bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Sistem Keamanan Laboratorium Berbasis IoT dengan ESP32 di SMP N 1 Jangkar
Authors: Tantowi Imam , Sunardi  , Santoso Firman
Published: October 2023

Keuntungan dari sistem keamanan berbasis gadget dibandingkan dengan sistem keamanan biasa, misalnya, manusia adalah kemampuan untuk bekerja tanpa henti dan dapat dikaitkan dengan perangkat lain secara otomatis. Permasalahan yang terjadi di SMP Negeri 1 Jangkar adalah tidak adanya kerangka penjaga yang pada umumnya di jaga untuk menjaga keadaan ruang lab agar terhindar dari perampokan dan tindak kejahatan. Oleh karna itu solusi yang dapat kami tawarkan dalam keamanan lab, yaitu sebuah sistem yang dapat memonitoring keamanan lab, apabila di dalam ruangan lab ada benda bergerak maka sistem akan secara otomatis merekam kondisi dalam ruangan lab tersebut. Teknik yang digunakan dalam ujian ini adalah Penelitian dan pengembangan (karya Inovatif). ESP32 adalah mikrokontroler yang dihadirkan oleh Espressif Framework yang merupakan pengganti dari mikrokontroler ESP8266. Sistem keamanan lab dengan memanfaatkan esp32 dan sensor pir yang telah dibuat dan dijalankan di lab dapat berfungsi dengan baik sesuai rencana yang telah disusun.
Ultrasound Diagnosis and Behaviors in Cases with Encapsulated and Unrestricted Liquid Collections into Body Cavities
Authors: Hilendarov Atanas Dimitrov , Georgiev Alexandar Asenov , Chervenkov Lyubomir Georgiev , Sirakov Nikolai
Published: October 2023

Purpose: We present our experience in the diagnosis, follow-up and planning therapy of thoracic, abdominal and retroperitoneal liquid collections in different emergency patients using conventional and interventional ultrasound. Material and Methods: The right and left oblique and propositioning view was used in 235 patients/159 male and 76 female/ for US examination to identify fluids in the thorax and peritoneal or retroperitoneal space. The examination was performed after the clinical survey with patient’s supine. Positive findings of US were compared with those provided by CT, punctures under US control or surgery. US machine supplied with linear and convex transducers, CT machine, needles and catheters were used. Results: 197 of all 235 US examined patients had fluid collections, confirmed by CT scan, surgery or clinical course. In 156 patients we performed FN diagnostic punctures under US control. There was 155 true-positives, 25 true-negatives, 5 false-positives and 2 false-negative results. Overall this demonstrated that ultrasonography have sensitivity of 98.72%, specificity of 83.33% and accuracy of 96.25 %. The PPV is 96.87% and the NPV – 92.59%. Conclusions: Our experience and literature reports support the opinion that US examination can and should be used as a primary method for diagnosis and follow-up of clinically suspected free and organized fluids in the thorax, abdomen and retroperitoneum.
Cooking the Cosmic Soup: Vincent Moon's Altered States of Live Cinema
Authors: Vudka Amir
Published: October 2023

The films and live cinema of Vincent Moon are considered in this chapter as ‘psychedelic’: a form of filmmaking and film performances that can open the doors of perception to invisible realms of percepts, affects and durations that are beyond or below ordinary human perception. According to Paul Schrader, films can evoke such spiritual dimensions, in particular through what he called the transcendental style of film, and what Gilles Deleuze termed the time-image. As an audio-visual ethnographer of world religions who is distinctly influenced by shamanic and animistic traditions, Moon brings the transcendental style back to its plane of immanence. His live cinema performances have a ritualistic and ecstatic aspect that recalls the esoteric history of haunted media. Moon's enthralling film performances induce altered states of mind, tap into spiritual realities and immerse the audience in magic.
Decarbonising Australian Electricity Markets: Regulatory Roadblocks and Transformative Opportunities for Achieving Net Zero
Authors: Cantley-Smith Rowena , Kallies Anne , Kraal Diane
Published: October 2023

With a national emissions profile revealing a persistent role for fossil fuels in the energy and electricity fuel mixes, Australia's ability to realise its net zero emission ambitions is inherently linked to how the country manages and supports the decarbonisation of its energy sector to ensure the realisation of net zero goals by 2030, 2050, and beyond. Rapid growth in distributed energy resources is now challenging Australia’s electricity system and the regulatory framework, both of which were established on assumptions of centralized electricity supply from large generators to passive consumers. This article recognises that while regulatory frameworks – policies, laws, other instruments – can be critical enablers of desirable transitions, the current regulatory regime governing Australia’s energy markets has been a significant impediment to the energy sector decarbonisation and emission mitigation. Aspects of the regulatory framework that can encourage or hinder the development of future high DER markets and the decarbonisation transition across the national energy market are also explored.
Displaced Rituals, Replaced Contexts: Reimagining Garrick's Shakespeare Jubilee in Charles Dibdin's The Younger Brother (1793)
Authors: Chandler David
Published: October 2023

Charles Dibdin (1745–1814) played a central role in David Garrick's epochal Shakespeare Jubilee, held in Stratford-upon-Avon in 1769, the biggest media event of the age. He later became a prominent critic of the Jubilee, but his major imaginative response to it in his first and most personal novel, The Younger Brother (1793), has gone unexamined. The ‘Jubilee of Hearts’ built into this novel is an alternative Jubilee, moved several miles up the River Avon to the Warwick area, where it can be divorced from commercial considerations, corrective in its emphases, and serve as a counter-ritual. Needing a theme proportional to Shakespeare's genius, Dibdin chose local harmony as a microcosm of national unity. Dibdin's effort to imagine a Warwickshire Jubilee which has nothing to do with Shakespeare was notably unsuccessful, though: thus Shakespeare is, revealingly, a powerful absent presence at the ‘Jubilee of Hearts’.
Ex vivo and in vivo evidence that cigarette smoke-exposed T regulatory cells impair host immunity against Mycobacterium tuberculosis
Authors: Bai Xiyuan , Verma Deepshikha , Garcia Cindy , Musheyev Ariel , Kim Kevin , Fornis Lorelenn , Griffith David E. , Li Li , Whittel Nicholas , Gadwa Jacob , Ohanjanyan Tamara , Eggleston Matthew J. , Galvan Manuel , Freed Brian M. , Ordway Diane , Chan Edward D.
Published: October 2023

Introduction

A strong epidemiologic link exists between cigarette smoke (CS) exposure and susceptibility to tuberculosis (TB). Macrophage and murine studies showed that CS and nicotine impair host-protective immune cells against Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) infection. While CS and nicotine may activate T regulatory cells (Tregs), little is known about how CS may affect these immunosuppressive cells with MTB infection.

Methods

We investigated whether CS-exposed Tregs could exacerbate MTB infection in co-culture with human macrophages and in recipient mice that underwent adoptive transfer of Tregs from donor CS-exposed mice.

Results

We found that exposure of primary human Tregs to CS extract impaired the ability of unexposed human macrophages to control an MTB infection by inhibiting phagosome-lysosome fusion and autophagosome formation. Neutralizing CTLA-4 on the CS extract-exposed Tregs abrogated the impaired control of MTB infection in the macrophage and Treg co-cultures. In Foxp3+GFP+DTR+ (Thy1.2) mice depleted of endogenous Tregs, adoptive transfer of Tregs from donor CS-exposed B6.PL(Thy1.1) mice with subsequent MTB infection of the Thy1.2 mice resulted in a greater burden of MTB in the lungs and spleens than those that received Tregs from air-exposed mice. Mice that received Tregs from donor CS-exposed mice and infected with MTB had modest but significantly reduced numbers of interleukin-12-positive dendritic cells and interferon-gamma-positive CD4+ T cells in the lungs, and an increased number of total programmed cell death protein-1 (PD-1) positive CD4+ T cells in both the lungs and spleens.

Discussion

Previous studies demonstrated that CS impairs macrophages and host-protective T effector cells in controlling MTB infection. We now show that CS-exposed Tregs can also impair control of MTB in co-culture with macrophages and in a murine model.
The development of a farmer decision-making mind map to inform climate services in Central America
Authors: Giraldo Diana , Clarkson Graham , Dorward Peter , Obando Diego , Ramirez-Villegas Julian
Published: October 2023

The growing complexity of the relationship between climate information and agricultural decision-making necessitates the development of relevant and timely climate services for farmers. These services can effectively support risk management strategies in agriculture by fostering a comprehensive understanding of the intricacies involved in farmer decision-making dynamics. This paper addresses this critical gap by analyzing the drivers influencing decision-making processes that shape adaptation strategies for staple grain and coffee farming systems in Central America. The study answers the following research questions: (i) Does the mind map tool effectively provide a holistic understanding of farmers' decision-making processes? (ii) How do Central American farmers make decisions within their farm systems at multiple timescales? (iii) Which climate factors trigger these decisions? Employing a combination of systematic literature review and a case study in Honduras, the study identifies 13 critical decisions farmers make throughout their crop cycle and their respective triggers. These decisions were grouped into three clusters (production, household, and environmental) and classified into lead-time categories (operational, tactical, and strategic). Findings reveal that farmers base their decisions regarding future climate expectations on their traditional knowledge, religious dates, and memories of recent past seasons' rainfall patterns, and that one of the most significant factors influencing farmers' decisions is food security shortages resulting from extreme events. For example, recent mid-summer droughts have led farmers to prioritize sowing beans over maize in the Primera season, while during the Postrera season, they face challenges due to excess rainfall and the hurricane season. We conclude that the mind map tool developed in this paper provides an effective and appropriate method and that the variation in farmers' decision-making complexity across systems and landscapes presents a significant opportunity to design mind maps that span multiple timescales, facilitating the exploration of decision spaces. Farmers actively seek tailored weather and climate information while still valuing their existing experience and local knowledge, emphasizing the importance of integrating these elements into the development of climate services.
Correlation of left atrial function and pulmonary edema in patients with left heart failure on cardiopulmonary ultrasonography
Authors: Li Hong , Hu Ping-Xiang , Chen Jian
Published: October 2023

Objective

Patients with heart failure with pulmonary edema may have declining left atrial (LA) function. Left atrial strain (LAS) imaging enables quantitative assessment of LA function. The aim of this prospective study was to assess the LA function and pulmonary edema in patients with heart failure evaluated by cardiopulmonary ultrasonography.

Methods

Two-dimensional speckle-tracking echocardiography for LAS was performed in 115 consecutive patients with congestive heart failure. A semiquantitative B-lines score of pleural effusions was derived by pulmonary ultrasound almost at the same time by combined cardiopulmonary ultrasound.

Results

Compared with those who did not have pulmonary edema, patients with pulmonary edema had lower LAS (LASreservoir, 21.5 ± 4.9% vs. 9.2 ± 3.7% [P < 0.001]; LASconduit, 10.7 ± 3.5% vs. 5.1 ± 2.1% [P < 0.001]; LASpump, 11.3 ± 5.4% vs. 4.0 ± 2.7% [P < 0.001]), lower LVEF, TAPSE; and higher SPAP, E/e′, larger LA, LV, RV; more severe MR. However, there were no signiﬁcant between-group differences with respect to sex and body surface area. In patients with pulmonary edema, B-lines score was independently associated with LASreservoir (R = −0.71, P < 0.001); LASpump (R = −0.66, P < 0.001) and LASconduit (R = −0.56, P < 0.001). On multiple linear regression, decreased LASreservoir (beta = −0.61, B = −0.71, P < 0.001) and elevated SPAP (beta = 0.31, B = 0.13, P = 0.01) were significantly associated with B-lines score in heart failure.

Conclusion

Declining LA function, especially the reservoir function, assessed by speckle-tracking echocardiography is related to the degree and occurrence of pulmonary edema in patients with left heart failure.
Effect of interval time between hysterosalpingography and intrauterine insemination on the pregnancy outcome of infertile patients
Authors: Ling Li , Chen Mengzhu , Shen Tao , Yang Fang , Jin Yihan , Liang Yuanjiao
Published: October 2023

Background

Hysterosalpingography (HSG) is the most commonly applied tubal patency test in clinical practice. Although some studies have found an increased pregnancy rate after HSG, no studies to date have specifically characterized the effect of interval time between HSG and IUI on pregnancy outcome.

Objectives

To investigate the effect of interval time between HSG and intrauterine insemination (IUI) on live birth rates of infertile patients.

Methods

Retrospective cohort study. The reproductive medical record system was used to identify patients who completed ≥1 IUI cycle between January 2017 and October 2021. According to the interval time between HSG and IUI, patients were divided into three groups: <6months interval group,6-12 months interval group and >12 months interval group. The generalized estimating equation with Poisson distribution was used to estimate the risk ratios (RRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) of different groups.

Results

A total of 413 patients completed 701 IUI cycles during the study period, <6months interval group, 415 cycles; 6-12 months interval group, 138 cycles; >12 months interval group, 148 cycles. The live birth rate of <6 months group was higher than other two groups (17.35% vs. 12.32% vs. 8.11%, P=0.017); Similarly, the clinical pregnancy rate of <6 months group was also higher than other two groups (19.76% vs. 14.49% vs.11.49%, P=0.049). When adjusted separately for FSH, AMH, infertility type, duration of infertility, infertility diagnosis, total motile count (TMC) of sperm, medications, endometrium size and dominant follicle size, the live birth rate of >12 months group severally significantly decreased by 60% (adjusted RR = 0.40, 95% CI [0.19–1.40]). The cumulative clinical pregnancy and live birth rates of <6 months group were higher than other two groups (P<0.05), but the cumulative pregnancy rate among three groups were not statistically different (log rank test: P=0.06).

Conclusion

The interval time between hysterosalpingography and IUI is related to pregnancy outcome. The clinical pregnancy and live birth rates were the highest when the time interval was less than 6 months. Therefore, IUI should be recommend as soon as possible after HSG if the patient couple meets the IUI indication.
Does endometrial receptivity array improve reproductive outcomes in euploid embryo transfer cycles? a systematic review
Authors: Mei Youwen , Wang Yacong , Ke Xue , Liang Xuefei , Lin Yonghong , Wang Fang
Published: October 2023

Besides chromosomal normality, endometrial receptivity is an important factor in determining successful pregnancies. Endometrial receptivity array (ERA), a promising endometrial receptivity test, was speculated to improve the reproductive outcomes. However, its effectiveness is controversial in clinical practice. Therefore, we conducted this review to investigate its role in in vitro fertilization (IVF) treatment. To eliminate the interference of embryo quality, we only analyzed studies that originally reported the reproductive outcomes of patients who underwent ERA-guided euploid embryo transfer (EET). Unexpectedly, it revealed that ERA could not optimize the reproductive outcomes in EET cycles, no matter in general infertile population or in patients with a history of previous failed embryo transfers.
Effects of sleep duration and changes in body mass index on diabetic kidney disease: a prospective cohort study
Authors: Liu Cong , Zhang Jia , Wei Xing , Shi Juan , Fang Qianhua , Zhou Weiwei , Sun Lin , Hu Zhuomeng , Hong Jie , Gu Weiqiong , Wang Weiqing , Peng Ying , Zhang Yifei
Published: October 2023

Aims

To examine the associations of sleep duration and changes in BMI with the onset of diabetic kidney disease (DKD).

Materials and methods

2,959 participants with type 2 diabetes were divided into three groups based on sleep duration: short (<7 h/day), intermediate (7-9 h/day), or long (>9 h/day). Changes in BMI during follow-up were trisected into loss, stable, or gain groups. DKD was defined as either the urinary albumin/creatinine ratio (UACR) ≥ 3.39 mg/mmol or the estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) < 60 mL/min/1.73m², or both. Cox regression models were used to assess hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs).

Results

During a mean follow-up of 2.3 years, DKD occurred in 613 participants (20.7%). A J-shaped curve was observed between sleep duration and DKD. Compared to intermediate sleep duration, long sleep duration was associated with higher risks of DKD (HR 1.47; 95% CI: 1.19-1.81). In the joint analyses, compared to participants with intermediate sleep duration and stable BMI, long sleep duration with BMI gain had the highest risks of DKD (HR 2.04; 95% CI: 1.48-2.83). In contrast, short or intermediate sleep duration accompanied by decrease in BMI was associated with a reduced risk of DKD, with HRs of 0.50 (95% CI: 0.31-0.82) and 0.61 (95% CI:0.47-0.80), respectively.

Conclusions

Long sleep duration is significantly associated with an increased risk of DKD, which is further amplified by obesity or BMI gain. These findings suggest that both proper sleep duration and weight control are essential to preventing DKD.
Long amplicons as a tool to identify variable regions of ribosomal RNA for improved taxonomic resolution and diagnostic assay design in microeukaryotes: using ascetosporea as a case study
Authors: Hooper Chantelle , Ward Georgia M. , Foster Rachel , Skujina Ilze , Ironside Joseph E. , Berney Cédric , Bass David
Published: October 2023

Introduction

There is no universally appropriate basis for delimiting species in protists, including parasites. Many molecular markers used for species delimitation are part of the ribosomal RNA (rRNA) array, with different regions of the array being used for different parasitic protist taxa. However, little is known about sequence variability across the rRNA in most organisms, and there is no standard threshold at which divergence in the sequence of a particular gene can be used as a basis for species delimitation.

Methods

Here we demonstrate a method to generate the full rRNA array of parasitic protists by amplification of the array in two long, overlapping fragments followed by Illumina and Nanopore sequencing to produce high quality assemblies, to determine variations in sequence variability across the array. We apply this approach to two pairs of closely related ascetosporean parasites of crustaceans and molluscs [respectively Paramarteilia canceri/P. orchestiae and Marteilia cochillia/M. cocosarum (Rhizaria; Endomyxa; Ascetosporea)] and Bonamia ostreae and demonstrate how full-length rRNA sequences can be used to determine regions of the rRNA array that are most discriminatory, and robustly differentiate between species in combination with other lines of evidence.

Results

Phylogenetic analyses of the transcribed regions of the rRNA array demonstrate maximal support for, and separation of, all four parasite species. Sliding window global alignment analysis determined the regions of the rRNA array that had the most consistent nucleotide differences between the closely related parasites in a 1 kb region of the array. For Paramarteilia, this region was a combined internal transcribed spacer 1-5.8S-internal transcribed spacer 2 alignment, and for Marteilia, it was the external transcribed spacer. Phylogenetic analysis of these regions were able to recover the respective species, demonstrating that these regions could be used for improved diagnostic PCR assays.

Discussion

Our method could be adapted to quickly generate sequence data and determine regions more suitable for diagnostic assays for a wide diversity of parasite groups. It also allows the generation of sequence data for regions of the rRNA not commonly studied (e.g. regions of the intergenic spacer), thus enabling research into their suitability as marker regions.
Genome-wide identification reveals conserved carbohydrate-active enzyme repertoire in termites
Authors: He Shulin , Chakraborty Amrita , Li Fei , Zhou Cao , Zhang Binchuan , Chen Bin , Jiang Bin
Published: October 2023

Termites play an important role as decomposers of organic matter in forests by utilizing their gut symbionts and associated carbohydrate-active enzymes (CAZymes) to digest wood materials. However, there is a limited understanding of the entire repertoire of CAZymes and their evolution in termite genomes. Here we identified the gene families of CAZymes in publicly available termite genomes and analyzed the evolution of abundant gene families. We found that 79 CAZyme gene families from the carbohydrate-binding module and four CAZyme classes, including glycosyl transferase (GT), glycoside hydrolase (GH), auxiliary activity (AA) and carbohydrate esterase (CE), were present in termites with minor variations across termite species except for a few gene families. The gene trees of the large and conserved gene families have several groups of genes from all species, and each group encodes enzymes with complete corresponding domains. Three gene families, namely GT1, GH1 and AA3, exhibited significant variations in gene numbers and experienced several losses and a few duplications, which might be related to their rich gut symbionts and newly gained functions. Furthermore, the overall expression of CAZymes appears to have a caste- and tissue-specific pattern, reflecting a division of labor in termite colonies. Overall, these results reveal a likely stable CAZyme repertoire in termites and pave the way for further research on the functional contribution of termites to wood digestion.
Vaccine-induced SARS-CoV-2 antibody response: the comparability of S1-specific binding assays depends on epitope and isotype discrimination
Authors: Schest Silvia , Langer Claus , Stiegler Yuriko , Karnuth Bianca , Arends Jan , Stiegler Hugo , Masetto Thomas , Peter Christoph , Grimmler Matthias
Published: October 2023

Background

Quantification of the SARS-CoV-2-specific immune response by serological immunoassays is critical for the management of the COVID-19 pandemic. In particular, neutralizing antibody titers to the viral spike (S) protein have been proposed as a correlate of protection (CoP). The WHO established the First International Standard (WHO IS) for anti-SARS-CoV-2 immunoglobulin (Ig) (NIBSC 20/136) to harmonize binding assays with the same antigen specificity by assigning the same unitage in binding antibody units (BAU)/ml.

Method

In this study, we analyzed the S1-specific antibody response in a cohort of healthcare workers in Germany (n = 76) during a three-dose vaccination course over 8.5 months. Subjects received either heterologous or homologous prime-boost vaccination with ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 (AstraZeneca) and BNT162b2 (Pfizer-BioNTech) or three doses of BNT162b2. Antibodies were quantified using three anti-S1 binding assays (ELISA, ECLIA, and PETIA) harmonized to the WHO IS. Serum levels of neutralizing antibodies were determined using a surrogate virus neutralization test (sVNT). Binding assays were compared using Spearman’s rank correlation and Passing–Bablok regression.

Findings

All assays showed good correlation and similar antibody kinetics correlating with neutralizing potential. However, the assays show large proportional differences in BAU/ml. ECLIA and PETIA, which detect total antibodies against the receptor- binding domain (RBD) within the S1 subunit, interact similarly with the convalescent plasma-derived WHO IS but differently with vaccine serum, indicating a high sensitivity to the IgG/IgM/IgA ratio.

Conclusion

All three binding assays allow monitoring of the antibody response in COVID-19-vaccinated individuals. However, the assay-specific differences hinder the definition of a common protective threshold in BAU/ml. Our results highlight the need for the thoughtful use of conversion factors and consideration of method-specific differences. To improve the management of future pandemics and harmonize total antibody assays, we should strive for reference material with a well-characterized Ig isotype composition.
Comprehensive analysis of necroptosis-related genes in renal ischemia-reperfusion injury
Authors: Li Shuai , Zhang Weixun , Hu Xiaopeng
Published: October 2023

Background

Oxidative stress is the primary cause of ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI) in kidney transplantation, leading to delayed graft function (DGF) and implications on patient health. Necroptosis is believed to play a role in renal IRI. This research presents a comprehensive analysis of necroptosis-related genes and their functional implications in the context of IRI in renal transplantation.

Methods

The necroptosis-related differentially expressed genes (NR-DEGs) were identified using gene expression data from pre- and post-reperfusion renal biopsies, and consensus clustering analysis was performed to distinguish necroptosis-related clusters. A predictive model for DGF was developed based on the NR-DEGs and patients were divided into high- and low-risk groups. We investigated the differences in functional enrichment and immune infiltration between different clusters and risk groups and further validated them in single-cell RNA-sequencing (scRNA-seq) data. Finally, we verified the expression changes of NR-DEGs in an IRI mouse model.

Results

Five NR-DEGs were identified and were involved in various biological processes. The renal samples were further stratified into two necroptosis-related clusters (C1 and C2) showing different occurrences of DGF. The predictive model had a reliable performance in identifying patients at higher risk of DGF with the area under the curve as 0.798. Additionally, immune infiltration analysis indicated more abundant proinflammatory cells in the high-risk group, which was also found in C2 cluster with more DGF patients. Validation of NR-DEG in scRNA-seq data further supported their involvement in immune cells. Lastly, the mouse model validated the up-regulation of NR-DEGs after IR and indicated the correlations with kidney function markers.

Conclusions

Our research provides valuable insights into the identification and functional characterization of NR-DEGs in the context of renal transplantation and sheds light on their involvement in immune responses and the progression of IRI and DGF.
Histone lactylation regulates cancer progression by reshaping the tumor microenvironment
Authors: Qu Junxing , Li Peizhi , Sun Zhiheng
Published: October 2023

As a major product of glycolysis and a vital signaling molecule, many studies have reported the key role of lactate in tumor progression and cell fate determination. Lactylation is a newly discovered post-translational modification induced by lactate. On the one hand, lactylation introduced a new era of lactate metabolism in the tumor microenvironment (TME), and on the other hand, it provided a key breakthrough point for elucidation of the interaction between tumor metabolic reprogramming and epigenetic modification. Studies have shown that the lactylation of tumor cells, tumor stem cells and tumor-infiltrating immune cells in TME can participate in the development of cancer through downstream transcriptional regulation, and is a potential and promising tumor treatment target. This review summarized the discovery and effects of lactylation, as well as recent research on histone lactylation regulating cancer progression through reshaping TME. We also focused on new strategies to enhance anti-tumor effects via targeting lactylation. Finally, we discussed the limitations of existing studies and proposed new perspectives for future research in order to further explore lactylation targets. It may provide a new way and direction to improve tumor prognosis.
One year study on the reproductive biology, ovary characterization and age of the European sardine (Sardina pilchardus) in the middle-west Adriatic Sea
Authors: Chemello Giulia , Cerrone Greta Lucia , Tavolazzi Valentina , Donato Fortunata , Tiralongo Francesco , Gioacchini Giorgia
Published: October 2023

The ecological and economic relevance of the European sardine (Sardina pilchardus) in the Adriatic area is well established. High exploitation rates and instability of environmental parameters could potentially impair the reproductive physiology of this species, compromising the stock’s stability. To guarantee efficient stock management, there is a need to fill the lack of updated information regarding the structure, sex ratio and reproductive season of the sardine population in the Adriatic Sea. The present study provides new data on the distribution of females’ maturation phases, sex ratio, age frequency and seasonality of the reproductive period in the middle-western Adriatic Sea. Sardine specimens were collected monthly, from April 2021 to March 2022 in the Adriatic waters off the coast of Ancona. Size, weight and sex were determined for a sub-sample of almost 144 specimens during each sampling period. Through otolith analysis and ovary characterization, population age and females’ maturation phase were estimated respectively. The results obtained highlighted a general reduction in size (15.5cm the highest size class) and age (maximum age 2+, greater than 2 years old but less than 3 years) of the population that was characterized by the predominance of males. Also, an interesting scarcity of small female specimens (< 13 cm length) was observed. The reproductive period seemed to occur between October and June as suggested by ovarian characterization, GSI (0.50, 0.30 and 0.62 respectively) and Fulton’s condition factor (0.73, 0.74 and 0.74 respectively) analysis that showed the lowest values in July, August and September corresponding to the rest period.
Cortical circuit dynamics underlying motor skill learning: from rodents to humans
Authors: Kogan Emily , Lu Ju , Zuo Yi
Published: October 2023

Motor learning is crucial for the survival of many animals. Acquiring a new motor skill involves complex alterations in both local neural circuits in many brain regions and long-range connections between them. Such changes can be observed anatomically and functionally. The primary motor cortex (M1) integrates information from diverse brain regions and plays a pivotal role in the acquisition and refinement of new motor skills. In this review, we discuss how motor learning affects the M1 at synaptic, cellular, and circuit levels. Wherever applicable, we attempt to relate and compare findings in humans, non-human primates, and rodents. Understanding the underlying principles shared by different species will deepen our understanding of the neurobiological and computational basis of motor learning.
Neutrophil–lymphocyte ratio and platelet–lymphocyte ratio as potential predictive markers of treatment response in cancer patients treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Rugambwa Tibera K. , Abdihamid Omar , Zhang Xiangyang , Peng Yinghui , Cai Changjing , Shen Hong , Zeng Shan , Qiu Wei
Published: October 2023

Background

The role of platelet–lymphocyte ratio (PLR) and neutrophil–lymphocyte ratio (NLR) as independent prognostic markers in different tumors is well established. However, there is a limited review of the potential of NLR and PLR as predictors of treatment outcomes from immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs).

Objective

To establish a correlation between NLR and PLR and the potential of clinical benefit from ICIs.

Methods

The literature search was performed for studies that reported the association between NLR, PLR, and treatment outcomes among cancer patients treated with ICIs. The outcomes of interest were objective response rate (ORR), disease control rate (DCR), and progressive disease (PD). ORR was the summation of patients who achieved complete response and partial response. DCR included patients who achieved stable disease. PD was the proportion of patients who progressed, relapsed, or discontinued the treatment. Statistical analysis was performed using the STATA 12.0 package. Heterogeneity was determined by the I2 value. Quality assessment was performed using the Newcastle–Ottawa Scale. Egger’s test was used to establish publication bias and sensitivity analysis.

Results

A total of 40 papers that met the inclusion criteria were included in the systematic review. However, only 17 studies were used in the meta-analysis to determine the correlation between NLR, PLR, and treatment response. We found that treatment with ICIs and monitoring of outcomes and adverse events using PLR and NLR parameters have been studied in different tumors. Our analysis showed that low NLR correlated with higher ORR (OR = 0.62 (95% CI 0.47–0.81, p = 0.001) and higher DCR (OR = 0.23, 95% CI 0.14–0.36, p < 0.001). Higher NLR predicted a higher probability of PD (OR = 3.12, 95% CI 1.44, 6.77, p = 0.004). Similarly, low PLR correlated with higher ORR (OR = 0.69, 95% CI 0.5, 0.95, p = 0.025). Generally, patients with low NLR and PLR were more likely to achieve clinical benefit and better response (p-value < 0.001). Meanwhile, patients with high ratios were more likely to progress (p-value < 0.005), although there was significant heterogeneity among studies. There was no significant publication bias observed.

Conclusion

The study showed that high NLR and PLR either at baseline or during treatment is associated with poorer treatment outcome. Therefore, these ratios can be utilized in clinical practice with other markers to determine treatment efficacy from immunotherapy.
Histopathological growth pattern of liver metastases as an independent marker of metastatic behavior in different primary cancers
Authors: Bohlok Ali , Richard François , Lucidi Valerio , Asmar Antoine El , Demetter Pieter , Craciun Ligia , Larsimont Denis , Hendlisz Alain , Van Laethem Jean Luc , Dirix Luc , Desmedt Christine , Vermeulen Peter , Donckier Vincent
Published: October 2023

Surgical resection can lead to prolonged survival in patients with isolated liver metastases (LM) from various primary cancers. However, there are currently no validated predictive markers to discriminate between these oligo/argometastatic patients, who will benefit from surgery, and those with diffuse metastatic behavior in whom surgery will be futile. To evaluate whether the tumor microenvironment, or histopathological growth pattern (HGP), of LM reflects the type of metastatic progression independently of the origin of the primary cancer, we analyzed a combined series of patients who underwent surgery for colorectal LM (N=263) or non-colorectal LM (N=66). HGPs of LM were scored in each patient to distinguish between desmoplastic HGP (all LM showing a complete encapsulated pattern) and non-desmoplastic HGP (at least one LM with some infiltrating-replacement component). In the entire series, 5-year overall and progression-free survival were, 44.5% and 15.5%, respectively, with no significant differences between colorectal and non-colorectal LM. In patients with desmoplastic HGP, 5-year overall and progression-free survival were 57% and 32%, respectively, as compared to 41% and 12%, respectively, in patients with non-desmoplastic-HGP (p=0.03 and 0.005). Irrespective of cancer origin and compared to traditional risk factors, desmoplastic HGP was the most significant predictor for better post-operative overall survival (adjusted HR: 0.62; 95% CI: [0.49-0.97]; p=0.035) and progression-free survival (adjusted HR: 0.61; 95% CI: [0.42-0.87], p=0.006). This suggests that the HGP of LM may represent an accurate marker that reflects the mode of metastatic behavior, independently of primary cancer type.
Efficacy of fosinopril and amlodipine in pediatric primary hypertension: a single-center observational study
Authors: Wang Hui , Shi Lin , Lin Yao , Wang Yuting , Niu Wenquan , Li Yaqi
Published: October 2023

Objective

Fosinopril and amlodipine are commonly prescribed as first-line pharmacotherapeutic agents for pediatric hypertension, but there is a lack of comparative studies regarding the efficacy of these two drugs. We aimed to evaluate and compare the efficacy of fosinopril and amlodipine monotherapy in pediatric primary hypertension.

Methods

This was a single-center, bidirectional observational study. A total of 175 children and adolescents with primary hypertension receiving antihypertensive monotherapy from July 2020 to February 2023 were enrolled. According to antihypertensive drugs, they were divided into the fosinopril group (n = 96) and the amlodipine group (n = 79). Subgroup analysis was performed to compare the efficacy of the two groups in terms of blood pressure (BP) control rates and reductions following a 4-week treatment.

Results

After 4 weeks of treatment, both groups achieved significant reductions in systolic BP (SBP) and diastolic BP (DBP) by more than 18 mmHg and 6 mmHg, respectively, with BP control rates of 61.5% in the fosinopril group and 59.5% in the amlodipine group, revealing no significant differences in the antihypertensive efficacy between the two groups except for DBP control rate (FDR adjusted P > 0.05). Further subsequent subgroup analyses revealed that the reductions in SBP and DBP in the fosinopril group were significantly greater than those in the amlodipine group in patients of females and hypo-HDL-cholesterolemia (FDR adjusted P < 0.05), and there was a trend of difference, although not significant, in patients with central obesity and insulin resistance (IR) (FDR adjusted 0.05 < P ≤ 0.1). However, there were no significant differences in treatment efficacy in patients without these characteristics. Furthermore, hypertriglyceridemia did not exhibit a significant association with the difference in treatment efficacy between the two medications (FDR adjusted P > 0.05).

Conclusions

Fosinopril and amlodipine monotherapy were both effective in pediatric primary hypertension during a short-term follow-up. Fosinopril may be particularly effective in reducing BP in hypertensive patients of females, central obesity, IR, and hypo-HDL-cholesterolemia. These findings indicate that optimizing antihypertensive medication selection based on the individualized characteristics of children with hypertension may improve the efficacy of antihypertensive treatment.
YOLO-SCL: a lightweight detection model for citrus psyllid based on spatial channel interaction
Authors: Lyu Shilei , Zhou Xu , Li Zhen , Liu Xueya , Chen Yicong , Zeng Weibin
Published: October 2023

Efficient and accurate detection and providing early warning for citrus psyllids is crucial as they are the primary vector of citrus huanglongbing. In this study, we created a dataset comprising images of citrus psyllids in natural environments and proposed a lightweight detection model based on the spatial channel interaction. First, the YOLO-SCL model was based on the YOLOv5s architecture, which uses an efficient channel attention module to perform local channel attention on the inputs in the recursive gated convolutional modules to achieve a combination of global spatial and local channel interactions, improving the model’s ability to express the features of the critical regions of small targets. Second, the lightweight design of the 21st layer C3 module in the neck network of the YOLO-SCL model and the small target feature information were retained to the maximum extent by deleting the two convolutional layers, whereas the number of parameters was reduced to improve the detection accuracy of the model. Third, with the detection accuracy of the YOLO-SCL model as the objective function, the black widow optimization algorithm was used to optimize the hyperparameters of the YOLO-SCL model, and the iterative mechanism of swarm intelligence was used to further improve the model performance. The experimental results showed that the YOLO-SCL model achieved a mAP@0.5 of 97.07% for citrus psyllids, which was 1.18% higher than that achieved using conventional YOLOv5s model. Meanwhile, the number of parameters and computation amount of the YOLO-SCL model are 6.92 M and 15.5 GFlops, respectively, which are 14.25% and 2.52% lower than those of the conventional YOLOv5s model. In addition, after using the black widow optimization algorithm to optimize the hyperparameters, the mAP@0.5 of the YOLO-SCL model for citrus psyllid improved to 97.18%, making it more suitable for the natural environments in which citrus psyllids are to be detected. The experimental results showed that the YOLO-SCL model has good detection accuracy for citrus psyllids, and the model was ported to the Jetson AGX Xavier edge computing platform, with an average processing time of 38.8 ms for a single-frame image and a power consumption of 16.85 W. This study provides a new technological solution for the safety of citrus production.
Latent profile analysis of gambling
Authors: Çıtak Şenel
Published: October 2023

Early age of gambling onset, ease of gambling with technological developments and lack of controlling online gambling games have led to unmanageable risk of gambling. Individual-centered approaches play a significant role in managing the risk that gambling poses on public health and discerning the heterogeneity of gambling addiction. Therefore, this study employed Latent Profile Analysis (LPA), one of the individual-centered approaches, to model the interactions across the psychosocial characteristics of gamblers. The study aims to reveal the latent profiles of gambling addiction. Unlike variable-centered approaches, LPA is a contemporary technique that provides objective information regarding individual psychological processes and behaviors. The profile indicators of the study involve psychosocial characteristics such as resilience, motives to gamble (excitement/fun, avoidance, making money, socializing), purposefulness, responsibility and worthiness. Data were collected from 317 volunteers (M = 68.9%; F = 31.1%; mean age = 25.16 ± 6.46) through the Brief Resilience Scale (BRS), Gambling Motives Scale (GMS) and Personal Virtues Scale (PVS). The emerging profiles were defined as adventurous players (14.2%), social gamblers (9.8%), professional gamblers (32.8%), problem gamblers (24.6%) and avoidant gamblers (18.6%). The individual-centered modeling is congruent with the literature on gambling and provides a complementary perspective to understand the heterogeneous structure of gambling. The results are expected to assist mental health professionals in developing educational and clinical intervention programs for gambling behavior. Finally yet importantly, it is recommended that new LPA models be offered through the use of different indicators related to gambling addiction.
A brain imaging study of dopamine receptor D2 availability in cannabis dependent users after recovery from cannabis-induced psychosis
Authors: Weinstein Aviv M.
Published: October 2023

There is increased risk of psychosis associated with cannabis use disorder and the interaction of THC with dopamine neurotransmission is complex. It is important to investigate the recovery from cannabis-induced psychosis and its effects on the brain’s dopamine neurotransmission. This study was to evaluate dopamine receptor D2 availability in the striatum (caudate/putamen) in recently abstinent cannabis dependent users after recovery from psychosis in comparison with abstinent MDMA “ecstasy” abusers and healthy control participants. Participants were eight abstinent ex cannabis-dependent users who were treated for cannabis-induced psychosis with anti-psychotic medication and psychosocial support for 4 months in an inpatient treatment center for drug users. They were compared with nine abstinent ex MDMA “ecstasy” abusers who received medication and psycho-social treatment for 4 months at the same treatment facility and eight healthy control participants. All participants were scanned with bolus and constant infusion of [123I] Iodobenzamide (IBZM) in Single Photon Computed Tomography (SPECT). Cannabis abstinent users who were treated for cannabis-induced psychotic episodes showed no difference in dopamine D2 receptor availability in the caudate compared with abstinent MDMA “ecstasy” abusers and healthy control participants. This finding indicates minimal effects of cannabis-induced psychosis on dopamine reward mechanisms. There is evidence for reduced D2 receptor availability measures in the right putamen (uncorrected) which may indicate a residual effect of anti-psychotic medication.
Attitudes towards urban stray cats and managing their population in India: a pilot study
Authors: Changrani-Rastogi Anamika , Thakur Nishakar
Published: October 2023

Life in contemporary cities is often dangerous for stray cats, with strikingly low survival rates. In several countries, trap-neuter-return (TNR) programs have been employed to control urban stray cat populations. Management of stray cats in urban environments is not just about applying scientific solutions, but also identifying approaches that align with local cultural and ethical values. India has an estimated 9.1 million stray cats. TNR presents as a potential method for stray cat management in India, while also improving their welfare. Yet, to date, there has been no academic exploration on Indian residents’ attitudes towards stray cats. We conducted a survey in 13 cities in India reaching 763 residents, examining interactions with stray cats, negative and positive attitudes towards them, attitudes towards managing their population, and awareness of TNR. Results show a high rate of stray cat sightings and interactions. While most respondents believed that stray cats had a right to welfare, the majority held negative attitudes towards and had negative interactions with them. There was widespread lack of awareness about TNR, but, when described, there was a high degree of support. Gathering insights into opinions about stray cats, and the sociodemographic factors that impact these opinions, is an important first step to developing policies and initiatives to manage stray cat populations.
Application of Task-Aligned Model Based on Defect Detection
Authors: Hung Ming-Hung , Ku Chao-Hsun , Chen Kai-Ying
Published: October 2023

In recent years, with the rise of the automation wave, reducing manual judgment, especially in defect detection in factories, has become crucial. The automation of image recognition has emerged as a significant challenge. However, the problem of how to effectively improve the classification of defect detection and the accuracy of the mean average precision (mAP) is a continuous process of improvement and has evolved from the original visual inspection of defects to the present deep learning detection system. This paper presents an application of deep learning, and the task-aligned approach is firstly used on metal defects, and the anchor and bounding box of objects and categories are continuously optimized by mutual correction. We used the task-aligned one-stage object detection (TOOD) model, then improved and optimized it, followed by deformable ConvNets v2 (DCNv2) to adjust the deformable convolution, and finally used soft efficient non-maximum suppression (Soft-NMS) to optimize intersection over union (IoU) and adjust the IoU threshold and many other experiments. In the Northeastern University surface defect detection dataset (NEU-DET) for surface defect detection, mAP increased from 75.4% to 77.9%, a 2.5% increase in mAP, and mAP was also improved compared to existing advanced models, which has potential for future use.