bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Water-blocking characteristics of fault zones with different structural combination of cementation degree
Authors: Chen Yingzhou , Zhu Shuyun , Yang Zhilong
Published: August 2023

Recently, deep coal mining has posed a significant challenge owing to the threat of water inrush from highly pressured aquifers in the floor strata. Water inrush in the floor strata is often associated with the structural characteristics of the underlying fault zones. The permeability of these fault zones is a critical factor in determining their potential as conduits for water flow. The variation in permeability is attributed to the varying cementation degree across different locations within the fault zones. Hence, this study is based on the key stratum theory and introduces the concept of a water-blocking key stratum within fault zones. This research focuses on the engineering context of the 16th coal seam above the lower coal seam in the 10603 working face of the Yangcun Coal Mine's tenth mining area. The study investigates the activation characteristics of the 10605F5 reverse fault zone, which cuts through the working face. Various methods, including test of simulation of similar materials and numerical simulations, are employed to analyse the hydraulic pressure distribution and the impact of mining activities on the water-blocking key stratum within the 10605F5 reverse fault zone. The research findings will provide valuable insights for preventing fault activation and water inrush.
A Survey of Algorithmic Methods for Competency Self-Assessments in Human-Autonomy Teaming
Authors: Conlon Nicholas , Ahmed Nisar R. , Szafir Daniel
Published: August 2023

Humans working with autonomous artificially intelligent systems may not be experts in the inner workings of their machine teammates, but need to understand when to employ, trust, and rely on the system. A critical challenge is to develop machine agents with the capacity to understand their own capabilities and limitations, and the ability to communicate this information to human partners. Self-assessment is an emerging field that tackles this challenge through the development of algorithms that enable autonomous agents to understand and communicate their competency. These methods can engender appropriate trust and align human expectations with autonomous assistant abilities. However, current research in self-assessment is dispersed across many fields, including artificial intelligence, robotics, and human factors. This survey connects work from these disparate areas and reviews state-of-the-art methods for algorithmic self-assessments that enable autonomous agents to estimate, understand, and communicate valuable information pertaining to their competency, with focus on methods that can improve interactions within human-machine teams. To better understand the landscape of self-assessment approaches, we present a framework for categorizing work in self-assessment based on underlying algorithm type:
test-based
,
learning-based
, or
knowledge-based
. We synthesize common features across these approaches and discuss relevant future directions for research in this emerging space.
Improving Sequence-to-sequence Tibetan Speech Synthesis with Prosodic Information
Authors: Zhang Weizhao , Yang Hongwu
Published: August 2023

There are about 6,000 languages worldwide, most of which are low-resource languages. Although the current speech synthesis (or text-to-speech, TTS) for major languages (e.g., Mandarin, English, French) has achieved good results, the voice quality of TTS for low-resource languages (e.g., Tibetan) still needs to be further improved. Because prosody plays a significant role in natural speech, the article proposes two sequence-to-sequence (seq2seq) Tibetan TTS models with prosodic information fusion to improve the voice quality of synthesized Tibetan speech. We first constructed a large-scale Tibetan corpus for seq2seq TTS. Then we designed a prosody generator to extract prosodic information from the Tibetan sentences. Finally, we trained two seq2seq Tibetan TTS models by fusing prosodic information, including feature-level and model-level prosodic information fusion. The experimental results showed that the proposed two seq2seq Tibetan TTS models, which fuse prosodic information, could effectively improve the voice quality of synthesized speech. Furthermore, the model-level prosodic information fusion only needs 60% ~ 70% of the training data to synthesize a voice similar to the baseline seq2seq Tibetan TTS. Therefore, the proposed prosodic information fusion methods can improve the voice quality of synthesized speech for low-resource languages.
Highlighting the Advantages of Operating NMC811 Cells to Voltages below 4.20 V Compared to NMC Grades with Lower Ni Content
Authors: Eldesoky A. , Kowalski N. , Dahn J. R.
Published: August 2023

Ni-rich Li-ion cells suffer from severe capacity fade at high states of charge (SOC) due to oxygen release and/or lattice volume collapse. We share long-term cycling results (12000 h) at 40 °C for NMC811, NMC532, and NMC640 cells cycled with different upper cut-off voltages (UCV), C-rates, and depths of discharge (DOD). We show that cycling to a greater UCV results in more capacity loss and resistance growth as expected. However, NMC811 suffered from 5–10 times greater resistance growth at 4.20 V compared to 4.06 V, while the resistance for NMC532 and NMC640 cycled to 4.30 V was roughly twice that of the 4.10 V UCV cells. This highlights a challenging problem with Ni-rich materials that can be mitigated if the UCV is limited to avoid NMC811 volume change. Finally, we used competitive graphite materials reported in previous work to examine the impact of UCV on the rate of SEI growth in NMC811 cells, which was found to increase with temperature and UCV, particularly at

≥

4.08 V UCV. We hope this brief report will highlight the importance of lifetime energy output, rather than initial energy density, and encourage battery users to limit the UCV of Ni-rich cells when possible.
Compact and Broadband-Balanced Amplifier for a Monolithic Microwave Integrated Circuit Using Lumped Elements Only
Authors: Han Heeje , Kim Hongjoon
Published: August 2023

A flat phase difference across a broad bandwidth is achieved by appropriately combining the positive and negative phase propagation of right-handed (RH) and left-handed (LH) transmission lines (TLs), respectively. Employment of lumped elements provides easy realization of both TLs with the desired frequency passband, characteristic impedance, and phase propagation. The proposed quadrature power divider (QPD) was fabricated in a compact size by only using lumped elements instead of general TLs with a large area and a narrow bandwidth. The fabricated QPD maintains a flat phase difference of 90° ± 8.7° over a frequency range of 1.19–2.96 GHz while its circuit size is 0.036

λ

g

2

. Owing to drastic size reduction of the QPD, the proposed balanced amplifier (BA) also could be realized with an extremely compact size of 0.044

λ

g

2

and broad bandwidth unlike in other BAs reported in the literature and maintains a return loss of less than −10 dB at each port over the bandwidth of the QPD.
Effect of Track Support Structures on Friction-Induced Vibrations of Wheelset-Track Systems
Authors: Fu Hua , Kang Fei , Liu Shanglin , Kang Xi
Published: August 2023

The aim of the present investigation is to study the effect of track support structures on the metro 5th to 8th-order out-of-round (OOR) wheel caused by friction-induced vibrations. Three finite element models of metro-leading wheelset-track systems with three types of track support structures were established. The motion stabilities of these systems were studied using the complex feature value method. Three unstable vibrations that may cause the formation of the 5th to 8th order wheel OOR profiles were predicted. The simulation results show that the saturated creep forces can lead to unstable vibrations of wheelset-track systems, which are capable of inducing the 5th to 8th-order OOR wheel shapes. Choosing the appropriate value of the fastener damping and using the rail dampers are helpful to reduce or even eliminate wheel polygonal wear caused by these vibrations.
Improved Shape-Finding Method and Parametric Study for Designing Asymmetric Suspension Bridges in Mountainous Terrain
Authors: Jiang Chenchen , Ou Yangxun , Tang Weiyu , Hou Shengjun , Luo Rui , Jin Yuhao , Sun Bin
Published: August 2023

The suspension bridges in mountainous areas are commonly designed with asymmetrical overall layouts to match the terrain and construction under limited space. However, the effects and influences of the asymmetry parameters on the bridge performance have yet to be thoroughly investigated. To address this gap, based on a real-world suspension bridge with a main span length of 700 m, this paper first presents an improved shape-finding method that can fully consider the components of hanger forces in each construction step. In the iterative process, the shape of the cable is determined based on the equilibrium equations, and the hanger forces are calculated through the nonlinear finite element analysis. After deciding the bridge’s initial state, the asymmetry parameters’ effects are carefully investigated through finite element analysis under the static and seismic conditions. Results show that the side-to-span ratio of the main cable and the tower’s stiffness can affect the horizontally constrained stiffness, resulting in distinct bridge behavior. Moreover, reasonably designing the dampers between the tower and the girder can be beneficial in minimizing the longitudinal displacement and controlling the tower’s moment under the seismic situations.
Human Bone Marrow versus Adipose-Derived Stem Cells: Influence of Donor Characteristics on Expandability and Implications for Osteogenic Ex Vivo BMP-2 Regional Gene Therapy
Authors: Mayfield Cory K. , Lechtholz-Zey Elizabeth , Ayad Mina , Sugiyama Osamu , Lieberman Jay R.
Published: August 2023

Novel treatment strategies for segmental bone loss in orthopaedic surgery remain under investigation. Regional gene therapy that involves transduction of mesenchymal stem cells with a lentiviral vector that expresses BMP-2 has gained particular interest as this strategy provides osteogenic and osteoinductive factors for bone growth. In particular, transduced adipose-derived stems cells (ASCs) and bone marrow-derived stem cells (BMSCs) have emerged as the leading candidates for the treatment of segmental defects in preclinical models. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the influence of demographic information on in vitro growth characteristics and bone morphogenetic protein-2 production following lentiviral transduction in a large cohort of human donors. We further sought to assess the effects of ASC harvest site on cell yield and growth characteristics. We evaluated a total of 187 human donors (124 adipose harvests and 63 bone marrow aspirates) in our cohort. We found that across all donors, ASCs demonstrated favorable growth characteristics and could be cultured in vitro more reliably than BMSCs regardless of patient-related factors. Furthermore, we noted that following lentiviral transduction, ASCs produced significantly higher levels of BMP-2 compared to BMSCs. Lastly, despite higher initial cell yields from lipoaspirate, posttransduction BMP-2 production was less than that of infrapatellar fat pad samples. These results support the continued investigation of ASCs as a cellular delivery vehicle for regional gene therapy to deliver osteoinductive proteins to specific anatomic bone repair sites.
Studying the Synergetic Effect of Point-Extraction and Longitudinal Ventilation on the Maximum Smoke Temperature and Back-Layering Length in Tunnel Fires
Authors: Barati Ebrahim , Haghani Seyyed Omid
Published: August 2023

This study investigates the impact of combining longitudinal and point-extraction ventilated systems on temperature distribution and back-layering length in tunnel fires. Numerical simulations are conducted using a fire dynamic simulator (FDS), and reduced-scale tunnel fire experiments with a scale of 1/10 are introduced to provide supplementary data. Results indicate that the longitudinal velocity is more critical than other factors in reducing the highest temperature and casualties. Lowering the temperature below the tunnel ceiling is not caused by increasing the ceiling extraction velocity. Additionally, the study reveals that the fire source-ceiling distance and their relative positions play a crucial role in temperature distribution and plug-holing phenomenon in the tunnel. By using the Taguchi method, it is determined that a fire at a height of 0.125 m has a maximum ceiling temperature of 1.8, 1.3, and 1.1 times when the fire source happens on the floor with longitudinal velocities of 0.133, 0.265, and 0.53 m/s, respectively. The extraction point has diverse effects provided that the longitudinal ventilation velocity is set by critical velocity. The study’s objective is to provide tunnel engineering managers with a correlation to predict the highest temperature, which is a vital parameter for emergency evacuation. In conclusion, this study highlights the importance of considering longitudinal and point-extraction ventilated systems and their relative speeds in reducing the severity of tunnel fires.
An Immunocompetent Adult Male Presented with a Liver Abscess Caused by the Mycobacterium tuberculosis: A Case Report from India
Authors: Pawar Akash , Khadanga Sagar , Singhai Abhishek
Published: August 2023

A liver abscess is a collection of purulent fluid in the liver parenchyma caused by a variety of etiological organisms such as bacteria, protozoa, and in rare occasions fungi. Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) is a frequent and widespread infection in underdeveloped nations such as India, which can manifest in many ways. Tuberculosis mostly affects the lungs, although it can also affect any organ in the body. We are reporting a case of liver abscess caused by MTB infection in order to raise general awareness among physicians about the importance of suspecting and ruling out tuberculosis as a cause of liver abscess. To the best of our knowledge, there have been very few such cases reported from India/the rest of the world.
Integrated Multimodal Analyses of DNA Damage Response and Immune Markers as Predictors of Response in Metastatic Triple-Negative Breast Cancer in the TNT Trial (NCT00532727)
Authors: Tovey Holly , Sipos Orsolya , Parker Joel S. , Hoadley Katherine A. , Quist Jelmar , Kernaghan Sarah , Kilburn Lucy , Salgado Roberto , Loi Sherene , Kennedy Richard D. , Roxanis Ioannis , Gazinska Patrycja , Pinder Sarah E. , Bliss Judith , Perou Charles M. , Haider Syed , Grigoriadis Anita , Tutt Andrew , Cheang Maggie Chon U.
Published: August 2023

Purpose:

The TNT trial (NCT00532727) showed no evidence of carboplatin superiority over docetaxel in metastatic triple-negative breast cancer (mTNBC), but carboplatin benefit was observed in the germline BRCA1/2 mutation subgroup. Broader response-predictive biomarkers are needed. We explored the predictive ability of DNA damage response (DDR) and immune markers.

Experimental Design:

Tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes were evaluated for 222 of 376 patients. Primary tumors (PT) from 186 TNT participants (13 matched recurrences) were profiled using total RNA sequencing. Four transcriptional DDR-related and 25 immune-related signatures were evaluated. We assessed their association with objective response rate (ORR) and progression-free survival (PFS). Conditional inference forest clustering was applied to integrate multimodal data. The biology of subgroups was characterized by 693 gene expression modules and other markers.

Results:

Transcriptional DDR-related biomarkers were not predictive of ORR to either treatment overall. Changes from PT to recurrence were demonstrated; in chemotherapy-naïve patients, transcriptional DDR markers separated carboplatin responders from nonresponders (P values = 0.017; 0.046). High immune infiltration was associated with docetaxel ORR (interaction P values < 0.05). Six subgroups were identified; the immune-enriched cluster had preferential docetaxel response [62.5% (D) vs. 29.4% (C); P = 0.016]. The immune-depleted cluster had preferential carboplatin response [8.0% (D) vs. 40.0% (C); P = 0.011]. DDR-related subgroups were too small to assess ORR.

Conclusions:

High immune features predict docetaxel response, and high DDR signature scores predict carboplatin response in treatment-naïve mTNBC. Integrating multimodal DDR and immune-related markers identifies subgroups with differential treatment sensitivity. Treatment options for patients with immune-low and DDR-proficient tumors remains an outstanding need. Caution is needed using PT-derived transcriptional signatures to direct treatment in mTNBC, particularly DDR-related markers following prior chemotherapy.
Targeted Nanofitin-drug Conjugates Achieve Efficient Tumor Delivery and Therapeutic Effect in an EGFRpos Mouse Xenograft Model
Authors: Huet Simon , Zeisser Labouebe Magali , Castro Rute , Jacquot Perrine , Pedrault Jessy , Viollet Sébastien , Van Simaeys Gaetan , Doumont Gilles , Larbanoix Lionel , Zindy Egor , Cunha António E. , Scapozza Leonardo , Cinier Mathieu
Published: August 2023

Adjusting the molecular size, the valency and the pharmacokinetics of drug conjugates are as many leverages to improve their therapeutic window, notably by affecting tumor penetration, renal clearance, and short systemic exposure. In that regard, small tumor-targeting ligands are gaining attention. In this study, we demonstrate the benefits of the small Nanofitin alternative scaffolds (7 kDa) as selective tumor-targeting modules for the generation of drug conjugates, focusing on Nanofitins B10 and D8 directed against the EGFR. Owing to their small size and monovalent format, the two Nanofitins displayed a fast and deep tumor penetration in EGFR-positive A431 xenografts in BALB/c nude mice after intravenous administration, yielding to a targeting of respectively 67.9% ± 14.1 and 98.9% ± 0.7 of the tumor cells as demonstrated by IHC. Conjugation with the monomethyl auristatin E toxin provided homogeneous Nanofitin-drug conjugates, with an overall yield of ≥97%, for in vivo assessment in a curative xenograft model using bioluminescent, EGFR-positive, A431 cells in BALB/c nude mice. Internalization was found critical for efficient release of the toxin. Hence, the intravenous administration of the D8-based construct showed significant antitumor effect in vivo as determined by monitoring tumor volumes and bioluminescence levels over 2 months.
Supplementary Figure 5 from Resistance to Selective FGFR Inhibitors in FGFR-Driven Urothelial Cancer
Authors: Facchinetti Francesco , Hollebecque Antoine , Braye Floriane , Vasseur Damien , Pradat Yoann , Bahleda Rastislav , Pobel Cédric , Bigot Ludovic , Déas Olivier , Florez Arango Juan David , Guaitoli Giorgia , Mizuta Hayato , Combarel David , Tselikas Lambros , Michiels Stefan , Nikolaev Sergey I. , Scoazec Jean-Yves , Ponce-Aix Santiago , Besse Benjamin , Olaussen Ken A. , Loriot Yohann , Friboulet Luc
Published: August 2023

Synergic effect of gefitinib and erdafitinib in MR15 cell line.
Table S3 from Single-cell profiling uncovers a Muc4-expressing metaplastic gastric cell type sustained by Helicobacter pylori-driven inflammation
Authors: O'Brien Valerie Phoebe , Kang Yuqi , Shenoy Meera K , Finak Greg , Young William C , Dubrulle Julien , Koch Lisa , Rodriguez Martinez Armando E , Williams Jeffery , Donato Elizabeth , Batra Surinder K. , Yeung Cecilia C.S. , Grady William M , Koch Meghan A , Gottardo Raphael , Salama Nina R.
Published: August 2023

Genes driving the clustering of cells in UMAP #2. Up to the top 70 genes with the highest fold change and Padjusted < 0.05 are given for each cluster.
Figure S5 from Single-cell profiling uncovers a Muc4-expressing metaplastic gastric cell type sustained by Helicobacter pylori-driven inflammation
Authors: O'Brien Valerie Phoebe , Kang Yuqi , Shenoy Meera K , Finak Greg , Young William C , Dubrulle Julien , Koch Lisa , Rodriguez Martinez Armando E , Williams Jeffery , Donato Elizabeth , Batra Surinder K. , Yeung Cecilia C.S. , Grady William M , Koch Meghan A , Gottardo Raphael , Salama Nina R.
Published: August 2023

The dysplasia marker gene Trop2 is rarely detected in the central epithelial megacluster, whereas Muc4 and Areg are primarily detected in the central epithelial megacluster.
Figure S2 from Single-cell profiling uncovers a Muc4-expressing metaplastic gastric cell type sustained by Helicobacter pylori-driven inflammation
Authors: O'Brien Valerie Phoebe , Kang Yuqi , Shenoy Meera K , Finak Greg , Young William C , Dubrulle Julien , Koch Lisa , Rodriguez Martinez Armando E , Williams Jeffery , Donato Elizabeth , Batra Surinder K. , Yeung Cecilia C.S. , Grady William M , Koch Meghan A , Gottardo Raphael , Salama Nina R.
Published: August 2023

Cell cluster frequencies change according to Hp infection status and induction of constitutively active KRAS.
Figure S12 from Single-cell profiling uncovers a Muc4-expressing metaplastic gastric cell type sustained by Helicobacter pylori-driven inflammation
Authors: O'Brien Valerie Phoebe , Kang Yuqi , Shenoy Meera K , Finak Greg , Young William C , Dubrulle Julien , Koch Lisa , Rodriguez Martinez Armando E , Williams Jeffery , Donato Elizabeth , Batra Surinder K. , Yeung Cecilia C.S. , Grady William M , Koch Meghan A , Gottardo Raphael , Salama Nina R.
Published: August 2023

MUC4 and Ki-67 expression are significantly positively associated in samples from 47 subjects with gastric cancer.
Supplementary Table S4 from Cancer Epidemiology in the Northeastern United States (2013–2017)
Authors: Rees Judy R. , Weiss Julie E. , Gunn Christine M. , Carlos Heather A. , Dragnev Nathalie C. , Supattapone Emma Y. , Tosteson Anna N.A. , Kraft Sally A. , Vahdat Linda T. , Peacock Janet L.
Published: August 2023

Age-standardized Incidence of Cancer Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, US Census Regions with the United States, All Races and by Race/Ethnicity, 2013-2017
Supplementary Table S1 from Cancer Epidemiology in the Northeastern United States (2013–2017)
Authors: Rees Judy R. , Weiss Julie E. , Gunn Christine M. , Carlos Heather A. , Dragnev Nathalie C. , Supattapone Emma Y. , Tosteson Anna N.A. , Kraft Sally A. , Vahdat Linda T. , Peacock Janet L.
Published: August 2023

Data Quality criteria at 24 months, by state and diagnosis year, 2013-2017
Data from Single-cell Profiling Uncovers a Muc4-Expressing Metaplastic Gastric Cell Type Sustained by Helicobacter pylori-driven Inflammation
Authors: O'Brien Valerie P. , Kang Yuqi , Shenoy Meera K. , Finak Greg , Young William C. , Dubrulle Julien , Koch Lisa , Rodriguez Martinez Armando E. , Williams Jeffery , Donato Elizabeth , Batra Surinder K. , Yeung Cecilia C.S. , Grady William M. , Koch Meghan A. , Gottardo Raphael , Salama Nina R.
Published: August 2023

Mechanisms for Helicobacter pylori (Hp)-driven stomach cancer are not fully understood. In a transgenic mouse model of gastric preneoplasia, concomitant Hp infection and induction of constitutively active KRAS (Hp+KRAS+) alters metaplasia phenotypes and elicits greater inflammation than either perturbation alone. Gastric single-cell RNA sequencing showed that Hp+KRAS+ mice had a large population of metaplastic pit cells that expressed the intestinal mucin Muc4 and the growth factor amphiregulin. Flow cytometry and IHC-based immune profiling revealed that metaplastic pit cells were associated with macrophage and T-cell inflammation. Accordingly, expansion of metaplastic pit cells was prevented by gastric immunosuppression and reversed by antibiotic eradication of Hp. Finally, MUC4 expression was significantly associated with proliferation in human gastric cancer samples. These studies identify an Hp-associated metaplastic pit cell lineage, also found in human gastric cancer tissues, whose expansion is driven by Hp-dependent inflammation.
Significance:
Using a mouse model, we have delineated metaplastic pit cells as a precancerous cell type whose expansion requires Hp-driven inflammation. In humans, metaplastic pit cells show enhanced proliferation as well as enrichment in precancer and early cancer tissues, highlighting an early step in the gastric metaplasia to cancer cascade.
Epithelioid Hemangioendothelioma of the Liver Showing Spontaneous Complete Regression after the Cessation of Methotrexate Intake
Authors: Shishimoto Takahiro , Oura Shoji , Motozato Kenichiro , Tanaka Hiroto , Takamatsu Seigo , Ono Wataru
Published: August 2023

A 71-year-old man with slight fever and dull abdominal pain was referred to our hospital. He had been receiving methotrexate (MTX) to treat his rheumatoid arthritis for more than 6 years but stopped taking MTX after admission due to the rapid aggravation of his liver function. Computed tomography (CT) showed multiple liver lesions with late enhancement, highly suggesting them to be cholangiocarcinomas. Tumor marker levels were normal except for a slightly elevated PIVKA-II level, i.e., 45 mAU/mL (range 0–40 mAU/mL). We did a biopsy to the largest lesion and endoscopic biliary drainage to make a definitive diagnosis of the hepatic lesions and treat jaundice, respectively. Pathological study showed round, polygonal, and spindle-shaped epithelial atypical cells growing in a sarcomatoid fashion. Atypical cells were positive for CD31, CD34, vimentin, and TFE3, and some of them had intracellular vacuoles, leading to the diagnosis of epithelioid hemangioendothelioma (EHE) of the liver. The patient got well 4 weeks after the endoscopic biliary drainage. CTs showed marked regression of the EHE lesions 3 months after biliary drainage and complete regression in 12 months. The patient further developed Hodgkin lymphoma in the para-aortic lymph nodes 23 months after the biliary drainage and is now under chemotherapy for the malignant lymphoma. We, however, have not detected any EHE lesions in the liver or distant organs for at least 16 months after the confirmation of complete regression of the EHE lesions. Oncologists should note the spontaneous regression of the EHE and investigate the correlation between MTX cessation and EHE regression.
Clinical and Molecular Characterization of Hidradenitis Suppurativa: A Practical Framework for Novel Therapeutic Targets
Authors: Moltrasio Chiara , Tricarico Paola Maura , Moura Ronald Rodrigues , Brandão Lucas , Crovella Sergio , Marzano Angelo Valerio
Published: August 2023

Background: The pathophysiological picture underlying hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) and its syndromic forms is still patchy, thus presenting a great challenge for dermatologists and researchers since just by better understanding the pathogenesis of disease we could identify novel therapeutic targets. Methods: We propose a practical framework to improve subcategorization of HS patients and support the genotype-phenotype correlation, useful for endotype-directed therapies development. Results: This framework includes (i) clinical work-up that involves the collection of demographic, lifestyle, and clinical data as well as the collection of different biological samples; (ii) genetic-molecular work-up, based on multi-omics analysis in combination with bioinformatics pipelines to unravel the complex etiology of HS and its syndromic forms; (iii) functional studies, – represented by skin fibroblast cell cultures, reconstructed epidermal models (both 2D and 3D) and organoids –, of candidate biomarkers and genetic findings necessary to validate novel potential molecular mechanisms possibly involved and druggable in HS; (iv) genotype-phenotype correlation and clinical translation in tailored targeted therapies. Conclusion: Omic findings should be merged and integrated with clinical data; moreover, the skin-omic profiles from each HS patient should be matched and integrated with the ones already reported in public repositories, supporting the efforts of the researchers and clinicians to discover novel biomarkers and molecular pathways with the ultimate goal of providing faster development of novel patient-tailored therapeutic approaches.
A Case Report of a Teaspoon Portion of Fava Beans Caused Severe Hemolysis in G6PD-Deficient Baby: Time to Include G6PD Enzyme Testing in the Premarital Screening Program and Newborns
Authors: Alqarni Ahmad , Hjazi Ahmed
Published: August 2023

A 2-year-old baby of Arabian descent presented to the emergency department (ED) with signs of acute hemolytic anemia due to consuming a teaspoon portion of fava beans. Besides jaundice, nausea, vomiting, and fatigue, dark urine was the primary motive for the ED visit. The baby was diagnosed with glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency, which was adequately managed. Upon discharge, he was furnished with a nutritional and medical counseling plan to avoid the triggering factors of hemolysis. Hospital management of this and other cases imposes a high cost on health systems. One of the cost-effective measures to reduce that cost on health systems is to incorporate the G6PD enzyme test in newborns or premarital screening programs. Thus, the proposed measures would have eliminated the suffering of these innocent souls.
Association of Maternal Cigarette Smoking with Neonatal Death: A Population-Based Cohort Study
Authors: Wang Ran , Han Xia , Zhu Bingxue , Ye Ming , Shi Qiqi
Published: August 2023

Introduction: Maternal pregnancy smoking has adverse perinatal outcomes and the relationship between maternal smoking and neonatal death has not been fully elucidated. We aimed to examine the risk of neonatal death in relation to maternal smoking and to quantify potential mediators of these associations. Methods: We did a population-based cohort study using Period Linked Birth-Infant Death data from 2016 to 2019 in the US National Vital Statistics System. The exposure was maternal smoking status. The main outcome was neonatal death. Association between maternal smoking and neonatal death was estimated through logistic regression. Mediation analysis was performed to assess the extent to which the association between maternal smoking and neonatal death was mediated by neonatal complications. Results: The final sample consisted of 14,717,020 mothers with live singleton births. The overall neonatal mortality rate was 2.2 per 1,000 live births. Maternal pregnancy smoking was associated with an increased risk of neonatal death {adjusted odds ratio (aOR, 1.33 [95% CI, 1.28–1.38]; p < 0.001)}, while smoking cessation during the whole pregnancy showed a comparable risk of neonatal death with nonsmokers (aOR, 1.06 [95% CI, 0.99–1.14]; p = 0.116). Mediation analysis indicated that the association between pregnancy smoking and neonatal death might be mainly mediated by preterm birth and low Apgar score at 5 min. Conclusions: Maternal pregnancy smoking, regardless of pregnancy trimester and intensity, was associated with increased risk of neonatal death. Efforts are needed for policymakers to promote smoking cessation before pregnancy, and professional perinatal care should be provided for those who smoked during pregnancy.
Exploration of Extracellular Vesicle Long Non-Coding RNAs in Serum of Patients with Cervical Cancer
Authors: Molika Piyatida , Bissanum Rassanee , Surachat Komwit , Pattanapanyasat Kovit , Hanprasertpong Jitti , Chotigeat Wilaiwan , Navakanitworakul Raphatphorn
Published: August 2023

Introduction: Cervical cancer (CC) is the fourth most common cancer type and a leading cause of cancer-related deaths in women worldwide. Its underlying molecular mechanisms are unclear. Cancer cell-derived extracellular vesicles (EVs) are involved in cancer development and progression by delivering regulatory factors, including microRNAs and long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs). Methods: Here, we identified the EV lncRNA expression profiles associated with different developmental stages of CC using next-generation sequencing. EVs from the serum of patients with stages I–III CC and healthy donors were characterized using EV marker immunoblotting and transmission electron microscopy. Results: The EV concentration increases with progression of the disease. Most particles had a 100–250-nm diameter, and their sizes were similar in all groups. We identified many lncRNAs that were uniquely and differentially expressed (DE) in patients with different stages of CC. The pathway analysis results indicated that the upregulated DE EV lncRNAs abundant in stages I and II were associated with cell proliferation and inflammation and cancer progression pathways, respectively. LINC00941, LINC01910, LINC02454, and DSG2-AS1 were highly expressed, suggesting poor overall survival of CC patients. Interestingly, DSG2-AS1 was associated with the human papillomavirus infection pathway through AKT3, DLG1, and COL6A2 genes. Conclusion: This is the first study that reports the levels of EVs and their lncRNA contents change during cancer development, demonstrating the existence of a unique vesicle-mediated cell-to-cell communication network underlying cancer progression.
Vocal Characteristics across English-Northern Sotho Bilingual Speakers: A Comparative Study
Authors: Hammann Amy , Pillay Bhavani , Graham Marien Alet , van der Linde Jeannie
Published: August 2023

Introduction: Bilinguals constitute a significant portion of speech-language pathologists’ (SLPs) caseloads. Insight into the cross-linguistic effect on voice is needed to guide SLPs to make linguistically appropriate observations when working with heterogenous populations. Method: Nineteen female English-Northern Sotho bilinguals performed three speech tasks (reading, picture description, and monologue) in each language. Acoustic analysis of mean fundamental frequency (f0), intensity, and articulation rate was conducted with Praat. A panel of blinded listeners reached consensus after independently reviewing the recordings during perceptual analysis of voice quality, resonance, and glottal attack. Results: The following statistically significant differences were found across and within the languages: The mean f0 was 204.61 Hz in the Northern Sotho picture description yet 196.50 Hz in the English picture description. The mean intensity of reading in Northern Sotho was 66.38 dB whereas the mean intensity of reading in English was 65.09 dB. Articulation rate was 3.78 syllables/s in English passage reading and 3.41 syllables/s in Northern Sotho passage reading. Within English, passage reading elicited a significantly quicker articulation rate than the picture description (3.34 syllables/s) and monologue (3.46 syllables/s). Within Northern Sotho, mean f0 was 203.83 Hz in passage reading yet 191.11 Hz in the monologue. Perceptual voice quality, glottal attack, and resonance were comparable across languages. Conclusion: Relationships between languages spoken, task performance, and vocal characteristics were observed in English-Northern Sotho bilingual females. SLPs must consider the interaction of language, task performance, and vocal characteristics when working with bilingual clients.
Comparing COVID-19 Response Behaviors between a Cancer Patient Sample and a Population-Based Cancer-Free Sample in a Rural Midwestern State
Authors: Greteman Breanna  B. , Garcia-Auguste Crystal J. , Kahl Amanda R. , Gryzlak Brian M. , Chrischilles Elizabeth A. , Charlton Mary E. , Nash Sarah H.
Published: August 2023

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic caused an increase in fear, anxiety, and depressive symptoms globally. For populations at increased risk for adverse outcomes due to illness, such as cancer patients, these worries may have been exacerbated. Understanding how the pandemic impacted cancer patients will inform better preparation for future events that cause disturbances to cancer care delivery. Methods: This study analyzed data from two surveys to determine whether cancer patients’ responses differed from a cancer-free population-based sample in terms of concerns, preventive behaviors, and thoughts on their healthcare provider’s communication regarding COVID-19 in a US Midwestern state. In August 2020, a survey was sent to 10,009 Iowans aged 18 and older, randomly selected from the 2018 Iowa voter registration file. In September 2020, a survey was emailed to 2,954 cancer patients aged 18 and older who opted into the University of Iowa Holden Comprehensive Cancer Center’s Patients Enhancing Research Collaborations at Holden program. Previously validated and pretested Likert-type and multiple-choice items assessed concern regarding COVID-19, social distancing perception and behaviors, and demographic characteristics of respondents. We used χ2 tests and logistic regression to examine differences between the cancer patient and general population survey responses. Results: We included 3,622 responses from the general population survey and 780 responses from the cancer patient survey in this analysis. Cancer patient survey respondents were more frequently older, lived in urban areas, had Medicare insurance coverage, had a college degree or higher, and were married. Cancer patients were more likely to report engaging in social distancing behaviors and greater concern regarding the pandemic. Conclusion: This study suggests differences in the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on cancer patients compared to cancer-free members of the general population. These results indicate the need for consideration of cancer patients’ physical and mental health during large-scale disruptions to cancer care.
Comparison of Isolated Lymphocyte and Whole Blood-Based CBMN Assays for Radiation Triage
Authors: Bertucci Antonella , Wilkins Ruth C. , Lachapelle Sylvie , Turner Helen C. , Brenner David J. , Garty Guy
Published: August 2023

Following a mass-casualty nuclear/radiological event, there will be an important need for rapid and accurate estimation of absorbed dose for biological triage. The cytokinesis-block micronucleus (CBMN) assay is an established and validated cytogenetic biomarker used to assess DNA damage in irradiated peripheral blood lymphocytes. Here, we describe an intercomparison experiment between two biodosimetry laboratories, located at Columbia University (CU) and Health Canada (HC) that performed different variants of the human blood CBMN assay to reconstruct dose in human blood, with CU performing the assay on isolated lymphocytes and using semi-automated scoring whereas HC used the more conventional whole blood assay. Although the micronucleus yields varied significantly between the two assays, the predicted doses closely matched up to 4 Gy – the range from which the HC calibration curve was previously established. These results highlight the importance of a robust calibration curve(s) across a wide age range of donors that match the exposure scenario as closely as possible and that will account for differences in methodology between laboratories. We have seen that at low doses, variability in the results may be attributed to variation in the processing while at higher doses the variation is dominated by inter-individual variation in cell proliferation. This interlaboratory collaboration further highlights the usefulness of the CBMN endpoint to accurately reconstruct absorbed dose in human blood after ionizing radiation exposure.
De Colonos laboriosos, gatunos e bêbados trapaceiros: Mundos do trabalho e colonialismo em At Home in the Transvaal (1884), de Mary Ann Carey-Hobson
Authors: Silva Evander Ruthieri da
Published: August 2023

O artigo analisa o romance de aventura At Home in the Transvaal (1884), de Mary Ann Carey-Hobson, observando a fonte literária a partir de uma perspectiva teórico-metodológica que enfatiza suas relações com o mundo do trabalho e o colonialismo no sul da África nas décadas de 1870-1880. A ênfase recai sobre a idealização dos trabalhadores nas fazendas e nos campos de mineração, observando o destaque de Hobson a um tipo desejável de colono: jovial, laborioso e empreendedor, sem “vícios morais”, ao exemplo do alcoolismo ou dos jogos de azar. Além disso, estabelece distinções entre trabalhadores brancos e negros, descrevendo-os como serviçais domésticos, subservientes e afetuosamente apegados aos seus empregadores, sintomático de elementos racialistas e paternalistas na escrita literária de Hobson. Dessa forma, o romance aproxima-se dos interesses da elite colonial e do colonato branco no sul da África que, naquele contexto, visava estabelecer formas mais efetivas de controle da mão de obra e das terras de africanos negros.
Processo de descolonização nos PALOP: Análise dos condicionantes internos e externos da luta de libertação na Guiné-Bissau
Authors: Ialá Manuel
Published: August 2023

Considerando a necessidade de analisar e compreender o colonialismo e os processos da descolonização nos Países Africanos da Língua Oficial Portuguesa (PALOP), principalmente na Guiné-Bissau, buscou-se identificar os condicionantes internos e externos que levaram o surgimento dos movimentos independentistas e as suas estratégias de mobilização aos negros, no âmbito internacional e local face a situação vivida na altura. Sabe- se ainda que o colonialismo tenha durado menos de um século. Contudo, a invasão, a opressão e a desumanização desenvolvidas pelos exploradores ocidentais ao povo africano duraram cinco séculos, isto é, do século XV ao século XX. Neste âmbito histórico, o trabalho é desenvolvido através da abordagem-metodológica qualitativa, aplicando o procedimento bibliográfico. O alto nível de exploração colonial infligida aos negros africanos, os problemas estruturais que assolam os negros da diáspora devido ao seu passado escravocrata e a desvalorização cíclica dos sistemas culturais endógenos, fizeram brotar na diáspora e no próprio continente africano, movimentos que denunciavam a exploração colonial e subestimação do negro ao nível mundial. No entanto, o sistema colonial português e os demais não queriam abandonar os territórios ocupados no continente, em virtude das receitas provenientes da pilhagem dos recursos naturais e da exploração da mão de obra africana.
Memórias e narrativas negras na cidade de Laguna/Sul do Brasil: Possibilidade de construção de conhecimento no campo da história do tempo presente desde uma perspectiva decolonial
Authors: Costa Willian Felipe Martins
Published: August 2023

O intuito deste artigo é refletir possibilidades teórico-metodológicas para a construção de conhecimento no campo da história do Tempo Presente desde uma perspectiva decolonial. Para isso, busco no diálogo com produções situadas nos campos dos estudos Pós-Coloniais e Decoloniais, bem como, estudos Afro-brasileiros e da Diáspora as ferramentas analíticas e conceituais que me possibilitem pensar e desenvolver um trabalho metodológico no campo da historiografia História do Tempo Presente. Para abordar essas questões busco na análise de memórias e narrativas acerca da capela e Irmandade de N. S. do Rosário dos Homens Pretos observar a constituição de um território negro na cidade e no tempo presente. As fontes principais para o trabalho historiográfico que trago trecho de entrevistas realizadas durante o ano de 2021 com pessoas da cidade. Junto às fontes orais busquei acionar fontes arquivísticas, trechos de periódicos e textos de memorialistas datados do século XX.
A vinculação de instâncias na lei nº 14.230, de 2021
Authors: Oliveira Sérgio Martin Piovesan de , Silveira Sebastião Sérgio da
Published: August 2023

O artigo analisa a vinculação legal obrigatória entre a sentença penal absolutória e a cível prevista no arti-go 21, § 4º, da Lei nº 8.429, de 1992, incluído pela Lei nº 14.230, de 25 de outubro de 2021. Detalha quais seriam as implicações à tutela do direito fundamental à probidade administrativa estatal. Demonstra as di-ficuldades criadas ao juiz na prolação da sentença na ação de improbidade. Examina a vinculação das ins-tâncias administrativa e cível à sentença criminal absolutória que reconheça a inexistência do fato ou que o réu não foi o seu autor. Sustenta, ainda, a inconstitucionalidade e a inconvencionalidade do comando le-gislativo de comunicação irrestrita com todos os fundamentos de absolvição previstos no artigo 386 do Decreto-Lei nº 3.689, de 3 de outubro de 1941 (Código de Processo Penal).
Extremos: do além ao aquém das sanções por improbidade administrativa, especialmente em licitações, com base na alteração dada pela Lei n. 14.230/2021 e alguns exemplos no Estado do Maranhão
Authors: Ferreira Felipe do Rosário
Published: August 2023

A improbidade administrativa é uma prática combatida atualmente pela Lei nº 8.429/1992, a qual restou modificada em virtude da promulgação da Lei nº 14.230/2021. O ponto principal diz respeito ao questio-namento sobre a excessiva punibilidade ou potencial impunidade, uma vez que o texto original se mostra-va bastante rigoroso e a redação atual flexibilizou de forma significativa alguns aspectos importantes. A princípio, parece que a Lei nº 14.230/2021 abrandou de tal forma que os instrumentos jurídicos disponí-veis para combater a improbidade tornaram-se insuficientes. A pesquisa tem por objetivo avaliar, o con-texto inicial da Lei de Improbidade Administrativa, suas implicações no combate à corrupção e suas alte-rações dadas pela Lei nº 14.230/2021, buscando analisar se houve redução dos excessos ou margem à prá-tica de atos lesivos à Administração Pública. Para isso, utiliza-se de pesquisa bibliográfica em materiais de cunho científico, dos quais são retirados conceitos, aspectos de destaque, características e demais elemen-tos que somem ao objeto de estudo ora apresentado.
“Nova LINDB”, cinco anos. Uma convocação à racionalidade das decisões. Contribuições para os casos de dano ao erário
Authors: Santos Celso Rodrigo Lima dos
Published: August 2023

A Lei 13655/18 completa, em 2023, cinco anos de importantes contribuições ao Direito. O impacto dos dispositivos que inseriu no Decreto-lei nº 4.657, de 1942, a Lei de Introdução às Normas do Direito Brasi-leiro (LINDB), foi tão profundo, que é possível falar em uma “Nova LINDB”. Este artigo celebra o aniversá-rio da Lei 13655/18, defendendo que sua principal contribuição é convocar as instâncias judiciais, contro-ladoras e administrativas a emitirem decisões racionalmente construídas, como forma de mitigar a sensa-ção de insegurança jurídica do agente público. O artigo trata do medo destes profissionais na sua rotina de trabalho, sobretudo pelo risco de serem responsabilizados por dano ao erário. O texto também expõe co-mo a convocação à racionalidade empreendia pela Nova LINDB se reflete - ou deveria se refletir - nas deci-sões de casos de responsabilidade por dano ao erário. E, por fim, o artigo propõe teses, categorizações das decisões jurídicas e um roteiro que visa contribuir com a análise das decisões mencionadas e com o aper-feiçoamento da tarefa de construí-las.
Darwin wasps of the subfamily Pimplinae (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae) of Mexico: Camptotypus genus-group
Authors: KHALAIM ANDREY I. , RUÍZ-CANCINO ENRIQUE
Published: August 2023

Mexican genera and species of the Camptotypus genus-group are reviewed. Three genera, Clydonium Townes with four species, Odontopimpla Cameron with one species and Zonopimpla Ashmead with seven species, are recorded from Mexico. Five species, Clydonium porteri Khalaim, sp. nov., Zonopimpla malevola Khalaim, sp. nov., Z. munifica Khalaim & Ruíz-Cancino, sp. nov., Z. nutabilis Khalaim, sp. nov. and Z. puebla Khalaim & Ruíz-Cancino, sp. nov., are described as new to science, and four species, Clydonium cabrerai Gauld, C. garitai Gauld, Zonopimpla armandoi Gauld et al. and Z. lorraineae Gauld et al., are recorded from Mexico for the first time. Males of Clydonium quintanillai Gauld and Zonopimpla armandoi Gauld et al. are recorded and described for the first time. The number of known Mexican species of the Camptotypus genus-group is raised from 3 to 12, or four times. Identification keys to genera and species of Clydonium and Zonopimpla occurring in Mexico are provided. Additional material from Central America was examined. From this material, Clydonium zamoranensis Khalaim, sp. nov. is described from Honduras, and Zonopimpla atriceps (Cresson), Z. humbertoi Gauld et al., Z. lorraineae Gauld et al. and Z. lilae Gauld are recorded for the first time from Panama.