bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effect of the maternal childbirth experience on a subsequent birth: a retrospective 7-year cohort study of primiparas in Finland
Authors: Joensuu Johanna Maria , Saarijärvi Hannu , Rouhe Hanna , Gissler Mika , Ulander Veli-Matti , Heinonen Seppo , Torkki Paulus , Mikkola Tomi
Published: March 2023

Objective

To study the effect of the childbirth experience on the likelihood and interval to a subsequent live birth.

Design

Retrospective analysis of a 7-year cohort.

Setting

Childbirths in Helsinki University Hospital delivery units.

Participants

All parturients giving birth to a term and living baby from a single pregnancy in Helsinki University Hospital delivery units from January 2012 to December 2018 (n=120 437). Parturients delivering their first child (n=45 947) were followed until the birth of a subsequent child or the end of 2018.

Main outcome measure

The interval to a subsequent childbirth connected to the experience of the first childbirth was the primary outcome of the study.

Results

A negative first childbirth experience decreases the likelihood of delivering a subsequent child during the follow-up (adjusted HR=0.81, 95% CI 0.76 to 0.86) compared with those experiencing the first childbirth as positive. For parturients with a positive childbirth experience, the median interval to a subsequent delivery was 3.90 years (3.84–3.97) compared with 5.29 years (4.86–5.97) after a negative childbirth experience.

Conclusion

The negative childbirth experience influences reproductive decisions. Consequently, more focus should be placed on understanding and managing the antecedents of positive/negative childbirth experiences.
Individualised risk prediction model for exacerbations in patients with severe asthma: protocol for a multicentre real-world risk modelling study
Authors: Lee Tae Yoon , Sadatsafavi Mohsen , Yadav Chandra Prakash , Price David B , Beasley Richard , Janson Christer , Koh Mariko Siyue , Roy Rupsa , Chen Wenjia
Published: March 2023

Introduction

Severe asthma is associated with a disproportionally high disease burden, including the risk of severe exacerbations. Accurate prediction of the risk of severe exacerbations may enable clinicians to tailor treatment plans to an individual patient. This study aims to develop and validate a novel risk prediction model for severe exacerbations in patients with severe asthma, and to examine the potential clinical utility of this tool.

Methods and analysis

The target population is patients aged 18 years or older with severe asthma. Based on the data from the International Severe Asthma Registry (n=8925), a prediction model will be developed using a penalised, zero-inflated count model that predicts the rate or risk of exacerbation in the next 12 months. The risk prediction tool will be externally validated among patients with physician-assessed severe asthma in an international observational cohort, the NOVEL observational longiTudinal studY (n=1652). Validation will include examining model calibration (ie, the agreement between observed and predicted rates), model discrimination (ie, the extent to which the model can distinguish between high-risk and low-risk individuals) and the clinical utility at a range of risk thresholds.

Ethics and dissemination

This study has obtained ethics approval from the Institutional Review Board of National University of Singapore (NUS-IRB-2021-877), the Anonymised Data Ethics and Protocol Transparency Committee (ADEPT1924) and the University of British Columbia (H22-01737). Results will be published in an international peer-reviewed journal.

Trial registration number

European Union electronic Register of Post-Authorisation Studies, EU PAS Register (EUPAS46088).
The formation mechanism of Bacillus subtilis biofilm surface morphology under competitive environment
Authors: Li Xianyong , Kong Rui , Wang Jiankun , Wu Jin , He Ketai , Wang Xiaoling
Published: March 2023

Material properties and growth environments affect the surface morphology of biofilms. Taken the biofilm growing in competitive environments as the object, which is compared with the single biofilm, we find that the competitive environment has an impact on the biofilm thickness and wrinkle patterns. Through diffusion-limited growth theoretical model analysis, it shows that the competitive environment is caused by cells competing for nutrition, and the competitive environment reacts on biofilms, which affect the phenotypic differentiation, causing changes in the stiffness of the biofilm. Using the theoretical and finite element simulation, we compare these results of bi-layer and tri-layer film–substrate models with experimental observations, and find that tri-layer film–substrate model is in line with the reality, which means that the layer between the biofilm and substrate plays an import role for wrinkle formation. Based on the above analysis, we further study effects of biofilm stiffness and interlayer thickness on wrinkles under competitive environment.
Structural transformation and anomalous diffusion in network forming liquid GeO2
Authors: Lan Mai Thi , Hong Nguyen Van
Published: March 2023

In this study, we simulated the structural transformation and self-diffusion mechanism in liquid GeO2 oxide system. Under compression, structure of liquid GeO2 model tends to transform gradually from low-density phase to high-density phase. Concentration of basic structural units can be determined via density of material model. The average Ge–O bond distance in GeO4 tetrahedra is smaller than the ones in GeO5 pentahedra and GeO6 octahedra. Each GeOx polyhedron always exists a Ge–O bond with the longest length (the weakest bond). The diffusion mechanism in liquid GeO2 oxide system is via breaking the weakest bonds that accompany the change local coordination environment of Ge cations. The longest Ge–O bond in a GeO5 pentahedron is very weak in comparison to the one in other polyhedra. The diffusivity is significantly dependent on the number of GeO5 pentahedra. The increase of GeO5 under compression is the origin of anomalous diffusion in liquid GeO2 oxide. The increase of average Ge–O bond distance under compression is also clarified in this work.
Prediction method of soil horizontal displacement caused by non-uniform distribution of disturbance force in shield construction
Authors: Jia Bao-xin , Gao Zong-xian , Hua Hong-yan
Published: March 2023

Based on the Mindlin solution, this paper considers the influence of factors such as the non-uniform distribution of additional thrust of the cutter head influenced by lateral earth pressure in shield excavation, the non-uniform distribution of friction of shield shell influenced by soil softening and slurry spreading, and the non-uniform distribution of grouting pressure influenced by slurry spreading on the horizontal displacement of soil. The existing prediction formula is revised and verified by engineering examples. It is found that: affected by the shield construction disturbance force, the horizontal displacement behind the excavation surface is larger than that in front of the excavation surface, and the peak value of the horizontal displacement appears around the tunnel axis; through the verification of engineering case, when calculating the horizontal displacement in front of the excavation surface, the calculation results of both the modified formula and the original formula are in good agreement with the measured values, which can reflect the change trend of the measured horizontal displacement; when calculating the horizontal displacement behind the excavation surface, the calculation result of the existing formula has a great error due to the assumption of uniform distribution of disturbance force, which is different from the law of the measured result; the calculation result of the modified prediction formula is obviously in better agreement with the measured deformation value, and the error is smaller, which is more in line with the engineering reality.
The structural and thermodynamic properties of CaLi2 at high pressure
Authors: Guo Ying , Wang Jiali , Zhang Xukai , Li Jun , Zhao Haojiang
Published: March 2023

In this work, the structural, mechanical and thermodynamic properties of CaLi2 in the pressure range of 0–72[Formula: see text]GPa have been studied. It was found that CaLi2 undergoes a phase transition from P[Formula: see text]/mmc to C2/c phase at 25.37[Formula: see text]GPa and from C2/c to P[Formula: see text]/c phase at 55.99[Formula: see text]GPa, which is consistent with previous experimental and partially theoretical results. Besides, at 0[Formula: see text]GPa, the lowest enthalpy appears in both P[Formula: see text]/mmc and Fd-3m structures, showing the coexistence of these two phases. However, P[Formula: see text]/mmc phase is not stable when the pressure is larger than 6[Formula: see text]GPa. Finally, the elastic of CaLi2 at different pressures was investigated using the elastic stability criterion, and the thermodynamic properties under different pressures are investigated in detail.
Yangian symmetry applied to quantum chromodynamics
Authors: Kirschner R.
Published: March 2023

We review applications of Yangian symmetry to high-energy Quantum chromodynamics (QCD) phenomenology. Some basic facts about high-energy QCD are recalled, in particular the spinor-helicity form of scattering amplitudes, the scale evolution equations of deep-inelastic scattering structure functions and the high-energy asymptotics of scattering. As the working tool the Yangian symmetric correlators are introduced and constructed in the framework of the Yangian algebra of [Formula: see text] type. We present the application to the tree scattering amplitudes and their iterative relation, to the parton splitting amplitudes and the kernels of the scale evolution equations of structure functions and to the equations describing the high-energy asymptotics of scattering.
Analytic continuation of harmonic sums with purely imaginary indices near the integer values
Authors: Velizhanin V. N.
Published: March 2023

We present a simple algebraic method for the analytic continuation of harmonic sums with integer real or purely imaginary indices near negative and positive integers. We provide a MATHEMATICA code for exact expansion of harmonic sums in a small parameter near these integers. As an application, we consider the analytic continuation of the anomalous dimension of twist-1 operators in the ABJM model, which contains nested harmonic sums with purely imaginary indices. We found that in the BFKL-like limit the result has the same single-logarithmic behavior as in [Formula: see text] SYM and QCD, however, we did not find a general expression for the “BFKL Pomeron” eigenvalue in this model. For the slope function, we found full agreement with the expansion of the known general result and give predictions for the first three perturbative terms in the expansion of the next-to-slope function. The proposed method of analytic continuation can also be used for other generalization of nested harmonic sums.
Effect of antibacterial and compatibilizer agents on properties of low-density polyethylene composites
Authors: Wu Chang-Mou , Chu Tien-Lai
Published: March 2023

In this study, antibacterial low-density polyethylene (LDPE) composites were prepared using a silver-based antibacterial agent (Ag agent) and compatibilizer (linear low-density polyethylene-g-maleic anhydride (LLDPE-g-MA)), and their thermal, mechanical, and antibacterial properties were examined. The crystallization temperatures of the compatibilizer/antibacterial composites were higher than those of the composites prepared without a compatibilizer. LDPE is a crystalline material, and the addition of LLDPE-g-MA reduced the PE content and enthalpy of the composite and improved the dispersibility of the Ag agent between the substrates. The antibacterial activity test revealed that the addition of the Ag agent and compatibilizer to LDPE composites enhanced their antibacterial effects.
Effects of deformation direction and temperature on mechanical properties of nanopolycrystal Ni–Co alloy with gradient twin structure
Authors: Lu Xuefeng , Zhang Wei , Yang Xu , Guo Xin , Chen Xiaotong , Ren Junqiang , Xue Hongtao , Tang Fuling
Published: March 2023

Molecular dynamics was used to study the uniaxial tensile process of Ni–Co alloy with gradient nanotwin structure, and the microstructure and deformation mechanism of mechanical properties of gradient nanotwin Ni–Co alloy were studied from the micro perspectives of dislocation, twin layer and grain boundary movement. The results show that when the twin structure Ni–Co alloy is uniaxial stretched along the gradient direction and perpendicular to the gradient direction, the twin layer has different strengthening effects on the structure and strengthening mechanism, the stretching in different directions has greater influence on the dislocation movement and stacking fault nucleation of the nanogradient twin structure. The yield strength of Ni–Co alloy is 11.3 Gpa and 5.5 Gpa, respectively, after stretching along gradient and vertical gradient directions, Young’s modulus reaches 221.16 Gpa and 127.90 Gpa. It is found that the gradient twin structure stretched along gradient direction has greater strength and the twin layer breaks into fragments and distributes in the system during the process of strain increase. At different temperatures, it was found that the strength and plasticity of the material decreased sharply with the increase of temperature, the dislocation density in the system also decreased with the increase of temperature, resulting in poor performance of the material.
Identification of Closely Spaced Modes of a Long-Span Suspension Bridge Based on Bayesian Inference
Authors: Mao Jianxiao , Su Xun , Wang Hao , Yan Huan , Zong Hai
Published: March 2023

Closely spaced modes commonly observed in long-span suspension bridges can greatly increase the difficulty of identifying and tracking modal parameters. Most existing studies generally focus on identifying the closely spaced modes and quantifying the uncertainties based on numerical and experimental models. Further research focusing on full-scale long-span bridges is still required. A case study on identifying the closely spaced modes of the Qixiashan Yangtze River Bridge, a long-span suspension bridge with a main span of 1 418 m, is conducted in this paper. The effectiveness of the generalized fast Bayesian fast Fourier transform (GFBFFT) method is verified by both the simulated and monitoring data. The results show that a larger coefficient of variation (COV) and higher uncertainty is typically contained in the closely spaced modes than the separated modes. Compared with the FDD and SSI methods, the GFBFFT method guarantees higher identification accuracy of modal parameters and can serve as a reliable tool to identify the closely spaced modes.
Corrigendum: Group gradations on Leavitt path algebras
Authors: Lundström Patrik , Öinert Johan
Published: March 2023

The results that are stated in P. Nystedt and J. Öinert [Group gradations on Leavitt path algebras, J. Algebra Appl. 19(9) (2020) 2050165, Sec. 4] hold true, but due to an oversimplification some of the proofs are incomplete. The purpose of this note is to amend and complete the affected proofs.
Comprehensive Evaluation of Hazardous Solid Waste Treatment and Disposal Technologies by a New Integrated AHP&MARCOS Approach
Authors: Yazar Elanur Adar , Adar Tuba , Kilic-Delice Elif
Published: March 2023

Hazardous waste management (HWM) deals with processing waste materials, and improper handling of this procedure might considerably harm human health and environment. It is crucial to employ the most appropriate treatment and disposal techniques while handling with waste materials as part of hazardous waste management so that potential problems can be minimized accordingly. Therefore, the weights of the criteria playing vital roles in solid waste management were determined by using AHP&MARCOS method, which is an integrated MCDM technique, and the most appropriate techniques to be employed in solid waste treatment and disposal were selected. The implementation took place in three phases; the first phase included brainstorming and literature review and the determination of the important criteria in the waste management (4 main and 12 sub-criteria) as well as the treatment (3) and disposal (7) methods to be employed; i.e, the alternatives. In addition, a decision-making group of 15 people was formed so that they could share their opinions based on their knowledge and experiences via the decision matrices while evaluating the alternatives according to the predetermined criteria. In the second phase, the decision matrices constructed based on the expert opinions were taken into consideration while determining weights/priorities of waste management criteria by employing AHP method. In the third phase, treatment and disposal methods were listed by using the decision matrices filled according to expert opinions, the weight values and the criteria. The criteria weights obtained by using AHP method revealed that “operation cost” was the criteria with the highest weight of importance while determining solid waste treatment/disposal methods. Similarly, among the obtained alternatives, the best solid waste treatment technique was found to be “physical treatment” and the best solid disposal technique “plasma arc”. The present study is different from similar studies in the literature since the selection of treatment and disposal method was performed separately for all hazardous solid wastes (healthcare waste, municipality solid waste, etc.) for the first time. Moreover, the obtained results were evaluated by undertaking comprehensive analyses (sensitivity and comparison). The findings obtained in the present study are expected to make valuable contributions to the literature.
THE EFFECTS OF R&D AND ITS DIFFERENT TYPES ON FIRM PRODUCTIVITY: EVIDENCE FROM CHINA
Authors: GUO YUANYUAN , GAO PING , CHENG DAOJIN
Published: March 2023

This paper employs the Olley and Pakes [(1996). The dynamics of productivity in the telecommunications equipment industry. Econometrica, 64(6), 1263–1297.] method and the generalised propensity score (GPS) methodology to estimate the effects of R&D and its different types, including research activity and development activity, on productivity. Our research sample is an unbalanced panel data consisting of 1808 Chinese listed manufacturing firms from the period 2006–2015. Our analysis reveals how R&D and its different types impact firm productivity: (1) there exists an S-shaped relationship between firm R&D intensity and productivity, which implies the existence of the threshold and diminishing marginal return of R&D for productivity growth. Due to the unbalanced composition of R&D in China, after R&D intensity reaches a critical level (around 50%) a negative marginal effect of R&D presents; (2) an increase of research intensity can improve firm productivity. However, research intensity reaches a saturation point (around 65%) beyond which firm productivity plateaus; (3) there exists an inverted U-shaped relationship between firm development intensity and productivity. The marginal effect of development on firm productivity is negative when development intensity is over 28%. Our empirical evidence implies that firms need to optimise the composition of R&D expenditure in order to realise sustained productivity growth.
On the Hecke eigenforms of half-integral weight and Dedekind-eta products
Authors: Aydın Banu İrez , Inam Ilker
Published: March 2023

Systematic choice of the Hecke eigenforms of half-integral weight is an interesting problem in the theory of modular forms. In this paper, we find all Dedekind-eta products of half-integral weight which are Hecke eigenforms up to weight [Formula: see text] with varying levels. Proof is based on the Shimura lift.
The Scientific Research Publications and Sustainable Sectoral Value Addition in Bangladesh
Authors: Alom Khairul , Hasan Mohammed Kamrul , Khan Shibli Ahmed , Khan Ashik Imran , Ahmed Wayes
Published: March 2023

This paper explores the role of scientific publications along with sectoral value addition on economic growth in Bangladesh over the period 2000-2020. The Johansen co-integration test is applied to investigate the long-run relationship among the variables. Granger causality test examines short-run relationship among the variables. The FMOLS model is also applied to confirm robustness check in this study. The empirical findings show that a strong long-run co-integration relationship exists among economic growth, scientific publications, and other explanatory variables in this study. The Granger causality test reveals bidirectional causality running from agriculture value added to services value added. Whereas, unidirectional causality exists among the variables of scientific publications to GDP per capita, scientific publications to manufacturing value added, services value added to scientific publications, GDP per capita to industry value added, services value added to GDP per capita, manufacturing value added to industry value added, services value added to manufacturing value added in the short run. The impulse response function implies that shock applies on scientific publications affects economic growth negatively. So, the policy makers of Bangladesh should emphasise on scientific publications by increasing investment on RnD to reach the status of middle-income country through sustainable sectoral development.
A Brief Tour of Deep Learning from a Statistical Perspective
Authors: Nalisnick Eric , Smyth Padhraic , Tran Dustin
Published: March 2023

We expose the statistical foundations of deep learning with the goal of facilitating conversation between the deep learning and statistics communities. We highlight core themes at the intersection; summarize key neural models, such as feedforward neural networks, sequential neural networks, and neural latent variable models; and link these ideas to their roots in probability and statistics. We also highlight research directions in deep learning where there are opportunities for statistical contributions.
Cushing’s Disease Presenting with Functional Neurological (Conversion) Disorder
Authors: Ashrafzadeh Sahar , Mariano Maria Theresa , Syed Saba
Published: March 2023

While psychiatric manifestations are common in patients with Cushing’s syndrome (CS), to our knowledge, there are no reported cases of CS presenting with functional neurological disorder (FND), a neuropsychiatric condition in which patients experience neurological symptoms, such as motor dysfunctions, sensory symptoms, speech disorders, or nonepileptic seizures, in the absence of neurological disease. Here, we report a case of a complex patient with Cushing’s disease who presented with multiple FND symptoms including nonepileptic seizures, bilateral lower extremity paralysis, decreased finger flexion resulting in limited hand function, and stuttering. This case illustrates a rare psychiatric manifestation of CS presenting as multiple neurological complaints. Furthermore, we elucidate how a multidisciplinary treatment approach improved our patient’s FND symptoms.
Object Detection Based on Swin Deformable Transformer‐BiPAFPN‐YOLOX
Authors: Shi Peicheng , Chen Xinhe , Qi Heng , Zhang Chenghui , Liu Zhiqiang
Published: March 2023

Object detection technology plays a crucial role in people’s everyday lives, as well as enterprise production and modern national defense. Most current object detection networks, such as YOLOX, employ convolutional neural networks instead of a Transformer as a backbone. However, these techniques lack a global understanding of the images and may lose meaningful information, such as the precise location of the most active feature detector. Recently, a Transformer with larger receptive fields showed superior performance to corresponding convolutional neural networks in computer vision tasks. The Transformer splits the image into patches and subsequently feeds them to the Transformer in a sequence structure similar to word embeddings. This makes it capable of global modeling of entire images and implies global understanding of images. However, simply using a Transformer with a larger receptive field raises several concerns. For example, self‐attention in the Swin Transformer backbone will limit its ability to model long range relations, resulting in poor feature extraction results and low convergence speed during training. To address the above problems, first, we propose an important region‐based Reconstructed Deformable Self‐Attention that shifts attention to important regions for efficient global modeling. Second, based on the Reconstructed Deformable Self‐Attention, we propose the Swin Deformable Transformer backbone, which improves the feature extraction ability and convergence speed. Finally, based on the Swin Deformable Transformer backbone, we propose a novel object detection network, namely, Swin Deformable Transformer‐BiPAFPN‐YOLOX. experimental results on the COCO dataset show that the training period is reduced by 55.4%, average precision is increased by 2.4%, average precision of small objects is increased by 3.7%, and inference speed is increased by 35%.
Phytochemical Screening and Multivariate Analysis on Physicochemical and Nutraceutical Value of Kocho from False Banana (Enset)
Authors: Birhanu Tewodros , Adiko Tesfaye , Duraisamy Ramesh
Published: March 2023

Enset (Ensete ventricosum) is one of Ethiopia’s most important food crops. The objective of the present study is to evaluate (using multivariate analysis) the effect of fermentation time, varietal differences, and treatment with gammicho on the physicochemical and nutraceuticals of kocho obtained from false banana in highly cultivated areas such as Disa Kera and Koysha Gorta of Dawro zone, Loma Woreda, South Nations’ Nationalities People Regions, Ethiopia. The analyses were carried out for fresh and fermented (with and without local starter, gammicho) enset kocho varieties (Meazia and Katania) harvested in two locations. Statistical analysis of the acquired data was performed using Minitab software version 19. It was discovered that each factor influenced significantly (

p
≤
0.05

) the qualities of kocho independently and with interaction. After four months of fermentation with gammicho, various parameters such as fat (1.69 to 0.62%), fiber (11.46 to 2.79%), pH (6.50 to 3.00), and moisture were dramatically decreased (9.34 to 2.8%). On the other hand, some dietary elements in both kinds were reduced with increasing fermentation time, including ash (2.07 to 3.57%), protein (3.08 to 5.52%), and carbs (71.87 to 84.55%). The results of this study suggest that Meazia has superior physicochemical and nutritional qualities over Katania.
Circulating Endothelial Cell Kinetic in Patients with Multiple Myeloma Who Receive Autologous Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation
Authors: Annibali Ombretta , Tomarchio Valeria , Gregorj Chiara , Di Cerbo Melania , Armiento Daniele , Antonelli Lara , Vincenzi Bruno , Nobile Carolina , Vacca Michele , Tirindelli Maria Cristina , Avvisati Giuseppe
Published: March 2023

Introduction: Neoangiogenesis has a crucial role in multiple myeloma (MM), and circulating endothelial cells (CECs) contribute to neovascularization by inducing tumor progression and metastasis and by repairing damage to bone marrow vasculature after stem cell transplantation (HSC). We recently proved in a national multicenter study the possibility to reach a high-level standardization in CEC count and analysis based on a polychromatic flow cytometry Lyotube (BD). Our study aimed at assessing the kinetics of CECs in patients with MM undergoing autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (Au-HSCT). Methods: Blood samples for analysis were collected at different time points before (T0, T1) and after (T2, T3, T4) Au-HSCT. For each sample, 20 × 106 leukocytes were processed as already described (Lanuti 2016 e 2018) through a multistep procedure. CECs were eventually identified as 7-ADDneg/Syto16pos/CD45neg/CD34pos/CD146pos. Results: Twenty-six MM patients were enrolled in the study. Overall, we observed a constant increase of CECs values from T0 to T3 (day of neutrophil engraftment) followed by decrease at T4 (100 days after transplantation). Using the median value of CECs at T3, we could define a cut-off concentration of 618/mL, with patients with more infective complications having CECs above that value (9/13 vs. 2/13; p = 0.005). Conclusion: CECs value may be a function of endothelial damage caused by conditioning regimen, as suggested by the increase of their level during the engraftment period. A more severe endothelial damage is reflected by the increase of infective complications in patients with higher CECs value at T3.
High Preoperative Platelet to Lymphocyte Ratio Is Associated with a Greater Risk of Postoperative Complications and Hematogenous Recurrences in Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma Patients Receiving Neoadjuvant Treatment
Authors: Sasahara Masahiro , Kanda Mitsuro , Shimizu Dai , Takami Hideki , Inokawa Yoshikuni , Hattori Norifumi , Hayashi Masamichi , Tanaka Chie , Fujiwara Michitaka , Nakayama Goro , Kodera Yasuhiro
Published: March 2023

Introduction: Neoadjuvant treatment is currently the gold standard for advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). Several studies have examined the value of blood count-based indexes for predicting short- and long-term outcomes after esophagectomy for ESCC, but the relative predictive value of pretreatment, preoperative, and postoperative indexes has not yet been examined. Methods: This study included 320 patients with thoracic ESCC who underwent subtotal esophagectomy after neoadjuvant chemotherapy or chemoradiotherapy at our institution. A total of 19 candidate blood parameters were measured before neoadjuvant treatment as well as preoperatively and postoperatively. The ability of the parameters to predict postoperative complications, overall survival (OS), and relapse-free survival (RFS) was assessed using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis and Cox regression analysis. Results: ROC curve analysis indicated that preoperative platelet to lymphocyte ratio (PLR) had the best predictive value with an optimal cutoff value of 166. Patients with high preoperative PLR (≥166) had significantly shorter OS and RFS and significantly higher incidences of hematogenous recurrence and postoperative pneumonia compared with patients with low preoperative PLR (<166). In multivariate analysis, high preoperative PLR and high preoperative serum carcinoembryonic antigen level were independent predictors of poor prognosis. Conclusion: Preoperative PLR is a good predictor of short- and long-term prognosis in patients with advanced ESCC who receive neoadjuvant treatment followed by radical resection.
Abdominal Wall Pain and Primary Dysmenorrhea: The Importance of Myofascial Trigger Points
Authors: Temel Mustafa Hüseyin , Bağcıer Fatih
Published: March 2023

Myofascial trigger points are among the often-overlooked causes of anterior abdominal wall pain and primer dysmenorrhea. It is crucial to evaluate patients with a myofascial perspective in addition to a good history and a detailed physical examination. Myofascial trigger points of the abdominal oblique muscles and rectus abdominis muscle should be considered for patients with abdominal wall pain and primer dysmenorrhea. It should also be kept in mind that myofascial pain syndrome may be the primary pathology responsible for the pain, or it may be an entity accompanying another underlying pathology.
Discriminative Role of Invasive Left Heart Catheterization in Patients Suspected of Heart Failure With Preserved Ejection Fraction
Authors: Choi Ki Hong , Yang Jeong Hoon , Seo Jeong Hun , Hong David , Youn Taeho , Joh Hyun Sung , Lee Seung Hun , Kim Darae , Park Taek Kyu , Lee Joo Myung , Song Young Bin , Choi Jin‐Oh , Hahn Joo‐Yong , Choi Seung‐Hyuk , Gwon Hyeon‐Cheol , Jeon Eun‐Seok
Published: March 2023

Background

Recently, diastolic stress testing and invasive hemodynamic measurements have been emphasized for diagnosis of heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) because when determined using noninvasive parameters it can fall into a nondiagnostic intermediate range. The current study evaluated the discriminative and prognostic roles of invasive measured left ventricular end‐diastolic pressure in the population with suspected HFpEF, particularly for patients with intermediate Heart Failure Association Pre‐test Assessment, Echocardiography & Natriuretic Peptide, Functional Testing, Final Etiology (HFA‐PEFF) score.

Methods and Results

A total of 404 patients with symptoms or signs of HF and preserved left ventricular systolic function were enrolled. All subjects underwent left heart catheterization with left ventricular end‐diastolic pressure measurement for confirmation of HFpEF (≥16 mm Hg). The primary outcome was all‐cause death or readmission due to HF within 10 years. Among the study population, 324 patients (80.2%) were diagnosed as invasively confirmed HFpEF, and 80 patients (19.8%) were as noncardiac dyspnea. The patients with HFpEF showed a significantly higher HFA‐PEFF score than the patients with noncardiac dyspnea (3.8±1.8 versus 2.6±1.5,
P
<0.001). The discriminative ability of the HFA‐PEFF score for diagnosing HFpEF was modest (area under the curve, 0.70 [95% CI, 0.64–0.75],
P
<0.001). The HFA‐PEFF score was associated with a significantly higher 10‐year risk of death or HF readmission (per‐1 increase, hazard ratio [HR], 1.603 [95% CI, 1.376–1.868],
P
<0.001). Among the 226 patients with an intermediate HFA‐PEFF score (2–4), those with invasively confirmed HFpEF had a significantly higher risk of death or HF readmission within 10 years than the patients with noncardiac dyspnea (24.0% versus 6.9%, HR, 3.327 [95% CI, 1.109–16.280],
P
=0.030).

Conclusions

The HFA‐PEFF score is a moderately useful tool for predicting future adverse events in suspected HFpEF, and invasively measured left ventricular end‐diastolic pressure can provide additional information to discriminate patient prognosis, particularly in those with intermediate HFA‐PEFF scores.

Registration

URL:
https://www.clinicaltrials.gov
; Unique identifier: NCT04505449.
Role of Polymorphonuclear Myeloid‐Derived Suppressor Cells and Neutrophils in Ischemic Stroke
Authors: Yan Haomin , Kawano Tomohiro , Kanki Hideaki , Nishiyama Kumiko , Shimamura Munehisa , Mochizuki Hideki , Sasaki Tsutomu
Published: March 2023

Background

Immune cells play a vital role in the pathology of ischemic stroke. Neutrophils and polymorphonuclear myeloid‐derived suppressor cells share a similar phenotype and have attracted increasing attention in immune regulation research, yet their dynamics in ischemic stroke remain elusive.

Methods and Results

Mice were randomly divided into 2 groups and intraperitoneally treated with anti‐Ly6G (lymphocyte antigen 6 complex locus G) monoclonal antibody or saline. Distal middle cerebral artery occlusion and transient middle cerebral artery occlusion were applied to induce experimental stroke, and mice mortality was recorded until 28 days after stroke. Green fluorescent nissl staining was used to measure infarct volume. Cylinder and foot fault tests were used to evaluate neurological deficits. Immunofluorescence staining was conducted to confirm Ly6G neutralization and detect activated neutrophils and CD11b
+
Ly6G
+
cells. Fluorescence‐activated cell sorting was performed to evaluate polymorphonuclear myeloid‐derived suppressor cell accumulation in brains and spleens after stroke. Anti‐Ly6G antibody successfully depleted Ly6G expression in mice cortex but did not alter cortical physiological vasculature. Prophylactic anti‐Ly6G antibody treatment ameliorated ischemic stroke outcomes in the subacute phase. Moreover, using immunofluorescence staining, we found that anti‐Ly6G antibody suppressed activated neutrophil infiltration into parenchyma and decreased neutrophil extracellular trap formation in penumbra after stroke. Additionally, prophylactic anti‐Ly6G antibody treatment reduced polymorphonuclear myeloid‐derived suppressor cell accumulation in the ischemic hemisphere.

Conclusions

Our study suggested a protective effect of prophylactic anti‐Ly6G antibody administration against ischemic stroke by reducing activated neutrophil infiltration and neutrophil extracellular trap formation in parenchyma and suppressing polymorphonuclear myeloid‐derived suppressor cell accumulation in the brain. This study may provide a novel therapeutic approach for ischemic stroke.
Anti-Manga: Sasaki Maki, Ishiko Junzō, and Avant-Garde Comics in Japan
Authors: Holmberg Ryan
Published: March 2023

This essay considers the theory and practice of avant-garde manga in Japan in the 1960s and early ’70s, focusing on the work of Sasaki Maki and Hayashi Seiichi in the alt-manga magazine Garo and on the writings of Ishiko Junzō, Nakahara Yūsuke, and Nakamura Hiroshi, with a view to related theories in contemporary Japanese art and experimental film, particularly “anti-art” and “image theory.”
Nora and Other Roamers: A Dialogue between Lu Xun (1881-1936) and Eileen Chang (1920-95)
Authors: Hu Ying
Published: March 2023

This essay stages a dialogue between Lu Xun and Eileen Chang on the figure of Nora, a global icon of the burgeoning New Woman from Henrik Ibsen’s A Doll’s House. Although often thought of as belonging to diametrically opposing camps – Lu Xun political and Chang apolitical, Lu Xun a sharp critic of women’s oppression and Chang a self-conscious performer of femininity in writing style and personal styling – I argue that their concerns converge more often than one would expect, in their trenchant social critique as well as in the ways their celebrated realism unfolds into allegories of modern Chinese history. At the same time, the points of their divergence also provide us a window onto the gendered positioning of each writer and their different responses to the formation of modern subjectivity. On whether Nora should leave and where she is going, the different answers given by Lu Xun and Eileen Chang illuminate the conditions, limitations and pitfalls of this gendered subject, whose ambulatory-ness serves as a foundational metaphor of her modernity and self-determination.
Metabolites and chemical agents in the plant roots: an overview of their use in plant-parasitic nematode management
Authors: Sharma Nandni , Khanna Kanika , Jasrotia Shivam , Kumar Deepak , Bhardwaj Renu , Ohri Puja
Published: March 2023

Plant-parasitic nematodes are devastating phytopathogens that cause substantial economic losses in the agricultural sector. There are numerous management measures available to reduce the threat posed by plant-parasitic nematodes. One of the most effective management strategies is the use of synthetic chemical nematicides. However, many of these chemicals negatively impact the environment and health of non-target organisms, so there is great urgency for finding new environmentally safe and sustainable approaches for managing plant-parasitic nematodes. Plant roots release numerous metabolites that possess defensive properties; thus, it is imperative to understand the root-regulated interactions among plants and nematodes that form the basis for managing plant-parasitic nematodes. The present review focuses on the root metabolites and chemical agents that serve as attractants, repellents, stimulators, or inhibitors for nematodes. They influence plant resistance by modifying plant physiology to resist nematodes and can also inhibit nematode growth and development by secreting antinematode chemicals. The ultimate goal of this review is to focus mainly on the current state of knowledge on the interaction between plant roots and the potential of these compounds in management of plant-parasitic nematodes.
Molecular and morphological characterisation of some arabica coffee-associated parasitic nematodes in Gera and Gomma districts of southwest Ethiopia
Authors: Singh Phougeishangbam Rolish , Aseffa Abebe W. , Meressa Beira Hailu , Couvreur Marjolein , Karssen Gerrit , Bert Wim
Published: March 2023

A study of coffee rhizospheres collected from six coffee fields in the Gera and Gomma districts of Jimma Zone, southwest Ethiopia, revealed the presence of 12 genera of plant-parasitic nematodes, including Belonolaimus, Criconemoides, Cryphodera, Discocriconemella, Helicotylenchus, Longidorus, Ogma, Paratylenchus, Rotylenchus, Scutellonema, Tylenchorhynchus and Xiphinema. The genera Criconemoides, Helicotylenchus, Longidorus, Paratylenchus, Tylenchorhynchus and Xiphinema were the most prevalent, detected in all soil samples with up to 1590 individuals 100 ml−1 soil for Cryphodera. Morphological and molecular analysis of three genera with higher densities revealed a single species of an unknown Cryphodera sp., Paratylenchus leptos and Tylenchorhynchus cf. zeae occurring in all soil samples. Cryphodera is reported for the first time in Africa. Molecular analyses also revealed the presence of Xiphinema citricolum and several unknown species comprising one Discocriconemella sp., one Paratylenchus sp., four Helicotylenchus spp., two Ogma spp., one Rotylenchus sp. and three Xiphinema spp. In total, 32 partial 18S, 74 D2-D3 of 28S, three ITS sequences of ribosomal DNA and 24 partial mitochondrial COI gene sequences of 16 nematode species were generated. This study demonstrates that the identities of several potentially harmful nematodes are not well known, even in relation to highly important crops such as coffee.
Comparative phylogenetic analysis of vitellogenin in species of cyst and root-knot nematodes
Authors: Wileman Hannah J. , Perry Roland N. , Davies Keith G.
Published: March 2023

Plant-parasitic nematodes (PPN) are an economically important group of crop pests and are oviparous animals; all nutrients required to develop and ensure the survival of their unhatched progeny need to be deposited within the egg, including proteins. The most abundant protein deposited is vitellin, formed of a precursor protein vitellogenin, which has roles in transporting lipids, providing amino acids and influencing post-embryonic development. The genes encoding vitellogenin have been well studied in Caenorhabditis elegans, but little is known about vitellogenin in PPN. Using the vitellogenin gene sequences from C. elegans, homologous sequences in the genomes of some economically important cyst and root-knot nematodes were identified and hypothetical vitellogenin genes were predicted. Protein domains were then determined. Sequences were aligned using MUSCLE and then used to construct phylogenetic trees using the maximum likelihood method. With the availability of genomic data and use of online local alignment tools, the vitellogenin encoding genes from C. elegans could be aligned to PPN genomes. All predicted genes contained the same protein domains as C. elegans; Vitellogenin_N, vitellogenin open beta-sheet and von Willebrand factor domain type D. The constructed phylogenetic tree clustered the species into four groups: root-knot nematodes, two cyst nematode groups and Caenorhabditis species. By determining the hypothetical vitellogenin genes in PPN and inferring their relationships, this could form a potential basis to understand further the role of vitellogenin in cyst and root-knot nematodes.
An exploration of nematode assemblages in the hydroponic media beds of a commercial aquaponics system
Authors: Cammies Christopher , Prior Thomas , Lawson Rebecca , Gilarte Patricia , Crichton Rosemary
Published: March 2023

Nematodes perform important ecosystem services in soils and are well studied in traditional farming, but their role in newer soil-less food production systems is unstudied. We determined the nematode assemblages from substrates within the hydroponic media beds of a commercial aquaponics system. Three substrates were studied: coir, compost and lightweight expanded clay aggregate (LECA), with the nematode assemblages ascertained via traditional morphological analysis. All substrates were suitable for nematodes but abundance was lower compared with traditional compost. Compost from within the hydroponic media beds had nematode assemblages with similar maturity indices (MI) to compost external to the system, and both composts housed nematodes with a high proportion of bacterivores, a high degree of enrichment and no structure. LECA that were regularly disturbed and had little organic build up resembled compost – highly enriched and lacking structure. LECA that had been left undisturbed for longer and allowed to accumulate more organic matter had highly structured assemblages and showed less enrichment than the other substrates. Nematode assemblages within the coir showed very little enrichment but had higher MI and were more structured than compost. Problematic plant-parasitic nematodes were not found in any of the samples. We present the first glimpse into the role of nematodes in aquaponics systems and encourage future studies to explore how nematodes in these systems affect yield and plant health.
Molecular Systematics of Redband Trout from Genome-Wide DNA Sequencing Substantiates the Description of a New Taxon (Salmonidae: Oncorhynchus mykiss calisulat) from the McCloud River
Authors: CAMPBELL MATTHEW A. , HABIBI ENSIEH , AURINGER GRACE , STEPHENS MOLLY , RODZEN JEFF , CONWAY KEVIN W. , FINGER AMANDA J.
Published: March 2023

Rainbow Trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss, exhibit high levels of phenotypic diversity leading to the recognition of numerous subspecies. A major distinction among Rainbow Trout subspecies exists between Coastal Rainbow Trout (O. m. irideus), which occurs west of the Cascade and Sierra Nevada mountain ranges, and interior Redband Trout (O. mykiss sspp.), largely distributed to the east. Interior Redband Trout are composed of three primary lineages and can share various outward, anatomical or physiological characteristics that are often symplesiomorphies or examples of convergence. We examine high-throughput DNA sequence data from Sacramento Redband Trout O. m. stonei from the Upper Pit and Upper McCloud Rivers along with representatives of Rainbow Trout and Golden Trout lineages to clarify the composition and relationships of the Sacramento Redband Trout. We find O. m. stonei to be polyphyletic, divided between populations in the Pit River and the Upper McCloud River. Redband Trout obtained from the Pit River are most-closely related to Great Basin Redband Trout O. m. newberrii and to fish of the Warner Lakes Basin and Surprise Valley within the O. m. newberrii lineage. The type specimen of O. m. stonei, collected from the Lower McCloud River, is phenotypically similar to Great Basin Redband Trout. We find as well that the isolated populations of trout in the Upper McCloud River Basin represent a lineage of Rainbow Trout now restricted to that region, are monophyletic and are not most closely related to the interior Redband Trout lineages of O. m. newberrii or O. m. gairdnerii. Furthermore, they are not represented by the type specimens of O. m. stonei or O. m. shasta. Consequently, we formally describe the McCloud River Redband Trout O. mykiss calisulat, new subspecies.
The genus Medetera (Diptera: Dolichopodidae) in the Czech Republic with first records of twelve species
Authors: KEJVAL ZBYNĚK , POLLET MARC
Published: March 2023

The faunistics of long-legged flies of the genus Medetera Fischer von Waldheim, 1819 in the Czech Republic (further subdivided into Bohemia and Moravia) are investigated. A total of 61 species are listed, new records of 34 species presented and numerous previously published records discussed. Twelve species are recorded from the Czech Republic for the first time: Medetera acanthura Negrobov & Thuneberg, 1970, M. belgica Parent, 1936, M. betulae Ringdahl, 1949, M. brevitarsa Parent, 1927, M. freyi Thuneberg, 1955, M. incrassata Frey, 1909, M. inspissata Collin, 1952, M. kerzhneri Negrobov, 1966, M. parenti Stackelberg, 1925, M. prjachinae Negrobov, 1974, M. pseudoapicalis Thuneberg, 1955, and M. unisetosa Collin, 1941. Six other species are recorded from Bohemia for the first time: Medetera annulitarsus von Roser, 1840, M. feminina Negrobov, 1967, M. insignis Girschner, 1888, M. jugalis Collin, 1941, M. muralis Meigen, 1824, and M. lorea Negrobov, 1967; and six species from Moravia for the first time: Medetera ambigua (Zetterstedt, 1843), M. caeruleifacies Naglis & Negrobov, 2014, M. excellens Frey, 1909, M. infumata Loew, 1857, M. melancholica Lundbeck, 1912, and M. seguyi Parent, 1926.