Present Data Research Articles

Early-life gut bacterial community structure predicts disease risk and athletic performance in horses bred for racing

Gut bacterial communities have a profound influence on the health of humans and animals. Early-life gut microbial community structure influences the development of immunological competence and susceptibility to disease. For the Thoroughbred racehorse, the significance of early-life microbial colonisation events on subsequent health and athletic performance is unknown. Here we present data from a three-year cohort study of horses bred for racing designed to explore interactions between early-life gut bacterial community structure, health events in later life and athletic performance on the racetrack. Our data show that gut bacterial community structure in the first months of life predicts the risk of specific diseases and athletic performance up to three years old. Foals with lower faecal bacterial diversity at one month old had a significantly increased risk of respiratory disease in later life which was also associated with higher relative abundance of faecal Pseudomonadaceae. Surprisingly, athletic performance up to three years old, measured by three different metrics, was positively associated with higher faecal bacterial diversity at one month old and with the relative abundance of specific bacterial families. We also present data on the impact of antibiotic exposure of foals during the first month of life. This resulted in significantly lower faecal bacterial diversity at 28 days old, a significantly increased risk of respiratory disease in later life and a significant reduction in average prize money earnings, a proxy for athletic performance. Our study reveals associations between early-life bacterial community profiles and health events in later life and it provides evidence of the detrimental impact of antimicrobial treatment in the first month of life on health and performance outcomes in later life. For the first time, this study demonstrates a relationship between early-life gut bacterial communities and subsequent athletic performance that has implications for athletes of all species including humans.

Pre-operative Decision Making in Adhesive Small Bowel Obstructions

Abstract Purpose of Review The goal of this paper was to evaluate contemporary trends in the work-up and management of adhesive small bowel obstructions (ASBOs). The water-soluble contrast challenge (WSCC) has become the standard of care for differentiating non-operative from operative ASBOs, however there is significant variability among institutions regarding the timing of nasogastric decompression before initiating the study as well as the amount of contrast to be used and the length of time that should be allowed to pass before it is decided that a patient has “failed” the WSCC. Recent Findings The latest findings include evidence that the duration of nasogastric decompression necessary to perform a WSCC may be as short as two hours, however most institutions still practice a longer decompression period. We also present data that suggests that while the original Bologna guidelines suggested a safe window of non-operative management between three and five days for the WSCC to occur, it is possible that those patients who take over eight hours of contrast transit time to pass the WSCC have a higher likelihood of one-year ASBO recurrence and should be considered for operative intervention, even if contrast eventually makes it to their colon. Summary We offer an evidence-based standardized approach to administering the WSCC.

Operational Tests for Delay-Tolerant Network between the Moon and Earth Using the Korea Pathfinder Lunar Orbiter in Lunar Orbit

The Korea Pathfinder Lunar Orbiter (KPLO) was launched on 5 August 2022, equipped on the SpaceX Falcon 9 launch vehicle. At present, the KPLO is effectively carrying out its scientific mission in lunar orbit. The KPLO serves as a cornerstone for the development and validation of Korean space science and deep space technology. Among its payloads is the DTNPL, enabling the first-ever test of delay-tolerant network (DTN) technology for satellites in lunar orbit. DTN technology represents a significant advancement in space communication, offering stable communication capabilities characterized by high delay tolerance, reliability, and asymmetric communication speeds—a necessity for existing satellite and space communication systems to evolve. In this paper, we briefly give an overview of the Korea Lunar Exploration Program (KLEP) and present scientific data gathered through the KPLO mission. Specifically, we focus on the operational tests for DTN-ION conducted for message and file transfer, as well as real-time video streaming, during the initial operations of the KPLO. Lastly, this study offers insights and lessons learned from KPLO DTNPL operations, with the goal of providing valuable guidance for future advancements in space communication.

Edulyze: Learning Analytics for Real-World Classrooms at Scale

Classroom sensing systems can capture data on teacher-student behaviours and interactions at a scale far greater than human observers can. These data, translated to multi-modal analytics, can provide meaningful insights to educational stakeholders. However, complex data can be difficult to make sense of. In addition, analyses done on these data are often limited by the organization of the underlying sensing system, and translating sensing data into meaningful insights often requires custom analyses across different modalities. We present Edulyze, an analytics engine that processes complex, multi-modal sensing data and translates them into a unified schema that is agnostic to the underlying sensing system or classroom configuration. We evaluate Edulyze’s performance by integrating three sensing systems (Edusense, ClassGaze, and Moodoo) and then present data analyses of five case studies of relevant pedagogical research questions across these sensing systems. We demonstrate how Edulyze’s flexibility and customizability allow us to answer a broad range of research questions made possible by Edulyze’s translation of a breadth of raw sensing data from different sensing systems into relevant classroom analytics.

Charge Distribution Studies in the Epi-Cadmium Neutron-Induced Fission of 241Pu

For the first time, charge distribution studies have been carried out in the epi-cadmium neutron-induced fission of 241Pu by measuring the fractional cumulative yields (FCYs) and independent yields of various fission products by using an off-line gamma-ray spectrometric technique. The average energy of the epi-cadmium neutron spectrum is 1.9 MeV. From the FCY values, the isobaric width parameter σZ, most probable charge ZP, and charge polarization ∆ΖEXPT as a function of fragment mass were obtained. On the other hand, from the independent yield values, isotopic width parameter σA; the most probable mass AP; and the elemental yields YZ of Sn, Sb, Te, I, Xe, Cs, Ba, La, Ce, and Pr were determined by using a nonlinear fit. From the YZ values, the proton even-odd effect δp was obtained for the first time. The present data were compared with similar data in the 241Pu(nth,f) reaction and epi-cadmium neutron-induced fission of 240Pu as well as other actinides to examine the role of the excitation energy and pairing effect.

The binding of extracellular cyclophilin A to ACE2 and CD147 triggers psoriasis-like inflammation

Psoriasis is a chronic, proliferative, and inflammatory skin disease closely associated with inflammatory cytokine production. Cyclophilin A (CypA) is an important proinflammatory factor; however, its role in psoriasis remains unclear. The present data indicate that CypA levels are increased in the lesion skin and serum of patients with psoriasis, which is positively correlated with the psoriasis area severity index. Furthermore, extracellular CypA (eCypA) triggered psoriasis-like inflammatory responses in keratinocytes. Moreover, anti-CypA mAb significantly reduced pathological injury, keratinocyte proliferation, cytokine expression in imiquimod-induced mice. Notably, the therapeutic effect of anti-CypA mAb was better than that of the clinically used anti-IL-17A mAb and methotrexate. Mechanistically, eCypA binds to ACE2 and CD147 and is blocked by anti-CypA mAb. eCypA not only induces the dimerization and phosphorylation of ACE2 to trigger the JAK1/STAT3 signaling pathway for cytokine expression but also interacts with CD147 to promote PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling-mediated keratinocyte proliferation. These findings demonstrate that the binding of eCypA to ACE2 and CD147 cooperatively triggers psoriasis-like inflammation and anti-CypA mAb is a promising candidate for the treatment of psoriasis.

TNF reduces osteogenic cell fate in PDL cells at transcriptional and functional levels without alteration of periodontal proliferative capacity.

To investigate the effect of tumor necrosis factor (TNF) on the growth of human periodontal ligament (PDL) cells, their osteogenic differentiation and modulation of their matrix secretion in vitro. The influence of 10 ng/ml TNF on proliferation and metabolic activity of PDL cells was analyzed by cell counting (DAPI [4',6-diamidino-2-phenylindole] staining) and the MTS (3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-5-(3-carboxymethoxyphenyl)-2-(4-sulfophenyl)-2H-tetrazolium) assay. In addition, cells were cultured under control conditions and osteogenic conditions (media containing 10 mMβ-glycerophosphate). Quantitative expression analysis of genes encoding the osteogenic markers alkaline phosphatase (ALP), collagen typeI alpha1 chain (COL1A1), osteoprotegerin (OPG), and osteopontin (OPN) was performed after 7 and 14days of cultivation. Calcium deposits were stained with alizarin red. Our studies showed that 10 ng/ml TNF did not affect the survival and metabolic activity of PDL cells. Quantitative expression analysis revealed that long-term cultures with TNF impaired osteogenic cell fate at early and late developmental stages. Furthermore, TNF significantly reduced matrix secretion in PDL cells. The present data confirm TNF as aregulatory factor of proinflammatory remodeling that influences the differentiation behavior but not the metabolism and cell proliferation of the periodontium. Therefore, TNF represents an interesting target for the regulation of orthodontic remodeling processes in the periodontium.

The mGluR5-mediated Arc activation protects against experimental traumatic brain injury in rats.

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a complex pathophysiological process, and increasing attention has been paid to the important role of post-synaptic density (PSD) proteins, such as glutamate receptors. Our previous study showed that a PSD protein Arc/Arg3.1 (Arc) regulates endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress and neuronal necroptosis in traumatic injury invitro. In this study, we investigated the expression, regulation and biological function of Arc in both invivo and invitro experimental TBI models. Traumatic neuronal injury (TNI) induced a temporal upregulation of Arc in cortical neurons, while TBI resulted in sustained increase in Arc expression up to 24 h in rats. The increased expression of Arc was mediated by the activity of metabotropic glutamate receptor 5 (mGluR5), but not dependent on the intracellular calcium (Ca2+) release. By using inhibitors and antagonists, we found that TNI regulates Arc expression via Gq protein and protein turnover. In addition, overexpression of Arc protects against TBI-induced neuronal injury and motor dysfunction both invivo and invitro, whereas the long-term cognitive function was not altered. To determine the role of Arc in mGluR5-induced protection, lentivirus-mediated short hairpin RNA (shRNA) transfection was performed to knockdown Arc expression. The mGluR5 agonist (RS)-2-chloro-5-hydroxyphenylglycine (CHPG)-induced protection against TBI was partially prevented by Arc knockdown. Furthermore, the CHPG-induced attenuation of Ca2+ influx after TNI was dependent on Arc activation and followed regulation of AMPAR subunits. The results of Co-IP and Ca2+ imaging showed that the Arc-Homer1 interaction contributes to the CHPG-induced regulation of intracellular Ca2+ release. In summary, the present data indicate that the mGluR5-mediated Arc activation is a protective mechanism that attenuates neurotoxicity following TBI through the regulation of intracellular Ca2+ hemostasis. The AMPAR-associated Ca2+ influx and ER Ca2+ release induced by Homer1-IP3R pathway might be involved in this protection.

Potential of Selected Underutilized Leafy Vegetables Against CCL4 Induced Oxidative Stress on Wistar Rats

Nutritional immunology might become even more important in prevention of disease. Underutilized leafy vegetables are the richest source of many bioactive compounds especially phenolic compounds with excellent antioxidant properties. Increased consumption of diets containing leafy vegetables may give positive results to human health. The underutilized leafy vegetables which includes Indian pennywort, Sessile joyweed, Red amaranth, Red spinach, Asiatic day flower, Indian sorrel, Roselle leaves are quantified for its phenols, flavonoids and vitamins contents by HPLC-LC MS method. The phenols, flavonoids and vitamins ranged from 0.186 – 12014 µg/g, 0.018 – 785.25 µg/g and 0.361 – 18466.56 ng/g in the underutilized leafy vegetables. Based on the bioactive compounds present, herbal preparations are developed and evaluated for hepatoprotective property against CCL4 induced intoxication in wistar rat model. Biochemical estimation in blood serum (AST/SGOT, ALT/SGPT, ALP, Total bilirubin) and antioxidant enzyme estimation in liver homogenate (SOD, GOD, LPO) showed positive results to reduce hepatotoxicity in CCL4 intoxicated wistar rat model. This exploration can helps in addressing importance of bioactive components present in underutilized leafy vegetables in combating various degenerative diseases and also proved the nutraceutical potential of leafy vegetables. Further which can be used for development of functional foods with the present pre-clinical data.

Future scenario generation and reduction methods for solar photovoltaic electricity production analysis

Abstract A morphing-clustering-based method of generation and reduction future scenario for solar photovoltaic electricity production analysis is studied. Present historical annual weather data are transformed into future scenarios and timeframes by a morphing method with a general circulation model. The Copula methodology is applied to model the forthcoming decade’s annual meteorological data and generate abundant intra-day hourly scenario samples. The comparative analysis of the photovoltaic power output variations between future and present in reduction typical scenarios is conducted by the K-means clustering method with appropriate clustering parameter optimization. The simulation results show that the annual mean variations in global horizontal radiation, dry bulb temperature, and wind speed are projected to increase by approximately from 20.1 to 36.5 W/m2, 1.6 to 2.3°C, and 0.1 to 0.6 m/s, respectively in the forthcoming scenario of shared socioeconomic pathways 2-4.5. It is seen that solar photovoltaic electricity production anticipates a positive increase from 2.5% to 17.9%.

Onasemnogene abeparvovec gene therapy for spinal muscular atrophy: A cohort study from the United Arab Emirates.

Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) manifests with progressive motor neuron degeneration, leading to muscle weakness. Onasemnogene abeparvovec is a US Food and Drug Administration-approved gene replacement therapy for SMA. This study aimed to present short-term data of children in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) treated with onasemnogene abeparvovec, particularly in the context of children requiring invasive ventilatory support via tracheostomy. A retrospective analysis was performed on 60 children who received onasemnogene abeparvovec. All these children received corticosteroids. They were followed up for up to 3 months. Motor function assessments were performed before and after the gene therapy. Comprehensive clinical evaluations, including pulmonary functions, were performed at baseline and the 3-month mark. Forty-three percent were male, and the mean age at the time of infusion was 29.6 months (SD ± 17.2). The mean weight was 10.1 kg (SD 2.6). All children demonstrated marked improvements in motor function within 3 months of gene therapy administration. No adverse effects attributable to corticosteroid therapy were observed. Positive clinical outcomes, including increased ventilator-free intervals, reduced antibiotic dependency, and fewer hospital admissions, were reported among children with invasive ventilation via tracheostomy. This study demonstrates the favorable tolerability and promising responses to onasemnogene abeparvovec in invasively ventilated pediatric patients. Early improvements in motor function, as observed within 3 months post-treatment, suggest its potential as a viable therapeutic option for this vulnerable patient population.

Treat me fairly now or I will commit misconduct later: integrating general strain and procedural (in)justice in graduate education

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to integrate general strain theory and procedural justice in the context of research misconduct in university settings. Design/methodology/approach Drawing on media accounts and past research, the authors present data on the financial costs of research misconduct to universities and identify graduate school processes as a possible source of strain may lead to misconduct. Relevant research on procedural justice in organizational settings is also examined. Findings The available literature suggests that the use of procedurally just practices will help reduce strain, and in doing so, potentially prevent research misconduct in university settings. The authors present an integrated theoretical model that can be tested in future empirical studies of research misconduct and other forms of white-collar crime in universities. Directions for future theoretically informed research are discussed, along with recommendations for graduate program administrators. Originality/value Research misconduct causes significant financial and reputational costs to universities. While past research focuses on mentoring and training for preventing misconduct by graduate students, this study argues that the use of fair evaluations and other procedurally just processes is also important.

Absolute direction in organelle movement.

In movement analysis, correlated random walk (CRW) models often use so-called turning angles, which are measured relative to the previous movement direction. To segregate between different movement modes, hidden Markov models (HMMs) describe movements as piecewise stationary CRWs in which the distributions of turning angles and step sizes depend on the underlying state. This typically allows for the segregation of movement modes that show different movement speeds. We show that in some cases, it may be interesting to investigate absolute angles, that is, biased random walks (BRWs) instead of turning angles. In particular, while discrimination between states in the turning angle setting can only rely on movement speed, models with absolute angles can be used to discriminate between sections of different movement directions. A preprocessing algorithm is provided that enables the analysis of absolute angles in the existing R package moveHMM. In a data set of movements of cell organelles, models using not the turning angle but the absolute angle could capture interesting additional properties. Goodness-of-fit was increased for HMMs with absolute angles, and HMMs with absolute angles tended to choose a higher number of states, suggesting the existence and relevance of prominent directional changes in the present data set. These results suggest that models with absolute angles can provide important information in the analysis of movement patterns if the existence and frequency of directional changes is of biological importance.

Hybrid inflation, reheating and dark radiation in a IIB perturbative moduli stabilization scenario

We study the cosmological implications of an effective field theory model derived within a configuration of D7 brane stacks in the framework of type-IIB string theory. We consider a suitable geometric setup where the Kähler moduli fields are stabilized and the parametric space is constrained so that a de Sitter vacuum is ensured. In addition to the moduli fields we also take into account the usual Higgs and matter fields included in the effective field theory. In this background, we implement the standard hybrid inflation scenario with a singlet scalar field acting as the inflaton and the Higgs states serving as waterfall fields. Radiative corrections and soft supersymmetry breaking terms play an essential role in the realization of a successful inflationary scenario consistent with the present cosmological data. Small tensor-to-scalar ratio values are predicted, which can be probed in future planned experiments. Further constraints on the model’s parameters are derived from bounds on dark radiation which is measured as a contribution to the effective number of neutrino species Neff. In particular, we find an excess of ∆Neff ≤ 0.95 at 2σ confidence level with natural values of the involved couplings.

Study On The Implementation Of Good Corporate Governance In The Business Sector State Owned Banking In Langkat District

This research aims to examine the implementation of good corporate governance in the business sector state-owned banking in Langkat Regency. This research uses research methods qualitative. The data collection technique used in this research is method observation, interviews and documentation. Data analysis techniques used in research This is a qualitative data analysis technique. The data analysis component used is reduction data (data reduction), data presentation (data display), and drawing conclusions (conclusion drawings). The research results show that the role of internal audit has an influence on implementation of the principles of good corporate governance in the company. Obstacles and Obstacles in implementing Good Corporate Governance in companies, namely the cause is HR knowledge and understanding of GCG principles is still lacking. Lots of human resources who have not attended training, seminars. Apart from that, the principle of transparency is also implemented hampered by inadequate facilities and infrastructure, such as the unavailability of a website. Regarding Independence, Internal Audit at Bank Mandiri is objective in nature carry out audit activities. Apart from that, all internal audit members at the Bank Mandiri Langkat branch, has no family relationship with the Management or staff at the Langkat branch of Bank Mandiri.

What's the Impact of Safety Footwear on Workers Concerning Foot-Related Problems? A Systematic Review.

This study aims to assess the impact of safety footwear (SF) on workers concerning foot-related problems, especially regarding discomfort, foot pain, and skin lesions. A literature search of PubMed, Embase, Scopus, and Cochrane databases was performed according to PRISMA guidelines. Studies reporting foot-related problems in workers wearing SF were included. Exclusion criteria included non-English papers, reviews, laboratory and animal studies, expert opinions, letters to the editor, and grey literature. The quality assessment was performed using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. Descriptive statistic was used to present data. The initial search results yielded 483 articles; 7 articles were included in the review process. Despite the extensive variety of SF, all studies consistently reported symptomatic discomfort and pain. The discomfort factors included heat, sweating, heaviness, and footwear flexibility, with primary issues in the toes, toecaps, or metatarsal-toe crease region. The pain prevalence ranged from 42.3% to 60.8% in various anatomical regions. Irritant Contact Dermatitis was the most common (97.9%) foot dermatosis, but other foot lesions were reported: dry skin (30.2%), calluses (30%), hard nails (28%), corns (27%), and blisters. Current SFs are designed to comply with safety regulations but are influenced by the frequent occurrence of discomfort and foot problems. The literature review identified weaknesses in certain design features. Recommendations have been proposed to improve SF development. These include addressing issues such as the selection of specific types and designs of SF based on task performance and the working environment, footwear weight, and breathable materials for moisture permeation. Considerations should also encompass distinct sizing for an optimal fit, insole application, especially for prolonged standing users, and education programs to prevent foot-related issues.

Evaluation of the effectiveness of online research groups in increasing research capacity among young African Family Physicians

ABSTRACT Introduction Low research output is hindering efforts to improve health services in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). AfriWon Research Group of WONCA Africa has established an online collaborative research mentorship and training programme to boost research capacity among Family Physicians in SSA. This study aims to assess the effectiveness of the programme in achieving this goal. Methodology A mixed-method descriptive cross-sectional study was used to interview the 54 members of the 2022 SOGER cohort. Structured questionnaires and key informant interviews of 12 members were used to collect data. Quantitative analysis was done using Epi Info version 7.2.5. Descriptive statistics were used to present data using frequencies and percentages. Qualitative analysis was then done by using Nvivo®. Results The 54 participants practised in 10 SSA countries and were mostly males 28 (51.9%) with a mean age of 41.56 ± 2.04 years. The majority of them 33 (61.1%) have had some form of research experience prior to joining SOGER. Members identified key benefits of the programme as fostering collaboration, mentorship and continuing education 46 (85.2%); and improvement of research skills 33 (61.1%). Barriers identified were poor collaboration and participation among members 37 (68.5%); irregular meeting schedules as a result of the different time zones 18 (33.3%); and poor internet facilities 19 (35.2%). Conclusion The SOGER programme was rated as very effective in increasing the research capacity of young FPs and helping participants engage with other researchers and develop research skills. Identified areas of improvement were difficulty meeting set group targets, irregular meetings and conflicting work schedules.

Dyspnea in post-COVID-19 patients: A review

New coronavirus infection may lead to long-term consequences, particularly to post-COVID syndrome, one of the most common manifestations of which is dyspnea. Post-COVID-19 shortness of breath may persist from one to several months and even years that results in low quality of life of patients. The review highlights possible risk factors and causes of dyspnea in post-COVID period such as lung damage, cardiovascular pathology, hyperventilation syndrome, dysfunction of the autonomic nervous system, detraining, anemia, etc. The authors present data about COVID-19-associated causes of dyspnea and severity of acute COVID-19. The review emphasizes the importance of a multidisciplinary approach to the diagnosis and treatment of patients with shortness of breath in post-COVID-19 period.

Subjective cognitive decline and objective cognitive performance in older adults: A systematic review of longitudinal and cross-sectional studies.

Older adults with subjective cognitive decline (SCD) have a higher risk of developing future cognitive decline than those without SCD. However, the association between SCD and objective cognitive performance remains unclear. This PRISMA 2020-compliant systematic review aims to provide a qualitative assessment of the longitudinal and cross-sectional relationship between SCD and objective cognitive performance in different cognitive domains, in neuropsychologically healthy, community-dwelling older adults (average age of 55 or older). To identify pertinent studies, a comprehensive search was conducted from seven databases. The National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute Quality Assessment Tool for Observational Cohort and Cross-Sectional Studies was used to assess the quality of included studies. Inclusion criteria were met by 167 studies, which were full-text and published between 1 January 1982 and 16 May 2023 (inclusive) in the languages of English, French, or Spanish and presenting data on objective cognitive performance in older adults with SCD. Overall, we found that SCD was associated with poorer objective cognitive performance on measures of global cognition and memory longitudinally compared to non-SCD status, but this association was inconsistent in cross-sectional studies. This association became stronger with the use of continuous measures of SCD as opposed to dichotomous measures. Additionally, results highlight the known lack of consistency in SCD assessment among studies and comparatively small number of longitudinal studies in SCD research.

A Bird's Eye View: The Past and Future of Activity-Focused Treatment.

Throughout her career, Audrey Holland advocated for persons with aphasia, urging clinicians and others to view each person in the context of their needs and desires in navigating daily life. In this article, we acknowledge her ideas about functional treatment, and consider their influence on contemporary, activity-focused aphasia treatment. Three criteria define activity-focused treatment: (1) activity-specific goals, (2) personally relevant targets, and (3) near-real-life practice settings. Elements of treatment design, activities, and outcome measurement described here exemplify Audrey's beliefs in person-centered clinical aphasiology. Operationalizing treatment elements and designing a context as close to real life as possible are clinical actions that support these beliefs. Activity-focused treatment and other life participation approaches have often been relegated to the last phase of treatment; following Audrey's example, we advocate beginning with activity-focused treatment based on a client's communication needs and desires. Activity-focused treatment benefits persons with aphasia, their families, clinicians, and other stakeholders by presenting outcomes that reflect communication change in a real-life context and that are individually relevant. Such outcomes foster an individual's inclusion in their communication environments, respect the WHO platform of functional treatment, and prepare a clinician to present outcome data relevant to that individual.