bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The endothelin receptor antagonist macitentan ameliorates endothelin-mediated vasoconstriction and promotes the survival of retinal ganglion cells in rats
Authors: Kodati Bindu , Zhang Wei , He Shaoqing , Pham Jennifer H. , Beall Kallen J. , Swanger Zoe E. , Krishnamoorthy Vignesh R. , Harris Payton E. , Hall Trent , Tran Ashley V. , Chaphalkar Renuka M. , Chavala Sai H. , Stankowska Dorota L. , Krishnamoorthy Raghu R.
Published: June 2023

Glaucoma is a chronic and progressive eye disease, commonly associated with elevated intraocular pressure (IOP) and characterized by optic nerve degeneration, cupping of the optic disc, and loss of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs). The pathological changes in glaucoma are triggered by multiple mechanisms and both mechanical effects and vascular factors are thought to contribute to the etiology of glaucoma. Various studies have shown that endothelin-1 (ET-1), a vasoactive peptide, acting through its G protein coupled receptors, ETA and ETB, plays a pathophysiologic role in glaucoma. However, the mechanisms by which ET-1 contribute to neurodegeneration remain to be completely understood. Our laboratory and others demonstrated that macitentan (MAC), a pan endothelin receptor antagonist, has neuroprotective effects in rodent models of IOP elevation. The current study aimed to determine if oral administration of a dual endothelin antagonist, macitentan, could promote neuroprotection in an acute model of intravitreal administration of ET-1. We demonstrate that vasoconstriction following the intravitreal administration of ET-1 was attenuated by dietary administration of the ETA/ETB dual receptor antagonist, macitentan (5 mg/kg body weight) in retired breeder Brown Norway rats. ET-1 intravitreal injection produced a 40% loss of RGCs, which was significantly lower in macitentan-treated rats. We also evaluated the expression levels of glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) at 24 h and 7 days post intravitreal administration of ET-1 in Brown Norway rats as well as following ET-1 treatment in cultured human optic nerve head astrocytes. We observed that at the 24 h time point the expression levels of GFAP was upregulated (indicative of glial activation) following intravitreal ET-1 administration in both retina and optic nerve head regions. However, following macitentan administration for 7 days after intravitreal ET-1 administration, we observed an upregulation of GFAP expression, compared to untreated rats injected intravitreally with ET-1 alone. Macitentan treatment in ET-1 administered rats showed protection of RGC somas but was not able to preserve axonal integrity and functionality. The endothelin receptor antagonist, macitentan, has neuroprotective effects in the retinas of Brown Norway rats acting through different mechanisms, including enhancement of RGC survival and reduction of ET-1 mediated vasoconstriction.
BCR-ABL1-positive acute lymphoblastic leukemia following successful treatment of acute promyelocytic leukemia: case report
Authors: Fu Shuang , Li Mengqi , Wang Hongtao
Published: June 2023

Acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) is currently considered a disease with a higher cure rate. And cases of secondary malignant tumors following successful APL treatment are rare. Here we described a rare case of a 29-year-old man who was treated for APL in 2019 and developed BCR-ABL1-positive acute lymphoblastic leukemia 2 years later. The patient responded well to tyrosine kinase inhibitors and chemotherapy, and achieved a molecular remission. Although APL usually has a good prognosis, the prognosis of its secondary malignancies is uncertain. There are no effective measures to prevent the occurrence of secondary tumors. Continuing to increase the monitoring frequency of laboratory tests, especially the molecular biomarkers, is essential for the diagnosis and treatment of secondary malignancies after the patients achieving complete remission.
Fully atomistic modeling of plasmonic bimetallic nanoparticles: nanoalloys and core-shell systems
Authors: Nicoli Luca , Lafiosca Piero , Grobas Illobre Pablo , Bonatti Luca , Giovannini Tommaso , Cappelli Chiara
Published: June 2023

The recently developed ωFQFμ model (ACS Photonics, 9, 3,025–3,034) is extended to bimetallic nanoparticles, such as nanoalloys and core-shell systems. The method finds its grounds in basic physical concepts, such as Drude conduction theory, electrostatics, interband transitions, and quantum tunneling. The approach, which is parametrized on ab initio simulations of Ag-Au nanoalloys, is challenged against complex Ag-Au nanostructures (spheres, nanorods, and core-shell nanoparticles). Remarkable agreement with available experimental data is found, thus demonstrating the reliability of the newly developed approach.
Crop coefficient determination and evapotranspiration estimation of watermelon under water deficit in a cold and arid environment
Authors: Zhang Hengjia , Wang Zeyi , Yu Shouchao , Teng Anguo , Zhang Changlong , Lei Lian , Ba Yuchun , Chen Xietian
Published: June 2023

To investigate the evapotranspiration and crop coefficient of oasis watermelon under water deficit (WD), mild (60%–70% field capacity, FC)and moderate (50%–60% FC) WD levels were set up at the various growth stages of watermelon, including seedling stage (SS), vine stage (VS), flowering and fruiting stage (FS), expansion stage (ES), and maturity stage (MS), with adequate water supply (70%–80% FC) during the growing season as a control. A two-year (2020-2021) field trial was carried out in the Hexi oasis area of China to explore the effect of WD on watermelon evapotranspiration characteristics and crop coefficient under sub-membrane drip irrigation. The results indicated that the daily reference crop evapotranspiration showed a sawtooth fluctuation which was extremely significantly and positively correlated with temperature, sunshine hours, and wind speed. The water consumption during the entire growing season of watermelon varied from 281–323 mm (2020) and 290–334 mm (2021), among which the phasic evapotranspiration valued the maximum during ES, accounting for 37.85% (2020) and 38.94% (2021) in total, followed in the order of VS, SS, MS, and FS. The evapotranspiration intensity of watermelon increased rapidly from SS to VS, reaching the maximum with 5.82 mm·d-1 at ES, after which it gradually decreased. The crop coefficient at SS, VS, FS, ES, and MS varied from 0.400 to 0.477, from 0.550 to 0.771, from 0.824 to 1.168, from 0.910 to 1.247, and from 0.541 to 0.803, respectively. Any period of WD reduced the crop coefficient and evapotranspiration intensity of watermelon at that stage. And then the relationship between LAI and crop coefficient can be characterized better by an exponential regression, thereby establishing a model for estimating the evapotranspiration of watermelon with a Nash efficiency coefficient of 0.9 or more. Hence, the water demand characteristics of oasis watermelon differ significantly during different growth stages, and reasonable irrigation and water control management measures need to be conducted in conjunction with the water requirements features of each growth stage. Also, this work aims to provide a theoretical basis for the irrigation management of watermelon under sub-membrane drip irrigation in desert oases of cold and arid environments.
Girdling promotes tomato fruit enlargement by enhancing fruit sink strength and triggering cytokinin accumulation
Authors: Chai Lin , Wang Heng , Yu Hongjun , Pang Endi , Lu Tao , Li Yang , Jiang Weijie , Li Qiang
Published: June 2023

Girdling is a horticultural technique that enhances fruit size by allocating more carbohydrates to fruits, yet its underlying mechanisms are not fully understood. In this study, girdling was applied to the main stems of tomato plants 14 days after anthesis. Following girdling, there was a significant increase in fruit volume, dry weight, and starch accumulation. Interestingly, although sucrose transport to the fruit increased, the fruit’s sucrose concentration decreased. Girdling also led to an increase in the activities of enzymes involved in sucrose hydrolysis and AGPase, and to an upregulation in the expression of key genes related to sugar transport and utilization. Moreover, the assay of carboxyfluorescein (CF) signal in detached fruit indicated that girdled fruits exhibited a greater ability to take up carbohydrates. These results indicate that girdling improves sucrose unloading and sugar utilization in fruit, thereby enhancing fruit sink strength. In addition, girdling induced cytokinin (CK) accumulation, promoted cell division in the fruit, and upregulated the expression of genes related to CK synthesis and activation. Furthermore, the results of a sucrose injection experiment suggested that increased sucrose import induced CK accumulation in the fruit. This study sheds light on the mechanisms by which girdling promotes fruit enlargement and provides novel insights into the interaction between sugar import and CK accumulation.
Comparative chloroplast genome analysis of Sambucus L. (Viburnaceae): inference for phylogenetic relationships among the closely related Sambucus adnata Wall. ex DC Sambucus javanica Blume
Authors: Waswa Emmanuel Nyongesa , Mkala Elijah Mbandi , Odago Wyclif Ochieng , Amenu Sara Getachew , Mutinda Elizabeth Syowai , Muthui Samuel Wamburu , Ding Shi-Xiong , Hu Guang-Wan , Wang Qing-Feng
Published: June 2023

Sambucus L. is found in the family Viburnaceae (syn. Adoxaceae) and encompasses approximately 29 accepted species. The complex morphology of these species has caused continued confusion concerning their nomenclature, classification, and identification. Despite previous attempts to resolve taxonomic complexities in the Sambucus genus, there are still unclear phylogenetic relationships among several species. In this study, the newly obtained plastome of Sambucus williamsii Hance. as well as the populations of Sambucus canadensis L., Sambucus javanica Blume, and Sambucus adnata Wall. ex DC were sequenced, and their sizes, structural similarity, gene order, gene number, and guanine–cytosine (GC) contents were analyzed. The phylogenetic analyses were conducted using the whole chloroplast genomes and protein-coding genes (PCGs). The findings revealed that the chloroplast genomes of Sambucus species exhibited typical quadripartite double-stranded DNA molecules. Their lengths ranged from 158,012 base pairs (bp) (S. javanica) to 158,716 bp (S. canadensis L). Each genome comprised a pair of inverted repeats (IRs), which separated the large single-copy (LSC) and small single-copy (SSC) regions. In addition, the plastomes contained 132 genes, encompassing 87 protein-coding, 37 tRNA, and four rRNA genes. In the simple sequence repeat (SSR) analysis, A/T mononucleotides had the highest proportion, with the most repetitive sequences observed in S. williamsii. The comparative genome analyses showed high similarities in structure, order, and gene contents. The hypervariable regions in the studied chloroplast genomes were trnT-GGU, trnF-GAA, psaJ, trnL-UAG, ndhF, and ndhE, which may be used as candidate barcodes for species discrimination in Sambucus genus. Phylogenetic analyses supported the monophyly of Sambucus and revealed the separation of S. javanica and S. adnata populations. Sambucus chinensis Lindl. was nested within S. javanica in the same clade, collaborating their conspecific treatment. These outcomes indicate that the chloroplast genome of Sambucus plants is a valuable genetic resource for resolving taxonomic discrepancies at the lower taxonomic levels and can be applied in molecular evolutionary studies.
Patterns of change in the justifiability of euthanasia across OECD countries
Authors: Tormos Raül , Rudnev Maksim , Bartolomé Peral Edurne
Published: June 2023

Introduction

The public's justifiability of euthanasia has increased as more countries have adopted laws permitting a range of end-of-life practices. Despite this trend, there is a dearth of longitudinal and comparative studies investigating attitudes toward euthanasia. Consequently, it remains unclear whether this rise in justifiability is a period-specific trend or generational change.

Methods

We analyzed data from the European and World Values Survey from 1981 to 2021 to examine period variations, between-cohort differences, and within-cohort changes across 35 affluent countries. This analysis was conducted using dynamic comparative multilevel regression and a comparative version of the cross-classified random effects regressions.

Results

Our descriptive results supported our hypotheses, indicating an increase in euthanasia's justifiability in virtually all surveyed countries, with both overall and within-cohort changes gravitating toward higher degrees of justifiability. Furthermore, newer periods and younger cohorts were found to be more permissive than their older counterparts. These consistent increases in the justifiability of euthanasia were verified by the multilevel models.

Discussion

Our results were in line with modernization theory, observing a gradual change in attitudes between cohorts due to generational replacement. However, we also identified intra-cohort changes related to the processes of human development across various countries. Some robustness checks produced ambiguous results in distinguishing period and cohort effects, yet the combination of these components aligns with substantive theory.

Conclusion

Our findings indicate a more complex pattern of change than predicted by the impressionable years model, a leading approach in political socialization research. This study contributes significantly to our understanding of evolving attitudes toward euthanasia, bridging the gap in longitudinal and comparative studies on the subject.
Does physical fitness affect cognitive functions differently across adulthood? An advantage of being older
Authors: Gajewski Patrick D. , Golka Klaus , Hengstler Jan G. , Kadhum Thura , Digutsch Jan , Genç Erhan , Wascher Edmund , Getzmann Stephan
Published: June 2023

Introduction

There is a large interindividual variability in cognitive functioning with increasing age due to biological and lifestyle factors. One of the most important lifestyle factors is the level of physical fitness (PF). The link between PF and brain activity is widely accepted but the specificity of cognitive functions affected by physical fitness across the adult lifespan is less understood. The present study aims to clarify whether PF is basically related to cognition and general intelligence in healthy adults, and whether higher levels of PF are associated with better performance in the same or different cognitive functions at different ages.

Methods

A sample of 490 participants (20–70 years) was analyzed to examine this relationship. Later, the sample was split half into the young to middle-aged group (YM; 20–45 years; n = 254), and the middleaged to older group (MO; 46–70 years; n = 236). PF was measured by a quotient of maximum power in a bicycle ergometry test PWC-130 divided by body weight (W/kg), which was supported by a self-reported level of PF. Cognitive performance was evaluated by standardized neuropsychological test batteries.

Results

Regression models showed a relationship between PF and general intelligence (g-factor) and its subcomponents extracted using structural equation modeling (SEM) in the entire sample. This association was moderated by age, which also moderated some specific cognitive domains such as attention, logical reasoning, and interference processing. After splitting the sample into two age groups, a significant relationship was found between cognitive status, as assessed by the Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE), and PF in both age groups. However, apart from cognitive failures in daily life (CFQ), no other association between PF and specific cognitive functions was found in the YM group. In contrast, several positive associations were observed in the MO group, such as with selective attention, verbal memory, working memory, logical reasoning, and interference processing.

Discussion

These findings show that middle-aged to older adults benefit more from PF than younger to middle-aged adults. The results are discussed in terms of the neurobiological mechanisms underlying the cognitive effects of PF across the lifespan.

Clinical trial registration:

https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT05155397, identifier NCT05155397.
How does disgust regulate social rejection? a mini-review
Authors: Terrizzi John A. , Pond Richard S. , Shannon Trevor C. J. , Koopman Zachary K. , Reich Jessica C.
Published: June 2023

The need to belong is a fundamental aspect of human nature. Over the past two decades, researchers have uncovered many harmful effects of social rejection. However, less work has examined the emotional antecedents to rejection. The purpose of the present article was to explore how disgust––an emotion linked to avoidance and social withdrawal––serves as an important antecedent to social rejection. We argue that disgust affects social rejection through three routes. First, disgust encourages stigmatization, especially of those who exhibit cues of infectious disease. Second, disgust and disease-avoidance give rise to cultural variants (e.g., socially conservative values and assortative sociality), which mitigate social interaction. Third, when the self is perceived as a source of contamination, it promotes shame, which, subsequently, encourages withdrawal from social interaction. Directions for future research are also discussed.
A case-study evaluation of the “Copenhagen Music Program” for psilocybin-assisted therapy
Authors: Ratkovic Gina , Sosteric Mike , Sosteric Tristan
Published: June 2023

In a recent article, Messell and colleagues provide a curated list, the “Copenhagen Music Program for Psilocybin”. We test their music program with an experienced Indigenous therapist/psychonaut on a 3.5 gram psilocybin journey. Based on comments provided by the Indigenous therapist, we find the program contains musical choices that evoke specific colonial and religious contexts. We also find the program psychologically and emotionally coercive, meaning it is intended to contain the experience by forcing the individual on a specific experiential pathway. We conclude the program is not suitable for Indigenous travelers and suggest that curation of a wider variety of playlists, and music more in line with traditional shamanic practices, might be a better approach to psychedelic curation.
Factors influencing acceptance and trust of chatbots in juvenile offenders’ risk assessment training
Authors: Raiche Ann-Pierre , Dauphinais Léanne , Duval Manon , De Luca Gino , Rivest-Hénault David , Vaughan Thomas , Proulx Catherine , Guay Jean-Pierre
Published: June 2023

Introduction

Research has identified simulation-based training with chatbots and virtual avatars as an effective educational strategy in some domains, such as medicine and mental health disciplines. Several studies on interactive systems have also suggested that user experience is decisive for adoption. As interest increases, it becomes important to examine the factors influencing user acceptance and trust in simulation-based training systems, and to validate applicability to specific learning tasks. The aim of this research is twofold: (1) to examine the perceived acceptance and trust in a risk assessment training chatbot developed to help students assess risk and needs of juvenile offenders, and (2) to examine the factors influencing students’ perceptions of acceptance and trust.

Methods

Participants were 112 criminology students in an undergraduate course in a Canadian university. Participants were directed to use a custom-designed chatbot with a virtual 3D avatar for juvenile offenders’ risk assessment training, to complete online questionnaires and a risk assessment exercise.

Results

Results show satisfactory levels of acceptance and trust in the chatbot. Concerning acceptance, more than half appeared to be satisfied or very satisfied with the chatbot, while most participants appeared to be neutral or satisfied with the benevolence and credibility of the chatbot.

Discussion

Results suggest that acceptance and trust do not only depend on the design of the chatbot software, but also on the characteristics of the user, and most prominently on self-efficacy, state anxiety, learning styles and neuroticism personality traits. As trust and acceptance play a vital role in determining technology success, these results are encouraging.
Social visual preference mediates the effect of cortical thickness on symptom severity in children with autism spectrum disorder
Authors: Chen Jierong , Wei Zhen , Xu Chuangyong , Peng Ziwen , Yang Junjie , Wan Guobin , Chen Bin , Gong Jianhua , Zhou Keying
Published: June 2023

Background

Evidence suggests that there is a robust relationship between altered neuroanatomy and autistic symptoms in individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Social visual preference, which is regulated by specific brain regions, is also related to symptom severity. However, there were a few studies explored the potential relationships among brain structure, symptom severity, and social visual preference.

Methods

The current study investigated relationships among brain structure, social visual preference, and symptom severity in 43 children with ASD and 26 typically developing (TD) children (aged 2–6 years).

Results

Significant differences were found in social visual preference and cortical morphometry between the two groups. Decreased percentage of fixation time in digital social images (%DSI) was negatively related to not only the thickness of the left fusiform gyrus (FG) and right insula, but also the Calibrated Severity Scores for the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule-Social Affect (ADOS-SA-CSS). Mediation analysis showed that %DSI partially mediated the relationship between neuroanatomical alterations (specifically, thickness of the left FG and right insula) and symptom severity.

Conclusion

These findings offer initial evidence that atypical neuroanatomical alterations may not only result in direct effects on symptom severity but also lead to indirect effects on symptom severity through social visual preference. This finding enhances our understanding of the multiple neural mechanisms implicated in ASD.
Walking activity increases physical abilities and subjective health in people with seven different types of disabilities
Authors: Selanon Pattamon , Chuangchai Warawoot
Published: June 2023

Introduction

People with disabilities have a great risk of physical inactivity, which causes several diseases, dependency, and long-term care. Walking helps to increase physical activity, which leads to better overall health and independence. However, less research attention has focused on walking for people with disabilities, and even fewer studies have been considered for different types of disabilities. The present study aimed to demonstrate how walking distance was associated with people with seven different types of disabilities— including visual, hearing, physical/mobility, intellectual, learning, autism, and emotional/behavioral disabilities—in terms of their physical abilities and subjective health.

Methods

A total of 378 participants (aged 13–65) were gathered from seven national organizations in Thailand. A survey questionnaire on aspects of physical abilities (i.e., walking distance or manually rolling wheelchair distance; body balance; weightlifting; exercise duration and frequency); and subjective health (i.e., health status and satisfaction) was completed online by all participants.

Results

The walking distance was partially positive and associated with exercise duration, weightlifting, exercise frequency, and health status (all p values < 0.001), as well as body balance and health satisfaction (p = 0.001 and 0.004, respectively), after controlling for age, sex, and types of disability. This demonstrated that increasing the amount of distance walked could well lead to a more positive body and mind.

Discussion

The present study suggests that the possibility of having a walk and/or encouraging people with disabilities to walk for greater distances can have a significant impact on both their physical and subjective health outcomes.
Is sub-national healthcare social protection sufficient for protecting rare disease patients? the case of China
Authors: Xu Juan , Yu Mingren , Zhang Zhiguo , Gong Shiwei , Li Bingqin
Published: June 2023

Background

Failing to provide social support to cover healthcare costs for rare diseases would lead to great financial distress for the patients and their families. People from countries without a well-developed health safety-net are particularly vulnerable. Existing literature on rare diseases in China focuses on the unmet needs for care of the patients and the difficulties of caregivers and physicians. Very few studies examine the state of social safety-net, the unresolved issues and whether the current localized arrangements are sufficient. This study aimed to gain in-depth knowledge of the current policy system and make sense of the local varieties, which would be essential for developing strategies for future policy changes.

Methods

This systematic policy review focuses on the provincial level policies on subsidizing the healthcare costs for people with rare diseases in China. The cut-off point for the policies was March 19, 2022. The researchers coded the healthcare cost reimbursement policies and identified the different provincial level models based on the usage of reimbursement components in each provinces reimbursement arrangements.

Results

257 documents were collected. Five provincial level models (Process I, II, III, IV and V) have been identified with the five components across the country: Basic Medical Insurance for Outpatient Special Diseases (OSD), Catastrophic Medical Insurance for Rare Diseases (CMIRD), Medical Assistance for Rare Diseases (MARD), Special Fund for Rare Diseases (SFRD) and Mutual Medical Fund (MMF). The local health safety-net in each region is a combination of one or more of the five processes. Regions vary greatly in their rare diseases coverage and reimbursement policies.

Conclusion

In China, the provincial health authorities have developed some level of social protection for rare disease patients. However, there are still gaps regarding coverage and regional inequality; and there is room for a more integrated healthcare safety-net for people suffering from rare diseases at the national level.
Promoting sustainability competency and self-efficacy in class teacher education
Authors: Karvonen Roosa , Ratinen Ilkka , Kemi Ulla
Published: June 2023

There is an urgent need for a global sustainability transition. This change needs to be cultural and transform both our actions and the values on which we base our decision-making. Sustainability transition requires concentrating on future generations as well as on the people teaching them because class teachers have an impact on their pupils' knowledge, skills, values, and attitudes. Therefore, class teachers need new competency to make sustainability transformation in schools happen. Teachers also need to possess a sufficient level of self-efficacy beliefs, as they strongly impact a teacher's ability to manage their job as a sustainability educator. This survey research studied Finnish class student teachers' (N = 166) perceptions about their sustainability competency and self-efficacy in education for sustainable development. Students' perceptions of their sustainability competency were clustered into one weighted sum variable. Three principal components were constructed with principal component analysis (PCA) to describe the students' self-efficacy beliefs in education for sustainable development. A PCA paired with linear hierarchical regression analysis was conducted to explain the variation in students' sustainability competency perceptions. The results indicated that the combined self-efficacy beliefs in teaching values and ethics and systems thinking explained 19.3% of the variation in class student teachers' sustainability competency. As a result, improving class student teachers' self-efficacy beliefs about teaching ethics and values and systems thinking in the Finnish context can improve their sustainability competency and vice versa. To promote the sustainability competency of class student teachers, it is necessary to be aware of this connection when developing class teacher education.
Oxygen carriers affect kidney immunogenicity during ex-vivo machine perfusion
Authors: Rother Tamina , Horgby Carina , Schmalkuche Katharina , Burgmann Jonathan M. , Nocke Fabian , Jägers Johannes , Schmitz Jessica , Bräsen Jan Hinrich , Cantore Miriam , Zal Franck , Ferenz Katja B. , Blasczyk Rainer , Figueiredo Constanca
Published: June 2023

Normothermic ex-vivo machine perfusion provides a powerful tool to improve donor kidney preservation and a route for the delivery of pharmacological or gene therapeutic interventions prior to transplantation. However, perfusion at normothermic temperatures requires adequate tissue oxygenation to meet the physiological metabolic demand. For this purpose, the addition of appropriate oxygen carriers (OCs) to the perfusion solution is essential to ensure a sufficient oxygen supply and reduce the risk for tissue injury due to hypoxia. It is crucial that the selected OCs preserve the integrity and low immunogenicity of the graft. In this study, the effect of two OCs on the organ's integrity and immunogenicity was evaluated. Porcine kidneys were perfused ex-vivo for four hours using perfusion solutions supplemented with red blood cells (RBCs) as conventional OC, perfluorocarbon (PFC)-based OC, or Hemarina-M101 (M101), a lugworm hemoglobin-based OC named HEMO2life®, recently approved in Europe (i.e., CE obtained in October 2022). Perfusions with all OCs led to decreased lactate levels. Additionally, none of the OCs negatively affected renal morphology as determined by histological analyses. Remarkably, all OCs improved the perfusion solution by reducing the expression of pro-inflammatory mediators (IL-6, IL-8, TNFα) and adhesion molecules (ICAM-1) on both transcript and protein level, suggesting a beneficial effect of the OCs in maintaining the low immunogenicity of the graft. Thus, PFC-based OCs and M101 may constitute a promising alternative to RBCs during normothermic ex-vivo kidney perfusion.
Top of the podium, at what cost? injuries in female international elite climbers
Authors: Grønhaug G. , Joubert L. M. , Saeterbakken A. H. , Drum S. N. , Nelson M. C.
Published: June 2023

Objectives

Competitive sport climbing has made its way to the Olympic stage. This prestige has brought about route setting and training alterations which presumably affect injury epidemiology. Most of the climbing injury literature contains male climbers and lacks high performing athletes. Studies with both female and male climbers, rarely included separate analyses for performance level or sex. Therefore, injury concerns for elite female competitive climbers are impossible to discern. A former study examined the prevalence of amenorrhea in elite international female climbers (n = 114) and reported that 53.5% had at least one injury in the past 12 months, but injury details were excluded. This study's aim was to report these injury details and their associations with BMI, menstrual status and eating disorders of the cohort.

Methods

Online survey was emailed to competitive female climbers recruited through the IFSC database between June and August 2021. Data was analyzed using Mann–Whitney U, χ2 and logistic regression.

Results

229 registered IFSC climbers opened the questionnaire and 114 (49.7%) provided valid responses. Respondents (mean ± SD; age = 22.9 ± 5 year) represented 30 different countries and more than half (53.5%, n = 61) reported an injury in the prior 12 months with the majority in shoulders (37.7%, n = 23) and fingers (34.4%, n = 21). Injury prevalence in climbers with amenorrhea was 55.6% (n = 10). BMI was not a significant predictor of injury risk (OR = 1.082, 95% CI: 0.89, 1.3; p = 0.440) while accounting for current ED over the past 12 months. However, the odds ratio for having an injury was doubled for those with an ED (OR = 2.129, 95% CI: 0.905, 5.010; p = 0.08).

Conclusion

With over half reporting recent injuries (<12 months) mostly to shoulders and fingers, development of new strategies for injury prevention in competitive female climbers are warranted. In addition, climbers with disordered eating behaviors and/or menstrual disturbances might be more prone to injury. More research in this population is required. Suitable screening to prevent these health issues and proper monitoring of these athletes are paramount to long-term athlete success.
Upper-body isometric horizontal strength in game sport athletes
Authors: Reichert Lukas , Müller Till , Wieland Björn , Fleddermann Marie-Therese , Zentgraf Karen
Published: June 2023

Imagine blocking the opposing defense linemen in American football to protect your quarterback or creating gaps in the opponents' defense by setting blocks as a pivot player in handball. Such movements require a pushing action away from the body with the arms and stabilizing the whole body in different postural positions. Upper-body strength obviously plays an important role during American football and handball as well as in other game sports with opponent contact such as basketball. Yet, the availability of appropriate tests to measure upper-body strength serving sport-specific requirements seems limited. Therefore, a whole-body setup to measure isometric horizontal strength in game sport athletes was developed. The purpose of the study was to verify validity and reliability of this setup and present empirical data from game sport athletes. In 119 athletes, isometric horizontal strength was measured in three game-like standing positions (upright, slightly leaning forward and clearly leaning forward), each in three weight-shift conditions (80% of body weight on the left leg, 50/50% on both legs, 80% on the right leg). Also, handgrip strength on both sides was measured in all athletes using a dynamometer. Linear regression indicated that handgrip strength is a significant predictor of upper-body horizontal strength in female (β = 0.70, p = 0.043) but not in male athletes (β = 0.31, p = 0.117). As an expertise-related factor, linear regression indicated that the number of years played at the top level is a predictor of the upper-body horizontal relative strength measure (β = 0.05, p = 0.03). Reliability analyses showed high levels of within-test reliability (ICC > 0.90) as well as test-retest reliability between two separate measurements (r > 0.77). The results indicate that the setup used in this study could be a valid tool for measuring performance-relevant upper-body horizontal strength in different game-like positions in professional game sport athletes.
High throughput sequencing technologies complemented by growers’ perceptions highlight the impact of tomato virome in diversified vegetable farms and a lack of awareness of emerging virus threats
Authors: Temple Coline , Blouin Arnaud G. , Tindale Sophie , Steyer Stephan , Marechal Kevin , Massart Sebastien
Published: June 2023

The number of small-scale diversified vegetable growers in industrialized countries has risen sharply over the last 10 years. The risks associated with plant viruses in these systems have been barely studied in Europe, yet dramatic virus emergence events, such as tomato brown fruit rugose virus (ToBRFV), sometimes occur. We developed a methodology that aimed to understand better the implications related to viruses for tomato production in Belgian’s vegetable farms by comparing growers’ perception and the presence of plant-viral-like symptoms (visual inspection) with non-targeting detection of nearly all viruses present in the plants by high throughput sequencing technologies (HTS). Virus presence and impact were interpreted considering the farm’s typology and cultural practices, and the grower’s professional profiles. Overall, the data indicated that most growers have limited understanding of tomato viruses and are not concerned about them. Field observations were correlated to this perception as the prevalence of symptomatic plants was usually lower than 1%. However, important and potentially emergent viruses, mainly transmitted by insects, were detected in several farms. Notably, the presence of these viruses tended to be associated with the number of plant species grown per site (diversity) but not with a higher awareness of the growers regarding plant viral diseases, or a higher number of symptomatic plants. In addition, both HTS and perception analysis underlined the rising incidence and importance of an emergent virus: Physostegia chlorotic mottle virus. This study also revealed a notable lack of knowledge among producers regarding the highly contagious quarantine virus ToBRFV. Overall, the original methodology developed here, involving the integration of two separate fields of study (social science with phytopathology using HTS technologies), could be applied to other crops in other systems to identify emergent risks associated with plant viruses, and can highlight the communication needed with growers to mitigate epidemics. This exploratory investigation provides relevant insights, which, ideally, would be further tested on wider samples to allow finer statistical treatment to be performed.
Patterns of foot-and-mouth disease virus detection in environmental samples in an endemic setting
Authors: Mielke Sarah R. , Lendzele Sevidzem , Delgado Amy H. , Abdoulmoumini Mamoudou , Dickmu Simon , Garabed Rebecca
Published: June 2023

Foot-and-Mouth Disease virus (FMDV) is endemic in several regions and is a virus that can persist in the environment dependent on pH, relative humidity (RH), temperature, and matrix (i.e., soil, water, or air). Our previously published analysis of available viral persistence data showed that persistence is likely affected by interactions between RH, temperature, and matrix. Understanding these relationships will aid efforts to eliminate FMD, which has significant impacts on economies and food security. In Cameroon, West Africa, the livestock system consists of mobile (transhumant), transboundary trade and sedentary herds. Studying this system can provide information about the patterns of environmental detection of FMDV RNA that may influence approaches to virus elimination on premises during an outbreak. To improve our understanding of these patterns, we collected samples from individuals, vehicles, and along cattle pathways at three sedentary herds beginning on day one of owner-reported outbreaks, ending by day 30, and tested for the presence of FMD viral RNA using rRT-PCR. Our analysis suggests that detection decreases in soil surface samples with increased distance from herd and time from the first report of disease. Whereas time but not distance decreases detection in air samples. Interaction of RH and temperature suggests increased detection at high temperatures (>24°C) and RH (>75%), providing us with new information about the patterns of FMD viral RNA detection in and around cattle herds that could help to inform targeted virus elimination strategies, such as location and application of disinfectants.
Economic losses associated with respiratory and helminth infections in domestic pigs in Lira district, Northern Uganda
Authors: Oba Peter , Dione Michel , Mwiine Frank N. , Wieland Barbara , Erume Joseph , Ouma Emily
Published: June 2023

This study sought to quantify direct economic losses due to respiratory and gastrointestinal (GI) helminth infections in domestic pigs in Uganda. In a longitudinal study design with repeated measures, farm visits were made at 2 month intervals from October 2018 to September 2019. Weaner and grower pigs (n = 288) aged 2–6  months from 94 farms were sampled. The pigs were monitored for growth and screened for exposure to four important respiratory pathogens: porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2), porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSv),Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae(M. hyo),Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae(App) using ELISA tests. Farm management practices were recorded and used to generate management level scores. Treatment expenses incurred were recorded throughout the study. A mixed effects model was fitted to quantify effects of respiratory and helminth infections on average daily weight gains (ADGs), with farm and pig as random effects. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to determine differences in mean treatment costs by farm management standard. Financial losses were estimated from average carcass dressing percentage, ADG reductions during fattening (200  days). Results showed a grower pig in a given farm exposed to PRRSv andAscarisspp. had significantly lower ADG by 17.10 gr/day and 16.80 grams/day respectively, compared to a similar unexposed pig (p < 0.05). Mean treatment costs per pig declined significantly with increase in management standard scores (MSS), from USD 1.13 per pig in MSS 1 (poor management) farms to USD 0.95 for MSS 3 (better management) farms (p < 0.05). We show that monetary losses due to PRRSv andAscarisspp. infection amounted to USD 6.6 ± 2.7 and 6.50 ± 3.2 (Mean ± SEM) per pig, respectively during 200 days of fattening. This study strengthens evidence that improving management practices to reduce infections mitigates economic losses. To guide interventions, further studies are required to unravel the full extent of indirect economic losses.
Youth’s Social Environments: Associations with Mental Problems and Achievement of Developmental Milestones in Times of Crises
Authors: van Est-Bitincka Leanne A. C. , Schuiringa Hilde D. , van der Heijden Paul T. , van Aken Marcel A. G. , Laceulle Odilia M.
Published: June 2023

So far, many studies indicated that youth experience mental problems during crises, such as the COVID-19 crisis, but little attention has been paid to the relation to age-adequate functioning and its association to layered social environments. This study addresses this gap by investigating the association between social environments (i.e., household, friends, and neighbourhood) during the COVID-19 crisis with youth’s mental problems and age-adequate functioning. In total, 673 youth (mean age = 19.87, 73.4% girls) were surveyed online during the COVID-19 outbreak. In line with predictions, worse contact with household members was associated with more internalizing symptoms. A lack of privacy was associated with more internalizing and externalizing symptoms and difficulties achieving personal and school and professional milestones. Living with a vulnerable other was associated with more internalizing symptoms and difficulties achieving school and professional milestones. Worse contact with friends was associated with difficulty achieving social milestones. Additionally, neighbourhood risk moderated the association between living with a vulnerable other and school and professional milestones. A lack of privacy stood out as the most important factor associated to youth’s mental problems and achievement of developmental milestones. Future research should indicate to what extent these findings are COVID-19 crisis-specific or can generalize to other crises.
Nuclear Laboratory Setup for Measuring the Soil Water Content in Engineering Physics Teaching Laboratories
Authors: Pires Luiz F. , Cássaro Fábio A. M.
Published: June 2023

Soil water content (θ) is a crucial soil parameter that is determined in many studies involving engineering, geology, and soil and environmental sciences. For instance, evaluating the soil strength, groundwater recharge, hydraulic conductivity, and soil aeration status depends on θ. The measurement of θ is fundamental for monitoring and controlling several soil processes. The gamma-ray attenuation (GRA) technique is a fast and non-destructive way of evaluating θ in soils with very contrasting compositions. Although, GRA is rarely explored in lab physics classes. The proposal of an experiment using a teaching GRA apparatus for measuring θ is presented. The experimental setup consisted of a 137Cs radioactive source, a Geiger-Müller detector, and a radiation counter. Soil samples with four distinct granulometric compositions were analyzed. Strong linear correlations were found between the transmitted gamma-ray photon intensity and θ (correlation coefficients varying from −0.95 to −0.98). The soil porosity, measured by the conventional and GRA methods, presented differences that varied from c. 7.8% to c. 18.2%. In addition, strong linear relationships (correlation coefficients from 0.90 to 0.98) were observed between the GRA and the traditional (gravimetric) method of θ measurement. It was verified that the teaching GRA apparatus is useful for measuring θ. In addition, the apparatus allows the introduction of some important aspects related to the study of modern physics for undergraduate students of many fields of knowledge.
Preliminary Perspectives on Information Passing in the Intelligence Community
Authors: Block Jeremy E. , Bookner Ilana , Chu Sharon Lynn , Crouser R. Jordan , Honeycutt Donald R. , Jonas Rebecca M. , Kulkarni Abhishek , Paredes Yancy Vance , Ragan Eric D.
Published: June 2023

Analyst sensemaking research typically focuses on individual or small groups conducting intelligence tasks. This has helped understand information retrieval tasks and how people communicate information. As a part of the grand challenge of the Summer Conference on Applied Data Science (SCADS) to build a system that can generate tailored daily reports (TLDR) for intelligence analysts, we conducted a qualitative interview study with analysts to increase understanding of information passing in the intelligence community. While our results are preliminary, we expect that this work will contribute to a better understanding of the information ecosystem of the intelligence community, how institutional dynamics affect information passing, and what implications this has for a TLDR system. This work describes our involvement in and work completed during SCADS. Although preliminary, we identify that information passing is both a formal and informal process and often follows professional networks due especially to the small population and specialization of work. We call attention to the need for future analysis of information ecosystems to better support tailored information retrieval features.
Effect of Genetic and Environmental Factors on Twin Pregnancy in Primiparous Dairy Cows
Authors: López-Gatius Fernando , Garcia-Ispierto Irina , Ganau Sergi , Wijma Robert , Weigel Daniel , Di Croce Fernando
Published: June 2023

Twin pregnancies are highly undesirable in dairy cattle; they compromise the health and wellbeing of a cow and dramatically impair the farm economy. Recently, a genomic prediction for twin pregnancies has been developed. The objective of this study was to assess environmental and management risk factors affecting the incidence of twin pregnancies in high-producing dairy cows in their first lactation, with a special emphasis placed on the genomic prediction values of twin pregnancy. Our study population of primiparous cows proved valuable in identifying factors other than genomic predictive values that influence twin pregnancy rates. The odds ratio for twin pregnancies was 0.85 (p < 0.0001) for each unit of a prediction value increase, 3.5 (p = 0.023) for cows becoming pregnant during the negative photoperiod, and 0.33 (p = 0.016) for cows producing ≥42 kg of milk at AI, compared with the remaining cows who produced <42 kg of milk. As a general conclusion, the practical implication of our findings is that genomic prediction values can identify the risk of twin pregnancy at a herd level. Given the cumulative effect of genomic selection, selecting animals with a reduced genetic risk of twin pregnancies can contribute to reducing the incidence of twin pregnancies in dairy herds.