bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Genotypic and phenotypic heterogeneity among Chinese pediatric genetic white matter disorders
Authors: Dong Liling , Shang Li , Liu Caiyan , Mao Chenhui , Huang Xinying , Chu Shanshan , Peng Bin , Cui Liying , Gao Jing
Published: November 2023

Background

The pediatric genetic white matter disorders are characterized by a broad disease spectrum. Genetic testing is valuable in the diagnosis. However, there are few studies on the clinical and genetic spectrum of Chinese pediatric genetic white matter disorders.

Methods

The participants were enrolled from the cohort of Peking Union Medical College Hospital. They all received history collection, brain MRI and gene sequencing. Their neurologic complaints which were related to white matter disorders occurred before 18. Brain MRI indicated periventricular and/or deep white matter lesions, fazekas grade 2–3.

Results

Among the 13 subjects, there were 11 males and two females. The average age of onset was 10.0 ± 5.5 years old. The potential genetic variants were found in 84.6% (11/13) subjects. The ABCD1 showed the greatest mutation frequency (30.8%, 4/13). The EIF2B3 A151fs, EIF2B4 c.885 + 2T > G, EIF2B5 R129X and MPV17 Q142X were novel pathogenic/likely pathogenic variants. 100% (4/4) ABCD1 carriers were accompanied by visual impairment, whereas 100% (3/3) EIF2B carriers developed dysuria. 100% (4/4) ABCD1 carriers exhibited diffuse white matter hyperintensities mainly in the posterior cortical regions, while the EIF2B4 and EIF2B5 carriers were accompanied by cystic degeneration.

Conclusion

There is genotypic and phenotypic heterogeneity among Chinese subjects with pediatric genetic white matter disorders. The knowledge of these clinical and genetic characteristics facilitates an accurate diagnosis of these diseases.
Impact of social isolation during COVID-19 on anthropometric data, quality of life, baseline physical activity and aortic pulse wave parameters in children and adolescents in two independent samples
Authors: Godoy-Leite Mariana , Santos Fernanda Gabriela Colombo Drumond , Penido Eduardo Augusto Resende , Ribeiro Kennad Alves , dos Santos Luzia Maria , Rodrigues-Machado Maria da Gloria , Rezende Bruno Almeida
Published: November 2023

Background

The social restrictions resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic had a great impact on the routine of children and adolescents, with important consequences such as sleep, eating, and psychological/psychiatric disorders. Even though there are no studies on the subject, it is possible that these changes in habit and routine have also affected arterial stiffness (AS) in this population, which is an important predictor of cardiovascular risk. This study aimed to assess possible changes in AS, anthropometry, and quality of life (QoL) resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic in children and adolescents.

Methods

A controlled observational cross-sectional study was performed with 193 children and adolescents aged 9 to 19 years, allocated into two groups: before the pandemic (BPG) and one year after the pandemic (APG), matched by age and sex. Cardiovascular parameters were measured non-invasively by brachial artery oscillometry with a portable device. The main AS indices evaluated were the augmentation index (AIx) and pulse wave velocity (PWV) derived from the aortic pulse wave. QoL was assessed using the Paediatric Quality of Life Inventory version 4.0 (PedsQL 4.0).

Results

Regarding QoL, the APG showed a worsening in emotional (p = 0.002) and school-related (p = 0.010) aspects. There was no statistically significant difference for most anthropometric parameters, except for the hip circumference, which was higher in the APG group (p < 0.001). The main predictor of AS in the paediatric population, AIx@75, was shown to be increased in the APG group (p < 0.001). Other cardiovascular parameters were also different, such as peripheral (p = 0.002) and central (p = 0.003) diastolic blood pressure, stroke volume (p = 0.010), and total vascular resistance (p = 0.002), which were shown to be decreased in the APG group, while the heart rate was increased (p < 0.001).

Conclusions

Our results show that routine changes resulting from the period of social isolation increased cardiovascular risk in children and adolescents, evident by the increase in AIx@75, which is considered to be an important marker of cardiovascular risk in the paediatric population.
Thiazolopyrimidine derivatives as novel class of small molecule tyrosinase inhibitor
Authors: Ghasemi Nastaran , Moradi Shahram , Iraji Aida , Mahdavi Mohammad
Published: November 2023

Tyrosinase, the rate-limiting enzyme of melanogenesis, plays a crucial role in hyperpigmentation. As a result, in this study, a novel class of thiazolopyrimidine derivatives was developed and synthesized as tyrosinase inhibitor. The structure of derivatives was characterized using various spectroscopy techniques, including FTIR, Mass, 1H-NMR, and 13C-NMR. Next, the inhibitory activities of all derivatives were examined against tyrosinase, and, 6a as the most potent compound, exhibited an IC50 value of 28.50 µM. Furthermore, the kinetic study of 6a was performed to better understand the inhibitory mechanism and its type of inhibition. The UV/Vis spectra analysis was also executed to provide valuable evidence supporting the inhibitory mechanism of compound 6a in the context of tyrosinase inhibition. Also, molecular docking and dynamic molecular study of 6a were executed to study its interactions within the enzyme’s binding site.
Association of sex-specific abdominal adipose tissue with WHO/ISUP grade in clear cell renal cell carcinoma
Authors: Li Shichao , Liao Zhouyan , He Kangwen , Shen Yaqi , Hu Shan , Li Zhen
Published: November 2023

Objectives

To explore the association between computed tomography (CT)-measured sex-specific abdominal adipose tissue and the pathological grade of clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC).

Methods

This retrospective study comprised 560 patients (394 males and 166 females) with pathologically proven ccRCC (467 low- and 93 high-grade). Abdominal CT images were used to assess the adipose tissue in the subcutaneous, visceral, and intermuscular regions. Subcutaneous fat index (SFI), visceral fat index (VFI), intermuscular fat index (IFI), total fat index (TFI), and relative visceral adipose tissue (rVAT) were calculated. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed according to sex to identify the associations between fat-related parameters and pathological grade.

Results

IFI was significantly higher in high-grade ccRCC patients than in low-grade patients for both men and women. For male patients with high-grade tumors, the SFI, VFI, TFI, and rVAT were significantly lower, but not for female patients. In both univariate and multivariate studies, the IFI continued to be a reliable and independent predictor of high-grade ccRCC, regardless of sex.

Conclusions

Intermuscular fat index proved to be a valuable biomarker for the pathological grade of ccRCC and could be used as a reliable independent predictor of high-grade ccRCC for both males and females.

Critical relevance statement

Sex-specific fat adipose tissue can be used as a new biomarker to provide a new dimension for renal tumor-related research and may provide new perspectives for personalized tumor management decision-making approaches.

Key points

• There are sex differences in distribution of subcutaneous fat and visceral fat.

• The SFI, VFI, TFI, and rVAT were significantly lower in high-grade ccRCC male patients, but not for female patients.

• Intermuscular fat index can be used as a reliable independent predictor of high-grade ccRCC for both males and females.

Graphical Abstract
Radiomic analysis will add differential diagnostic value of benign and malignant pulmonary nodules: a hybrid imaging study based on [18F]FDG and [18F]FLT PET/CT
Authors: Ning Jing , Li Can , Yu Peng , Cui Jingjing , Xu Xiaodan , Jia Yan , Zuo Panli , Tian Jiahe , Kenner Lukas , Xu Baixuan
Published: November 2023

Purpose

To investigate the clinical value of radiomic analysis on [18F]FDG and [18F]FLT PET on the differentiation of [18F]FDG-avid benign and malignant pulmonary nodules (PNs).

Methods

Data of 113 patients with inconclusive PNs based on preoperative [18F]FDG PET/CT who underwent additional [18F]FLT PET/CT scans within a week were retrospectively analyzed in the present study. Three methods of analysis including visual analysis, radiomic analysis based on [18F]FDG PET/CT images alone, and radiomic analysis based on dual-tracer PET/CT images were evaluated for differential diagnostic value of benign and malignant PNs.

Results

A total of 678 radiomic features were extracted from volumes of interest (VOIs) of 123 PNs. Fourteen valuable features were thereafter selected. Based on a visual analysis of [18F]FDG PET/CT images, the diagnostic accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity were 61.6%, 90%, and 28.8%, respectively. For the test set, the area under the curve (AUC), sensitivity, and specificity of the radiomic models based on [18F]FDG PET/CT plus [18F]FLT signature were equal or better than radiomics based on [18F]FDG PET/CT only (0.838 vs 0.810, 0.778 vs 0.778, 0.750 vs 0.688, respectively).

Conclusion

Radiomic analysis based on dual-tracer PET/CT images is clinically promising and feasible for the differentiation between benign and malignant PNs.

Clinical relevance statement

Radiomic analysis will add differential diagnostic value of benign and malignant pulmonary nodules: a hybrid imaging study based on [18F]FDG and [18F]FLT PET/CT.

Key points

• Radiomics brings new insights into the differentiation of benign and malignant pulmonary nodules beyond the naked eyes.

• Dual-tracer imaging shows the biological behaviors of cancerous cells from different aspects.

• Radiomics helps us get to the histological view in a non-invasive approach.

Graphical Abstract
Weakly supervised segmentation models as explainable radiological classifiers for lung tumour detection on CT images
Authors: O’Shea Robert , Manickavasagar Thubeena , Horst Carolyn , Hughes Daniel , Cusack James , Tsoka Sophia , Cook Gary , Goh Vicky
Published: November 2023

Purpose

Interpretability is essential for reliable convolutional neural network (CNN) image classifiers in radiological applications. We describe a weakly supervised segmentation model that learns to delineate the target object, trained with only image-level labels (“image contains object” or “image does not contain object”), presenting a different approach towards explainable object detectors for radiological imaging tasks.

Methods

A weakly supervised Unet architecture (WSUnet) was trained to learn lung tumour segmentation from image-level labelled data. WSUnet generates voxel probability maps with a Unet and then constructs an image-level prediction by global max-pooling, thereby facilitating image-level training. WSUnet’s voxel-level predictions were compared to traditional model interpretation techniques (class activation mapping, integrated gradients and occlusion sensitivity) in CT data from three institutions (training/validation: n = 412; testing: n = 142). Methods were compared using voxel-level discrimination metrics and clinical value was assessed with a clinician preference survey on data from external institutions.

Results

Despite the absence of voxel-level labels in training, WSUnet’s voxel-level predictions localised tumours precisely in both validation (precision: 0.77, 95% CI: [0.76–0.80]; dice: 0.43, 95% CI: [0.39–0.46]), and external testing (precision: 0.78, 95% CI: [0.76–0.81]; dice: 0.33, 95% CI: [0.32–0.35]). WSUnet’s voxel-level discrimination outperformed the best comparator in validation (area under precision recall curve (AUPR): 0.55, 95% CI: [0.49–0.56] vs. 0.23, 95% CI: [0.21–0.25]) and testing (AUPR: 0.40, 95% CI: [0.38–0.41] vs. 0.36, 95% CI: [0.34–0.37]). Clinicians preferred WSUnet predictions in most instances (clinician preference rate: 0.72 95% CI: [0.68–0.77]).

Conclusion

Weakly supervised segmentation is a viable approach by which explainable object detection models may be developed for medical imaging.

Critical relevance statement

WSUnet learns to segment images at voxel level, training only with image-level labels. A Unet backbone first generates a voxel-level probability map and then extracts the maximum voxel prediction as the image-level prediction. Thus, training uses only image-level annotations, reducing human workload. WSUnet’s voxel-level predictions provide a causally verifiable explanation for its image-level prediction, improving interpretability.

Key points

• Explainability and interpretability are essential for reliable medical image classifiers.

• This study applies weakly supervised segmentation to generate explainable image classifiers.

• The weakly supervised Unet inherently explains its image-level predictions at voxel level.

Graphical Abstract
Structures and stratigraphy of Al Jaww Plain, southeastern Al Ain, United Arab Emirates: implications for aquifer systems and mantle thrust sheet
Authors: Ullah Saif , Ali Mohammed Y. , Iqbal Muhammad A. , Bouchaala Fateh , Saibi Hakim
Published: November 2023

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is dependent on desalinated water and shallow aquifers to satisfy its freshwater requirements. Despite the paramount importance of understanding the depth and spatial extent of these aquifers, comprehensive investigations into the properties of these aquifers, as well as the underlying subsurface structures and stratigraphy, have been conspicuously lacking. This study presents the findings of integrated geophysical and borehole investigations conducted in the Al Jaww Plain, southeastern Al Ain, UAE, focusing on the properties of groundwater aquifers, the Semail ophiolite contact, and subsurface structures and stratigraphy. Through the analysis of groundwater borehole data, three interconnected types of groundwater aquifers have been identified, and characterized by their hydrogeological properties. The near-surface Quaternary unconfined aquifer, with an average thickness of 25 m, represents a fresh groundwater aquifer. The second aquifer, with an average thickness of 110 m, is connected to the upper Quaternary freshwater aquifer and is interpreted as part of the surficial aquifer system. The third aquifer has an average thickness of 200 m. By employing electrical resistivity tomography, the depth of the water table and groundwater potential in the shallow unconfined Quaternary aquifer near Jabal Mundassa have been estimated, aligning with the properties observed in the unconfined Quaternary aquifer across the entire Al Jaww Plain as depicted in the groundwater borehole cross section. In addition, this study provides insights into subsurface structures and stratigraphic features, revealing the westward extension of the Hawasina thrust sheet within the plain. Gravity and magnetic data analyses in the southeastern region of the Al Jaww Plain delineate the extent of the Semail ophiolite. Notably, magnetic data reveals the presence of an NW–SE-oriented magnetic anomaly detached from the main ophiolite thrust, which corresponds to the interpretation of the Semail ophiolite contact with sedimentary carbonate rocks on the Bouguer gravity map.
Supporting detection of hostile intentions: automated assistance in a dynamic decision-making context
Authors: Patton Colleen E. , Wickens Christopher D. , Smith C. A. P. , Noble Kayla M. , Clegg Benjamin A.
Published: November 2023

In a dynamic decision-making task simulating basic ship movements, participants attempted, through a series of actions, to elicit and identify which one of six other ships was exhibiting either of two hostile behaviors. A high-performing, although imperfect, automated attention aid was introduced. It visually highlighted the ship categorized by an algorithm as the most likely to be hostile. Half of participants also received automation transparency in the form of a statement about why the hostile ship was highlighted. Results indicated that while the aid’s advice was often complied with and hence led to higher accuracy with a shorter response time, detection was still suboptimal. Additionally, transparency had limited impacts on all aspects of performance. Implications for detection of hostile intentions and the challenges of supporting dynamic decision making are discussed.
An incidental finding of xanthochromia during spinal anaesthesia in a patient posted for lower limb surgery
Authors: Mehta Sumedha , Adate Kavita , Valake Kiran
Published: November 2023

Background

Xanthochromia is the yellowish discoloration of cerebrospinal fluid associated with serious conditions like subarachnoid haemorrhage and spinal cord tumour which raises concerns regarding safety when presented during spinal anaesthesia. There is limited literature regarding the clinical implications of spinal anaesthesia in xanthochromia.

Case presentation

We report a case of a 31-year-old male patient with an incidental finding of xanthochromia cerebrospinal fluid during spinal anaesthesia. The patient with a history of fall was posted for lower limb orthopaedic surgery under subarachnoid block. In the process of administering the block, the pale yellow coloured cerebrospinal fluid was encountered.

Conclusion

We conclude that proceeding with spinal anaesthesia in xanthochromia should be at the discretion of the anaesthesiologist and further investigations for the diagnosis can be considered for the management in such cases.
On Weak Values and Feynman's Blind Alley
Authors: Sokolovski Dmitri
Published: November 2023

Feynman famously recommended accepting the basic principles of quantum mechanics without trying to guess the machinery behind the law. One of the corollaries of the Uncertainty Principle is that the knowledge of probability amplitudes does not allow one to make meaningful statements about the past of an unobserved quantum system. A particular type of reasoning, based on weak values, appears to do just that. Has Feynman been proven wrong by the more recent developments? Most likely not.Quanta 2023; 12: 180–189.
Upaya Penegakan Emansipasi Wanita melalui Optimalisasi Pembangunan Gender dengan Metode Regresi Panel
Authors: Phalufi Inu Alifiyah , Alya Hartarie Raden Nabila , Novitriani Ellena , Widodo Edy
Published: November 2023

The role of women nowadays is no different from the men, only to a reasonable extent. The role of women's emancipation itself has been upheld in Indonesia, as those who will be the spearheads in family education for their children that must have broad skills and insights. The Human Development Index (HDI) is mostly becoming an important index as a measurement of the success level in quality of human life (community) building efforts. By conducting an analysis using the panel regression method in the Regency / City of West Sulawesi (as a province in Indonesia that has the 4th lowest HDI score) to find out how much women's participation can affect the level of quality of life in Indonesia and as an evaluation of which components must be improved by government for the next period in the welfare of its people. This analysis concludes that the Mamuju regency is known as the region that contributes the largest weight to the increase in GDI while the Pasangkayu regency contributes the lowest weight to the increase in GDI so that the government should make the development of supporting facilities for community welfare more equitable.
Keywords : GDI, Woman Emancipation, Panel Regression
Analisis Risiko Kredit Perbankan Menggunakan Algoritma K-Nearest Neighbor dan Nearest Weighted K-Nearest Neighbor
Authors: Wilujeng Dian Tri , Fatekurohman Mohamat , Tirta I Made
Published: November 2023

Bank is a business entity that collects public funds in the form of savings and also distributes them to the public in the form of credit or other forms.  Credit risk analysis can be done in various ways such as marketing analysis and big data using machine learning.  One example of a machine learning algorithm is K-Nearest Neighbor (KNN) and the development of the K-Nearest Neighbor algorithm is Neighbor Weighted KNearest Neighbor (NWKNN).  The K-Nearest Neighbor (KNN) algorithm is one of the machine learning methods that can be used to facilitate the classification of complex data.  The purpose of this study is to determine the results of the application of the algorithm and the comparison of the use of the KNN and NWKNN algorithms in banking credit.  The results obtained are that NWKNN is able to predict credit risk better, especially in classifying potential customers with potential losses compared to KNN. 
Keywords: Machine learning, KNN, NWKNN
Pengelompokan Dan Perbandingan Pembangunan Sosial Provinsi Di Indonesia
Authors: Banjar Nahor Anne Indiarti
Published: November 2023

Social development still not become priority in policy formulation in Indonesia. The reality of development without social aspects will not be able to be enjoyed evenly by the community. This study examines social development in Indonesia by grouping social development issues and comparing social development achievements in 2016-2017 to find out which areas should be a priority. Eleven social development indicators was used to present social development in Indonesia. Biplot analysis as an initial indication of regional grouping based on social development indicators, and cluster analysis to facilitate interpretation of grouping results. The percentage of diversity data that can be worked on by biplot analysis are 65 percent for 2016 and 61,3 percent for 2017. The results of biplot analysis produce character variables from each province based on the quadrant. It can be seen that in quadrant II the members of the Province of Bangka Belitung Islands, East Java, Central Java, North Sulawesi, West Nusa Tenggara, Central Sulawesi are characterized by high scores on health dimension variables, literacy rates and the percentage of households with adequate access. Based on the cluster analysis produce the group of provinces according to three levels of social development namely low, medium, high. Papua Province is the only province that does not change and still exists at a low level of social development.

Keywords: social development, biplot analysis, cluster analysis
Pemodelan Tingkat Kerawanan Pangan Rumah Tangga di Indonesia Tahun 2021 dengan Pendekatan Regresi Logistik Ordinal
Authors: Aguilera Tasya , Jatmiko Yogo Aryo
Published: November 2023

Until 2021, Indonesia has succeeded in reducing the prevalence rate of the population with moderate or severe food insecurity. But on the other hand, Indonesia's Global Food Security Index (GFSI) score which has declined in the last three years shows that Indonesia's food security is getting weaker in various aspects. The condition of food security that begins to weaken can trigger food insecurity. Food insecurity that can have an impact on health, nutrition and health system problems is a national health problem that needs attention. Therefore, this study aims to examine the level of household food insecurity and the variables that influence it. This study uses The National Socioeconomic Survey (Susenas) March 2021 data which was analyzed using partial proportional odds model (PPOM) ordinal logistics regression method. In general, the results show that variables area of residence, gender, age, education, business field, number of household members, residence ownership status, and per capita expenditure affect the level of household food insecurity in Indonesia in 2021.

Keywords: food insecurity; ordinal logistic regression; PPOM
The Role of VET in a Green Transition of Industry: A Literature Review
Authors: Persson Thunqvist Daniel , Gustavsson Maria , Halvarsson Lundqvist Agneta
Published: November 2023

Purpose: This article examines the role of Vocational Education and Training (VET) in a green transition of industry. In the world of industry, battling climate change is often treated as a technical issue, but recent research on VET has tried to balance the technological paradigm with more human-centric approaches. The literature review addresses emergent VET research that presents various and partially competing perspectives on the purpose of VET in relation to climate change. Methods: We use an integrative literature review to investigate this complex topic. This technique is particularly useful for making sense of emergent research concepts, as well as various, and partially competing, theoretical and methodological approaches. It also allows us to incorporate literature from different countries and VET systems. The main search was performed in Scopus during March 2023, and included studies published within a timespan of eight years (2016–2023). Findings: Through a qualitative content analysis, we have identified five cross-cutting themes in the literature: Conceptualising ill-defined concepts of green jobs and skills; high-tech solutions in the movement towards a fourth industrial revolution versus inclusive growth for VET greening; towards sustainable work-based learning for green skills in VET; radical transformative approaches to a just green transition; and the co-creation of skill-formation ecosystems. The analysis has highlighted the ways in which VET can take on different roles in the green transition, and that these roles can be developed successively in parallel with a green transition in industry. In the development of the role of VET, it is also relevant to consider the contrast between transitional approaches and transformative approaches in VET research. While transitional approaches are recurrently marked by empirical research in specialised areas and subsystems within society, transformative approaches are characterised by a stronger focus on societal transformation (large-scale changes), power dynamics, and social justice. Conclusion: In conclusion, we suggest an analytical model that synthesises research on what role VET can play in a green transition of industry. The development model highlights that VET can take on different roles in a green transition and can gradually develop in parallel with a green transition in industry.
Depicting Translocating Motion in Sign Languages
Authors: Loos Cornelia , Jo Napoli Donna
Published: November 2023

Abstract: Visual manifestations of an object that moves from one place to another are common in sign languages. Here, we offer an overview of techniques for conveying motion of an entity based on an examination of storytelling and poetry in seven sign languages. The signer can use embodiment and/or classifiers to show translocating movement of an object, or they can adjust the dynamic properties of signs themselves, including the size of the signing space, rate of movement, trilled motion of manuals and nonmanuals, repetition, and adding a zigzag component to the movement path. Additionally, we found one technique in German Sign Language (DGS) that uses a manual sign to indicate great speed or movement covering a large distance.
"The Jaws of Civil Discord": Edmond Beales and the Reform League in the Tomahawk (1867)
Authors: Baillet Françoise
Published: November 2023

Abstract: The Tomahawk (1867–70) was a weekly satirical journal whose short existence coincided with the debates around the Second Reform Act. This article examines the Tomahawk 's concerns about class, culture, and politics through its treatment of the Reform League and its leader, Edmond Beales, to whom no fewer than twenty-eight pieces were devoted between May and December 1867. By analyzing how the Tomahawk presented Beales and his Leaguers as vectors of revolutionary thought, this article argues that, for this "organ of embattled gentlemanliness," the point was not only to condemn the League's political transgression but also to defend British institutions against the risks of extended suffrage.
"An Organ of Their Own": Victorian Print Trade Journals and the Evolution of Graphic Design Thinking
Authors: Horrocks Jamie
Published: November 2023

Abstract: In 1895, Victorian printer and letterpress historian George Joyner reflected upon the change that had been wrought in the character of British job and book printing, calling it "little short of a revolution!" He is correct; the second half of the nineteenth century saw the transformation of printers into designers. Central to this transformation was the explosion of print trade journals, which fueled the nineteenth-century revolution in British letterpress print design. These journals—more than one hundred of which were founded during the period—became energetic remediators of design reform theory, using this program of ideas to articulate some of Britain's earliest theories of graphic design.
The Power of Public Opinion and the Rise of "Both Sides": Formal Constraints in the British Controversialist
Authors: Selbin Jesse Cordes
Published: November 2023

Abstract: This essay raises the profile of the understudied British Controversialist (1850–72), a monthly magazine that distinguished itself from peer cultural miscellanies by foregrounding opinion essays by working-class readers that the editors framed as a dialogic forum for gauging and augmenting what they called "the power" of "public opinion." But if the Controversialist sought and achieved a significant expansion of the conversational demos, this essay argues, its pluralist ambitions were also compromised by the editors' self-imposed formal constraints, including limitations on style and authorship. Ultimately, these issues presage contemporary questions about how debate should be orchestrated and who should participate.
Mapping the Multitudes, Discovering the Margins: Feminist-Focused Macro Network Analysis and a Visualization-Based Digital Archive as Coevolving Digital Humanities Tools
Authors: Stewart Andrea
Published: November 2023

Abstract: In a post-pandemic world, digital humanities is facing a new moment of opportunity to move beyond the roadblocks of the past—such as resistance to the crossover between feminist and technological projects and a tendency to construct digital tools without specific interpretive intent—and find a blended purpose in developing technological and methodological tools that not only make cultural contributions but also encourage the serendipitous discoveries that are crucial to the work of feminist scholars. Building on such an interconnected developmental relationship, this essay argues that digital tools and analytic methodologies can work together to inform and transform one another.
Influence of surgical treatment of obesity on the course of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease
Authors: Pushkareva A. S. , Mazurina N. V. , Komshilova K. A. , Ershova E. V.
Published: November 2023

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a liver disease with a characteristic accumulation of fatty inclusions in hepatocytes and includes a spectrum of liver lesions from steatosis to cirrhosis. In view of the increasing incidence of obesity and associated NAFLD, a search is underway for optimal treatments. The authors analyzed published clinical studies on the effect of bariatric surgery on morphological changes in the liver. The literature was searched for the keywords «non-alcoholic fatty liver disease», «obesity», «bariatric surgery» in Pubmed databases and еLibrary.ru for the period from 1990 to 2022 . Both the positive effects of surgical treatment of obesity in the form of a decrease in steatosis, steatohepatitis of the liver, and adverse effects in the form of aggravation of cirrhosis in patients after surgery are considered. Despite the obvious effectiveness of bariatric surgery in relation to the components of the metabolic syndrome associated with obesity, there is still no unambiguous opinion about their effectiveness in relation to NAFLD.
Adipose tissue — derived mesenchymal stem: a role in the pathogenesis of obesity and type 2 diabetes mellitus
Authors: Uchasova E. G. , Dyleva Yu. A. , Belik E. V. , Gruzdeva O. V.
Published: November 2023

Adipose tissue-derived mesenchymal stem are adult stem cells endowed with multipotent abilities and immunomodulatory properties, like mesenchymal stem cells of other origins. Numerous studies show that adipose tissue stem cells are involved in the pathological process and can exhibit pro-inflammatory properties and attract inflammatory immune cells in the neighborhood. Subsequently, inflammation creates a microenvironment leading to adipose tissue dysfunction. Examples of such a process are obesity and type 2 diabetes mellitus, in which adipogenesis is disrupted and insulin resistance is initiated. The aim of this review is to understand the role of adipose tissue stem cells in the pathogenesis of obesity and type 2 diabetes mellitus.
The implicit reason of secondary osteoporosis: real clinical case
Authors: Shutova A. S. , Fedina E. A. , Kuzmin A. G. , Pigarova E. A. , Przhiyalkovskaya E. G. , Litvinova E. E. , Shutova N. A. , Dzeranova L. K.
Published: November 2023

This article presents a non-standard clinical case of non-obvious causes of secondary osteoporosis in the routine practice of an outpatient and inpatient endocrinologist. This work demonstrates a rather rare situation, including the identification of atypical clinical manifestations of osteoporosis in a patient, namely the presence of a young man with complaints of general weakness, severe pain in the spine, forcing daily use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, decreased motor activity, and laboratory indicators such as hypercalcemia, hypercalciuria against the background of reference values of parathyroid hormone, hyperproteinemia and increased ESR. Taking into account the clinical picture described above, an integral part of a further correct diagnostic search is the exclusion of endocrine diseases that cause a decrease in bone mineral density. In parallel, the initiated prescription of pathogenetically based treatment of secondary osteoporosis is an important component of this disease. The use of such a multidisciplinary approach led to timely verification of the underlying oncohematological disease and routing the patient to a specialized hospital and made it possible to prevent irreversible changes associated with a critical decrease in bone mineral density and improve the patient’s quality of life.
The influence of insulin resistance variables on heart rate variability indices in mature men under Russia’s North conditions
Authors: Averyanova I. V.
Published: November 2023

BACKGROUND: Heart rate autonomic regulation can go out of balance which is normally assessed by the heart rate variability (HRV) indices. Similarly, it is relevant to research if and how HRV fluctuations can be influenced by varying signs of insulin resistance since they are quite common in Northern men. At present, there is no evidence of this influence in the North residents of older ages.

AIM: This study aimed to comparatively assess heart rate variability in mature men who do or do not feature metabolic signs of insulin resistance.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: Seventy-three mature aged male residents of Magadan Region, Caucasian by origin, were examined. All the subjects were divided into two groups: Group without insulin resistance signs (HOMA-IR index < 2.5 units) and Group with insulin resistance signs (HOMA-IR index > 2.5 units). We used immunochemiluminescent and enzymatic methods, and heart rate variability was assessed using the Varikard (Russia).

RESULTS: Our research showed that 48% of all the examinees exhibited signs of insulin resistance along with an increase in the sympathetic activity in heart rate regulation. We also identified the heart rate indicators that had proved to undergo the most significant changes depending on the HOMA-IR index and the presence or absence of signs of insulin resistance: MxDMn, pNN50, SDNN, AMo50, SI, TP, HF, LF, and Body Mass.

CONCLUSION: In general, the results obtained allow for ascertaining the high proportion of male Northerners of mature age with signs of insulin resistance. We also claim that those examinees demonstrate an autonomic imbalance and a moderate dominance of the sympathetic activity with a simultaneous decrease in activation of the parasympathetic link of autonomic nervous system and high body mass variables. At the same time, the correlations and causal associations among signs of insulin resistance, activation of the sympathetic link of autonomic nervous system, and overweight remain unclear. Apparently, all the analyzed features are likely to complement each other rather than completely exclude each other. The triad of obesity, signs of insulin resistance, and activation of the sympathetic link of autonomic nervous system is a driving factor for significant health risks. This study is expected to spread the use of the method of assessing heart rate variability based on insulin resistance signs as well as in reliance on metabolic disorders in general in a sample of mature men.
Influence of metformin therapy and treatment with an allosteric luteinizing hormone agonist and chorionic gonadotropin on spermatogenesis in male rats with obesity
Authors: Derkach K. V. , Morina I. Yu. , Bayunova L. V. , Bakhtuykov A. A. , Didenko E. A. , Sorokoumov V. N. , Romanova I. V. , Shpakov A. O.
Published: November 2023

BACKGROUND: In men, obesity is accompanied by a complex of metabolic and hormonal disorders, which leads to androgen deficiency and impaired spermatogenesis. Antidiabetic drugs, including metformin (MF), and luteinizing hormone receptor (LHR) agonists, which activate testicular steroidogenesis, can be used to correct reproductive dysfunctions. However, in diet-induced obesity (DIO), their effectiveness and mechanisms of action are poorly understood.

AIM: In men, obesity is accompanied by a complex of metabolic and hormonal disorders, which leads to androgen deficiency and impaired spermatogenesis. Antidiabetic drugs, including metformin (MF), and luteinizing hormone receptor (LHR) agonists, which activate testicular steroidogenesis, can be used to correct reproductive dysfunctions. However, in dietinduced obesity (DIO), their effectiveness and mechanisms of action are poorly understood.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: Obesity in male Wistar rats was induced by a 23-week diet enriched with saturated fats. MF treatment was carried out for 5 weeks at a dose of 120 mg/kg/day (orally), and the treatment with hCG and TP03 was carried out for 5 days at daily doses of 20 IU/rat (s.c.) and 15 mg/kg (i.p.), respectively. Using microscopy and histochemical analysis, the number and motility of spermatozoa (SP), the number of their defective forms and the morphology of the seminiferous tubules were assessed, and the levels of testosterone and other hormones in the blood were measured using ELISA.

RESULTS: MF, hCG, and TP03 to varying degrees increased the number of SP and the proportion of their mobile forms, including those with forward movement, which were reduced in DIO rats, and also normalized the thickness of the epithelium of the seminiferous tubules and the number of spermatogonia and pachytene spermatocytes in them, but did not reduced the proportion of defective forms of SP, increased in DIO. In the case of MF, this was associated with the drug-induced normalization of body weight, glucose tolerance, and the insulin and leptin levels in DIO rats. The positive effect of hCG and TP03 on spermatogenesis was due to their stimulating effect on testosterone production.

CONCLUSION: The use of long-term MF therapy and short-term courses of LHR-agonists normalizes impaired spermatogenesis in DIO, which indicates the prospects for their use to improve male fertility in obesity, and in the case of MF therapy, normalization of the metabolic and hormonal status is of great importance, while in the case of LHR-agonists the most important factor is their steroidogenic effect.
Drug-induced hyperprolactinemia: mechanism of development, features of diagnosis and treatment
Authors: Dzeranova L. K. , Vorotnikova S. Y. , Shutova A. S. , Pigarova E. A. , Yevloyeva M. I.
Published: November 2023

One of the causes of non-tumor related hyperprolactinemia is taking a medications. Physicians of various specialties, such as cardiologists, gastroenterologists, endocrinologists, and neurologists, encounter hyperprolactinemia as a side effect of drug therapy in their practice, but it is most often observed in the practice of a psychiatrist when treating patients with psychotropic medications. Over the past few years, there has been an increase in the frequency of prescriptions of antidepressants and neuroleptics due to post-COVID-19 syndrome, anxiety and stress caused by the pandemic of a new coronavirus infection. There is also a predisposition to the development of hyperprolactinemia on the background of taking neuroleptics due to genetic features of patients. Currently, there is no established common algorithm for diagnosis and treatment of drug-induced hyperprolactinemia in the world. Based on a review of foreign and domestic literature, the article discusses in detail the mechanisms of development and various approaches to the correction of iatrogenic (drug-induced) hyperprolactinemia, assesses the prolactogenic activity of neuroleptics, and proposes algorithms for prolactin monitoring and correction of hyperprolactinemia using dopamine agonists. Often the tactics of management of such patients need to be discussed by a team of specialized physicians.
Oxidation of triaryl antimony Ar3Sb [Ar = 4-FC6H4, (4-F3C)C6H4, (2-MeO)C6H4, 4-BrC6H4, 3-MeC6H4, 4-MeC6H4, (4-Me2N)C6H4, (2-MeO)(5-Br)C6H3] with benzoyl peroxide
Authors:   Krasnodar State University, Krasnodar, Russian Federation, Dotsenko V. , Golovin M.
Published: November 2023

Oxidation of triarylantimony Ar3Sb with benzoyl peroxide in benzene gave the correspond-ing dibenzoates Ar3Sb[OC(O)Ph]2 [Ar = 4-FC6H4 (1), (4-F3C)C6H4 (2), (2-MeO)C6H4 (3), 4-BrC6H4 (4), 3-MeC6H4 (5), 4-MeC6H4 (6), (4-Me2N)C6H4 (7), (2-MeO)(5-Br)C6H3] (8) with yield up to 93%. Compounds 1–8 were identified by IR spectroscopy and elemental analysis, while compounds 1 and 2 were identified by X-ray analysis. According to X-ray diffraction data, carried out on a Bruker D8 QUEST diffractometer, the crystallographic unit cell parameters of the compounds are: 1, space group P-1, a = 9.1154(3), b = 11.0918(3), c = 14.5437(4) Å, α = 69.9850(10)°, β = 87.5980(10)°, γ = 89.8020(10)°, V = 1380.34(7) Å3, ρcalc = 1.562 g/cm3, Z = 1. F(000) = 648.0, 2θ 5.96–52.88°, crystal dimensions 0.29  0.2  0.2 mm, intervals of re-flection indices 11  h  11, 13  k  13, 18  l  18, total reflections 31527, independent re-flections 11156, refinement variables 721, GOOF 1.069, R1 = 0.0265, wR2 = 0.0549; 2, space group Р-1, а = 10.944(7), b = 12.548(9), c = 13.730(14) Å, α = 83.52(4)°, β = 82.34(5)°, γ = 64.52(3)°, V = 1684(2) Å3, ρcalc = 1.577 g/cm3, Z = 2, F(000) = 792.0, 2θ 4.88–59.22°, crystal dimensions 0.320.280.19 mm, reflection index intervals 14  h  14, 17  k  16, 18  l  18, total reflections 44329, independent reflections 8289, refinement variables 442, GOOF 1.053, R1 = 0.0482, wR2 = 0.1287. Crystals 1 consist of two types of crystallographically independent molecules (A and B), the geometrical parameters of which slightly differ from each other. Antimony atoms in 1 and 2 have a trigonal pyramid coordination with benzoate ligands in axial positions. The Sb–C bond lengths are 2.042(11), 2.081(11), 2.143(9) Å for 1A, 2.091(10), 2.146(11), 2.162(9) Å for 1B, and 2.134(5), 2.135(4), 2.142(4) Å for 2. The Sb–O distances are 2.117(7), 2.128(8) Å for 1A, 2.117(7), 2.128(8) Å for 1B, and 2.127(3), 2.133(3) Å for 2; however, metal atoms are also coordinated by the carbonyl oxygen atoms of bidentate carboxylate ligands [the Sb∙∙∙O=C distances vary in the ranges of 2.669(9)–2.876(9) Å]. The CSbC equatorial angles are not equivalent: the largest angle is observed on the side of intramolecular contacts [103.6(5), 109.0(4), 147.2(4)° for 1A, 105.0(4), 108.1( 4), 146.6(4)° for 1B and 104.39(17), 105.33(17), 150.21(16)° for 2]. The OSbO axial angles are 175.3(4), 176.0(4), and 175.10(10), respectively.
Investigation of cadmium cementation kinetics in the presence of surfactants
Authors:   Chelyabinsk State University, Chelyabinsk, Russian Federation, Ageenko E. , Kolesnikov A. , Pavlovsky D.
Published: November 2023

The aim of the paper is to study the kinetics of cadmium cementation with zinc powder in aqueous media in a continuous mode using an ion-selective cadmium electrode. Reduction of cadmium from aqueous solutions was carried out with zinc powder, with particle sizes from 63 to 200 μm. In a number of experiments, the influence of the cationic flocculant Besfloc K6645 on the cadmium cementation process was tested. The process was carried out in the temperature range from 30 to 50 °C with continuous stirring at 200 rpm with an overhead stirrer. Kinetic curves were recorded using a cadmium-selective electrode. The kinetic curves were conditionally divided into linear segments. Tangents were drawn to each section, which made it possible to determine the apparent rate constants using the first-order equation, as well as the mode coefficients using the Erofeev–Kolmogorov equation. An increase in temperature had a positive effect on cementation. The introduction of a flocculant into the electrolyte in the amount of 70 mg/L reduced the degree of cementation from two to three times over a period of 600 s. The data obtained made it possible to calculate the activation energies of the process rates on the linear sections of the kinetic curves, which amounted to approximately 46, 32 and 11–13 kJ/mol in the first, second, and third sections, respectively, for reduction without the addition of a flocculant, as well as 117–130 and 82–85 kJ/mol in the presence of Besfloc K6645 flocculant. It has been shown that in the presence of a flocculant, the activation energy increases, especially in the first section, which is characterized by a slow cementation rate. The study demonstrates the effect of the Besfloc K6645 additive on the duration of the initial section of the cementation kinetic curves.
Reaction of pentaphenylantimony with bis(ferrocenecarboxylato)triphenylantimony
Authors:   South Ural State University, Chelyabinsk, Russian Federation, Sharutin V.
Published: November 2023

The interaction of pentaphenylantimony with bis(ferrocenecarboxylate)triphenylantimony (1) in toluene gave tetraphenylantimony ferrocenecarboxylate (2) in 91 % yield, which was also synthesized by dephenylation of pentaphenylantimony with ferrocenecarboxylic acid in 93 % yield. Compounds 1, 2 were identified by elemental analysis and IR spectroscopy.