bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Interaction of species A rotavirus VP4 with the cellular proteins vimentin and actin related protein 2 discovered by a proximity interactome assay
Authors: Hao Pengfei , Qu Qiaoqiao , Pang Zhaoxia , Li Letian , Du Shouwen , Shang Limin , Jin Chaozhi , Xu Wang , Ha Zhuo , Jiang Yuhang , Chen Jing , Gao Zihan , Jin Ningyi , Wang Jian , Li Chang
Published: November 2023

Rotavirus (RV) is one of the most significant pathogens in humans and animals with diarrhea worldwide. Cell entry is the first step in viral infection, and the outer capsid protein VP4 is crucial for RV attachment and internalization. In order to discover novel candidate host factors involved in RV cell entry, a proximity labeling method was applied to systematically investigate the VP4 and host protein interactions. A total of 174 high-confidence host proteins were identified using proximity labeling. Further analysis showed that 88 proteins were located in the cytoskeleton, plasma membrane, and extracellular region, which could be involved in RV entry. Importantly, vimentin (VIM) and actin-related protein 2 (ACTR2) were identified to promote RV infection at an early step. The results of co-immunoprecipitation assay showed that VIM or ACTR2 physically interacted with VP4. Blocking VIM or ACTR2 function by silencing with small interfering RNA or inhibition by specific antibodies significantly restricted RV infection. Furthermore, increasing the amounts of VIM or ACTR2 by overexpression from transfected recombinant proteins or incubation with recombinant proteins promoted RV infection. Collectively, this study revealed that RV VP4 interacted with host proteins and demonstrated that interaction with VIM and ACTR2 promoted RV replication, providing valuable resources and potential drug targets for better understanding and treating this disease.

IMPORTANCE

Rotavirus (RV) is an important zoonosis virus, which can cause severe diarrhea and extra-intestinal infection. To date, some proteins or carbohydrates have been shown to participate in the attachment or internalization of RV, including HGBAs, Hsc70, and integrins. This study attempted to indicate whether there were other proteins that would participate in the entry of RV; thus, the RV VP4-interacting proteins were identified by proximity labeling. After analysis and verification, it was found that VIM and ACTR2 could significantly promote the proliferation of RV in intestinal cells. Through further viral binding assays after knockdown, antibody blocking, and recombinant protein overexpression, it was revealed that both VIM and ACTR2 could promote RV replication.
High-depth RNA-Seq data sets to investigate the differences in gene expression mediated by phasevarions in non-typeable
Haemophilus influenzae
Authors: Atack John M. , Brockman Kenneth L. , Bakaletz Lauren O. , Jennings Michael P.
Published: November 2023

Non-typeable
Haemophilus influenzae
(NTHi) is a major bacterial pathogen of the human airway. We report high-depth coverage RNA-Seq data from prototype NTHi strains 723 and R2866, encoding two of the most common phase-variable ModA alleles found in NTHi strains, ModA2 and ModA10, respectively.
Isolation and genome sequence annotation of SallyK, a newly discovered cluster EG bacteriophage infecting
Microbacterium
Authors: Wood Paige R. , Sullivan Emily A. , Mathison Rylee T. , Hepworth Sariah M. , Graves R. Scott , Danklefsen Breanna , Almahie Omer , Serna Carlos , Hunt Dylan J. , Brewster Reganne , Bartholomew Skylar , Shurley Jack F. , Grinath Anna S. , Thomas Michael A.
Published: November 2023

Discovered from soil in a flower planter in Pocatello, Idaho and using
Microbacterium foliorum
, SallyK is a lytic bacteriophage with a siphovirus morphology. It has a 62,883 bp-long genome with 103 putative genes. Based on gene content similarity to actinobacteriophages, SallyK is assigned to cluster EG.
Concentration-dependent effect of plant secondary metabolites on bacterial and fungal microbiomes in caterpillar guts
Authors: Šigutová Hana , Pyszko Petr , Šigut Martin , Czajová Kateřina , Kostovčík Martin , Kolařík Miroslav , Hařovská Denisa , Drozd Pavel
Published: November 2023

Plant–herbivore interactions have been modulated by plant secondary metabolites (PSM), which exert a strong pressure on herbivore microbiome. This study examined the effects of different PSM types and concentrations on caterpillar fitness, composition of gut bacterial and fungal assemblages, and microbiome network stability and symbiotic bonds in relation to the caterpillar diet breadth. Polyphagous and monophagous caterpillars sampled from oak were reared on an artificial diet (AD) containing PSM native (tannic acid) and non-native (tannivin and salicylic acid) to oak at varying concentrations, along with control treatments (starving and fed by oak leaves or AD without PSM). Their gut microbiome was profiled using 16S and ITS2 rRNA gene metabarcoding. Contrary to expectations, the diet breadth combined with the PSM type had no effect on weight gain. The bacterial composition was shaped by PSM concentration, while caterpillar species and diet breadth had no effect. Compared with bacteria, concentration had no effect on the fungal composition, which was more influenced by diet breadth than by caterpillar species. Leaf-fed caterpillars harbored the highest microbial richness. In AD-fed caterpillars, bacteria formed more complex networks than fungi, and the complexity was simplified with higher PSM concentrations. We identified taxa significantly associated with caterpillar guts. Notably, the association
Lactobacillus–Lactococcus–Streptococcus
was universally present across all caterpillar species, regardless of diet breadth. Our findings emphasize the importance of considering PSM concentration and composition in understanding caterpillar–gut microbiome interactions. Further research will validate the functional roles of identified microbial taxa and their significance for caterpillar hosts.

IMPORTANCE

The caterpillar gut is an excellent model system for studying host–microbiome interactions, as it represents an extreme environment for microbial life that usually has low diversity and considerable variability in community composition. Our study design combines feeding caterpillars on a natural and artificial diet with controlled levels of plant secondary metabolites and uses metabarcoding and quantitative PCR to simultaneously profile bacterial and fungal assemblages, which has never been performed. Moreover, we focus on multiple caterpillar species and consider diet breadth. Contrary to many previous studies, our study suggested the functional importance of certain microbial taxa, especially bacteria, and confirmed the previously proposed lower importance of fungi for caterpillar holobiont. Our study revealed the lack of differences between monophagous and polyphagous species in the responses of microbial assemblages to plant secondary metabolites, suggesting the limited role of the microbiome in the plasticity of the herbivore diet.
Phosphoproteomic landscape of pseudorabies virus infection reveals multiple potential antiviral targets
Authors: Bo Zongyi , Li Xiaojuan , Zhang Chengcheng , Guo Mengjiao , Cao Yongzhong , Zhang Xiaorong , Wu Yantao
Published: November 2023

Phosphorylation, a significant posttranslational modification, is implicated in nearly two-thirds of all proteins. The involvement of phosphorylation in various cellular responses is known to play a crucial role in the replication of pseudorabies virus (PRV). However, the phosphoproteomic landscape during PRV infection remains unknown. To address this, a tandem mass tag-based liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry was performed. It was found that a total of 7,342 phosphosites were detected; among these, 1,197 phosphosites were significantly upregulated, and 1,120 phosphosites were significantly downregulated when the threshold was set at 1.5. Gene ontology analysis of these significantly changed proteins showed that they mainly participated in mRNA processing, RNA splicing, stress granule assembly, and other pathways. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway enrichment analysis showed that these proteins were associated with cell cycle, spliceosome, tight junction, mRNA surveillance, and other pathways. Additionally, an immunoblotting assay confirmed the phosphoproteomic results by detecting the protein level of several upregulated phosphorylated proteins, which included pBRAF, pRPS6KA1, and pSTMN1. Further experiments using siRNA showed that knockdown of BRAF, RPS6KA1, and STMN1 significantly inhibited the replication of PRV. In summary, this study provides insight into the phosphoproteomic landscape during PRV infection and contributes to a better understanding of the mechanisms underlying PRV replication.

IMPORTANCE

Pseudorabies virus (PRV) is a kind of alpha herpesvirus that infects a wide range of animals and even human beings. Therefore, it is important to explore the mechanisms behind PRV replication and pathogenesis. By conducting a tandem mass tag-based phosphoproteome, this study revealed the phosphorylated proteins and cellular response pathways involved in PRV infection. Findings from this study shed light on the relationship between the phosphorylated cellular proteins and PRV infection, as well as guiding the discovery of targets for the development of antiviral compounds against PRV.
Versatile allelic replacement and self-excising integrative vectors for plasmid genome mutation and complementation
Authors: Gudeta Dereje D. , Foley Steven L.
Published: November 2023

The ability to better understand the function of proteins expressed by bacteria has typically relied upon the development of genetic mutant strains. This approach has been especially challenging for plasmid-encoded genes, as most of the previously described allelic replacement vectors are inefficient for plasmid genome mutation as they either rely on plasmid-derived counterselection toxins or depend on other strategies such
sacB
,
tetA
, and
rpsL
which have been proven to be less efficient for mutant selection. Integrative vectors lack chromophore indicators, thus requiring laborious screening or excision of the vector’s backbone relies on the introduction of a flippase (FLP)-expressing plasmid. The allelic replacement vector, designated here as pDG1, expresses an X-Gal hydrolyzing enzyme (BgaB) that can be used for blue/white screening allowing identification of colonies that integrated and successfully removed the mutagenesis plasmid without a bias for those still carrying it. pDG1 was further improved by including the rhamnose-inducible Tse2 toxin as a potent counterselection system. The efficacy of pDG1 was validated by deleting portions of the plasmid-encoded VirB4/D4 type IV secretion system and aerobactin-synthesizing operons in
Salmonella enterica
. The integrative vectors, which contain an ΦC31
attP
site and genes encoding ΦC31 integrase (
int
), can seamlessly integrate to target ΦC31
attB
on
Salmonella
plasmids or chromosome. These vectors were improved by inserting
bgaB
and FLP-encoding genes so that, following integration, most of the vector’s backbone encompassing
int
,
bgaB
, and FLP genes can be excised by FLP, without the need for another FLP-expressing vector, creating white colonies carrying a stably integrated target gene. As such, we were able to integrate a 9.3-kb DNA fragment to
Salmonella
chromosome and flipped out most of the integrated vector in one step, leaving the target fragment in the chromosome.

IMPORTANCE

In spite of the dissemination of multidrug-resistant plasmids among Gram-negative pathogens, including those carrying virulence genes, vector tools for studying plasmid-born genes are lacking. The allelic replacement vectors can be used to generate plasmid or chromosomal mutations including markless point mutations. This is the first report describing a self-excising integrative vector that can be used as a stable single-copy complementing tool to study medically important pathogens including
in vivo
studies without the need for antibiotic selection. Overall, our newly developed vectors can be applied for the assessment of the function of plasmid-encoded genes by specifically creating mutations, moving large operons between plasmids and to/from the chromosome, and complementing phenotypes associated with gene mutation. Furthermore, the vectors express chromophores for the detection of target gene modification or colony isolation, avoiding time-consuming screening procedures.
Clinical validation of the ‘C-arm rotational view (CARV)’: study protocol of a prospective randomised controlled trial
Authors: Bleeker Nils Jan , Doornberg Job N , ten Duis Kaj , El Moumni Mostafa , Jaarsma Ruurd L , IJpma Frank F A
Published: November 2023

Introduction

Rotational malalignment occurs in up to 30% of cases after intramedullary nailing of tibial shaft fractures. The aim of this study is to assess the clinical feasibility of a newly introduced standardised intraoperative fluoroscopy protocol coined ‘C-arm rotational view (CARV)’ in order to reduce the risk of rotational malalignment during intramedullary nailing of tibial shaft fractures. The CARV includes predefined fluoroscopy landmark views of the uninjured side to obtain correct alignment of the injured side with use of the rotation of the C-arm.

Methods and analysis

This randomised controlled trial will be conducted in a level 1 trauma centre. Adult patients with an open or closed tibial fracture, eligible for intramedullary nailing, will be enrolled in the study. The interventional group will undergo intramedullary nailing guided by the CARV protocol to obtain accurate alignment. The control group is treated according to current clinical practice, in which alignment control of the tibia is based on clinical estimation of the treating surgeon. The primary endpoint is defined as the degree of rotation measured on low-dose postoperative CT scans.

Ethics and dissemination

The study protocol will be performed in line with local ethical guidelines and the Declaration of Helsinki. The results of this trial will be disseminated in a peer-reviewed manuscript. Future patients are likely to benefit from this trial as it aims to provide a clinically feasible and easy-to-use standardised fluoroscopy protocol to reduce the risk for rotational malalignment during intramedullary nailing of tibial shaft fractures.

Trial registration number

NCT05459038.
Prevalence, correlates and common methods of non-suicidal self-injury in South Asia: a systematic review
Authors: Haregu Tilahun , Chen Quan , Arafat S M Yasir , Cherian Anish , Armstrong Gregory
Published: November 2023

Introduction

The dynamics of self-harm vary substantially around the world, yet it is severely under-researched outside of a small number of high-income ‘Western’ countries. South Asia is disproportionately impacted by suicide, yet we know less about non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) in the region.

Objective

To review and summarise evidence on the prevalence, correlates and common methods of NSSI in South Asia.

Methods

We searched Medline, Embase and PsycINFO for the period 1 January 2000 to 31 August 2023, for peer-reviewed observational studies. A total of 11 studies from eight South Asian countries that reported prevalence and/or correlates of NSSI were included in this review. We assessed the quality of the studies using the Study Quality Assessment Tools for Observational Cohort and Cross-Sectional Studies. We used meta-regression to describe the sources of heterogeneity. Abstracted data were summarised using thematic synthesis.

Results

For non-clinical populations, the 12-month prevalence of NSSI ranged from 3.2% to 44.8%, and the lifetime prevalence ranged from 21% to 33%. For clinical populations, the 12-month prevalence of NSSI ranged from 5% to 16.4%, while the lifetime prevalence ranged from 2% to 27%. Male sex, unemployment, financial stress, history of suicidal behaviour and depression were associated with a higher risk of NSSI. Better access to counselling services, higher self-esteem and self-knowledge were associated with a lower risk of NSSI.

Conclusion

The burden of NSSI in South Asia appears to be high in both clinical and non-clinical populations. Further research, especially with general population samples, is needed to build evidence on the epidemiology, context and meaning of NSSI in South Asia to inform the design of context-specific interventions.

PROSPERO registration number

CRD42022342536.
Macroscopic examination of pathology specimens: a critical reappraisal
Authors: Varma Murali , Collins Laura C , Chetty Runjan , Karamchandani Dipti M , Talia Karen , Dormer John , Vyas Monika , Conn Brendan , Guzmán-Arocho Yaileen D , Jones Adam V , Pring Miranda , McCluggage W Glenn
Published: November 2023

Meticulous macroscopic examination of specimens and tissue sampling are crucial for accurate histopathology reporting. However, macroscopy has generally received less attention than microscopy and may be delegated to relatively inexperienced practitioners with limited guidance and supervision. This introductory paper in the minisymposium,Macroscopy Under the Microscope, focuses on issues regarding macroscopic examination and tissue sampling that have been insufficiently addressed in the published literature. It highlights the importance of specimen examination and sampling, discusses some general principles, outlines challenges and suggests potential solutions. It is critical to get macroscopy right the first time as it may not be possible to rectify errors even with expert histological assessment or to retrospectively collect missing data after the specimen retention period. Dissectors must, therefore, receive adequate guidance and supervision until they are proficient in macroscopic specimen examination. We emphasise the importance of the clinical context, optimal specimen fixation, succinct and clinically relevant macroscopic descriptions, macrophotography and judicious tissue sampling. We note that current recommendations based on the number of blocks to be submitted per maximum tumour dimension are ambiguous as the amount of tissue submitted in a cassette is not standardised and it is unclear whether ‘block’ refers to a tissue block or a paraffin block. Concerns around potential oversampling of ‘therapeutic’ specimens that could result in overdiagnosis due to detection of incidentalomas are also discussed. We hope that the issues discussed in this paper will engender debate on this clinically critical aspect of pathology practice.
Lifestyle factors as mediators of area-level socioeconomic differentials in mental health and cognitive function: the Tromsø Study
Authors: Tiwari Sweta , Cerin Ester , Wilsgaard Tom , Løvsletten Ola , Grimsgaard Sameline , Hopstock Laila Arnesdatter , Schirmer Henrik , Rosengren Annika , Kristoffersen Kathrine , Løchen Maja-Lisa
Published: November 2023

Introduction

Low socioeconomic status (SES) is associated with poor mental health and cognitive function. Individual-level SES and area-level SES (ASES) may affect mental health and cognitive function through lifestyle. We aimed to quantify the associations of ASES with mental health and cognitive function and examine the mediating role of lifestyle behaviours independent of individual-level SES in a Norwegian population.

Methods

In this cross-sectional study, we included 7211 participants (54% women) from the seventh survey of the Tromsø Study (2015–2016) (Tromsø7). The exposure variable ASES was created by aggregating individual-level SES variables (education, income, housing ownership) from Statistics Norway at the geographical subdivision level. Tromsø7 data were used as mediators (smoking, snuff, alcohol, physical activity, diet) and outcomes (cognitive function, anxiety, depression, insomnia). Mediation and mediated moderation analysis were performed with age as a moderator, stratified by sex.

Results

Higher ASES was associated with better cognitive function and fewer depression and insomnia symptoms, independent of individual-level SES. These associations were mediated by smoking and physical activity. Alcohol was a mediator for depression and cognitive function in women. Age was a significant moderator of the association between ASES and global cognitive function in women. The largest total indirect effect of ASES was found for depression, with the joint effect of the mediators accounting for 36% of the total effect.

Conclusions

People living in areas with lower ASES are at higher risk of poor mental health, such as depression and insomnia, and have lower cognitive function possibly due to unhealthy lifestyle (smoking, alcohol and physical inactivity).
A Permian rhenium–osmium radiometric age for bornite at the Rock Creek deposit, Spar Lake copper–silver district (Montana, USA)—a link to the Sonoma Orogeny and the copper–silver–vanadium Midcontinent Belt?
Authors: Saintilan Nicolas J. , Creaser Robert A.
Published: November 2023

We report rhenium–osmium (Re–Os) isotope data and age information for bornite, chalcocite, and chalcopyrite from the Spar Lake and Rock Creek copper–silver (Cu–Ag) sediment-hosted deposits in the Spar Lake district, Mesoproterozoic Belt–Purcell Basin, Montana, USA. The Re–Os geochronometers in chalcocite and chalcopyrite do not record plausible mineralization ages at the Spar Lake deposit, which is currently interpreted to have formed at ca. 1410 million years ago (Ma) from prior work. However, a Re–Os isochron date of bornite (253.2 ± 26.9 Ma, n = 6) at Rock Creek with an extremely high initial 187Os/188Os ratio of 19.1 ± 0.2 can be interpreted as resetting of Re–Os in bornite that originally recorded a Mesoproterozoic timing of Cu–Ag mineralization in the Spar Lake district. The new Re–Os age of bornite at Permian–Triassic boundary time is compatible with a resetting at the time of building of the Sonoma Foreland Basin that resulted from the loading of an accretionary prism (i.e., Golconda Allochthon) onto the North American Plate. Our ca. 253 Ma bornite age does not constrain whether Cu was introduced to Spar Lake at this time or simply redistributed, but our findings open the possibility that Cu–Ag mineralization in the Spar Lake district might have taken place not only in the Mesoproterozoic, but also in addition, at Permian–Triassic boundary time. Indeed, numerous Cu–Ag, vanadium–uranium (V–U) sandstone-hosted and black shale-hosted deposits of assumed Permian to Triassic age are documented in the Midcontinent copper belt from western Texas to southern Idaho, including (1) Cu–Ag sediment-hosted deposits in western Colorado, southeastern Utah, and northern Arizona and (2) the Montpelier and Lake Alice sandstone-hosted Cu–Ag deposits in southeastern Idaho and western Wyoming, respectively.
A maximum force perspective on black hole thermodynamics, quantum pressure, and near-extremality
Authors: Ong Yen Chin
Published: November 2023

I re-examined the notion of the thermodynamic force constructed from the first law of black hole thermodynamics. In general relativity, the value of the charge (or angular momentum) at which the thermodynamic force equals the conjectured maximum force $$F=1/4$$

F
=
1
/
4

is found to correspond to $$Q^2/M^2=8/9$$

Q
2

/

M
2

=
8
/
9

(respectively, $$a^2/M^2=8/9$$

a
2

/

M
2

=
8
/
9

), which is known in the literature to exhibit some special properties. This provides a possible characterization of near-extremality. In addition, taking the maximum force conjecture seriously amounts to introducing a pressure term in the first law of black hole thermodynamics. This resolves the factor of two problem between the proposed maximum value $$F=1/4$$

F
=
1
/
4

and the thermodynamic force of Schwarzschild spacetime $$F=1/2$$

F
=
1
/
2

. Surprisingly it also provides another indication for the instability of the inner horizon. For a Schwarzschild black hole, under some reasonable assumptions, this pressure can be interpreted as being induced by the quantum fluctuation of the horizon position, effectively giving rise to a diffused “shell” of characteristic width $$\sqrt{M}$$

M

. The maximum force can therefore, in some contexts, be associated with inherently quantum phenomena, despite the fact that it is free of $$\hbar $$
ħ
. Some implications are discussed as more questions are raised.
The importance of nodal plane orientation diversity for earthquake focal mechanism stress inversions
Authors: Lundstern Jens-Erik , Beaucé Eric , Teran Orlando J.
Published: November 2023

Inversions of earthquake focal mechanisms are among the most accessible and reliable methods for determining crustal stress. However, the use of this method varies widely, and the assumptions that underpin it are often violated, potentially compromising stress estimates. We investigate the consequences of violating the little-studied assumption that the focal mechanisms have diverse orientations. Our approach is to employ data-informed synthetic mechanisms, with nodal plane orientations defined by recent earthquake lineaments in the Midland Basin, western Texas, and rakes consistent with slip in the mapped stress field. Using both the traditional stress inversion method that assumes constant shear stress magnitudes on the causative faults as well as a recently published variable shear stress method, we show that low fault plane diversity can cause maximum horizontal stress (
S
Hmax
) orientation and relative principal stress magnitude (faulting regime) estimates to differ markedly from the true values. This problem is compounded for catalogues with even modest amounts of noise (≤15°) or few (e.g. 20) mechanisms. Significantly, traditional approaches for quantifying uncertainty such as the bootstrap can severely underestimate the true uncertainty under these circumstances. To remedy this, we provide simple tools to quantify nodal plane orientation diversity and stress inversion reliability.
Choral: Object-oriented Choreographic Programming
Authors: Giallorenzo Saverio , Montesi Fabrizio , Peressotti Marco
Published: November 2023

Choreographies are coordination plans for concurrent and distributed systems, which define the roles of the involved participants and how they are supposed to work together. In the paradigm of choreographic programming, choreographies are programs that can be compiled into executable implementations.

In this article, we present Choral, the first choreographic programming language based on mainstream abstractions. The key idea in Choral is a new notion of data type, which allows for expressing that data is distributed over different roles. We use this idea to reconstruct the paradigm of choreographic programming through object-oriented abstractions. Choreographies are classes, and instances of choreographies are objects with states and behaviours implemented collaboratively by roles.

Choral comes with a compiler that, given a choreography, generates an implementation for each of its roles. These implementations are libraries in pure Java, whose types are under the control of the Choral programmer. Developers can then modularly compose these libraries in their programs, to participate correctly in choreographies. Choral is the first incarnation of choreographic programming offering such modularity, which finally connects more than a decade of research on the paradigm to practical software development.

The integration of choreographic and object-oriented programming yields other powerful advantages, where the features of one paradigm benefit the other in ways that go beyond the sum of the parts. On the one hand, the high-level abstractions and static checks from the world of choreographies can be used to write concurrent and distributed object-oriented software more concisely and correctly. On the other hand, we obtain a much more expressive choreographic language from object-oriented abstractions than in previous work. This expressivity allows for writing more reusable and flexible choreographies. For example, object passing makes Choral the first higher-order choreographic programming language, whereby choreographies can be parameterised over other choreographies without any need for central coordination. We also extend method overloading to a new dimension: specialisation based on data location. Together with subtyping and generics, this allows Choral to elegantly support user-defined communication mechanisms and middleware.
Competing Risks: Concepts, Methods, and Software
Authors: Geskus Ronald B.
Published: November 2023

The role of competing risks in the analysis of time-to-event data is increasingly acknowledged. Software is readily available. However, confusion remains regarding the proper analysis: When and how do I need to take the presence of competing risks into account? Which quantities are relevant for my research question? How can they be estimated and what assumptions do I need to make? The main quantities in a competing risks analysis are the cause-specific cumulative incidence, the cause-specific hazard, and the subdistribution hazard. We describe their nonparametric estimation, give an overview of regression models for each of these quantities, and explain their difference in interpretation. We discuss the proper analysis in relation to the type of study question, and we suggest software in R and Stata. Our focus is on competing risks analysis in medical research, but methods can equally be applied in other fields like social science, engineering, and economics.
Therapeutic Benefit of Vernonia amygdalina in the Treatment of Diabetes and Its Associated Complications in Preclinical Studies
Authors: Asante Du-Bois , Wiafe Gideon Akuamoah
Published: November 2023

Diabetes mellitus (DM), a complex heterogeneous metabolic disorder characterized by a defect in the function of insulin, is on the rapid rise globally. Sustained hyperglycemia which is a major sign of DM is linked to the generation of reactive oxygen species which promotes adverse complications of the disorder. Traditional herbal treatment of DM is a common practice in Africa and other tropical parts of the world. Vernonia amygdalina (VA), one of the highly researched species in the Asteraceae family, has proven to possess potent antidiabetic properties. Several phytochemicals identified in multiple extracts from VA are purported to be responsible for the antidiabetic potential of the plant. In this review, we discuss the therapeutic potential of VA in diabetes and its associated complications. We appraise the current evidence and further suggest potential areas that could be effectively exploited in future VA research on diabetes.
Vision-Based Interfaces for Character-Based Text Entry: Comparison of Errors and Error Correction Properties of Eye Typing and Head Typing
Authors: Gizatdinova Yulia , Špakov Oleg , Tuisku Outi , Turk Matthew , Surakka Veikko
Published: November 2023

We examined two vision-based interfaces (VBIs) for performance and user experience during character-based text entry using an on-screen virtual keyboard. Head-based VBI uses head motion to steer the computer pointer and mouth-opening gestures to select the keyboard keys. Gaze-based VBI utilizes gaze for pointing at the keys and an adjustable dwell for key selection. The results showed that after three sessions (45 min of typing in total), able-bodied novice participants (N = 34) typed significantly slower yet yielded significantly more accurate text with head-based VBI with gaze-based VBIs. The analysis of errors and corrective actions relative to the spatial layout of the keyboard revealed a difference in the error correction behavior of the participants when typing using both interfaces. We estimated the error correction cost for both interfaces and suggested implications for the future use and improvement of VBIs for hands-free text entry.
A Pilot Trial of Stepwise Implementation of Virtual Reality Mindfulness and Accelerated Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation Treatments for Dysphoria in Neuropsychiatric Disorders
Authors: Senda Megan C. , Johnson Kevin A. , Taylor Isabelle M. , Jensen Mariah M. , Hou Yang , Kozel F. Andrew
Published: November 2023

Dysphoria is a transdiagnostic symptom that causes considerable suffering. Implementation of established self-care and clinical treatment options, such as mindfulness and transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), is typically disjointed for conditions involving dysphoria. There is a need for a rapid progression of accessible treatments that can be efficacious across multiple comorbidities. In a pilot stepwise implementation study to assess feasibility and effectiveness, adult participants with dysphoria (depression, anxiety, PTSD, and/or chronic pain) went through a treatment course of VR mindfulness, then accelerated TMS (accel-TMS) over the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (left dlPFC), then accel-TMS over the dorsomedial prefrontal cortex (dmPFC). Participants who did not benefit from one treatment phase progressed to the next until remission or study completion. Twenty-four participants were enrolled with 23 in VR mindfulness (phase 1), 19 in accel-TMS left dlPFC (phase 2A), and 13 in accel-TMS dmPFC (phase 2B). For our primary outcome measure of the short form-36 emotional well-being subscale (paired

t

-test), no significant change was found in phase 1 (

n
=
19

,

p
=
.226

), significant improvement was found in phase 2A (

n
=
19

,

p
=
.038

), and no significant change was found in the smaller sample of phase 2B (

n
=
12

,

p
=
.089

). Symptom improvement was largely supported by clinician-administered scales, with more significant changes found in accel-TMS left dlPFC and dmPFC. The benefits of VR mindfulness were limited; however, both accel-TMS phases showed a significant impact on secondary measures of depression, anxiety, and PTSD. This stepwise protocol shows promise in providing an approach to rapidly improve symptoms of dysphoria in transdiagnostic populations. This trial is registered with NCT05061745.
Complicações neuromusculares pela COVID-19: uma revisão sistemática de literatura
Authors: Lobato Micaella Yanne Fender , Diniz Beatriz Cardoso , Miranda Gabriel Farias de , Santos Neto João Rodrigues dos , Nascimento Filho José Guilherme Gomes do , Borges Jucicleiton de Lima , Bezerra Murilo Nascimento , Azevedo Paulo Fábio Lopes , Coelho Tainá Cristina Coelho , Oliveira Rita de Cássia Silva de
Published: November 2023

Introdução: O Coronavírus é um vírus zoonótico de RNA, tratando-se também de uma família de vírus que causam infecções respiratórias, em que um dos tipos conhecidos é o SARS-CoV-2, que é um novo coronavírus descrito no final de 2019, sendo responsável por provocar a doença chamada de COVID-19. Além do trato respiratório, tal patologia pode afetar vários sistemas orgânicos e dentre esses, o sistema neuromuscular tem sido apontado como alvo do SARS-CoV-2. Objetivo: Verificar se há relação entre a COVID-19 e o surgimento de doenças neuromusculares. Metodologia: Revisão sistemática pelo método PRISMA, com coleta de dados realizada nas bases PubMed e BVS, verificando a relação entre a COVID-19 e o surgimento ou intensificação das doenças neuromusculares. Os artigos coletados foram publicados entre janeiro de 2020 e março de 2021. Foram encontrados 1366 artigos e aprovados 56 para a revisão sistemática. Resultados: 56 estudos apontaram ligação entre a COVID-19 e o desenvolvimento de patologias neuromusculares, destacando-se: Síndrome de Guillain-Barré e suas variações (n=37), Miastenia de Gravis (n=4), Mielite (n=2). Discussão: Em relação a Síndrome de Guillain-Barré e sua associação com a COVID-19, observou-se que os principais sinais e sintomas neuromusculares relatados foram: déficits quantitativos dos reflexos (hiporreflexia ou arreflexia), parestesia, paralisia, diminuição da força muscular, dormência e formigamento. Por conseguinte, notou-se que há diversas relações entre a COVID-19 e o desenvolvimento de doenças ou síndromes neuromusculares. Conclusão: É possível perceber que há forte indícios da relação entre a fisiopatologia da COVID-19 e o surgimento de síndromes neuromusculares, sendo a Síndrome de Guillain-Barré a disfunção mais relatada em diferentes localidades do mundo. Nesse sentido, é interessante o desenvolvimento de pesquisas com maior tamanho amostral, bem como, necessidade de compreensão do mecanismo de ação viral sobre o sistema nervoso, a fim de obter tratamentos mais eficientes para esses quadros clínicos.
Glimpses on Brazilian and Indian Gondwana II
Authors: Petri Setembrino
Published: November 2023

This publication comprises original research articles of a group of Indian and Brazilian paleobotanists and palynologists. These papers are results of the Project of International Scientific Cooperation entitled “Palaeobotanical Studies in Brazilian and Indian sedimentary basins with special reference to the marine dinoflagellate-cysts, Gondwana Flora and their applications” sponsored by Brazil-CNPq 490829/2007-4 and by India-DST RPO 24/2007, coordinated from the Brazilian side by Dr. Mary Elizabeth Cerruti Bernardes-de-Oliveira (Instituto de Geociências/USP) and from the Indian side by Dr. Naresh Chandra Mehrotra (Birbal Sahni Institute of Palaeosciences).
“Como eu realmente...”: a escritura do diário em forma de quadrinhos
Authors: Pereira Cláudia , Mendes Miguel
Published: November 2023

Este artigo tem por objetivo refletir sobre o caráter autobiográfico e confessional de algumas tiras em quadrinhos divulgadas via canais da internet por artistas que trazem para o seu trabalho temas que são aqui identificados como pertinentes às culturas juvenis. Para tanto, a obra da artista Cora Ottoni é tomada como objeto de análise. Tais obras são associadas, de um lado, à tradição do movimento romântico na literatura e nos quadrinhos e, de outro, à ética de exposição/proteção da vida privada em vigência entre jovens.
Derivational morphology in Modern Greek
Authors: Koutsoukos Nikos , Efthymiou Angeliki
Published: November 2023

Derivational morphology is an umbrella term used for concatenative and non-concatenative processes for the formation of new lexemes. In Modern Greek, derivational morphology is one of the major morphological processes along with compounding and inflection. In recent years, research on derivational morphology has evolved rapidly. We present here the state-of-the-art on the recent advances in the derivational morphology of Modern Greek. First, we present affixational derivation by focusing on the main features of the derivational affixes used in Modern Greek and then we present the non-concatenative derivational processes. We also discuss the main theoretical issues related to derivational morphology, that is, constraints, competition and productivity of derivational patterns, and the main theoretical approaches to Modern Greek derivational structures. Finally, we present some general themes of derivational morphology, including the relationship between derivation and other morphological processes and the role of derivational morphology in scientific terminology, language teaching/lexicography and psycholinguistics. We aim to contribute to better understanding of how morphology works by highlighting the potential of research on derivational morphology in Modern Greek.
The Role of Soft Law of the Council of Europe in Polish Court Proceedings: A Historical Overview
Authors: Grzelak-Bach Katarzyna
Published: November 2023

This paper presents a historical overview of the role of soft law of the Council of Europe in Polish court proceedings. Soft law refers to legal acts that are not formally legally binding, but nevertheless constitute important guidelines for the operation of state authorities. The article focuses on the role of documents adopted by the Council of Europe, such as resolutions, recommendations or declarations, in the process of shaping the Polish legal system. An analysis of the guidelines and standards introduced by the Council of Europe in the field of human rights protection, equality and standards of court proceedings has been undertaken. The paper also shows the evolution of the position of Polish courts in relation to the soft law of the Council of Europe. Have the documents adopted by the Council of Europe been incorporated into legal arguments and jurisprudence in the Polish legal system and how? The study aims to outline the historical key moments and trends in the application of soft law of the Council of Europe in Polish court proceedings. It shows the impact of these soft instruments on the development of the Polish legal system and legal culture, as well as on the evolution of the perception and use of international standards by Polish courts.
The first record of Mammeoxylon lanneoides Lemoigne (Clusiaceae) from Egypt, with a summary of the Egyptian Oligocene wood flora
Authors: Ziada Nermeen A.
Published: November 2023

A petrified wood resembling the modern wood of Mammea africana Sabine is described from the Oligocene Gebel Ahmer Formation from Egypt. The fossil wood is attributed to Mammeoxylon lanneoides Lemoigne according to the xylotomical homologies with the species recorded previously from Ethiopia. The wood anatomy observed in the fossil specimen, along with the climatic information available from the Nearest Living Relative comparison, suggests a tropical humid climate at the site of growth. This is the oldest record of Mammeoxylon Lemoigne in Africa, which contributes towards the understanding of the origin and paleo-dispersal pathways of the genus. A list of 46 Egyptian Oligocene wood species attributed to 11 families is also given.
Marāgha Ceased to Function: The Ṭūsī Family’s Intellectual Network and Īl-Khānid Political Itinerance
Authors: Isahaya Yoichi
Published: November 2023

While there is no consensus as to when the Marāgha observatory, centre of a Eurasian-scale intellectual network, ceased to function, given that no historical sources mention such a date, by focusing more on the Īl-Khānid political context than on the scientific activities at the observatory that have so far attracted scholarly attention, I argue that the termination of the observatory’s activity overlapped with the downfall of Aṣīl al-Dīn b. Naṣīr al-Dīn (d. ca. 1317) in 1309/10. Naṣīr al-Dīn al-Ṭūsī (1201–1274) acquired the office of trustee of the waqf endowments for the observatory. This office was inherited after his death by his sons. However, the family property related to the religious endowments was targeted, which resulted in the family’s fall. Thereafter, the eighth īl-khān, Öljeitü (r.1304–1316), did not station his mobile court in Marāgha, which marked a shift of the intellectual centre of the Īl-Khānid dynasty away from the observatory.
Lindernia barthlottii (Linderniaceae), a new species from inselbergs in Madagascar
Authors: FISCHER EBERHARD , ANDRIANTIANA JACKY LUCIEN , SIEDER ANTON
Published: November 2023

The new species Lindernia barthlottii from an inselberg in Northern Madagascar is described and illustrated. It differs from all Madagascan Lindernia species in the small rosulate habit with condensed stems, the broad obtuse sepals, and the large and except for the palate entirely blue corolla. A short discussion on the other four species of Linderniaceae (Linderniella cerastioides, L. horombensis, L. pygmaea, Crepidorhopalon microcarpaeoides) endemic to inselbergs in Madagascar is provided.
New data on the Harpacteinae of Turkey (Araneae, Dysderidae)
Authors: KUNT KADİR BOĞAÇ , ÖZKÜTÜK RECEP SULHİ
Published: November 2023

Eight new harpacteine species, Dasumia antalyaensis sp. nov. (♀), D. capacii sp. nov. (♂♀), D. yagmuri sp. nov. (♂♀), Harpactea bilecenoglui sp. nov. (♂♀), H. elvericii sp. nov. (♂♀), H. bilgenur sp. nov. (♂♀), H. kankilicorum sp. nov. (♂♀) and H. yanardagi sp. nov. (♂) are described from the eastern Mediterranean region of Turkey. Among three new species of Dasumia, D. antalyaensis sp. nov. and D. capacii sp. nov. are related to other congeners known from Turkey, while D. yagmuri sp. nov. is quite different from other known Dasumia species.
Among five new species of Harpactea, three species; H. bilecenoglui sp. nov., H. elvericii sp. nov. and H. yanardagi sp. nov., due to their spiniform emboli, are close to H. sanctaeinsulae and H. isaurica, previously described from Turkey. Two other new speciess, H. bilgenur sp. nov. and H. kankilicorum sp. nov., exhibit the characteristics of the rubicunda species group like almost all of the Turkish Harpactea. However, these two new species have a more complex palp structure.
Freshwater decapod crustaceans from the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil: species composition and distribution
Authors: JACOBUCCI GIULIANO BUZÁ , BUENO ALESSANDRA A. DE P. , ALMEIDA ARIÁDINE CRISTINE DE , ALVES DOUGLAS FERNANDES RODRIGUES , BARROS-ALVES SAMARA DE PAIVA , MAGALHÃES CÉLIO , SOUZA-CARVALHO EDVANDA A. , MOSSOLIN EMERSON C. , CARVALHO FABRÍCIO LOPES , MANTELATTO FERNANDO L.
Published: November 2023

Brazil contains about 5% (~120 spp.) of the total known species of freshwater decapods. Information on the occurrence of freshwater decapod species in the state of Minas Gerais is dispersed and much of this remains unpublished. We hereby propose to present the first inventory of freshwater decapods from the state, based on data compiled from publications and scientific collections and obtained from fieldwork in the state. Eleven species of freshwater decapods were recorded in Minas Gerais, including three species of crabs (Trichodactylidae), seven of shrimps (Palaemonidae) and one species of freshwater squat lobster (Aeglidae), classified into three infraorders, three families, and four genera. The genus Macrobrachium C.S. Bate, 1868 comprised most of the decapod records. The reduced number of species in relation to coastal states is related, at least in part, to the absence of amphidromic species. Environmental degradation and the construction of dams in several watersheds may be possible causes of this absence. The records obtained from surveys carried out in national parks situated in Minas Gerais and its surroundings indicate the importance of these areas for the conservation of decapod fauna in the state.
A new species of leafhopper genus Sophonia (Evacanthinae: Cicadellidae: Hemiptera) from India
Authors: JAT MONICA , MESHRAM NARESH M. , DEY DEBJANI
Published: November 2023

A new evacanthine leafhopper of the tribe Nirvanini, Sophonia submodesta sp. n. (Himachal Pradesh: Nauni), is described and illustrated from India. An annotated key is provided for the identification of all 17 species known under the genus Sophonia reported from the Indian subcontinent. Type material is deposited in the National Pusa Collection, Division of Entomology, Indian Agricultural Research Institute (ICAR-IARI), New Delhi, India.
Setting sustainability agenda at the local level: a process of compromise making
Authors: Arda Lama (Al) , Pichault Francois , Esposito Giovanni , Crutzen Nathalie
Published: November 2023

This paper examines how local actors set the sustainability agenda. By relying on the economies of worth, we explain how actors dwell upon multiple worlds to evaluate what is valuable, what is not valuable, and to promote their views. Empirically, we draw evidence from the Walloon region in Belgium, by investigating how multiple actors discuss their views in an attempt to set a sustainability agenda. We outline the multiple worlds that actors refer to during their interaction, the moments of critiques and how a compromise is shaped where the green world is given a significant prominence. Furthermore, we identify a set of mechanisms that facilitated the multi-actor interaction to shape a collective compromise as a continuous process.

Points for practitioners

(1) Local governments play a crucial role in sustainability policies due to their proximity to local communities, enabling the development of tailored solutions, and direct engagement with citizens to address local environmental and social challenges. (2) Agenda-setting in local sustainability policies is intricate and frequently contentious due to the diverse values, interests, and preferences of all involved stakeholders. (3) Drawing on Boltanski and Thévenot's orders of worth theory, this paper offers researchers and practitioners an approach to unpack and understand the varied values, interests, and preferences of all involved stakeholders. (4) This paper identifies and elucidates three mechanisms (reflection, engagement, and alteration) that facilitate interactions among stakeholders, allowing them to reach a compromise on a shared sustainability agenda.