bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Development and application of a real-time polymerase chain reaction assay to detect lumpy skin disease virus belonging to the Kenyan sheep and goat pox group
Authors: Sprygin Alexander , Mazloum Ali , Van Schalkwyk Antoinette , Krotova Alena , Bydovskaya Olga , Prokhvatilova Larisa , Chvala Ilya 
Published: September 2023

AbstractLumpy skin disease (LSD) outbreaks in Southeast and South Asia are attributed to different lineages of LSD virus (LSDV). Variants belonging to the novel recombinant cluster 2.5 circulate in China and Thailand, while a Kenyan sheep and goat pox (KSGP) strain from cluster 1.1 circulates in India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh. The clusters representing these circulating strains are vastly different. However, if their distribution encroaches into each other’s ranges, it will be impossible to differentiate between them due to the lack of suitable molecular tools. Thus, fit-for-purpose molecular tools are in demand to effectively and timeously diagnose and investigate the epidemiology of LSDVs in a region. These could significantly contribute to the phylogenetic delineation of LSDVs and the development of preventive measures against transboundary spillovers. This work aimed to develop a real-time polymerase chain reaction assay targeting open reading frame LW032, capable of specifically detecting KSGP-related isolates and recombinant LSDV strains containing the KSGP backbone. The analytical specificity was proven against the widest possible panel of recombinant vaccine-like LSDV strains known to date. The amplification efficiency was 91.08%, and the assay repeatability had a cycle threshold variation of 0.56–1.1 over five repetitions across three runs. This KSGP-specific assay is reliable and fast and is recommended for use in LSDV epidemiological studies where the accurate detection of KSGP genetic signatures is a priority, particularly in regions where KSGP-like and other lineages are circulating.
Purification of functional mouse skeletal muscle mitochondria using percoll density gradient centrifugation
Authors: Anunciado-Koza Rea Victoria P. , Guntur Anyonya R. , Vary Calvin P. , Gartner Carlos A. , Nowak Madeleine , Koza Robert A. 
Published: September 2023

Abstract
Objective
Our goal was to isolate purified mitochondria from mouse skeletal muscle using a Percoll density gradient and to assess bioenergetic function and purity via Seahorse Extracellular Flux (XF) Analyses and mass spectrometry.

Results
Mitochondria isolated from murine quadriceps femoris skeletal muscle using a Percoll density gradient method allowed for minimally contaminated preparations with time from tissue harvest to mitochondrial isolation and quantification in about 3–4 h. Percoll purification from 100 to 200 mg fresh tissue yielded ~ 200–400 ug protein. Mitochondrial bioenergetics evaluated using the Seahorse XFe96 analyzer, a high-throughput respirometry platform, showed optimum mitochondrial input at 500 ng with respiratory control ratio ranging from 3.9 to 7.1 using various substrates demonstrating a high degree of functionality. Furthermore, proteomic analysis of Percoll-enriched mitochondria isolated from skeletal muscle using this method showed significant enrichment of mitochondrial proteins indicating high sample purity. This study established a methodology that ensures sufficient high quality mitochondria for downstream analyses such as mitochondrial bioenergetics and proteomics.
Evaluation of cardiac autonomic control during the 6-min walk test in women with systemic sclerosis
Authors: de Oliveira Saraiva Nathália Alves , de Oliveira Farias Iasmim , Mesquita dos Santos Brenda , Xavier Rosemere Saldanha , Lopes Agnaldo José 
Published: September 2023

Abstract
Objective
To evaluate the association between sympathovagal balance and exercise performance, as measured by the 6-min walk test (6MWT), in women with systemic sclerosis (SSc) without cardiac involvement.

Results
This was a cross-sectional study in which 69 women with SSc [median age 51 (40–63 years)] without cardiac involvement underwent the 6MWT. Throughout the 6MWT, heart rate variability (HRV) was assessed using dedicated software.

Methods
The median 6-min walking distance (6MWD) was 451 (392–498) meters, and 29 (42%) participants did not achieve 80% of the predicted value for healthy adults. Desaturation during the 6MWT (SpO2 ≤ 4%) was observed in 10.1% of participants. Significant correlations were observed between the 6MWD and the following HRV parameters: number of successive normal-to-normal RR interval differences > 50 ms (rs=-0.397, P = 0.013), low-frequency range (rs=0.374, P = 0.023), high-frequency range (rs=-0.372, P = 0.023), and parasympathetic nervous system index (rs=-0.342, P = 0.045).

Conclusion
In women with SSc, there is an interrelationship of the 6MWD with both vagal withdrawal and sympathetic hyperactivation. This relationship between autonomic imbalance and worse exercise performance might increase cardiovascular risk, even in patients without apparent cardiac involvement. Control of the heart by the autonomic nervous system may be a potential target for treating patients with SSc.
Piloting a forced-choice task to elicit treatment preferences in geographic atrophy
Authors: Enoch Jamie , Ghulakhszian Arevik , Sekhon Mandeep , Crabb David P. , Taylor Deanna J. , Dinah Christiana 
Published: September 2023

Abstract
Objective
Geographic Atrophy (GA) is the advanced form of the non-neovascular (‘dry’) type of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and responsible for one-quarter of legal blindness in the UK. New therapies delivered by intravitreal injection are in late-stage development, and two such therapies (pegcetacoplan (Syfovre) and avacincaptad pegol (Izervay)) have now been approved for clinical use by the US Food and Drug Administration. These therapies slow down, but do not stop or reverse, progression of GA and they may also increase the risk of developing the neovascular (‘wet’) type of AMD. Within a larger study exploring the acceptability of these new treatments to people living with GA, we developed a forced-choice exercise to evaluate how participants weigh up benefits and drawbacks of different treatment regimens. This research note reports quantitative and qualitative findings from this exercise.

Results
Twenty-eight participants took part in this exercise. The exercise demonstrated that participants were generally, although not unanimously, in favour of less frequent treatment for GA that was slightly less efficacious in terms of preserving visual function but presented a lower risk of developing wet AMD. Even among a small sample, the exercise demonstrated the highly personal and idiosyncratic decision-making processes influencing participants’ choices of preferred hypothetical GA treatment.
Comparing the antidepressant-like effects of electroconvulsive seizures in adolescent and adult female rats: an intensity dose–response study
Authors: Ledesma-Corvi Sandra , García-Fuster M. Julia 
Published: September 2023

Abstract
Background
The induction of electroconvulsive seizures (ECS) in rodents induces sex- and age-specific disparities in antidepressant-like responses, with females and young age being the most unresponsive ones. Since the electrical charge needed to induce an effective convulsion is also altered by these variables, our aim was to compare different dose-intensities of ECS exclusively in female rats, since there is a lack of preclinical data characterizing this particular sex, while also evaluating efficacy during distinctive age periods of treatment (adolescence vs. adulthood).

Methods
Adolescent and adult female Sprague–Dawley rats were exposed to an intensity dose–response study (55, 75 or 95 mA; 0.6 s, 100 Hz, 1 session/day, 5 days). The particular characteristics of the induced convulsions (tonic, clonic, recovery times) were monitored during treatment. Antidepressant-like responses were evaluated under the stress of the forced-swim test 1-, 3-, and 7-days post-treatment (i.e., improved immobility time as an indicative of an antidepressant-like response), and brains were collected 24 h later (8 days post-treatment) to evaluate potential changes in hippocampal neurogenesis (Ki-67 and NeuroD) by immunohistochemistry.

Results
The lowest intensities tested of ECS (55 and 75 mA) induced an antidepressant-like effect in adult female rats, but rendered insufficient in adolescence. The lack of efficacy observed in adolescent rats paralleled differences in the characteristics of the seizures induced by ECS as compared to adulthood. In line with prior results, different dose-intensities of ECS modulated hippocampal neurogenesis in a comparable fashion with age (i.e., increased survival of neural progenitors 8 days post-treatment).

Conclusions
In conjunction, these results reinforce the importance of fine-tuning the parameters of ECS that might render efficacious while considering sex and age as essential variables for treatment response, and suggest that other molecular mechanisms, beside the partial role of hippocampal neurogenesis, might be participating in the antidepressant-like effects induced by ECS.
Saturated fat, the estimated absolute risk and certainty of risk for mortality and major cancer and cardiometabolic outcomes: an overview of systematic reviews
Authors: Talukdar Jhalok Ronjan , Steen Jeremy P. , Goldenberg Joshua Z. , Zhang Qian , Vernooij Robin W. M. , Ge Long , Zeraatkar Dena , Bała Małgorzata M. , Ball Geoff D. C. , Thabane Lehana , Johnston Bradley C. 
Published: September 2023

Abstract
Objective
To assess the impact of reducing saturated fat or fatty foods, or replacing saturated fat with unsaturated fat, carbohydrate or protein, on the risk of mortality and major cancer and cardiometabolic outcomes in adults.

Methods
We searched MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, and references of included studies for systematic reviews and meta-analyses (SRMAs) of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and observational studies in adults published in the past 10 years. Eligible reviews investigated reducing saturated fat or fatty foods or replacing saturated fat with unsaturated fat, carbohydrate or protein, on the risk of cancer and cardiometabolic outcomes and assessed the certainty of evidence for each outcome using, for example, the GRADE (Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluations) approach. We assessed the quality of SRMAs using a modified version of AMSTAR-2. Results were summarized as absolute estimates of effect together with the certainty of effects using a narrative synthesis approach.

Results
We included 17 SRMAs (13 reviews of observational studies with follow-up 1 to 34 years; 4 reviews of RCTs with follow-up 1 to 17 years). The quality of two-thirds of the SRMAs was critically low to moderate; the main limitations included deficient reporting of study selection, absolute effect estimates, sources of funding, and a priori subgroups to explore heterogeneity. Our included reviews reported > 100 estimates of effect across 11 critically important cancer and cardiometabolic outcomes. High quality SRMAs consistently and predominantly reported low to very low certainty evidence that reducing or replacing saturated fat was associated with a very small risk reduction in cancer and cardiometabolic endpoints. The risk reductions where approximately divided, some being statistically significant and some being not statistically significant. However, based on 2 moderate to high quality reviews, we found moderate certainty evidence for a small but important effect that was statistically significant for two outcomes (total mortality events [20 fewer events per 1000 followed] and combined cardiovascular events [16 fewer per 1000 followed]). Conversely, 4 moderate to high quality reviews showed very small effects on total mortality, with 3 of these reviews showing non-statistically significant mortality effects.

Conclusion
Systematic reviews investigating the impact of SFA on mortality and major cancer and cardiometabolic outcomes almost universally suggest very small absolute changes in risk, and the data is based primarily on low and very low certainty evidence.

Systematic review registration
PROSPERO CRD42020172141
Host genetic variation drives the differentiation in the ecological role of the native Miscanthus root-associated microbiome
Authors: Ji Niuniu , Liang Di , Clark Lindsay V. , Sacks Erik J. , Kent Angela D. 
Published: September 2023

Abstract
Background
Microbiome recruitment is influenced by plant host, but how host plant impacts the assembly, functions, and interactions of perennial plant root microbiomes is poorly understood. Here we examined prokaryotic and fungal communities between rhizosphere soils and the root endophytic compartment in two native Miscanthus species (Miscanthus sinensis and Miscanthus floridulus) of Taiwan and further explored the roles of host plant on root-associated microbiomes.

Results
Our results suggest that host plant genetic variation, edaphic factors, and site had effects on the root endophytic and rhizosphere soil microbial community compositions in both Miscanthus sinensis and Miscanthus floridulus, with a greater effect of plant genetic variation observed for the root endophytic communities. Host plant genetic variation also exerted a stronger effect on core prokaryotic communities than on non-core prokaryotic communities in each microhabitat of two Miscanthus species. From rhizosphere soils to root endophytes, prokaryotic co-occurrence network stability increased, but fungal co-occurrence network stability decreased. Furthermore, we found root endophytic microbial communities in two Miscanthus species were more strongly driven by deterministic processes rather than stochastic processes. Root-enriched prokaryotic OTUs belong to Gammaproteobacteria, Alphaproteobacteria, Betaproteobacteria, Sphingobacteriia, and [Saprospirae] both in two Miscanthus species, while prokaryotic taxa enriched in the rhizosphere soil are widely distributed among different phyla.

Conclusions
We provide empirical evidence that host genetic variation plays important roles in root-associated microbiome in Miscanthus. The results of this study have implications for future bioenergy crop management by providing baseline data to inform translational research to harness the plant microbiome to sustainably increase agriculture productivity.
Measurement of psychological inflexibility: an examination of the psychometric properties of the AAQ-3 compared to AAQ-II
Authors: Fang Shuanghu , Ding Dongyan , Huang Mingjie 
Published: September 2023

AbstractDue to the limitations of the existing measurements of experiential avoidance, we would like to check the validity of the improved version of Acceptance and Action Questionnaire–II (AAQ-II), i.e., Acceptance and Action Questionnaire–3 (AAQ-3), in Chinese content. The present study was aim to examine the construct and validity of the Chinese version of AAQ-3 in college students and provide an initial validation of this instrument to promote future cross-cultural examination of the psychological flexibility. Totally 1,572 college students were invited to complete the Chinese AAQ-3 and the related questionnaires at the same time. After one month, 380 participates were assessed with same questionnaires to examine the test-retest reliability. The results indicated a similar one-factor solution in the Chinese AAQ-3 to the original version by exploratory factor analysis, parallel analysis and confirmatory factor analysis. Internal consistency and test–retest reliability were good. According to the testing of the measurement invariance, the one-factor model was acceptable across gender (Man = 875, Girl = 697). Additionally, Chinese AAQ-3 was significantly negatively correlated with positive mental health (life satisfaction, mindful attention awareness), significantly positively correlated with negative emotions (depression, anxiety, stress), and significantly positively correlated with AAQ–II and Brief Experiential Avoidance Questionnaire (BEAQ). Besides, Chinese AAQ-3 was the strongest predictor of depression, anxiety, stress and life satisfaction compared to the AAQ-II and BEAQ. However, according to the exploratory structural equation model, the Chinese AAQ-3 demonstrated excellent discriminate validity from negative emotions. Overall, the AAQ-3 modified the limitations of the existing measurements of experiential avoidance (i.e., AAQ-II and BEAQ) as it showed better convergent validity with positive mental health indicators, better discriminant validity with negative emotions, and higher incremental validity. Therefore, the Chinese AAQ-3 is a valid measurement tool for assessing the level of experiential avoidance or psychological flexibility in Chinese college students.
Near-surface atmospheric electric field changes through magnetic clouds via coronal mass ejections
Authors: Li Lei , Chen Tao , Shen Chao , Ti Shuo , Wang Shihan , Cai Chunlin , Li Wen , Luo Jing 
Published: September 2023

AbstractThe Earth’s electrical environment is influenced by both external and internal driving factors. Internal driving factors include the global charging current produced by lightning storms, global aerosol concentrations and cloud coverage. External factors are caused by various space weather phenomena, including changes in the Sun’s magnetic field, solar flares, coronal mass ejections, and ionization changes from high-energy particles from the Sun and galactic cosmic rays. This study focuses on the cosmic ray intensity changes observed at the OULU Station and the vertical atmospheric electric field changes observed at the Azores and Studenec stations during a solar activity event in September 2017. The results indicate that the atmospheric electric field at the two stations (Azores and Studenec) simultaneously decreased by 80% and 120% of the mean atmospheric electric field value, respectively, during the same time as the significant decrease in cosmic ray intensity. The linear correlation coefficient between the decreased atmospheric electric field measured at these two stations was 0.60, indicating a global effect from the shocks and magnetic clouds associated with coronal mass ejections on atmospheric electricity. Finally, this study describes shock waves and magnetic clouds that impede the propagation of galactic cosmic rays, resulting in a decrease in ionospheric potential and atmospheric electric field.
Quantitative validation of Monte Carlo SPECT simulation: application to a Mediso AnyScan GATE simulation
Authors: Pells Sophia , Cullen David M. , Deidda Daniel , Denis-Bacelar Ana M. , Fenwick Andrew , Ferreira Kelley M. , Hamilton David , Heetun Warda , Julyan Peter , Needham George , Pietras Ben , Price Emlyn , Scuffham James , Tipping Jill , Robinson Andrew P. 
Published: September 2023

Abstract
Background
Monte Carlo (MC) simulations are used in nuclear medicine imaging as they provide unparalleled insight into processes that are not directly experimentally measurable, such as scatter and attenuation in an acquisition. Whilst MC is often used to provide a ‘ground-truth’, this is only the case if the simulation is fully validated against experimental data. This work presents a quantitative validation for a MC simulation of a single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) system.

Methods
An MC simulation model of the Mediso AnyScan SCP SPECT system installed at the UK National Physical Laboratory was developed in the GATE (Geant4 Application for Tomographic Emission) toolkit. Components of the detector head and two collimator configurations were modelled according to technical specifications and physical measurements. Experimental detection efficiency measurements were collected for a range of energies, permitting an energy-dependent intrinsic camera efficiency correction function to be determined and applied to the simulation on an event-by-event basis. Experimental data were collected in a range of geometries with $$^{99\text {m}}$$

99
m

Tc for comparison to simulation. The procedure was then repeated with $$^{177}$$

177

Lu to determine how the validation extended to another isotope and set of collimators.

Results
The simulation’s spatial resolution, sensitivity, energy spectra and the projection images were compared with experimental measurements. The simulation and experimental uncertainties were determined and propagated to all calculations, permitting the quantitative agreement between simulated and experimental SPECT acquisitions to be determined. Statistical agreement was seen in sinograms and projection images of both $$^{99\text {m}}$$

99
m

Tc and $$^{177}$$

177

Lu data. Average simulated and experimental sensitivity ratios of ($$0.991 \pm 0.011$$

0.991
±
0.011

) were seen for emission and scatter windows of $$^{99\text {m}}$$

99
m

Tc, and ($$0.897 \pm 0.014$$

0.897
±
0.014

) and ($$0.839 \pm 0.014$$

0.839
±
0.014

) for the 113 and 208 keV emissions of $$^{177}$$

177

Lu, respectively.

Conclusions
MC simulations will always be an approximation of a physical system and the level of agreement should be assessed. A validation method is presented to quantify the level of agreement between a simulation model and a physical SPECT system.
A unified voice to drive global improvements in oral health
Authors: Glick Michael , Urquhart Olivia , Bhosale Ankita S. , Carrasco-Labra Alonso , Edelson Jaime T. 
Published: September 2023

AbstractApproximately, 3.47 billion individuals worldwide are affected by oral disorders, with untreated dental caries being the most prevalent issue, impacting 2.30 billion people. Addressing this complex health problem requires a collective and unified approach from the oral health community. However, stakeholders often focus on their own interests, leading to information silos and a lack of diverse perspectives. To foster collaboration, tackle critical topics, and promote effective communication, the Global Oral Health Forum was organized as a 2-day meeting. The forum aimed to dismantle existing silos and cultivate a unified message to drive global improvements in oral health. By bridging gaps between stakeholders and encouraging dialogue, the forum sought to transcend individual interests and foster a holistic approach. The meeting provided a space for diverse viewpoints, concerns, and expertise to converge, facilitating meaningful discussions and overcoming the limitations of an echo chamber. The inclusive environment aimed to integrate different perspectives, generate innovative ideas, and pave the way for impactful changes in oral health worldwide. The outcome of the Global Oral Health Forum I includes suggested action points that emphasize collaboration, knowledge sharing, and policy development. These recommendations aim to promote preventive strategies, improve access to oral healthcare, enhance oral health education, and foster interdisciplinary research and innovation. By implementing these actions, the global oral health community can work together to address the challenges posed by oral disorders and improve oral health outcomes for billions of individuals worldwide.