link between circadian disruptions and the reward system. This research sheds light on how circadian clock alterations impact the gene expression regulating the reward system and how this, in turn, can lead to altered seeking behaviour and motivation for natural rewards. In summary, the present study contributes to our understanding of how reward processing is under the regulation of circadian clock machinery.
A cluster of
N
-bubbles driven along a channel at high imposed driving pressure: film orientations and bubble pressures
Authors: Grassia Paul , Torres-Ulloa Carlos , Hernández-Montelongo Jacobo
Published: July 2024

A cluster of

N

bubbles (with

N

odd) arranged in a channel in a zigzag staircase configuration is modelled. A limiting case is considered in which the staircase is set into motion by the application of a high driving pressure. In this limit, foam films between bubbles are predicted to become asymptotically flat. Angles at which these flat films are oriented and also bubble pressures are then determined. For

N

bubbles, the film orientations and bubble pressures differ from predictions for a staircase in the limit of an infinite number of bubbles. Differences are significant towards the downstream end of a staircase, but decay moving upstream. However, the decay is gradual. Hence, a very large

N

is needed for a finite staircase to align its film orientations towards its upstream end with the orientations in an infinite staircase.
Effect of a behavior change intervention on complementary food contamination in rural Bangladesh: a cluster-randomized controlled trial
Authors: Nurul Huda Tarique Md. , Müller-Hauser Anna A. , Sobhan Shafinaz , Hossain Md. Shaheen , Sultana Jesmin , Rahman Mahbubur , Islam Mohammad Aminul , Gautam Om Prasad , Wendt Amanda S. , Waid Jillian L. , Gabrysch Sabine
Published: July 2024

Children in low-resource settings often consume microbially contaminated food, posing a risk to their health. We evaluated the impact of a food hygiene intervention on complementary food contamination in Bangladesh. A three-year homestead food production intervention was complemented by an eight-month behavior change module to improve household food hygiene practices and evaluated in a cluster-randomized controlled trial including a dedicated study measuring outcomes along the hygiene pathway to intestinal health. In this analysis, we used multilevel regression to assess the intervention’s impact on microbial food contamination, as well as on food hygiene knowledge (n=518) and reported practices (n=531) among mothers of children aged 6-23 months. Complementary food samples were collected from 342 households with children aged 6-18 months and tested forEscherichia coli. Overall, 46% of food samples were contaminated withEscherichia coli(42% intervention, 49% control), and there was no evidence that the intervention reduced food contamination (Odds Ratio: 0.7, 95% CI: 0.3-1.2, p=0.18). A higher proportion of intervention mothers could name all key food hygiene practices (22% intervention vs. 0% control), had access to a basic handwashing station near the kitchen (24% vs. 14%, p=0.03), reported washing hands before food preparation and child feeding (21% vs. 8%, p=0.001), washing and storing feeding utensils safely (61% vs. 49%, p=0.02), and preparing food fresh or reheating stored food (88% vs. 79%, p=0.03), compared to control mothers. The intervention thus improved knowledge and reported food hygiene practices among mothers, but this improvement did not result in a substantial reduction of complementary food contamination.

Trial registration number

NCT02505711
Brief sleep disruption alters synaptic structures among hippocampal and neocortical somatostatin-expressing interneurons
Authors: Raven Frank , Medina Alexis Vega , Schmidt Kailynn , He Annie , Vankampen Anna A. , Balendran Vinodh , Aton Sara J.
Published: July 2024

Study objectives

Brief sleep loss alters cognition and synaptic structures of principal neurons in hippocampus and neocortex. However, whilein vivorecording and bioinformatic data suggest that inhibitory interneurons are more strongly affected by sleep loss, it is unclear how sleep and sleep deprivation affect interneurons’ synapses. Disruption of the SST+ interneuron population seems to be a critical early sign of neuropathology in Alzheimer’s dementia, schizophrenia, and bipolar disorder - and the risk of developing all three is increased by habitual sleep loss. We aimed to test how the synaptic structures of SST+ interneurons in various brain regions are affected by brief sleep disruption.

Methods

We used Brainbow 3.0 to label SST+ interneurons in the dorsal hippocampus, prefrontal cortex, and visual cortex of maleSST-CREtransgenic mice, then compared synaptic structures in labeled neurons after a 6-h period ofad libsleep, or gentle handling sleep deprivation (SD) starting at lights on.

Results

Dendritic spine density among SST+ interneurons in both hippocampus and neocortex was altered in a subregion-specific manner, with increased overall and thin spine density in CA1, dramatic increases in spine volume and surface area in CA3, and small but significant changes (primarily decreases) in spine size in CA1, PFC and V1.

Conclusions

Our suggest that the synaptic connectivity of SST+ interneurons is significantly altered in a brain region-specific manner by a few hours of sleep loss. This suggests a cell type-specific mechanism by which sleep loss disrupts cognition and alters excitatory-inhibitory balance in brain networks.

Significance Statement

Changes to the function of somatostatin-expressing (SST+) interneurons have been implicated in the etiology of psychiatric and neurological disorders in which both cognition and sleep behavior are affected. Here, we measure the effects of very brief experimental sleep deprivation on synaptic structures of SST+ interneurons in hippocampus and neocortex, in brain structures critical for sleep-dependent memory processing. We find that only six hours of sleep deprivation restructures SST+ interneurons’ dendritic spines, causing widespread and subregion-specific changes to spine density and spine size. These changes have the potential to dramatically alter excitatory-inhibitory balance across these brain networks, leading to cognitive disruptions commonly associated with sleep loss.
ASSOCIATION OF ANEMIA WITH HEALTH-RELATED QUALITY OF LIFE AMONG HIV-INFECTED INDIVIDUALS IN MERU, KENYA
Authors: Issack Nasteha Adan , Kamolo Elizabeth , Simam Joan J , Onyambu Frank G.
Published: July 2024

Anemia is a prevalent hematological complication in HIV patients, significantly impacting their health-related quality of life, morbidity, disease progression, and mortality. Despite its importance, there is a lack of information specifically focused on the impact of anemia on health-related quality of life (HRQoL) of HIV-infected individuals in Meru County, Kenya. This cross-sectional study aimed to determine the prevalence of anemia, identifying its predisposing factors, and assess its impact on HRQoL among HIV-infected individuals attending Meru Teaching and Referral Hospital (MeTRH).

A total of 354 adult participants (76.1% women, 24.9% men) were enrolled for the study at MeTRH between May and August 2022. Demographic and clinical data were collected using a standardized questionnaire. Hemoglobin levels were analyzed using an automated hemoglobin analyzer and anemia was defined according to WHO criteria (hemoglobin <11.5 g/dL for non-pregnant women, <12.5 g/dL for men). HRQoL was assessed using the WHOQOL-BREF tool across physical, psychological, social, and environment domains. To identify factors associated with anemia, logistic regression was used. Linear regression was applied to analyze the relationship between HRQoL mean scores and anemia status.

The prevalence of anemia in the study population was 12.4%, 11.4% in men and 12.8% in women. The level of education was the only sociodemographic factor found to be significantly associated with anemia status. Among the clinical factors, period of HIV positivity and CD4 count were found to be significantly associated with anemia status. The mean HRQOL score of the physical domain was statistically significantly different between the anemic and non-anemic groups. Furthermore, we found that anemia status was significantly associated with the physical domain of HRQoL after adjusting for period of HIV positivity, level of education and CD4 count (p = 0.02).

Anemia impacts the physical HRQoL in HIV patients, emphasizing the importance of comprehensive management strategies. Implementing a holistic approach to enhance physical well-being for these individuals is crucial in Meru County and similar resource-limited settings.
Gut microbiome and lichen sclerosus: a two-sample bi-directional Mendelian randomization study
Authors: Chen Jiayan , Wang Peiyan , Xiao Changji , Kelaimu Kalibinuer , Gao Xianshu , Li Xiaomei , Hu Jun
Published: July 2024

(1)

Background

Recent studies suggest a potential link between gut microbiomes (GMs) and inflammatory diseases, but the role of GMs in lichen sclerosus (LS) remains unclear. This study aims to investigate the causal relationship between GMs and LS, focusing on key GM taxa.

(2)

Methods

We utilized GWAS summary statistics for 211 GM taxa and their association with 2,445 LS patients and 353,088 healthy controls, employing Mendelian randomization (MR). GWAS data for GM taxa came from the MiBioGen consortium, and for LS from the FinnGen consortium. The primary analytical tools included the inverse-variance weighted (IVW) method, weighted MR, simple mode, weighted median, and MR-Egger methods. Sensitivity analyses included leave-one-out analysis, MR-Egger intercept test, MR-PRESSO global test, and Cochrane’s Q-test. A reverse MR analysis was conducted on bacteria identified in the forward MR study.

(3)

Results

We identified one strong causal relationship: orderBurkholderiales[odds ratio (OR) = 0.420, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.230 - 0.765, p = 0.005], and three nominally significant relationships: phylumCyanobacteria(OR = 0.585, 95% CI: 0.373 - 0.919, p = 0.020), classBetaproteobacteria(OR = 0.403, 95% CI: 0.189 - 0.857, p = 0.018), and genusButyrivibrio(OR = 0.678, 95% CI: 0.507 - 0.907, p = 0.009). Moreover, this MR analysis was not impacted by horizontal pleiotropy, according to the MR-Egger intercept test and MR-PRESSO global test (p > 0.05). Remarkably, the reliability of our results was confirmed by leave-one-out analysis. Reverse MR analysis showed no significant causal relationship between LS and GM.

(4)

Conclusions

This MR study identifies specific gut flora linked to a lower risk of LS, offering new insights for disease treatment and prevention. Future research should incorporate metagenomics sequencing of extensive microbiome GWAS datasets.