bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Germination responses of carob (Ceratonia siliqua L.) seeds to salinity and water stresses: implications for the restoration of Mediterranean marginal lands
Authors: Dadach Mohammed , Bhatt Arvind , Gairola Sanjay , Elnaggar Attiat , El-Keblawy Ali
Published: September 2024

The iconic Mediterranean tree, Ceratonia siliqua L., holds substantial potential for restoring arid and semi-arid marginal lands. However, there is limited knowledge about the interaction of various abiotic factors and environmental stressors on seed germination of C. siliqua. Therefore, we examined the influence of salinity levels (0, 75, 150, 225 mmol/L) and water stress using (polyethylene glycol (PEG)6000) (−0.4, −0.8, −1.2 MPa) on C. siliqua seed germination under varying thermoperiods (15/25 and 25/35 °C) and photoperiods (12 h of light and complete darkness). Our findings indicate that higher temperatures (25/35 °C) significantly reduced germination of seeds compared to lower temperatures (15/25 °C). However, the photoperiods showed no significant impact, especially under minimal salinity stress and low osmotic potentials (75 mmol/L NaCl and −0.4 MPa PEG). In general, C. siliqua seeds exhibited enhanced performance in darkness at higher osmotic potentials, while increased stress prolonged the germination period. The dry weight of seedlings decreased with higher osmotic potential, although 75 mmol/L NaCl promoted seedling biomass production. Our results confirm C. siliqua resilience to high salinity and moderate drought, offering practical applications for its successful reintroduction and cultivation in challenging Mediterranean environmental conditions.
The Free Will Algorithm: It’s Dangerous
Authors: Hadley Mark
Published: September 2024

This is an algorithm to reproduce human free will. It is based on the challenge test– could you do otherwise. The algorithm could be easily implemented and applied to an AI chatbot for example. An agent with this algorithm will be able to do otherwise and will demonstrate free will. If the agent records its history of decisions and can handle abstract concepts then it will identify itself as having free will. The algorithm applies to a goal seeking utility agent without any special hardware. An artificial agent with the freedom to do otherwise is risky. Free will can give the freedom to break rules and take perverse actions. It is a dangerous capability that may arise by accident in a self-learning system.
Diverse Image Captioning via Panoptic Segmentation and Sequential Conditional Variational Transformer
Authors: Liu Bing , Lu Jinfu , Liu Mingming , Liu Hao , Zhou Yong , Yang Dongping
Published: September 2024

Recently, transformer-based image captioning models have achieved significant performance improvement. However, due to the limitations of region visual features and deterministic projections between image space and caption space, existing methods still suffer from disentangled visual features and rigid sentences. To address these issues, we first introduce panoptic segmentation to extract the segmentation region features, which can effectively alleviate the visual confusion caused by the widely-adopted region visual features. Then, we propose a panoptic segmentation based sequential conditional variational transformer (PS-SCVT) framework for diverse image captioning, which not only accurately extracts the image visual representations by fusing the segmentation region features and object detection features, but has the ability of learning one-to-many mappings from image space to caption space. The experimental results demonstrate that our approach achieves better interpretability and generalization performance compared with the state-of-the-art diverse image captioning models.
From Embodied Abuse to Mass Disruption
: Generative, Inter-Reality Threats in Social, Mixed-Reality Platforms
Authors: Baldry Moya Kate , Happa Jassim , Steed Anthony , Smith Simon , Glencross Mashhuda
Published: September 2024

Extended Reality (XR) platforms can expose users to novel attacks including embodied abuse and/or AI attacks-at-scale. The expanded attack surfaces of XR technologies may expose users of shared online platforms to psychological/social and physiological harms via embodied interactions with potentially millions of other humans or artificial humans, causing what we define as an inter-reality attack. The past 20 years have demonstrated how social and other harms (e.g., bullying, assault and stalking) can and do shift to digital social media and gaming platforms. XR technologies becoming more mainstream has led to investigations of ethical and technical consequences of these expanded input surfaces. However, there is limited literature that investigates social attacks, particularly towards vulnerable communities, and how AI technologies may accelerate generative attacks-at-scale. This article employs human-centred research methods and a harms-centred Cybersecurity framework to co-design a testbed of socio-technical attack scenarios in XR social gaming platforms. It uses speculative fiction to further extrapolate how these could reach attacks-at-scale by applying generative AI techniques. It develops an Inter-Reality Threat Model to outline how actions in virtual environments can impact on the real-world. As AI capability continues to rapidly develop, this article articulates the urgent need to consider a future where XR-AI attacks-at-scale could become commonplace.
FastRx: Exploring Fastformer and Memory-Augmented Graph Neural Networks for Personalized Medication Recommendations
Authors: Phan Nguyen Minh Thao , Chen Ling , Chen Chun-Hung , Peng Wen-Chih
Published: September 2024

Personalized medication recommendations aim to suggest a set of medications based on the clinical conditions of a patient. Not only should the patient’s diagnosis, procedure, and medication history be considered, but drug-drug interactions (DDIs) must also be taken into account to prevent adverse drug reactions. Although recent studies on medication recommendation have considered DDIs and patient history, personalized disease progression and prescription have not been explicitly modeled. In this work, we proposed FastRx, a Fastformer-based medication recommendation model to capture longitudinality in patient history, in combination with Graph Convolutional Networks (GCNs) to handle DDIs and co-prescribed medications in Electronic Health Records (EHRs). Our extensive experiments on the MIMIC-III dataset demonstrated superior performance of the proposed FastRx over existing state-of-the-art models for medication recommendation. The source code and data used in the experiments are available at
https://github.com/pnmthaoct/FastRx.
How Big Is Big? The Effective Population Size of Marine Bacteria
Authors: Luo Haiwei
Published: September 2024

Genome-reduced bacteria constitute most of the cells in surface-ocean bacterioplankton communities. Their extremely large census population sizes (N
c) have been unfoundedly translated to huge effective population sizes (N
e)—the size of an ideal population carrying as much neutral genetic diversity as the actual population. As N
e scales inversely with the strength of genetic drift, constraining the magnitude of N
e is key to evaluating whether natural selection can overcome the power of genetic drift to drive evolutionary events. Determining the N
e of extant species requires measuring the genomic mutation rate, a challenging step for most genome-reduced bacterioplankton lineages. Results for genome-reduced Prochlorococcus and CHUG are surprising—their N
e values are an order of magnitude lower than those of less abundant lineages carrying large genomes, such as Ruegeria and Vibrio. As bacterioplankton genome reduction commonly occurred in the distant past, appreciating their population genetic mechanisms requires constraining their ancient N
e values by other methods.
Breast Cancers Detected during a Decade of Screening with Digital Breast Tomosynthesis: Comparison with Digital Mammography
Authors: Philpotts Liane Elizabeth , Grewal Jaskirandeep Kaur , Horvath Laura Jean , Giwerc Michelle Young , Staib Lawrence , Etesami Maryam
Published: September 2024

Digital breast tomosynthesis helped increase detection of breast cancers at screening compared with digital mammography and helped to detect more cases with fewer advanced stages in this retrospective study.
Radiology State-of-the-art Review: Endometriosis Imaging Interpretation and Reporting
Authors: VanBuren Wendaline , Feldman Myra , Shenoy-Bhangle Anuradha S. , Sakala Michelle D. , Young Scott , Chamie Luciana Pardini , Giudice Linda , Hindman Nicole M. , Tong Angela , Rabban Joseph T. , Yano Motoyo , Kilcoyne Aoife , Dave Haatal D. , Poder Liina , Kho Rosanne M. , Burnett Tatnai L. , Khan Zaraq , King Cara , Shen Luyao , Colak Ceylan , Burk Kristine S. , Andrieu Pamela I. Causa , Franco Izabela V. Pires , Glanc Phyllis , Kielar Ania Z. , Taffel Myles T. , Kania Leann M. , Bonde Apurva , Pectasides Melina , Arif-Tiwari Hina , Laifer-Narin Sherelle , Nicola Refky , Jha Priyanka
Published: September 2024

The spectrum of abnormalities associated with endometriosis necessitates a pattern-based, systematic approach that includes diagnosis with dedicated US and MRI protocols to optimize treatment outcomes and effectively communicate with patients and referring physicians.
Constructing a Large Language Model to Generate Impressions from Findings in Radiology Reports
Authors: Zhang Lu , Liu Mingqian , Wang Lingyun , Zhang Yaping , Xu Xiangjun , Pan Zhijun , Feng Yan , Zhao Jue , Zhang Lin , Yao Gehong , Chen Xu , Xie Xueqian
Published: September 2024

A developed large language model generated radiologic impressions from findings in radiology reports that are professionally and linguistically appropriate for a full spectrum of radiology examinations.
Radiation Chemistry as a Tool to Accelerate and Predict Calendar Ageing in Lithium-Ion Batteries
Authors: Souid Yanis , Herlin-Boime Nathalie , Franger Sylvain , Le Caër Sophie
Published: September 2024

Electrochemical energy storage systems such as batteries are in a resting mode most of the time. Even when no current is passing through them, they undergo ageing phenomena, more or less detrimental to their lifespan, known as calendar ageing. Limiting these ageing processes requires a better understanding of them, but studies on calendar ageing are generally time-consuming. Here, we show that radiolysis, i.e. chemistry induced by ionizing radiation, generates similar degradation compounds and can significantly accelerate calendar ageing phenomena (by a factor of 30 under our experimental conditions). Using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), we studied symmetrical coin cells containing an electrolyte between two identical electrodes, with or without various additives commonly used in batteries. EIS makes it possible to monitor the change in resistance in the device over time and therefore the formation of the electrode/electrolyte interphase and the charge transfer kinetics. Among the various additives tested (vinylene carbonate, fluoroethylene carbonate and ethyl acetate), the first two proved to be those with the best properties for the cell as a whole. In all cases, just a few hours of irradiation were sufficient to simulate the equivalence of several weeks of calendar ageing.
Performance Evaluation of Triboelectric Nanogenerator (TENG) Using Different Triboelectric Materials and Substrates for Energy Harvesting
Authors: Anand Deepak , Sambyal Ashish Singh , Vaid Rakesh
Published: September 2024

In this research work, we have demonstrated the fabrication and characterization of triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs) using different substrates such as ITO coated glass, FTO coated glass, ITO coated PET (Polyethylene terephthalate) which will be acting as rigid as well as flexible substrates. Various triboelectric materials selected from triboelectric series depending upon their position in the triboelectric series are deposited on these substrates. One layer consists of metal which includes aluminum, copper, stainless steel and gold nanoparticles (Au-NPs) where as the other layer of polymer consists of Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) which is basically a cross-linking polymer having insulating properties. Thus, the devices that are fabricated consisted of metal-insulator based TENG which is a two-layer model. These devices are then characterized physically, which includes field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDAX), and elemental mapping in order to authenticate the deposition of desired materials on the substrates. In order to characterize the devices electrically, force in the form of weights is applied using linear coil actuator and then the open circuit voltages and the short circuit currents are calculated whereas voltages, currents, and powers under different load conditions are also calculated.
Synthesis, Studies of HDTDHP-μ Crystals from Arundina graminifolia Specimen for Electronic, Photonic, Optical and Electrical Use Correlated with Macro-Crystals for Sensor and Display Uses
Authors: V. Swarnalatha , R. Hariharasuthan , K. S. Radha , K. SenthilKannan
Published: September 2024

A 7-hydroxy-2,4-dimethoxy-9,10-dihydrophenanthrene-HDTDHP macro-crystalline sample is synthesized in a time duration of 23 days with a monoclinic form of crystal with space group as P21/n and the lattice constants are slightly higher than earlier reported macro-HDTDHP. The macro ones are well-milled to get the micro ones and a scanning electron microscopy study of the HDTDHP-μ crystal was analyzed to identify the micro level average scaling in microns. The increased value of the dielectric constant at lower range of frequencies is by the effect of all kinds of polarizations; also, the dielectric loss is measured as decrease in values with the increase in frequencies at room temperature. The electronic-micro filter use is 4.0196 microns for micro influx as the proper opto-electronic, extended NLO type employability as ascertained from transmittance spectral data. The HDTDHP micro-crystalline material is mainly used in micro-photonics, in filtering as micro-influx delineation, in NLO usefulness as opto-electronic agent by the transmittance data and in frequency enhancing and projective utilization in displays. Also, display profile of (111) mode of HDTDHP by without and with recursively assigned colors for RGBR polygonal matrix by software and sensor work sensitiveness of both scaling are measured and reported.
LIPS and PaO2/FiO2 Combined Plasma Biomarkers Predict Onset of Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome in Patients of High Risks in SICU: A Prospective Exploratory Study
Authors: Shen Ziyuan , Yin Zhongnan , Wei Senhao , Cong Zhukai , Zhao Feng , Zhang Hua , Zhu Xi
Published: September 2024

Objective. To explore and validate the value of clinical parameters combined with plasma biomarkers for predicting acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) in patients of high risks in the surgical intensive care unit (SICU). Materials and Methods. We conducted a prospective, observational study from January 2020 to December 2023, which enrolled 263 patients of high risks in the SICU of Peking University Third Hospital consecutively; they were classified as ARDS and non‐ARDS according to whether ARDS occurred after enrollment. Collected clinical characteristics and blood samples within 24 hr of admission to SICU. Blood samples from the first day to the seventh day of SICU were collected from patients without ARDS, and patients with ARDS were collected until 1 day after ARDS onset, forming data based on time series. ELISA and CBA were used to measure plasma biomarkers. Endpoint of the study was the onset of ARDS. Cox proportional hazard regression analysis was used to find independent risk factors of the onset of ARDS, then constructed a nomogram and tested its goodness‐of‐fit. Results. About 84 of 263 patients ended with ARDS. Univariate analysis found 15 risk factors showed differences between ARDS and non‐ARDS, namely, interleukin 6, interleukin 8 (IL‐8), angiopoietin Ⅱ, LIPS, APACHEⅡ, SOFA, PaO2/FiO2, age, sex, shock, sepsis, acute abdomen, pulmonary contusion, pneumonia, hepatic dysfunction. We included factors with p  < 0.2 in multivariate analysis and showed LIPS, PaO2/FiO2, IL‐8, and receptor for advanced glycation end‐products (RAGE) of the first day were independent risk factors for ARDS in SICU, a model combining them was good in predicting ARDS (C‐index was 0.864 in total patients of high risks). The median of the C‐index was 0.865, showed by fivefold cross‐validation in the train cohort or validation cohort. The calibration curve shows an agreement between the probability of predicting ARDS and the actual probability of occurrence. Decision curve analysis indicated that the model had clinical use value. We constructed a nomogram that had the ability to predict ARDS in patients of high risks in SICU. Conclusions. LIPS, PaO2/FiO2, plasma IL‐8, and RAGE of the first day were independent risk factors of the onset of ARDS. The predictive ability for ARDS can be greatly improved when combining clinical parameters and plasma biomarkers.
The Potential of Lignocellulosic Biomass Hydrolysates for Microbial Oil Production Using Yeasts and Microalgae
Authors: Legodi Lesetja Moraba , Moganedi Kgabo L. Maureen
Published: September 2024

The use of food‐based biomass and arable land for bio‐oil and biofuel production could compromise global food security. Therefore, renewable and environmentally friendly oils for biofuels from oleaginous microorganisms such as yeasts and microalgae (heterotrophic and mixotrophic) are gaining interest within the scientific community. These microorganisms have shorter cultivation times and higher lipid productivity when compared to higher plants/food crops/autotrophic microorganisms. Despite many advantages, the high carbon requirements and production cost are limiting factors that hinder their deployment at a commercial scale. Lignocellulosic waste substrates are abundant and inexpensive materials that are rich in organic carbon in the form of cellulose and hemicellulose, which release bioavailable forms of sugars upon hydrolysis. Recent studies have shown the tremendous potential of the hydrolysates of these substrates to be utilized as carbon sources for biomass production and the accumulation of lipids in oleaginous hetero‐/mixotrophic microorganisms. Therefore, this review highlights the potential use of lignocellulosic biomass as a low‐cost carbon substrate for the cultivation of hetero‐/mixotrophic microalgae and yeast for microbial oil production for commercial applications. It also examines the current status, challenges, and future prospects for the utilization of lignocellulose biomass.
Impact of Heat Moisture Treatment and Pregelatinization of Corn Starch on the Functional and Nutritional Properties of Breads Supplemented with Corn Germ
Authors: Hosseini Seyed Mohammad , Amiri Maryam , Ahmadi-Dastgerdi Asiye , Zokaei Maryam
Published: September 2024

Properties of modified starch are of great interest to the bakery industry. Moreover, corn germ incorporation in bread has multiple health benefits. The aim of this study was the formulation of Brotchen bread with corn germ flour (0, 10, 20, and 30% w/w) and modified corn starch (0, 10, 20, and 30% w/w). The effect of heat‐moisture treatment (HMT) and pregelatinization (PG) of starch was investigated on the rheological and physicochemical properties of bread. The addition of corn germ flour and modified starch increased some farinograph properties, i.e., water absorption, consistency, and dough development time, and decreased dough stability. The degree of softening of the dough increased after 12 min after supplementation. The farinograph quality number in the dough containing HMT was the highest value. By replacing corn germ flour and modified starch, extensograph parameters such as dough resistance were strengthened and dough extensibility was weakened. Also, the energy of the dough increased. The highest fat, protein, fiber, and moisture content was observed in the treatment containing 30% corn germ flour and HMT starch (HMT3). Also, the HMT3 treatment had the highest specific volume and porosity and the lowest weight loss and hardness (p < 0.05). Regarding the color parameters, HMT3 treatment showed the highest lightness (L∗) and the lowest yellowness (b∗). Enriched bread by corn germ had more iron, calcium, potassium, magnesium, and phosphorus compared to wheat bread. Regarding overall acceptability, no significant difference was observed between treated and untreated bread (p > 0.05). Therefore, the corn germ flour and modified starch in the formulation of bread improved the functional and nutritional properties of bread and can be used in the bread formulation especially at a concentration of 30%.
CircRREB1 Mediates Metabolic Reprogramming and Stemness Maintenance to Facilitate Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma Progression
Authors: Rong Zeyin , Xu Jin , Yang Jianhui , Wang Wei , Tang Rong , Zhang Zifeng , Tan Zhen , Meng Qingcai , Hua Jie , Liu Jiang , Zhang Bo , Liang Chen , Yu Xianjun , Shi Si
Published: September 2024

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a highly lethal tumor with limited treatment options and poor patient survival. Circular RNAs (circRNA) play crucial regulatory roles in the occurrence and development of various cancers, including PDAC. In this study, using circRNA sequencing of diverse PDAC samples, we identified circRREB1 as an oncogenic circRNA that is significantly upregulated in PDAC and is correlated with an unfavorable patient prognosis. Functionally, loss of circRREB1 markedly inhibited glycolysis and stemness, whereas elevated circRREB1 elicited the opposite effects. Mechanistically, circRREB1 interacted with PGK1, disrupting the association between PTEN and PGK1 and increasing PGK1 phosphorylation to activate glycolytic flux. Moreover, circRREB1 promoted WNT7B transcription by directly interacting with YBX1 and facilitating its nuclear translocation, consequently activating the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway to maintain PDAC stemness. Overall, these results highlight circRREB1 as a key regulator of metabolic and stemness properties of PDAC.

Significance: CircRREB1 stimulates PGK1 to induce glycolysis and activates the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway to maintain stemness in pancreatic cancer, indicating the potential of circRREB1 as a biomarker and therapeutic target.
Combined Autophagy Inhibition and Dendritic Cell Recruitment Induces Antitumor Immunity and Enhances Immune Checkpoint Blockade Sensitivity in Pancreatic Cancer
Authors: Oyama Koki , Nakata Kohei , Tsutsumi Chikanori , Hayashi Masataka , Zhang Bo , Mochida Yuki , Shinkawa Tomohiko , Hirotaka Kento , Zhong Pingshan , Date Satomi , Luo Haizhen , Kubo Akihiro , Higashijima Nobuhiro , Yamada Yutaka , Abe Toshiya , Ideno Noboru , Koikawa Kazuhiro , Iwamoto Chika , Ikenaga Naoki , Ohuchida Kenoki , Onishi Hideya , Morisaki Takashi , Kuba Keiji , Oda Yoshinao , Nakamura Masafumi
Published: September 2024

The effect of immune checkpoint inhibitors is extremely limited in patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) due to the suppressive tumor immune microenvironment. Autophagy, which has been shown to play a role in antitumor immunity, has been proposed as a therapeutic target for PDAC. In this study, single-cell RNA sequencing of autophagy-deficient murine PDAC tumors revealed that autophagy inhibition in cancer cells induced dendritic cell (DC) activation. Analysis of human PDAC tumors substantiated a negative correlation between autophagy and DC activation signatures. Mechanistically, autophagy inhibition increased the intracellular accumulation of tumor antigens, which could activate DCs. Administration of chloroquine, an autophagy inhibitor, in combination with Flt3 ligand–induced DC infiltration inhibited tumor growth and increased tumor-infiltrating T lymphocytes. However, autophagy inhibition in cancer cells also induced CD8+ T-cell exhaustion with high expression of immune checkpoint LAG3. A triple-therapy comprising chloroquine, Flt3 ligand, and an anti-LAG3 antibody markedly reduced tumor growth in orthotopic syngeneic PDAC mouse models. Thus, targeting autophagy in cancer cells and activating DCs sensitize PDAC tumors to immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy, warranting further development of this treatment approach to overcome immunosuppression in pancreatic cancer.

Significance: Inhibiting autophagy in pancreatic cancer cells enhances intracellular accumulation of tumor antigens to induce dendritic cell activation and synergizes with immunotherapy to markedly inhibit the growth of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma.
Update on Whole-Body MRI Surveillance for Pediatric Cancer Predisposition Syndromes
Authors: Greer Mary-Louise C. , States Lisa J. , Malkin David , Voss Stephan D. , Doria Andrea S.
Published: September 2024

Whole-body MRI (WBMRI) is an integral part of screening infants, children, and adolescents for presymptomatic neoplasms in certain cancer predisposition syndromes, which include Li–Fraumeni and constitutional mismatch repair deficiency syndromes, among others. The list of syndromes in which WBMRI adds value, as part of a comprehensive surveillance protocol, continues to evolve in response to new evidence, growing experience, and more widespread adoption. In July 2023, the AACR reconvened an international, multidisciplinary panel to revise and update recommendations stemming from the 2016 AACR Special Workshop on Childhood Cancer Predisposition. That initial meeting resulted in a series of publications in Clinical Cancer Research in 2017, including “Pediatric Cancer Predisposition Imaging: Focus on Whole-Body MRI.” This 2024 review of WBMRI in cancer predisposition syndrome updates the 2017 WBMRI publication, the revised recommendations derived from the 2023 AACR Childhood Cancer Predisposition Workshop based on available data, societal guidelines, and expert opinion. Different aspects of acquiring and interpreting WBMRI, including diagnostic accuracy, are discussed. The application of WBMRI in resource-poor environments, as well as integration of whole-body imaging techniques with emerging technologies, such as cell-free DNA (“liquid biopsies”) and artificial intelligence/machine learning, is also considered.
Abstract A076: LINE-1 ORF1p mimics viral innate immune evasion mechanisms in pancreatic cancer
Authors: You Eunae , Patel Bidish , Rojas Alexandra , Sun Siyu , Ho Natalie , Phillips Ildiko , Raabe Michael , Song Yuhui , Xu Katherine , Kocher Joshua , Richieri Peter , Taylor Martin , Nieman Linda , Greenbaum Benjamin , Ting David
Published: September 2024

Aberrant expression of repeat elements displaying viral mimicry is a common feature found in both mouse models and human pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). However, cancer cells must employ mechanisms to manage this "viral" repeat element load to avoid triggering innate immune responses. Here, we demonstrate that the long interspersed nuclear element 1 (LINE-1) ORF1 protein (ORF1p) in PDAC cells plays a role in shielding repeat RNAs from activating pathogen recognition receptor (PRR)-mediated antiviral responses, independent of retrotransposition. Suppression of ORF1p using lentiviral shRNA induces innate immune responses through the PRRs, RIG-I and MAVS (double-stranded RNA sensors). Interestingly, PDAC cell lines with low ORF1p lack these two receptors, suggesting convergent mechanisms to suppress PRR signaling. Furthermore, RNA immunoprecipitation sequencing (RIP-seq) demonstrates ORF1p association with repeat RNA, including LINE and SINE elements that typically trigger antiviral responses. Subcellular localization of ORF1p in processing bodies (p-bodies) reveals specific interaction with MOV10, a dsRNA helicase crucial for antiviral responses. Loss of ORF1p results in significant growth reduction in vitro and in vivo, which supports ORF1p as a potential immune oncology therapeutic target. Altogether, our results demonstrate a novel function of ORF1p in shielding cytoplasmic repeat RNA from PRR sensing, shedding light on how PDAC cells evade host immune responses triggered by viral-like repeat RNA.

Citation Format: Eunae You, Bidish Patel, Alexandra Rojas, Siyu Sun, Natalie Ho, Ildiko Phillips, Michael Raabe, Yuhui Song, Katherine Xu, Joshua Kocher, Peter Richieri, Martin Taylor, Linda Nieman, Benjamin Greenbaum, David Ting. LINE-1 ORF1p mimics viral innate immune evasion mechanisms in pancreatic cancer [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference in Cancer Research: Advances in Pancreatic Cancer Research; 2024 Sep 15-18; Boston, MA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2024;84(17 Suppl_2):Abstract nr A076.
Estructura y manejo del tiempo en jóvenes mexicanos durante la pandemia covid-19
Authors: Osorio-Guzmán Maricela , Prado-Romero Carlos , Ruiz-Mendoza Centeotl , Parrello Santa
Published: September 2024

(analytical)Based on the idea that time is a valuable resource for human beings and the structuring and management of time during the pandemic affected young adults, the objective of this study was to describe the time structuring and management used by a sample of Mexican young people during the Covid-19 pandemic. A total of 192 young people answered a personal data survey and a Time Structure Questionnaire (TSQ). The results of the questionnaire suggest that variables such as schooling, housing, and family conditions, as well as the loss of family members due to Covid-19, modulated the young people's time structure. The authors conclude that the pandemic had an impact on the structuring and management of time among the young adults included in the sample.
Keywords: Time management; time perception; Covid-19; young adults.
Impact of Nonalcoholic Hepatic Steatosis on the Warranty Period of a Coronary Artery Calcium Score of 0: Results From the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis
Authors: Ichikawa Keishi , Lim Jaewon , McClelland Robyn L. , Susarla Shriraj , Krishnan Srikanth , Benzing Travis , Kianoush Sina , Aldana-Bitar Jairo , Manubolu Venkat S. , Budoff Matthew J.
Published: September 2024

BACKGROUND:

For individuals with a coronary artery calcium (CAC) score of 0, CAC rescans at appropriate timings are recommended, depending on individual risk profiles. Although nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, recently redefined as metabolic-associated fatty liver disease, is a risk factor for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease events, its relationship with the warranty period of a CAC score of 0 has not been elucidated.

METHODS:

A total of 1944 subjects from the MESA (Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis) with a baseline CAC score of 0, presence or absence of nonalcoholic hepatic steatosis, and at least 1 follow-up computed tomography scan were included. Nonalcoholic hepatic steatosis was defined using nonenhanced computed tomography and liver/spleen attenuation ratio <1. The association between nonalcoholic hepatic steatosis and new CAC incidence (CAC score >0) was evaluated using a Weibull survival model.

RESULTS:

Nonalcoholic hepatic steatosis was identified in 268 (14%) participants. Participants with nonalcoholic hepatic steatosis had higher CAC incidence than those without nonalcoholic hepatic steatosis. Nonalcoholic hepatic steatosis was independently associated with new CAC incidence after adjustment for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease risk factors (hazard ratio, 1.28 [95% CI, 1.05–1.57];
P
=0.015). Using a 25% testing yield (25% of participants with zero CAC at baseline would be expected to have developed a CAC score >0), the warranty period of a CAC score of 0 in participants with nonalcoholic hepatic steatosis was shorter than in those without nonalcoholic hepatic steatosis (4.7 and 6.3 years). This association was consistent regardless of sex, race/ethnicity, age, and 10-year atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease risk.

CONCLUSIONS:

Nonalcoholic hepatic steatosis had an impact on the warranty period of a CAC score of 0. The study suggests that the time period until a CAC rescan should be shorter in those with nonalcoholic hepatic steatosis and a CAC score of 0.
Worldwide CTEPH Registry: Long-Term Outcomes With Pulmonary Endarterectomy, Balloon Pulmonary Angioplasty, and Medical Therapy
Authors: Delcroix Marion , Pepke-Zaba Joanna , D’Armini Andrea M. , Fadel Elie , Guth Stefan , Hoole Stephen P. , Jenkins David P. , Kiely David G. , Kim Nick H. , Madani Michael M. , Matsubara Hiromi , Nakayama Kazuhiko , Ogawa Aiko , Ota-Arakaki Jaquelina S. , Quarck Rozenn , Sadushi-Kolici Roela , Simonneau Gérald , Wiedenroth Christoph B. , Yildizeli Bedrettin , Mayer Eckhard , Lang Irene M.
Published: September 2024

BACKGROUND:

The European Chronic Thromboembolic Pulmonary Hypertension (CTEPH) registry, conducted between 2007 and 2012, reported the major impact of pulmonary endarterectomy (PEA) on the long-term survival of patients with CTEPH. Since then, 2 additional treatments for inoperable CTEPH have become available: balloon pulmonary angioplasty (BPA), and an approved oral drug therapy with the guanylate cyclase stimulator riociguat. The current registry aimed to evaluate the effect of these new therapeutic approaches in a worldwide context.

METHODS:

Participation in this international global registry included 34 centers in 20 countries. Between February 2015 and September 2016, 1009 newly diagnosed, consecutive patients were included and followed until September 2019.

RESULTS:

Overall, 605 patients (60%) underwent PEA and 185 (18%) underwent BPA; 76% of the 219 remaining patients not receiving mechanical intervention (ie, neither PEA nor BPA) were treated with pulmonary hypertension drugs. Of patients undergoing PEA and BPA, 38% and 78% also received drugs for pulmonary hypertension, respectively. Median age at diagnosis was higher in the BPA and No PEA/BPA groups than in the PEA group: 66 and 69, respectively, versus 60 years. Pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR) was similar in all groups, with an average of 643 dynes.s.cm
−5
. During the observation period (>3 years; ≤5.6 years), death was reported in 7%, 11%, and 27% of patients treated by PEA and BPA, and those receiving no mechanical intervention (
P
<0.001). In Kaplan-Meier analysis, 3-year survival was 94%, 92%, and 71% in the 3 groups, respectively. PEA 3-year survival improved by 5% from that observed between 2007 and 2012. There was no survival difference in patients receiving vitamin K antagonists and non–vitamin K oral anticoagulants (
P
=0.756). In Cox regression, reduced mortality was associated with: PEA and BPA in the global cohort; history of venous thromboembolism and lower PVR in the PEA group; lower right atrial pressure in the BPA group; and use of pulmonary hypertension drugs, oxygen therapy, and lower right atrial pressure, as well as functional class in the group receiving no mechanical intervention.

CONCLUSIONS:

This second international CTEPH registry reveals important improvement in patient survival since the introduction of BPA and an approved drug for pulmonary hypertension. The type of anticoagulation regimen did not influence survival.

REGISTRATION:

URL:
https://www.clinicaltrials.gov
; Unique identifier: NCT02656238.
Taxonomic identification of Nigerian Terminalia superba and Terminalia ivorensis Combretaceae) using AFLP molecular markers
Authors: ONEFELI ALFRED OSSAI , AKINYELE ADEJOKE OLUKEMI , SIKSNIANIENE JURATE BRONE , FRERCKS BIRUTE , STANYS VIDMANTAS
Published: September 2024

Terminalia superba and T. ivorensis are difficult to identify with morphological markers. Molecular characterization is very effective to correct the delimitation of timber species, especially when the discriminatory power of morphological markers is weak. In this study, four amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) marker combinations were used to determine the taxonomic relationship among a total of 33 accessions of the genus Terminalia, consisting of two species, Terminalia ivorensis (12 accessions) and T. superba (21). The primer combinations produced a total of 740 fragments out of which 619 (83.6%) were polymorphic. Among all the primer combinations used, E-ACT/M-CTC was the most informative, which generated 11 unique markers for clear identification of the two species. The average polymorphic information content (PIC) ranged from 0.24 (E-ACT/M-CAT) to 0.28 (E-ACT/M-CTC) while the resolving power (RP) varied from 40.73 (E-AAC/M-CTA) to 63.76 (E-ACT/M-CTC). The genetic difference between the two species was significant (PhiPT = 0.610, p<0.001). All 33 accessions were delimited by both the UPGMA cluster and principal component analysis. Based on the results, it was concluded that E-ACT/M-CTC is the best among the marker combinations used for molecular study of the two tree species and used significantly to distinguish them. STRUCTURE analysis identified two accessions of Terminalia superba with alleles derived from T. ivorensis as well as revealed five putative hybrid accessions, which requires further genetic investigation to substantiate the finding.
The osteology of the lacertid genus Darevskia Arribas, 1999 (Squamata, Lacertidae)
Authors: ARRIBAS OSCAR
Published: September 2024

A total of 230 cleared and alizarin stained and 136 radiographed specimens of Darevskia belonging to 47 nominal taxa (species, subspecies or singular clades) including the seven parthenogenetic ones and a triploid hybrid were studied. Sixteen osteological characters in all the tried species were analyzed. These characters by corporal regions were: skull characters: 1.—number of premaxillary teeth; 2.—number of maxillary teeth; 3.—number of dentary teeth; 4.—teeth morphology; 5.—presence of anterolateral process in the postfrontal bone; 6.—presence of anteromedial process in the postorbital bone; 7.—comparative lengths of the postorbital and postfrontal bones; 8.—overlap degree between the postorbital and the squamosal bones. Postcranial characters: 9.—existence of visible (ossified) ribs associated with the third presacral vertebrae; 10.—sternal/xiphisternal costal formula and presence of inscriptional ribs; 11.—number of presacral vertebrae; 12.—number of posterior dorsal vertebrae (short presacral ribs); 13.—presence and form of the sternal fontanelle; 14.—form of the clavicles (emarginated or marginated); 15.—interclavicle form; 16.—morphology of first autotomic vertebrae of the tail.
Our goals were to characterize osteologically the different species of Darevskia, to contrast their relationships traced from osteological traits with the available genetic-derived phylogenies of the group, to compare the osteological characteristics of the parthenogenetic species with their bisexual parental species, and to comment on their parentage and character polarity. Finally, we aimed to search for osteological characteristics of the different groups within Darevskia, diagnosing them for the first time. The results, commented on by characters, are available in the main text, and taxa characteristics are easily consultable and condensed in Table 1.
Osteological characteristics of Darevskia, together with available phylogenetic trees, have permitted us to define some new groups within Darevskia (raddei, chlorogaster, defilippi, and parvula new groups) (Appendix 3), which are reciprocally monophyletic and have diagnostic characteristics. All of them are diagnosed and named as subgenera to be used if necessary, instead of the partial, old and not always comprehensive groups.
Relating Rainfall Retrieval Parameters to Network and Environmental Features to Improve Rainfall Estimates from Commercial Microwave Links in the Tropics
Authors: Walraven Bas , Overeem Aart , Coenders-Gerrits Miriam , Hut Rolf , van der Valk Luuk , Uijlenhoet Remko
Published: September 2024

Potentially, the greatest benefit of commercial microwave links (CMLs) as opportunistic rainfall sensors lies in regions that lack dedicated rainfall sensors, most notably low- and middle-income countries. However, current CML rainfall retrieval algorithms are predominantly tuned and applied to (European) CML networks in temperate or Mediterranean climates. This study investigates whether local quantitative precipitation estimates from CMLs in a tropical region, specifically Sri Lanka, can be improved by optimizing two dominant parameters in the rainfall retrieval algorithm RAINLINK, namely, the wet antenna attenuation correction factor Aa and the relative contribution of minimum and maximum received signal levels α. Using a grid search, based on 10 months of CML data from 22 link–gauge clusters consisting of 105 sublinks that lie within 1 km of a daily rain gauge, the optimal values of Aa and α are first derived for the entire country and compared to the default RAINLINK values. Subsequently, the CMLs are grouped by link length, frequency, climate zone, and daily rainfall depth classes, and Aa and α are derived for each of these classes. Calibrating parameters on all clusters across the country only leads to minor improvements. The actual optimal Aa and α values depend on the performance metric favored. Calibrating on network properties, particularly short link length and high-frequency classes, does significantly improve rainfall estimates. By relating the optimal Aa and α values to known network metadata, the results from this study are potentially applicable to other tropical CML networks that lack nearby reference rainfall data.

Significance Statement

The purpose of this study is to improve rainfall estimates from commercial microwave links in Sri Lanka by optimizing two important rainfall retrieval algorithm parameters. Our results show that relating the optimal parameter values to operating frequency and pathlength improves rainfall estimates more than applying a single optimal parameter set to the entire network. By relating the optimal parameter values to readily known network properties, we aim to make these results applicable to other tropical countries, particularly low- and middle-income countries, that lack adequate reference rainfall data to calibrate rainfall estimates from commercial microwave links on.
Silent Steering: How Public Actors Indirectly Influence Private Stakeholder Engagement
Authors: Järvelä Johanna , Sorsa Ville-Pekka , Spicer Andre
Published: September 2024

Our understanding of how public actors directly influence stakeholder engagement through mechanisms such as regulation and licensing has been steadily improving. However, the indirect influence of public governance measures on stakeholder engagement remains less explored. This article seeks to bridge this gap by examining how public sector actors use participatory governance to influence private stakeholder engagement beyond public governance processes. We introduce the concept of silent steering to describe how indirect effects on stakeholder engagement occur. Through an in-depth case study of Finnish mining governance from 1995 to 2020, we uncover how silent steering of private engagement occurs through role-giving, example-giving, and expectation-giving. Through these processes, public actors can exert significant influence over industry- and firm-level private stakeholder engagement processes even when they are not present.
A Cross-National Examination of Teachers’ Multicultural Self-Efficacy: Can Multicultural Education in Initial Teacher Education and Professional Development Make a Difference?
Authors: Mou Qin , Dursun Hakan , Agirdag Orhan
Published: September 2024

As the student population continues to become more culturally diverse, it is imperative for teachers to cultivate greater self-efficacy in their instructional practices. To gain a clearer picture of the association between teacher education and multicultural self-efficacy, we conducted a multilevel modeling analysis on data from TALIS 2018. Our study revealed a strong correlation between teachers’ self-efficacy in general and their multicultural self-efficacy while highlighting significant differences between the two constructs. We also found that teachers who received multicultural education during their initial teacher education and professional development demonstrated higher levels of multicultural self-efficacy. However, the impact of initial teacher education and professional development was relatively modest. The practical implications for teacher training and policymaking as well as for future research are discussed.
The effect of an educational intervention on healthy lifestyle knowledge and behaviour among middle-aged women
Authors: Mohammadi Maryam , Mohammadnabizadeh Sahar , Mowlaei Leila , Ramezankhani Ali , Rakhshan Fatemeh , Soleimanzadeh Mahsa
Published: September 2024

Objectives:

This study aimed to assess the impact of an educational intervention on middle-aged women’s knowledge and behaviour regarding various aspects of a healthy lifestyle.

Design:

Quasi-experimental study involving 150 middle-aged women (divided into experimental and control groups).

Setting:

Participants were selected from health centres of Tehran, Iran.

Method:

Data collection included demographic information, knowledge of a healthy lifestyle and healthy lifestyle behaviour. Participants in both the intervention and control groups completed the questionnaires before and 2 months after the educational intervention. The intervention involved 10 minutes of face-to-face training followed by distribution of training booklets provided by the Ministry of Health in Iran. Statistical analyses were conducted using SPSS.

Results:

Within the intervention group, significant differences were observed in total healthy lifestyle knowledge and subscales for physical activity knowledge, anthropometry knowledge, healthy diet knowledge, and smoking knowledge, between the pre- and post-intervention periods. Other than for smoking behaviour, there was no significant difference in healthy behaviours pre- and post-intervention for the experimental and also the control group.

Conclusion:

While there was an increase in knowledge about healthy lifestyles following the intervention, this knowledge increase was not associated with a change in healthy lifestyle behaviours. Attention should therefore be given to other influences including socio-economic factors, mental health status, environmental factors, cultural influences, duration of the intervention and psychological factors if changes in healthy behaviour are to be achieved.
Remittance Inflow, Investment, and Economic Growth in Africa amidst COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Emeka Ekene ThankGod , Nwodo Ikenna Paulinus , Omeje Ambrose Nnaemeka , Ogbuabor Jonathan Emenike , Rena Ravinder
Published: September 2024

Africa has fared well in the aspect of remittance receipts in recent years; however, the region recorded a decline in remittances amid the COVID-19 pandemic which constrained the circular flow of income significantly and ultimately economic growth. In view of this, this study investigates the economic effects of remittance inflows and investment on economic growth in Africa amid COVID-19 pandemic using a panel of 48 economies and estimated with pooled OLS and two-step system GMM. The study employed two distinct approaches for estimation; pre-COVID-19 (2010–2019) and amid COVID-19 (2010–2023). The results indicate that the behavior of remittances, investment and economic growth in Africa is not significantly different between pre-COVID-19 and amid COVID-19. That is, remittances remain a significant economic growth catalyst in Africa whereas investment is not (though with growth effect potential). Overall, the study concludes that African economic policy stakeholders and other relevant policy authorities should sustain the current remittance and labor policy frameworks with possible fine-tuning where applicable while doubling their investment efforts especially in productive sectors of the economy.