bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Extractivism's limits: A conversation
Authors: Jobson Ryan Cecil , Gómez‐Barris Macarena , Howe Cymene , Winchell Mareike 
Published: August 2024

AbstractIn this multiauthored conversation on the limits of extractivism, Ryan Cecil Jobson, Macarena Gómez Barris, Cymene Howe, and Mareike Winchell collectively reflect on the erasures and displacements of extractivism, and how it works to produce affective and material outcomes. They take time to imagine the possible, or the aspirational, futures in a postextractive world or worlds, while recognizing that “extractivism” itself has become a way of marking multiplied effects (and affects) that unfold differently in time and place, for humans and for nonhumans.
Canadian Midwives’ Experiences with Nutrition in Their Training and Practice: A Cross‐Sectional Study
Authors: Butler Jordyn , Sawaya Yvana , Seabrook Jamie A. , Madill Janet , Twynstra Jasna 
Published: August 2024

IntroductionMidwives are primary prenatal care providers well‐positioned to offer nutrition advice to pregnant individuals; however, no Canadian study has assessed midwives’ experience with nutrition education. The objective of this study was to investigate Canadian midwives’ experiences with nutrition in their practice, their level of nutrition education, and their recommendations on select nutrition topics.MethodsThis cross‐sectional study used an anonymous online survey consisting of 4 sections: demographics, opinions on the importance of nutrition, nutrition recommendations for pregnancy, and nutrition topics that midwives would like more information on. Responses were recorded using Likert‐type scales, multiple choice, or open‐ended questions. Eligible participants, registered Canadian midwives, were recruited through advertisements in e‐newsletters via national and provincial midwifery associations, social media posts, and emails to midwifery clinics. An independent samples t test compared differences in means for continuous outcomes, the χ2 test compared categorical variables, and the Mann‐Whitney U test compared ordinal variables. A P < .05 was considered statistically significant.ResultsIn total, 161 midwives completed the online survey. Most midwives (92.5%) indicated that nutrition for pregnancy was important, and 83.2% believed their role in providing nutrition information to pregnant women was important. Almost two‐thirds (63.8%) of midwives received nutrition education. Comfort levels were highest (median = 4) when providing nutrition advice on healthy eating, weight gain, Listeria, anemia, heartburn, safe food handling, nutrition for breastfeeding, and weight gain for women with obesity. Almost all the midwives (99.4%) had provided nutrition information to pregnant women, and 85.2% of their recommendations aligned with Canadian guidelines and literature.DiscussionCanadian midwives valued the importance of nutrition during pregnancy and their role in providing nutrition information to pregnant women. The level of comfort in advising on nutrition ranged from uncomfortable to very comfortable depending on the topic, and most (85.2%) of their advice aligned with Canadian guidelines and relevant literature.
The social construction of time and its influence on medical education
Authors: Wyatt Tasha R. , de Oliveira Vidal Edison Iglesias 
Published: August 2024

AbstractIntroductionFew sociocultural constructs exist that are so deeply embedded in our daily lives and able to influence our thoughts, behaviours and interactions than time itself. Time spans all cultures, and yet many of us have not critically engaged with how time effects what we do, how we perceive and the ways in which we interact. As such, our relationship to time remains almost invisible running in the background nearly unnoticed until it is somehow brought into conscious awareness.ContextIn this paper, we draw on Levine's concepts of clock time and event time as different perspectives on time, demonstrating how they play out in medical education and clinical practice within the United States and Brazil. Clock time treats time as something external to our lives, fixed by the natural world and measured by clocks. Event time is conceptualised more flexibly, where the duration of activities depends on internal cues related to the flow and progression of events rather than strict schedules.DiscussionBy contrasting these differences, we hope to make visible the way that time influences our choices for educating physicians and provide a foundation for medical education to begin questioning how time is positioned, experienced and understood as a powerful force in the shaping of our profession. Additionally, we consider these perspectives within the concepts of Taylorism and Slow Medicine to better understand their links to medicine's formal and hidden curriculum in hopes of raising awareness and create new visions for medical education.
Reflecting on the Spectrum of Involvement: How do we involve patients as partners in education?
Authors: Bennett‐Weston Amber , Gay Simon , Anderson Elizabeth S. 
Published: August 2024

AbstractBackgroundThe Spectrum of Involvement describes six levels of active patient involvement in healthcare education. Only at the highest levels are patients described as ‘equal partners’. Although this framework was never intended to be hierarchical, healthcare educators continue to strive towards aspirations for involving patients as ‘equal partners’ in education. However, we do not know what these partnerships mean for all stakeholders and how they can be achieved in practice. This study explores key stakeholders' understandings and experiences of patient partnerships in healthcare education.MethodsA qualitative case study design was adopted, underpinned by a social constructivist philosophical stance. Semi‐structured interviews were conducted with patients (n = 10) and educators (n = 10) from across a Medical School and a Healthcare School. Five focus groups were held with penultimate year students (n = 20) from across the two Schools. Data were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis.ResultsThree themes were generated: (i) equal partnerships are neither feasible nor desirable; (ii) partnership is about being and feeling valued; and (iii) valuing patients as partners. Patients did not always desire the highest levels of involvement, as ‘equal partners’ in education. All stakeholders agreed that partnership need not be synonymous with equality. Instead, they contended that true partnerships were about valuing patients for their contributions at any level of involvement. Remuneration, student feedback, training and providing institutional access were viewed as important methods of valuing patients as partners.ConclusionPatients, educators and students questioned the notion that patient partnerships are only achievable at the highest levels of involvement. Critical application of the Spectrum of Involvement in future research and education is encouraged. This study addresses a gap in the literature, providing tangible approaches to valuing patients as partners that are endorsed by all stakeholders. We propose a model for achieving valued patient partnerships in educational practice.
Sex‐based factors influencing perceived relocation stress and glycemic control among older adults with diabetes
Authors: Chen Shu‐Ming , Wu Chiung‐Jung (Jo) 
Published: August 2024

AbstractThis study investigated sex differences perceived relocation stress and glycemic control among older adults with type 2 diabetes in long‐term care facilities. A cross‐sectional correlation design was used to recruit 120 residents during their first year after moving into the facilities in southern Taiwan. The results showed that almost two‐thirds of the participants (64.2%) were women. The mean age was 79.62 (SD = 1.71). Older women with diabetes were reported to have significantly lower levels of education and poor glycemic control but higher levels of perceived relocation stress than men; however, functional independence was significantly higher in men. Although perceived relocation stress significantly predicted HbA1c levels in both women and men, length of stay was also significant in predicting HbA1c levels in women. These findings indicate the need for effective physical and psychological measures to improve glycemic control during the first year of stay in long‐term care facilities.
Two new qPCR assays for detecting and quantifying the Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus parasiticus clades in maize kernels
Authors: Leharanger Alexandre , Paumier Delphine , Orlando Beatrice , Bailly Sylviane , Valade Romain 
Published: August 2024

AbstractThe fungi of Aspergillus section Flavi can produce carcinogenic mycotoxins—aflatoxins (AFs)—of two types: types B and G (AFBs and AFGs). AFs are highly hazardous for human and animal health. Their levels in food and feed are therefore highly regulated, with a low acceptable limit for AF content. In France, climate change has led to the detection of AFs in maize harvests since 2015. Mycoflora analyses have identified two species, A. flavus (producing AFBs) and A. parasiticus (producing both AFBs and AFGs), as responsible for this AF contamination. However, mycoflora analysis is a time‐consuming method that cannot readily be applied to large numbers of samples. We propose here an alternative clade‐specific functional TaqMan quantitative PCR method based on the calmodulin gene for distinguishing between the A. flavus clade (AfC) and the A. parasiticus clade (ApC). We applied this method to 553 maize samples collected in three different harvest years (2018–2020). Both clades were detected in about 40% of the samples tested. As expected, we observed significant positive correlations between AFBs and AfC DNA (R2 = 0.708), and between AFGs and ApC DNA (R2 = 0.885). This method will be useful for the rapid, simple and cheap characterization of maize grain contamination with Aspergillus section Flavi. This method will make it possible to study the relationship between agroclimatic conditions, AF content and species prevalence, to facilitate the anticipation of AF risks due to global warming in France.
Artemisia annua ZFP8L regulates glandular trichome development
Authors: Zhang Shiyang , Chen Haixia , Guo Sheng , Wang Chen , Jiang Kerui , Cui Jiangyuan , Wang Bo 
Published: August 2024

AbstractTrichomes are known to be important biofactories that contribute to the production of secondary metabolites, such as terpenoids. C2H2‐zinc finger proteins (C2H2‐ZFPs) are vital transcription factors of plants' trichome development. However, little is known about the function of Artemisia annua C2H2‐ZFPs in trichome development. To explore the roles of this gene family in trichome development, two C2H2‐ZFP transcription factors, named AaZFP8L and AaGIS3, were identified; both are hormonally regulated in A. annua. Overexpression of AaZFP8L in tobacco led to a significant increase in the density and length of glandular trichomes, and improved terpenoid content. In contrast, AaGIS3 was found to positively regulate non‐glandular trichome initiation and elongation, which reduces terpenoid accumulation. In addition, ABA contents significantly increased in AaZFP8L‐overexpressing tobacco lines and AaZFP8L also can directly bind the promoter of the ABA biosynthesis genes. This study lays the foundation for further investigating A. annua C2H2‐ZFPs in trichome development and terpenoid accumulation.
Influence of gestational window on offspring vascular health in rodents with in utero exposure to electronic cigarettes
Authors: Mills Amber , Nassabeh Sydney , Hurley Audra , Shouldis Lainey , Chantler Paul D. , Dakhlallah Duaa , Olfert I. Mark 
Published: August 2024

AbstractStudies have shown cerebrovascular dysfunction in offspring with full‐gestational electronic cigarette (Ecig) exposure, but little is known about how individual trimester exposure impacts offspring health. This study aimed to determine if there is a critical window during gestation that contributes to vascular and anxiety‐like behavioural changes seen with full‐term exposure. To test this, rats were time‐mated, and the pregnant dams were randomly assigned to Ecig exposure during first trimester (gestational day, GD2–7), second trimester (GD8–14), third trimester (GD15–21) or full‐term gestation (GD2–21). We also assessed the effect of maternal preconception exposure. Both male and female offspring from all maternal exposure conditions were compared to offspring from dams under ambient air (control) conditions. Ecig exposure consisted of 60‐puffs/day (5 days/week) using either 5 or 30 watts for each respective exposure group. We found that maternal exposure to Ecig in the second and third trimesters resulted in a decrease (23–38%) in vascular reactivity of the middle cerebral artery (MCA) reactivity in 3‐ and 6‐month‐old offspring compared to Air offspring. Further, the severity of impairment was comparable to the full‐term exposure (31–46%). Offspring also displayed changes in body composition, body mass, anxiety‐like behaviour and locomotor activity, indicating that Ecigs influence neurodevelopment and metabolism. Maternal preconception exposure showed no impact on offspring body mass, anxiety‐like behaviour, or vascular function. Thus, the critical exposure window where Ecig affects vascular development in offspring occurs during mid‐ to late‐gestation in pregnancy, and both 5 W and 30 W exposure produce significant vascular dysfunction compared to Air.
imageKey points
Exposure to electronic cigarettes (Ecigs) is known to increase risk factors for cardiovascular disease in both animals and humans.
Maternal Ecig use during pregnancy in rodents is found to impair the vascular health of adolescent and adult offspring, but the critical gestation window for Ecig‐induced vascular impairment is not known.
This study demonstrates Ecig exposure during mid‐ and late‐gestation (i.e. second or third trimester) results in impaired endothelial cell‐mediated dilatation (i.e. middle cerebral artery reactivity) and alters anxiety‐like behaviour in offspring.
Maternal exposure prior to conception did not impact offspring's vascular or anxiety‐like behavioural outcomes.
Rodent models have been a reliable and useful predictor of inhalation‐induced harm to humans. These data indicate maternal use of Ecigs during pregnancy should not be considered safe, and begin to inform clinicians and women about potential long‐term harm to their offspring.
Experimental Study of High-Diodicity Inlet Effects on Rotating Detonation Combustor Performance and Operability
Authors: Barnouin Provence , Bach Eric , Paschereit Christian Oliver , Bohon Myles D. 
Published: August 2024

Abstract
Implementing high-diodicity inlets is critical to reduce backflow and mitigate the pressure loss across the injector in rotating detonation combustors (RDCs). Experiments on air injection diodicity were conducted in a nonpremixed RDC for both cold-flow and reacting conditions. The introduction of a Tesla-like diode impacted operating modes and injector dynamics, but the extent of that effect depended on the throat-to-combustor area ratio. A smaller ratio mitigated the impact of the diode on detonation characteristics, while a larger ratio extended the operating range of stronger wave modes. The diode stabilized RDC operation through an increased static pressure drop, but limited performance most likely due to poor reactant mixing and local equivalence ratio distribution. Cold-flow tests showed a higher diodicity for the diode, which may contribute to higher pressure gain in reacting experiments. A modified diodicity formulation based on reacting flow measurements was introduced, suggesting that a multimetric approach can be useful to assess injector performance. High-diodicity air inlets could be useful tools for reducing total pressure loss and controlling operating modes, but careful consideration is required to limit adverse effects on processes like reactant mixing.
Influence of Helical Intake Port Structure Parameters of Diesel Engine on Intake Performance
Authors: Bao Guangyuan , He Chao , Li Jiaqiang , Liu Xueyuan 
Published: August 2024

Abstract
To enhance the performance of the diesel engine helical intake port, computational fluid dynamics (CFD) was employed to conduct numerical simulations of the intake port and in-cylinder flow of the D19 diesel engine. The primary focus of the study was to investigate the effect of structural design parameters of the diesel engine helical intake port on the cylinder swirl ratio and intake mass. By modifying the three main structural design parameters of the helical intake port, we explored their effect on the in-cylinder swirl ratio. The study utilized deflection angle (θ), helical chamber height (H), and eccentric distance (Δa) as three influential factors, each set at three levels. Orthogonal experiments and linear regression analysis were conducted using swirl ratio and intake mass as evaluation indicators for the airflow characteristics in the intake port. The results show that the influence weights of the intake port structural parameters on swirl ratio and intake mass are as follows: H &gt; Δa &gt; θ, and H &gt; θ &gt; Δa. When the three key structural parameters of θ, H, and Δa are changed individually so that their values are −15 deg, 6.28 mm, and 3 mm, respectively, the in-cylinder swirl ratio obtains the maximum value and satisfies the linear regression equation, y = 0.754–0.005θ + 0.165H + 0.088Δa. From the analysis of the results of the F test, it can be found that the significant p value is 0.362, which is not statistically significant. There is no linear regression relationship between the intake mass and the θ, H, and Δa.
Chemosynthetic alphaproteobacterial diazotrophs reside in deep-sea cold-seep bottom waters
Authors: Chen Jiawei , Deng Lixia , Wang Xiao , Zhong Cheng , Xia Xiaomin , Liu Hongbin 
Published: August 2024

ABSTRACT

Nitrogen (N)-fixing organisms, also known as diazotrophs, play a crucial role in N-limited ecosystems by controlling the production of bioavailable N. The carbon-dominated cold-seep ecosystems are inherently N-limited, making them hotspots of N fixation. However, the knowledge of diazotrophs in cold-seep ecosystems is limited compared to other marine ecosystems. In this study, we used multi-omics to investigate the diversity and catabolism of diazotrophs in deep-sea cold-seep bottom waters. Our findings showed that the relative abundance of diazotrophs in the bacterial community reached its highest level in the cold-seep bottom waters compared to the cold-seep upper waters and non-seep bottom waters. Remarkably, more than 98% of metatranscriptomic reads aligned on diazotrophs in cold-seep bottom waters belonged to the genus
Sagittula
, an alphaproteobacterium. Its metagenome-assembled genome, named Seep-BW-D1, contained catalytic genes (
nifHDK
) for nitrogen fixation, and the
nifH
gene was actively transcribed
in situ
. Seep-BW-D1 also exhibited chemosynthetic capability to oxidize C1 compounds (methanol, formaldehyde, and formate) and thiosulfate (S
2
O
3
2−
). In addition, we observed abundant transcripts mapped to genes involved in the transport systems for acetate, spermidine/putrescine, and pectin oligomers, suggesting that Seep-BW-D1 can utilize organics from the intermediates synthesized by methane-oxidizing microorganisms, decaying tissues from cold-seep benthic animals, and refractory pectin derived from upper photosynthetic ecosystems. Overall, our study corroborates that carbon-dominated cold-seep bottom waters select for diazotrophs and reveals the catabolism of a novel chemosynthetic alphaproteobacterial diazotroph in cold-seep bottom waters.

IMPORTANCE

Bioavailable nitrogen (N) is a crucial element for cellular growth and division, and its production is controlled by diazotrophs. Marine diazotrophs contribute to nearly half of the global fixed N and perform N fixation in various marine ecosystems. While previous studies mainly focused on diazotrophs in the sunlit ocean and oxygen minimum zones, recent research has recognized cold-seep ecosystems as overlooked N-fixing hotspots because the seeping fluids in cold-seep ecosystems introduce abundant bioavailable carbon but little bioavailable N, making most cold seeps inherently N-limited. With thousands of cold-seep ecosystems detected at continental margins worldwide in the past decades, the significant role of cold seeps in marine N biogeochemical cycling is emphasized. However, the diazotrophs in cold-seep bottom waters remain poorly understood. Through multi-omics, this study identified a novel alphaproteobacterial chemoheterotroph belonging to
Sagittula
as one of the most active diazotrophs residing in cold-seep bottom waters and revealed its catabolism.
Cyclization increases bactericidal activity of arginine-rich cationic cell-penetrating peptide for
Neisseria gonorrhoeae
Authors: John Constance M. , Otala Suzanne A. , Jarvis Gary A. 
Published: August 2024

ABSTRACT

We previously reported that a linear cationic 12-amino acid cell-penetrating peptide (CPP) was bactericidal for
Neisseria gonorrhoeae
. In this study, our objectives were to determine the effect of cyclization of the linear CPP on its antibacterial activity for
N. gonorrhoeae
and cytotoxicity for human cells. We compared the bactericidal effect of 4-hour treatment with the linear CPP to that of CPPs cyclized by a thioether or a disulfide bond on human challenge and multi-drug resistant (MDR) strains of
N. gonorrhoeae
grown in cell culture media with 10% fetal bovine serum (FBS). The effect of lipooligosaccharide (LOS) sialylation on bactericidal activity was analyzed. We determined the ability of the CPPs to treat human cells infected
in vitro
with
N. gonorrhoeae
, to reduce the inflammatory response of human monocytic cells to gonococci, to kill strains of three commensal
Neisseria
species, and to inhibit gonococcal biofilms. The cyclized CPPs killed 100% of gonococci from all strains at 100 µM and >90% at 20 µM and were more potent than the linear form. The thioether-linked but not the disulfide-linked CPP was less cytotoxic for human cervical cells compared to the linear CPP. LOS sialylation had minimal effect on bactericidal activity. In treating infected human cells, the thioether-linked CPP at 20 µM killed >60% of extra- and intracellular bacteria and reduced TNF-α expression by THP-1 cells. The potency of the CPPs for the pathogenic and the commensal
Neisseria
was similar. The thioether-linked CPP partially eradicated gonococcal biofilms. Future studies will focus on determining efficacy in the female mouse model of gonorrhea.

IMPORTANCE

Neisseria gonorrhoeae
remains a major cause of sexually transmitted infections with 82 million cases worldwide in 2020, and 710,151 confirmed cases in the US in 2021, up 25% from 2017.
N. gonorrhoeae
can infect multiple tissues including the urethra, cervix, rectum, pharynx, and conjunctiva. The most serious sequelae are suffered by infected women as gonococci ascend to the upper reproductive tract and cause pelvic inflammatory disease, chronic pelvic pain, and infertility in 10%–20% of women. Control of gonococcal infection is widely recognized as increasingly challenging due to the lack of any vaccine.
N. gonorrhoeae
has quickly developed resistance to all but one class of antibiotics and the emergence of multidrug-resistant strains could result in untreatable infections. As such, gonorrhea is classified by the Center for Disease Control (CDC) as an urgent public health threat. The research presented herein on new therapeutics for gonorrhea has identified a cyclic cell-penetrating peptide (CPP) as a potent molecule targeting
N. gonorrhoeae
.