bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Machine Learning–Assisted Recurrence Prediction for Patients With Early-Stage Non–Small-Cell Lung Cancer
Authors: Janik Adrianna , Torrente Maria , Costabello Luca , Calvo Virginia , Walsh Brian , Camps Carlos , Mohamed Sameh K. , Ortega Ana L. , Nováček Vít , Massutí Bartomeu , Minervini Pasquale , Campelo M. Rosario Garcia , del Barco Edel , Bosch-Barrera Joaquim , Menasalvas Ernestina , Timilsina Mohan , Provencio Mariano
Published: July 2023

PURPOSE

Stratifying patients with cancer according to risk of relapse can personalize their care. In this work, we provide an answer to the following research question: How to use machine learning to estimate probability of relapse in patients with early-stage non–small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC)?

MATERIALS AND METHODS

For predicting relapse in 1,387 patients with early-stage (I-II) NSCLC from the Spanish Lung Cancer Group data (average age 65.7 years, female 24.8%, male 75.2%), we train tabular and graph machine learning models. We generate automatic explanations for the predictions of such models. For models trained on tabular data, we adopt SHapley Additive exPlanations local explanations to gauge how each patient feature contributes to the predicted outcome. We explain graph machine learning predictions with an example-based method that highlights influential past patients.

RESULTS

Machine learning models trained on tabular data exhibit a 76% accuracy for the random forest model at predicting relapse evaluated with a 10-fold cross-validation (the model was trained 10 times with different independent sets of patients in test, train, and validation sets, and the reported metrics are averaged over these 10 test sets). Graph machine learning reaches 68% accuracy over a held-out test set of 200 patients, calibrated on a held-out set of 100 patients.

CONCLUSION

Our results show that machine learning models trained on tabular and graph data can enable objective, personalized, and reproducible prediction of relapse and, therefore, disease outcome in patients with early-stage NSCLC. With further prospective and multisite validation, and additional radiological and molecular data, this prognostic model could potentially serve as a predictive decision support tool for deciding the use of adjuvant treatments in early-stage lung cancer.
CLASSIFICATION OF EXTRACTION PROCESSES BIOLOGICALLY ACTIVE SUBSTANCES FROM PLANT RAW MATERIALS
Authors: Semushkin Denis , Ziganshin Bulat , Semushkin Nikolay , Alatyrev Sergey , Maksimov Ivan
Published: July 2023

The article considers the processes of extraction of biologically active substances from plant materials, classifications are given. Methods for activating the extraction process have been identified, which make it possible to carry out work to improve the technological process of extraction and improve the design of installations for obtaining plant extracts. An extended classification of processes for the extraction of biologically active substances from plant materials has been proposed. Ways of activation of extraction processes are revealed. Classification of extraction preparations for plant materials can be carried out on the basis of various extraction systems and production technologies. The following classification schemes for the technological process of extraction are compiled and presented in the article: a schematic representation of extraction as a physical and chemical process; graphical representation of the extraction process; features of extraction of biologically active substances from raw materials with a cellular structure; stages of the extraction process; types of diffusion of biologically active substances from the internal structures of the material into the extractant; factors determining the efficiency of the extraction process; classification of extraction preparations from plant materials according to the production technology, taking into account extraction systems; parameters characterizing the extraction process; methods for determining the distribution coefficient of a substance in a plant extract; ways to activate the extraction process. Each type of extraction has its own advantages and disadvantages, and can be more or less effective depending on the type of plant material and the purpose of using the extract. Therefore, the choice of an extraction system should be based on a thorough analysis of the properties of plant materials and the requirements for the final product. Thus, the identified methods for activating the extraction process make it possible to carry out work to improve the technological process of extraction and the design of installations for obtaining plant extracts.
Decision Rule Approaches for Pessimistic Bilevel Linear Programs Under Moment Ambiguity with Facility Location Applications
Authors: Goyal Akshit , Zhang Yiling , He Chuan
Published: July 2023

We study a pessimistic stochastic bilevel program in the context of sequential two-player games, where the leader makes a binary here-and-now decision, and the follower responds with a continuous wait-and-see decision after observing the leader’s action and revelation of uncertainty. We assume that only the information regarding the mean, covariance, and support is known. We formulate the problem as a distributionally robust (DR) two-stage problem. The pessimistic DR bilevel program is shown to be equivalent to a generic two-stage distributionally robust stochastic (nonlinear) program with both a random objective and random constraints under proper conditions of ambiguity sets. Under continuous distributions, using linear decision rule approaches, we construct upper bounds on the pessimistic DR bilevel program based on (1) a 0-1 semidefinite programming (SDP) approximation and (2) an exact 0-1 copositive programming reformulation. When the ambiguity set is restricted to discrete distributions, an exact 0-1 SDP reformulation is developed, and explicit construction of the worst-case distribution is derived. To further improve the computation of the proposed 0-1 SDPs, a cutting-plane framework is developed. Moreover, based on a mixed-integer linear programming approximation, another cutting-plane algorithm is proposed. Extensive numerical studies are conducted to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed approaches on a facility location problem.

History: Pascal Van Hentenryck, Area Editor for Computational Modeling: Methods & Analysis.

Supplemental Material: The software that supports the findings of this study is available within the paper and its Supplemental Information ( https://pubsonline.informs.org/doi/suppl/10.1287/ijoc.2022.0168 ) as well as from the IJOC GitHub software repository ( https://github.com/INFORMSJoC/2022.0168 ). The complete IJOC Software and Data Repository is available at https://informsjoc.github.io/ .
The dichotomy of dermal fillers: when does the biostimulatory response become one of regeneration versus one of replacement?
Authors: Miller Amy
Published: July 2023

Many dermal fillers are classified as biostimulatory, meaning they stimulate the dermis to create new collagen, elastin, and other components of the extracellular matrix. Normal wound healing is also a biostimulatory process. It can be one of tissue replacement with scar formation, or one of true regenerative healing with functional restoration of the tissue. Dermal fillers can stimulate both types of healing, but to different degrees. This paper reviews this mechanism, exploring why some fillers seem to favour replacement, and some true regeneration. The patient's and the filler's propensity for late inflammatory reactions and their relationship to the biostimulatory characteristics of the product are examined as well.
Recycling Expensive Wafers Now Possible
Authors: Grylls Bethan
Published: July 2023

SEMICONDUCTING FILMS FROM EXOTIC MATERIALS OUTPERFORM SILICON.
Brighton Testbed Looks to Showcase 5G Technology
Authors: Tyler Neil
Published: July 2023

LAST MONTH A UK 5G TESTBED WAS LAUNCHED TO SHOWCASE SOME OF THE LATEST INNOVATION AND IMMERSIVE TECHNOLOGIES.
Impact of Antioxidant-rich Diet on Decreasing Oxidized Low-density Lipoproteins, 8-hydroxy-2´-deoxyguanosine and HbA1c in Saudi Men
Authors: Babakr Abdullatif Taha , Althubiti Mohammad
Published: July 2023

Objectives: Oxidative stress is a major cause of many disorders. However, the benefits of antioxidant-rich diet on the situation of oxidative stress and overall health remains under continuous investigations. Saudi Dietary Guidelines (The Healthy Food Palm) recommend the highest servings of fruits and vegetables for the middle-aged Saudi men (19-50 Years). We investigated the association between antioxidant-rich diet and levels of oxidized low-density lipoprotein, 8-OH-dG, lipid profile and HbA1c in Saudi men. Method: One hundred and fourteen healthy Saudi men were enrolled. The study group was categorized into Normal diet and Antioxidant-rich diet groups. Oxidized LDL, 8-OH dG, Lipid profile, and HbA1c were measured, and statistical methods were used for correlations and comparison between the two groups. Results: Decreased levels of 8-OH-dG was observed in the antioxidant rich diet group compared to the other group; p= 0.001. Similarly, the levels of Ox-LDL were lower in the antioxidant rich diet group compared to normal group; p=0.004. Total cholesterol, Triglycerides, and LDL were found to be significantly elevated in normal group compared to antioxidant rich diet group; p>0.001. HbA1c was higher in the normal group; p>0.001. Conclusion: In conclusion, the present study suggests that antioxidant rich diet may have a positive impact on decreasing oxidized low-density lipoproteins and 8-OH-dG. Additionally, using an antioxidant rich diet may enhance the lipid profile and decrease HbA1c. Larger studies to validate these findings and explore the benefits of healthy diet are recommended.
Assessment its Antioxidant, Antimicrobial and Anti-Inflammatory Potential of Momordica Charantia
Authors: Singh Arsh , Gupta Amit , Srivastava Simran , Choudhury Bhavya , Jain Sidharth , Bajpai AB
Published: July 2023

Natural products are believed to be one of the richest sources of prophylactic and therapeutic-based compounds which show a wide range of applications in the food and pharmaceutical industries. An aqueous extract of Momordica charantia was evaluated systematically for antioxidant (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl, DPPH free radical assay), antimicrobial (bacterial strains), and anti-inflammatory (heat-induced hemolysis, proteinase inhibitory activity, protein denaturation, i.e., bovine serum albumin, BSA, and typhoid vaccine) agents, as well as its phenolic content. The results showed its higher concentration of phenolic content, as reported in this study, which is directly correlated with the antioxidant activity of Momordica charantia against DPPH. Similar results were obtained in the antimicrobial assay, where the diameter of the inhibition zone against bacterial strains is measured in millimetres (mm), which is wider in the case of the aqueous extract. In addition, anti-inflammatory studies were also taken into consideration, and the results suggest that higher doses of Momordica charantia may enhanced the percentage of protein denaturation as compared to BSA or typhoid vaccine alone and also induced heat induce hemolysis and proteinase inhibitory activity, In short, Momordica charantia may have shown several immunopharmacological properties, and this study may have been used further have used for isolation of desired prophylactic or therapeutic based compounds and to develop better nutraceutical or pharmaceutical agents.
Cascaded weak-value amplification for optic-fiber-based Sagnac interferometers
Authors: Huang Jing-Hui , Hu Xiang-Yun , Duan Xue-Ying , Wang Guang-Jun
Published: July 2023

In this paper, we propose a scheme for angular rotation Ω measurement in an optic-fiber-based Sagnac interferometer based on cascaded weak-value amplification (CWVA). CWVA is a modified standard weak-value amplification (SWVA) technique for further enhancing temporal shifts based on the principle of the Vernier effect. By choosing the appropriate CWVA parameters and the repetition time intervals of the Vernier scale, the temporal shifts in SWVA can be further amplified by measuring the envelope shifts in CWVA. Our comprehensive simulations demonstrate that CWVA enables the detection of minuscule rotations in the range of 1.0×10−9rad/s≤Ω≤10×10−9rad/s, with significantly improved sensitivity and superior signal-to-noise ratios compared to SWVA. The enhancement with a larger detection band may have great influence on physics and related sciences, such as rotational seismology and gravitational sensing.
High-damage-threshold mid-infrared saturable absorber enabled by tantalum carbide nanoparticles
Authors: Zhou RuiTing , Huang Jing , Liu DongYang , He Yuan , Li Ning , Yang LingLing , Yi Jun , Miao Lili , Zhao Chujun
Published: July 2023

A stable mid-infrared saturable absorber with a high damage threshold is urgently required for high-performance optical modulation in the mid-infrared regime. Here, we demonstrate stable mid-infrared erbium-doped fiber laser generation modulated by tantalum carbide nanoparticles (TaC NPs) experimentally. The TaC NPs show high physicochemical stability, obvious nonlinear optical absorption, and a high damage threshold. By introducing the TaC-based saturable absorber into an erbium-doped fiber laser, stable nanosecond pulses can be successfully delivered with a minimum pulse duration of 575 ns and signal-to-noise ratio of over 40 dB. The experimental results show that TaC NPs can act as a stable mid-infrared pulse modulator, and may make inroads for developing highly stable broadband optoelectronic devices.
Cationic complex-enhanced C–H stimulated Raman scattering in naphthalene–benzene solution
Authors: Du Hua , Xue Ruqing , Xu Xueliang , Sun Chenglin , Zhang Wei , Fang Wen Hui , Men Zhiwei
Published: July 2023

Ring skeleton vibrations of aromatic series are dominant in Raman spectroscopy compared with the C–H stretching vibrations. When a laser-induced plasma (LIP) was generated in a mixed solution of naphthalene and benzene, an anomalous enhancement was observed in stimulated Raman scattering (SRS) of aromatic C–H stretching vibrations of naphthalene (3055 cm−1). However, SRS of C–H stretching vibrations of benzene at 3060 cm−1 disappeared. The LIP produced electrons and cations, and the transient production of ionized material contributed to the enhancement of SRS of C–H vibrations of naphthalene. Density functional theory calculations showed that the C–H Raman activity of the naphthalene molecules in (naphthalene–benzene)+ heterodimer was significantly enhanced compared with neutral naphthalene. In addition, SRS pulse durations were better compressed in pure benzene and naphthalene due to the self-focusing effect.
Complex amplitude field recovery of a scattering media obstructed object with multi-captured images
Authors: Liu Jinpeng , Feng Yi , Li Wei , Xiang Meng , Xi Teli , Liu Fei , Li Gang , Shao Xiaopeng
Published: July 2023

An iterative-based method for recovering the complex amplitude field behind scattering media is presented in this Letter. This method compensates the random phase modulation of scattering media by using multiple captured scattered light fields. Complex amplitude reconstruction with local iterative averaging of scattered light fields, and double weighted feedback is efficiently applied. Two feasible types of system setups, with varying detector positions and wavelength, are proposed. Simulations and proof-of-concept experiments are employed to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method in reconstructing complex amplitude of a hidden target.
Leveraging epigenomes and three-dimensional genome organization for interpreting regulatory variation
Authors: Baur Brittany , Shin Junha , Schreiber Jacob , Zhang Shilu , Zhang Yi , Manjunath Mohith , Song Jun S. , Stafford Noble William , Roy Sushmita
Published: July 2023

Understanding the impact of regulatory variants on complex phenotypes is a significant challenge because the genes and pathways that are targeted by such variants and the cell type context in which regulatory variants operate are typically unknown. Cell-type-specific long-range regulatory interactions that occur between a distal regulatory sequence and a gene offer a powerful framework for examining the impact of regulatory variants on complex phenotypes. However, high-resolution maps of such long-range interactions are available only for a handful of cell types. Furthermore, identifying specific gene subnetworks or pathways that are targeted by a set of variants is a significant challenge. We have developed L-HiC-Reg, a Random Forests regression method to predict high-resolution contact counts in new cell types, and a network-based framework to identify candidate cell-type-specific gene networks targeted by a set of variants from a genome-wide association study (GWAS). We applied our approach to predict interactions in 55 Roadmap Epigenomics Mapping Consortium cell types, which we used to interpret regulatory single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the NHGRI-EBI GWAS catalogue. Using our approach, we performed an in-depth characterization of fifteen different phenotypes including schizophrenia, coronary artery disease (CAD) and Crohn’s disease. We found differentially wired subnetworks consisting of known as well as novel gene targets of regulatory SNPs. Taken together, our compendium of interactions and the associated network-based analysis pipeline leverages long-range regulatory interactions to examine the context-specific impact of regulatory variation in complex phenotypes.
LRT: Integrative analysis of scRNA-seq and scTCR-seq data to investigate clonal differentiation heterogeneity
Authors: Xie Juan , Jeon Hyeongseon , Xin Gang , Ma Qin , Chung Dongjun
Published: July 2023

Single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) data has been widely used for cell trajectory inference, with the assumption that cells with similar expression profiles share the same differentiation state. However, the inferred trajectory may not reveal clonal differentiation heterogeneity among T cell clones. Single-cell T cell receptor sequencing (scTCR-seq) data provides invaluable insights into the clonal relationship among cells, yet it lacks functional characteristics. Therefore, scRNA-seq and scTCR-seq data complement each other in improving trajectory inference, where a reliable computational tool is still missing. We developed LRT, a computational framework for the integrative analysis of scTCR-seq and scRNA-seq data to explore clonal differentiation trajectory heterogeneity. Specifically, LRT uses the transcriptomics information from scRNA-seq data to construct overall cell trajectories and then utilizes both the TCR sequence information and phenotype information to identify clonotype clusters with distinct differentiation biasedness. LRT provides a comprehensive analysis workflow, including preprocessing, cell trajectory inference, clonotype clustering, trajectory biasedness evaluation, and clonotype cluster characterization. We illustrated its utility using scRNA-seq and scTCR-seq data of CD8+ T cells and CD4+ T cells with acute lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus infection. These analyses identified several clonotype clusters with distinct skewed distribution along the differentiation path, which cannot be revealed solely based on scRNA-seq data. Clones from different clonotype clusters exhibited diverse expansion capability, V-J gene usage pattern and CDR3 motifs. The LRT framework was implemented as an R package ‘LRT’, and it is now publicly accessible at https://github.com/JuanXie19/LRT. In addition, it provides two Shiny apps ‘shinyClone’ and ‘shinyClust’ that allow users to interactively explore distributions of clonotypes, conduct repertoire analysis, implement clustering of clonotypes, trajectory biasedness evaluation, and clonotype cluster characterization.
Hypertension among persons living with HIV—Zambia, 2021; A cross-sectional study of a national electronic health record system
Authors: Hines Jonas Z. , Prieto Jose Tomas , Itoh Megumi , Fwoloshi Sombo , Zyambo Khozya D. , Sivile Suilanji , Mweemba Aggrey , Chisemba Paul , Kakoma Ernest , Zachary Dalila , Chitambala Cecilia , Minchella Peter A. , Mulenga Lloyd B. , Agolory Simon
Published: July 2023

Hypertension is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease, which is a common cause of death in Zambia. Data on hypertension prevalence in Zambia are scarce and limited to specific geographic areas and/or populations. We measured hypertension prevalence among persons living with HIV (PLHIV) in Zambia using a national electronic health record (EHR) system. We did a cross-sectional study of hypertension prevalence among PLHIV aged ≥18 years during 2021. Data were extracted from the SmartCare EHR, which covers ~90% of PLHIV on treatment in Zambia. PLHIV with ≥2 clinical visits in 2021 were included. Hypertension was defined as ≥2 elevated blood pressure readings (systolic ≥140 mmHg/diastolic ≥90 mmHg) during 2021 and/or on anti-hypertensive medication recorded in their EHR ≤5 years. Logistic regression was used to assess for associations between hypertension and demographic characteristics. Among 750,098 PLHIV aged ≥18 years with ≥2 visits during 2021, 101,363 (13.5%) had ≥2 recorded blood pressure readings. Among these PLHIV, 14.7% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 14.5–14.9) had hypertension. Only 8.9% of PLHIV with hypertension had an anti-hypertensive medication recorded in their EHR. The odds of hypertension were greater in older age groups compared to PLHIV aged 18–29 years (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] for 30–44 years: 2.6 [95% CI: 2.4–2.9]; aOR for 45–49 years: 6.4 [95% CI: 5.8–7.0]; aOR for ≥60 years: 14.5 [95% CI: 13.1–16.1]), urban areas (aOR: 1.9 [95% CI: 1.8–2.1]), and on ART for ≥6-month at a time (aOR: 1.1 [95% CI: 1.0–1.2]). Hypertension was common among PLHIV in Zambia, with few having documentation of treatment. Most PLHIV were excluded from the analysis because of missing BP measurements. Strengthening integrated management of non-communicable diseases in HIV clinics might help to diagnose and treat hypertension in Zambia. Addressing missing data of routine clinical data (like blood pressure) could improve non-communicable diseases surveillance in Zambia.
Diagnostic performance of PfHRP2/pLDH malaria rapid diagnostic tests in elimination setting, northwest Ethiopia
Authors: Zeleke Melkamu Tiruneh , Gelaye Kassahun Alemu , Hirpa Adugna Abera , Teshome Mahlet Belachew , Guma Geremew Tasew , Abate Banchamlak Tegegne , Yenesew Muluken Azage
Published: July 2023

Accurate diagnosis of malaria is vital for the effectiveness of parasite clearance interventions in elimination settings. Thus, evaluating the diagnostic performance of rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) used in malaria parasite clearance interventions in elimination settings is essential. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the diagnostic performance of rapid diagnostic tests recently used in detecting malaria parasites in northwest Ethiopia. A facility-based cross-sectional study was conducted from November 2020 to February 2021 comparing PfHRP2/pLDH CareStart malaria RDTs with light microscopy and polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Blood samples were collected from 310 febrile patients who attended the outpatient department and examined using CareStart RDTs, light microscopy, and PCR. Statistical analyses were performed using STATA/SE version 17.0. The sensitivity of PfHRP2/pLDH CareStart malaria RDTs, regardless of species, was 81.0% [95% CI, 75.3, 86.7] and 75.8% [95% CI, 69.6, 82.0] compared to light microscopy and PCR, while the specificity was 96.8% [95% CI, 93.7, 99.9] and 93.2% [95% CI, 88.6, 97.8], respectively. The false-negative rate of CareStart malaria RDTs in comparison with light microscopy and PCR was 19.0% and 24.2%, respectively. The level of agreement beyond chance between tests was substantial, RDT versus microscopy was 75.0% and RDT versus PCR was 65.1%. The diagnostic performance of PfHRP2/pLDH CareStart RDTs in detecting malaria parasites among febrile patients in the study area was below the recommended WHO standard. The limited diagnostic performance of RDTs in the malaria elimination area undoubtedly affects the impact of malaria parasite clearance interventions. Therefore, parasite clearance intervention like targeted mass drug administration with antimalarial drugs is recommended to back up the limited diagnostic performance of the RDT or replace the existing malaria RDTs with more sensitive, field-deployable, and affordable diagnostic tests.
Multi-objective sustainable supply chain network optimization based on chaotic particle—Ant colony algorithm
Authors: Zhang Tianrui , Xie Wei , Wei Mingqi , Xie Xie
Published: July 2023

For the optimal design of the sustainable supply chain network, considering the comprehensiveness of the problem factors, considering the three aspects of economy, environment and society, the goal is to minimize the establishment cost, minimize the emission of environ-mental pollution and maximize the number of labor. A mixed integer programming model is established to maximize the efficiency of the supply chain network. The innovation of this paper, first, is to consider the impact of economic, environmental and social benefits in a continuous supply chain, where the environmental benefits not only consider carbon emissions but also include the emissions of plant wastewater, waste and solid waste as influencing factors. Second, a multi-objective fuzzy affiliation function is constructed to measure the quality of the model solution in terms of the overall satisfaction value. Finally, the chaotic particle ant colony algorithm is proposed, and the problem of premature convergence in the operation of the particle swarm algorithm is solved. Experimental results show that the PSCACO algorithm proposed in this paper is compared with MOPSO, CACO and NSGA-II algorithms, and the convergence effect of the algorithm is concluded to be more effective to verify the effectiveness and feasibility of chaotic particle ant colony algorithm for solving multi-objective functions, which proposes a new feasible solution for the supply chain management.
COVID-19 risk perception and public compliance with preventive measures: Evidence from a multi-wave household survey in the MENA region
Authors: Abu Hatab Assem , Krautscheid Lena , Amuakwa-Mensah Franklin
Published: July 2023

This study investigates the association between individuals’ concern about contracting COVID-19 and their compliance with recommended preventive and mitigation measures, namely wearing face masks, maintaining social distancing and handwashing, in the context of the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. The empirical analysis is based on a panel dataset from the Combined COVID-19 MENA Monitor Household Survey, which was carried out in Jordan, Morocco, Sudan, Tunisia and Egypt. Applying a probit estimation technique, a positive and statistically significant association was found between the level of COVID-19 worries and individuals’ compliance with the mitigation measures. Notably, the results revealed that this association followed a “first-up-then-down” trend, showing that compliance with the three mitigation measures rose as individuals’ worries about contracting the virus increased, and then markedly decreased after they had been infected. Socio-demographic characteristics contributing to lower levels of compliance included being male, being over 60, having lower levels of education and having a lower household income. A cross-country analysis revealed remarkable differences between the five countries, with the strongest association between COVID-19 concerns and adherence to mitigation measures observed in Tunisia and Sudan, and the weakest association seen in Jordan and Morocco. Policy implications are outlined for effective risk communication and management during disease outbreaks and public health emergencies to encourage appropriate public health behaviours.
Innate attraction and aversion to odors in locusts
Authors: Ray Subhasis , Sun Kui , Stopfer Mark
Published: July 2023

Many animals display innate preferences for some odors, but the physiological mechanisms underlying these preferences are poorly understood. Here, with behavioral tests, we establish a model system well suited to investigating olfactory mechanisms, the locust Schistocerca americana. We conducted open field tests in an arena designed to provide only olfactory cues to guide navigation choices. We found that newly hatched locusts navigated toward, and spent more time near, the odor of wheat grass than humidified air. In similar tests, we found that hatchlings avoided moderate concentrations of major individual components of the food blend odor, 1-hexanol (1% v/v) and hexanal (0.9% v/v) diluted in mineral oil relative to control presentations of unscented mineral oil. Hatchlings were neither attracted nor repelled by a lower concentration (0.1% v/v) of 1-hexanol but were moderately attracted to a low concentration (0.225% v/v) of hexanal. We quantified the behavior of the animals by tracking their positions with the Argos software toolkit. Our results establish that hatchlings have a strong, innate preference for food odor blend, but the valence of the blend’s individual components may be different and may change depending on the concentration. Our results provide a useful entry point for an analysis of physiological mechanisms underlying innate sensory preferences.
Are people really less moral in their foreign language? Proficiency and comprehension matter for the moral foreign language effect in Russian speakers
Authors: Kirova Alena , Tang Ying , Conway Paul
Published: July 2023

Previous work has demonstrated that people are more willing to sacrifice one person to save five in a foreign language (FL) than in their native tongue. This may be due to the FL either reducing concerns about sacrificial harm (deontological inclinations) or increasing concerns about overall outcomes (utilitarian inclinations). Moreover, proficiency in a foreign language (FL) may moderate results. To test these possibilities, we investigated the moral foreign language effect (MFLE) in a novel sample of Russian L1/English FL speakers. We employed process dissociation (PD)—a technique that independently assesses concerns about rejecting harm and maximizing outcomes in sacrificial dilemmas, and we assessed measures of objective and subjective foreign language proficiency and of dilemma comprehension. Results replicated the pattern of increased acceptance of sacrificial harm in FL demonstrated in earlier studies, but a PD analysis showed no evidence of increased concerns for utilitarian outcomes in a FL; instead, this pattern was driven by reduced concerns regarding sacrificial harm. However, people who reported better dilemma comprehension in the FL demonstrated both stronger deontological and utilitarian responding, and people with higher objective proficiency displayed stronger utilitarian responding in the FL than those with lower proficiency. These findings show that utilitarian inclinations are affected by reading dilemmas in a foreign language mainly in low-proficiency speakers, and that while emotional concerns for sacrifice are reduced in FL, better comprehension can increase such concerns as well as concern for outcomes.
Expression analysis of box C/D snoRNAs with SNPs between C57BL/6 and MSM/Ms strains in male mouse
Authors: Saito Rumiko , Otsu Maina , Kiyosawa Hidenori , Kawai Gota
Published: July 2023

MSM/Ms mouse derived from the Japanese wild mouse has unique characteristics compared to the widely used C57BL/6 mouse. To examine the usefulness of the MSM/Ms mouse for the comparative genomic analysis, expression of small RNAs were analyzed by the large-scale sequence analysis for two strains of mouse, C57BL/6 and MSM/Ms. As a trial, expression of box C/D snoRNAs, which are the most abundant small RNAs in the cell, were analyzed. By the comparison of the read number for each fragment, 11 snoRNAs with single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were detected. One of the snoRNAs, SNORD53, shows the expression only for MSM/Ms and this snoRNA has a mutation in the box sequence in C57BL/6. Thus, it was demonstrated that the proposed experimental system using SNPs can give new insight for the gene expression regulation.
Effects of SmartStax® and SmartStax® PRO maize on western corn rootworm (Diabrotica virgifera virgifera LeConte) larval feeding injury and adult life history parameters
Authors: Reinders Jordan D. , Moar William J. , Head Graham P. , Hassan Safeer , Meinke Lance J.
Published: July 2023

Field-evolved resistance of the western corn rootworm (WCR),Diabrotica virgifera virgiferaLeConte, toBacillus thuringiensisBerliner (Bt) proteins Cry3Bb1 and Cry34/35Ab1 (now classified as Gpp34Ab1/Tpp35Ab1) expressed in the pyramid SmartStax®has been documented in areas of the United States (U.S.) Corn Belt. SmartStax®PRO is a recently registered rootworm-active pyramid containing the same Bt proteins expressed in SmartStax®plus DvSnf7 dsRNA. Little to no published data is available comparing efficacy of the technologies or potential effects of dietary exposure on adult WCR fitness. Therefore, experiments were conducted to compare effects of adult WCR dietary exposure to SmartStax®and SmartStax®PRO on life history parameters and efficacy of the technologies in the field with both Bt-susceptible and Bt-resistant WCR populations. WCR life history parameters evaluated included adult longevity, head capsule width, egg production, and egg viability. Results of small-plot field trials indicated that both technologies provided a high level of root protection when a Bt-susceptible WCR population was present. Root protection was reduced on SmartStax®but maintained on SmartStax®PRO when WCR Bt resistance occurred. Lifetime egg production was the key life history parameter that was significantly reduced when either Bt-susceptible or Bt-resistant adult WCR were fed SmartStax®or SmartStax®PRO diet. A potential fitness advantage was apparent as egg production was significantly higher in the Bt-resistant than Bt-susceptible population. The similar response by the Bt-susceptible WCR population to SmartStax®and SmartStax®PRO indicates that results were caused by sublethal dietary exposure to Bt proteins. Adult size (males < females) and egg viability (high: >95%) were not significantly different among treatments but longevity results were inconsistent between years. Collectively, the field efficacy and life history parameter data expand existing knowledge of SmartStax®and SmartStax®PRO technologies, which will inform practical WCR resistance management programs.
Gaio Suetónio Tranquilo, Vidas dos Césares. Livro VIII. Os Flávios. Vidas de Vespasiano, Tito e Domiciano
Authors: Brandão José Luís
Published: July 2023

Tradução acompanhada de introdução e notas das Vidas dos Flávios, a dinastia que governou Roma entre 69 e 96 d.C. Esta família, embora não tivesse antepassados tão ilustres como os antecessores e fosse de origem sabina, veio dar estabilidade a Roma, depois dos sucessivos golpes de estado que aconteceram depois da morte de Nero. Mas enquanto as biografias de Vespasiano e Tito salientam aspetos essencialmente positivos (Vespasiano é apresentado como um restaurador bem-humorado da cidade e da sociedade, e Tito é designado como “amor e delícias do género humano”), o filho mais novo de Vespasiano – Domiciano – é associado aos lugares-comuns típicos dos tiranos, um conjunto de vícios que justificam a sua morte.
Museu de Arqueologia D. Diogo De Sousa. The Bühler-Brockhaus Donation: Obras-Primas nas Coleções de Antiguidades Gregas, Etruscas e Romanas
Authors: Morais Rui
Published: July 2023

Neste estudo apresentam-se as obras-primas da coleção Bühler-Brockhaus doadas ao Museu de Arqueologia D. Diogo de Sousa, Braga (Portugal). No total foram selecionadas trinta e seis obras-primas de distintas civilizações do mediterrâneo, datadas entre o 2º quartel do século VII a.C. e os finais do século III d.C. Estas abrangem esculturas em mármore e bronze, mosaicos, terracotas, vasos em cerâmica, peças em bronze, osso e de ourivesaria em ouro.
Análisis de los mensajes feministas y pseudofeministas de los anuncios lanzados para conmemorar el Día Internacional de la Mujer
Authors: Malnero del Llano Sarai , Moreno Cano Antonia María
Published: July 2023

Se supone que la estrategia publicitaria femvertising promueve la igualdad y el empoderamiento de las mujeres. La femvertising surge fruto de la cuarta ola feminista y de las movilizaciones sin precedentes de 2017 a 2022. Pero no todo femvertising es empoderador; ocasionalmente, sus mensajes son tan contraproducentes que pueden considerarse antifeministas. Este artículo detecta la ambivalencia de los discursos publicitarios y cuándo la femvertising no hace honor a su nombre. Analiza 20 anuncios lanzados con motivo del 8M en 11 países entre 2017 y 2022. Combinamos los marcos conceptuales de femvertising y resistencia antifeminista para, a través de un análisis semiótico-crítico del discurso, develar la naturaleza real de los anuncios. Para cada anuncio, preguntamos cómo cumple con los criterios de la femvertising y si recurre a alguna de las estrategias de la resistencia antifeminista. Agregamos una tercera capa analítica para medir su éxito o fracaso. Estas categorías se cuantifican a través de una escala Likert. La mayoría de estos anuncios evitan el sexismo y rompen con los estereotipos de género, aunque detectamos una presencia creciente de mensajes pseudofeministas y resistencias antifeministas. Además, destaca la conexión entre los mensajes y su contexto geográfico, social y político. Concluimos que el oportunismo de las marcas y los mensajes que responsabilizan a las mujeres de problemas que afectan a toda la sociedad continúan plagando la publicidad.
Validación del instrumento Sensibilidad de Género en la Práctica Docente desde la perspectiva estudiantil universitaria
Authors: Rosas Guevara Copelia C. , Velasco Díaz Martha Luisa , Valencia Cruz Alejandra , Ortiz Galindo Marcela
Published: July 2023

La desigualdad, inequidad y violencia de género en la educación superior son incómodos y difícil de manejar en las instituciones. En la universidad, como institución social, existen prácticas docentes que pueden reforzar, mantener, producir y reproducir los estereotipos de género o bien ayudar a modificar y colaborar con su deconstrucción. De ahí la importancia de saber cómo el estudiantado percibe estos estereotipos desde el actuar docente. Sin embargo, en la literatura revisada se observó escasez de instrumentos que permitan dar cuenta de ello. Por lo tanto, el objetivo fue el desarrollo y validación de un instrumento diseñado para medir la sensibilidad de género en las prácticas docentes a nivel superior, desde la perspectiva del estudiantado. Tal instrumento comprende cuatro dimensiones: 1) apoyo emocional, 2) manejo de conducta, 3) apoyo pedagógico y 4) lenguaje. La validación se realizó en dos fases, la primera por juezas expertas, las cuales valoraron la pertinencia y claridad de los reactivos y se calculó la razón de validez de contenido para cada uno. En la segunda, se realizó un estudio piloto con una muestra de 870 estudiantes de licenciatura para determinar las propiedades psicométricas de las dimensiones del instrumento. Se realizaron análisis factoriales exploratorios y confirmatorios y de consistencia interna a través del coeficiente alfa de Cronbach. Los resultados mostraron que las dimensiones tienen una buena estructura factorial y confiabilidad, lo cual indica que puede usarse en el ámbito universitario. La versión final del instrumento quedó conformada por 31 ítems en formato Likert y una pregunta abierta.
Estrategias de rivalidad. Interpelaciones del activismo opositor a los derechos sexuales y reproductivos en Argentina
Authors: Sgró Ruata María Candelaria
Published: July 2023

En distintos países de América Latina, los movimientos feministas y por la diversidad sexual desplegaron una estrategia de ingreso de los derechos sexuales y reproductivos en las agendas parlamentarias. Esto materializa nuevos escenarios en los que también adquieren mayor visibilidad los sectores que se movilizan en oposición a estas demandas. Se analiza el activismo en oposición a los derechos sexuales y reproductivos desde una de sus renovadas facetas relacionada con la ampliación de zonas de interpelación como fenómeno sociopolítico comunicacional. En este trabajo interesa proponer una de las vías para pensar este activismo desde los sentidos que colocan en la escena pública pero que al mismo tiempo los conforman como un colectivo político. Se realiza un estudio cualitativo y se analiza un corpus compuesto por materiales publicados en sitios web durante momentos clave de debate sobre sexualidad. Para ello, se seleccionaron dos contextos relevantes de observación, el debate por el matrimonio igualitario (2010) y el debate por la interrupción voluntaria del embarazo (2018) sucedidos en Argentina. Producto del análisis se plantean dos estrategias que permiten caracterizar a la oposición: identificación (de colectivos) y redireccionamiento (de sentidos). Ambas estrategias darían cuenta de la conformación de un colectivo heterogéneo articulado por un proyecto común que implica nuevas formas de subjetivación política. Se focaliza en la zona que denominamos zona coyuntural dado que involucra principalmente prácticas orientadas por un contexto específico. Es decir, se trata de momentos en los que las disputas toman mayor materialización y visibilidad porque se dan frente a un asunto concreto como el ingreso de los derechos sexuales y reproductivos a las agendas parlamentarias. De esta manera, la zona coyuntural se relaciona con diferentes formas de reproducción y de difusión o, en otras palabras, operaciones para generar y ganar convocatoria.
Regionalización y territorios: un análisis de la formación de consorcios municipales en Brasil para la gobernanza ambiental de recursos hídricos
Authors: Simões Agapito Leonardo
Published: July 2023

La Administración Pública en Brasil se descentralizó para los municipios a partir de la Constitución de 1988, de modo que son estos los responsables de las políticas de salud y protección ambiental desde directrices definidas por el Estado federal. El presente artículo se propone analizar la formación de consorcios municipales, como personas jurídicas especializadas, para llevar a cabo la gestión de recursos hídricos y la superación de los problemas comunes. En este sentido, ¿habría un mejor empleo de los recursos sin perder la representación democrática de los espacios? La hipótesis del artículo es que esto necesita ser observado desde la identidad territorial, de modo que la participación social no debe ocurrir sólo por consultas públicas, sino también por la regular participación de la población en los debates, planeamientos y ejecución de los servicios. El articulo está dividido en tres partes, en que se analizan el concepto de consorcios y su aplicación en la legislación brasileña; se realiza una revisión bibliográfica de experiencias de gestión de medio ambiente, específicamente la gobernanza de ríos, y, por fin, se presentan los conceptos de constitución de territorios y sus movimientos de territorialización democrática. Al final, el artículo propone algunas claves de lectura para la comprensión de la regionalización y su importancia para la preservación ambiental y para la autonomía comunitaria.
Exploring The Interplay of Personality Dimensions and Organizational Culture on Organizational Citizenship Behavior
Authors: Mubarok Zaky Mohammad , Machali Imam
Published: July 2023

This research aims to elucidate the intricate relationship between personality dimensions, organizational culture, and their cumulative effect on organizational citizenship behavior (OCB) at Al-Madani Majalengka Islamic Boarding School. Our study designates personality dimensions as the independent variable and organizational citizenship behavior as the dependent variable, with organizational culture serving as a control variable. We adopted a stratified random sampling method, culminating in a sample size of 178 respondents. Data were collected via questionnaires and subsequently analyzed through bivariate correlation techniques and partial correlation methods using SPSS version 26 software. Our bivariate correlation analysis revealed a significant, positive correlation between personality dimensions and organizational citizenship behavior. Simultaneously, partial analysis indicated that organizational culture could mediate the impact of personality dimensions on OCB. Therefore, we concluded that personality dimensions indeed significantly and positively impact OCB. However, to realize the potential of an individual's personality, it is paramount that a conducive organizational culture, encapsulating guidelines, values, and rules, is present to foster OCB at Al-Madani Islamic Boarding School Cikalong Majalengka.
Factors Causing Maternal Death due to COVID-19 in Several Countries: A Literature Review
Authors: Mustofa Vina Firmanty , Prasetyo Budi , Indriani Diah , Rahmawati Nur Anisah
Published: July 2023

Background: Since 2019, the world has been faced with a global crisis. The spread of SARS-CoV-2 has an impact on all populations, including pregnant women, who are among the most vulnerable and at-risk population groups. The worldwide spread of the virus is called the COVID-19 pandemic. This study aims to explore the factors that cause maternal death during pregnancy and postpartum due to COVID-19 in several countries.Method: A literature review was conducted to explore broadly the causes of maternal deaths due to COVID in several countries. Article search on three databases, namely PubMed, Google Scholar, and ScienceDirect. A total of 7 articles were analyzed. The data studied are cases of death and their causes.Results: The study was conducted in the period 2018 to 2021 with the type of research using retrospective data. When compared to before the pandemic, there was a significant increase in the number of maternal deaths. Factors that increase the risk of maternal death come from direct and indirect factors. Indirect factors such as age, health facility access, inadequate tools, and health services, access to knowledge, cultural practice, and poverty. Direct factors are comorbidities such as obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, hypertension, and immune impairment. Pregnant women who do not have comorbidities can have a poor prognosis with undetected causes of death. Health facilities need to conduct early screening so that direct and indirect factors can be minimized to prevent maternal mortality.
VeriBench: Analyzing the Performance of Database Systems with Verifiability
Authors: Yue Cong , Zhang Meihui , Zhu Changhao , Chen Gang , Loghin Dumitrel , Ooi Beng Chin
Published: July 2023

Database systems are paying more attention to data security in recent years. Immutable systems such as blockchains, verifiable databases, and ledger databases are equipped with various verifiability mechanisms to protect data. Such systems often adopt different threat models, and techniques, therefore, have different performance implications compared to traditional database systems. So far, there is no uniform benchmarking tool for evaluating the performance of these systems, especially at the level of verification functions. In this paper, we first survey the design space of theverifiability-enabled database systemsalong five dimensions: threat model, authenticated data structure (ADS), query processing, verification, and auditing. Based on this survey, we design and implement VeriBench, a benchmark framework forverifiability-enabled database systems.VeriBench enables a fair comparison of systems designed with different underlying technologies that share the client-side verification scheme, and focuses on design space exploration to provide a deeper understanding of different system design choices. VeriBench incorporates micro- and macro-benchmarks to provide a comprehensive evaluation. Further, VeriBench is designed to enable easy extension for benchmarking new systems and workloads. We run VeriBench to conduct a comprehensive analysis of state-of-the-art systems comprising blockchains, ledger databases, and log transparency technologies. The results expose the weaknesses and strengths of each underlying design choice, and the insights should serve as guidance for future development.