bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Evaluating The Precocial-altricial Axis of Motor Skill at Birth in A Preterm Pig Model
Authors: Young Jesse W , Mayerl Christopher J , Mannava Alekhya , Lewis Claire , Fan Tianhui , Nair Manas , Mamone Christopher , Schapker Nicole M , Mossor Angela M , German Rebecca Z 
Published: April 2023

AbstractThe pace of locomotor development is a critical component of lifetime evolutionary fitness. Developmental researchers often divide species into two broad categories based on functional competence at birth: precocial infants who can independently stand and locomote soon after birth versus altricial infants who are either incapable of independent movement or can only do so in a rudimentary manner. However, investigating the lower level neuromotor and biomechanical traits that account for perinatal variation in motor development is complicated by the lack of experimental control inherent to all comparative analyses. Precocial and altricial animals often differ along a host of dimensions that can obfuscate the specific factors controlling motor development per se. Here, we propose an alternative approach of examining locomotor development in a nominally precocial species—the domestic pig (Sus scrofa)—in which gestation length has been experimentally manipulated, thereby creating “functionally altricial” cohorts for comparison. We have used standard biomechanical testing to evaluate balance and locomotor performance in preterm pigs born at 94% full-term gestation (N = 29 individuals) and compared these data to a similar dataset on age-matched full-term piglets (N = 15 individuals). Static balance tests showed that preterm pigs were characterized by increased postural sway, particularly in the fore-aft (anteroposterior) direction. Locomotor analyses showed that preterm piglets tended to take shorter, more frequent strides, use higher duty factors, and preferentially choose gait patterns that ensured they were supported by at least three limbs during most of the stride cycle, though differences between preterm and full-term animals were often modulated by variation in locomotor speed. Morphometric analysis showed no differences in relative extensor muscle mass between preterm and full-term animals, suggesting that neurological immaturity might be more determinant of preterm piglet motor dysfunctions than musculoskeletal immaturity per se (though much work remains to be done to fully document the neuromotor phenotype of the preterm infant pig model). In many ways, the postural and locomotor deficits shown by the preterm piglets paralleled the locomotor phenotype of altricial mammals. Overall, our study demonstrates the utility of a “within-species” design for studying the biomechanical correlates and neuromotor basis of evolutionary variation in motor skill at birth.
Is the “sailing-ship effect” misnamed? A statistical inquiry of the case sail vs steam in maritime transportation
Authors: De Liso Nicola , Arima Serena , Filatrella Giovanni 
Published: April 2023

Abstract
Improvements experienced by incumbent “old” technologies when threatened by new ones, potentially supplanting them, are often addressed as the “sailing-ship effect.” The latter phrase points to the eponymous case that consists of the 60-year or so technological battle between sail and steam in ships’ propulsion during the 19th century, which led to unexpected large advancements in sail technology. Paradoxically, until today, the only work which addressed quantitatively that technological battle actually found a lack of evidence of the occurrence of the sailing-ship effect. In this paper, through fresh statistical analysis, we find instead confirmation of the existence of the effect in the original case. This finding contributes to the theoretical debate that explains technological persistence through mechanisms such as path dependence, cumulativeness, localized technical progress, competence and cognitive traps, the presence of complementary assets and tributary innovations, as well as institutional features. Policy dimensions are considered in Section 7 of the work.
A four-drug standardized short regimen for highly resistant TB in South-West Nigeria
Authors: Fadeyi Muse O , Decroo Tom , Ortuño-Gutiérrez Nimer , Ahmed Bolaji , Jinadu Aderonke , El-Tayeb Osman , Adebola Wasiu , Kehinde Aderemi , Lynen Lutgarde , Gils Tinne 
Published: April 2023

Abstract

Background
Patients with TB resistant to rifampicin (Rr-TB), and those with additional resistance to fluoroquinolones (pre-XDR-TB), should be treated with bedaquiline-pretomanid-linezolid-moxifloxacin and bedaquiline-pretomanid-linezolid, respectively. However, pretomanid is not yet widely available.

Methods
This is a pragmatic prospective single-arm study investigating the efficacy and safety of 9 mo of bedaquiline-delamanid-linezolid-clofazimine in patients with pre-XDR-TB or Rr-TB unresponsive to Rr-TB treatment in Nigeria.

Results
From January 2020 to June 2022, 14 of 20 patients (70%) successfully completed treatment, five died and one was lost-to-follow-up. No one experienced a treatment-emergent grade three/four event. Treatment success was higher compared with global pre-XDR-TB treatment outcomes.

Conclusions
While pretomanid is unavailable, highly resistant TB can be treated with bedaquiline-delamanid-linezolid-clofazimine.
Enzymatic breakdown of biofilm matrix to allow flow cytometry viability analysis ofClostridium beijerinckiicells
Authors: Carrié Maxime , Gabelle Jean-Christophe , Lopes-Ferreira Nicolas , Velly Hélène 
Published: April 2023

AbstractAimsFlow cytometry (FC) is a good way to enumerate the number of viable cells in suspension but is not adapted to mature biofilm analysis. The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of mechanical treatment coupled with enzymatic hydrolysis of biofilm matrix on FC viability analysis of biofilm cells.Methods and resultsBiofilm was grown for 300 h of continuous fermentation on polyurethane foams. Fermentation was stopped, and the biofilm was detached by agitating the foams in PBS buffer with vortex agitation for 2 min. The best enzymatic hydrolysis consisted of sequential use of DNase I and proteinase K incubated for 1 h at 34°C. Biofilm cells detached from polyurethane foams were stained with both propidium iodide (PI) and carboxyfluoresceine diacetate and analyzed by FC. FC analysis performed after vortex agitation revealed the presence of high non-fluorescent events (78.9% ± 3.3%). After enzymatic treatment, a cell population was extracted from background noise and could be observed on FSC-SSC profile. The non-fluorescent events of this cell population decreased drastically to 41.9% ± 6.6%, and the percentage of viable cells was enhanced from 2.6% ± 0.9% to 38.2% ± 4.0% compared to analysis performed after mechanical treatment alone.ConclusionsConsequently, protease and nuclease activity are essential to hydrolyze extra polymeric substances prior to FC viability analysis in mature biofilm formed by Clostridium beijerinckii.
Azole and 5-nitroimidazole based nanoformulations are potential antiamoebic drug candidates against brain-eating amoebae
Authors: Akbar Noor , Hussain Kashif , Khalid Maria , Siddiqui Ruqaiyyah , Shah Muhammad Raza , Khan Naveed Ahmed 
Published: April 2023

AbstractAimHerein, the anti-parasitic activity of azoles (fluconazole and itraconazole) and 5-nitroimdazole (metronidazole) against the brain-eating amoebae: Naegleria fowleri and Balamuthia mandrillaris was elucidated.Methods and resultsAzoles and 5-nitroimidazole based nanoformulations were synthesized and characterized using a UV-visible spectrophotometer, atomic force microscopy, and fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. H1-NMR, EI-MS, and ESI-MS were performed to determine their molecular mass and elucidate their structures. Their size, zeta potential, size distribution, and polydispersity index (PDI) were assessed. Amoebicidal assays revealed that all the drugs and their nanoformulations, (except itraconazole) presented significant anti-amoebic effects against B. mandrillaris, while all the treatments indicated notable amoebicidal properties against N. fowleri. Amoebicidal effects were radically enhanced upon conjugating the drugs with nanoparticles. The IC50 values for KM-38-AgNPs-F, KM-20-AgNPs-M, and KM-IF were 65.09, 91.27, and 72.19 µg.mL-1, respectively, against B. mandrillaris. Whereas against N. fowleri, the IC50 values were: 71.85, 73.95, and 63.01 µg.mL-1, respectively. Additionally, nanoformulations significantly reduced N. fowleri-mediated host cell death, while nanoformulations along with fluconazole and metronidazole considerably reduced Balamuthia-mediated human cell damage. Finally, all the tested drugs and their nanoformulations revealed limited cytotoxic activity against human cerebral microvascular endothelial cell (HBEC-5i) cells.ConclusionThese compounds should be developed into novel chemotherapeutic options for use against these distressing infections due to free-living amoebae, as currently there are no effective treatments.
Identification of 11-nor-∆8-Tetrahydrocannabinol-9-Carboxylic Acid in Postmortem Urine
Authors: Crosby Michele M , Truver Michael T , Chronister Chris W , Hoyer Jennifer L , Kinsey Amy M , Brogan Sara C , Goldberger Bruce A 
Published: April 2023

Abstract
Laws concerning the growing, selling and consuming of cannabis and its related products have been changing considerably over the last few years. The legalization of hemp in 2018 sparked an interest in ∆9-tetrahydrocannabinol (∆9-THC) isomers and analogs that are derived from hemp and sold with minimal oversight. One example is ∆8-tetrahydrocannabinol (∆8-THC). Although less potent than ∆9-THC, ∆8-THC is gaining popularity and can easily be found where cannabis-related products are sold. The Forensic Toxicology Laboratory at the University of Florida routinely tested decedents for 11-nor-∆9-tetrahydrocannabinol-9-carboxylic acid (∆9-THC-acid), the primary metabolite of ∆9-THC. Urine samples from ∼900 decedents were received by the laboratory between mid-November 2021 and mid-March 2022 and subjected to CEDIA™ immunoassay testing. Subsequent confirmation of 194 presumptive positive samples was performed by gas chromatography--mass spectrometry. A peak eluting immediately after ∆9-THC-acid was identified as 11-nor-∆8-tetrahydrocannabinol-9-carboxylic acid (∆8-THC-acid), a metabolite of ∆8-THC, in 26 of those samples (13%). Six of the samples were positive for ∆8-THC-acid only. Other toxicological findings were consistent with poly-drug use including fentanyl/fentanyl analogs, ethanol, cocaine and methamphetamine. There has been an emergence of ∆8-THC use as indicated by the presence of ∆8-THC-acid in 26 of 194 presumptive positive cases during a four-month period. The majority of individuals were White males with a history of drug and/or alcohol use. ∆9-THC-acid, as well as other drugs, was often present. Given the psychoactive potential and availability of ∆8-THC, monitoring ∆8-THC-acid in decedents is important to characterize the risk and prevalence of ∆8-THC use.
Topology optimization for additive manufacturing with strength constraints considering anisotropy
Authors: Zou Jun , Xia Xiaoyu 
Published: April 2023

Abstract
Combining topology optimization and additive manufacturing (AM) is a promising approach to breaking through the limitations of conventional design and developing innovative structures with high performance. However, the unique manufacturing constraints in AM should be considered when developing the topology optimization algorithms for AM. Material anisotropy is one of the common characteristics of AM materials due to the layer-by-layer manufacturing techniques. This work proposes a topology optimization approach for AM with strength constraints considering anisotropy. The Hoffman failure criterion is adopted to represent the anisotropic strength behaviors of AM materials. Based on the Hoffman failure criteria and the p-norm measure aggregation function, a global strength constraint formulation is established. Under the framework of solid isotropic material with penalization, we develop a topology optimization methodology to minimize the structural weight or volume fraction subject to structural stiffness and strength constraints. Several two-dimensional (2D) or 3D numerical test cases are performed to validate the effectiveness and performance of the developed method. The results indicated that the proposed method could make full use of material properties by considering anisotropic strength. Besides, the topological optimization considering strength anisotropy could be combined with build direction optimization to further reduce the structural weight.
Blood meal source identification and RNA virome determination in Japanese encephalitis virus vectors collected in Ishikawa Prefecture, Japan, show distinct avian/mammalian host preference
Authors: Faizah Astri Nur , Kobayashi Daisuke , Matsumura Ryo , Watanabe Mamoru , Higa Yukiko , Sawabe Kyoko , Isawa Haruhiko 
Published: April 2023

Abstract
In Asia, Culex mosquitoes are of particular interest because of their role in maintaining endemic mosquito-borne viral diseases, including the Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV). Nonetheless, host-feeding preferences, along with naturally infecting RNA viruses in certain Culex species, remain understudied. In this study, selected blood-fed mosquitoes were processed for avian and mammalian blood meal source identification. Concurrently, cell culture propagation and high-throughput sequencing (HTS) approaches were used to determine the RNA virome of Culex mosquitoes collected in Ishikawa Prefecture, Japan. The identification of blood meal sources from wild-caught Culex spp. revealed that Culex (Culex) tritaeniorhynchus Giles, 1901, has a robust preference toward wild boar (62%, 26/42), followed by heron (21%, 9/42). The other two species, Culex (Oculeomyia) bitaeniorhynchus Giles, 1901, and Culex (Culex) orientalis Edwards, 1921, showed a distinct preference for avian species, including migratory birds. From the HTS results, 34 virus sequences were detected, four of which were newly identified virus sequences of unclassified Aspiviridae, Qinviridae, Iflaviridae, and Picornaviridae. The absence of observable cytopathic effects in mammalian cells and phylogenetic analysis suggested that all identified virus sequences were insect-specific. Further investigations involving other mosquito populations collected in different areas are warranted to explore previously unknown vertebrate hosts that may be linked to JEV dispersal in nature.
Democratic Stakeholder Representativeness
Authors: Jastram Sarah Margaretha , Berberyan Zara 
Published: April 2023

Abstract
Stakeholder theory has been advocating the inclusion of affected parties in organizational processes to increase the legitimacy and effectiveness of organizational governance. However, organizations can fail to achieve these objectives if there is no systematic link between stakeholders and their constituency. Based on democratic notions of representation, we argue that democratic stakeholder representativeness is an essential virtue of stakeholder governance processes. We conceptually derive authorization and accountability as normative elements of stakeholder representativeness and operationalize the construct by proposing empirical indicators of stakeholder representativeness as well as procedural guidance on their adoption in a practical governance context. By doing so, we contribute to the advancement of practical stakeholder governance as well as to the public management and organizational theory literature by specifying and operationalizing a construct that had previously been only vaguely defined.
The pleiotropic effects of statins in rheumatoid arthritis
Authors: Aminifar Elham , Tavakkol Afshari Haleh Sadat , Sathyapalan Thozhukat , Abbasifard Mitra , Sahebkar Amirhossein 
Published: April 2023

Abstract

Objectives
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an inflammatory and autoimmune disease. Studies over the past two decades suggest that statins have a beneficial impact on the complications associated with RA. These complications include RA disease activity and risk for cardiovascular diseases (CVD). This review aims to discuss the efficacy of statin therapy in RA.

Key findings
The current evidence suggests that statins' immunomodulatory and antioxidant properties significantly reduce disease activity and inflammatory response in patients with RA. In RA patients, the risk of CVD is reduced by statin treatment, and statin discontinuation is associated with an increased cardiovascular disease risk.

Summary
The combined effect of statins on improving vascular function, lowering lipid levels, and reducing inflammation in RA patients is responsible for the decreased all-cause mortality in statin users. Further clinical studies are needed to ensure the therapeutic efficacy of statins in patients with RA.
Astronomical seeing and wind speed distributions with ERA5 data at Lenghu site on the Tibetan Plateau
Authors: Zhu Liming , Zhang Hanjiu , Sun Gang , Li Xuebin , Yang Fan , He Fei , Weng Ningquan , Deng Licai 
Published: April 2023

ABSTRACT
In this paper, we present comprehensive night-time seeing statistics at the Lenghu site using data collected between 2018 and 2021 using a differential image motion monitor. The results show that the median seeing is 0.80 arcsec, which slightly larger than that previously reported due to climate change. Additionally, we investigated the annual, seasonal, and monthly seeing statistics, as well as possible hourly seeing trends in each season. The results demonstrate that the seeing at the Lenghu site is very stable, with monthly median seeing varying from 0.6 to 0.95 arcsec. The seasonal dependence of seeing shows obvious variations over different years. The best year of seeing was 2019 (0.74 arcsec), and the best seeing occurred in spring (0.68 arcsec) to early summer (June, 0.63 arcsec), while the worst seeing occurred in winter (0.80 arcsec). The minimum seeing value throughout the night is at approximately three hours before dawn. Furthermore, wind speed profiles, especially V200 (particularly the wind speed at 200 mbar), are important parameters for evaluating astronomical sites in terms of their suitability for adaptive optics. We first show the complete monthly average behaviours of the wind speed profile and V200 using the European Center for Medium-Range Weather Forecast reanalysis data sets. The results demonstrate the annual periodicity and variability of V200, and the yearly V200 modulation function is also provided. V200 maintains large values throughout the autumn (average: 35.01 m s−1) and winter (average: 34.33 m s−1), while the minimum V200 occurs in spring (average: 27.93 m s−1).
Modelling the cosmological Lyman–Werner background radiation field in the early Universe
Authors: Incatasciato Andrea , Khochfar Sadegh , Oñorbe Jose 
Published: April 2023

ABSTRACTThe Lyman–Werner (LW) radiation field is a key ingredient in the chemothermal evolution of gas in the early Universe, as it dissociates H2 molecules, the primary cooling channel in an environment devoid of metals and dust. Despite its important role, it is still not implemented in cosmological simulations on a regular basis, in contrast to the ionizing UV background. This is in part due to uncertainty in the source modelling, their spectra and abundance, as well as the detailed physics involved in the propagation of the photons and their interactions with the molecules. The goal of this work is to produce an accurate model of the LW radiation field at z ≥ 6, by post-processing the physics-rich high-resolution FiBY simulation. Our novelties include updated cross-sections for H2, $\rm {H^-}$ and $\rm {H^+_2}$ chemical species, IGM absorption by neutral Hydrogen and various spectral models for Population III and Population II stars. With our fiducial set of parameters, we show that the mean LW intensity steadily increases by three orders of magnitude from z ∼ 23 to z ∼ 6, while spatial inhomogeneities originate from massive star-forming galaxies that dominate the photon budget up to a distance of ∼100 proper kpc. Our model can be easily applied to other simulations or semi-analytical models as an external radiation field that regulates the formation of stars and massive black hole seeds in high-z low-mass haloes.
The large-scale structure of globular clusters in the NGC 1052 group
Authors: Buzzo Maria Luisa , Forbes Duncan A , Brodie Jean P , Janssens Steven R , Couch Warrick J , Romanowsky Aaron J , Gannon Jonah S 
Published: April 2023

ABSTRACT
Prompted by the many controversial claims involving the NGC 1052 group, including that it hosts two dark matter-free galaxies with overluminous and monochromatic globular cluster (GC) systems, here, we map out the large-scale structure (LSS) of GCs over the entire group. To recover the LSS, we use archival optical CFHT imaging data. We recover two GC density maps, one based on universal photometric properties of GCs from simple stellar population models, and one based on the properties of spectroscopically confirmed GCs in DF2 and DF4 (the two dwarf galaxies with overluminous GC populations). Both selection methods reveal overdensities around the massive galaxies in the group, as well as around NGC 1052 itself, that are coincident with the positions of previously identified stellar streams and tidal features. No intragroup GCs are found connecting these structures to any of the dwarf galaxies. We find, however, two other dwarfs in the group hosting GC systems. These include RCP32 with two GCs with ages equivalent to the GCs around NGC 1052 and DF9 with three GCs with ages similar to the GCs around DF2 and DF4. We conclude that the GC distribution in the group does not strongly support any formation scenario in particular. It favours, none the less, scenarios relying on galaxy–galaxy interactions and on the coeval formation of GCs around the DM-free dwarf galaxies. These may include the recently proposed bullet-dwarf formation, as well as high-redshift tidal dwarf galaxy models.
Assessing stellar yields in Galaxy chemical evolution: Observational stellar abundance patterns
Authors: Liang Jinning , Gjergo Eda , Fan XiLong 
Published: April 2023

ABSTRACTOne-zone Galactic chemical evolution (GCE) models have provided useful insights on a great wealth of average abundance patterns in many environments, especially for the Milky Way and its satellites. However, the scatter of such abundance patterns is still a challenging aspect to reproduce. The leading hypothesis is that dynamics is a likely major source of the dispersion. In this work, we test another hypothesis, namely, that different assumptions on yield modelling may be at play simultaneously. We compare whether the abundance patterns spanned by the models are consistent with those observed in Galactic data. First, we test the performance of recent yield tabulations, and show which of these tabulations best fit Galactic stellar abundances. We then group the models and test if yield combinations match the data scatter and standard deviation. On a fixed Milky Way-like parametrization of NuPyCEE, we test a selection of yields for the three dominant yield sets: low-to-intermediate mass stars, massive stars, and Type Ia supernovae. We also include the production of r-process elements by neutron star mergers. We explore the statistical properties spanned by such yields. We identify the differences and commonalities among yield sets. We define criteria that estimate whether an element is in agreement with the data, or if the model overestimates or underestimates it in various redshift bins. While it is true that yields are a major source of uncertainty in GCE models, the scatter of abundances in stellar spectra cannot be explained by a simple averaging of runs across yield prescriptions.