bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Proposal of a non-linear model to adjust in vitro gas production at different incubation times
Authors: Santos André Luiz Pinto dos , Ferreira Tiago Alessandro Espínola , Brito Cícero Carlos Ramos de , Moreira Guilherme Rocha , Gomes-Silva Frank , Jale Jader Silva , Reis Ronaldo Braga , Leite Leonardo Andrade , Pimentel Patrícia Guimarães
Published: April 2023

This work aims to propose a new model named Gompertz-Von Bertalanffy bicompartmental (GVB), a combination of the models Gompertz and Von Bertalanffy. The GVB models is applied to fit the kinetic curve of cumulative gas production (CGP) of four foods (SS – sunflower silage; CS – corn silage; and the mixtures 340SS – 660 gkg-1 of corn silage and 340 gkg-1 of sunflower silage; and 660SS – 340 gkg-1 of corn silage and 660 gkg-1 of sunflower silage). The GVB fit is compared to models Logistic-Von Bertalanffy bicompartmental (LVB) and bicompartmental logistic (BL). All the process studied employed the semi-automatic “in vitro” technique of producing gases used in ruminant nutrition. The gas production readout was performed at times 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 15, 19, 24, 30, 48, 72, and 96 h. The data generated were used to estimate the models’ parameters by the least squared method with the iterative Gauss-Newton process. The data fit quality of the models was verified using the adjusted coefficient of determination criterion (), mean residual square (MRS), Akaike information criterion (AIC), and mean absolute deviation (MAD). Among the analyzed models, the LVB model presented the best quality of fit evaluators for CS. In contrast, the GVB model showed better quality of fit to describe CGP over time for 340SS, 660SS, and SS, presenting the highest values of () and the lowest values of MSR, AIC, and MAD.
Inhibitory effects of diarsenic trioxide (As2O3) on hepatocellular carcinoma cells exerted by regulation of promyelocytic leukemia protein levels
Authors: Zhang Guowu , Wang Wei , Jin Yukai , Jin Shilong , Mi Lei , Song Xiaowen , Li He , Liao Juan
Published: April 2023

Previous Chinese research revealed that diarsenic trioxide (As2O3) inhibits acute promyelocytic leukemia (PML) cell proliferation and initiates apoptosis through degradation of the PML-retinoic acid receptor protein. This study was to analyse whether As2O3 also had an effect on hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells. As2O3 effects on various HCC cell lines and primary HCC cells were investigated in time and dose series, including measurements of cell growth, PML mRNA and protein expression, xenografted tumor formation, and the self-renewal Oct4 and hepatocyte marker expressions in mouse model xenografts or cells treated with PML siRNA. The results were analyzed by immunocytochemistry, quantitative reverse transcription PCR and western blotting as well as indocyanine green and Periodic Acid Schiff staining. As2O3 inhibited HCC cell and HCC cell-derived xenograft tumor formation in a time-dependent manner and reduced PML protein expression in HCC cells, but had limited effects on PML mRNA levels in cell nuclei. The HCC cell line HuH7 treated with As2O3 showed a decreased expression of alpha-fetoprotein and increased expression and transcription of mature hepatocyte markers, indicating differentiation of HCC cells into hepatocytes. Cytokeratin 18 protein and mRNA levels as well as tyrosine aminotransferase and apolipoprotein B mRNA transcriptions were enhanced by As2O3 as were the numbers of indocyanine green and Periodic Acid Schiff stained cells. In addition, As2O3 downregulated the expression of Oct4. In conclusion, since As2O3 inhibited HCC cell proliferation and HCC cell-derived xenograft tumor formation it is suggested that an appropriate concentration of As2O3 might be a promising therapy to treat HCC.
Application of limestone-molasses blends in Nile tilapia rearing tanks
Authors: Apoliano Marcos Luiz da Silva , Lima Francisco Roberto dos Santos , Cavalcante Davi de Holanda , Sá Marcelo Vinícius do Carmo e
Published: April 2023

The work aimed at determining the effects of applying different blends between liquid molasses and agricultural limestone on water quality and growth performance of Nile tilapia juveniles, Oreochromis niloticus. The study employed 24 indoor tanks of 100 L and 24 outdoor tanks of 250 L. Four control groups were set up (no product applied, only molasses, only limestone, molasses-limestone blend with 48% limestone but no fish) and two experimental groups (molasses-limestone blends with 32% and 48% molasses), with four replicates each. Over 11 weeks, the water quality was monitored systematically. The 24-h cycle monitoring of temperature, pH, specific conductance, dissolved O2 and total alkalinity were carried out at the 8th week. The blends between molasses and limestone accelerated the dissolution rate of the agricultural limestone in water. The blend containing 48% molasses led to greater increases in water alkalinity and pH in relation to tanks with only limestone applications. However, the molasses-limestone blend applications impaired the Nile tilapia growth performance, especially in the outdoor tanks. While the fish yield was 25.1 g m-3 day-1 in the molasses outdoor tanks, it was equal to 22.8 g m-3 day-1 in the molasses (32%)-limestone units (P<0.05). It has been concluded that the blending between limestone and molasses brings no clear benefits to Nile tilapia’s rearing tanks when compared to the limestone-only tanks.
Tifton 85 grass performance following chemical and organic fertilizers
Authors: Silva Naiara Taís Alves da , Teixeira Alex de Matos , Gonçalves Lúcio Carlos , Ottoni Daniel , Cavalcanti Luigi Francis Lima , Pereira Thaís Figueiredo , Oliveira e Silva Flávia Cristina de , Jayme Diogo Gonzaga
Published: April 2023

The Tifton 85 grass offers high yield and nutritional value. It is demanding in soil fertility and highly responsive to fertilization. However, the response to fertilization can be affected by the source, dose, and installment of fertilizers, as well as environmental conditions. Evaluations of the joint application of chemical and organic fertilizers are scarce. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the effect of chemical and organic fertilization on agronomic characteristics, mineral use efficiencies, and bromatological composition of Tifton 85 grass, and determine fertilization strategies to optimize the yield and nutritional value of Tifton 85 grass. The findings were influenced by grass cuttings. The highest values for height and accumulated dry matter productivity were obtained with the highest fertilizer doses. The leaf/stem ratio was not affected by fertilization. The highest mineral use efficiencies were obtained with 200 and 400 kg of N/ha/year of NPK 20-00-20 formulation and up to 10 t/ha/year of poultry litter (PL), and these values decreased when applying high PL doses. The crude protein content increased, while the contents of neutral detergent fiber and acid detergent fiber decreased. The protein fractions and in vitro dry matter digestibility were not affected by fertilization. The potassium content increased with high fertilizer doses. Applying 350 to 400 kg of N/ha/year of NPK 20-00-20 formulation and 25 to 30 t/ha/year of PL promoted the highest accumulated dry matter productivity. Applying 200 to 400 kg of N/ha/year of NPK 20-00-20 formulation and 10/ha/year of PL is recommended for optimizing mineral use efficiencies. As for bromatological composition, increasing the doses of both fertilizers was beneficial in reducing fiber contents, but only organic fertilization increased crude protein content.
Does the mycotoxin ingestion by beef heifers on feedlot change the productive parameters?
Authors: Pião Danielle de Oliveira , Mello Marco Roberto Bourg de , Barbero Marina Mortati Dias , Silva Alex Lopes da , Moura André Morais , Barbero Rondineli Pavezzi
Published: April 2023

In intensive beef cattle production systems, silage, corn, soy bean, and their coproducts are commonly used as feed. However, these ingredients are highly susceptible to contamination by fungi and mycotoxins, which may lead to immunological challenges and reduce animal production. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effects of mycotoxin contamination of diet on intake, digestibility, and performance of heifers. Twenty non-pregnant (Nellore) heifers (age, >18 months; initial body weight, 348±30 kg) were used and randomly distributed in two treatments: (1) control (non-contaminated diet) and (2) zearalenone-contaminated diet (300 ppb). The diet comprised 70% corn silage and 30% concentrate. Individual dry matter intake and digestibility were estimated using external and internal markers. Heifer body weight was evaluated every week without fasting to calculate performance. The experimental design was completely randomized. Each animal was considered one experimental unit. Assumptions were tested for variance analyses (error normality, independence of errors, and homogeneity of variances) (p<0.05). There were no differences in dry matter intake (p=0.96) and digestibility (p=0.62). Performance (kg/day) did not vary as a function of zearalenone ingestion (p=0.68). Therefore, contamination of diet with 300 ppb zearalenone did not affect the intake, digestibility, and performance of feedlot-finished heifers.
Antimicrobial efficacy of Lactobacillus plantarum strain against the B. cereus, B. subtilis, S. aureus and E.coli strains
Authors: Akhtar Samreen , Nawaz Syed Kashif
Published: April 2023

The current study aimed to detect the antimicrobial effect of cell free supernatant (CFS) of Lactobacillus plantarum strain against Gram +ve and Gram –ve bacterial strains. The strain of Lactobacillus plantarum was isolated using selective media MRS agar. The strain was characterized on the basis of the gram staining, colony morphology, the biochemical tests and the DNA sequencing based method of 16S ribotyping. A total of four test strains (The three already isolated and reported strains (E.coli, S. aureus and B. subtilis) and the one recently identified  novel strain (B. cereus) were used for the analysis of antagonistic activity of bacteriocin produced by L. plantarum strain. The CFS of L. plantarum showed zone of inhibition against all the test strains (Gram +ve and Gram –ve bacteria). The conditions favoring the growth of bacteria were associated with the antimicrobial efficacy of CFS. Bacteriocin activity of CFS remained effective after exposure to temperature stress.  Wide range of antagonistic potential of CFS of L. plantarum provides an alternative for antibiotics in pharmaceutical industry. Heat resistant feature of bacteriocin suggests its application in food industry.
Relationships between body mass index, ultrasound measurements and, internal body fat depots in pelibuey sheep
Authors: Salazar-Cuytun Rosario , Herrera-Camacho José , García-Herrera Ricardo A. , Pozo-Leyva Dixam , Gurgel Antonio Leandro Chaves , Ítavo Luís Carlos Vinhas , Santos Geraldo Tadeu dos , Chay-Canul Alfonso J.
Published: April 2023

The objective of this study was to evaluate the relationship between body mass index (BMI), ultrasound measurements (USM), and internal fat (IF) in hair sheep. The BMI and USM were determined 24 hours before laughter in 35 animals finished in intensive fattening. At slaughter, the IF (inner adipose tissue) was dissected, weighed, and grouped as mesenteric, omental, or perirenal fat; these three depots were summed to obtain their total weight. The relationship of the variables was evaluated through Pearson's correlation coefficient (r) using the CORR procedure and by regression models using the REG procedure of SAS ver. 9.3. The IF and BMI presented r= 0.75 (P <.0001), while the IF and USM presented an r that varied from 0.70 to 0.80 (P <.0001). Among the internal fat deposits, the perirenal was the one that presented minor correlation coefficients with BMI (r = 0.55), subcutaneous fat thickness (0.55), and thoracic Longissimus dorsi area) (r = 0.33), and for this, the last correlation was not significant (P>0.05). The regression equation between IF and BMI had a coefficient of determination (r2) of 0.67 (P <.0001). The inclusion of the subcutaneous fat thickness together with the BMI improved the r2 with a range of 0.77. The BMI and the subcutaneous fat thickness could be used to predict the weight of the internal fat in hair sheep.
Whistleblowing Intention in Accounting Students with Locus of Control as a Moderating Variable
Authors: Suhartini Dwi , Azmiyanti Rizdina , Putri Sofie Yunida
Published: April 2023

Academic fraud committed by accounting students is an important phenomenon to study. This study aims to examine the effect of professional commitment and achiavellian attitudes on whistleblowing intention with locus of control as a moderating variable. This study uses a quantitative approach. The subjects of the analysis are accounting students at state universities in Surabaya. Sampling is carried out using a non-probability sampling technique with quota sampling. Data collection is carried out using a mail survey via Google Forms. The collected data that can be processed are two hundred questionnaires. The analysis technique uses WarpPLS 8.0. The results of this study show that professional commitment has an effect on whistleblowing intention; Machiavellian attitude has an effect on whistleblowing intention; and locus of control is unable to moderate the effect of professional commitment and Machiavellian attitude on whistleblowing intention. The results prove that accounting students at state universities in Surabaya have high professional commitment and Machiavellian attitude in fighting academic fraud, even though this Machiavellian attitude is actually a negative attitude.
Sexual Harassment In Education Institutions: College Students’ Sexually Abused Experience and Its Impact On Their Lives
Authors: Mahmudah Umi , Fatimah Siti
Published: April 2023

Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengeksplorasi pengalaman pelecehan seksual yang dialami oleh mahasiswa pada saat mereka masih anak-anak. Penelitian menitikberatkan pada pengalaman pelecehan seksual mereka di sekolah. Pendekatan mixed-method digunakan. Teknik pengambilan data kualitatif dilakukan dengan wawancara sedangkan data kuantitatif diperoleh dari distribusi angket. Sebanyak 240 mahasiswa di dua universitas di Jawa Tengah dianalisis. Teknik analisis deskriptif digunakan untuk menggambarkan pengalaman pelecehan seksual mereka. Kemudian, metoderegresi digunakan untuk menganalisis relasi antara pengetahuan dan pengalaman tersebut terhadap dampak-dampak negatif yang mungkin menyertainya. Hasil menunjukkan bahwa mahasiswa  yang dilecehkan secara seksual ketika mereka masih anak-anak adalah tinggi, terutama anak perempuan. Pelaku pelecehan seksual sebagian besar dilakukan oleh guru. Namun tetangga, teman, dan keluarga juga berpotensi menjadi pelaku. Dampak yang paling besar adalah secara psikologis, yaitu ketakutan yang tidak wajar, depresi, depresi, dan trauma. Hasil juga mengemukakan bahwa pengetahuan dan pengalaman dilecehkan seksual oleh korban menyebabkan berbagai dampak negatif.
[This study aims to explore the experiences of college students' sexual abuse when they were children. The research focuses on their experiences of sexual harassment at school. A mixed-method approach is used. The qualitative data collection technique is carried out by interview while the quantitative data are obtained from the distribution of questionnaires. A total of 240 students at two universities in Central Java are analyzed. Descriptive analysis techniques are used to describe their experiences of sexual harassment. Then, the regression method is used to analyze the relationship between knowledge and experience against the negative impacts that may accompany it. The results show that students who are sexually abused when they are children are high, especially girls. Most of the perpetrators of sexual harassment were teachers. However, neighbors, friends, and family are also potential perpetrators. The biggest impact is psychological, namely unnatural fear, depression, depression, and trauma. The results also reveal that the knowledge and experience of being sexually abused have various negative impacts.]
Preparing School Counseling Trainees in Professional Legislative Advocacy
Authors: Mullen Patrick , Backer Adrienne , Niles Jennifer , Chae Nancy
Published: April 2023

Professional legislative advocacy is a pathway to improve the field of education as it may lead to policy changes that impact schools and the profession directly. Higher education educators have the opportunity to infuse in their students the skills and confidence to become advocates for their respective disciplines. In this study on an approach to teaching, we developed a training intervention to teach and build school counseling trainees' confidence for engaging in professional legislative advocacy and evaluated its effectiveness in an initial study. Compared to pretest scores, the participants had significant gains in knowledge, skills, and attitudes related to professional legislative advocacy after the training intervention. Their posttest scores were also higher than a sample of school counselor trainees who did not participate in the training. We discuss the implications of these findings and suggested research directions.
Cztery fale ewangelizacji. Refleksja o. Raniera kard. Cantalamessy na temat głoszenia kerygmatu w historii Kościoła
Authors: Zborowski Michał
Published: April 2023

Father Raniero Cardinal Cantalamessa presents four periods of evangelization that have taken place in the history of the Church. He refers to them as „waves of evangelization”, indicating that these extraordinary periods of evangelization are reminiscences of the beginnings of the Church. Their appearance is related to the emergence of a new group of recipients unfamiliar with the message of the Gospel. Cantalamessa’s analysis indicates that the actual content conveyed to them is the kerygma. Appropriate pastoral reflection is also required by the choice of a keryx who is to effectively reach the recipients with the message of salvation. The four „waves of evangelization” are, according to the Italian theologian, a return to kerygmatic evangelization.
Wyobrażenia i wiara w Boga dorosłych katolików w Polsce w drugiej połowie XX wieku i obu dekadach XXI wieku. Badania socjologiczne
Authors: Baniak Józef
Published: April 2023

In this article I present the attitude of adult Catholics in Poland in the second half of the 20th century and in both decades of the 21st century towards Theocentrical dogmas and the indicators of their faith in the religious meanning of these dogmas. The basis ftor the analysis of the attitude of adult Roman Catholics in Poland to these dogmas of the Christian faith are the results of sociological research carried out the turn of the 20th and 21st centuries. These studies showed that in the second half of the 20th century, a much greater percentage of adult Catholic in Poland accepted Theocentric dogmas and declared their faith in their religious mening than in both decades of the 21st century.
Evaluation of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol equations by cross-platform assessment of accuracy-based EQA data against SI-traceable reference value
Authors: Tan Hwee Tong , Yong Sharon , Liu Hong , Liu Qinde , Teo Tang Lin , Sethi Sunil Kumar
Published: April 2023

Objectives

Low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDLC) is the primary cholesterol target for the diagnosis and treatment of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Although beta-quantitation (BQ) is the gold standard to determine LDLC levels accurately, many clinical laboratories apply the Friedewald equation to calculate LDLC. As LDLC is an important risk factor for CVD, we evaluated the accuracy of Friedewald and alternative equations (Martin/Hopkins and Sampson) for LDLC.

Methods

We calculated LDLC based on three equations (Friedewald, Martin/Hopkins and Sampson) using the total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDLC) in commutable serum samples measured by clinical laboratories participating in the Health Sciences Authority (HSA) external quality assessment (EQA) programme over a 5 years period (number of datasets, n=345). LDLC calculated from the equations were comparatively evaluated against the reference values, determined from BQ-isotope dilution mass spectrometry (IDMS) with traceability to the International System of Units (SI).

Results

Among the three equations, Martin/Hopkins equation derived LDLC had the best linearity against direct measured (y=1.141x − 14.403; R2=0.8626) and traceable LDLC (y=1.1692x − 22.137; R2=0.9638). Martin/Hopkins equation (R2=0.9638) had the strongest R2 in association with traceable LDLC compared with the Friedewald (R2=0.9262) and Sampson (R2=0.9447) equation. The discordance with traceable LDLC was the lowest in Martin/Hopkins (median=−0.725%, IQR=6.914%) as compared to Friedewald (median=−4.094%, IQR=10.305%) and Sampson equation (median=−1.389%, IQR=9.972%). Martin/Hopkins was found to result in the lowest number of misclassifications, whereas Friedewald had the most numbers of misclassification. Samples with high TG, low HDLC and high LDLC had no misclassification by Martin/Hopkins equation, but Friedewald equation resulted in ∼50% misclassification in these samples.

Conclusions

The Martin/Hopkins equation was found to achieve better agreement with the LDLC reference values as compared to Friedewald and Sampson equations, especially in samples with high TG and low HDLC. Martin/Hopkins derived LDLC also enabled a more accurate classification of LDLC levels.
Some reflections on Sharifian’s approach to cultural linguistics
Authors: Shahi Mohammad
Published: April 2023

The relation between language, culture and cognition has attracted the attention of many scholars from various fields of study. Cultural Linguistics, as a multidisciplinary area of research that investigates the interrelationship between language and cultural conceptualizations, has managed to attract researchers from around the world. Drawing on different methodological approaches, researchers have employed its analytical and theoretical framework in a wide range of languages to look into the relationship between cultural cognition and language. In this article, after a brief introduction of Cultural Linguistics and its theoretical and analytical framework, some thoughts about several current issues in Cultural Linguistics are shared, including the lack of clarity of some terms, the relation between values and cultural conceptualizations, the interconnected nature of theoretical and analytical tools, the universality and variation of conceptualizations, some methodological issues in research, and globalization, politics and reconceptualization. This article hopes to encourage constructive discussions on these issues in Cultural Linguistics.
A facile preparation of graphene hydrogel-supported bimetallic RuM (M: Co, Ni, Cu) nanoparticles as catalysts in the hydrogen generation from ammonia borane
Authors: Zaier Ibtihel , Eroglu Zafer , Metin Önder
Published: April 2023

The synthesis of ultrafine well-dispersed bimetallic RuM (M: Co, Ni, Cu) nanoparticles (NPs) supported on graphene hydrogel (GH) was accomplished by a novel one-pot wet-chemical protocol that comprised the hydrothermal reduction of the mixture of graphene oxide and metal precursors by ethylene glycol (EG) in a Teflon-coated stainless-steel reactor at 180 °C. In this study, for the first time, we report the synthesis of bimetallic RuM NPs anchored on GH during the hydrothermal production of GH from graphene oxide (GH-RuM) and the catalysis of the yielded GH-Ru in the hydrolysis of ammonia borane (AB). As-synthesized GH-RuM (M: Co, Ni, Cu) nanocatalysts were characterized by using many advanced instrumental techniques including TEM, XRD, XPS, and ICP-MS. The bimetallic catalysts denoted as GH-Ru20Co80, GH-Ru30Ni70 and GH-Ru10Cu90 exhibited much higher catalytic activity compared to their Ru, Co, Ni and Cu monometallic counterparts in the hydrolytic dehydrogenation of AB. The catalytic performance of as-prepared NPs in terms of hydrogen generation rate (HGR) was achieved in the order of RuCo > RuNi > RuCu and the highest HGR calculated for the catalyst GH-Ru20Co80 reached 8911.5 mL H2 gcat
−1 min−1 at room temperature with an activation energy of 52.5 kJ mol−1.
Effects of a Short-Term Detraining Period on the Strength Deficit and Functional Performance of Highly Trained Soccer Players
Authors: Loturco Irineu , Grazioli Rafael , Veeck Filipe , Nakamura Fabio Y. , Inácio Martinho , Schons Pedro , Preissler Artur , Pinto Ronei S. , Pereira Lucas A. , McGuigan Michael R. , Cadore Eduardo L.
Published: April 2023

Loturco, I, Grazioli, R, Veeck, F, Nakamura, FY, Inácio, M, Schons, P, Preissler, A, Pinto, RS, Pereira, LA, McGuigan, MR, and Cadore, EL. Effects of a short-term detraining period on the strength deficit and functional performance of highly trained soccer players. J Strength Cond Res 37(10): 2058–2063, 2023—The aim of this study was to examine the effects of a 4-week detraining period on the neuromuscular performance of highly trained soccer players. Pre and post detraining, 18 adult soccer players (age: 27 ± 4.9 years; height: 180.2 ± 7.1 cm; body mass [BM]: 78.9 ± 7.6 kg) performed vertical jumps, 20-m linear sprints, curve sprint and change of direction speed tests, and a progressive loading test in the half-squat exercise with loads corresponding to 50, 100, and 150% of the players' BM to assess the peak-force (PF), mean power (MP), and strength-deficit (SDef). Pre and post differences in the variables of interest were analyzed using paired t-tests and effect sizes (ES). No significant changes were detected for vertical jumping height and sprint times. Higher PF at 50 and 100% BM and lower SDef were shown when comparing pre- and postassessments (ES = 0.66, 0.68, 0.55; p = 0.018, 0.016, and 0.046, respectively). The MP at 50 and 100% BM increased significantly after the detraining phase (ES = 0.56, 0.82; p = 0.049 and 0.007, respectively). The results indicate that these athletes were able to maintain and achieve satisfactory levels of performance after a short period of training cessation. Interestingly, some strength- and power-derived parameters improved significantly after short-term detraining, which may have important implications for training programs aimed at maximizing speed and power performance. It is recommended that coaches test their players not only at the beginning but also at the end of the season, to better evaluate variations in performance and thus create more efficient and tailored training strategies.
Beta Oscillations in Monkey Striatum Encode Reward Prediction Error Signals
Authors: Basanisi Ruggero , Marche Kevin , Combrisson Etienne , Apicella Paul , Brovelli Andrea
Published: April 2023

Reward prediction error (RPE) signals are crucial for reinforcement learning and decision-making as they quantify the mismatch between predicted and obtained rewards. RPE signals are encoded in the neural activity of multiple brain areas, such as midbrain dopaminergic neurons, prefrontal cortex, and striatum. However, it remains unclear how these signals are expressed through anatomically and functionally distinct subregions of the striatum. In the current study, we examined to which extent RPE signals are represented across different striatal regions. To do so, we recorded local field potentials (LFPs) in sensorimotor, associative, and limbic striatal territories of two male rhesus monkeys performing a free-choice probabilistic learning task. The trial-by-trial evolution of RPE during task performance was estimated using a reinforcement learning model fitted on monkeys' choice behavior. Overall, we found that changes in beta band oscillations (15–35 Hz), after the outcome of the animal's choice, are consistent with RPE encoding. Moreover, we provide evidence that the signals related to RPE are more strongly represented in the ventral (limbic) than dorsal (sensorimotor and associative) part of the striatum. To conclude, our results suggest a relationship between striatal beta oscillations and the evaluation of outcomes based on RPE signals and highlight a major contribution of the ventral striatum to the updating of learning processes.

SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENTReward prediction error (RPE) signals are crucial for reinforcement learning and decision-making as they quantify the mismatch between predicted and obtained rewards. Current models suggest that RPE signals are encoded in the neural activity of multiple brain areas, including the midbrain dopaminergic neurons, prefrontal cortex and striatum. However, it remains elusive whether RPEs recruit anatomically and functionally distinct subregions of the striatum. Our study provides evidence that RPE-related modulations in local field potential (LFP) power are dominant in the striatum. In particular, they are stronger in the rostro-ventral rather than the caudo-dorsal striatum. Our findings contribute to a better understanding of the role of striatal territories in reward-based learning and may be relevant for neuropsychiatric and neurologic diseases that affect striatal circuits.
Interleukin (IL)-1 Receptor Signaling Is Required for Complete Taste Bud Regeneration and the Recovery of Neural Taste Responses following Axotomy
Authors: Dong Guangkuo , Kogan Schuyler , Venugopal Natasha , Chang Eddy , He Lianying , Faal Fama , Shi Yang , Phillips McCluskey Lynnette
Published: April 2023

Experimental or traumatic nerve injury causes the degeneration of associated taste buds. Unlike most sensory systems, the sectioned nerve and associated taste buds can then regenerate, restoring neural responses to tastants. It was previously unknown whether injury-induced immune factors mediate this process. The proinflammatory cytokines, interleukin (IL)-1α and IL-1β, and their requisite receptor are strongly expressed by anterior taste buds innervated by the chorda tympani nerve. We tested taste bud regeneration and functional recovery in mice lacking the IL-1 receptor. After axotomy, the chorda tympani nerve regenerated but was initially unresponsive to tastants in both WT andIl1r KOmice. In the absence ofIl1rsignaling, however, neural taste responses remained minimal even >8 weeks after injury in both male and female mice, whereas normal taste function recovered by 3 weeks in WT mice. Failed recovery was because of a 57.8% decrease in regenerated taste buds inIl1rKO compared with WT axotomized mice.Il1agene expression was chronically dysregulated, and the subset of regenerated taste buds were reinnervated more slowly and never reached full volume as progenitor cell proliferation lagged in KO mice.Il1rsignaling is thus required for complete taste bud regeneration and the recovery of normal taste transmission, likely by impairing taste progenitor cell proliferation. This is the first identification of a cytokine response that promotes taste recovery. The remarkable plasticity of the taste system makes it ideal for identifying injury-induced mechanisms mediating successful regeneration and recovery.

SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENTTaste plays a critical role in nutrition and quality of life. The adult taste system is highly plastic and able to regenerate following the disappearance of most taste buds after experimental nerve injury. Several growth factors needed for taste bud regeneration have been identified, but we demonstrate the first cytokine pathway required for the recovery of taste function. In the absence of IL-1 cytokine signaling, taste bud regeneration is incomplete, preventing the transmission of taste activity to the brain. These results open a new direction in revealing injury-specific mechanisms that could be harnessed to promote the recovery of taste perception after trauma or disease.
c-Jun N-Terminal Kinase Promotes Stress Granule Assembly and Neurodegeneration in C9orf72-Mediated ALS and FTD
Authors: Sahana Talanjeri Gopalakrishna , Chase Katherine Johnson , Liu Feilin , Lloyd Thomas E. , Rossoll Wilfried , Zhang Ke
Published: April 2023

Stress granules are the RNA/protein condensates assembled in the cells under stress. They play a critical role in the pathogenesis of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD). However, how stress granule assembly is regulated and related to ALS/FTD pathomechanism is incompletely understood. Mutation in the C9orf72 gene is the most common cause of familial ALS and FTD. C9orf72 mutation causes the formation of toxic dipeptide repeats. Here we show that the two most toxic dipeptide repeats [i.e., poly(GR) and poly(PR)] activate c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) via the ER-stress response protein IRE1 using fly and cellular models. Further, we show that activated JNK promotes stress granule assembly in cells by promoting the transcription of one of the key stress granule proteins (i.e., G3BP1) by inducing histone 3 phosphorylation. Consistent with these findings, JNK or IRE1 inhibition reduced stress granule formation, histone 3 phosphorylation, G3BP1 mRNA and protein levels, and neurotoxicity in cells overexpressing poly(GR) and poly(PR) or neurons derived from male and female C9ALS/FTD patient-induced pluripotent stem cells. Our findings connect ER stress, JNK activation, and stress granule assembly in a unified pathway contributing to C9ALS/FTD neurodegeneration.

SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENTc-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) is a part of the mitogen-activated protein kinase pathway, which is the central node for the integration of multiple stress signals. Cells are under constant stress in neurodegenerative diseases, and how these cells respond to stress signals is a critical factor in determining their survival or death. Previous studies have shown JNK as a major contributor to cellular apoptosis. Here, we show the role of JNK in stress granule assembly. We identify that toxic dipeptide repeats produced in ALS/FTD conditions activate JNK. The activated JNK in the nucleus can induce histone modifications which increase G3BP1 expression, thus promoting stress granule assembly and neurodegeneration.
Extreme Attachment
Authors: McKeever Gerard Lee
Published: April 2023

Gerard Lee McKeever, “Extreme Attachment: Allan Cunningham’s ‘South Countree’” (pp. 223–252)

This article positions Allan Cunningham (1784–1842) as an extreme case of literary place-making in the first half of the nineteenth century. Cunningham lived from 1810 in London, where he became superintendent of the sculptor Francis Chantrey’s workshop. Yet over the following decades, he produced literary work that is remarkably consistent in its return to his native southwest Scotland and the Anglo-Scottish borders region, developing a longue durée imaginative geography through a rotating cast of characters, places, tales, and topoi. This work emblematizes a moment in the transformation of the long-eighteenth-century condition of “nostalgia,” or homesickness, which over the course of the nineteenth century became a patriotic virtue and—eventually—an aestheticized sense of the past. The article interrogates Cunningham’s overall literary career from a geographical perspective, before focusing in on two unfairly neglected later works: the long poem The Maid of Elvar (1832) and his final novel, Lord Roldan (1836). In general, Cunningham’s work performs regional attachment in such a precariously literary manner that it forces the reader to reckon with the imaginative quality of belonging. By the 1830s, however, it had reached an acutely self-referential phase, exercising and recycling a vocabulary of belonging that had been decades in the making.
RISING STARS: Approaches to modeling placental function in preeclampsia in vitro and in vivo
Authors: Milano-Foster Jessica , Schulz Laura C
Published: April 2023

Modeling preeclampsia remains difficult due to the nature of the disease and the unique characteristics of the human placenta. Members of the Hominidae superfamily have a villous hemochorial placenta that is different in structure from those of other therian mammals, including the mouse hemochorial placenta, making this common animal model less ideal for studying this disease. Human placental tissues delivered from pregnancies complicated by preeclampsia are excellent for assessing the damage the disease causes but cannot answer how or when the disease begins. Symptoms of preeclampsia manifest halfway through pregnancy or later, making it currently impossible to identify preeclampsia in human tissues obtained from an early stage of pregnancy. Many animal and cell culture models recapitulate various aspects of preeclampsia, though none can on its own completely capture the complexity of human preeclampsia. It is particularly difficult to uncover the cause of the disease using models in which the disease is induced in the lab. However, the many ways by which preeclampsia-like features can be induced in a variety of laboratory animals are consistent with the idea that preeclampsia is a two-stage disease, in which a variety of initial insults may lead to placental ischemia, and ultimately systemic symptoms. The recent development of stem cell-based models, organoids, and various coculture systems have brought in vitro systems with human cells ever closer to recapitulating in vivo events that lead to placental ischemia.
Determination of carvacrol content in Alaska yellow cedar (Callitropsis nootkatensis) extractives
Authors: Lipeh Shahlinney , Schimleck Laurence R. , Morrell Jeffrey J.
Published: April 2023

Extractives, such as carvacrol, play a major role in the durability of Alaska yellow cedar (Callitropsis nootkatensis) heartwood. However, it is a slow and complicated process to identify the levels of these compounds in individual timbers. This study investigated the feasibility of attenuated total reflectance Fourier-transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy and near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy, coupled with hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) and principal component analysis (PCA), for detecting carvacrol in wood. Alaska yellow cedar was extracted using sequential Soxhlet extraction with toluene-ethanol, followed by ethanol and hot water. The extracted samples were milled, and the powders were treated with different concentrations of carvacrol. The spectral analysis of the wood that contained carvacrol was conducted using ATR-FTIR and NIR spectroscopy, and the peaks indicative of carvacrol were identified. The chemometric analysis on the spectral data using PCA and HCA distinguished the wood with high (> 34%) and low (< 3.5%) carvacrol concentrations. The results suggest that infrared spectroscopy can be a non-destructive tool for the qualitative and quantitative evaluation of extractives, and possibly for the rapid assessment of Alaska yellow cedar durability.
Two-step delignification of peracetic acid and alkali from sugar cane bagasse
Authors: Karbalaei Esmaeil Mohammad Hossein , Talaeipour Mohammad , Bazyar Behzad , Mirshokraei Seyed Ahmad , Eslam Habibolah Khademi
Published: April 2023

Sugar cane bagasse was delignified in a two-step process with peracetic acid and alkali. Peracetic acid pre-treatment with concentration of 25% based on oven-dry fiber at 60 min, with a liquor to wood (L/W) ratio of 9:1 and a temperature of 50 °C improved the second stage delignification, compared with soda pulping. The second stage was carried out at three levels of temperatures, times, and 20% sodium hydroxide based on oven-dry fiber. Soda pulping at 165 °C, 120 min, 20% sodium hydroxide based on oven-dry fiber, and L/W 10:1 was selected to compare with two-step delignification. The two-step delignification reduces the severity of pulping conditions, including temperature and pressure, and subsequent imposes less risks compared with the soda pulping at 165 °C. The advantages of this method are high delignification and reduction of kappa number with respect to lower temperature and pressure compared with soda pulping. The total time in two-step was increased from soda pulping. Two optimum conditions for alkali step were obtained at 120 °C and 140 °C and 90 min for pretreated bagasse pulping, and similar properties were achieved with soda pulping at 165 °C and 120 min. The yield of fibers, Kappa number, and data analysis using Duncan method were measured and recorded.
Characterization of Birth Hospitalizations in the United States
Authors: Ding Lucky , Rodean Jonathan , Leyenaar JoAnna K. , Coon Eric R. , Mahant Sanjay , Gill Peter J. , Cabana Michael D. , Kaiser Sunitha V.
Published: April 2023

OBJECTIVES

A broad understanding of the scope of birth hospitalizations in the United States is lacking. We aimed to describe the demographics and location of birth hospitalizations in the United States and rank the most common and costly conditions documented during birth hospitalizations.

METHODS

We conducted a cross-sectional analysis of the 2019 Kids’ Inpatient Database, a nationally-representative administrative database of pediatric discharges. All hospitalizations with the indicator “in-hospital birth” and any categorized by the Pediatric Clinical Classification System as “liveborn” were included. Discharge-level survey weights were used to generate nationally-representative estimates. Primary and secondary conditions coded during birth hospitalizations were categorized using the Pediatric Clinical Classification System, rank-ordered by total prevalence and total marginal costs (calculated using design-adjusted lognormal regression).

RESULTS

In 2019, there were an estimated 5 299 557 pediatric hospitalizations in the US and 67% (n = 3 551 253) were for births, totaling $18.1 billion in cost. Most occurred in private, nonprofit hospitals (n = 2 646 685; 74.5%). Prevalent conditions associated with birth admissions included specified conditions originating in the perinatal period (eg, pregnancy complications, complex births) (n = 1 021 099; 28.8%), neonatal hyperbilirubinemia (n = 540 112; 15.2%), screening or risk for infectious disease (n = 417 421; 11.8%), and preterm newborn (n = 314 288; 8.9%). Conditions with the highest total marginal costs included specified conditions originating in perinatal period ($168.7 million) and neonatal jaundice with preterm delivery ($136.1 million).

CONCLUSIONS

Our study details common and costly areas of focus for future quality improvement and research efforts to improve care during term and preterm infant birth hospitalizations. These include hyperbilirubinemia, infectious disease screening, and perinatal complications.
PENDIDIKAN SEKS UNTUK ANAK USIA SEKOLAH DASAR DALAM PERSEFEKTIF ISLAM
Authors: Mahyani Aang
Published: April 2023

Kata seksdalamKamus Besar Bahasa Indonesia sering diartikan dengan jenis kelamin, yaitu laki-laki dan perempuan. Dalam bahasaInggris, seks berarti jenis kelamin, perkelaminan. Dalam bahasa Arab, seks diartikan jins ( ) ﺟﻨﺲ yang berarti jenis kelamin atau setiap yang berkaitan dengan bentuk tubuh.Seks adalah Syahwat berasal dari kata mengandung arti menyukai atau menyenangi. Jika dihubungkan dengan manusia, maka syahwat artinya kerinduan nafs (jiwa) terhadap apa yang dikehendaki. Dalam al-Quran, kalimat syahwat dalam berbagai bentuknya sebanyak 13 kali, 5 kali diantaranya dalam bentuk masdar, yakni 2 kali mufrad dan tiga kali jama. Al-Qur’an menggunakan termsyahwat untuk beberapa arti. Pertama, dalam kaitannya dengan fikiran-fikiran tertentu, yakni mengikuti pikiran orang lain karena mengikuti hawa nafsu {Q.S. an-Nisâ [4]:27}, Kedua, dihubungkan dengan keinginan manusia terhadap kelezatan dan kesenangan {Q.S. ali-Imran [3]:14 dan Maryam [7] :59}. Ketiga, berhubungan dengan perilaku seks menyimpang. Pendidikan seks adalah pendidikan akhlak. Pendidikan seks bagi anakbahwa pendidikan seks tidak terbatas pada usia baligh. Islam menetapkan untuk melatih anak agar dapat beradaptasi secara baik dengan sikap-sikap seksual sejak usia tamyiz yang tidak ditentukan syariat secara detail karena perbedaan-perbedaan individual diantara anak-anak dalam pertumbuhan intelektualitasnya. Namun orang tua dan semua pendidik, melalui interaksi dengannya, mengetahui bahwa seorang anak sudah mulai memikirkan hal itu (masalah seksual) atau belum memikirkannya pada usia tamyiz. Pendidikan Seks dalam rumah tanggabahwa rumah tangga yang baik, jika sejak awal pernikahan dibangun dengan dasar-dasar dan pertimbangan yang benar sesuai dengan ajaran agama Islam. Tujuan pendidikan seks menurut adalah agar manusia dapat mengatur kehidupan seksualnya sejak lahir hingga dewasa, dalam pergaulan baik sejenis maupun lawan jenis, perkawinan, etika pakaian, pergaulan, ibadah dan kebersihan yang berdasarkan iman yang diatur dalam Islam
Impact of technical and artistic media on historical rigor of the air combat film productions
Authors: Jiménez-Valero Javier
Published: April 2023

This article explains how the technical and artistic means used in the production of air combat cinema have a direct impact on the historical rigor of these films. Through the analysis of 180 productions of this subgenre, a study has been made of these techniques and their evolution over time, as well as the impact they have had on the historical rigor of the films in which they have been used. Obtaining, as a result, a global vision of the suitability of the technical and artistic solutions that this type of cinema has used to represent History in audiovisual format.
Do MENA countries practice digital diplomacy? An analysis of their embassies’ websites in Spain
Authors: Azpíroz María-Luisa
Published: April 2023

This research carries out an analysis of the websites published by MENA countries’ embassies with a presence in Spain, in order to understand whether they practice digital diplomacy. Such activity is a low-cost, wide-ranging public diplomacy tool. The analysis covers a two-year period (2020-2022) that coincides with the Covid-19 pandemic, a context that prompted the digitization of many sectors. The article contributes to the literature on Arab and Israeli digital diplomacy, as well as on digital diplomacy as practiced by embassies. Specifically, this exploratory analysis examines the webpages and published press notes of four countries’ embassies, including Saudi Arabia, Israel, Morocco, and Qatar. These countries were chosen because they have the most robust websites in Spanish, together with the fact that they were the MENA countries whose governments pioneered the use of Twitter as an instrument of digital diplomacy. The article examines the topics and interpretations provided by the press notes published on these embassies’ websites. A discourse analysis methodology with references to the original sources is applied. Topics and interpretations are classified into four types of public diplomacy: media diplomacy, cultural diplomacy, niche diplomacy and nation branding. The conclusion is that the MENA countries studied neglect digital diplomacy on their websites in Spain, missing out on the opportunities it represents. The apparently four most digitized embassies in this group have errors on their webpages and often only publish messages from their respective foreign ministries, focusing on regional and internal issues rather than on their bilateral relationship with Spain. This is especially true of Saudi Arabia and Qatar.