Impact of Open Access Policy on Brazilian Science and Global Trends.

Open access (OA) publishing provides free online access to research articles without subscription fees. In Brazil, absence of financial support from academic institutions and limited government policies pose challenges to OA publication. Here, we used data from the Web of Science and Scopus to compare with global trends in journal accessibility and scientific quality metrics. Brazilian authors publish more OA articles, particularly in Global South journals. While OA correlates with quality for global authors, it had no impact on Brazilian science. To maximize impact, Brazilian authors should prioritize Q1 journals regardless of OA status. High-impact or Global North journal publication seems more relevant for Brazilian science than OA. Our findings indicate that the present open access policy has been ineffective to improve the impact of Brazilian science, providing insights to guide the formulation of scientific public policies.

Study of an Enterococcus faecium strain isolated from an artisanal Mexican cheese, whole-genome sequencing, comparative genomics, and bacteriocin expression.

Enterococci are ubiquitous microorganisms in almost all environments, from the soil we step on to the food we eat. They are frequently found in naturally fermented foods, contributing to ripening through protein, lipid, and sugar metabolism. On the other hand, these organisms are also leading the current antibiotic resistance crisis. In this study, we performed whole-genome sequencing and comparative genomics of an Enterococcus faecium strain isolated from an artisanal Mexican Cotija cheese, namely QD-2. We found clear genomic differences between commensal and pathogenic strains, particularly in their carbohydrate metabolic pathways, resistance to vancomycin and other antibiotics, bacteriocin production, and bacteriophage and CRISPR content. Furthermore, a bacteriocin transcription analysis performed by RT-qPCR revealed that, at the end of the log phase, besides enterocins A and X, two putative bacteriocins not reported previously are also transcribed as a bicistronic operon in E. faecium QD-2, and are expressed 1.5 times higher than enterocin A when cultured in MRS broth.

How Cognitive Absorption Influences Responses to Immersive Narratives of Environmental Threats.

Nongovernment organizations are increasingly leveraging the metaverse and its suite of extended reality technologies, such as 360° video and virtual reality, to immerse audiences in situations depicting environmental threats. The promise of immersive storytelling as a conservation tool is predicated on the verisimilitude of the mediated experience, with exposure to environmental threats in immersive video akin to in vivo exposure. However, the psychological mechanisms explaining users' environmental responses to immersive stories remain ambiguous. In three controlled laboratory experiments, we examined unique properties (e.g., interactivity and modality) of immersive technologies vis-à-vis environmental stories and their influence on proenvironmental outcomes. Study 1 (N = 48) implemented a two-condition (interactivity: high vs. low) between-subjects experiment, showing that interactive 360° video significantly influenced attitudes through the mechanism of cognitive absorption. A 2 (interactivity: high/low) × 2 (distance: proximal/distant) between-subjects experiment (study 2; N = 76) further supported this mediation model by showing the mediating effects of cognitive absorption on attitudes and threat perceptions toward both distant and proximal threats. Lastly, study 3 (N = 68) replicated the mediating effects of cognitive absorption across 360° video modalities, though head-mounted display-based, rather than screen-based, 360° videos only significantly increased attitudes and absorption when threats were proximal. We discuss the results' practical and theoretical implications and propose avenues for future research. Moreover, we outline important considerations for environmental organizations seeking to leverage metaverse platforms for communicating environmental threats.

Benefits of a Dual-Task Training on Motor and Cognitive Functions in Community-Dwelling Older Adults: A Controlled Clinical Trial.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study is to verify the effects of a 3-mo dual-task training on motor and cognitive functions in community-dwelling older adults. DESIGN: In this prospective, single-blinded, controlled clinical trial, a total of 40 participants were allocated to either the experimental or the control (no-exercise) group. The intervention program consisted of a combination of motor and cognitive exercises conducted twice a week on nonconsecutive days. The main outcome measures were postural stability, mobility, fear of falling, and cognitive functions. Multiple analyses of variance were used to assess the impact of the dual-task training. Effect sizes (η 2 p) were reported. Significance was set at 5%. RESULTS: Compared with the control group, participants who underwent the dual-task training showed positive outcomes in terms of postural stability (η 2 p = 0.298, P = 0.020), mobility (η 2 p = 0.285, P = 0.003), and cognitive functions (η 2 p = 0.536, P = 0.001). No significant differences were observed between the groups in terms of the fear of falling ( P = 0.566). CONCLUSIONS: Three-month dual-task training was beneficial for postural control, mobility, and cognitive functions in community-dwelling older adults. Based on the present findings, healthcare professionals should consider incorporating dual-task training into clinical practice.

Brazilian South-South Scientific Collaboration and The Sustainable Development Goals.

We look at Brazilian collaboration in Scientific papers based on SciVal and Incites regarding the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations. Data were collected from InCites® and SciVal® (2012-2021). Groups of Global South countries were formed (ASEAN, Asia, Africa, BRICS, Caribbean, Central and Latin America). Analyses included Cluster (Author position, impact/citations, open access, journal quartil), principal component, path and analysis of variance to see the effect of region and SDGs in Brazilian publishing. Scopus data were analysed in Vosviewer® for creating country networks through publication, citation and bibliographic coupling, as well as keyword analysis. SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-Being) dominates all Brazilian scientific collaborations with the various country groups. While gender equality shows greater importance in ASEAN and African countries, Life Below Water (SDG14), on Land (SDG15), and Climate Action (SDG13), are important in all regions. SDGs 1, 8, 10, 12, and 16 show less importance in this collaboration overall. Brazil is relatively more active in Zero Hunger (SDG2) and Life on Land (SDG15) than worldwide. Brazil South-South collaboration in published documents shows higher impact than North South in some areas. Collaboration priorities vary by region and triangulation with countries is high depending on language and region.

Bibliographic mapping for heat tolerance in pigs and poultry.

Heat tolerance, especially under climate change scenarios, plays an increasingly import factor in pig and chicken production. We therefore evaluated bibliographic mapping of citation, co-occurrence of keywords, co-citation and bibliographic coupling for heat tolerance, and these species. Data was obtained from Scopus (Elsevier) and analysed in Vosviewer. We found a total of 2023 documents from 102 countries, of which 10 countries account for 50% of the publications (USA, China, Brazil, Iran, India, UK, Turkey, Germany, Egypt, and Australia). While heat tolerance is important worldwide, Global South countries, especially China, have become more prominent in publishing on this topic in recent years. Researchers from South America appear relatively isolated using the metrics of this study, with no clear explanation why. We speculate funding for research and publication may be a governing factor. The literature reviewed suggests an emphasis on mitigation strategies that include nutrition and genetics. An emphasis in poultry, especially Gallus gallus was observed and suggests more attention is needed on other species (for example, ducks and turkey). Biases in the analysis could arise due to lack of citations from recent papers, those not indexed in Scopus or in other languages. The paper advances understanding tendencies in this field of research and may point to future actions for policy makers addressing animal production and climate change research.

Tropical Animal Health and Production: a 55-year bibliographic analysis setting the course for a globalized international reference journal.

In this paper, we carried out a bibliographic mapping analysis with data from Scopus on publications in Tropical Animal Health and Production (TAHP) from its creation. This analysis is important for the journal and its readership, as a self-evaluation in terms of the scope and impact of the journal and how it is changing as well as aiding the editors in shaping the future direction of the journal. A total of 6229 papers were found, with an average of 8.71 citations per paper. Article Influence, Percentage of papers in Open Access, Immediacy Index, and Journal Impact Factor have all risen in recent years, although improvements are still necessary. With a cited half-life of 7.2 years, the percentage of papers in international collaboration has stabilized since 2010 (around 40%), down from around a peak of 60% in 2006. The journal is a Q2 journal with 86.4% of its documents cited. Of all documents published, 2401 were classified in SDG3 (Good Health and Wellbeing) followed by SDG2 (Zero Hunger) with 136. We mapped citations, co-citations, and bibliographic coupling and identified major authors, sources, references, and countries publishing in TAHP. The journal continues to play a key role in advancing knowledge and understanding of animal health and production in tropical and sub-tropical regions and supporting the development of sustainable animal production and veterinary medicine in these vast regions of the globe.

Funding as a determinant of Citation Impact in Scientific Papers in different countries.

Several factors influence the citation impact. This paper constructed paths from funding to citation impact on a country basis. Country data came from Incites® (2011-2020). The (2013 to 2018) UNESCO database was used to define investments in Research and Development (R&D). An overall analysis and analyses by clusters formed by investments in R&D were carried out. Countries that invest relatively less in R&D tend to have less investment by businesses and publish fewer documents. Some differences exist in this pattern. For example, countries in the lowest investment group show higher international collaboration and publications in Open Access Journals. This leads to a higher impact but below countries with the highest investments in R&D. The paths from funding to high impact differed by cluster. While international collaboration appeared in several clusters, the % of papers in Q1 (Top) journal quartile, based on citations, was in almost all clusters. More investments in R&D and open access publishing do not necessarily lead to high impact.

Bibliometric Networks and financing in Brazilian Physical Education Research

In this paper, we looked at citations, major institutions, research themes and funding in physical education and sports studies from Brazilian authors to evaluate their impact and insertion worldwide.  A bibliometric analysis using data from international (Web of Science and Scopus) and national (Sucupira) databases followed by visualization of similarities. Data was downloaded from Scopus and SciVal (Elsevier) and Web of Science (Clarivate Analytics) databases as well as Sucupira in the area of Physical Education as defined by the Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior in Brazil. Data were analysed using Visualisation of Similarities (Vosviewer), correlation, regression and variance analyses to examine the relationship between quantity and quality indicators. Major topics researched include obesity, exercise, joints, cartilage, tendons and muscles (ankle, knee, hip, shoulder) as well as factors linked to age (child, adolescent and ageing), in line with those researched worldwide.  The correlation between the number of publications per topic worldwide and in Brazil is 0.79.   There was a concentration of publishing in the area of physical education in Brazil with 80% of papers being published by only 12% of the institutions that publish on this subject.  Brazilian authors in physical education cooperate with, and receive financing from, institutions and funding agencies worldwide, but papers funded by Brazilian agencies have lower impact.   Brazilian researchers are researching similar topics to international researchers, but citation analysis shows relatively closed clusters of researchers with little interaction between them.

Bibliometric indicators in Physical Education research: Brazil in comparison / Indicadores bibliométricos na pesquisa em Educação Física: o Brasil em comparação / Indicadores bibliométricos en la investigación en Educación Física: Brasil en comparación

ABSTRACT Scopus and Web of Science were used to evaluate papers on Physical Education worldwide and in Brazil. Most documents are published in the USA and England, Brazil being the 6th largest. Brazilians tend to publish in Brazil. Countries with a higher % of documents in Q1 journals have higher % of top 10% cited documents. Most countries increase their Top 10% score when publishing in open access, while Brazil decreases. Differentiation between country clusters is due to % documents in Q1 journals, international collaboration, Open Access, citations/paper and documents in Top 10%. Brazil researches similar topics to those worldwide. Publishing in Q1 journals, and more industry and international collaboration can increase the impact of publications by Brazilian authors.

RESUMO Scopus e Web of Science foram usados ​​para avaliar artigos sobre Educação Física no mundo e no Brasil. A maioria dos documentos é publicada nos EUA e na Inglaterra, sendo o Brasil o 6º maior. Brasileiros tendem a publicar no Brasil. Os países com maior % de documentos em periódicos do 1º quartil têm maior % dos citados. A maioria dos países aumenta seu impacto publicando em acesso aberto, enquanto o Brasil diminui. A diferença entre países deve-se à % de documentos em periódicos do 1º quartil, colaboração internacional, acesso aberto, citações/artigos e documentos no Top 10%. O Brasil pesquisa temas semelhantes aos do mundo. A publicação em periódicos do 1º quartil, mais colaboração industrial e internacional podem aumentar o impacto das publicações de autores brasileiros.

RESUMEN Scopus y Web of Science se utilizaron para evaluar artículos sobre Educación Física en el mundo y Brasil. La mayoría de los documentos se publican en EEUU e Inglaterra, siendo Brasil el sexto más grande. Los brasileños tienden a publicar en Brasil. Los países con un % más alto de documentos en revistas Q1 tienen un % más alto citados en el 10% superior, y publican en acceso abierto, mientras que Brasil disminuye. La diferenciación entre países se debe a % de documentos en revistas Q1, colaboración internacional, acceso abierto, citas/artículo y documentos en el 10% superior. Brasil investiga temas similares a los del mundo. La publicación en revistas Q1, una mayor colaboración internacional y de la industria pueden aumentar el impacto de las publicaciones de autores brasileños.

Science, misinformation, and the role of education.

"Competent outsiders" must be able to evaluate the credibility of science-based arguments.

The effects of embodying wildlife in virtual reality on conservation behaviors.

Efforts to mitigate environmental threats are often inversely related to the magnitude of casualty, human or otherwise. This "compassion fade" can be explained, in part, by differential processing of large- versus small-scale threats: it is difficult to form empathic connections with unfamiliar masses versus singular victims. Despite robust findings, little is known about how non-human casualty is processed, and what strategies override this bias. Across four experiments, we show how embodying threatened megafauna-Loggerhead sea turtles (Caretta Caretta)-using virtual reality can offset and reverse compassion fade. After observing compassion fade during exposure to non-human casualty in virtual reality (Study 1; N = 60), we then tested a custom virtual reality simulation designed to facilitate body transfer with a threatened Loggerhead sea turtle (Study 2; N = 98). Afterwards, a field experiment (Study 3; N = 90) testing the simulation with varied number of victims showed body transfer offset compassion fade. Lastly, a fourth study (N = 25) found that charitable giving among users embodying threatened wildlife was highest when exposed to one versus several victims, though this effect was reversed if victims were of a different species. The findings demonstrate how animal embodiment in virtual reality alters processing of environmental threats and non-human casualty, thereby influencing conservation outcomes.

Acute effects of different rest intervals between agonist-antagonist paired-sets in the neuromuscular system performance of young adults.

INTRODUCTION: The agonist-antagonist paired-sets (APS) is a resistance training that involves alternating between exercises for agonist/antagonist muscles of a joint, with little or no rest between then. There is evidence that APS is more strenuous than traditional methods, but evidence on the optimal RI between agonist-antagonist actions is unknown. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to compare different rest intervals between agonist-antagonist actions during APS in young adults. METHOD: Fifty healthy men (mean age 23.2 ± 2.8 years; 1.76 ± 0.1m height, 78.03 ± 8.1 kg) were included and performed three different agonist-antagonist paired-sets protocols separated by 72h, consisting of 4 sets of 10 repetitions. The protocols differed in terms of the rest interval between the knee flexion and extension movements: 0s (no rest); 60s and 120s. The rest intervals between exercise sets were standardized at 60s. Total work, peak torque, neuromuscular efficiency, surface EMG amplitude (sEMG, root mean square) and fatigue index obtained by processing of sEMG signal, were compared between rest intervals and exercise sets within each protocol. RESULTS: There were no significant differences between rest intervals for total work, peak torque and neuromuscular efficiency (P > 0.05), but significant differences were found for sEMG and fatigue (P < 0.01), in which the protocol with 60s interval resulted in greater fatigue. CONCLUSION: We showed that peak torque, total work and neuromuscular efficiency were not different between RI. The 60s RI showed a lower sEMG and a greater muscle fatigue. Although there were no significant differences, the NME was higher in the 60s interval.

Copresence With Virtual Humans in Mixed Reality: The Impact of Contextual Responsiveness on Social Perceptions.

Virtual humans (VHs)-automated, three-dimensional agents-can serve as realistic embodiments for social interactions with human users. Extant literature suggests that a user's cognitive and affective responses toward a VH depend on the extent to which the interaction elicits a sense of copresence, or the subjective "sense of being together." Furthermore, prior research has linked copresence to important social outcomes (e.g., likeability and trust), emphasizing the need to understand which factors contribute to this psychological state. Although there is some understanding of the determinants of copresence in virtual reality (VR) (cf. Oh et al., 2018), it is less known what determines copresence in mixed reality (MR), a modality wherein VHs have unique access to social cues in a "real-world" setting. In the current study, we examined the extent to which a VH's responsiveness to events occurring in the user's physical environment increased a sense of copresence and heightened affective connections to the VH. Participants (N = 65) engaged in two collaborative tasks with a (nonspeaking) VH using an MR headset. In the first task, no event in the participant's physical environment would occur, which served as the control condition. In the second task, an event in the participants' physical environment occurred, to which the VH either responded or ignored depending on the experimental condition. Copresence and interpersonal evaluations of the VHs were measured after each collaborative task via self-reported measures. Results show that when the VH responded to the physical event, participants experienced a significant stronger sense of copresence than when the VH did not respond. However, responsiveness did not elicit more positive evaluations toward the VH (likeability and emotional connectedness). This study is an integral first step in establishing how and when affective and cognitive components of evaluations during social interactions diverge. Importantly, the findings suggest that feeling copresence with VH in MR is partially determined by the VHs' response to events in the actual physical environment shared by both interactants.

Usefulness of Fecal Calprotectin in the Management of Patients with Toxigenic Clostridioides difficile.

The availability of highly sensitive molecular tests for the detection of Clostridioides difficile in feces leads to overtreatment of patients who are probably only colonized. In this prospective study, the usefulness of fecal calprotectin (fCP) is evaluated in a cohort of patients with detection of toxigenic C. difficile in feces. Patients were classified by an infectious diseases consultant blinded to fCP results into three groups-group I, presumed Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI); group II, doubtful but treated CDI; and group III, presumed C. difficile colonization or self-limited CDI not needing treatment. One hundred and thirty-four patients were included. The median fCP concentrations were 410 (138-815) µg/g in group I, 188 (57-524) µg/g in group II, and 51 (26-97) µg/g in group III (26 cases); p < 0.05 for all comparisons. In forty-five out of 134 cases (33.5%), the fCP concentrations were below 100 µg/g. In conclusion, fCP is low in most patients who do not need treatment against C. difficile, and should be investigated as a potentially useful test in the management of patients with detected toxigenic C. difficile.

Customizing Your Demons: Anxiety Reduction via Anthropomorphizing and Destroying an "Anxiety Avatar".

Character customization is a prominent feature in digital games, affording users the ability to tailor one's virtual self-representation (avatar) to match aspects of their actual or ideal self, influencing psychological well-being. The mental health implications of character customization can be partially explained by self-discrepancy theory, which argues that achieving congruence with one's avatar reduces cognitive dissonance. However, the role of undesirable self-concepts such as mental health ailments have largely been overlooked in this context despite forming part of one's identity. In theory, customization of an avatar representing undesirable self-concepts presents a self-regulatory paradox: individuals desire to reduce discrepancies with a self-representation, yet they also desire to enlarge discrepancies with a disliked-self. To reconcile this, two experiments explored the psychological implications of imbuing avatars with undesirable self-concepts. In Study 1 (N = 90), participants customized an avatar to represent anxiety within themselves (i.e., an anxiety avatar). Customization significantly reduced state anxiety compared to a control group, supporting the proposed discrepancy-reduction mechanism. Study 2 (N = 122) employed a 2 (customization: yes, no) × 2 (destruction: yes, no) between-subjects design, with participants either destroying or observing an anxiety avatar. Destruction of customized anxiety avatars resulted in the largest reduction in anxiety among all conditions, supporting the proposed discrepancy-enlargement mechanism. Theoretical and practical implications for the use of avatar-based e-mental health interventions are discussed.

Comparison of cognitive functions among frail and prefrail older adults: a clinical perspective.

ABSTRACTObjective:To compare cognitive function among frail and prefrail older adults. DESIGN: Cross-sectional clinical study. PARTICIPANTS: Fifty-one non-institutionalized older individuals participated in this study. MEASUREMENTS: Cognitive functions were evaluated through Mini-Mental State Examination (Global Cognition), Digit Span Forward (short-term memory), Digit Span Backward (working memory), Verbal Fluency Test (semantic memory/executive function). Data were compared using parametric and non-parametric bivariate tests. Binary logistic regression was used to test a frailty prediction model. Statistical significance was defined as p ≤ 0.01 to compare groups. In the regression model, the p value was set to be ≤0.05. RESULTS: Statistically significant differences were observed in global cognition, and short-term memory between frail and prefrail individuals (p ≤ 0.01). Global cognition explained 14-19% of frailty's model. CONCLUSION: According to our findings, the evaluation of cognitive functions among older persons with frailty and prefrailty provides important complementary information to better manage frailty and its progression.

Immediate and acute adverse effects following transforaminal epidural steroid injections with dexamethasone.

BACKGROUND: Transforaminal epidural steroid injections (TFESI) are widely used for the conservative treatment of radicular pain. The use of dexamethasone in TFESIs is relatively new; therefore, immediate and acute adverse effects that it may cause are not fully updated. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate immediate and acute adverse effects following TFESI with dexamethasone. STUDY DESIGN: Prospective, observational study. SETTING: A spine center affiliated with a rehabilitation hospital. METHODS: One hundred fifty consecutive patients receiving TFESI for the management of radicular and axial spinal pain at the cervical, lumbar, and sacral levels with dexamethasone using fluoroscopic guidance with digital subtraction technology were enrolled. The occurrence of adverse effects in patients in the 2-week time period following interventions was monitored through a set of questionnaires followed up by phone calls scheduled for 1 day, day 3, and day 14. Intensity and duration of side effects were recorded. RESULTS: Of the 150 patients enrolled, 31 patients (19.5%) experienced adverse effects within the first 30 minutes following the intervention. The most common adverse effects were numbness and tingling in the limb, which developed in 19 patients (11.95%) followed by perineal pruritus that occurred in 7 cases (4.4%). Patients also reported experiencing adverse effects within the 3 days following intervention; most complained of headaches, insomnia, hiccups, flushing, and increased radicular pain. No major complications were noted. LIMITATIONS: The sample size enrolled might be too small to perceive possible rare side effects related to the procedure. The 2-week follow-up period is a limitation for evaluating late side effects. CONCLUSIONS: This study offers provision to interventionalists that TFESI with dexamethasone when performed by experienced hands and with proper technique has minor self-limited transient adverse effects that can be easily managed. Patients should be made aware of these adverse effects and their management. Further larger studies are needed to validate the safe use of dexamethasone and the safety of transforaminal epidural injections.

Generalized pruritus as an unusual side effect after epidural injection with dexamethasone.

A 51-year-old man with lumbar radiculopathy underwent a right L5 transforaminal epidural steroid injection with dexamethasone. One minute after the injection, the patient experienced severe pruritus and burning, which began in the groin and then spread throughout his body. The symptoms resolved completely after 1 minute, and the patient was discharged without any complications. Although there are a small number of publications reporting perineal pruritus after intravenous administration of dexamethasone, to our knowledge there is no report of a generalized reaction to an epidural dexamethasone injection such as the one described here.